Dynamic supplemental downforce control system for planter row units
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A dynamic supplemental downforce control system for a planter row unit, comprising:
- a downforce actuator associated with the planter row unit, said planter row unit generating an actual gauge wheel downforce Fa during planting operations, said downforce actuator disposed to operably change said actual gauge wheel downforce Fa when actuated;
a control module for defining a desired gauge wheel downforce Fd; and
a direction control valve disposed to control fluid flow to said downforce actuator, said actual gauge wheel downforce Fa and said desired gauge wheel downforce Fd being operably transmitted to said direction control valve;
whereby in response to any imbalance between said transmitted actual gauge wheel downforce Fa and said desired gauge wheel downforce Fd, fluid flows through said direction control valve to said downforce actuator to change said actual gauge wheel downforce Fa in order to rebalance said actual and desired gauge wheel downforces.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dynamic supplemental downforce control system for a planter row unit. The system includes closed-loop feedback circuit that cooperates with a downforce actuator to dynamically control fluid flow to the downforce actuator to maintain balance between the actual gauge wheel downforce and a desired gauge wheel downforce during planting operations.
126 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A dynamic supplemental downforce control system for a planter row unit, comprising:
-
a downforce actuator associated with the planter row unit, said planter row unit generating an actual gauge wheel downforce Fa during planting operations, said downforce actuator disposed to operably change said actual gauge wheel downforce Fa when actuated; a control module for defining a desired gauge wheel downforce Fd; and a direction control valve disposed to control fluid flow to said downforce actuator, said actual gauge wheel downforce Fa and said desired gauge wheel downforce Fd being operably transmitted to said direction control valve; whereby in response to any imbalance between said transmitted actual gauge wheel downforce Fa and said desired gauge wheel downforce Fd, fluid flows through said direction control valve to said downforce actuator to change said actual gauge wheel downforce Fa in order to rebalance said actual and desired gauge wheel downforces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. The dynamic supplemental downforce control system of 1 wherein said direction control valve includes a spool operably axially displacable in a first axial direction by said transmitted actual gauge wheel downforce Fa and operably axially displaceable in a second axial direction by said transmitted desired gauge wheel downforce Fd, whereby said axial displacement of said spool causes actuation of said downforce actuator by permitting fluid flow thereto.
-
13. A dynamic supplemental downforce control system for a planter row unit, the row unit generating a actual gauge wheel downforce Fa during planting operations, the system comprising:
-
a downforce actuator disposed to operably change the actual gauge wheel downforce Fa when actuated; and a closed-loop feedback circuit comprising a direction control valve to which a desired gauge wheel downforce Fd and said actual gauge wheel downforce are communicated for controlling fluid flow to said downforce actuator to maintain a balance between said desired gauge wheel downforce Fd and said actual gauge wheel downforce Fa. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification