Soil moisture-based planter downforce control

• US 9,675,004 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Landphair, Donald K., Frasier, Michael E., Liu, James Z., Walter, Jason D., Green, Lawrence D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/871,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/203 comprising depth regulation means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means

Abstract

A seeding machine includes a main frame, and a row unit coupled to the main frame. The row unit has a row unit frame, a gauge wheel coupled to the row unit frame, and a furrow opener coupled to the row unit frame, the furrow opener having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and moves soil. The row unit also includes a furrow closer, the furrow closer having a stationary or rotating surface that contacts and presses soil. The seeding machine also includes a downforce adjustment system for adjusting an amount of downforce applied to the row unit, the downforce adjustment system including a moisture sensor, a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor, and an actuator configured to change the amount of downforce applied to the row unit based on the signal received by the controller.

Claims

1. A seeding machine comprising:

a main frame;

a row unit coupled to the main frame, the row unit having a row unit frame, a gauge wheel coupled to the row unit frame, and a furrow opener coupled to the row unit frame; and

a downforce adjustment system for adjusting an amount of downforce applied to the row unit, the downforce adjustment system including a moisture sensor configured to detect a moisture level of soil, a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor corresponding to the detected moisture level, and an actuator configured to change the amount of downforce applied to the row unit based on the signal received by the controller,

wherein the row unit is one of a plurality of row units coupled to the main frame, and wherein each of the row units includes its own associated controller, its own associated moisture sensor, and its own associated actuator, such that each controller only communicates with the moisture sensor and the actuator associated of a single row unit.

2. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the moisture sensor is coupled to the row unit.

3. The seeding machine of claim 2, further comprising a seed firmer device coupled to the row unit frame, wherein the moisture sensor is coupled to the seed firmer device.

4. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the seeding machine has a direction of travel, and wherein the moisture sensor is positioned to detect the moisture level of approaching soil ahead of the furrow opener along the direction of travel.

5. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the moisture sensor is selected from a group consisting of a capacitive sensor, an infrared sensor, and a radar sensor.

6. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the moisture sensor detects a moisture level at a predetermined depth within soil.

7. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator.

8. The seeding machine of claim 7, wherein the linkage is pivotally coupled to the main frame.

9. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is mounted to the row unit.

10. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to increase the downforce on the row unit if the detected moisture level is below a predetermined threshold.

11. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to decrease the downforce on the row unit if the detected moisture level is above a predetermined threshold.

12. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the moisture sensor, the controller, and the actuator form a closed loop control, such that the moisture sensor continuously monitors moisture levels in the soil and send signals to the controller, and the actuator continuously adjusts a downforce on the row unit based on signals received from the controller.

13. The seeding machine of claim 1, wherein the row unit is one of a plurality of row units coupled to the main frame, wherein each row unit includes an associated actuator, and wherein the actuators are coupled to a single controller, such that the single controller controls each of the associated actuators individually.

14. The seeding machine of claim 13, wherein the moisture sensor is one of a plurality of moisture sensors that are each coupled to the single controller, and wherein each moisture sensor is associated with a different row unit.

15. A seeding machine comprising:

a main frame;

a row unit coupled to the main frame, the row unit having a row unit frame, a gauge wheel coupled to the row unit frame, and a furrow opener coupled to the row unit frame; and

a downforce adjustment system for adjusting an amount of downforce applied to the row unit, the downforce adjustment system including a moisture sensor configured to detect a moisture level of soil, a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor corresponding to the detected moisture level, and an actuator configured to change the amount of downforce applied to the row unit based on the signal received by the controller,

wherein the row unit is one of a plurality of row units coupled to the main frame, wherein the moisture sensor is a single moisture sensor, and wherein the downforce applied to each row unit is identical based on the moisture level detected by the single moisture sensor.

16. A seeding machine comprising:

a main frame;

a row unit coupled to the main frame, the row unit having a row unit frame; and

a downforce adjustment system coupled to the row unit for adjusting an amount of downforce applied to the row unit, the downforce adjustment system including;

a moisture sensor coupled to the row unit and configured to detect a moisture level of one or more layers of soil, the moisture sensor selected from a group consisting of a capacitive sensor, an infrared sensor, and a radar sensor;

a controller configured to receive a signal from the moisture sensor corresponding to the detected moisture level;

an actuator configured to change the amount of downforce applied to the row unit based on the signal received by the controller; and

a linkage coupled to the actuator, the row unit frame, and the main frame, wherein the linkage is pivotally coupled to the main frame,

wherein the row unit is one of a plurality of row units coupled to the main frame, and wherein each of the row units includes its own associated controller, its own associated moisture sensor, and its own associated actuator, such that each controller only communicates with the moisture sensor and the actuator associated of a single row unit.

17. The seeding machine of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to increase the downforce on the row unit if the detected moisture level is below a predetermined threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to decrease the downforce on the row unit if the detected moisture level is above a predetermined threshold.