Agricultural planting depth sensor
First Claim
1. An agricultural planting machine comprising:
- a trench opener configured to open a trench; and
a trench depth sensing system comprising;
a ground-engaging component;
a capacitive sensor comprising a transmitter element driven by an input signal to generate an electric field and a receiver element at a fixed position relative to the transmitter element and configured to generate an output signal based on a capacitive coupling between the transmitter and receiver elements, wherein the capacitive coupling changes based on movement of the ground-engaging component, relative to the fixed position of the transmitter and receiver elements, within the electric field; and
a trench depth calculation component configured to generate an indication of trench depth based on the output signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An agricultural planting machine is described. In one example, the machine comprises a trench opener configured to open a trench, and a trench depth sensing system comprising a ground-engaging component and a trench depth sensor configured to generate a signal indicative a displacement of the ground-engaging component by directly sensing a surface of the ground engaging component. In one example, an agricultural planting machine comprising a trench opener configured to open a trench, and a trench depth sensing system comprising a ground-engaging component and a capacitive sensor comprising a transmitter element driven by an input signal to generate an electric field and a receiver element configured to generate an output signal based on a capacitive coupling between the transmitter and receiver elements, wherein the capacitive coupling changes based on movement of the ground-engaging component within the electric field. A trench depth calculation component is configured to generate an indication of trench depth based on the output signal.
52 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An agricultural planting machine comprising:
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a trench opener configured to open a trench; and a trench depth sensing system comprising; a ground-engaging component; a capacitive sensor comprising a transmitter element driven by an input signal to generate an electric field and a receiver element at a fixed position relative to the transmitter element and configured to generate an output signal based on a capacitive coupling between the transmitter and receiver elements, wherein the capacitive coupling changes based on movement of the ground-engaging component, relative to the fixed position of the transmitter and receiver elements, within the electric field; and a trench depth calculation component configured to generate an indication of trench depth based on the output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An agricultural planting machine comprising:
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a trench opener configured to open a trench; and a trench depth sensing system comprising; a ground-engaging component; and a trench depth sensor comprising a transmitter element and a receiver element at a fixed position relative to the transmitter element, the trench depth sensor configured to generate a signal indicative a displacement of the ground-engaging component by directly sensing a surface of the ground engaging component. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An agricultural planting machine row unit comprising:
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a trench opener configured to open a trench; and a trench depth sensing system comprising; a capacitive sensor mounted on the trench opener, the capacitive sensor comprising an array of capacitive sensing elements, each capacitive sensing element having a transmitter element driven by an input signal to generate an electric field and a receiver element configured to generate an output signal indicative of dielectric properties of a medium proximate the sensing element; and a trench depth indication component configured to generate an indication of trench depth based on the output signals from the capacitive sensing elements. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification