Down pressure adjustment device and method for use with a disc opener assembly of an agricultural implement

• US 9,968,030 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Kowalchuk, Trevor, Schilling, Robin B., Turner, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mitchell, Joel F.
• Application Number:
  US12/820,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,884 Days
• Field of Search: 172 2, 172744, 111137
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/205 comprising pressure regulation means

Abstract

A disc opener unit for an agricultural implement has a down pressure adjustment device that automatically adjusts the amount of down pressure applied on a furrowing disc based on strain measurements taken by a strain gauge or load cell. The strain gauge, which may be mounted to an arm that is used to set the position of a depth setting gauge wheel, provides feedback to a processor that in turn controls the amount of hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the down force applied on the disc. The amount of down pressure is therefore adjusted in substantially real-time in response to changes in field conditions, which improves furrow depth consistency and reduces wear on the gauge wheel and its components.

Claims

1. A disc opener assembly for a farm implement, comprising:

a disc supported on a shaft and configured to cut an elongated trench into a ground surface;

a disc mount supported on the shaft and positioned on a side of the disc opposite a gauge wheel and including a mount arm operatively connectable to the farm implement and including a disc depth adjustment member which includes a fan-shaped member having an edge positioned beyond the disc which conforms with an outer contour of the disc and having a series of settings thereon, the series of settings being fixed relative to a position of the mount arm, the mount arm extending from a portion of the fan-shaped member;

a depth setting device operable to set a cutting depth for the disc, the depth setting device including a control arm having a first end coupled to the shaft of the disc and a second end extending near an outer perimeter of the fan shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member, the second end moveable between a plurality of user-selectable positions and matingly connected to one of the series of settings of the depth adjustment member to set the cutting depth of the disc;

a down pressure mechanism operable to apply an adjustable down pressure onto the disc via the disc mount so that the disc penetrates the ground surface sufficiently to cut the elongated trench at the cutting depth; and

a load sensor mounted to the control arm for sensing deformation of the control arm in response to a load placed on the disc mount, the deformation corresponding to a down pressure exerted on the disc mount to the disc such that feedback from the sensed deformation of the control arm is used by a single controller which is communicatively linked to the load sensor and the down pressure mechanism, the controller providing signals to the down pressure mechanism to maintain the depth of the trench at a relatively constant depth as the disc penetrates the ground surface,

wherein an appropriate amount of down pressure results in a minimum deformation of the control arm, and

wherein the disc mount is coupled on one side directly to at least one linkage operably coupled to the farm implement, and the disc mount is directly coupled on an opposite side to an arm carrying a pack wheel, and

wherein a sleeve supports a spring which is coupled at one end to the at least one linkage and at an opposite end to a trunnion connected to a rock shaft.

2. The disc opener assembly of claim 1 wherein the load sensor includes a strain gauge mounted to the control arm.

3. The disc opener assembly of claim 2 wherein the down pressure mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder and wherein pressure in the hydraulic cylinder is automatically adjusted in real-time based on the deformation of the control arm measured by the strain gauge.

4. The disc opener assembly of claim 3 wherein the controller controls pressure in the hydraulic cylinder in response to the feedback from the load sensor to adjust the down pressure applied to the disc via the disc mount in response to changes in soil conditions.

5. The disc opener assembly of claim 1 wherein the disc depth adjustment member of the disc mount has an opening therein which extends transversely below the series of settings on the fan-shaped member.

6. A farm implement comprising:

a toolbar configured to be coupled to a towing vehicle;

a plurality of disc opener assemblies mounted to the toolbar, and configured to cut a plurality of trenches into a ground surface, wherein each disc opener assembly includes;

a disc mounted to a first axle and configured to cut a trench in a ground surface at a user-selected penetration depth;

a disc mount supporting the first axle and positioned on a side of the disc opposite a gauge wheel and including a mount arm operatively connectable to the farm implement and a disc depth adjustment member including a fan-shaped member having an edge positioned beyond the disc which conforms with an outer contour of the disc and having a series of settings, the series of settings being fixed relative to a position of the mount arm, the mount arm positioned to extend from a portion of the fan-shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member;

a hydraulic cylinder that applies a down force on the disc via the disc mount;

a depth control arm having a first end coupled to the first axle and a second end extending near an outer perimeter of the fan-shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member, a portion of the depth control arm adapted to form a mating relationship and matingly connected with one of the series of settings of the fan-shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member to set a position of the first axle to set the penetration depth for the disc; and

a down force adjustment assembly including the hydraulic cylinder and a load sensor mounted on the depth control arm, the down force adjustment assembly configured to automatically adjust the down force applied to the disc via the disc mount by the hydraulic cylinder to maintain the penetration depth of the disc at a substantially constant user-selected penetration depth, the load sensor sensing deformation of the depth control arm in response to down force exerted through the disc mount on the disc, the down force adjustment assembly communicatively linked to a single controller, wherein the controller signals the down force adjustment assembly to automatically adjust the down force on the disc in response to the deformation of the depth control arm measured by the load sensor,

wherein an appropriate amount of down pressure results in a minimum deformation of the depth control arm,

wherein the disc mount is coupled on one side directly to at least one linkage operably coupled to the farm implement, and the disc mount is directly coupled on an opposite side to an arm carrying a pack wheel, and the mount arm is positioned to extend from a portion of the fan-shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member of the disc mount, and

wherein a sleeve supports a spring which is coupled at one end to the at least one linkage and at an opposite end to a trunnion connected to a rock shaft.

7. The farm implement of claim 6 wherein the load sensor further comprises a strain gauge, and the controller receives strain information from the strain gauge and provides control signals to the hydraulic cylinder to automatically adjust the down force applied to the disc.

8. The farm implement of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to provide control signals to the hydraulic cylinder that causes the hydraulic cylinder to initially apply a maximum down force to the disc, and wherein the controller then causes the hydraulic cylinder to reduce the down force automatically based on a measured strain on the depth control arm.

9. The farm implement of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to provide control signals to the hydraulic cylinder that causes the hydraulic cylinder to initially apply a minimum down force to the discs, and wherein the controller then causes the hydraulic cylinder to increase the down force automatically based on the measured deformation of the depth control arm.

10. The farm implement of claim 7, wherein each disc opener assembly further includes a parallel linkage coupling the disc opener assembly to the toolbar, a bracket to which first and second axles are mounted, a trailing arm extending rearwardly of the bracket, and the packing wheel mounted to the trailing arm.

11. The farm implement of claim 10 further comprising a seed tube mounted to the bracket.

12. The farm implement of claim 6, wherein the disc depth adjustment member of the disc mount has an opening therein which extends transversely below the series of settings on the fan-shaped member.

13. A depth control assembly for use with a disc opener unit of a farm implement, the disc opener unit having a disc rotatably supported on an axle and configured to cut a trench in soil, and a hydraulic cylinder that applies a down pressure onto the disc so that the disc cuts the trench in the soil at a desired penetration depth, the assembly comprising:

a disc mount supporting the axle and positioned on a side of the disc opposite a gauge wheel and including a mount arm operatively connectable to the farm implement and a disc depth adjustment member including a fan-shaped member having an edge positioned beyond the disc which conforms with an outer contour of the disc and having a series of settings, the series of settings being fixed relative to a position of the mount arm, the mount arm positioned to extend from a portion of the fan-shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member;

a control arm having a first end connected to the axle and a second end extending near an outer perimeter of the fan-shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member, the control arm engageable with one of the series of settings of the depth adjustment member, the control arm being operable to set a position of the axle to set the penetration depth for the disc;

a load sensor mounted to the control arm and operative to measure deformation of the control arm in response to changing soil conditions, the deformation corresponding to the down pressure on the disc via the disc mount; and

a controller communicatively linked to the load sensor to receive deformation data from the load sensor;

wherein the controller controls pressure in the hydraulic cylinder in response to the deformation data to adjust the down pressure applied to the disc via the disc mount automatically maintain the desired penetration depth of the trench at a relatively constant depth in changing soil conditions as the disc penetrates the ground surface,

wherein a portion of the second end of the control arm forms a mating relationship with one of the series of the settings of the disc depth adjustment member to fix the position of the axle to set the penetration depth for the disc,

wherein an appropriate amount of down pressure results in a minimum deformation of the control arm,

wherein the disc mount is coupled on one side directly to at least one linkage operably coupled to the farm implement, and the disc mount is directly coupled on an opposite side to an arm carrying a pack wheel, and the mount arm is positioned to extend from a portion of the fan-shaped member of the disc depth adjustment member of the disk mount, and

wherein a sleeve supports a spring which is coupled at one end to the at least one linkage and at an opposite end to a trunnion connected to a rock shaft.

14. The depth control assembly of claim 13 wherein the disc depth adjustment member of the disc mount has an opening therein which extends transversely below the series of settings on the fan-shaped member.