Apparatus, systems and methods for row unit downforce control
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsDerek A. Sauder, Ian R. Radtke, Jason J. Stoller
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Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling the downforce applied to a row unit of an agricultural implement having multiple row units. A downpressure control device in fluid communication with a down chamber of the least one actuator maintains as a selected downpressure, any one of a continuous range of pressures in the downpressure chamber. A lift pressure control device in fluid communication with a lift chamber of the at least one actuator for controlling pressure in the lift chamber maintains as a selected lift pressure, any one of a continuous range of pressures in the lift chamber.
Claims19
An agricultural implement having multiple row units, each row unit comprising at least one opening disc for opening a trench in soil and at least one gauge wheel for setting a depth of the trench, and having a system for applying downforce to the row units, the system comprising:
- a first actuator disposed to apply force to a first row unit, said first actuator including a first down chamber and a first lift chamber, pressure in said first down chamber tending to oppose pressure in said first lift chamber;
- a second actuator disposed to apply force to a second row unit, said second actuator including a second down chamber and a second lift chamber, pressure in said second down chamber tending to oppose pressure in said second lift chamber;
- a first downpressure control device in fluid communication with said first down chamber for controlling pressure in said first down chamber, said first downpressure control device configured to maintain as a selected first downpressure any one of a continuous range of pressures in said first down chamber;
- a second downpressure control device in fluid communication with said second down chamber for controlling pressure in said second down chamber, said second downpressure control device configured to maintain as a selected second downpressure any one of a continuous range of pressures in said second down chamber, wherein said selected second downpressure is different from said selected first downpressure;
- a lift pressure control device in fluid communication with both said first lift chamber and said second lift chamber for controlling pressure in said first lift chamber and said second lift chamber, said lift pressure control device configured to maintain as a selected lift pressure any one of a continuous range of pressures in both said first lift chamber and said second lift chamber, wherein said selected lift pressure is different from said selected first downpressure and said selected second downpressure;
- and
- processing circuitry in electrical communication with said first downpressure control device, said second downpressure control device, and said lift pressure control device, said processing circuitry configured to modify an operating state of said first downpressure control device, said second downpressure control device, and said lift pressure control device.
A method of controlling the force applied to a first agricultural row unit by a first actuator having a first chamber and a second chamber and of controlling the force applied to a second agricultural row unit by a second actuator having a third chamber and a fourth chamber, the first and second agricultural row units including at least one opening disc for opening a trench in soil and at least one gauge wheel for setting a depth of the trench, the method comprising:
- maintaining a first selected pressure in the first chamber by modifying an operating state of a first control device in fluid communication with the first chamber;
- maintaining a second selected pressure in the third chamber by modifying an operating state of a second control device in fluid communication with the third chamber;
- and
- maintaining a third selected pressure in the second chamber and the fourth chamber by modifying an operating state of a third control device in fluid communication with the second chamber and the fourth chamber, wherein said third selected pressure is different from said first selected pressure and said second selected pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.