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US 11,140,806 B2Granted
Agricultural toolbar apparatus, systems, and methods
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsDale M. Koch, Jason Stoller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatus for shifting weight between a tractor and toolbar and between sections of the toolbar and for folding a toolbar between a field position and a transport position.
Claims16
An agricultural implement, comprising:
- an agricultural toolbar having a hitch assembly, and a weight transfer assembly coupled to the hitch assembly;
- a center bar coupled to the weight transfer assembly;
- at least one center wheel assembly coupled to the center bar;
- a first wing assembly comprising a first inner wing section and a first outer wing section, and a second wing assembly comprising a second inner wing section and a second outer wing section, the wing assemblies coupled to opposite sides of the center bar, each of the first wing assembly and the second wing assembly including at least one wing wheel assembly extending therefrom and a wing fold actuator configured to fold the wing assemblies from a position wherein the wing assemblies are in substantial alignment with the center bar to a position wherein the wing assemblies are substantially perpendicular to the center bar;
- a weight management control system operably connected to the center bar, the first wing assembly, and the second wing assembly, the weight management control system comprising a plurality of sensors and configured to adjust a net pressure on the first wing and the second wing assemblies based, at least in part, on relative loads acting on the at least one center wheel assembly and the wing wheel assemblies, and wherein the loads comprise a weight on the agricultural implement including a weight of the wing assemblies and a ground force on the at least one center wheel assembly and wing wheel assemblies;
- a plurality of wing flex actuators operatively connected to the weight management control system, wherein at least one of the plurality of wing flex actuators operatively connects the first inner wing section and the first outer wing section, wherein at least one of the plurality of wing flex actuators operatively connects the second inner wing section and the second outer wing section, and wherein the weight distribution system is configured to adjust the plurality of wing flex actuators based on the plurality of sensors to redistribute the load between the at least one center wheel assembly and the wing wheel assemblies.
3 more elements
A method of distributing weight about a center bar, a left wing assembly, and a right wing assembly of an agricultural implement, the method comprising:
- determining one or more characteristics associated with each of the center bar, the left wing assembly and the right wing assembly of the implement with one or more sensors, said one or more characteristics comprising a weight on the agricultural implement including a weight of the wing assemblies and ground forces on at least one center wheel assembly and left and right wing wheel assemblies;
- and
- using a weight management control system to actuate one or more of a plurality of wing flex actuators of the agricultural implement to independently adjust down force at the left wing assembly, the right wing assembly, or both the left wing assembly and the right wing assembly, based upon the one or more characteristics associated with two or more of the center bar, the left wing assembly, and the right wing assembly;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of wing flex actuators is operatively connected between an inner wing section and an outer wing section of the left wing;
- wherein at least one of the plurality of wing flex actuators is operatively connected between an inner wing section and an outer wing section of the right wing;
- and
- wherein the wing assemblies include wing fold actuators configured to fold the wing assemblies from a position wherein the wing assemblies are in substantial alignment with the center bar to a position wherein the wings are substantially perpendicular to the center bar.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.