# US 11,439,056 B2 · Air seeder frame force control

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- Number: US 11,439,056 B2
- Document ID: US11439056B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/341,664
- Filed: 2017-10-19
- Published: 2019-12-19
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-20
- Assignees: Precision Planting LLC
- Applicants: Precision Planting LLC
- Inventors: William Frank; Chad Plattner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439056B2

## CPC

- A01C 5/064: {with rotating tools}
- A01C 5/066: {Devices for covering drills or furrows}
- A01C 5/068: {Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels}
- A01C 7/08: Broadcast seeders; Seeders depositing seeds in rows
- A01C 7/205: {comprising pressure regulation means}
- G01L 5/0038: {applying a pushing force}
- Y02P 60/00: Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Described herein are air seeders that have force actuators acting on at least one of the firming implement and closing wheel to adjust for a specified downforce on at least one of the firming implement and the closing wheel. In one example, a seeding implement includes a support arm having a support arm first portion and a support arm second portion. A firming implement support arm is pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first pivot at a first end of the firming implement support arm. A firming implement force actuator is pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first end of the firming implement force actuator and connected to the firming implement support arm at the second end of the firming implement force actuator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A seeding implement comprising:
a bracket for mounting the seeding implement to a frame;
a support arm pivotally connected to the bracket and having a support arm first portion and a support arm second portion branched from the support arm first portion;
a furrow disc connected to the support arm first portion;
a force device connected to the bracket and connected to the support arm second portion to apply a force between the frame and the furrow disc;
an implement support arm pivotally connected to a first pivot of the support arm second portion at a first end of the implement support arm; and
an implement force actuator pivotally connected to a second pivot of the support arm second portion at a first end of the implement force actuator and connected to the implement support arm at a second end of the implement force actuator, wherein the implement force actuator is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, and an electrically driven linkage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The seeding implement of claim 1, further comprising a closing wheel support arm pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at the second pivot.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The seeding implement of claim 2, further comprising a closing wheel force actuator pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first end of the closing wheel force actuator and connected to the closing wheel support arm at a second end of the closing wheel force actuator, wherein the closing wheel force actuator is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, and an electrically driven linkage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The seeding implement of claim 1, further comprising:
a gauge wheel connected to the support arm first portion via a gauge wheel arm at an axle; and
a gauge wheel load sensor disposed at the connection of the support arm first portion and the gauge wheel arm or at a connection of the gauge wheel arm and the axle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The seeding implement of claim 1, further comprising:
a gauge wheel connected to the support arm first portion via a gauge wheel arm at an axle;
a load sensor disposed on the gauge wheel arm at an end opposite of the axle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The seeding implement of claim 1, further comprising an implement load sensor disposed at the connection of the implement to the implement support arm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The seeding implement of claim 1, further comprising an implement load sensor disposed on the implement support arm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The seeding implement of claim 3, further comprising a closing wheel load sensor on the closing wheel support arm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The seeding implement of claim 3, further comprising a closing wheel load sensor disposed at the connection of the closing wheel to the closing wheel support arm.

### Claim 10

A seeding implement comprising:
a support arm having a support arm first portion and a support arm second portion branched from the support arm first portion;
a closing wheel support arm pivotally mounted to the support arm second portion at a first end of the closing wheel support arm, and a closing wheel connected to the closing wheel support arm at a second end of the closing wheel support arm;
a closing wheel force actuator pivotally connected to the second support arm at a first end of the closing wheel implement force actuator and connected to the closing wheel support arm at a second end of the closing wheel force actuator, wherein the closing wheel force actuator is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, and an electrically driven linkage;
a firming implement support arm pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first pivot at a first end of the firming implement support arm; and
a firming implement load sensor disposed on the firming implement support arm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The seeding implement of claim 10, further comprising:
a gauge wheel connected to the support arm first portion; and
a gauge wheel load sensor disposed at the connection of the support arm first portion and the gauge wheel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The seeding implement of claim 10, further comprising:
a gauge wheel connected to the support arm first portion via a gauge wheel arm at an axle; and
a gauge wheel load sensor disposed at the connection of the support arm first portion and the gauge wheel arm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The seeding implement of claim 10, further comprising:
a gauge wheel connected to the support arm first portion via a gauge wheel arm at an axle; and
a gauge wheel load sensor disposed at a connection of the gauge wheel arm and the axle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The seeding implement of claim 10, further comprising:
a gauge wheel connected to the support arm first portion via a gauge wheel arm at an axle; and
a load sensor disposed on the gauge wheel arm at an end opposite of the axle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The seeding implement of claim 10, further comprising:
a firming implement connected to the firming implement support arm at a second end of the firming implement support arm;
wherein the firming implement load sensor is disposed at the connection of the firming implement to the firming implement support arm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The seeding implement of claim 10, further comprising a closing wheel load sensor on the closing wheel support arm.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The seeding implement of claim 10, further comprising:
a downforce control system having a closed-loop feedback circuit to communicate with the closing wheel force actuator to automatically control downforce of the closing wheel force actuator.

### Claim 18

A seeding implement comprising:
a support arm having a support arm first portion and a support arm second portion;
a firming implement support arm pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first pivot at a first end of the firming implement support arm;
a firming implement load sensor on the firming implement support arm; and
a firming implement force actuator pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first end of the firming implement force actuator and connected to the firming implement support arm at the second end of the firming implement force actuator, wherein the firming implement force actuator is selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, and an electrically driven linkage.