Agricultural toolbar apparatus, systems, and methods
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsDale M. Koch, Jason J. 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.
Claims15
An implement for traversing a field, comprising:
- a main frame section including a main wheel assembly for supporting the main frame section;
- a frame wing section pivotally coupled to the main frame section, the frame wing section including a wing wheel assembly for supporting the frame wing section;
- a hydraulic control system comprising a pressure source for supplying hydraulic fluid, a control valve disposed in fluid communication with the pressure source, and an actuator assembly fluidly coupled to the control valve;
- a control system comprising a controller disposed in electrical communication with the control valve;
- and
- a wheel force sensor electrically coupled to the controller, the wheel force sensor configured to detect an amount of force on the wing wheel assembly and communicate the amount of force to the controller;
- wherein, the actuator assembly is coupled between the main frame section and the frame wing section, the actuator assembly being operably actuated based on an amount of hydraulic pressure received from the control valve;
- further wherein, the controller operably controls movement of the control valve to actuate the actuator assembly and adjust the amount of force on the wing wheel assembly.
A method of operating an implement having a main frame section and a frame wing section pivotally coupled to the main frame section, a main wheel assembly supporting the main frame section and a wing wheel assembly supporting the frame wing section for movement over a ground surface, a controller, a wheel force sensor, and a hydraulic control system including a pressure source for supplying hydraulic fluid, a control valve disposed in fluid communication with the pressure source, and an actuator assembly fluidly coupled to the control valve, the method comprising:
- sending an initial pressure command by the controller to the control valve;
- actuating the actuator assembly to apply an initial amount of force to the wing wheel assembly;
- detecting a force measurement on the wing wheel assembly by the wheel force sensor;
- communicating the force measurement to the controller;
- comparing the force measurement to a threshold;
- and
- sending an adjusted pressure command by the controller to the control valve to adjust the amount of force being applied to the wing wheel assembly based on the comparing step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.