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US 11,882,782 B2Granted
Agricultural trench depth systems, methods, and apparatus
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsDillon Sloneker, Jeremy Hodel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit of an agricultural planter. The row unit includes a trench depth adjustment assembly configured to modify the furrow depth. In one embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a gear box having one or more gears which engage with a gear rack. The gear box may be pivotally connected to a depth adjustment body supporting a rocker that adjusts upward travel of gauge wheel arms. In another embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a depth adjustment arm having a screw receiver that cooperates with a driven screw that adjusts the position of the depth adjustment arm acting on the gauge wheels to adjust trench depth.
Claims18
An agricultural row unit, comprising:
- a row unit frame;
- a furrow opening disc rotatably supported by said row unit frame for opening a furrow in a soil surface as the row unit frame advances in a forward direction of travel;
- a gauge wheel disposed adjacent to said furrow opening disc and pivotably supported from said row unit frame by a gauge wheel arm such that said gauge wheel is displaceable with respect to said furrow opening disc;
- a depth adjustment assembly, comprising:
- a depth adjustment body pivotally connected via a pivot to said row unit frame;
- a gear rack disposed on said row unit frame;
- a gear box connected to said depth adjustment body;
- an electric motor operably coupled to drive a gear of said gear box in engagement with said gear rack;
- a magnet rotatably coupled with said electric motor or a motor shaft;
- a Hall effect sensor configured to detect rotations of said magnet with respect to said Hall effect sensor;
- a current sensor configured to detect an occurrence of a spike in current to the electric motor;
- and
- a stop disposed on said gear rack;
- whereby driving said gear in engagement with said gear rack by said electric motor adjustably positions said depth adjustment body with respect to said gear rack to control a depth of the furrow opened by the furrow opening disc by limiting an amount of upward travel of said gauge wheel with respect to said furrow opening disc.
11 more elements
An agricultural row unit, comprising:
- a row unit frame;
- a furrow opening disc rotatably supported by said row unit frame for opening a furrow in a soil surface as the row unit frame advances in a forward direction of travel;
- a gauge wheel disposed adjacent to said furrow opening disc and pivotably supported from said row unit frame by a gauge wheel arm such that said gauge wheel is displaceable with respect to said furrow opening disc;
- a depth adjustment assembly, comprising:
- a depth adjustment body pivotally connected via a pivot to said row unit frame;
- a gear rack disposed on said row unit frame;
- a gear box connected to said depth adjustment body:,
- an electric motor operably coupled to drive a gear of said gear box in engagement with said gear rack;
- a magnet rotatably coupled with said electric motor;
- a Hall effect sensor configured to detect rotations of said magnet with respect to said Hall effect sensor;
- whereby driving said gear in engagement with said gear rack by said electric motor adjustably positions said depth adjustment body with respect to said gear rack to control a depth of the furrow opened by the furrow opening disc by limiting an amount of upward travel of said gauge wheel with respect to said furrow opening disc;
- wherein a biasing member is disposed in said depth adjustment body, said depth adjustment body connected to said gear box via a shaft, said shaft connected to said gear box and extending into said depth adjustment body, said biasing member biasing said gear box towards said gear rack.
9 more elements
An agricultural row unit, comprising:
- a row unit frame;
- a furrow opening disc rotatably supported by said row unit frame for opening a furrow in a soil surface as the row unit frame advances in a forward direction of travel;
- a gauge wheel disposed adjacent to said furrow opening disc and pivotably supported from said row unit frame by a gauge wheel arm such that said gauge wheel is displaceable with respect to said furrow opening disc;
- a depth adjustment assembly, including:
- a depth adjustment body pivotally connected via a pivot to said row unit frame;
- a gear rack disposed on said row unit frame;
- a gear box connected to said depth adjustment body;
- a homing system comprising a sensor and a target, wherein said sensor is disposed on said gear box, and said target is disposed on said gear rack, and wherein said sensor senses said target as said sensor passes in proximity to said target;
- and
- an electric motor operably coupled to drive a gear of said gear box in engagement with said gear rack;
- whereby driving said gear in engagement with said gear rack by said electric motor adjustably positions said depth adjustment body with respect to said gear rack to control a depth of the furrow opened by the furrow opening disc by limiting an amount of upward travel of said gauge wheel arm with respect to said furrow opening disc.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.