Systems and methods for monitoring the installation status of a shank attachment member of an agricultural implement

An agricultural implement, comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of shank assemblies coupled to the frame, each shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies comprising:
• a shank extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the shank having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion including the proximal end, the lower portion including the distal end;
• and
• at least one mounting element configured to couple the proximal end of the shank to a portion of the frame such that a respective shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies is pivotal relative to the frame independently of others of the plurality of shank assemblies toward and away from a working position;
• a plurality of shank attachment members, each shank attachment member of the plurality of shank attachment members being coupled to the distal end of the shank of a respective shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies, a respective shank attachment member of the plurality of shank attachment members and the lower portion of the shank of the respective shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies being positioned at least partially below a ground surface of a field and the upper portion of the shank of the respective shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies being positioned above the ground surface when the respective shank assembly is in the working position;
• a signal transmission device supported by at least one shank attachment member of the plurality of shank attachment members, the signal transmission device configured to transmit wireless signals;
• an antenna configured to receive the wireless signals transmitted from the signal transmission device, the antenna being positioned on the at least one mounting element or on the upper portion of the shank of the respective shank assembly to which the at least one shank attachment member is coupled such that the antenna is above the surface of the field when the respective shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies is in the working position;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the antenna, the controller configured to determine an installation status of the at least one shank attachment member based at least in part on the wireless signals received by the antenna from the signal transmission device.

A method for monitoring an installation status of shank attachment members of an agricultural implement, the agricultural implement comprising a shank assembly having a shank extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the shank having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion including the proximal end, the lower portion including the distal end, the shank assembly further having at least one mounting element configured to couple the proximal end of the shank to a frame of the agricultural implement, the agricultural implement further comprising a shank attachment member coupled to the distal end of the shank, and the agricultural implement additionally comprising a biasing member configured to bias the shank relative to the frame toward a working position such that the shank attachment member and the lower portion of the shank are positioned at least partially below a ground surface of a field and the upper portion of the shank is positioned above the ground surface when the shank is in the working position, the method comprising:

• receiving, with a computing device, wireless signals from a signal transmission device supported by the shank attachment member via an antenna positioned on the upper portion of the shank or on the at least one mounting element such that the antenna is above the ground surface of the field when the shank is in the working position;
• identifying, with the computing device, an installation status of the shank attachment member based at least in part on the received wireless signals;
• and
• initiating, with the computing device, a control action when it is identified that the shank attachment member is detached from the shank.