System and method for monitoring an operational status of a shear pin for a ground-engaging assembly of an agricultural implement

An agricultural implement, comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of shank assemblies supported relative to the frame, each shank assembly comprising:
• an attachment structure pivotably coupling the shank assembly to the frame;
• a shank pivotably coupled to the attachment structure at a pivot joint;
• a shear pin at least partially extending through the attachment structure and the shank to prevent pivoting of the shank about the pivot joint;
• and
• a biasing element coupled between the frame and the attachment structure, the biasing element being configured to bias the shank towards a ground-engaging position;
• a plurality of orientation sensors, each orientation sensor being configured to detect an orientation of the attachment structure of a respective shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies as the attachment structure of the respective shank assembly pivots relative to the frame;
• and
• a computing system communicatively coupled to the plurality of orientation sensors, the computing system being configured to monitor the orientation of the attachment structure of each of the plurality of shank assemblies and determine a change in an operational status of the shear pin of a given shank assembly of the plurality of shank assemblies based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure of the given shank assembly.

A method for monitoring the operational status of a shear pin for a ground-engaging assembly of an agricultural implement, the ground-engaging assembly including an attachment structure pivotably coupling the ground-engaging assembly to a frame of the agricultural implement, a ground-engaging tool pivotably coupled to the attachment structure at a pivot joint, and a shear pin at least partially extending through the attachment structure and the ground-engaging tool to prevent pivoting of the ground-engaging tool about the pivot joint, the method comprising:

• receiving, with a computing system, sensor data from an orientation sensor configured to detect an orientation of the attachment structure as the attachment structure pivots relative to the frame;
• monitoring, with the computing system, the orientation of the attachment structure of the shank assembly based on the sensor data received from the orientation sensor;
• determining, with the computing system, that a change in an operational status of the shear pin of the shank assembly has occurred based on detected changes in the monitored orientation of the attachment structure;
• and
• automatically initiating, with the computing system, a control action in response to determining that the change in the operational status of the shear pin of the shank assembly has occurred.