# US 12,757,815 B2 · Agricultural closing system and method

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- Number: US 12,757,815 B2
- Document ID: US12757815B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/851,788
- Filed: 2022-06-28
- Published: 2023-12-28
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2022-06-28
- Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC
- Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC
- Inventors: Christopher Schoeny; Trevor Stanhope
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12757815B2

## CPC

- A01C 5/068: {Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels}
- A01B 49/06: for sowing or fertilising
- A01B 63/008: {Vertical adjustment of tools (A01B63/10 takes precedence)}
- A01C 7/203: {comprising depth regulation means}
- A01C 7/205: {comprising pressure regulation means}
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)
- A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21)

## Abstract

A system for a row unit of a planting implement includes a frame. A closing system is operably coupled with the frame. The closing system includes a closing arm operably coupled to the frame on a first portion of the closing arm, a closing disc operably coupled with a second portion of the closing arm, and an adjustment assembly operably coupled with the closing arm, the adjustment assembly configured to alter one or more operating parameters of the closing system. The system further includes a positioning system and a computing system communicatively coupled to the closing system and the positioning system. The computing system is configured to determine a location of the closing system based on data received from the positioning system, and alter the one or more operating parameters of the closing system from a first operating parameter to a second operating parameter based on the location of the closing system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for a row unit of a planting implement, the system comprising:
a frame;
a closing system operably coupled with the frame, the closing system comprising:
a closing arm operably coupled to the frame on a first portion of the closing arm;
a closing disc operably coupled with a second portion of the closing arm; and
an adjustment assembly operably coupled with the closing arm, the adjustment assembly configured to alter one or more operating parameters of the closing system;
a press arm operably coupled to the frame on a first portion of the press arm;
a press wheel operably coupled with a second end portion of the press arm, the press wheel downstream of the closing disc in a forward direction of travel;
a press assembly actuator operably coupled with the frame and the press arm, wherein the press assembly actuator is configured to alter a position of the press wheel relative to the frame, wherein soil closing from the closing disc and soil pressing from the press wheel are configured to act with forces independent of one another on a soil within a common closing system;
a positioning system; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the closing system and the positioning system, the computing system being configured to:
determine a location of the closing system based on data received from the positioning system; and
alter the one or more operating parameters of the closing system from a first operating parameter to a second operating parameter based on the location of the closing system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first operating parameter is a first amount of down force and the second operating parameter is a second amount of down force, the second amount varied from the first amount.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a user interface operably coupled with the computing system, wherein the one or more operating parameters is received through the user interface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a closing assembly actuator operably coupled with the frame and the closing arm, wherein the closing assembly actuator is configured to alter a position of the closing disc relative to the frame.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the computing system is configured to alter one or more operating characteristics of the closing assembly to alter the one or more operating parameters of the closing system from the first operating parameter to the second operating parameter based on the location of the closing system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a press assembly, wherein the computing system is configured to alter one or more operating characteristics of the press assembly from the first operating parameter to the second operating parameter based on the location of the closing system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning system is located remote from the frame, and wherein the computing system is configured to determine the location of the closing system based on the data received from the positioning system and an offset position of the positioning system relative to the frame.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first operating parameter is defined by a first operating parameter zone of a prescription map and the second operating parameter is defined by a second operating parameter zone of the prescription map.

### Claim 9

A method for an agricultural operation, the method comprising:
selecting a position of a down stop of a closing disc assembly along a closing disc arm to define a maximum down force of the closing disc assembly, the stop defining a plurality of positions on the closing disc arm via a plurality of holes configured to receive a pin to physically limit an angular range of motion of the closing disc arm;
determining, based on data from a positioning system, a location of a first row unit;
comparing, with a computing system, the first location of the first row unit to a prescription map; and
altering, with an adjustment assembly operably coupled with the computing system, an operating parameter of a closing system of the first row unit when the location of the first row unit is moved from a first operating parameter zone to a second operating parameter zone, the first operating parameter zone and the second operating parameter zone defined by a prescription map.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the closing system of the first row unit includes a closing assembly, and wherein altering the operating parameter of the closing system further includes activating a closing assembly actuator of the adjustment assembly to alter a position of a closing disc relative to a frame of the first row unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the closing system of the first row unit includes a press assembly, and wherein altering the operating parameter of the closing system further includes activating a press assembly actuator of the adjustment assembly to alter a position of a press wheel relative to a frame of the first row unit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
determining, based on data from the positioning system, a location of a second row unit;
comparing, with a computing system, the location of the second row unit to the prescription map; and
altering, with the adjustment assembly operably coupled with the computing system, the operating parameter of a closing system of the second row unit when the location of the second row unit is moved from the first operating parameter zone to the second operating parameter zone, wherein the operating parameter of the closing system of the first row unit is varied from the operating parameter of the closing system of the second row unit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the closing system of the second row unit includes a closing assembly, and wherein altering the operating parameter of the closing system further includes altering an operating characteristic of the closing assembly.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the closing system of the first row unit includes a press assembly, and wherein altering the operating parameter of the closing system further includes altering an operating characteristic of the press assembly.

### Claim 15

A system for a planting implement, the system comprising:
a first row unit including a first closing system;
a second row unit including a second closing system;
a positioning system; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the first closing system, the second closing system, and the positioning system, the computing system being configured to:
determine a location of the first row unit relative to the positioning system;
determine a location of the second row unit relative to the positioning system; and
compare the location of the first row unit and the location of the second row unit to a prescription map having a plurality of operating parameter zones and determine a first operating parameter for the first closing system based on the location of the first row unit within a first zone of the prescription map and a second operating parameter for the second closing system based on the location of the second row unit within a second zone of the prescription map, wherein the first operating parameter is varied from the second operating parameter during simultaneous use of the first row unit and the second row unit,
wherein the first operating parameter is selectively varied through a first adjustment assembly, and wherein the first adjustment assembly includes a closing assembly actuator operably coupled with a closing assembly and a press assembly actuator operably coupled with a press assembly.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the second operating parameter is selectively varied through a second adjustment assembly, and wherein the second adjustment assembly includes a closing assembly actuator operably coupled with a closing assembly and a press assembly actuator operably coupled with a press assembly.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the first operating parameter is based on a combination of one or more operating characteristics of the closing assembly of the first row unit and one or more operating characteristics of the press assembly of the first row unit.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the first operating parameter is an amount of down force generated by the closing system.