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US 6,834,550 B2Granted
Soil profile force measurement using an instrumented tine
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsShrinivasa Upadhyaya, Pedro Andrade-Sanchez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A profile sensor and method for mapping the variability in soil compaction and soil characteristics with respect to depth. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a tine with a plurality of cutting elements supported by a plurality of independent load cells configured to measure the force exerted on the cutting elements as the tine is pulled through the soil of a field. Soil cutting forces through the soil profile are preferably measured to a depth of 63 cm in increments of 7.5 cm. The profile sensor showed that the cutting force is influenced by soil moisture content, depth of operation of the tine and vertical location of the cutting element.
Claims63
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of cutting elements;
- (b) means for measuring force on each of the cutting elements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil, wherein said means for measuring force on the cutting elements comprises:
- (i) a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- (ii) each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting element;
- (iii) each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil;
- (c) a tine body;
- (d) wherein said plurality of load sensing elements are coupled to said tine body.
4 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements configured to form the cutting edge of a tine;
- means for measuring force on each of the cutting elements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- means of measuring soil temperature and/or soil cutting speed;
- a data logger coupled to said force measuring means along with said temperature and/or speed measuring means;
- wherein said data logger is configured for recording measurements from these measuring means as said cutting elements are pulled through soil.
2 more elements
A method for measuring variability in soil compaction with respect to depth, comprising:
- measuring soil resistance to cutting as a plurality of cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- maintaining a history of past measurements for a cultivated field;
- and
- comparing said measurements of soil resistance to cutting with said history of measurements for said cultivated field.
1 more element
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- means for measuring force on each of the cutting elements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil,
- a data logger;
- wherein said data logger is configured to record force measurements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- and
- a temperature sensor coupled to said data logger.
3 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- means for measuring force on each of the cutting elements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil,
- a data logger;
- wherein said data logger is configured to record force measurements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- and
- a speed sensor coupled to said data logger.
3 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- and
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting element;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil;
- wherein said plurality of cutting elements form a cutting edge of a tine.
3 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting element;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil;
- and
- a plurality of dummy cutting elements;
- wherein said dummy cutting elements are configured for providing sufficient separation between adjacent cutting elements which have said load sensing elements;
- wherein said dummy cutting elements reduce interference between adjacent load sensing elements toward providing accurate discrete soil layer measurements.
5 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting element;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil;
- a data logger;
- wherein said data logger is configured to record force measurements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- and
- a temperature sensor coupled to said data logger.
5 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting element;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil;
- a data logger;
- wherein said data logger is configured to record force measurements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- and
- a speed sensor coupled to said data logger.
5 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- said plurality of cutting elements forming a cutting edge of a tine;
- and
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting element;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil.
3 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a tine body;
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements coupled to said tine body;
- a plurality of cutting elements forming a cutting edge of a tine;
- each said cutting element coupled to a corresponding load sensing element;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil.
2 more elements
A method for measuring variability in soil compaction with respect to depth, comprising:
- measuring soil resistance to cutting as a plurality of cutting elements are pulled through soil.
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- means for measuring force on each of the cutting elements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- and
- an overload protection device coupled to the combination of said cutting elements and said means for measuring force;
- said overload protection device configured to prevent excessive cutting load forces from being applied from said cutting elements to said means for measuring force.
2 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- means for measuring force on each of the cutting elements as said cutting elements are pulled through soil;
- and
- a plurality of dummy cutting elements;
- wherein said dummy cutting elements are configured for providing sufficient separation between adjacent cutting elements which have said force measuring means;
- wherein said dummy cutting elements reduce interference between adjacent force measuring means toward providing accurate discrete soil layer measurements.
3 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting element;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil;
- and
- an overload protection device coupled to the combination of said load sensing elements and said cutting elements;
- said overload protection device configured to prevent excessive cutting load forces from being applied from said cutting elements to said load sensing elements.
4 more elements
A compaction profile sensing tine apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of cutting elements;
- and
- a plurality of independent load sensing elements;
- each said load sensing element coupled to a corresponding cutting elements;
- each said load sensing element configured for measuring force on a corresponding cutting element as said cutting element is pulled through soil;
- wherein said cutting elements having said load sensing elements are configured for being arranged in an approximate vertical orientation for cutting through the soil;
- wherein said approximate vertical orientation can be on a slant in which said cutting elements are sequentially cutting through the same soil at different depths.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.