US 9,173,339 B2 · System and method for determining proper downforce for a planter row unit

Abstract

A system and method for determining the appropriate downforce on an agricultural planter row unit that minimizes soil compaction while maintaining desired furrow depth. A load sensor is disposed to generate a load signal corresponding to loading on a depth regulation member of the row unit. In one method a load margin is calculated based on a minimum detected load value. In another method, a load margin is derived through a statistical analysis of the detected load values. The load margin calculated or derived by any of the methods is indicative of the amount of supplemental down force that should be increased or decreased to bring the load margin toward zero. A ground contact parameter may also be used in connection with the load margin to provide further confidence on the proper amount of downforce required to ensure furrow depth while minimizing soil compaction.

Claims47

Dependent claims

A method of determining when to adjust supplemental down force acting on a row unit of an agricultural planter to ensure desired furrow depth while minimizing soil compaction as the planter traverses a field, the row unit having a depth regulation member, the method comprising:

(a) as the planter traverses the field, a load sensor generates load signal values variable in magnitude in relation to loading on the depth regulation member of the row unit, wherein said loading results from a force applied by the row unit to the soil surface as the planter traverses the field;
(b) monitoring said load signal values occurring during a sampling period;
(c) from among said load signal values occurring during said sampling period, identifying a minimum load value, wherein said minimum load value is a load signal value with a lowest signal magnitude;
and
(d) calculating a load margin using said minimum load value, wherein said load margin is indicative of an amount of downforce on the row unit in excess of a desired downforce.

2 more elements

A method of determining when to adjust supplemental down force on a row unit of an agricultural planter to ensure desired furrow depth while minimizing soil compaction as the planter traverses a field, the row unit having a depth regulation member, the method comprising:

(a) as the planter traverses the field, a load sensor generates load signal values corresponding to loading on the depth regulation member of the row unit wherein said loading results from a force applied by the row unit to the soil surface as the planter traverses the field;
(b) monitoring said load signal values occurring over a sampling period, wherein monitoring said load signal values includes detecting a load value magnitude at preset time intervals comprising said sampling period;
(c) deriving a load margin based on said detected load value magnitude, wherein said load margin represents an amount of down force on the row unit in excess of an amount of down force required to ensure a desired furrow depth, wherein said desired furrow depth is determined by a relative distance between said depth regulation member and an opening disc of the row unit;
and
(d) displaying said derived load margin on a visual display.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for determining proper downforce for a planter row unit

Life of this patent

System and method for determining proper downforce for a planter row unit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims47