# US 9,752,596 B2 · Variable pressure control system for dual acting actuators > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,596 B2 - Document ID: US9752596B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/049,168 - Filed: 2016-02-22 - Published: 2016-06-16 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-16 - Assignees: Precision Planting LLC - Applicants: Precision Planting LLC - Inventors: Derek A. Sauder; Jeremy J. Hodel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752596B2 ## CPC - F15B 11/042: by means in the feed line (F15B11/046, F15B11/05 take precedence) - A01B 63/008: {Vertical adjustment of tools (A01B63/10 takes precedence)} - A01C 7/006: {Minimum till seeding} - A01C 7/205: {comprising pressure regulation means} - F15B 2211/3057: having two valves, one for each port of a double-acting output member - F15B 2211/50554: the pressure control means controlling a pressure downstream of the pressure control means, e.g. pressure reducing valve - F15B 2211/7053: Double-acting output members - Y02P 60/20: Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2 - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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) - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A variable pressure control system for varying pressures in the fluid circuits of a dual acting actuator over a range of pressures. The variable pressure control system includes a controller that cooperates with pressure regulators for regulating the desired pressure in the fluid circuits. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pressure control system, comprising: a first element imposing a force on a second element; a dual acting actuator operably coupled to said first element, said dual acting actuator having a down chamber whereby increased pressure in said down chamber increases said force, said dual acting actuator having a lift chamber whereby increased pressure in said lift chamber decreases said force; a pressure source; and a controller in fluid communication with said pressure source, with said lift chamber and said down chamber, said controller configured to selectively maintain a lift pressure in said lift chamber, wherein said controller comprises a pressure regulating valve that selectively maintains a down pressure in said down chamber at any of a continuous range of pressures. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pressure control system of claim 1, further comprising: a user interface configured to modify an operating state of said controller, whereby when a user modifies a position of said user interface, one of said down pressure and said lift pressure is modified, whereby when said user modifies said position of said user interface, said force is modified. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pressure control system of claim 2, wherein said user interface is configured to move through a continuous range of motion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pressure control system of claim 3, wherein said range of motion includes a lift range and a down range, wherein said lift pressure varies according to said position of said user interface within said lift range, wherein said down pressure varies proportionally with said position of said user interface within said down range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pressure control system of claim 4, wherein said range of motion includes a neutral position, wherein said neutral position is disposed between said lift range and said down range, wherein said lift pressure and said down pressure are equal when said user interface is in said neutral position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The pressure control system of claim 2, wherein said controller comprises a lift regulator and a down regulator, wherein said lift regulator is in fluid communication with said lift chamber, wherein said down regulator is in fluid communication with said down chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pressure control system of claim 6, wherein said user interface is configured to move through a continuous range of motion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The pressure control system of claim 7, wherein said continuous range of motion includes a lift range and a down range, wherein a lift outlet pressure of said lift regulator varies according to said position of said user interface within said lift range, wherein a lift outlet pressure of said down regulator varies proportionally with said position of said user interface within said down range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pressure control system of claim 8, wherein said range of motion includes a neutral position, wherein said neutral position is disposed between said lift range and said down range, wherein said lift pressure and said down pressure are equal when said user interface is in said neutral position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The pressure control system of claim 2, wherein said first element comprises a wheel, said wheel disposed to rollingly contact said second element, wherein said second element comprises a surface, said wheel traveling along a path of travel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pressure control system of claim 10, wherein said wheel is angled with respect to said path of travel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The pressure control system of claim 10, wherein said user interface is configured to move through a continuous range of motion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pressure control system of claim 12, wherein said continuous range of motion includes a lift range and a down range, wherein said lift pressure varies according to said position of said user interface within said lift range, wherein said down pressure varies proportionally with said position of said user interface within said down range. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pressure control system of claim 13, wherein said continuous range of motion includes a neutral position, wherein said neutral position is disposed between said lift range and said down range, wherein said lift pressure and said down pressure are equal when said position of said user interface is in said neutral position. ### Claim 15 A pressure control system, comprising: a first element imposing a force on a second element, wherein said first element comprises a wheel, said wheel disposed to rollingly contact said second element, said wheel traveling along a path of travel, said wheel angled with respect to said path of travel; a dual acting actuator operably coupled to said first element, said dual acting actuator having a down chamber whereby increased pressure in said down chamber increases said force, said dual acting actuator having a lift chamber whereby increased pressure in said lift chamber decreases said force; a pressure source; and a controller, said controller in fluid communication with said pressure source, with said lift chamber and with said down chamber, said controller configured to modify a lift pressure in said lift chamber, wherein said controller comprises a pressure regulating valve that modifies a down pressure in said down chamber to any of a continuous range of pressures. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pressure control system of claim 15, further comprising: a user interface configured to modify an operating state of said controller, whereby when a user modifies a position of said user interface, one of said down pressure and said lift pressure is modified, whereby when said user modifies said position of said user interface, said force is modified. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The pressure control system of claim 16, wherein said user interface is configured to move through a range of motion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pressure control system of claim 17, wherein said range of motion includes a lift range and a down range, wherein said lift pressure varies according to said position of said user interface within said lift range, wherein said down pressure varies proportionally with said position of said user interface within said down range. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The pressure control system of claim 18, wherein said range of motion includes a neutral position, wherein said neutral position is disposed between said lift range and said down range, wherein said lift pressure and said down pressure are equal when said user interface is in said neutral position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The pressure control system of claim 16, wherein said controller is configured to selectively maintain said lift pressure at one of a first range of pressures, and wherein said controller is configured to selectively maintain said down pressure at one of a second range of pressures.