Precision Planting, Inc.

The Climate Corporation

Chad E Plattner

Derek A Sauder

Gregg A Sauder

Justin L Koch

Ryan Allgaier

Christopher Sears Mikelson

William Frank

Don L Dunlap

Dale M Koch

Jason J Stoller

Todd Swanson

Jeremy J Hodel

Michael Strnad

Dillon Sloneker

Jeremy E Zobrist

Brad A Wiegand

Tanner Gray

Trenton Noreen

David Colson

Philip Steiner

A seed tab for a planter has an elongate body configured for attachment to a seed boot of a seed meter. The elongate body has a curved surface defining a first arc having an axis of curvature in a first direction. The curved surface exhibits a concave cross-section defining a second arc having an axis of curvature in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction. The elongate body has a first portion having an approximately constant width adjacent the first end. The elongate body has a second portion having a tapered width adjacent the second end. A maximum width of the second portion is greater than the constant width of the first portion. Seeding machines have seeder row units with such seed tabs.

Seed tabs for planters

In one embodiment, an electronic system comprises a display device to display data and processing logic coupled to the display device. The processing logic is configured to determine a duty cycle of at least one sensor for sensing flow of a product or particle through a product or particle line of an agricultural implement and to determine an amount of product or particles flowing through a line of the agricultural implement based on the duty cycle of the at least one sensor.

Methods and systems for using duty cycle of sensors to determine seed or particle flow rate

In one embodiment a first light plane is generated across the passageway by a first LED emitter array. A corresponding photodiode receiver array detects particles passing through a first number of light channels comprising the first light plane. In a second embodiment a second light plane is generated across the passageway at 90 degrees from the first light plane and longitudinally offset from the first light plane by a second LED emitter array. A corresponding photodiode receiver array detects particles passing through a second number of light channels comprising the second light plane. The second light plane is capable of identifying particles in a third dimension that may go undetected when passing through the first light plane. The raw output signals generated by respective photodiodes is normalized, analyzed and characterized to differentiate between particles passing through light planes as individual particles or groups of overlapping particles to be separately counted.

Particle counting apparatus, systems and methods

A system and method () for monitoring operating performance of a seeder. A sensor is disposed in each distribution line () of the seeder to detect gaps in the product stream. If the duration of the gap exceeds a gap threshold, the gap is recorded. In one embodiment, GPS coordinates are associated with each recorded gap which is then displayed on a field map such that the operator has a real-time a visual representation of each recorded gap within the field as the seeder advances through the field. In another embodiment, a gap rate () is calculated and displayed by determining the number of occurrences of the recorded gaps over a distance or area. In another embodiment, an economic loss value is calculated and displayed based on different ranges of the calculated gap rate ().

Apparatus, system and method for monitoring and mapping air seeder performance

A method of controlling the downpressure on an air seeder that has a plurality of seed assemblies and a plurality of fertilizer assemblies each applying an adjustable downforce, wherein the method includes keeping a total downforce applied by all of the plurality of seed assemblies and all of the plurality of fertilizer assemblies less than a maximum downforce. The method may also include keeping the downforce applied by each of the fertilizer assemblies less than the downforce applied by each of the seed assemblies.

Planter downforce control

A method to prevent drift in an agricultural implement. Drift is when one side of an agricultural implement is further behind or further ahead of the other side of the agricultural implement in a direction of travel. Drift can be controlled by increasing a downforce on the side that is further ahead, decreasing force on the side that is further behind, or a combination of both. The force can be a moment of force.

Method to prevent drift of an agricultural implement

Described herein are air seeders that have force actuators acting on at least one of the firming implement and closing wheel to adjust for a specified downforce on at least one of the firming implement and the closing wheel. In one example, a seeding implement includes a support arm having a support arm first portion and a support arm second portion. A firming implement support arm is pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first pivot at a first end of the firming implement support arm. A firming implement force actuator is pivotally connected to the support arm second portion at a first end of the firming implement force actuator and connected to the firming implement support arm at the second end of the firming implement force actuator.

Air seeder frame force control

In one embodiment, an air seeder tower includes a valve with an actuator, and a closed loop feedback control with a sensor to control actuation of the valve to control air flow out of the air seeder vent tower.

Control system for air seeder venting system

A load sensing bracket for a disk opener assembly of an agricultural implement. The load sensing bracket includes a body having a cantilevered arm, the body is configured to engage with and secure to a portion of a depth setting arm of a disc opening assembly. The cantilevered arm has an upper end with an extending projection that is receivable in any one of plurality of notches of a fan shaped member thereby setting a position of the depth setting arm relative to the fan shaped member which sets a position of the gauge wheel relative to the disk. A sensor is disposed on the cantilevered arm generating a signal relating to strain in the cantilevered arm which corresponds to a down pressure on the gauge wheel.

Load sensor bracket

A pneumatic on-demand seed delivery system wherein seed from the auxiliary hopper enters the seed meter through an opening beginning rearward of the vertical axis of the seed meter. And a retrofit kit for existing on-demand seed delivery systems, and method of retrofitting such existing pneumatic on-demand seed delivery systems, so as to provide an auxiliary hopper that communicates seed to the seed meter through an opening beginning rearward of the vertical axis of the seed meter.

Method of retrofitting a pneumatic on-demand seed delivery system and an improved pneumatic on-demand seed delivery system

Air seeder downforce control

Systems, methods and apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by a row unit of an agricultural planter. The row unit includes a trench depth adjustment assembly configured to modify the furrow depth. A first depth adjustment sub-assembly is configured to select one of a plurality of pre-selected furrow depths. A second adjustment sub-assembly is configured to modify at least one of a plurality of the pre-selected furrow depths.

Agricultural trench depth systems, methods, and apparatus

Monitor display

A protective connector includes a core assembly structure, mating pins and a mating coupling structure. The core assembly structure has circuitry mounted therein. The mating coupling structure substantially encases the core assembly structure and mates with another connector such that the mating pins of the protective connector are electrically coupled to pins of the other connector. The mating coupling structure is mechanically free-moving with respect to the core assembly structure such that forces applied to the mating coupling structure to mate the protective connector to the other connector are not applied to the circuitry within the core assembly structure.

Growing community of inventors

Tremont, IL, United States of America

Chad E Plattner