Precision Planting, Inc.

The Climate Corporation

Dillon Sloneker

Dale M Koch

Todd Swanson

Jeremy J Hodel

Michael Strnad

Ben L Schlipf

Dale Koch

Jason J Stoller

Chad E Plattner

Dexter Travis

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 trench depth. The trench depth adjustment assembly () includes a depth adjustment body () pivotally connected via a pivot () to a frame member () of the row unit (). An electric motor () is operable to cause rotation of a shaft () operably coupled with the depth adjustment body (), whereby rotation of the shaft () causes the depth adjustment body () to pivotally move about the pivot () thereby changing a position of contact of the depth adjustment body () with a gauge wheel arm (), thus changing the amount of upward travel of the gauge wheel () with respect to a trench opening disc () and thus the depth of the trench.

Agricultural trench depth systems, methods, and apparatus

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. In one embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a gear box having one or more gears which engage with a gear rack. The gear box may be pivotally connected to a depth adjustment body supporting a rocker that adjusts upward travel of gauge wheel arms. In another embodiment, the depth adjustment assembly may include a depth adjustment arm having a screw receiver that cooperates with a driven screw that adjusts the position of the depth adjustment arm acting on the gauge wheels to adjust trench depth.

An apparatus for measuring a soil condition includes a shank configured to engage with a drawbar, an array of movable pads carried by the shank, and a plurality of sensors. Each of the movable pads are spaced at different distances from a point at which the shank is configured to engage the drawbar. Each sensor is coupled to at least one movable pad of the array of movable pads and configured to measure deflection of the at least one movable pad relative to the shank as the shank is dragged through soil by the drawbar. A method of measuring a property of soil includes dragging the shank through soil and measuring deflection of the movable pads relative to the shank as the shank is dragged through soil.

Apparatus and methods for measuring soil conditions

A row unit downforce system including: a downforce actuator in operational communication with the row unit and constructed and arranged to apply supplemental downforce to the row unit and opening disks; a monitoring system comprising at least one furrow depth sensor constructed and arranged to generate furrow depth values; and a control system module, wherein the control system module is constructed and arranged to generate actuator command signals in response to the furrow depth values.

Seed trench depth detection systems

A row unit () of an agricultural planter with an apparatus for adjusting the depth of a trench opened by the row unit (). The row unit () includes a trench depth adjustment assembly (T) configured to modify the trench depth. The trench depth adjustment assembly (T) includes a depth adjustment body () pivotally connected via a pivot to a frame member () of the row unit (). An electric motor () is operable to cause rotation of a shaft () operably coupled with the depth adjustment body (), whereby rotation of the shaft () causes the depth adjustment body () to pivotally move about the pivot () thereby changing a position of contact of the depth adjustment body () with a gauge wheel arm (), thus changing the amount of upward ravel of the gauge wheel () with respect to a trench opening disc () and thus the depth of the trench.

An agricultural implement system having: a row unit coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener system coupled to a chassis of the row unit and configured to engage soil to form a trench; a downforce system configured to apply a downforce to the row unit to adjust a contact force between the row unit and the soil; a soil condition sensor configured to detect a condition of the soil and/or an operational sensor configured to detect operation of the agricultural implement system; a closing system, configured to close the trench created by the opener system; and a controller coupled to the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor, wherein the controller is configured to control the downforce system and the closing system in response to feedback from the soil condition sensor and/or the operational sensor.

An agricultural implement system having: a row unit coupled to a tool bar of an agricultural implement; an opener system coupled to the row unit and configured to engage soil to form a trench; a soil condition sensor; a closing system, configured to close the trench created by the opener system, the closing system comprises: a first disk configured to engage the soil and close the trench; a second disk configured to engage the soil and close the trench; and a controller configured to couple to the soil condition sensor and control a position or orientation of the first disk or the second disk in response to feedback from the soil condition sensor.

Seed trench closing systems

System 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 (R) configured to modify the trench depth. The trench depth adjustment assembly (R) includes a depth adjustment body () pivotally connected via a pivot () to a frame member () of the row unit (). An electric motor () is operable to cause rotation of a shaft () operably coupled with the depth adjustment body (), whereby rotation of the shaft () causes the depth adjustment body () to pivotally move about the pivot () thereby changing a position of contact of the depth adjustment body () with a gauge wheel arm (), thus changing the amount of upward travel of the gauge wheel (50) with respect to a trench opening disc () and thus the depth of the trench.

A seed trench depth sensor is adapted to mount to an agricultural implement. The trench depth sensor determining the difference between a distance measured to a bottom of the seed trench by a first sensor and a distance measured to a surface of the soil by a second sensor disposed rearward of the first sensor.

A seed trench depth sensor is adapted to mount to an agricultural implement. The trench depth sensor comprises an elongate member which drags within the seed trench and a second part which detects the distance to the elongate member within the seed trench.

A soil imaging system having a work layer sensor disposed on an agricultural implement to generate an electromagnetic field through a soil area of interest as the agricultural implement traverses a field. A monitor in communication with the work layer sensor is adapted to generate a work layer image of the soil layer of interest based on the generated electromagnetic field. The work layer sensor may also generate a reference image by generating an electromagnetic field through undisturbed soil. The monitor may compare at least one characteristic of the reference image with at least one characteristic of the work layer image to generate a characterized image of the work layer of interest. The monitor may display operator feedback and may affect operational control of the agricultural implement based on the characterized image.

Work layer imaging and analysis for implement monitoring, control and operator feedback

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.

Growing community of inventors

Danvers, IL, United States of America

Dillon Sloneker