Patent classifications
A01C7/105
Tool-free coupling structure in agricultural machines
An agricultural vehicle includes a coupling structure for making a tool-less attachment between a first connector piece and a second connector piece. The first connector piece has at least one pin, and the second connector piece has at least one slot adapted to receive the pin in a receiving pocket that is circumferentially spaced from an axially-open inlet portion of the slot. The slot includes an inlet ramp between the slot inlet portion and the receiving pocket, and the inlet ramp is less steeply angled than a second ramp surface that forms a portion of the receiving pocket adjacent the first ramp.
METERS FOR PARTICULATE FARMING PRODUCTS AND RELATED SYSTEMS
Meters for fertilizers, small seeds, and chemicals include a housing defining a loading chamber, a rotatable metering disk provided with a receiving surface and a discharge surface, the disk including metering orifices; a ring including a discharge opening, and an insulating barrier arranged in the interior of the housing, the insulation barrier forming an insulating chamber on the rotatable disk and defining an inlet region of the disk and an output region of the disk; a metering bulkhead associated with the insulating barrier in the inlet region of the rotating disk with metering orifices loaded, the metering bulkhead being arranged on the rotatable metering disk so that a lower portion of the metering bulkhead is coplanar to the receiving surface of the rotatable disk.
AGRICULTURAL TRENCH DEPTH SENSING SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS
A mobile agricultural machine includes a row unit having a furrow opener mounted to the row unit and configured to engage a surface of ground over which the mobile agricultural machine travels to open a furrow in the ground. A furrow closer is mounted to the row unit behind the furrow opener and configured to engage the surface of the ground to close the furrow. A furrow sensor system is mounted to the row unit and configured to sense characteristics relative to the furrow opened by the furrow opener and generate a sensor signal indicative of the characteristics. The mobile agricultural machine can further include a control system configured to determine a furrow quality metric corresponding to the furrow sensed by the furrow sensor system based on the sensor signal and generate an action signal to control an action of the mobile agricultural machine based on the furrow quality metric.
SEED FURROW LIQUID APPLICATION SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUSES
In one aspect, a crop input applicator is provided. In one aspect, the applicator comprises a valve (e.g., voice coil valve) disposed to deposit liquid on or near a seed furrow and/or on or near a seed. In one aspect, the applicator includes one or more seed sensors disposed to detect passage of seeds.
Seed disk with adjustable singulators for seed orientation during planting
A system for seed orientation includes a seed disk capable of rotation in operation and having at least one singulator to adjust an orientation of seed to a desired seed orientation for placement within a furrow during planting. A vision system in proximity to the seed disk determines seed orientation data for seed on the seed disk.
Seed trench closing sensors
A system for sensing characteristics of a trench in a soil surface during planting operations. A trench opening assembly opens a trench in the soil surface as the trench opening assembly moves in a forward direction of travel. A trench closing assembly disposed rearward of the trench opening assembly closes the opened trench with soil. One or more sensors may be disposed on an appurtenance disposed in said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the open trench or an area of the trench closed with soil by the trench closing assembly or a sensor may be disposed outside of said trench configured to provide characteristics of an area of the trench closed with soil or a combination of the sensors may be disposed in the trench and outside of the trench.
Seed implement incorporating a down pressure sensing and adjustment system
Data is collected from sensors related to the opener assembly for seeders, such as for discs and hoe drills, in order to better determine how the opener assembly reacts while operating in various conditions and to more precisely control operation of the opener assembly. Accordingly, a control system and a sensor array are utilized to provide automatic and continuous down pressure adjustments (according to a certain user specified range) at various speeds to substantially maintain a relatively constant seed depth. The sensor array could also be monitored and controlled by an operator to control settings (such as with respect to seed depth and/or opener down pressure) of the seeding implement from the cab to provide manual down pressure adjustments at various speeds. In various aspects, seeding speed and/or tractor speed may also be parameters controlled via the sensor feedback according to a certain user specified range of sensor variation.
Skip compensation system
An agricultural machine includes a motor configured to drive a seeding system that is, itself, configured to meter and deliver seed from the agricultural machine. The agricultural machine also includes a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the seeding system and a skip detector component, that receives the sensor signal and detects a seed skip in the seeding system. Based on the detected seed skip, a processing system generates an operating parameter of the motor, and controls the motor based on the operating parameter.
SEED METER
A seed meter for an agricultural planter in which the seed disc is rotatably mounted within a seed meter housing. As the seed disc rotates, the apertures in the disc rotate along a seed aperture path through a horizontally adjacent seed pool area. The seed disc includes cavities disposed along the seed aperture path to agitate the seeds in the seed pool area. A singulator having multiple co-planar singulator surfaces is biased against the seed side surface of the seed disc.
WHEEL ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRATED SENSOR FOR AN AGRICULUTRAL IMPLEMENT
In one aspect, a wheel assembly configured for use with an agricultural implement. The wheel assembly includes a wheel comprising an outer ground-engaging element and an inner hub extending radially inwardly from the outer ground-engaging element. The wheel defines an internal cavity radially inwardly relative to the outer ground-engaging element. The wheel assembly further includes a sensor positioned within the internal cavity of the press wheel.