INDIVIDUAL ROW LIFT SYSTEM FOR PLANTERS

Abstract

An agricultural planter has a chassis with a tool bar and at least one row unit. Each row unit is carried by the tool bar and has a fluid actuator and a linkage assembly connecting it to the tool bar. The linkage assembly and fluid actuator allows the row unit to be raised and lowered. A control module is operable to individually raise and lower each row unit on the agricultural planter using the fluid actuator in response to either a manual input, an automatically determined requirement or condition of the at least one row unit, or an automatically determined operating condition of the agricultural planter. The control module is further operable to prevent the raising or lowering of an individual row unit on the agricultural planter based on either a configuration of the agricultural planter or the potential occurrence of an undesirable weight or drag distribution.

Claims

1. An agricultural planter, comprising: a chassis having a tool bar; at least one row unit, each said row unit being carried by said tool bar, each said row unit having a linkage assembly connecting said row unit to said tool bar and allowing said row unit to be raised and lowered, each said row unit having a fluid actuator operable to raise and lower said row unit; and a control module operable to individually raise and lower each said row unit on said agricultural planter using said fluid actuator in response to one of: a manual input, an automatically determined requirement or condition of said at least one row unit, or an automatically determined operating condition of the agricultural planter; and said control module operable to prevent individually raising and lowering each said row unit on said agricultural planter based on one of: a configuration of said agricultural planter, or the potential occurrence of an undesirable weight or drag distribution.

2. The agricultural planter of claim 1, wherein: said at least one row unit is a seed planter.

3. The agricultural planter of claim 1, wherein: each said fluid actuator is a hydraulic lift cylinder having an electronically controlled solenoid valve connected to said control module and also connected to a single electronically controlled raise/lower valve.

4. The agricultural planter of claim 3, wherein: said control module being connected to a pressure transducer in a hydraulic supply line connected to said single electronically controlled raise/lower valve, said control module utilizing said pressure transducer to determine a state of pressurization of said hydraulic supply line before raising or lowering said row unit.

5. The agricultural planter of claim 1, wherein: each said fluid actuator is a hydraulic lift cylinder having an electronically controlled two-way direction control valve.

6. The agricultural planter of claim 1, wherein: said automatically determined requirement or condition of said at least one row unit is a natural ground condition.

7. The agricultural planter of claim 1, wherein: said automatically determined operating condition of the agricultural planter is an artificial boundary.

8. The agricultural planter of claim 1, wherein: said configuration of the agricultural planter is one of a height or configuration of said tool bar.

9. The agricultural planter of claim 1, wherein: said potential occurrence of an undesirable weight or drag distribution is a torque about a vertical axis of the agricultural planter.

10. A control system for an agricultural planter having a chassis, a tool bar, and at least one row unit, each row unit being carried by the tool bar and being operable to be raised and lowered by a fluid actuator, the control system operable to: individually raise and lower each said row unit on said agricultural planter using said fluid actuator in response to one of: a manual input, an automatically determined requirement or condition of said at least one row unit, or an automatically determined operating condition of the agricultural planter; and said control system further operable to prevent individually raising and lowering each said row unit on said agricultural planter based on one of: a configuration of said agricultural planter, or the potential occurrence of an undesirable weight or drag distribution.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein: each said fluid actuator is a hydraulic lift cylinder having an electronically controlled solenoid valve connected to said control system and also connected to a single electronically controlled raise/lower valve.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein: said control system being connected to a pressure transducer in a hydraulic supply line connected to said single electronically controlled raise/lower valve, said control system utilizing said pressure transducer to determine a state of pressurization of said hydraulic supply line before raising or lowering said row unit.

13. The control system of claim 10, wherein: each said fluid actuator is a hydraulic lift cylinder having an electronically controlled two-way direction control valve.

14. The control system of claim 10, wherein: said automatically determined requirement or condition of said at least one row unit is a natural ground condition.

15. The control system of claim 10, wherein: said automatically determined operating condition of the agricultural planter is an artificial boundary.

16. The control system of claim 10, wherein: said configuration of the agricultural planter is one of a height or configuration of said tool bar.

17. The control system of claim 10, wherein: said potential occurrence of an undesirable weight or drag distribution is a torque about a vertical axis of the agricultural planter.

18. A method for operating an agricultural planter having a chassis, a tool bar, and at least one row unit, each row unit being carried by the tool bar and being operable to be raised and lowered by a fluid actuator, the method comprising the steps of: individually raising and lowering each said row unit on said agricultural planter using said fluid actuator in response to one of: a manual input, an automatically determined requirement or condition of said at least one row unit, or an automatically determined operating condition of the agricultural planter; and preventing the individual raising and lowering of each said row unit on said agricultural planter based on one of: a configuration of said agricultural planter, or the potential occurrence of an undesirable weight or drag distribution.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein one of: said automatically determined requirement or condition of said at least one row unit is a natural ground condition; said automatically determined operating condition of the agricultural planter is an artificial boundary; said configuration of the agricultural planter is one of a height or configuration of said tool bar; and said potential occurrence of an undesirable weight or drag distribution is a torque about a vertical axis of the agricultural planter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an agricultural planter according to the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a top view of the agricultural planter shown in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the agricultural planter shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a left view of the agricultural planter shown in FIGS. 1-3;

[0019] FIG. 5 is a right view of the agricultural planter shown in FIGS. 1-4;

[0020] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a row unit of an agricultural planter according to the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic of an embodiment of an electrical and hydraulic arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a control method carried out on the controller depicted in FIG. 7;

[0023] FIG. 9 is a further representation of inputs and outputs of the controller depicted in FIG. 7; and

[0024] FIG. 10 is a further representation of the relationship of conditions and outputs of the controller depicted in FIG. 7.

[0025] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown an embodiment of an agricultural planter 5 according to the present invention which generally includes a chassis 10 forming a support structure for components of the agricultural planter 5. The agricultural planter 5 can be formed by a hitch assembly 12 at a front of the agricultural planter 5 connected to a tool bar 14, main wheels 16 carried by the chassis 10 near the rear of the agricultural planter 5, one or more storage tanks 18, 20 and 22 that can be filled with seed or other agriculture material carried by the chassis 10, and a plurality of row units 24 connected to the tool bar 14 and arranged laterally across a length of the tool bar 14 so that they are carried by the chassis 10.

[0027] The hitch assembly 12 can include a hitch 26 configured to be connected to a tractor or other agricultural implement (not shown) so that the agricultural planter 5 can be pulled in a forward direction of travel 110. The hitch 26 can be integrally formed with or connected to a hitch bar 28 that is connected to the tool bar 14 by bracing bars 30 and one or more folding cylinders 32. As can be seen, the agricultural planter 5 can also have various hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical lines (unnumbered) throughout to support various cylinders and systems that are included on the agricultural planter 5. A marking device 36 can be connected to each lateral end of the tool bar 14 and extendable so that a marking disc 38 of the marking device 36 can create a line in the soil as the agricultural planter 5 is pulled that helps a user in positioning the agricultural planter 5 to create subsequent rows. A stair assembly 40 can be mounted to the back of the agricultural planter 5 to allow for an operator to access the storage tanks 20 and 22.

[0028] The chassis 10 of the agricultural planter 5 is further divided into a center section 44 that remains in fixed relation perpendicular with the hitch assembly 12 both when the agricultural planter 5 is in a working configuration and when the agricultural planter 5 is folded for transport, a right hand wing section 60, and a left hand wing section 80. The right hand wing section 60 has at least one right hand wing section wheel 68, and the left hand wing section 80 has at least one left hand wing section wheel 88. The right hand wing section 60 and the left hand wing section 80 are foldable forward about the hitch bar 28 using folding cylinders 32 when the agricultural planter 5 is folded for transport. When the agricultural planter 5 is in its working configuration as shown in FIGS. 1-5, it is sufficiently wide that it is provided with a right hand wing horizontal pivot joint 62 and a left hand wing horizontal pivot joint 82, which allows right hand wing section 60 and left hand wing section 80, respectively, to articulate up and down in order to conform to ground contours.

[0029] Each of the row units 24 located on the tool bar 14 of the respective center section 44, right hand wing section 60, and left hand wing section 80, is provided with furrowing discs 50, closing discs 52, and pressing wheels 54. Such a row unit 24 is shown in FIG. 6. The row unit 24 shown in FIG. 6 is further provided with a frame 56, a hopper 58, and a seed distributing mechanism 46. A linkage assembly 48 connects the row unit 24 to the tool bar 14 (not shown in FIG. 6), and provides for vertical motion of the row unit 24 relative to the tool bar 14. A row unit hydraulic lift cylinder 42 is connected to the linkage assembly 48 and to the tool bar 14, and is usable to lift the individual row unit 24 up and off the ground.

[0030] Each individual row unit 24 has its own hydraulic lift cylinder 42 with its own electronically controlled solenoid valve 70. Each electronically controlled solenoid valve 70 is connected to a control module 72, which is also connected to an electronically controlled raise/lower valve 74 and to pressure transducers 76 and 86. Hydraulic supply 78 and return 84 lines lead from and to a towing tractor (not shown) and provide hydraulic pressure. The control module 72 is operable either automatically or on command of an operator to raise an individual row unit 24 by first determining whether there is hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic supply line 78, second activating raise/lower valve 74, and then opening the individual row unit's electronically controlled solenoid valve 70. The control module 72 is further operable either automatically or on command of an operator to lower an individual row unit 24 by deactivating raise/lower valve 74 and then opening the individual row unit's electronically controlled solenoid valve 70.

[0031] Note that the hydraulic lift cylinder 42 indicated in FIG. 7 is indicated as a single acting push type cylinder, although a double acting push/pull type cylinder may be used, and is represented as such in FIG. 6, wherein the row unit 24 is lifted from the ground when the cylinder is acting in pull. In this case, the raise/lower valve 74 and individual electronically controlled solenoid valve 70 would be replaced by individual direction control valves. In the arrangement where a single acting cylinder is used, a method is represented in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 that the control module 72 undertakes when raising or lowering individual row units 24.

[0032] At step 120, the control module 72 determines whether a command has been given to raise an individual row unit 24. If so, the control module 72 places the raise/lower valve 74 in the on state at step 124. Then control module 72 determines through pressure transducer 76 whether there is hydraulic pressure in hydraulic supply line 78 at step 128. If so, the control module 72 places the individual row unit's electronically controlled solenoid valve 70 in the on state at step 134. If not, the control module 72 sends a tractor remote not ready message to the operator at step 132. If no command has been given to raise an individual row unit 24 at step 120, the control module 72 determines if a row unit lower command has been given at step 122. If not, the routine ends. If so, the control module 72 places the raise/lower valve 74 in the off state at step 126. Then control module 72 determines through pressure transducer 76 whether there is pressure in hydraulic supply line 78. If there is pressure in hydraulic supply line 78, the control module 72 sends a tractor remote not ready message to the operator at step 132. If not, the control module 72 places the individual row unit's electronically controlled solenoid valve 70 in the on state at step 134.

[0033] FIG. 10 shows a logic diagram representing the above method where: [0034] RowUnitNSolCmd is the state of the individual row unit electronically controlled solenoid valve. [0035] RowUnitRaise is the state of the command to raise a row unit 24. [0036] RowUnitLower is the state of the command to lower a row unit 24. [0037] PressSwitch is the state of the pressure transducer 76. [0038] RaiseLower is the state of the raise/lower valve 74.

[0039] Control module 72 is operable to be automatically or manually configured to respond to specific usage requirements or conditions of the row units 24 of the agricultural planter 5 or to the operating conditions of the agricultural planter 5. For example, when the plantable ground is less than the overall width of the agricultural planter 5, the individual row units 24 outside the plantable ground can be raised. When natural ground conditions such as rough terrain, ditches, streams, obstacles, and the like are encountered, the control module 72 is operable to lift the individual row units 24 likely to encounter such obstacles. Further, through GPS connectivity and other mapping routines, the control module 72 is operable to raise individual row units 24 when encountering boundaries with other areas where crops have already been planted, or when encountering property lines. A communication network (not shown) between the control module 72 and the individual row units 24 gives information to the control module 72 on the raised or lowered status of the individual row units 24, along with sensory information regarding obstacles and the like through sensors commonly known and used in the art (not shown).

[0040] A further use for individual control of row units 24 is the ability to use the agricultural planter 5 for multiple row width plantings. For example, the agricultural planter 5 may be arranged with row units 24 every 15 inches along the tool bar 14. By raising every other row unit 24, the agricultural planter 5 may be used for plantings spaced at 30 inches, without extensive and time consuming rearrangement. Further, raising unneeded row units 24 conserves fuel consumed by the towing tractor by eliminating unnecessary drag.

[0041] Importantly, the control module 72 is programmed to recognize and prevent raising and lowering individual row units 24 under certain conditions. For example, the control module 72 is programmed to prevent raising and lowering row units 24 when the tool bar height prevents full travel of the row unit. This may be encountered when the tool bar 14 is passing over a particularly high obstacle, such that forcibly lowering the individual row unit 24 would put too much of the weight of the agricultural planter 5 upon it, thereby damaging it. This may also occur when the tool bar 14 is raised, and the agricultural planter 5 is either in the transport configuration or transitioning from the working configuration to the transport configuration and back again, wherein raising the individual row unit 24 may cause it to interfere with another component of the agricultural planter, or may result in the agricultural planter 5 having an undesired uneven weight balance or too high of a center of gravity.

[0042] Furthermore, the control module 72 is programmed to limit the number and distribution of row units raised off of the ground at one time, in order to prevent uneven weight or drag distribution. For example, if all row units 24 on one wing section 60 or 80 are raised at the same time while all row units on the center section 44 and/or opposite wing section 80 or 60 are left engaged with the ground, the uneven drag across the width of the agricultural planter 5 will cause a torque about a vertical axis of the agricultural planter 5. Depending on ground or terrain conditions, this torque may produce a detrimental effect on the agricultural planter 5 or the towing tractor, especially if such torque occurs suddenly instead of incrementally. Therefore, the control module 72 may delay raising a certain number of row units 24, or raise them incrementally. Another example may be if the agricultural planter 5 is operating in soft ground conditions, lifting too many row units 24 at one time may excessively load one or more of the wing section wheels 68 or 88 for the ground conditions, causing it to sink into the ground excessively, thereby compacting the ground. Therefore, the control module 72 may delay raising a certain number of row units 24 even though they are unneeded, and can be otherwise shut off, until the agricultural planter has left the plantable area.

[0043] While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.