US-20260123568-A1 - DOWNFORCE MONITORING SYSTEM FOR AN AGRICULTURAL ROW UNIT

US20260123568A1US 20260123568 A1US20260123568 A1US 20260123568A1US-20260123568-A1

Abstract

A downforce monitoring system for an agricultural row unit includes a controller having a processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive one or more signals from one or more sensors. Each of the one or more signals is indicative of a downforce applied to a soil surface by a gauge wheel of the agricultural row unit. The controller is also configured to determine a determined downforce applied to the soil surface by the gauge wheel based on the one or more signals. The one or more sensors are engaged with a pin, and the pin is configured to rotatably couple a depth adjustment arm to a shaft of the row unit.

Inventors

Trevor Lawrence Kowalchuk

Assignees

CNH INDUSTRIAL CANADA, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241106

Claims (20)

1 . A downforce monitoring system for an agricultural row unit, comprising: a controller comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the controller is configured to: receive one or more signals from one or more sensors, wherein each of the one or more signals is indicative of a downforce applied to a soil surface by a gauge wheel of the agricultural row unit; and determine a determined downforce applied to the soil surface by the gauge wheel based on the one or more signals; wherein the one or more sensors are engaged with a pin, and the pin is configured to rotatably couple a depth adjustment arm to a shaft of the row unit.
2 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 1 , comprising the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are communicatively coupled to the controller, and the one or more sensors are configured to output the one or more signals to the controller.
3 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are at least partially coupled to: a first inner surface of a first hole formed into the shaft; a second inner surface of a second hole formed into the depth adjustment arm; or a combination thereof.
4 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein the first hole and the second hole are configured to concurrently receive the pin.
5 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 3 , wherein the depth adjustment arm comprises a first arm and a second arm, and the shaft comprises an axial end portion disposed between the first and second arms.
6 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 5 , wherein an outer circumferential perimeter of the axial end portion of the shaft comprises one or more flat sides.
7 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 5 , wherein an outer circumferential perimeter of the axial end portion of the shaft is rounded.
8 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise: a force sensor; a strain gauge; or a combination thereof.
9 . The downforce monitoring system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to: receive a first signal from the force sensor indicative of a force exerted by the shaft onto the pin; receive a second signal from the strain gauge indicative of a bending load exerted onto the pin by the shaft and the depth adjustment arm; or a combination thereof.
10 . A system, comprising: an agricultural row unit, comprising: a frame; a gauge wheel; an opener disc; a shaft configured to rotatably couple the opener disc to the frame; a depth adjustment arm configured to adjust a position of the gauge wheel relative to the opener disc; and a pin configured to rotatably couple the depth adjustment arm to the shaft; and a controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the controller is configured to: receive one or more signals from one or more sensors, wherein each of the one or more signals is indicative of a downforce applied to a soil surface by the gauge wheel; and determine the downforce applied to the soil surface by the gauge wheel based on the one or more signals; wherein the one or more sensors are configured to engage with the pin.
11 . The system of claim 10 , comprising the one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are communicatively coupled to the controller, and the one or more sensors are configured to output the one or more signals to the controller.
12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors are at least partially coupled to: a first inner surface of a first hole formed into the shaft; a second inner surface of a second hole formed into the depth adjustment arm; or a combination thereof.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is disposed across an interface between the first inner surface and the second inner surface.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first hole and the second hole are configured to concurrently receive the pin.
15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the depth adjustment arm comprises a first arm and a second arm, and the shaft comprises an axial end portion disposed between the first and second arms.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein an outer circumferential perimeter of the axial end portion of the shaft comprises one or more flat sides.
17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein an outer circumferential perimeter of the axial end portion of the shaft is rounded.
18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise: a force sensor; a strain gauge; or a combination thereof.
19 . One or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions configured to cause a processor of a controller to: receive one or more signals from one or more sensors, wherein each of the one or more signals is indicative of a downforce applied to a soil surface by a gauge wheel of a row unit; and determine the downforce applied to the soil surface by the gauge wheel based on the one or more signals; wherein the one or more sensors are engaged with a pin configured to rotatably couple a depth adjustment arm to a shaft of the row unit.
20 . The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 19 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise: a force sensor; a strain gauge; or a combination thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to a downforce monitoring system for an agricultural row unit. Generally, seeding implements (e.g., seeders) are towed behind a tractor or other work vehicle. Seeding implements typically include multiple row units distributed across a width of the implement. Each row unit is configured to deposit seeds at a target depth beneath the soil surface of a field, thereby establishing rows of planted seeds. For example, each row unit typically includes a ground engaging tool or opener that forms a trench for seed deposition into the soil. A seed tube (e.g., positioned adjacent to the opener) is configured to deposit seeds into the trench. The opener/seed tube may be followed by a packer wheel that packs the soil on top of the deposited seeds. Certain row units include a gauge wheel configured to control a penetration depth of the opener (e.g., opener disc) into the soil. For example, the row unit may include a depth adjustment handle configured to adjust a vertical position of the gauge wheel relative to a frame of the row unit. Because the opener is non-movably coupled to the frame and the gauge wheel is configured to contact the surface of the soil during operation of the row unit, controlling the vertical position of the gauge wheel adjusts the penetration depth of the opener into the soil. The downforce applied by the gauge wheel to the soil surface may be adjusted based on soil conditions, soil type, and/or seed type, among other factors. Accordingly, the seeding implement may include a downforce actuator configured to adjust the downforce applied by the gauge wheel to the soil surface. In certain seeding implements, the downforce actuator is manually controlled. Unfortunately, manually controlling the downforce actuator may cause the gauge wheel to apply a downforce to the soil surface that is higher or lower than a desired downforce (e.g., due to changing soil conditions throughout the field). If the downforce is higher than desired, the soil may be undesirably compacted. In addition, if the downforce is lower than desired, the gauge wheel may not contact the soil surface, thereby undesirably reducing the penetration depth of the opener (e.g., opener disc). BRIEF DESCRIPTION In certain embodiments, a downforce monitoring system for an agricultural row unit includes a controller having a processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive one or more signals from one or more sensors. Each of the one or more signals is indicative of a downforce applied to a soil surface by a gauge wheel of the agricultural row unit. The controller is also configured to determine a determined downforce applied to the soil surface by the gauge wheel based on the one or more signals. The one or more sensors are engaged with a pin, and the pin is configured to rotatably couple a depth adjustment arm to a shaft of the row unit. DRAWINGS These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an agricultural implement having multiple row units; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first side of an embodiment of a row unit that may be employed within the agricultural implement of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second side of the row unit of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional side view of the row unit of FIG. 2, taken within line 2-2 of FIG. 2, showing one or more sensors of a downforce monitoring system for determining a downforce; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of the row unit of FIG. 2, showing the one or more sensors; and FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the downforce monitoring system that may be utilized with the row unit of FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers'specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or mor