Implement tool angle control system
An agricultural implement includes a plurality of ground-engaging tools configured to modify a surface configuration of an agricultural field and a hydraulically-controlled subsystem configured to modify an operating angle of the plurality of ground-engaging tools. The agricultural implement also includes a sensor coupled to the hydraulically-controlled subsystem configured to generate sensor signals indicative of a current operating angle of the plurality of ground-engaging tools. The agricultural implement also includes an implement control system configured to receive the sensor signals from the sensor to determine the current operating angle of the plurality of ground-engaging tools, and, upon determining the current operating angle is to be changed to a new operating angle, generate control signals for the hydraulically-controlled subsystem to modify the operating angle of the plurality of ground-engaging tools from the current operating angle to the new operating angle.
1 . An agricultural system, comprising:
a first tool on an agricultural machine, the first tool configured to engage an agricultural surface;
a second tool on the agricultural machine, the second tool configured to engage the agricultural surface;
a controllable subsystem including:
a first actuator configured to modify an angle of the first tool relative to a forward direction of travel of the agricultural machine; and
a second actuator configured to modify an angle of the second tool relative to the forward direction of travel of the agricultural machine; and
a control system configured to:
obtain data indicative of an angle of the first tool;
determine the angle of the first tool, relative to the direction of travel, is to be changed to a new angle relative to the direction of travel; and
generate a control signal to control the first actuator, independently of the second actuator, to modify the angle of the first tool based on the new angle.
2 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator comprises a first fluid actuator, the second actuator comprises a second fluid actuator, and the controllable subsystem comprises:
a first valve configured to regulate flow of fluid to the first fluid actuator; and
a second valve configured to regulate flow of fluid to the second fluid actuator, wherein the control signal controls the first valve to allow flow of fluid to the first fluid actuator.
3 . The agricultural system of claim 2 , wherein the first valve comprises a first proportional valve and wherein the second valve comprises a second proportional valve, the controllable subsystem further comprising:
a third fluid actuator configured to modify a third tool configured to engage the agricultural surface, the third fluid actuator and the first fluid actuator plumbed in a series, and
wherein the control system is configured to:
obtain data indicative of an angle of the third tool;
determine the angle of the third tool is to be changed to the new angle; and
generate an additional control signal to control the third fluid actuator, independently of the first actuator, to modify the angle of the first tool based on the new angle.
4 . The agricultural system of claim 3 , wherein the controllable subsystem further comprises:
a correction valve configured to regulate flow of fluid to the third fluid actuator, wherein the additional control signal controls the correction valve to allow flow of fluid to the third fluid actuator.
5 . The agricultural system of claim 4 , wherein the data indicative of the angle of the first tool comprises a first sensor signal indicative of the angle of the first tool and wherein the data indicative of the angle of the third tool comprises a second sensor signal indicative of the angle of the third tool.
6 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
obtain data indicative of an angle of the second tool;
determine the angle of the second tool is to be changed to the new angle or to a different new angle; and
generate a control signal to control the second actuator, independently of the first actuator, to modify the angle of the second tool based on the new angle or the different new angle.
7 . A method of modifying an angle of one or more ground-engaging tools, of a plurality of ground-engaging tools, the method comprising:
determining an angle of a first ground-engaging tool, of the plurality of ground-engaging tools, based on sensor data indicative of the angle of the first ground-engaging tool;
determining that the angle of the first ground-engaging tool is to be changed to a new angle; and
generating a control signal for a first actuator configured to modify the angle of the first ground-engaging tool relative to a forward direction of travel of the first ground-engaging tool, the control signal controlling the first actuator, independently of a second actuator configured to modify an angle of a second ground-engaging tool of the plurality of ground-engaging tools, to modify the angle of the first ground-engaging tool based on the new angle.
8 . The method of claim 7 and further comprising:
determining an angle of the second ground-engaging tool, of the plurality of ground-engaging tools, based on sensor data indicative of the angle of the second ground-engaging tool;
determining that the angle of the second ground-engaging tool is to be changed to the new angle or to a different new angle; and
generating an additional control signal for the second actuator, the additional control signal controlling the second actuator, independently of the first actuator, to modify the angle of the second ground-engaging tool based on the new angle or the different new angle.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal to control a first valve, configured to regulate flow of fluid to the first actuator, to allow flow of fluid to the first actuator and wherein generating the additional control signal comprises generating the additional control signal to control a second valve, configured to regulate flow of fluid to the second actuator, to allow flow of fluid to the second actuator.
10 . The method of claim 8 and further comprising:
determining an angle of a third ground-engaging tool, of the plurality of ground-engaging tools, based on sensor data indicative of the angle of the third ground-engaging tool;
determining that the angle of the third ground-engaging tool is to be changed to the new angle; and
generating an additional control signal for a third actuator in a plumbed series with the first actuator and configured to modify the angle of the third ground-engaging tool, the control signal controlling the third actuator, independently of the first actuator, to modify the angle of the third ground-engaging tool based on the new angle, wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal to control a first valve, configured to regulate flow of fluid to the first actuator, to allow flow of fluid to the first actuator and wherein generating the additional control signal comprises generating the additional control signal to control a second valve, configured to regulate flow of fluid to the third actuator, to allow flow of fluid to the third actuator.
11 . An agricultural system comprising:
a first component on an agricultural implement configured to be coupled to and towed by a support machine, the first component configured to engage an agricultural surface;
a second component on the agricultural implement, the second component configured to engage the agricultural surface;
a first actuatable element controllably actuatable to modify an angle of the first component;
a second actuatable element controllably actuatable to modify an angle of the second component; and
a control system disposed on the agricultural implement, the control system comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions, executable by the one or more processors, that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to:
obtain data indicative of an angle of the first component;
determine the angle of the first component is to be changed to a new angle; and
generate a control signal to cause actuation of the first actuatable element to modify the angle of the first component, independently of the second component, based on the new angle.
12 . The agricultural system of claim 11 , wherein the first actuatable element comprises a first fluid valve controllably actuatable to regulate flow of fluid to a first fluid actuator to modify the angle of the first component and wherein the second actuatable element comprises a second fluid valve controllably actuatable to regulate flow of fluid to a second fluid actuator to modify the angle of the second component, and wherein the control signal causes actuation of the first fluid valve to allow flow of fluid to the first fluid actuator.
13 . The agricultural system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further configure the one or more processors to:
obtain data indicative of an angle of the second component;
determine the angle of the second component is to be changed to the new angle or to a different new angle; and
generate an additional control signal to cause actuation of the second actuatable element to modify the angle of the second component, independently of the first component, based on the new angle or the different new angle.
14 . The agricultural system of claim 13 , wherein the first actuatable element comprises a first fluid valve controllably actuatable to regulate flow of fluid to a first fluid actuator to modify the angle of the first component, wherein the second actuatable element comprises a second fluid valve controllably actuatable to regulate flow of fluid to a second fluid actuator to modify the angle of the second component, and wherein the additional control signal causes actuation of the second fluid valve to allow flow of fluid to the second fluid actuator.
15 . The agricultural system of claim 11 and further comprising:
a third component configured to engage the agricultural surface; and
a third actuatable element controllably actuatable to modify an angle of the first component, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further configure the one or more processors to:
obtain data indicative of an angle of the third component;
determine the angle of the third component is to be changed to the new angle or to a different new angle; and
generate an additional control signal to cause actuation of the third actuatable element to modify the angle of the third component, independently of the first component and independently of the second component, based on the new angle or the different new angle.
16 . The agricultural system of claim 15 , wherein the first actuatable element comprises a first fluid valve controllably actuatable to regulate flow of fluid to a first fluid actuator to modify the angle of the first component, wherein the second actuatable element comprises a second fluid valve controllably actuatable to regulate flow of fluid to a second fluid actuator to modify the angle of the second component, wherein the third actuatable element comprises a third fluid valve controllably actuatable to regulate flow of fluid to a third fluid actuator to modify the angle of the third component, and wherein the additional control signal causes actuation of the third fluid valve to allow flow of fluid to the second fluid actuator.
17 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural machine comprises an agricultural implement configured to be coupled to and towed by a support machine, and the control system is disposed on the agricultural implement.
18 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the agricultural machine comprises a tilling machine, the first tool comprises a first tilling tool, and the second tool comprises a second tilling tool.
19 . The agricultural system of claim 18 , wherein the first tilling tool comprises a first disk blade and the second tilling tool comprises a second disk blade.
20 . The agricultural system of claim 1 , wherein the angle of the first tool comprises a yaw angle of the first tool that is relative to the forward direction of travel.