Agricultural systems
An agricultural implement includes at least one row unit having a plurality of support members, each of which is pivotably coupled to an attachment frame or another of the support members to permit vertical pivoting vertical movement of the support members, and a plurality of soil-engaging tools, each of which is coupled to at least one of the support members. A plurality of hydraulic cylinders are coupled to the support members for urging the support members downwardly toward the soil. A plurality of controllable pressure control valves are coupled to the hydraulic cylinders for controlling the pressure of hydraulic fluid supplied to the cylinders. A plurality of sensors produce electrical signals corresponding to predetermined conditions, and a controller is coupled to the sensor and the controllable pressure control valves. The controller receives the electrical signals from the sensors and produces control signals for controlling the pressure control valves.
1. An agricultural implement for use with a towing frame hitched to a tractor having a hydraulic system for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to said implement, said implement comprising at least one row unit comprising:
an attachment frame adapted to be rigidly connected to said towing frame,
a plurality of support members, each of which is pivotably coupled to said attachment frame or another of said support members to permit vertical pivoting vertical movement of said support members,
a plurality of soil-engaging tools, each of which is coupled to at least one of said support members,
a plurality of hydraulic cylinders, each of which is coupled to one of said support members for urging the respective support member downwardly toward the soil, each of said hydraulic cylinders including a movable ram extending into said cylinder,
a plurality of hydraulic lines, each of which is coupled to at least one of said hydraulic cylinders for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to the respective cylinders,
a plurality of controllable pressure control valves, each of which is coupled to one of said hydraulic lines for controlling the pressure of hydraulic fluid supplied by the respective hydraulic lines to the respective cylinders,
a plurality of sensors, each of which produces an electrical signal corresponding to a predetermined condition, and
at least one controller coupled to said sensors and said controllable pressure control valves, said controller being adapted to receive said electrical signal from said sensors and produce control signals for controlling said pressure control valves.
2. The agricultural implement of claim 1 in which said plurality of sensors include a pressure sensor coupled between at least one of said hydraulic cylinders and the support member to which said at least one hydraulic cylinder is coupled.
3. The agricultural implement of claim 1 in which said plurality of sensors include at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor detecting the force applied to a respective one of the plurality of soil-engaging tools.
4. The agricultural implement of claim 3 in which said controller is adapted to produce a separate control signal for each of said pressure control valves.
5. An agricultural row unit attachable to a towing frame for movement over a field having varying hardness conditions, said row unit comprising:
a soil-penetrating tool,
a gauge wheel mounted for rolling engagement with the soil surface,
a sensor coupled to said tool and said gauge wheel for detecting changes in the difference between the vertical positions of said tool and said gauge wheel, and producing an output corresponding to said changes,
a controllable actuator coupled to said tool for applying a downward pressure on said tool, and
a control system coupled to said actuator and receiving said output of said sensor for controlling said actuator and thus the downward pressure on said tool.
6. The agricultural row unit of claim 5 which is a planting row unit that includes an opening device for opening a furrow into which seeds can be planted, and said soil-penetrating tool is at least one closing wheel for closing said furrow after seeds have been deposited into said furrow.
7. The agricultural row unit of claim 5 , further comprising a spring coupled to said gauge wheel and urging said gauge wheel downwardly against the soil.
8. An agricultural row unit comprising:
an attachment frame adapted to be rigidly connected to a towing frame;
a first soil-engaging unit including
a first support member pivotably coupled to said attachment frame,
a first soil-engaging tool coupled to said first support member,
a first hydraulic actuator coupled to said first support member and including a first movable ram movable within a first cylinder, movement of said first movable ram away from said first cylinder urging said first support member downwardly toward a soil surface,
a first hydraulic line coupled to said first hydraulic actuator and including hydraulic fluid supplied to said first cylinder,
a first pressure control valve coupled to the first hydraulic line for controlling pressure of said hydraulic fluid supplied to said first cylinder,
a first sensor coupled to said soil-engaging tool and producing a first electrical signal corresponding to a first predetermined condition of said first soil-engaging tool;
a second soil-engaging unit including
a second support member pivotably coupled to said attachment frame,
a second soil-engaging tool coupled to said second support member,
a second hydraulic actuator coupled to said second support member and including a second movable ram movable within a second cylinder, movement of said second movable ram away from said second cylinder urging said second support member downwardly toward said soil surface,
a second hydraulic line coupled to said second hydraulic actuator and including hydraulic fluid supplied to said second cylinder,
a second pressure control valve coupled to the second hydraulic line for controlling pressure of said hydraulic fluid supplied to said second cylinder,
a second sensor coupled to said soil-engaging tool and producing a second electrical signal corresponding to a second predetermined condition of said second soil-engaging tool; and
at least one memory device storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor and in response to receiving said first electrical signal from said first sensor and said second electrical signal from said second sensor, produce a first control signal that controls said first pressure control valve and a second control signal that controls said second pressure control valve.
9. The agricultural row unit of claim 8 , wherein at least one of said first predetermined condition and said second predetermined condition is a force exerted by said soil surface on a respective one of said first soil-engaging tool and said second soil-engaging tool.
10. The agricultural row unit of claim 8 , wherein said first hydraulic actuator is coupled between said first support member and said attachment frame, said second hydraulic actuator being coupled between said second support member and said attachment frame.
11. The agricultural row unit of claim 8 , wherein said first sensor is mounted in a position between said first ram and said first support member, said second sensor being mounted in a position between said second ram and said second support member.
12. The agricultural row unit of claim 8 , wherein at least one of said first sensor and said second sensor is a pressure sensor for detecting a force exerted by said soil surface on a respective one of said first soil-engaging tool and said second soil-engaging tool.
13. The agricultural row unit of claim 8 , further comprising a gauge wheel for rolling engagement with said soil surface, the gauge wheel being coupled to the attachment frame, said first sensor detecting changes in difference between vertical positions of said gauge wheel and said first soil-engaging tool.
14. The agricultural row unit of claim 13 , wherein said second sensor detects changes in difference between vertical positions of said gauge wheel and said second soil-engaging tool.
15. The agricultural row unit of claim 13 , wherein said second sensor detects a force exerted by said soil surface on said second soil-engaging tool.
16. The agricultural row unit of claim 8 , further comprising a spring coupled between said attachment frame and said gauge wheel, said spring urging said gauge wheel downwardly against said soil surface.
17. The agricultural row unit of claim 8 , wherein said row unit is a planting row unit, said first soil-engaging tool is an opener blade for opening a furrow into which seeds are deposited, and said second soil-engaging tool is a closing wheel for closing said furrow after said seeds are deposited into said furrow.