Agricultural toolbar apparatus, systems and methods
Systems, methods and apparatus for shifting weight between a tractor and toolbar and between sections of the toolbar, for controlling operative height of a toolbar and sections of a toolbar and for folding a toolbar between a work position and a transport position. A ground engaging wheel and an actuator are coupled to the toolbar. In one embodiment, a fluid control system is responsive to a command signal to modify the actuator pressure such that the actuator pressure corresponds to a desired pressure.
1. An agricultural toolbar, comprising:
a plurality of toolbar sections comprising a left wing section, a center section, and a right wing section, each toolbar section having a respective bar member supporting at least one row unit;
wherein the left wing section pivots on a first vertical axis and a first horizontal axis relative to the center section;
wherein the right wing section pivots on a second vertical axis and a second horizontal axis relative to the center section;
wherein each toolbar section has at least one height sensor; and
wherein the at least one height sensor is disposed to measure a height with respect to a soil surface.
2. An agricultural toolbar, comprising:
a left wing section comprising a left wing bar member supporting a first plurality of row units;
a center section coupled to the left wing section and comprising a center bar member supporting a second plurality of row units;
a right wing section coupled to the center section and comprising a right wing bar member supporting a third plurality of row units;
at least a first height sensor disposed on at least one row unit of the first plurality of row units:
at least a second height sensor disposed on at least one row unit of the second plurality of row units; and
at least a third height sensor disposed on at least one row unit of the third plurality of row units;
wherein the first, second, and third height sensors are disposed to measure heights with respect to a soil surface.
3. The agricultural toolbar of claim 2 , wherein:
the center bar member has a first end and a second end;
the left wing bar member has a proximal end and a distal end, the left wing bar member proximal end is disposed adjacent the first end of the center bar member, and an outermost one of the plurality of row units toward the left wing bar member distal end includes the first height sensor; and
the right wing bar member has a proximal end and a distal end, the right wing bar member proximal end is disposed adjacent the second end of the center bar member, and an outermost one of the plurality of row units toward the right wing bar member distal end includes the third height sensor.
4. The agricultural toolbar of claim 2 , wherein the at least one height sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a rotary potentiometer, a string potentiometer, and a proximity sensor.
5. The agricultural row unit of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of row units includes a height sensor.
6. The agricultural row unit of claim 2 , wherein the first, second, and third toolbar sections each include a height control actuator for adjusting a height of the first second, and third toolbar sections, respectively, with respect to the soil surface.
7. An agricultural toolbar, comprising:
a plurality of toolbar sections each having a respective bar member supporting at least one row unit; wherein the at least one row unit comprises:
a row unit frame;
a parallel linkage connecting the row unit frame to the respective bar member; and
a downforce actuator having an extendable rod applying a force between the respective bar member and the parallel linkage;
wherein each of the plurality of toolbar sections has at least one height sensor comprising an LVDT displacement transducer configured to measure a length of the extendable rod and determine a height with respect to a soil surface.
8. A method of adjusting a height of toolbar sections comprising a left wing section, a center section, and a right wing section of an agricultural toolbar, wherein the left wing section pivots on a first vertical axis and a first horizontal axis relative to the center section, wherein the right wing section pivots on a second vertical axis and a second horizontal axis relative to the center section, wherein each of the toolbar sections supports at least one row unit, wherein each of the respective toolbar sections has a height sensor, and wherein each of the toolbar sections has a height control actuator configured to adjust a height of that toolbar section with respect to a soil surface, the method comprising:
(a) for a first section of the toolbar sections, measuring a height with respect to the soil surface of the first section using the first section's height sensor;
(b) comparing the measured height to a desired height range; and
(c) repeating acts (a) and (b) for each toolbar section.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
(i) if the measured height of any the toolbar sections is outside the desired height range, commanding the toolbar section's height control actuator to adjust until the measured height of the toolbar section is within the desired height range, and
(ii) if the measured height of the toolbar section is within the desired range, maintaining the toolbar section's height control actuator at its current position.
10. A method of adjusting a height of respective toolbar sections comprising an agricultural toolbar, each of the respective toolbar sections supporting at least one row unit, each of the respective toolbar sections having a plurality of height sensors and each of the respective toolbar sections having a respective height control actuator configured to adjust a height of that respective toolbar section with respect to a soil surface, the method comprising:
calculating an average section height with respect to the soil surface of each of the respective toolbar sections based on heights measured by the plurality of height sensors of that respective toolbar section;
comparing each calculated average section height to a desired height range;
consulting a lookup table that specifies actions to be performed by the respective height control actuators of each of the respective toolbar sections depending on whether the calculated average section height is higher than the desired height range, lower than the desired height range, or within the desired height range;
adjusting at least one of the respective height control actuators as specified by the lookup table.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the respective toolbar sections include a left wing section, a center section, and a right wing section.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lookup table comprises:
Average section height with
respect to the desired height range
Left Wing
Center
Right Wing
Section
Section
Section
Action to perform
High
High
High
Retract center section height control actuator
Good
Good
High
Retract right wing section height control actuator
Good
High
Good
Retract center section height control actuator
High
Good
Good
Retract left wing section height control actuator
High
High
Good
Retract center section height control actuator
Good
High
Low
Extend right wing section height control actuator
Low
High
Good
Extend left wing section height control actuator
Low
Good
Low
Extend right wing section height control actuator
Extend left wing section height control actuator
High
Good
High
Retract right wing section height control actuator
Retract left wing section height control actuator
High
Good
Low
Extend left wing section height control actuator
Retract right wing section height control actuator
Low
Good
High
Retract left wing section height control actuator
Extend right wing section height control actuator
Good
High
High
Retract center section height control actuator
wherein High is the average calculated section height above the desired height range, Good is the average calculated section height within the desired height range, and Low is the average calculated height below the desired height range.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lookup table includes a stop condition for each action to perform, wherein the lookup table comprises:
Average section height with
respect to the desired
height range
Left
Right
Wing
Center
Wing
Section
Section
Section
Action to perform
Stop condition
High
High
High
Retract center section
Center section height average is
height control actuator
Good
Good
Good
High
Retract right wing section
Right wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Good
High
Good
Retract center section
Center section height average is
height control actuator
Good
High
Good
Good
Retract left wing section
Left wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
High
High
Good
Retract center section
Center section height average is
height control actuator
Good
Good
High
Low
Extend right wing section
Right wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Low
High
Good
Extend left wing section
Left wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Low
Good
Low
Extend right wing section
Right wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Extend left wing section
Left wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
High
Good
High
Retract right wing section
Right wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Retract left wing section
Left wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
High
Good
Low
Extend left wing section
Left wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Retract right wing section
Right wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Low
Good
High
Retract left wing section
Left wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Extend right wing section
Right wing section height
height control actuator
average is Good
Good
High
High
Retract center section
Center section height average is
height control actuator
Good.