Granted Patent B2

US 12,495,736 · App. 17/226,002 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Inventors: Roger Zielke (Huxley, IA); Scott Eichhorn (Ames, IA); Alan F. Barry (Nevada, IA); Tony Woodcock (Ames, IA)

Assignee: Ag Leader Technology

A01D45/021A01B79/005A01D41/127A01D41/1271

Abstract

Claims (14)

1 . A method of monitoring stripper plate position, comprising:

inputting one or more stalk measurement inputs, the one or more stalk measurement inputs is from a stalk sensor, comprising:

(a) a resilient member engaged with a first side of a row unit,

(b) a distance sensor disposed on the row unit in proximity to the resilient member; and

(c) a sensor target within the resilient member;

inputting a threshold range for the one or more stalk measurement inputs; and

determining if the one or more stalk measurement inputs are within the threshold range for the one or more stalk measurement inputs,

wherein the threshold range is a range of values for the one or more stalk measurement inputs when the row unit is operating properly.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising emitting an alarm when the one or more stalk measurement inputs are outside the threshold range for the one or more stalk measurement inputs.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a width between a pair of stripper plates on the row unit when the one or more stalk measurement inputs are outside the threshold range for the one or more stalk measurement inputs.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more stalk measurement inputs comprise one or more of stalk diameter, stalk width, stalk cross-sectional area, deflection time, and deflection distance.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a plugged row unit via the one or more stalk measurement inputs, and further adjusting a width between a pair of stripper plates on the row unit a plugged row unit is detected.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising logging a width between a pair of stripper plates on the row unit over time.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first side of the row unit is an underside of the row unit.

Continuity (4)

References Cited (299)