US 12,185,661 B2
Agricultural trench depth sensing systems, methods, and apparatus
Todd Swanson, Morton, IL (US); Dale M. Koch, Tremont, IL (US); Adam Vaccari, Tremont, IL (US); Dexter Travis, Tremont, IL (US); and Reid Harman, Trivoli, IL (US)
Assigned to Precision Planting LLC, Tremont, IL (US)
Filed by Precision Planting LLC, Tremont, IL (US)
Filed on Aug. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/818,035.
Application 17/818,035 is a division of application No. 16/254,247, filed on Jan. 22, 2019, granted, now 11,516,959.
Application 16/254,247 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2017/043565, filed on Jul. 24, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/491,707, filed on Apr. 28, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/365,585, filed on Jul. 22, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0377969 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. A01C 7/20 (2006.01); A01B 47/00 (2006.01); A01B 63/16 (2006.01); A01B 79/02 (2006.01); A01C 5/06 (2006.01); G01B 7/26 (2006.01); G01B 17/00 (2006.01); G01D 5/14 (2006.01); G01P 15/18 (2013.01)
CPC A01C 7/203 (2013.01) [A01B 47/00 (2013.01); A01B 63/16 (2013.01); A01B 79/02 (2013.01); A01C 5/064 (2013.01); A01C 5/068 (2013.01); G01B 7/26 (2013.01); G01B 17/00 (2013.01); G01D 5/145 (2013.01); G01P 15/18 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An agricultural implement, comprising:
a frame;
a trench opener supported on the frame and configured to open a soil trench in a soil surface as the agricultural implement advances in a forward direction of travel;
a trench implement disposed in said open soil trench;
a first ultrasonic sensor disposed above the soil surface adjacent a first side of said open soil trench and configured to send an ultrasonic signal downward toward the soil surface adjacent the first side of said open soil trench and to receive a return signal indicative of a first vertical distance measurement between the first ultrasonic sensor and the soil surface adjacent the first side of said open soil trench;
a second ultrasonic sensor disposed above the soil surface adjacent a second side of said open soil trench and configured to send an ultrasonic signal downward toward the soil surface adjacent the second side of said open soil trench and to receive a return signal indicative of a second vertical distance measurement between the second ultrasonic sensor and the soil surface adjacent the second side of said open soil trench; and
a monitor configured to calculate a depth of said open soil trench based on the first vertical distance measurement and the second vertical distance measurement.