US 12,484,472 B2
Penetration depth control and gauge wheel contact force monitoring system for an agricultural row unit
Dennis George Thompson, Eagle Ridge (CA); and Trevor Lawrence Kowalchuk, Saskatoon (CA)
Assigned to CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd., Saskatoon (CA)
Filed by CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd., Saskatoon (CA)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/560,885.
Prior Publication US 2023/0200278 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. A01C 5/06 (2006.01); A01C 7/20 (2006.01); A01B 15/16 (2006.01); A01C 7/08 (2006.01)
CPC A01C 7/205 (2013.01) [A01C 5/064 (2013.01); A01C 7/203 (2013.01); A01B 15/16 (2013.01); A01C 7/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A penetration depth control and gauge wheel contact force monitoring system for an agricultural row unit, comprising:
a penetration depth actuator configured to drive a gauge wheel arm assembly to move a gauge wheel relative to a frame of the agricultural row unit to control a penetration depth of an opener of the agricultural row unit;
wherein the penetration depth actuator comprises a contact force sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a contact force between the gauge wheel and a soil surface, the penetration depth actuator comprises a body configured to be directly coupled to one of the frame or the gauge wheel arm assembly, the penetration depth actuator comprises an actuating device configured to be directly coupled to the other of the frame or the gauge wheel arm assembly, the actuating device is configured to move relative to the body to drive the gauge wheel arm assembly to move the gauge wheel, the penetration depth actuator comprises a first connector coupled to the body and configured to couple to an actuating line, and the penetration depth actuator comprises a second connector coupled to the body and configured to communicatively couple a sensor line to the contact force sensor.