Patent Description:
In accordance with the invention there is provided a tillage implement as defined by the appended claims.

Deep tillage is the practice of performing tillage operations at depths of more than twelve inches or <NUM>,<NUM> designed to shatter the compacted soil at that depth. Examples of a deep tillage implements include the implement disclosed in <CIT> and in commercially available implements such as the Case IH <NUM> Chisel Plow/Ripper, as well as other makes and models of commercially available deep tillage implements recognized by those of skill in the art.

Shallow tillage is used to condition the seed bed and incorporate nutrients at soil depths typically between two to six inches or <NUM>,<NUM> in depth. Examples of shallow tillage implements include field cultivators, an example of which is disclosed in <CIT> and in commercially available field cultivators such as the Case IH Tiger-Mate® <NUM> and as well as other makes and models of commercially available field cultivators recognized by those of skill in the art. Other shallow tillage implements may include a disk harrow, such as the Case IH Tru-Tandem™ <NUM> disk harrow and other makes and models of commercially available disk harrows recognized by those of skill in the art. Still other types of shallow tillage implements include soil finishers such as spike harrows, tine harrows, rolling basket harrows, etc. as recognized by those of skill in the art.

Both deep tillage implements and shallow tillage implements are generally referred to herein as "tillage implements" <NUM>. <FIG> is a side elevation view illustrating an example of a tillage implement <NUM>. <FIG> is a top plan view of the tillage implement <NUM> of <FIG>. Regardless of the type of the type of implement, i.e., ripper, field cultivator, disk harrow, soil finisher, etc., the tillage implement <NUM> generally comprises a main frame <NUM> which attaches to a drawbar of a tractor <NUM>. The main frame <NUM> operatively supports a plurality of tillage tools <NUM>. Depending on the type of tillage implement <NUM>, the tillage tools <NUM> may comprise shanks, or tines with sweeps or points, discs gangs, rolling baskets, spike, coil tines or any other type of tillage tool as recognized by those of skill in the art. As is well known in the art, the main frame <NUM> includes a height adjustment actuator <NUM> coupled to a wheel assembly <NUM> for raising or lowering the wheel assembly <NUM> with respect to the main frame <NUM> to adjust the working depth of the tillage tools <NUM> and for raising the tillage tools <NUM> above the ground for over-the-road travel. Additionally, the tillage implement <NUM> may include separate tool depth adjustment actuators <NUM> and related assembly system coupled to subframes <NUM> supporting gangs of tillage tools (e.g., a disc gang) so as to lower the subframe <NUM> with respect to the main frame <NUM> to increase the depth of penetration of only those tillage tools supported by the subframe <NUM>. An example of a tillage implement <NUM> with a tool depth adjustment actuator <NUM> and related assembly system is disclosed in <CIT>. Additionally, the tillage implement <NUM> may include an angular adjustment actuator <NUM> and related assembly systems coupled between the main frame <NUM> and subframes <NUM> for adjusting the angle of the subframe <NUM> with respect to the main frame <NUM> and the direction of travel of the tillage implement <NUM>. An example of a tillage implement <NUM> with an angle adjustment actuator <NUM> and related assembly system is disclosed in <CIT>. Additionally, the tillage implement <NUM> may include a down force adjustment actuator <NUM> (<FIG>) and related assembly systems coupled between the main frame <NUM> and subframes <NUM> for adjusting the down force or down pressure exerted by the tillage tools <NUM>, such as, for example, a rolling basket.

The tillage implement <NUM> is instrumented with a soil monitoring system <NUM> (<FIG>) to monitor certain soil criteria <NUM> of the soil that has just been tilled. The instrumentation <NUM> comprising the soil monitoring system <NUM> may be mounted onto the tillage implement <NUM> behind the tillage tools <NUM> to only monitor the soil after it is tilled, before it is tilled, or, alternatively, as shown in <FIG>, the soil monitoring system <NUM> may include both fore and aft instrumentation <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> to detect or measure the soil criteria <NUM> ahead of the tillage implement <NUM> and after the tillage implement <NUM> to provide a before and after comparison of the soil criteria <NUM> thereby detecting or measuring the effect of the tillage implement <NUM>, such as a percentage difference of the soil criteria <NUM>. The soil monitoring system <NUM> includes a display monitor <NUM> mounted in the cab of the tractor <NUM>. The instrumentation <NUM> is electrically coupled to the display monitor <NUM> to communicate output signals generated by the instrumentation <NUM> to the display monitor <NUM> which visually displays the measured or detected soil criteria <NUM> to the operator live or in real-time. The display monitor <NUM> interfaces with a global positioning system <NUM> and includes a user interface, such as a graphical user interface (GUI) and memory for storing the data comprising the soil criteria <NUM> in relation to the GPS coordinates for mapping the soil criteria <NUM> throughout the field. The display monitor <NUM> is may also be electrically coupled to the height adjustment actuators <NUM>, the tool depth adjustment actuators <NUM>, the angular adjustment actuators <NUM> and the downforce actuators <NUM>, for automatic actuation as described below. It should be appreciated that for automatic actuation, the actuators <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> would be coupled to solenoid valves to receive signal generated by the display monitor <NUM> in response to signals produced by the instrumentation <NUM> measuring or detecting the soil criteria <NUM>. The solenoid valves control the flow of hydraulic fluid to the actuators <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to extend and retract the actuator rams. The instrumentation <NUM> may be any suitable instrumentation for measuring or detecting soil criteria <NUM>, such as light detection and ranging (LiDar), spectrophotometer, camera, time of flight camera, ground penetrating radar, sonar, x-ray, optical height, electrical conductivity, and electromagnetic induction.

The soil criteria <NUM> that is monitored or measured may include soil surface residue criteria <NUM>-<NUM>, such as the percentage of soil covered by crop residue. The instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure the surface residue criteria <NUM>-<NUM> may include cameras, an infrared sensors or ground penetrating radar (GPR), such as such as any of the following commercially available systems: (<NUM>) the StructureScan™ Mini HR available from GSSI in Nashua, New Hampshire; (<NUM>) the 3d-Radar GeoScope™ Mk IV coupled to a 3d-Radar VX-Series and/or DX-Series multi-channel antenna, all available from 3d-Radar AS in Trondheim, Norway; or (<NUM>) the MALA Imaging Radar Array System available from MALA Geoscience in Mala, Sweden. Commercially available software such as GPR-SLICE (e.g., version <NUM>) available from GeoHiRes International Ltd. In Borken, Germany may be used to generate the signal outputs from the GPR sensor. Thus, the instrumentation <NUM> would measure the percentage of surface residue at each location in the field, thereby mapping surface residue throughout the field.

Another soil criteria <NUM> that is monitored or measured may include soil clod size criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. The instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure soil clod size criteria <NUM>-<NUM> may include a surface scanner, such as a light detection and ranging (LiDar) system disposed to scan the surface of the soil behind the tillage implement <NUM>. Other instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure the soil clod size criteria <NUM>-<NUM> may include an optical height sensor disposed to detect the varying heights of clods relative to a predetermined elevation thereby indicating the size of soil clods based on the varying distances. Other instrumentation <NUM> can be spectrophotometer, camera, time of flight camera, ground penetrating radar, sonar, x-ray, electrical conductivity, and electromagnetic induction. Other instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure the soil clod size criteria <NUM>-<NUM> may include an arm <NUM> with a wheel <NUM> which rides over the soil surface as shown in <FIG>. Alternatively, a resilient horizontal member <NUM>, such as a ski or seed firmer, could replace wheel <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. A rotation sensor or angular deflection sensor <NUM>-<NUM> disposed on the arm or at a pivot point of the arm <NUM> indicates the size of soil clods <NUM> based on the rotation or angular deflection of the arm <NUM>. Instead of a rotation sensor, a pressure sensor or other suitable sensors may be used to detect the angular deflection of the arm <NUM>.

Another soil criteria <NUM> that is monitored or measured includes soil shatter criteria <NUM>-<NUM> indicative of the extent to which compaction layers are broken up. The instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure soil shatter criteria <NUM>-<NUM> may include strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> mounted along the length of one or more shanks as illustrated in <FIG> and as discussed above. As shown in <FIG>, other instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure soil shatter criteria <NUM>-<NUM> may include a strain gauge or a deflection sensor <NUM>-<NUM> on a resilient arm <NUM>, such as an S-tine on a field cultivator supporting a sweep or point <NUM>, whereby as the resilient arm <NUM> bends backward during operation, the amount of backward bend or deflection measured by the deflection sensor <NUM>-<NUM> is correlated to the amount of soil compaction.

Other instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure soil shatter criteria <NUM>-<NUM> may include x-ray, sonar, ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic induction and/or electrical conductivity. Electrical conductivity measurement may be made on or between neighboring shanks (or other tillage tools), with the electrical conductivity correlated to a level of soil shatter. For example, lower conductivity is correlated with greater soil shatter, which corresponds to less soil compaction. An embodiment of a shank <NUM> instrumented with electrical conductivity sensors <NUM>-<NUM> is shown in <FIG>. By positioning the electrical conductivity sensors <NUM>-<NUM> at different locations along the shank <NUM>, electrical conductivity at varying depths may be identified based on the electrical conductivity output along the length of the shank. As the tillage implement <NUM> passes through the field, the electrical conductivity at different locations across the field will result in a depth versus electrical conductivity profile of the soil for generating a soil electrical conductivity map of the field.

Another soil criteria <NUM> that is monitored or measured may include soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM> based on spatial soil density changes or based on the depth location of soil density changes or based on the magnitude of soil density changes. The instrumentation <NUM> used to monitor or measure soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM> based on spatial density changes may include GPR or strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> mounted to the tillage tools <NUM> of the tillage implement <NUM> as discussed in more detail below. Alternatively, as shown in <FIG>, a load cell <NUM>-<NUM> may be incorporated into the drawbar hitch pin. Similarly, to monitor or measure soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM> based on depth location of soil density changes or magnitude of soil density changes, the instrumentation may include GPR, a potentiometer, or strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> positioned at different points along the tillage tool <NUM> or an arm supporting the tillage tool with the strain gauges correlated to soil density. For example, as shown in <FIG>, an embodiment of a shank <NUM> is shown with strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> positioned at different locations along the shank <NUM>. By positioning the strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> at different locations along the shank <NUM>, soil compaction layers at varying depths may be identified based on strain gauge output along the length of the shank thereby measuring the depth and/or magnitude of the soil density changes across the field. As the tillage implement <NUM> passes through the field, the strain measured by the strain gauges at different locations across the field will result in a depth versus strain profile of the soil for generating a soil density map of the field.

Each of the height adjustment actuators <NUM>, depth adjustment actuators <NUM>, angular adjustment actuators <NUM>, and downforce adjustment actuators <NUM> may be manually actuated by the operator based on the soil criteria <NUM> displayed to the operator on the display <NUM>. Alternatively, height adjustment actuators <NUM>, depth adjustment actuators <NUM> and angular adjustment actuators <NUM>, and downforce adjustment actuators <NUM> may be responsive to output signals generated by the soil monitoring system <NUM> when the soil monitoring system detects that the soil criteria <NUM> is outside a desired range.

When the soil monitoring system <NUM> detects or otherwise displays to the operator that the percentage of soil covered by crop residue soil (i.e., surface residue criteria <NUM>-<NUM>) is above a predetermined percentage, the angular adjustment actuators <NUM> may be actuated to adjust of the disc gang or other tillage tools supported by a subframe <NUM> to more aggressively chop the residue and throw the soil to reduce the amount of surface residue. The angular adjustment actuators <NUM> may be manually actuated by the operator from the cab of the tractor based on a notification displayed to the operator on the display monitor <NUM> in in response to signals received by the by the instrumentation <NUM>, e.g. cameras, infrared sensors, GPR, detecting surface residue criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Alternatively the angular adjustment actuators <NUM> may be automatically actuated based on a signal generated by the display monitor <NUM> in response to signals received by the by the instrumentation <NUM> detecting surface residue criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Alternatively, or additionally, the height adjustment actuator <NUM> may be manually or automatically adjusted as identified above to lower the entire main frame <NUM> with respect to the ground elevation to increase the depth of penetration of the tillage tools <NUM> into the soil. Additionally, or alternatively, depth adjustment actuators <NUM> or downforce actuators <NUM> coupled to individual the individual subframes <NUM> supporting disc gangs, rolling basket harrows or other tillage tools may be manually or automatically adjusted as identified above to lower the subframes <NUM> with respect to the main frame <NUM> to increase the depth of penetration into the soil or downforce of the tillage tools <NUM> supported by the subframes.

When the soil monitoring system <NUM> detects or otherwise displays to the operator that soil clod size criteria <NUM>-<NUM> are too large, the soil monitoring system <NUM> may be programmed to display to the operator on the display monitor <NUM> an instruction for the operator to adjust the speed of travel. Additionally, or alternatively, the height adjustment actuator <NUM> may be actuated to increase the down pressure to force the entire main frame <NUM> lower with respect to the ground elevation to increase the depth of penetration of the tillage tools <NUM> into the soil. The height adjustment actuators <NUM> may be manually actuated by the operator from the cab of the tractor based on a notification displayed to the operator on the display monitor <NUM> in in response to signals received by the by the instrumentation <NUM>, e.g., LiDar, optical height sensors, or arm rotation sensors or angular deflection sensors <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), detecting the soil clod size criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Alternatively the height adjustment actuators <NUM> may be automatically actuated based on a signal generated by the display monitor <NUM> in response to signals received by the by the instrumentation <NUM>, e.g., LiDar, optical height sensors, or arm rotation sensor or angular deflection sensor <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), detecting soil clod size criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Additionally, or alternatively, depth adjustment actuators <NUM> or downforce actuators <NUM> coupled to the individual subframes <NUM> supporting disc gangs, rolling basket harrows, or other tillage tools may be manually or automatically adjusted as described above to force the subframes <NUM> downwardly with respect to the main frame <NUM> to increase the depth of penetration of the tillage tools <NUM> supported by the subframes into the soil or to increase the pressure applied by the tillage tool <NUM> to break up soil clods (such as, for example, a rolling basket harrow).

When the soil monitoring system <NUM> detects or otherwise displays to the operator that the strain measured by the strain gauges on the shanks and/or deflection measurement of the resilient arm supporting the tillage tool exceeds a predetermined strain or deflection indicative of the soil shatter criteria <NUM>-<NUM>, the height adjustment actuator <NUM> may be actuated to lower the entire main frame <NUM> with respect to the ground elevation to increase the depth of penetration of the tillage tools <NUM> into the soil. The height adjustment actuators <NUM> may be manually actuated by the operator from the cab of the tractor based on a notification displayed to the operator on the display monitor <NUM> in in response to signals received by the by the instrumentation <NUM>, e.g. strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), or deflection sensors <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), detecting soil shatter criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Alternatively the height adjustment actuators <NUM> may be automatically actuated based on a signal generated by the display monitor <NUM> in response to signals received by the instrumentation <NUM>, e.g. strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), or deflection sensors <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), detecting soil shatter criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Additionally, or alternatively, depth adjustment actuators <NUM> or downforce actuators <NUM> coupled to individual the individual subframes <NUM> supporting disc gangs, rolling basket harrows, or other tillage tools may be manually or automatically adjusted as described above to lower the subframes <NUM> with respect to the main frame <NUM> to increase the depth of penetration into the soil or downforce of the tillage tools <NUM> supported by the subframes.

When the soil monitoring system <NUM> detects or otherwise displays to the operator that the soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM> based on spatial soil density changes or based on the depth location of soil density changes or based on the magnitude of soil density changes, the angular adjustment actuators <NUM> may be actuated to adjust of the disc gang or other tillage tools supported by a subframe <NUM>. The angular adjustment actuators <NUM> may be manually actuated by the operator from the cab of the tractor based on a notification displayed to the operator on the display monitor <NUM> in in response to signals received by the by the instrumentation <NUM>, e.g. strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), hitch pin load cell <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), or deflection sensors <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), detecting soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Alternatively the angular adjustment actuators <NUM> may be automatically actuated based on a signal generated by the display monitor <NUM> in response to signals received by the by the instrumentation <NUM>, e.g. strain gauges <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), hitch pin load cell <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), or deflection sensors <NUM>-<NUM> (<FIG>), detecting soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM>. Alternatively, or additionally, the height adjustment actuator <NUM> may be manually or automatically adjusted as described above to lower the entire main frame <NUM> with respect to the ground elevation to increase the depth of penetration of the tillage tools <NUM> into the soil. Additionally, or alternatively, depth adjustment actuators <NUM> or downforce actuators <NUM> coupled to the individual subframes <NUM> supporting disc gangs, rolling basket harrows, or other tillage tools may be manually or automatically adjusted as described above to lower the subframes <NUM> with respect to the main frame <NUM> to increase the depth of penetration into the soil or downforce of the tillage tools <NUM> supported by the subframes.

In addition to adjusting the tillage implement during tillage operations, the soil criteria <NUM> gathered during tillage operations may be used to control other implements during subsequent passes over the soil, such as during planting operations. For example, the map of the soil criteria produced by the soil monitoring system <NUM> during tillage operations may be uploaded or otherwise communicated or interfaced with the planter monitor such that during planting operations adjustments can be made to the planter manually by the operator or automatically.

For example, during planting operations, as the planter is entering a portion of the field where the surface residue criteria <NUM>-<NUM> identified on the soil criteria map exceeds a certain percentage, the row cleaner actuator on the planter may be adjusted manually by the operator from the cab of the tractor (based on a notification displayed to the operator on the planter monitor and/or the display monitor) or the row cleaner actuator may be automatically adjusted based on a signal generated by the planter monitor and/or display monitor <NUM> interfacing with the soil criteria map to increase the downforce on the row cleaner actuator. A planter having a row cleaner actuator for increasing and decreasing downpressure is disclosed in <CIT>.

As another example, during planting operations, as the planter is entering a portion of the field where the soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM> identified on the soil criteria map is above a certain threshold, a downforce actuator disposed on the planter may be adjusted manually by the operator from the cab of the tractor (based on a notification displayed to the operator on the planter monitor and/or display monitor <NUM>) or the planter downforce actuator may be automatically adjusted based on a signal generated by the planter monitor interfacing with the soil criteria map to increase the downforce on the planter to ensure proper furrow depth as the planter passes over areas of the field with higher soil densities. A planter equipped with a downforce actuator is disclosed in Publication No. <CIT>.

Additionally, or alternatively, as the planter is entering a portion of the field where the soil density criteria <NUM>-<NUM> identified on the soil criteria map is above a certain threshold,, the planter's closing wheel downforce actuator may be adjusted manually by the operator from the cab of the tractor (based on a notification displayed to the operator) or the planter closing wheel downforce actuator may be automatically adjusted based on a signal generated by the planter monitor interfacing with the soil criteria map to increase the downforce on the on the closing wheel to ensure proper soil coverage and compaction of the soil over the planted seed. A planter equipped with a closing wheel downforce actuator is disclosed in <CIT>.

Claim 1:
A tillage implement (<NUM>) comprising:
a frame (<NUM>) operably supporting tillage tools (<NUM>); and
a soil monitoring system (<NUM>) comprising instrumentation (<NUM>-<NUM>) operably supported from the frame (<NUM>), characterised in that the instrumentation (<NUM>-<NUM>) is disposed to detect soil shatter criteria indicative of the extent to which compaction layers below the soil surface are broken up after the soil is tilled by the tillage tools (<NUM>).