Patent ID: 8770308

Claim:
A down-force system for an agricultural implement having a frame and a plurality of row units movably mounted to the frame for vertical movement relative to the frame, the down-force system comprising: at least one hydraulic cylinder between the frame and each row unit to apply a force to each row unit to produce a controllable force acting on the row unit, each hydraulic cylinder assigned to one group of at least two groups of hydraulic cylinders, each of the at least two groups being associated with a respective plurality of row units; a control system operably connected to the hydraulic cylinders to control the hydraulic cylinders to vary the force applied by the hydraulic cylinders to the associated row unit, the control system configured to control each group of hydraulic cylinders independent of another group of hydraulic cylinders to enable the hydraulic cylinders of one group to apply a different force to the respective plurality of row units as compared to the hydraulic cylinders of another group; and a single unitary housing forming the at least one hydraulic cylinder and including a cavity containing at least one energy storage device.