Bias Force System for Seeding Opener Drag Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural seeding implements cause soil disturbance in overlap areas due to furrow openers remaining engaged, which can harm seeds and affect crop yield, and previous solutions either leave openers raised, leading to unbalanced drag forces and skewed row spacing, or require complex mapping and multiple passes.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural seeding apparatus with movable furrow opener assemblies that exert downward bias forces when active and upward or no forces when idle, allowing furrow openers to be raised above the ground in transport mode, reducing soil disturbance and power requirements, and maintaining balanced drag forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If furrow openers are raised in idle sections to reduce soil disturbance, then seed safety is improved, but drag forces become unbalanced causing implement skewing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the force parameter applied to furrow openers by introducing a force system that can exert downward force on active openers and upward or zero force on idle openers. This parameter change allows idle openers to be raised or neutralized without affecting the drag balance, as the force system compensates for the asymmetry created by raising individual openers.
2Stability of the object's composition
If all furrow openers remain engaged in the ground, then implement stability is maintained, but previously planted seeds are disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the furrow opener system into active and idle sections, allowing differential control. The force system can selectively apply forces to specific sections, enabling idle sections to be raised or neutralized while active sections remain engaged. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing selective opener behavior based on operational status.
Solution Approach 2:
The force system acts as an intermediary between the implement frame and the furrow openers. It mediates the force transmission, allowing the operator to raise or neutralize idle openers without directly manipulating each opener individually. This intermediary system enables precise control over opener engagement while maintaining overall implement stability.
3Loss of substance
If sectional control stops product flow to overlap areas, then product waste is reduced, but seeds placed in previous pass are disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by raising or neutralizing idle furrow openers before they enter overlap areas where seeds have been previously placed. This preliminary positioning of the openers prevents subsequent soil disturbance, while the sectional control system simultaneously stops product flow to avoid waste. The preliminary opener adjustment occurs in anticipation of entering the overlap zone.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If mounting arms are raised in idle sections, then soil disturbance is reduced, but power consumption increases due to unbalanced drag
Solution Approach 1:
The force system changes the force parameter applied to idle openers by exerting upward or zero force, allowing them to be raised or neutralized. This reduces the drag asymmetry that would otherwise occur when raising openers, thereby reducing the additional power consumption associated with correcting implement skewing while still achieving the soil disturbance reduction goal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces soil disturbance in overlap areas, improves seed placement by minimizing furrow opener depth variation, and reduces power consumption and system complexity by eliminating the need for pressurized fluid in idle opener assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
A bias force system is operative, when activated in a transport mode, to exert an upward bias force on the active and idle furrow opener assemblies, and operative, when activated in an operating mode, to exert a downward bias force on the active furrow opener assemblies, and to exert substantially no force on the idle furrow opener assemblies
Data Source
AI summary
An agricultural seeder has furrow opener assemblies spaced along a width of the implement frame. Each furrow opener assembly has an opener arm pivotally attached to the implement frame, and a furrow opener attached to the opener arm. A product delivery system delivers agricultural products to the furrow opener assemblies, and a product control controls the product delivery system such that agricultural products are delivered only to active furrow opener assemblies. A bias force system is operative, when activated in a transport mode, to exert an upward bias force on the active and idle furrow opener assemblies, and operative, when activated in an operating mode, to exert a downward bias force on the active furrow opener assemblies, and to exert substantially no force on the idle furrow opener assemblies.