Deere & Company
Planter row unit adjustment control

Abstract:

A row unit for a seeding machine operable to plant seeds into soil. A frame supports a furrow opener, a gauge wheel, a seed dispenser, and a furrow closer. A row unit downforce actuator is operable to push the row unit frame toward the soil to adjustably control soil engagement forces for the furrow opener, the gauge wheel, and the furrow closer. An acceleration sensor is configured to detect accelerations of the row unit. A controller is in communication with the acceleration sensor and the row unit downforce actuator, and the controller is programmed with an algorithm to maintain a target downforce value during operation of the row unit. The controller is further programmed to abandon the target downforce value and relieve the row unit downforce actuator in response to a signal from the acceleration sensor indicative of acceleration of the row unit in excess of a predetermined threshold.