Agricultural trench closing systems, methods, and apparatus

Abstract

A closing wheel assembly is provided for a row unit agricultural planter. The planter is configured to open a trench in the soil and the closing wheel assembly is configured to close the trench.

1 . An adaptive closing force system for attachment to a row unit comprising a closing unit, the adaptive closing force system comprising:
 a) at least one closing actuator in operational communication with the row unit; and   b) a processor, wherein the adaptive closing system is constructed and arranged to receive one or more closing force inputs to generate closing force output to increase, decrease or maintain closing actuator force.   
     
     
         2 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one closing actuator further comprises at least one of an airbag and a hydraulic actuator. 
     
     
         3 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 1 , wherein the force applied by the at least one closing actuator on the at least one closing disc is a direct force. 
     
     
         4 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more closing force inputs comprises closing wheel downforce. 
     
     
         5 . An adaptive closing force system comprising:
 a) at least one row unit comprising a supplemental downforce system;   b) at least one closing unit comprising at least one closing disc and at least one closing actuator in operational communication with the at least one row unit and supplemental downforce system; and   c) a control system comprising at least a processor, wherein:
 i) the processor calculates a closing force output from the one or more closing force inputs, 
 ii) the closing force output is determinative of a closing force applied by the at least one closing actuator to the at least one closing disc, and 
 iii) the closing force output is updated based on changes in the one or more closing force inputs received by the closing actuator over time. 
   
     
     
         6 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one closing actuator is selected from the group consisting of an airbag and a hydraulic actuator. 
     
     
         7 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 5 , wherein the closing force input comprises closing wheel downforce. 
     
     
         8 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further is constructed and arranged to receive user input data. 
     
     
         9 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 5 , wherein the operations system further comprises a non-transitory computer-readable medium in operational communication with the processor. 
     
     
         10 . An adaptive closing force system comprising:
 a) at least one row unit comprising a supplemental downforce system;   b) at least one closing system comprising at least one closing disc and at least one closing actuator in operational communication with the at least one row unit and the supplemental downforce system; and   c) a control system comprising at least a processor, wherein changes to a closing force input generate changes in a closing force output applied by the at least one closing actuator to the at least one closing disc.   
     
     
         11 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one closing actuator is selected from the group consisting of an airbag and a hydraulic actuator. 
     
     
         12 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 10 , wherein the closing force input comprises closing wheel downforce. 
     
     
         13 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 10 , wherein the actuator is constructed and arranged to increase, decrease or maintain closing actuator force in response to the closing force input. 
     
     
         14 . The adaptive closing force system of  claim 14 , wherein the control system further comprises a graphical user interface.