Agricultural implement

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plough implement comprising a main frame supporting a plurality of first ground engaging tools, wherein the plough implement comprises a depth adjustment apparatus for moving a first ground engaging tool of the plurality of first ground engaging tools with respect to the main frame to enable adjustment of a working depth of the first ground engaging tool.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A plough implement comprising a main frame and a plurality of ground engaging tools, wherein the main frame supports the plurality of ground engaging tools, and the plough implement comprises a depth adjustment apparatus configured to move at least one ground engaging tool of the plurality of ground engaging tools with respect to the main frame to enable adjustment of a working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool;
 wherein the plough implement comprises a control unit configured to control the depth adjustment apparatus, and the control unit is configured to decrease the working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool if an obstacle collision is predicted.   
     
     
         17 . The plough implement of  claim 16 , comprising an obstacle sensor configured to detect an obstacle, the obstacle sensor being arranged in front of the at least one ground engaging tool with respect to a direction of travel. 
     
     
         18 . The plough implement of  claim 17 , wherein the obstacle sensor comprises a contactless sensor configured to detect the obstacle by way of radiation. 
     
     
         19 . The plough implement of  claim 17 , wherein the obstacle sensor is configured to detect whether the at least one ground engaging tool has passed the obstacle, and the control unit is configured to increase the working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool in response to the at least one ground engaging tool passing the obstacle. 
     
     
         20 . The plough implement of  claim 16 , wherein the control unit is configured to increase the working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool an amount of time after the obstacle collision is predicted. 
     
     
         21 . The plough implement of  claim 16 , wherein the plough implement is a reversible plough. 
     
     
         22 . The plough implement of  claim 16 , wherein the depth adjustment apparatus comprises a four-link parallelogram linkage connecting the main frame to the at least one ground engaging tool. 
     
     
         23 . A plough implement, comprising:
 a control unit configured to control at least one depth adjustment apparatus, wherein the at least one depth adjustment apparatus is configured to move at least one respective ground engaging tool of a plurality of ground engaging tools with respect to a main frame of the plough implement to enable adjustment of a respective working depth of the at least one respective ground engaging tool, and the control unit is configured to decrease the respective working depth of the at least one respective ground engaging tool in response to prediction of an obstacle collision.   
     
     
         24 . The plough implement of  claim 23 , comprising an obstacle sensor configured to detect an obstacle, wherein the obstacle sensor is configured to be arranged in front of the at least one respective ground engaging tool with respect to a direction of travel. 
     
     
         25 . The plough implement of  claim 24 , wherein the obstacle sensor comprises a contactless sensor configured to detect the obstacle by way of radiation. 
     
     
         26 . The plough implement of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one depth adjustment apparatus comprises a plurality of depth adjustment apparatuses, the obstacle sensor is configured to output obstacle data indicative of a size and a position of the obstacle, the control unit is configured to identify each ground engaging tool of the at least one respective ground engaging tool of the plurality of ground engaging tools that is predicted to encounter the obstacle, and the controller is configured to decrease the respective working depth of each ground engaging tool predicted to encounter the obstacle. 
     
     
         27 . The plough implement of  claim 24 , wherein the obstacle sensor is configured to detect whether the at least one respective ground engaging tool has passed the obstacle, and the control unit is configured to increase the working depth of the at least one respective ground engaging tool in response to the at least one respective ground engaging tool passing the obstacle. 
     
     
         28 . The plough implement of  claim 23 , wherein the control unit is configured to increase the working depth of the at least one respective ground engaging tool an amount of time after the obstacle collision is predicted. 
     
     
         29 . The plough implement of  claim 23 , wherein the plough implement is a reversible plough. 
     
     
         30 . The plough implement of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one depth adjustment apparatus comprises a four-link parallelogram linkage configured to connect the main frame to the at least one respective ground engaging tool. 
     
     
         31 . A plough implement comprising:
 a main frame;   a plurality of ground engaging tools, wherein the main frame supports the plurality of ground engaging tools;   a depth adjustment apparatus comprising a hydraulic actuator configured to move at least one ground engaging tool of the plurality of ground engaging tools with respect to the main frame to enable adjustment of a working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool;   a hydraulic system configured to control the hydraulic actuator; and   a control unit connected to the hydraulic system, wherein the control unit is configured to control the hydraulic actuator of the depth adjustment apparatus via the hydraulic system, the control unit is configured to detect contact between the at least one ground engaging tool and an obstacle in response to a pressure increase within the hydraulic actuator, and the control unit, in response to detecting contact between the at least one ground engaging tool and the obstacle, is configured to control the hydraulic actuator to decrease the working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool or to reduce flow resistance within the hydraulic system to reduce a force applied by the hydraulic actuator.   
     
     
         32 . The plough implement of  claim 31 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the hydraulic actuator to decrease the working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool in response to detecting contact between the at least one ground engaging tool and the obstacle. 
     
     
         33 . The plough implement of  claim 32 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the hydraulic actuator to increase the working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool an amount of time after the working depth of the at least one ground engaging tool is decreased. 
     
     
         34 . The plough implement of  claim 31 , wherein the plough implement is a reversible plough. 
     
     
         35 . The plough implement of  claim 31 , wherein the depth adjustment apparatus comprises a four-link parallelogram linkage connecting the main frame to the at least one ground engaging tool.