# US 11,026,362 B2 · System and method for treating individual seeds with liquid chemicals during the planting process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,362 B2 - Document ID: US11026362B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/000,571 - Filed: 2020-08-24 - Published: 2020-12-10 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-27 - Assignees: Amvac Chemical Corporation - Applicants: Amvac Chemical Corporation - Inventors: Richard L. Rice; Larry M. Conrad - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026362B2 ## CPC - A01B 79/005: {Precision agriculture} - A01C 1/06: Coating or dressing seed - A01C 7/10: Devices for adjusting the seed-box {; Regulation of machines for depositing quantities at intervals} - A01C 7/20: Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed - A01C 21/005: {Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern} - A01M 7/0092: {Adding active material (used as well for the introduction of fertilisers in water A01C23/042)} - A01M 9/0092: {Regulating or controlling systems (the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06)} - G06K 7/10386: {the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader} - A01C 7/06: Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus - A01C 23/007: {Metering or regulating systems} - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS ## Abstract A system for dispensing liquid agricultural products with seed includes a control system; a seed transport mechanism; an agricultural product supply system; and, a seed brush assembly. The seed transport mechanism is affixed to a seed planter row unit. The agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense agricultural products in response to an output signal from the control system. A brush housing structure of the seed brush assembly receives seed from the seed transport mechanism. A brush of the seed brush assembly has bristles positioned within the brush housing structure. The agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense the liquid agricultural products onto the bristles. The bristles are configured to minimize the resistance associated with the passage of seed past the wetted bristles. The liquid agricultural product is transferred from the brushes onto the seed as the seed is dispensed prior to the seed hitting the ground. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for dispensing liquid agricultural products with seed, comprising: a control system for receiving at least one control input; a seed transport mechanism affixed to a seed planter row unit, configured to dispense seed; an agricultural product supply system configured to dispense agricultural products in response to an output signal from said control system; a seed brush assembly, comprising: a) a brush housing structure for receiving seed from the seed transport mechanism; and, b) a brush having bristles positioned within said brush housing structure; wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense said liquid agricultural products onto the bristles, wherein said bristles are positioned and configured to minimize the resistance associated with the passage of seed past the wetted bristles, and, wherein said liquid agricultural product is transferred from the brushes onto the seed when the seed is dispensed prior to the seed hitting the ground. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the bristles are positioned and configured such that the effect of brush interference on seed placement in a furrow is limited to no more than one standard deviation of what the in-furrow seed spacing would be without the presence of the seed brush assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further including: a seed sensing device configured to sense placement of seed from a planter; and, a pulsing system operatively coupled to an output end of at least one agricultural product tube and to said seed sensing device and configured to synchronize the placement of low rate agricultural products relative to the placement of seed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system comprises a product container, a pump in fluid communication with said container, and a supply line in fluid communication with said pump. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system comprises a single output orifice. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system comprises a plurality of output orifices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system comprises a pump comprising a syringe pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system comprises a pump comprising a peristalic pump. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one control input comprises geopositioning information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one control input comprises agricultural product information from an RFID tag positioned on an agricultural product container. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one control input comprises flow information from a flow sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said brush housing structure comprises a tube assembly having said bristles positioned therein. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said brush housing structure comprises a chute assembly having said bristles positioned therein. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense liquid low rate agricultural product at a rate in a range of between about 1.0 and 7.0 fluid ounces per linear acre. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense liquid low rate agricultural product at a rate of approximately 2 fluid ounces per linear acre. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein said seed brush assembly comprises a seed chute assembly, wherein said seed chute assembly comprises, a) said brush housing structure having two opposing side elements and a floor element, said slide structure for receiving seed from the seed transport mechanism; b) said brush comprising a top brush positioned in said brush housing structure; and, c) at least one bottom brush positioned between said top brush and said floor element wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense said liquid agricultural products onto the top brush, or the at least one bottom brush, or both said top brush and the at least one bottom brush. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense liquid low rate agricultural product at a rate of approximately 2.5346 mg per seed on corn that is planted at 35,000 seeds per acre, with row spacing of 30 inches. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense liquid low rate agricultural product at a rate of approximately 0.00017218 fluid ounces of liquid per linear row foot on corn that is planted at 35,000 seeds per acre, with row spacing of 30 inches. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense liquid agricultural products at a dose rate defined as between about 0.5 mg and 8.0 mg per seed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense liquid agricultural products at a dose rate defined as between about 0.00003 and 0.0005 fluid ounces per linear row foot on corn that is planted at 35,000 seeds per acre, with row spacing of 30 inches. ### Claim 21 A system for dispensing liquid agricultural products with seed, comprising: a control system for receiving at least one control input; a seed transport mechanism affixed to a seed planter row unit, configured to dispense seed; an agricultural product supply system configured to dispense agricultural products in response to an output signal from said control system; a seed brush assembly, comprising a) a brush housing structure comprising a tube assembly for receiving seed from the seed transport mechanism; b) brushes positioned around a portion of an inner surface the tube assembly, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense said liquid agricultural products into said tube assembly, wherein said liquid agricultural product is applied by the brushes onto the seed when the seed is dispensed prior to the seed hitting the ground. ### Claim 22 A system for dispensing liquid agricultural products with seed, comprising: a control system for receiving at least one control input; a seed transport mechanism affixed to a seed planter row unit, configured to dispense seed; an agricultural product supply system configured to dispense agricultural products in response to an output signal from said control system; a seed chute assembly, comprising: a) a brush housing structure having two opposing side elements and a floor element, said slide structure for receiving seed from the seed transport mechanism; b) a top brush positioned in said brush housing structure; and, c) at least one bottom brush positioned between said top brush and said floor element, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense said liquid agricultural products onto the top brush, or the at least one bottom brush, or both said top brush and the at least one bottom brush, wherein said liquid agricultural product is applied by the brushes onto the seed when the seed is dispensed prior to the seed hitting the ground. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein said agricultural product supply system comprises an agricultural product supply tube having an exit port in contact with said top brush, or the at least one bottom brush, or both said top brush and the at least one bottom brush. ### Claim 24 A method for dispensing liquid agricultural products with seed, comprising: a) utilizing a control system for receiving at least one control input; b) dispensing seed utilizing a seed transport mechanism affixed to a seed planter row unit; c) dispensing agricultural products from an agricultural product supply system configured to dispense agricultural products in response to an output signal from said control system; and, d) utilizing a seed assembly, comprising: a brush housing structure for receiving seed from the seed transport mechanism; and a brush having bristles positioned within said brush housing structure, wherein said agricultural product supply system is configured to dispense said liquid agricultural products onto the bristles, wherein said bristles are positioned and configured to minimize the resistance associated with the passage of seed past the wetted bristles, and wherein said liquid agricultural product is transferred from the brushes onto the seed as the seed is dispensed prior to the seed hitting the ground.