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US 11,445,659 B2Granted
Crop input variety selection systems, methods, and apparatus
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsDale Koch, Todd Swanson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatus for selecting an agricultural input include and second seed meters that selectively meter seed from first and second sources, respectively, into a common planting trench. In some embodiments, the seed meters are selectively operated by electric motors controlled with reference to a seed type prescription. In some embodiments, the first and second seed meters deposit seeds along a common plane.
Claims20
A method of operating an agricultural seed planter, the method comprising:
- opening a planting trench in a soil surface with a row unit while advancing the row unit in a forward direction of travel, the row unit comprising:
- a seed meter disposed to plant seeds in the trench;
- a first bulk seed hopper configured to carry seeds;
- a second bulk seed hopper configured to carry seeds;
- a first entrainer in fluid communication with the first bulk seed hopper and the seed meter;
- a second entrainer in fluid communication with the second bulk seed hopper and the seed meter;
- and
- a reducing actuator in fluid communication with the first entrainer and the second entrainer;
- providing an air flow from a pressure source through the reducing actuator, the first entrainer, and the seed meter;
- entraining seeds from the first bulk seed hopper in the first entrainer with the air flow;
- dispensing seeds from the first bulk seed hopper through the seed meter to the planting trench without dispensing seeds from the second bulk seed hopper through the seed meter;
- changing a configuration of the reducing actuator;
- providing the air flow from the pressure source through the reducing actuator, the second entrainer, and the seed meter;
- entraining seeds from the second bulk seed hopper in the second entrainer with the air flow;
- and
- dispensing seeds from the second bulk seed hopper through the seed meter to the planting trench without dispensing seeds from the first bulk seed hopper through the seed meter.
13 more elements
A method of operating an agricultural seed planter, the method comprising:
- opening a planting trench in a soil surface with a row unit while advancing the row unit in a forward direction of travel, the row unit comprising:
- a seed meter disposed to plant seeds in the trench;
- a bulk seed hopper configured to carry seeds;
- an entrainer in fluid communication with the bulk seed hopper and the seed meter;
- and
- a reducing actuator in fluid communication with the entrainer;
- providing an air flow from a pressure source through the reducing actuator to the entrainer;
- entraining seeds from the bulk seed hopper in the entrainer with the air flow from the pressure source;
- dispensing seeds from the bulk seed hopper through the seed meter to the planting trench;
- changing a configuration of the reducing actuator to reduce the air flow to the entrainer;
- stopping dispensing seeds from the bulk seed hopper while the air flow to the entrainer is reduced.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.