Systems and apparatuses for soil and seed monitoring
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsMichael Strnad, Timothy Kater, Matthew Morgan, Dale M. Koch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A soil apparatus (e.g., seed firmer) having a locking system is described herein. In one embodiment, the soil apparatus includes a lower base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, an upper base portion, and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into the lower base portion of a base and then lock when a region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this region of the upper base portion presses the protrusions to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion.
Claims13
A soil apparatus comprising:
- a base portion that is configured to contact soil in a trench to press seed in the trench to improve seed to soil contact in soil of an agricultural field;
- a mounting portion connected to the base portion, the mounting portion configured to attach to an agricultural implement;
- wherein the mounting portion includes a force relief having an internal opening that is disposed within the mounting portion to transfer applied force from the base portion to the mounting portion to prevent damage to the base portion if the soil apparatus is engaged in soil while the agricultural implement is driven in a reverse direction, wherein the mounting portion and the base portion are separate components, wherein the internal opening of the force relief is a circular hole extending horizontally through a width of the mounting portion that extends across a width of the trench when in operation to allow the mounting portion to break to prevent damage to the base portion.
A soil apparatus comprising:
- a base portion for engaging in soil of an agricultural field, the base portion adapted for connection to an agricultural implement;
- a soil sensor disposed in or on the base portion for measuring a soil property;
- and
- a force relief disposed on the base portion to transfer applied force from the base portion to the force relief, wherein the force relief forms a spring including a partial opening with an interlock having additional openings including a first opening transverse to the partial opening and a second opening aligned in a same direction as the partial opening within the base portion to prevent damage to the base portion if the soil apparatus is engaged in soil while the agricultural implement is driven in a reverse direction.
A soil apparatus comprising:
- a base portion to firm seed in a trench that is formed in soil of an agricultural field;
- a mounting portion connected to the base portion, the mounting portion configured to attach to an agricultural implement;
- wherein the mounting portion includes a force relief that is disposed within the mounting portion to transfer applied force from the base portion to the mounting portion to prevent damage to the base portion if the soil apparatus is engaged in soil while the agricultural implement is driven in a reverse direction, wherein the force relief forms a spring including a partial opening with an interlock having additional openings including a first opening transverse to the partial opening and a second opening aligned in a same direction as the partial opening within the mounting portion to allow the mounting portion to flex to prevent damage to the base portion if the soil apparatus is engaged in soil while the agricultural implement is driven in a reverse direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.