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US 11,985,915 B2Granted
Fluid covering implement
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsJason Stoller, Paul Wildermuth, Ian Radtke, Cory Muhlbauer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implement having a frame and a soil moving implement that is attached to the frame. The soil moving implement is disposed in a row between plants for moving soil from between rows of plants to at least the rhizosphere of the plants to cover fluid that is deposited in the rhizosphere.
Claims23
An implement for depositing fluid in the rhizosphere of plants growing in a field and for covering the fluid, the implement comprising:
- a frame;
- an implement configured to dispense fluids, wherein the implement further comprises a vertical member attached to the frame and extending down towards soil in the field;
- a support member being pivotably attached to the vertical member at an opposite end to the frame;
- a soil moving implement attached to the support member and disposed in a middle region between first and second rows of plants that moves soil from the middle region between the first and second rows to at least the rhizosphere of at least one of the first and second row of plants to cover fluid deposited in the rhizosphere as the soil moving implement traverses the field;
- a biasing member disposed between the vertical member and the support member, wherein the biasing member is configured to apply a down force on the soil moving implement towards the soil to engage the soil moving implement with the soil, wherein the biasing member is configured to apply a lift force on the support member to disengage the soil moving implement from the soil;
- and
- a cylindrically shaped depth guide attached to the soil moving implement to regulate a depth of the soil moving implement into the soil, wherein the soil moving implement and the cylindrically shaped depth guide rotate with a same axis of rotation, wherein the soil moving implement comprises at least one disc and the depth guide has a constant diameter that is less than a diameter of the at least one disc.
4 more elements
A method for covering fluid deposited in the rhizosphere of plants growing in a field comprising:
- depositing fluid in the rhizosphere of plants while driving an implement through the field;
- moving soil with a soil moving implement from a middle region between first and second rows of plants to at least the rhizosphere of at least one of the first and second rows of plants to cover the fluid deposited in the rhizosphere;
- applying a down force on the soil moving implement towards the soil based on a biasing member being disposed between a vertical member and a support member of the implement to engage the soil moving implement with the soil, wherein the biasing member is configured to apply a lift force on the support member to disengage the soil moving implement from the soil;
- and
- regulating a depth of the soil moving implement into the soil based on a cylindrically shaped depth guide being attached to the soil moving implement, wherein an edge or boundary of the middle region is 3 to 15 inches from each rhizosphere of the first and second row of plants, wherein the soil moving implement and the cylindrically shaped depth guide rotate with a same axis of rotation, wherein the soil moving implement comprises at least one disc and the depth guide has a constant diameter that is less than a diameter of the at least one disc.
2 more elements
An implement for covering fluid deposited by an apparatus that deposits fluid in the rhizosphere of plants growing in a field comprising:
- a support member;
- a vertical member attached to the support member and extending down towards soil in the field;
- a soil mover attached to a distal end of the support member, wherein the soil mover is disposed adjacent to the rhizosphere to move soil from being adjacent the rhizosphere to the rhizosphere to cover fluid deposited by the apparatus in the rhizosphere;
- a biasing member disposed between the vertical member and the support member is configured to apply a down force on the soil mover towards the soil to engage the soil mover with the soil, wherein the biasing member is configured to apply a lift force on the support member to disengage the soil mover from the soil;
- and
- a cylindrically shaped depth guide attached to the soil mover to regulate a depth of the soil mover into the soil, wherein the soil mover and the cylindrically shaped depth guide rotate with a same axis of rotation, wherein the soil moving implement comprises at least one disc and the depth guide has a constant diameter that is less than a diameter of the at least one disc.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.