# US 11,991,949 B2 · Systems and apparatuses for soil and seed monitoring > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,991,949 B2 - Document ID: US11991949B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/651,324 - Filed: 2018-10-02 - Published: 2020-07-16 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-02 - Assignees: Precision Planting LLC - Applicants: Precision Planting, LLC - Inventors: Michael Strnad; Timothy Kater - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11991949B2 ## CPC - A01C 5/068: {Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels} - A01B 49/06: for sowing or fertilising - A01B 61/00: Devices for, or parts of, agricultural machines or implements for preventing overstrain - A01B 61/04: of the connection between tools and carrier beam or frame - A01B 61/042: {with shearing devices} - A01B 79/02: combined with other agricultural processing, e.g. fertilising, planting - A01C 7/201: {Mounting of the seeding tools} - A01C 7/203: {comprising depth regulation means} - A01C 7/205: {comprising pressure regulation means} - A01C 14/00: Methods or apparatus for planting not provided for in other groups of this subclass - A01C 21/00: Methods of fertilising {, sowing or planting} - G01N 33/24: Earth materials (G01N33/42 takes precedence) - G01N 33/246: {for water content} - G06Q 10/063: Operations research, analysis or management - G06Q 50/02: Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining - A01B 79/005: {Precision agriculture} - G01N 33/245: {for agricultural purposes} - Y02P 60/20: Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2 - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) - 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) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A soil apparatus comprising: a lower base portion of a base to firm seed in a trench that is formed in an agricultural field; an upper base portion of the base having a protruding region disposed to extend at an end of the upper base portion; and a neck portion adapted for releasably attaching to a row unit of an implement, wherein the neck portion has first and second protrusions to insert into the lower base portion and then lock when the protruding region of the upper base portion is inserted into the lower base portion and this protruding region of the upper base portion presses the first and second protrusions into the lower base portion to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion and the lower base portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The soil apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a window disposed in the lower base portion; and a sensor disposed in the lower base portion adjacent to the window, the sensor is configured to sense soil through the window when the lower base portion engages in soil of the agricultural field, wherein the lower base portion includes a resilient layer to position a circuit board in proximity to the window, wherein the sensor for detecting characteristics of soil or a trench includes at least one of soil moisture, soil organic matter, soil temperature, seed presence, seed spacing, percentage of seeds firmed, and soil residue presence, wherein the window is mounted flush with a lower surface of the ground-engaging lower portion such that soil flows underneath the window without building up over the window or along an edge of the window. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The soil apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a wear resistant insert positioned in close proximity to the window to provide wear resistance for the window. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The soil apparatus of claim 1, wherein the soil apparatus comprises a seed firmer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The soil apparatus of claim 4, wherein the upper base portion includes an internal cavity that is designed to receive a fluid application conduit and the internal cavity includes a rearward aperture through which the fluid application conduit extends for dispensing fluid behind the firmer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The soil apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lower base portion includes a separate window portion to allow the window to be separately serviceable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The soil apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lower base portion includes a water drain slit that defines a feature for the separate window portion of the lower base portion to mate with the lower base portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The soil apparatus of claim 7, wherein the neck portion includes a force relief that includes a partial opening to prevent damage to the lower base portion if the soil apparatus is engaged in soil while an agricultural implement is driven in a reverse direction, wherein the lower base portion includes a lower outer portion to protect the lower base portion, wherein the lower outer portion is made from a low coefficient of friction material, wherein the lower outer portion covers at least 50% of a height of the lower base portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The soil apparatus of claim 8, wherein the lower base portion additionally includes a second portion having an upper base portion and lower internal portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The soil apparatus of claim 9, wherein the upper base portion of the second portion includes a channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The soil apparatus of claim 10, wherein the lower internal portion is disposed below upper base portion and lower internal portion has an end for connection to the neck portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The soil apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower base portion is at least 50% of a combined height of the lower base portion and the upper base portion, and the lower base portion is made from a material such that a coefficient of static friction between the material and soil is less than or equal to 0.3. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The soil apparatus of claim 12, wherein the coefficient of static friction between the material and soil is less than or equal to 0.2, and the lower base portion is at least 90% of the combined height. ### Claim 14 A soil apparatus comprising: a lower base portion to firm seed in a trench that is formed in soil of an agricultural field; an upper base portion; and a neck portion having protrusions to insert into two separate openings of the lower base portion and then lock to the lower base portion when the two separate openings accept the protrusions, wherein the neck portion is configured to attach to an agricultural implement, wherein the protrusions comprise two prongs with each prong including a tab to insert into one of the two separate openings of the lower base portion for locking the neck portion to the lower base portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, wherein the two separate openings comprise holes of the lower base portion to accept tabs of the protrusions for locking the neck portion to the lower base portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, wherein the neck portion includes a dividing ridge on the neck portion to divide a fluid tube and an electrical line. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a window disposed in the lower base portion; and a sensor disposed in the lower base portion adjacent to the window, the sensor is configured to sense soil through the window when the lower base portion engages in soil of the agricultural field. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, wherein the soil apparatus comprises a seed firmer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The soil apparatus of claim 17, wherein the lower base portion includes a resilient layer to position a circuit board in proximity to the window. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, wherein the neck portion includes a force relief to prevent damage to the lower base portion if the soil apparatus is engaged in soil while an agricultural implement is driven in a reverse direction. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, wherein the neck portion includes a spring to prevent damage to the soil apparatus if the soil apparatus is engaged in soil while an agricultural implement is driven in a reverse direction. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, wherein the lower base portion includes a lower outer portion to protect the lower base portion, wherein the lower outer portion is made from a low coefficient of friction material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The soil apparatus of claim 22, wherein the lower outer portion covers at least 50% of a height of the lower base portion. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The soil apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protruding region of the upper base portion comprises a post that presses the first and second protrusions apart to lock the neck portion to the upper base portion, wherein the neck portion is configured to attach to an agricultural implement. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The soil apparatus of claim 1, wherein the neck portion includes a dividing ridge that is aligned on the neck portion between the two protrusions. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The soil apparatus of claim 14, wherein the neck portion includes a dividing ridge that is aligned on the neck portion between the two prongs.