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US 12,232,440 B2Granted
Crop input application systems, methods, and apparatus
OwnerGreggory Sauder, Timothy Sauder +8inventors
InventorsGreggory Sauder, Timothy Sauder, Justin Koch, Nowell Moore, Reid Aberle, Tyler Nafzinger, Connor Hesterberg, Jonathan Welte, Kyle Waremburg, Steven Nuest
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Crop input application systems, methods and apparatus are provided. In some embodiments, an irrigation system is provided with a reel in fluid communication with a liquid source. In some embodiments, a drop assembly is incorporated in an irrigation system. In some embodiments, a crop applicator system includes a reel positioned between adjacent rows of crop.
Claims24
A method of applying a crop input to a soil surface within a field, the field having adjacently spaced crop rows, the method comprising:
- traversing the field with a crop applicator vehicle, the crop applicator vehicle having a frame supported by wheels, wherein at least one of the wheels is driven for rotation by a motor at a wheel drive speed, the frame supporting a rotatable reel above the adjacently spaced crop rows, a length of fluid conduit wound upon the rotatable reel, one end of the fluid conduit in communication with a crop input source;
- driving rotation of the rotatable reel at a first rotational speed in a first rotational direction to begin causing a portion of the length of the fluid conduit to be dispensed from the rotatable reel onto the soil surface as the crop applicator vehicle traverses the field;
- sensing a position of a part of the dispensed portion of the length of the fluid conduit extending between the rotatable reel and the soil surface;
- comparing the sensed position of the part of the dispensed portion of the length of the fluid conduit relative to a target position, the target position indicative of a desired amount of tension on the part of the dispensed portion of the fluid conduit;
- and
- adjusting the first rotational speed of the rotatable reel so that the sensed position of the part of the dispensed portion of the length of the fluid conduit approximates the target position.
3 more elements
A crop applicator input vehicle, comprising:
- a frame supported by wheels positioned on a ground surface;
- a motor connected to at least one of the wheels to drive rotation thereof;
- a rotatable reel supported by the frame;
- a length of fluid conduit wound upon the rotatable reel, one end of the fluid conduit configured to be connected to a crop input source and a portion of the length of fluid conduit positioned between the rotatable reel and the ground surface;
- a control assembly including a reel drive and a conduit sensor, the reel drive coupled to the rotatable reel to control a rotational speed of the rotatable reel, the conduit sensor coupled to the length of fluid conduit and configured to sense a conduit position of the portion of the length of fluid conduit, said position indicative of an amount of tension in the portion of the length of conduit, the control assembly operable to compare the conduit position with a target position and adjust the rotational speed such that the conduit position approximates the target position while the motor dives rotation of said at least one of the wheels.
2 more elements
A system for applying crop inputs in a field, comprising:
- a crop input source positioned in the field;
- a crop applicator input vehicle, including:
- a frame supported by wheels positioned on a ground surface of the field;
- a motor connected to at least one of the wheels to drive rotation thereof;
- a rotatable reel supported by the frame;
- a length of fluid conduit wound upon the rotatable reel, one end of the fluid conduit configured to be connected to the crop input source and a portion of the length of fluid conduit positioned between the rotatable reel and the ground surface;
- a control assembly including a reel drive and a conduit sensor, the reel drive coupled to the rotatable reel to control a rotational speed of the rotatable reel, the conduit sensor coupled to the length of fluid conduit and configured to sense a conduit position of the portion of the length of fluid conduit, said position indicative of an amount of tension in the portion of the length of conduit, the control assembly operable to compare the conduit position with a target position and adjust the rotational speed such that the conduit position approximates the target position while the motor drives rotation of said at least one of the wheels.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.