Aeration device
AssigneePlanetAir Turf Products, LLC
InventorsDavid Maas, Scott Bjorge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A soil aeration device may include a plurality of arcuate blades mounted to an assembly adapted to rotate and translate the blades proximate a ground surface, thereby forming aeration pockets in the soil. In certain embodiments, the arcuate tines penetrate and fracture the soil while minimizing the amount of soil lifted from the pocket deposited on the top of the soil. In various embodiments, a planetary gear assembly imparts to the tine a translational and rotational movement which creates a fractured pocket in the soil while minimizing the amount of soil lifted from the pocket and deposited on the surface of the soil. In still other embodiments, the arcuate tine may have mounted thereon a coring tube that cuts and removes a plug from the pocket formed in the soil.
Claims20
A method of aerating a ground surface, comprising:
- penetrating a ground surface with a curved tine, the curved tine having a tip portion that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the ground surface as the tip portion penetrates the ground surface;
- and
- imparting compound motions to the curved tine while the curved tine is in the ground surface so as to form an aeration pocket in the ground surface.
A soil aeration apparatus, comprising:
- a tine holder member;
- a gear system that imparts compound motions to the tine holding member;
- and
- at least one curved tine mounted to the tine holding member, the curved tine having a concave edge, a complementary convex edge, and a tip portion, the tip portion being oriented substantially perpendicular to a ground surface when the tip portion approaches the ground surface,
- wherein the compound motions are imparted to the tine holding member while the curved tine is in a ground surface.
A soil aeration apparatus, comprising:
- a tine holder member;
- a gear system that imparts compound motions to the tine holding member;
- at least one curved tine mounted to the tine holding member, the curved tine having a concave edge, a complementary convex edge, and a tip portion;
- and
- a timing member coupled to the gear system, the timing member being adjustable between a first position to a second position,
- wherein when the timing member is in the first position, the tine penetrates a ground surface in a first penetration orientation, and
- wherein when the timing member is in the second position, the tine penetrates a ground surface in a second penetration orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.