Crop input application systems, methods, and apparatus
AssigneeM.A. Industries, Inc.
InventorsGregg Sauder, Timothy Sauder, Justin Koch, Nowell Moore, Reid Aberle, Tyler Nafziger, 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.
Claims21
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 in a first direction 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, the rotatable reel positioned above the spaced crop rows, a fluid conduit wound upon the rotatable reel, one end of the length of the fluid conduit in communication with a crop input source;
- driving rotation of the rotatable reel at a rotational speed to dispense fluid conduit from the rotatable reel onto the ground between two of the adjacently spaced crop rows as the crop applicator vehicle traverses the field;
- sensing a position of the fluid conduit relative to the frame;
- detecting an amount of tension of the fluid conduit based on the sensed position;
- and
- adjusting the rotational speed of the rotatable reel so that the detected tension of the fluid conduit is within a defined threshold.
In a field with crops growing in adjacently spaced rows, a crop input applicator vehicle for applying liquid products to the crop rows, the crop input applicator vehicle comprising:
- a reel supported at a height above a soil surface and defining a rotational axis extending in a direction transverse to the crop rows, the reel positioned between first and second adjacently spaced crop rows and further defining a width along the rotational axis less than a distance between said first and second adjacent crop rows;
- a boom structure extending laterally along the rotational axis on either side of the reel;
- a plurality of drop assemblies supported by and spaced laterally adjacent along the boom structure such that each of the plurality of drop assemblies is positioned between adjacently spaced crop rows;
- a fluid conduit positioned on the reel and configured to be dispensed from and retracted to the reel;
- a frame supporting the reel;
- a plurality of wheel assemblies supporting the frame and operable to position the frame throughout the field;
- a power source coupled with the plurality of wheel assemblies to drive the plurality of wheel assemblies;
- a conduit sensor configured to sense a position of the fluid conduit relative to the frame, said position indicating an amount of tension in the fluid conduit;
- and
- a control assembly coupled with the power source and configured to drive rotation of the reel at a rotational speed based on the position to maintain the position within a defined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.