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US 9,267,255 B2Granted
Implements, implement systems, and methods for displacing ground material
AssigneeWillmar Fabrication, LLC
InventorSteven W. Claussen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implement may be configured to displace ground material. For example, an implement may include roller apparatus configured to engage a ground surface and form a plurality of reservoirs in the ground surface. The roller apparatus may include a cylindrical portion and a plurality of ground displacing elements, and the plurality of ground displacing elements may form the plurality of reservoirs in the ground surface as the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface.
Claims24
An implement couplable to a vehicle configured to traverse a ground surface, wherein the implement comprises:
- a mount portion couplable to a vehicle;
- an extension member extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion, wherein the proximal end portion is pivotably coupled to the mount portion about a pivot axis;
- and
- a roller apparatus rotatably coupled to the distal end portion of the extension member about a roller axis, wherein the roller apparatus comprises:
- a cylindrical portion lying along the roller axis configured to roll over a ground surface, wherein the cylindrical portion defines an outer surface configured to engage the ground surface when the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface;
- and
- a plurality of ground displacing elements coupled to the cylindrical portion and extending from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion, wherein each ground displacing element of the plurality of ground displacing elements comprises a ground lifting surface configured to engage and lift ground material to disperse the ground material and form a plurality of reservoirs in the ground surface when the outer surface is engaged with the ground surface as the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface,
- wherein the mount portion is configured to transmit force to the roller apparatus to maintain engagement between the outer surface of the cylindrical portion and the ground surface when the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface, wherein the mount portion comprises an elongated torsion assembly extending along the pivot axis, wherein the elongated torsion assembly comprises:
- a first elongate member fixedly coupled to the mount portion,
- a second elongate member fixedly coupled to the extension member, and
- a plurality of cushioning rods located between the first and second elongate members and configured to allow movement of the first elongate member relative to the second elongate member about the pivot axis.
8 more elements
An implement system couplable to a vehicle configured to traverse a ground surface, wherein the implement system comprises:
- frame apparatus couplable to the vehicle;
- and
- a plurality of implements coupled to the frame apparatus, wherein each of the plurality of implements comprises:
- a mount portion couplable to a vehicle,
- an extension member extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion, wherein the proximal end portion is pivotably coupled to the mount portion about a pivot axis, and
- a roller apparatus rotatably coupled to the distal end portion of the extension member about a roller axis, wherein the roller apparatus comprises:
- a cylindrical portion lying along the roller axis configured and sized to roll over a ground surface between crop rows, wherein the cylindrical portion defines an outer surface configured to engage the ground surface when the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface, and
- a plurality of ground displacing elements coupled to the cylindrical portion and extending from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion,
- wherein the mount portion is configured to transmit force to the roller apparatus to maintain engagement between the outer surface of the cylindrical portion and the ground surface when the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface, wherein the mount portion comprises an elongated torsion assembly extending along the pivot axis, wherein the elongated torsion assembly comprises:
- a first elongate member fixedly coupled to the mount portion,
- a second elongate member fixedly coupled to the extension member, and
- a plurality of cushioning rods located between the first and second elongate members and configured to allow movement of the first elongate member relative to the second elongate member about the pivot axis.
9 more elements
A method of using an implement comprising:
- coupling an implement to a vehicle, wherein the implement comprises:
- a mount portion couplable to a vehicle,
- an extension member extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion, wherein the proximal end portion is pivotably coupled to the mount portion about a pivot axis, and
- a roller apparatus rotatably coupled to the distal end portion of the extension member about a roller axis, wherein the roller apparatus comprises:
- a cylindrical portion lying along the roller axis configured to roll over a ground surface, wherein the cylindrical portion defines an outer surface configured to engage the ground surface when the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface, and
- a plurality of ground displacing elements coupled to the cylindrical portion and extending from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion, wherein each ground displacing element of the plurality of ground displacing elements comprises a ground lifting surface configured to engage and lift ground material to disperse the ground material and form a plurality of reservoirs in the ground surface when the outer surface is engaged with the ground surface while the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface,
- wherein the mount portion is configured to transmit force to the roller apparatus to maintain engagement between the outer surface of the cylindrical portion and the ground surface when the cylindrical portion is rolled over the ground surface, wherein the mount portion comprises an elongated torsion assembly extending along the pivot axis,
- wherein the elongated torsion assembly comprises:
- a first elongate member fixedly coupled to the mount portion,
- a second elongate member fixedly coupled to the extension member, and
- a plurality of cushioning rods located between the first and second elongate members and configured to allow movement of the first elongate member relative to the second elongate member about the pivot axis;
- and
- engaging the ground surface with the roller apparatus of the implement;
- and
- traversing the ground surface with the vehicle and the implement.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.