Implement for adjustably metering an agricultural field input according to different frame sections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11071247-B2
Application number	US-201916731325-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2019
Priority date	Jun 18, 2012
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

Metering devices for an agricultural implement are present for applying a field input, for example, pneumatically delivered granular product including seed or fertilizer or sprayed liquid product including fertilizer and the like, to an agricultural field. In the applying of the field input, the rate of application of the dispensers of one section of the implement can be collectively varied in relation to the rate of application of the dispensers of a different section of the implement frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An implement for applying at least one agricultural product fluid comprising:
a main tank configured to hold a carrier fluid;
a primary pump in communication with the main tank;
at least one product tank configured to hold an injection product;
two or more product dispensers configured to dispense a mixture of the carrier fluid and the injection product as the at least one agricultural product fluid;
at least two main lines in communication with the main tank, each of the main lines extends between a manifold and at least one of the two or more product dispensers associated with the respective main line; and
at least two metering interfaces in communication with the at least one product tank, each metering interface includes:
a fluid connection with the at least one product dispenser associated with one of the at least two main lines, the fluid connection is proximate to the associated at least one product dispenser; and
a metering device interposed between the fluid connection and the at least one product tank, and the metering device is configured to control the injection of the injection product to the carrier fluid at the fluid connection.

2. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the metering device of each metering interface is configured to independently control the flow rate of the injection product relative to metering devices of the other metering interfaces.

3. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the metering device of each metering interface is configured to independently control the concentration of the injection product in the carrier fluid relative to metering devices of the other metering interfaces.

4. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the two or more product dispensers includes first and second sets of product dispensers, and the first set of product dispensers are associated with a first designated frame section and the second set of product dispensers are associated with a second designated frame section.

5. The implement of claim 4 , wherein the at least two metering interfaces includes first and second metering interfaces;
the first metering interface is in communication with the first set of product dispensers; and
the second metering interface is in communication with the second set of product dispensers.

6. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the metering device includes a metering pump configured to control the injection of the injection product to the carrier fluid at the fluid connection.

7. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the metering device includes a throttling valve configured to control the injection of the injection product to the carrier fluid at the fluid connection.

8. The implement of claim 7 , wherein the throttling valve includes a pressure reducing valve, a three way valve or a restricted orifice.

9. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the two or more product dispensers includes two or more spray nozzles.

10. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the fluid connection and the metering device of each metering interface are proximate to the at least one product dispenser associated with the respective main line.

11. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the fluid connection and the metering device of each metering interface are immediately adjacent to the at least one product dispenser associated with the respective main line.

12. The implement of claim 1 comprising the at least one agricultural product fluid including a mixture of the carrier fluid and the injection product based on the controlled injection of the injection product to the carrier fluid at the fluid connection.

13. An implement for applying at least one agricultural product fluid comprising:
a main tank configured to hold a carrier fluid;
a primary pump in communication with the main tank;
at least one product tank configured to hold an injection product;
first and second sets of product dispensers, each of the first and second sets of product dispensers includes one or more product dispensers;
at least first and second main lines in communication with the main tank, the first main line extending between a manifold and the first set of product dispensers and the second main line extending between the manifold and the second set of product dispensers;
wherein each of the first and second main lines includes a respective metering interface configured to independently administer the injection product to the first or second set of product dispensers associated with the respective first or second main line, and each of the metering interfaces includes:
a fluid connection with the first or second set of product dispensers associated with the respective first or second main line, the fluid connection is proximate to the respective first or second set of product dispensers; and
a metering device configured to independently control the injection of the injection product to the carrier fluid at the fluid connection.

14. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the metering device of each metering interface is configured to independently control the flow rate of the injection product to the respective first or second main line relative to the metering devices of other metering interfaces.

15. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the metering device of each metering interface is configured to independently control the concentration of the injection product in the carrier fluid of the respective first or second main line relative to the metering devices of other metering interfaces.

16. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the first and second sets of product dispensers include the first set of one or more product dispensers associated with a first designated frame section of the implement and the second set of one or more product dispensers associated with a second designated frame section of the implement.

17. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the metering device includes a metering pump configured to independently control the injection of the injection product to the carrier fluid at the fluid connection.

18. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the metering device includes a throttling valve configured to independently control the injection of the injection product to the carrier fluid at the fluid connection.

19. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the product dispensers of the first and second sets of product dispensers includes spray nozzles.

20. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the fluid connection and the metering device of each metering interface are proximate to the associated first or second sets of product dispensers of the respective first or second main lines.

21. The implement of claim 13 , wherein the fluid connection and the metering device of each metering interface are immediately adjacent to the associated first or second sets of product dispensers of the respective first or second main lines.

22. The implement of claim 13 comprising the at least one agricultural product fluid including a mixture of the carrier fluid and the injection product based on the independently controlled injection of the injection product at the respective fluid connection of the respective first or second main line.

23. A method for mixing an agricultural product solution comprising:
delivering a carrier fluid from a main tank along two or more main lines, each of the two or more main lines having one or more product dispensers;
delivering an injection product from a product tank toward fluid connections associated with the respective

Assignees

• Raven Ind Inc

Inventors

• Shivak Stanislaus Montgomery
• Kocer Jared Ernest

Classifications

• A01C21/005 Primary

  Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern · CPC title

• A01C7/102

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C23/007

  Metering or regulating systems · CPC title

• B05B1/169

  having three or more selectively effective outlets · CPC title

• A01C7/082

  Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders · CPC title