Agricultural weed dispatching implements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12302894-B2
Application number	US-202117552153-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2021
Priority date	Dec 15, 2020
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

An agricultural implement that can concurrently cultivate and spray includes an implement support frame. A plurality of cultivator row units is coupled with the implement support frame. Each cultivator row unit of the plurality of cultivator row units includes a dispatching implement. A sprayer system coupled with the implement support frame includes a fluid holding tank coupled with the implement support frame. The sprayer system includes a fluid pump in fluid communication with the fluid holding tank. The sprayer system includes a plurality of fluid nozzles in fluid communication with the fluid holding tank. Each of the fluid nozzles of the plurality of fluid nozzles is configured to direct fluid between cultivator shovels of the plurality of cultivator row units.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural implement comprising:
an implement support frame;
a plurality of cultivator row units coupled with the implement support frame, each cultivator row unit of the plurality of cultivator row units includes a dispatching implement;
an angular displacement system coupled with the plurality of cultivator row units, the angular displacement system configured to control an angular position of one or more of the dispatching implements of the plurality of cultivator units relative to proximate crop rows; and
a sprayer system coupled with the implement support frame, the sprayer system includes:
a fluid holding tank coupled with the implement support frame;
a fluid pump in fluid communication with the fluid holding tank; and
a plurality of fluid nozzles in fluid communication with the fluid holding tank,

wherein each of the fluid nozzles of the plurality of fluid nozzles is configured to direct fluid between cultivator shovels of the plurality of cultivator row units.

2. The implement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to provide data indicative of a distance between the sensor and ground; and
a controller coupled to an elevation actuator, the controller configured to cause the elevation actuator to adjust an elevation of the dispatching implement based on the data indicative of the distance.

3. The implement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a position sensor configured to detect a position of the dispatching implement relative to a crop row;
a controller including a comparator configured to compare the detected position of the dispatching implement with a crop intersection threshold; and
an elevation actuator coupled with the controller, the controller configured to cause the elevation actuator to control manipulation of the dispatching implement based on the comparison.

4. The implement of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to control manipulation of the dispatching implement including one or more of elevation, lateral translation, or rotation of the cultivator shovel.

5. The implement of claim 3 , wherein the crop intersection threshold includes one or more of a detected edge of a crop, indexed edge of a crop row, or border of a crop row offset from crops.

6. The implement of claim 3 , wherein the position sensor includes a mechanical feeler.

7. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the angular displacement system includes:
a position sensor configured to detect a position of the dispatching implement relative to a crop row; and
a controller including a comparator configured to compare the detected position of the dispatching implement with a crop intersection threshold; a rotation actuator coupled with the controller and with one or more of the implement support frame or one or more cultivator row units of the plurality of cultivator row units, wherein the controller causes the rotation actuator to alter the angular position of the one or more dispatching implements according to the comparison.

8. The implement of claim 7 , wherein the controller causes the rotation actuator to alter the angular position of the one or more dispatching implements to reduce a difference between the detected position and the crop intersection threshold.

9. The implement of claim 7 , wherein the rotation actuator controls the angular position of the one or more dispatching implements between straight line and curved crop rows.

10. The implement of claim 1 , further comprising a lateral displacement system coupled with the plurality of cultivator row units, the lateral displacement system configured to alter a longitudinal position of the row unit along the implement support frame.

11. The implement of claim 10 , wherein the lateral displacement system includes:
a position sensor configured to detect a position of the dispatching implement relative to a crop row;
a controller including a comparator configured to compare the detected position of the dispatching implement with a crop intersection threshold; and
a linear position actuator coupled with the controller and the implement support frame, wherein the linear position actuator alters the linear position of one or more row units of the plurality of row units according to the comparison and based on a command form the controller.

12. The implement of claim 11 , wherein the controller causes the linear position actuator to alter the linear position of one or more cultivator row units of the plurality of row units to reduce a difference between the detected position and the crop intersection threshold.

13. The implement of claim 11 , wherein the linear position actuator controls the linear position of one or more cultivator row units of the plurality of row units between both straight line and curved crop rows.

14. The implement of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect plants.

15. The implement of claim 14 , wherein the sprayer system further includes a flow valve actuator and the implement further comprises:
a controller configured to control a state of the flow valve actuator communicatively coupled to a fluid nozzle, the flow valve actuator configured to manage fluid flow through the fluid nozzle, the controller configured to cause the flow valve actuator to open the fluid nozzle in response to detecting a plant and close the fluid nozzle in response to failure to detect the plant.

16. The implement of claim 1 , wherein (a) the fluid nozzles are mechanically coupled to the implement support frame (b) the fluid nozzles are respectively coupled to a respective cultivator row unit of the cultivator row units, or a combination thereof.

17. The implement of claim 16 , further comprising:
a height sensor configured to provide data indicative of a distance between the height sensor and a crop; and
a controller coupled to respective actuators configured to control a distance between respective nozzles and the crop based on the distance.

18. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluid nozzles includes an electrostatic spray nozzle.

19. The implement of claim 1 , wherein the dispatching implement includes a cultivator shovel, an electrostatic implement, or a laser implement.

Assignees

• Raven Ind Inc

Inventors

• Kocer Jared Ernest
• Driesen Brent A

Classifications

• A01C23/028

  Contactless injection into the soil · CPC title

• A01C23/023

  for liquid or gas fertilisers · CPC title

• A01M7/0042

  Field sprayers, e.g. self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted · CPC title

• A01M21/043 Primary

  by chemicals · CPC title

• A01B39/18

  for weeding · CPC title