Multiple agricultural product application method and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9629305-B2
Application number	US-201414478249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A method and system for planting one of a plurality of seed types, hybrids and/or varieties is provided. A planter is provided with a plurality of row units. The row units include metering systems, which can include multiple seed meters at a particular row unit, as well as a queuing system. The metering systems including more than one seed meters are configured such that the seed meters will plant a different seed types or varieties. The operation of one or more of the seed meters at a time will provide for the planting of a particular seed variety. The invention provides for on-the-go changing of a seed being planted by changing the operation of one or more of the seed meters at each of the row units and provides for almost infinite variation among the row units for planting particular seed varieties or not planting at all.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of applying at least one of two or more seed varieties to a field at a single time, the method comprising:
providing an agricultural implement including a plurality of row units each having a metering system comprising seed meter, a seed to ground system, and a queuing system, and at least two product storage units operatively connected to the row units and each product storage unit containing a different seed variety, wherein said queuing system is positioned at a seed pool of the seed meter;
planting at least one of the seed varieties as the agricultural implement moves through the field;
determining an updated location of the agricultural implement in the field;
based on the updated location of the agricultural implement in the field, determining which of the one or more seed varieties to be planted based upon a characteristic of the location of the field; and
providing a fluid through the queuing system to move seed from the seed pool through the queuing system to substantially clear the seed pool of seed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising clearing the seed meter of a first variety of seed with the queuing system and then determining a second one of two or more seed varieties being planted based upon location of the row units on the agricultural implement.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of clearing the seed meter comprises passing a fluid through the queuing system of the seed meter of one of the plurality of row units to substantially empty said seed meter of the first variety of seed before providing a second variety of seed to be planted by the seed meter of the row unit based upon the updated location of the agricultural implement in the field.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising providing the seed meter with a second seed variety after clearing the seed meter of the first variety to plant said second variety.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising passing air through at least a portion of a seed pool within the seed meter to substantially clear the seed meter of a first seed variety.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising providing a second seed variety to the seed meter during or after the first seed variety has been substantially cleared from the seed meter.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the location of the agricultural implement in the field determines which variety of seed is to be provided to the seed meter and planted thereby.

8. A seed meter for use with an agricultural implement and capable of planting a plurality of varieties of seed provided thereto as the agricultural implement travels through a field, the seed meter comprising:
a seed meter housing and defining a seed pool reservoir;
a seed disc mounted in said housing for rotation about an axis and having a plurality of seed cells spaced radially about the axis for retaining seeds as the seed disc passes through said seed pool reservoir; and
a queuing system comprising a fluid passage at least partially through the seed pool reservoir to substantially remove a variety of seed before another variety of seed is added to be planted in the same field.

9. The seed meter of claim 8 , wherein the seed variety being planted by the seed meter is determined based upon a location of the seed meter in the field.

10. The seed meter of claim 8 , further comprising a seed delivery system for providing at least one of the varieties of seed to the seed meter at a time.

11. The seed meter of claim 10 , wherein the seed delivery system comprises at least one hose operatively connected to tanks holding different seed varieties.

12. The seed meter of claim 8 , further comprising an electric drive motor operatively attached to the seed meter housing and seed disc such that the drive motor rotates the seed disc within the seed meter housing.

13. The seed meter of claim 8 , wherein the queuing system is formed as part of the seed meter housing.

14. An agricultural planter for planting a variety of seed in a field and capable of switching the variety of seed being planted as the agricultural planter travels through the field, the agricultural planter comprising:
a plurality of row units spaced along a central toolbar and first and second wings, the row units including at least one seed meter to provide seed to the field; and
seed delivery system for providing at least one of the variety of seed to the at least one seed meter of each row unit;

wherein the seed delivery system provides the at least one of a variety of seed to the at least one seed meter of each row unit based upon a constantly updated location of the agricultural implement in the field;
wherein the at least one of a variety of seed is selected based upon known field characteristics; and
wherein said at least one seed meter further comprising a queuing system comprising a fluid passage at least partially through a seed pool reservoir of the meter to substantially remove a first variety of seed before another variety of seed is added to be planted in the field.

15. The planter of claim 14 , wherein the row units further comprise a seed to ground system for directing seed from the seed meter to the ground.

16. The planter of claim 15 , wherein the seed to ground system comprises a seed tube extending from the at least one seed meter to a location adjacent a trench in the ground.

17. The planter of claim 14 , wherein the seed delivery system comprises at least one hose connected to at least one seed tank that holds a variety of seed.

18. The planter of claim 14 , further comprising an intelligent control operatively connected to each row unit and comprising a location device, wherein said location device determines the location of each row unit as the agricultural planter moves through the field, and the variety of seed to be provided to each row unit for planting is determinative on said location.

19. The planter of claim 18 , wherein the intelligent control is operatively connected to the seed delivery system and queuing system to determine when to activate a fluid through the queuing system to substantially remove a variety of seed from a seed meter before another variety of seed is provided to the seed meter via the seed delivery system.

Assignees

• Kinze Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Kinzenbaw Jon
• Rolffs Merlan J
• Wilhelmi Matthew J
• Hahn Dustan
• Becker Derrick

Classifications

• A01C7/046

  with perforated seeding discs · CPC title

• A01C21/005 Primary

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

• A01C7/044

  Pneumatic seed wheels · CPC title

• A01C7/102

  Regulating or controlling the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C19/02

  by a motor · CPC title