Seed planting assembly and liquid application device for same

• US 6,892,656 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AG-Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AG-Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Schneider, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US10/313,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20040149188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 111/118, 111/119, 111/120, 111/121, 111/127, 111/129, 111/900, 111/905
• US Class Current: 111/121
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/047 Spraying of liquid fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

A planning assembly and liquid application device for same having a furrow opening mechanism, a frame including a seed guide, a seed tube for directing seeds into a furrow, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism. The planting assembly also including a spray arm including a proximal end, a central portion, and a distal end, the proximal end being mounted to a second tube, the seed guide, or the frame, and the central portion extending rearwood such that the distal end is disposed above the furrow, and wherein the liquid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the delivery end is adjacent to the distal end.

Claims

1. A planting assembly comprising:

a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing a seed into a furrow, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism;

a spray arm including a proximal end configured for mounting to the seed tube, a central portion, and a distal end, the proximal end being mounted to the seed tube and the central portion extending rearward such that the distal end is disposed above the furrow; and

wherein the liquid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the delivery end is adjacent to the distal end.

2. The planting assembly of claim 1, wherein the spray arm is configured such that the liquid is dispensed from the delivery end downwardly and forwardly toward the furrow aft of the seed tube.

3. A planting assembly comprising:

a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing a seed into a furrow, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism;

a spray arm including a proximal end configured for mounting to the seed tube, a central portion, and a distal end, the proximal end being mounted to the seed tube and the central portion extending rearward such that the distal end is disposed above the furrow; and

a spray nozzle disposed on the distal end of the spray arm in fluid communication with the delivery end; and

wherein the liquid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the delivery end is adjacent to the distal end.

4. The planting assembly of claim 3, wherein the central portion of the spray arm is curved with a concave side disposed toward the furrow.

5. The planting assembly of claim 3, wherein the spray arm further comprises a deflector shield disposed on the central portion and extending downwardly toward the furrow.

6. The planting assembly of claim 3, wherein the spray arm is configured such that the liquid is dispensed from the delivery end substantially downwardly.

7. The planting assembly of claim 3, further comprising a furrow conditioner including an attachment end configured for attachment to the seed tube, a middle portion, and a conditioning head including a top portion and a pair of downwardly depending first and second portions, wherein the top portion is disposed between the first and second portions thereby forming a downwardly depending cavity, the cavity being of sufficient size to prevent contact by the conditioning head with the seed in a bottom of the furrow.

8. The planting assembly of claim 3, wherein the first and second portions of the conditioning head are configured such that the portions contact opposed side walls of the furrow while avoiding the seed in the bottom of the furrow.

9. The planting assembly of claim 3, further comprising a seed positioning device for positioning the seed within the furrow, the seed positioning device being removably secured to the seed tube.

10. The planting assembly of claim 3, wherein the spray arm is configured such that the liquid is dispensed downwardly and forwardly into the furrow aft of the seed positioning device.

11. The planting assembly of claim 3, wherein the liquid is selected from a group consisting of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, nematicides, fertilizers, starters, inoculants, micronutrients, trace minerals, and water.

12. A planting assembly comprising:

a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing a seed into a furrow having opposed sidewalls, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism;

a furrow conditioner removably secured to the seed tube, the furrow conditioner including a conditioning head having a first portion and a second portion that are substantially parallel and form a cavity; and

wherein the first and second portions contact adjacent of the opposed sidewalls of the furrow and the cavity is of sufficient size to prevent contact of the cavity with the seed in a bottom of the furrow.

13. The planting assembly of claim 12, further comprising a top portion disposed between the first and second portions, and the first and second portions are substantially downwardly depending.

14. The planting assembly of claim 13, wherein the delivery end of the liquid delivery conduit on the furrow conditioner is adjacent the conditioning head.

15. The planting assembly of claim 13, further comprising a spray arm including a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is removably secured to the furrow conditioner, the distal end is disposed above the furrow, and the delivery end is adjacent the distal end.

16. The planting assembly of claim 13, further comprising a spray arm having a distal end, wherein the distal end is disposed above the furrow, the delivery end is adjacent to the distal end, and the spray arm and the furrow conditioner are of one-piece construction.

17. A method of application of a liquid to a furrow comprising the steps of:

providing a planting assembly having a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing a seed into the furrow, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism;

forming the furrow with the planting assembly;

directing the liquid downwardly and forwardly into at least a portion of the furrow aft of the seed tube, thereby applying the liquid to the seed and the furrow; and

closing the furrow over the seed.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

providing a seed positioning device; and

positioning the seed in the furrow prior to applying the liquid.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, nematicides, fertilizers, starters, inoculants, micronutrients, trace minerals, and water.

20. A planting assembly comprising:

a frame including a seed guide, a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing a seed into a furrow, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism;

a spray arm including a proximal end configured for mounting to a portion of the frame, a central portion, and a distal end, the proximal end being mounted to the frame and the central portion extending rearward such that the distal end is disposed above the furrow; and

wherein the liquid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the delivery end is adjacent to the distal end.

21. The planting assembly of claim 20, wherein the portion of the frame further comprises the seed guide.

22. A planting assembly comprising:

a frame including a seed guide, a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing seeds into a furrow having opposed sidewalls, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism;

a furrow conditioner removably secured to the frame, the furrow conditioner including a conditioning head having a first portion and a second portion that are substantially parallel and form a cavity; and

wherein the first and second portions contact adjacent of the opposed sidewalls of the furrow and the cavity is of sufficient size as to prevent contact of the cavity with the seed in a bottom of the furrow.

23. The planting assembly of claim 22, wherein the furrow conditioner is mounted to the seed guide.

24. A planting assembly comprising:

a frame including a seed guide, a seed positioning device, a seed tube for directing seeds into a furrow, a liquid source, and a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end;

a spray arm including a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being adjacent to the seed positioning device and the distal end being disposed above the furrow; and

wherein the liquid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the delivery end is adjacent to the distal end.

25. The planting assembly of claim 24, wherein the spray arm is removably secured to the seed positioning device.

26. The planting assembly of claim 24, wherein the spray arm and the seed positioning device are of one-piece construction.

27. A method of application of a liquid to a furrow comprising the steps of:

providing a planting assembly having a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing a seed into the furrow, a seed positioning device, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism;

providing a spray arm;

attaching the spray arm to the seed positioning device;

attaching the liquid delivery conduit to the spray arm;

forming the furrow with the planting assembly;

directing the liquid through the liquid delivery conduit into at least a portion of the furrow aft of the seed tube, thereby applying the liquid to the seed and the furrow; and

closing the furrow over the seed.

28. A liquid application device for use with a planting assembly having a furrow opening mechanism, a seed tube for directing a seed into a furrow, a liquid source, a liquid delivery conduit having a delivery end, and a furrow closing mechanism, the device comprising:

a spray arm including a proximal end configured for mounting to the seed tube, a central portion, and a distal end, the proximal end being mounted to the seed tube and the central portion extending rearward such that the distal end is disposed above the furrow; and

wherein the liquid delivery conduit is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the delivery end is adjacent to the distal end.