Distance measuring device for planter

• US 20060278142A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary W. Clem, Inc. (Gary W. Clem)
• Original Assignee: Gary W. Clem, Inc. (Gary W. Clem)
• Inventors: Sporrer, Scott A., Moore, Peter B., Carr, Brian W., Handorf, Donald F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,337,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/200
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/10 Devices for adjusting the seed-box ; Regulation of machines for depositing quantities at intervals

Abstract

A distance measuring device mounted to a planter used to plant crops. The distance measuring device has a cable extending between a first pulley and second pulley wherein the cable has at least one target. A sensor located adjacent the first pulley and connected to a controller sends a signal to the controller when the sensor detects the target. Adjacent the second pulley is an encoder that sends a second signal to the controller based upon the rotation of the second pulley such that the controller can determine the amount of distance that the planter has traveled.

Claims

1. A distance measuring device for a planter, comprising:

a cable extending between a first pulley and a second pulley and having at least one target;

a sensor adjacent the first pulley and connected to a controller that sends a signal to a controller when the sensor detects a target; and

an encoder adjacent the second pulley that sends a signal to the controller based on the rotation of the second pulley.

2. The distance measuring device of claim 1 wherein the controller activates a planter when the controller receives a signal from the sensor.

3. The distance measuring device of claim 1 wherein the controller calculates a distance that a planter travels based on the number of rotations of the second pulley.

4. The distance measuring device of claim 1 wherein the controller de-activates the planter when the planter travels a pre-determined distance.

5. The distance measuring device of claim 1 wherein the planter has a framework and a shoe pivotably connected to the fixture.

6. The distance measuring device of claim 2 wherein the first pulley is rotatably connected to the shoe.

7. The distance measuring device of claim 1 further comprising a third and fourth pulleys aligned with the second pulley for receiving the cable.

8. The distance measuring device of claim 1 wherein the second pulley is rotatably within a support arm member.

9. The distance measuring device of claim 6 further comprising a brush adjacent the support arm member.