System and method for spraying seeds dispensed from a twin row planter

• US 9,918,426 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capstan AG Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Capstan AG Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Grimm, Jeffrey John, Kolb, Troy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US14/951,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20160073576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 1/06 Coating or dressing seed
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/06 Seeders combined with fertilising apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/128 Cell discs

Abstract

A system includes a planter row unit, at least one nozzle assembly, and a controller. The planter row unit includes a first seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a first furrow at a seed frequency and a second seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a second furrow at the seed frequency. The nozzle assembly is configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the first and second furrows, and includes a valve. The controller is communicatively coupled to the valve, and is configured to determine the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on a speed-related parameter of the planter. The controller is further configured to control operation of the valve based on the seed frequency such that fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed.

Claims

1. A system for providing seed-specific placement of fluid as seeds are planted by a twin row planter, the system comprising:

a planter row unit including a first seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a first furrow at a seed frequency and a second seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a second furrow at the seed frequency, the seeds dispensed into the first furrow being offset from the seeds dispensed into the second furrow by an offset distance;

at least one nozzle assembly configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the first and second furrows, the at least one nozzle assembly including a valve;

a controller communicatively coupled to the valve, the controller being configured to determine the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on a speed-related parameter of the planter, the controller being further configured to control the operation of the valve based on the seed frequency such that fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the speed-related parameter corresponds to at least one of a speed of a component of a drive system of the planter row unit, a travel speed of the planter or a rotational speed of a seed disc of at least one of the first seed meter or the second seed meter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one nozzle assembly comprises a first nozzle assembly configured to spray the seeds dispensed from the first seed meter and a second nozzle assembly configured to spray the seeds dispensed from the second seed meter, the first nozzle assembly including a first valve and the second nozzle assembly including a second valve.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to operate the first and second valves at a pulse frequency that is the same as the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to alternately open and close the first valve and the second valve such that a continuous fluid flow is established through the at least one nozzle assembly.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one nozzle assembly includes a first nozzle portion configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the first furrow, and a second nozzle portion configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the second furrow, wherein the valve is operable to control fluid flow through the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the valve is configured to permit fluid flow through only one of the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion at a time.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the valve includes a poppet moveable between a first position, in which fluid flow is permitted through only the first nozzle portion, and a second position, in which fluid flow is permitted through only the second nozzle portion.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first seed meter and the second seed meter comprises a housing and a seed disc supported within the housing, the seed disc configured to be rotated within the housing so as to dispense seeds at the seed frequency.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a sensor configured to measure a rotational speed of the seed disc, the controller being configured to determine the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on the rotational speed of the seed disc.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a drive system configured to rotate the seed disc within the housing, the controller being configured to control the operation of the drive system such that a rotational speed of the seed disc is varied based on a travel speed of the planter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the drive system comprises a drive shaft, a first sprocket coupled to the drive shaft, a second sprocket coupled to the seed disc and a chain coupled between the first and second sprockets.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a sensor configured to measure a component speed of at least one of the drive shaft, the first sprocket, the second sprocket or the chain, the controller being configured to determine the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on the component speed.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a motor configured to drive the drive shaft and a sensor configured to measure a speed of the motor, the controller being configured to regulate a rotational speed of the motor based on the travel speed of the planter, the controller being further configured to determine the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on the speed of the motor.

15. A method for providing seed-specific placement of fluid as seeds are planted by a twin row planter, the planter including a first seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a first furrow, a second seed meter configured to dispense seeds into a second furrow, the seeds dispensed into the first furrow being offset from the seeds dispensed into the second furrow by an offset distance, and at least one nozzle assembly configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the first and second furrows, the at least one nozzle assembly including a valve, the method comprising:

monitoring a speed-related parameter of the planter;

determining a seed frequency of the first and second seed meters based on the speed-related parameter;

controlling the operation of the valve based on the seed frequency such that fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the operation of the valve based on the seed frequency comprises controlling the operation of the valve such that the valve operates at a pulse frequency that is the same as the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one nozzle assembly comprises a first nozzle assembly configured to spray the seeds dispensed from the first seed meter and a second nozzle assembly configured to spray the seeds dispensed from the second seed meter, the first nozzle assembly including a first valve and the second nozzle assembly including a second valve, the method further including controlling the operation of the first valve and the second valve such that fluid is sprayed at least one of on or adjacent to each seed.

18. The method of claim 17 further including alternately opening and closing the first valve and the second valve such that a continuous fluid flow is established through the at least one nozzle assembly.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one nozzle assembly includes a first nozzle portion configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the first furrow, and a second nozzle portion configured to spray the seeds dispensed into the second furrow, the method further including controlling fluid flow through the first nozzle portion and the second nozzle portion by controlling the operation of the valve.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first seed meter and the second seed meter includes a housing and a seed disc rotatably supported within the housing, the seed disc configured to be rotated within the housing so as to dispense seeds at the seed frequency, wherein monitoring a speed-related parameter of the planter includes monitoring a rotational speed of the seed disc, and wherein determining the seed frequency of the first and second seed meters includes determining the seed frequency based on the rotational speed of the seed disc.