Patent ID: 9510497
Filing Date: 2016-12-06
CPC Classification: A01B

Claim Text:
1. An aerator with active turf calibration of a ground sensor, comprising: a ground sensor providing signals to a controller relating to slope of a ground surface in a direction of travel; the controller adjusting the position of a coring head following the ground sensor to maintain the coring head at a position perpendicular to the ground surface based on the signals from the ground sensor; calibrating the ground sensor by collecting a plurality of offset samples, each sample generated by comparing a neutral position of the ground sensor while operating the coring head to aerate a ground surface by reciprocally driving a plurality of tines into the surface, to the neutral position of the ground sensor on the same ground surface when the coring head is not operating; and checking if the ground surface is sufficiently flat for active turf calibration by determining if a plurality of groups of offset samples are within a specified value of each other.