Abstract:
An agricultural row unit apparatus, systems, methods for effectively creating a trench having an improved configuration and for improved product placement in or near the trench wherein the trench has a vertical sidewall and an angled sidewall. In some embodiments, a cavity is created adjacent the bottom of the trench. In some embodiments, the depth of the trench is maintained by a gauge wheel compacting soil adjacent to the angled sidewall. In some embodiments, fertilizer or other liquid or crop input is placed in the soil on the side of the trench opposite the gauge wheel. In some embodiments, two trenches each having a vertical sidewall and an angled sidewall are created by a single row unit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/493,200 filed Jun. 3, 2011. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In some methods of applying seed or other crop inputs to a field, a trench is opened for introduction of the crop input or inputs. In many applications, the configuration of the trench is agronomically important. Thus there is a need in the art for systems, methods and apparatus for effectively creating a trench having an improved configuration, as well as for improved product placement in or near the trench. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a rearward perspective view of an embodiment of an agricultural row unit. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a rearward perspective view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a rear elevation view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0009]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0010]      FIG. 8  is a partial top view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0011]      FIG. 9  is a partial rear perspective view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0012]      FIG. 10A  is a partial front elevation view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0013]      FIG. 10B  is a partial rear elevation view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity. 
           [0014]      FIG. 11A  illustrates an embodiment of an opener disc assembly as well as a relative angle of the opener discs of the opener disc assembly. 
           [0015]      FIG. 11B  illustrates the opener disc assembly of  FIG. 11A . 
           [0016]      FIG. 12A  is a schematic rear elevation view of an embodiment of the opener disc assembly of  FIG. 11A . 
           [0017]      FIG. 12B  is a schematic side elevation view of the opener disc assembly of  FIG. 11A . 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is a partial side elevation view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  with some components removed for clarity, further illustrating an angle of orientation of the opener disc assembly of the agricultural row unit. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14A  is a partial rear elevation view of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  opening a trench. 
           [0020]      FIG. 14B  is a rear elevation view of the trench of  FIG. 14A . 
           [0021]      FIG. 14C  is a rear elevation view of the closing wheel of the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1  closing the trench of  FIG. 14A . 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a top view of the trench of  FIG. 14A  being opened and closed by the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 16A  is a front elevation view of trenches formed by the agricultural row unit of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 16B  is a front elevation view of trenches formed by another embodiment of an agricultural row unit. 
           [0025]      FIG. 17  is a top cutaway view, with some components removed, of yet another embodiment of an agricultural row unit including a row cleaner assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Overview 
       [0026]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an agricultural row unit  10 . The row unit  10  is attached to a tractor-drawn toolbar by a mounting assembly  20 , which preferably comprises a set of parallel arms pivotally connecting a forward bracket  28  to a rearward bracket  26  ( FIG. 2 ). Row unit  10  preferably includes a meter assembly  40 , a depth adjustment assembly  60 , gauge wheel assemblies  50 , seed tube assemblies  100 , opener disc assemblies  200  ( FIG. 2 ), and closing assembly  30 . Row unit  10  also preferably includes a row-unit mounted motor  70 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 6 , the meter assembly  40  includes a first meter  42 - 1  and a second meter  42 - 2  supported by a meter frame  46  on the row unit  10 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the opener disc assemblies  200  each open a distinct trench in the soil disposed beneath each meter  42 . Each meter may comprise any metering device adapted to dispense crop inputs. In some embodiments, the seed meters  42  comprise vacuum-type seed meters. The motor  70  is preferably adapted to drive the meters  42  via a mechanical connection (not shown) with at least one of the meters; the operation of the meters  42  is preferably tied by a mechanical connection (not shown) such as a shaft connecting the seed discs of the meters. In other embodiments, the motor  70  is replaced with another meter driving mechanism such as a hydraulic drive or ground drive; in some embodiments the meter driving mechanism is mounted to the toolbar drawing the row unit  10 . 
         [0028]    As best illustrated in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  7 , the row unit  10  includes mounting plates  300  attached to the rearward bracket  26 . Each seed tube assembly  100  is mounted to the associated mounting plate  300  by a mounting bracket  310 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , each mounting plate  300  includes a downwardly extending portion  330  to which each opener disc assembly  200  is mounted by a threaded boss  230 . 
         [0029]    Turning to  FIG. 6 , each seed tube assembly  100  includes a seed tube  150  defining a seed path from each seed meter  42  to the trench created by the associated opener disc assembly  200 . Each seed tube assembly  100  preferably includes a seed tube guard  110  mounted to the downwardly extending portion  330 . The seed tube guard  110  preferably extends beneath the seed tube  150  to protect the seed tube  150  from contact with the ground. The seed tube guard  110  preferably extends to either side of the seed tube  150  to protect the seed tube  150  from contact with the opener disc assembly  200 . Closing assembly  30  includes closing wheels  35  disposed behind each seed tube  150  and configured to close the trench created by the associated opener disc assembly ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0030]    In operation, as the planter traverses the field, the meters  42  deposit seeds through the seed tubes  150  into the trench opened by the associated opener disc assembly  200 . The associated closing wheel  35  then closes the trench. 
         [0031]    The depth of the trenches created by the opener disc assemblies  200  is set by the height of gauge wheel assemblies  50  ( FIG. 1 ) relative to the opener disc assemblies  200 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , each gauge wheel assembly  50  includes a gauge wheel  52  pivotally mounted to a gauge wheel arm  55 . Gauge wheel arm  55  is preferably pivotally mounted to the row unit  10  about a pivot  57 . Gauge wheel arm  55  includes a depth-setting portion  62 . The depth-setting portion  62  extends through an opening  320  ( FIG. 4 ) in the mounting plate  300 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the height of the depth-setting portions  62 - 1 , 62 - 2  of the gauge wheel arm assemblies  50  are lower-limited by a rocker  63  pivotally mounted to the row unit  10 . 
         [0032]    In operation, the gauge wheels  52  rollingly engage the soil and each opener disc assembly  200  opens a trench having a depth equal to the vertical offset between the bottom of gauge wheel  52  the bottom of the associated opener disc assembly  200 . The vertical offset is set by the vertical position of rocker  63 , which may preferably be adjusted using an adjustment arm  65  ( FIG. 2 ). When, for example, the right gauge wheel  52 - 1  encounters an obstruction or change in terrain forcing the right gauge wheel upward, the right gauge wheel arm  55 - 1  will rotate clockwise about pivot  57  (as viewed along the perspective of  FIG. 2 ), forcing the rocker  63  to pivot and thus forcing the other gauge wheel arm  55 - 2  to rotate and move the gauge wheel  52 - 2  downward. It should be appreciated that when a first gauge wheel  52  encounters an obstruction requiring the gauge wheel to raise by a height H relative to the soil, the second gauge wheel will lower by a height H/2 to raise the entire row unit by H/2 such that the first gauge wheel need only raise by H/2. Thus by incorporating the rocker  63 , the depth adjustment assembly  60  advantageously divides by a factor of two the vertical displacement of row unit  10  caused by each obstruction. 
         [0033]    The closing wheel assembly  30  preferably includes a downpressure adjustment arm  32  allowing a user to adjust the downpressure on the closing wheels  30  as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,073, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
         [0034]    The illustrated embodiments of row unit  10  described herein include two sets of meters  42 , opener disc assemblies  200  and seed tube assemblies  100  attached to a toolbar by a single mounting assembly  20 . This is advantageous for narrow-row applications, as well as twin-row applications in which seeds deposited by meters  42 - 1  and  42 - 2  are timed in order to achieve a checkered pattern as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/645,789, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. However, in other embodiments a single meter, opener disc assembly and seed tube assembly are included in the row unit  10 . In such embodiments the spacing between rows is determined by the transverse spacing of individual row units  10  along the toolbar. In such embodiments, a single closing wheel  35  preferably follows the seed tube assembly. 
       Opener Disc Assemblies 
       [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 ,  10 A and  10 B, each opener disc assembly  200  includes an outer disc  210  and an inner disc  220 . The outer disc  210  and the inner disc  220  are preferably adjacent one another. The outer disc  210  includes a bearing housing  217  which rotates about a stud  215 . Stud  215  is received in a threaded cavity  216  (compare  FIG. 11A  with  FIG. 11B ) in threaded bearing  230 . Thus the outer disc  210  rotates about an axis defined by the orientation of stud  215 . The inner disc  220  includes a bearing housing  227  which rotates about a stud  225 . Stud  225  is received in a threaded cavity  226  (compare  FIG. 11A  with  FIG. 11B ) in threaded bearing  230 . Thus the inner disc  220  rotates about an axis defined by stud  225 . 
         [0036]    It should be appreciated in light of this disclosure that the relative orientation of opener discs  210 , 220  defines the dimensions of the trench created by the opener disc assembly  200 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , in a preferred embodiment, the inner disc  220  is oriented vertically with respect to the ground. In other words, the axis of rotation of inner disc  220  is preferably oriented horizontally with respect to the ground. 
         [0037]    As best illustrated in  FIG. 11A , outer disc  210  contacts inner disc  220  at a contact area near a perimeter of the inner disc and near an perimeter of the outer disc. It should be appreciated that as the discs  210 , 220  rotate, the contact area remains in the same location. The outer disc  210  is offset from the inner disc  220  by an offset angle AV. As the angle AV is increased, the angle of the trench  1500  ( FIG. 14B ) opened by the opener disc assembly  200  increases. In a preferred embodiment, the angle AV is 10 degrees. 
         [0038]      FIG. 12A  illustrates the angle AV schematically as determined by the angle between an axis  228  defined by stud  225  and an axis  218  defined by stud  215 .  FIG. 12B  is viewed from the side of outer disc  210  along the axis  228 . As seen in  FIG. 12B , the axis  218  of stud  215  may be adjusted along the direction indicated by arrow A. This adjustment controls the location of the point of contact between the discs  210 , 220 . 
         [0039]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 12B and 13 , the axis  218  lies in a plane  219  that intersects the area of contact between the discs and the ground. The plane  219  lies at an angle AH from the horizontal. Once a preferred angle AV is set between the discs for a desired trench angle, the orientation of axis  218  is preferably adjusted as illustrated in  FIG. 12B  to obtain the desired angle AH. The angle AH is preferably chosen such that the discs  210 , 220  enter the soil at approximately the area of contact between the discs; it should be appreciated that the discs enter the soil at an area forward of the centers of the discs  210 , 220 . In a preferred embodiment, the angle AH is 45 degrees. 
       Opener Discs 
       [0040]    As illustrated in  FIG. 8  and  FIGS. 10A-11B , in embodiments in which the inner disc  220  is substantially vertical, the inner disc preferably includes a bevel  222  around or near the perimeter of the disc. The bevel  222  improves the ability of the inner disc  220  to penetrate the soil. 
         [0041]    In a preferred embodiment, the face of the bevel  222  is oriented toward the outer disc  212 . This orientation of bevel  222  is beneficial particularly in embodiments in which two opener disc assemblies are mounted near one another, such as in twin row applications. As illustrated in  FIGS. 16A and 16B , in a twin-row embodiment a distance D between the inner discs  220  may be approximately six inches. Under such circumstances, if the bevels  222  face one another as illustrated in  FIG. 16B , soil  1410  may be gripped between the inner discs  220  and pulled upward as the row unit  10  traverses the field. This result occurs in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 16B  because soil is compressed as the inner discs  220  first penetrate the soil  1410  at a leading edge and then progressively push the soil farther inward. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 16A , the bevel still assists in soil penetration, but does not cause compression in the soil  1410 . 
         [0042]    Even in embodiments in which distance D is larger (e.g., thirty inches), it is still advantageous for the bevel  222  to face away from the soil contacted by the face of inner disc  220 . This is because the sidewall  1430  created by inner disc  220  can become sheared by the increased pressure between the soil and the inner disc if the bevel  222  is oriented toward the soil face  1430 . 
         [0043]    The outer disc  210  also preferably includes a bevel  212 , preferably oriented away from the inner disc  220 . 
       Trench Formation 
       [0044]    As the row unit  10  traverses the field, the row unit creates and closes a trench  1500  in the soil  1410  as best illustrated in  FIGS. 14A-14C  and  15 . As the opener disc assembly  200  penetrates the soil  1410 , gauge wheel  52  compresses soil adjacent the outer disc  210  while maintaining the proper trench depth. Seed tube assembly  100  preferably includes a fertilizer knife  120  mounted to the seed tube guard  110  and configured to cut a cavity  1440  into the soil adjacent a trough  1405  of the trench  1500 . 
         [0045]    The trench  1500  created by the opener discs is best illustrated in  FIG. 14B . The outer discs  210  create an angled sidewall  1420  in the soil. The inner discs  220  create a substantially vertical sidewall  1430  in the soil. The trench  1500  includes a trough  1405 , where a seed  1400  is preferably deposited after the trenched is opened. Excess soil  1415  removed to form the trench  1500  is preferably deposited adjacent the outer disc  210 . Soil  1425  adjacent the angled sidewall  1420  is compacted due to the load imposed by gauge wheel  52 . Soil  1435  adjacent to the vertical sidewall  1430  is not substantially compacted by the operation of row unit  10 . A liquid applicator (not shown) mounted to the seed tube assembly  100  preferably injects fertilizer or other liquid or crop input into or near the cavity  1440  created by the fertilizer knife  120 . The cavity  1440  preferably extends into the relatively loose soil  1435  because seedling roots of seed  1400  will tend to grow away from the compacted soil  1425  and toward the relatively loose soil. Thus the fertilizer knife  120  preferably extends downward and away from the outer disc  210 . 
         [0046]    After the seed  1400  and any liquid fertilizer have been placed, the closing wheel  35  presses all or a portion of the excess soil  1415  back into the trench  1500 , covering the seed  1400  as illustrated in  FIG. 14C . While the closing wheel  35  further compacts the soil  1425 , the soil  1435  adjacent the inner disc  220  remains relatively loose. 
         [0047]    Fertilizer or other liquids may be deposited on the soil after the trench is closed as illustrated in  FIG. 15 . An applicator nozzle  1550  preferably deposits the soil atop the relatively loose soil  1435  because seedling roots of seed  1400  will tend to grow away from the compacted soil  1425  and toward the relatively loose soil. Thus the applicator  1550  is preferably mounted inboard from the inner disc  220 , i.e., opposite the outer disc  210  on the closing assembly  30  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
       Row Cleaners 
       [0048]    As illustrated in  FIG. 17 , a row cleaner assembly  1700  may preferably be incorporated into row unit  10 . The row cleaner assembly  1700  may include a single row cleaner  1710  leading each opener disc assembly  200 . Each row cleaner  1710  preferably comprises a row cleaner arm  1730  having a first end and a second end. The first end of row cleaner arm  1730  is preferably pivotally mounted to the row unit  10  for pivoting about an axis substantially transverse to the direction of travel. A ground-engaging blade  1720  is preferably pivotally mounted to the second end of row cleaner arm  1730 . The ground-engaging blade  1720  associated with the row cleaner  1710  is preferably oriented at an angle with respect to the direction of travel and preferably extends across the area to opened by opener disc assemblies  200  in order to clear debris and crop residue from the path of the opener disc assemblies. 
         [0049]    The foregoing description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, and the general principles and features of the system and methods described herein will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Thus, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments of the apparatus, system and methods described above and illustrated in the drawing figures, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the spirit and scope of the appended claims.