STRIP TILLAGE DEVICE

Abstract

A tillage device includes a soil disruptor configured to couple to an agricultural implement. The soil disruptor is sized and shaped to create a soil disruption in a target soil profile beneath a soil surface without tilling the soil surface when the soil disruptor is moved through the target soil profile by the agricultural implement.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A tillage device, comprising: a transverse blade configured for coupling with a shank at a shank connection, the transverse blade including: a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface meet at a leading edge, and a center portion proximate the shank connection, wherein: the shank is configured to extend upward from the top surface; the bottom surface is tapered away from the leading edge in a downward direction to create a soil disruption in the downward direction; the bottom surface includes a first face and a second face; and wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the transverse blade to create an outward soil disruption from the blade when the blade is pulled through a soil profile.

3. The tillage device of claim 2, wherein the top surface is tapered away from the leading edge in an upward direction to create a soil disruption in the upward direction.

4. The tillage device of claim 2, wherein the leading edge includes a first swept-back portion and a second swept-back portion.

5. The tillage device of claim 4, wherein the top surface includes: a first face; a second face; wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the transverse blade to displace soil outward from the blade when the blade is pulled through a soil profile.

6. The tillage device of claim 5, wherein the tillage device is symmetrical around a. plane defined by the leading edge.

7. The tillage device of claim 4, wherein the first and second swept-back portions are symmetrically swept back at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 20 degrees.

8. The tillage device of claim 2, wherein the transverse blade is configured to create a V-shaped soil disruption.

9. The tillage device of claim 2, further comprising a receptacle for crop-enhancing product, wherein the receptacle is positioned in a chamber between the top surface and the bottom surface.

10. The tillage device of claim 2, wherein the transverse blade is both tapered and swept back from the leading edge, and tapers away from the center portion.

11. A tillage device comprising: a shank; a transverse blade coupled to the shank, the transverse blade including: a leading edge configured to move through a soil; a top portion extending backward and upward from the leading edge, wherein the top portion is configured to create a soil disruption above the leading edge; a bottom portion extending backward and downward from the leading edge, wherein: the bottom portion is configured to create a soil disruption below the leading edge; the bottom portion includes: a first lateral surface; a second lateral surface; and wherein the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface each face forward and downward to create an angled soil disruption below the leading edge.

12. The tillage device of claim 11, wherein the leading edge has first and second edge portions that are swept back from a center portion of the transverse blade.

13. The tillage device of claim 12, wherein the tillage device is symmetrical around a plane defined by the leading edge.

14. The tillage device of claim 11, wherein the top portion includes: a third lateral surface; a fourth lateral surface; and wherein the third lateral surface and the fourth lateral surface each face forward and downward to create an angled soil disruption above the leading edge.

15. The tillage device of claim 11, wherein the first lateral surface is planar.

16. The tillage device of claim 11, wherein the first lateral surface is curved.

17. The tillage device of claim 11, further comprising a receptacle for crop-enhancing product, wherein the receptacle is positioned in a chamber between the top surface and the bottom surface.

18. A tillage device, comprising: a shank; a first transverse blade coupled to the shank, the transverse blade including: a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface meet at a leading edge; and a center portion proximate a connection point of the shank; and wherein: the shank is configured to extend upward from the top surface; the bottom surface is tapered away from the leading edge in a down ward direction to create a soil disruption in the downward direction; and the bottom surface includes: a first face; a second face; and wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the first transverse blade to create an outward soil disruption from the first transverse blade when the first transverse blade is pulled through a soil profile; and a second transverse blade coupled to the shank below the first transverse blade.

19. The tillage device of claim 18, wherein the top surface of the first transverse blade includes: a third face; a fourth face; wherein the third face and the fourth face are angled outward away from the center portion of the transverse blade to displace soil outward from the blade when the blade is pulled through a soil profile.

20. The tillage device of claim 18, wherein the tillage device is symmetrical around a plane defined by the leading edge to create balanced forces above and below the fracture blade.

21. The tillage device of claim 18, wherein the second transverse blade coupled includes: a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface meet at a leading edge; and a center portion proximate a connection point of the shank; and wherein: the shank is configured to extend upward from the top surface; the bottom surface is tapered away from the leading edge in a downward direction to create a soil disruption in the downward direction; and the bottom surface includes: a first face; a second face; and wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the first transverse blade to create an outward soil disruption from the first transverse blade when the first transverse blade is pulled through a soil profile

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document.

[0047] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an example strip tillage device.

[0048] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the strip tillage device shown in FIG. 1A.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an example tillage device having an upper soil disruptor and a lower soil disruptor.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a front schematic view of an example tillage device under a soil surface.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a front view of the tillage device of FIG. 2.

[0052] FIG. 5 is a side view of the tillage device of FIG. 2.

[0053] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the tillage device of FIG. 2.

[0054] FIG. 7 is a top cross-sectional view of an example tillage device.

[0055] FIG. 8 is a side view of an example tillage device having replaceable wear strips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] A tillage device can be sized and shaped to create a soil disruption in a target soil profile that is beneath a soil surface when the tillage device is pulled through a field by an agricultural implement, while avoiding tilling the soil surface above the soil profile. For example, a tillage device may be configured to create a root zone soil disruption, which can promote healthy root development for a seed that is planted in the soil. In some examples, a tillage device can be configured to create one or more sub-surface tillage features, such as a trough extending below a transverse tilled zone, which can avoid compaction effects or further promote root development, nutrient uptake, or water flow. The device may also be configured to avoid significant disruption of the soil surface above the tillage device to avoid erosion, nutrient loss, release of moisture, or carbon dioxide loss, one or more of which can occur when the soil surface is tilled.

[0057] A tillage device can be sized and shaped so that the soil surface above the target soil profile may be undisrupted or minimally disrupted by the tillage device. The tillage device may be configured to operate below the soil surface, which can limit soil surface disruption to minor surface variations such as cracking or lifting created by the sub-surface activity, and a narrow path by a shank that connects the tillage device to the agricultural instrument. In an example where a transverse blade is coupled to a shank, the shank can leave a narrow path of disruption (about the width of the shank) behind the shank as the device is pulled through the soil, and the soil surface on each side of the shank path can be undisrupted or minimally disrupted (e.g., cracked or lifted) even though the transverse blade has tilled a soil profile below the surface.

[0058] By creating a sub-surface soil disruption in a root zone, while avoiding significant disruption of the soil surface, desirable growth patterns can be achieved, due to the combination of desirable soil conditions created by the sub-surface tillage and avoidance of moisture, nutrient, carbon dioxide, and residue/soil loss that can occur when the soil surface is significantly disrupted.

[0059] In some examples, a strip tillage device can also be configured to distribute crop-enhancing products such as anhydrous fertilizer, solid fertilizer, liquid fertilizer, or biologicals, and disperse such crop-enhancing products to the tilled rooting zone to further promote plant and root development.

[0060] In some examples, a sub-surface tillage device can be configured to create a soil disruption that has components in two dimensions (e.g., transverse and upward or downward, or horizontal and vertical). For example, a strip tillage device can be configured with structures that disrupt both a lateral aspect of a soil profile and one or more planes that are oblique to the lateral profile. In some examples, a transverse blade can create a transverse component of a soil disruption, and a second blade extending downward (not necessarily vertical) from the transverse blade can create a soil disruption component, such as a trough, below the transverse component. Such a trough can promote root growth, nutrient uptake, and water flow. In some examples, considering the soil profile in cross-section, transverse to the direction that the agricultural implement typically travels, the tillage device can create a desired two-dimensional soil disruption profile shape, such as an I, for example. In other examples, the tillage device can be sized and shaped to create other two-dimensional soil disruption profiles shapes, such as an X, a plus (+), a V, or curved, inverted, or rotated variations thereof.

[0061] An example tillage device 100 including a soil disruptor 105 is shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. FIG. 2 shows the example tillage device 100 of FIG. 1 and a second soil disruptor 205 situated below soil disruptor 105. FIG. 3 shows the example soil disruptors 105, 205 and target soil profiles 320, 330 beneath a soil surface 310. FIG. 4 is a front view of the tillage device of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a side view of the tillage device of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the tillage device of FIG. 2.

[0062] Referring now to FIG. 1, an example tillage device 100 may include a soil disruptor 105 that is configured to create a soil disruption in a target soil profile beneath a soil surface without significant disruption of the soil surface when the soil disruptor is moved through the target soil profile by the agricultural implement. The soil disruptor 105 may be sized and shaped to create a tilled rooting zone beneath the soil surface to support root development. In some examples, the soil disruptor 105 may include one or more soil disruptor portions 106, 107, 108 that are sized and shaped to create a soil disruption pattern that has soil disruption features in two dimensions. For example, a soil disruptor 105 may create a one or more horizontal soil disruptions and one or more vertical soil disruptions. The soil disruptor portions 106, 107, 108 may each have one or more flat or curved faces that are angled with respect to the direction of movement through the soil to displace soil when the tillage device 100 is moved through the soil.

[0063] In some examples, the soil disruptor portion 108 may be or include a first transverse blade 110 and soil disruptor portion 106 may be or include a first fracture blade 115 extending from the transverse blade 110. In some examples, the soil disruptor 105 may include a plurality of fracture blades that extend from a top portion 140 of the transverse blade 110, from a bottom portion 142 of the transverse blade (as shown in FIG. 1B), or from both the top portion 140 and the bottom portion 142.

[0064] Various blade configurations are possible. In an example, the soil disruptor 105 may include a first fracture blade 115 extending from a first lateral side 120 of the transverse blade 110, and a second fracture blade 125 extending from a second lateral side 130 of the transverse blade 110. The transverse blade 110 may be sized and shaped to create a lateral soil disruption in a target soil profile when the soil disruptor 105 is pulled through soil. The first fracture blade 115 and second fracture blade 125 can be sized and shaped to fracture soil to promote root-growth characteristics in the soil and avoid or reduce soil compaction. While the fracture blades 115, 125 are shown as relatively thin fin-like structures, it is understood that various blade shapes and configurations are possible. The first fracture blade 115 may be sized and shaped to create a second disruption region in the target soil profile in a region that is oblique or perpendicular to the lateral soil disruption. The second fracture blade 125 may be sized and shaped to create a third disruption in the target soil profile in a third disruption region, which may be oblique to the lateral soil disruption. In some examples, the first fracture blade 115 and second fracture blade 125 may extend upward from the transverse blade 110, as illustrated in FIG. 1A. In some examples, a third fracture blade 116 and fourth fracture blade 126 (shown in FIG. 3) extend downward from a bottom portion 142 (FIG. 1B) of the blade 110. In various examples, some or all of the fracture blades 115, 116, 125, 126 can fracture soil to avoid or reduce compaction and provide space for root growth, nutrient availability, or water movement. For example, fracture blades 116, 126 may be configured to create a trough or other soil disruption feature below a transverse soil disruption created by the transverse blade 110, which can result in a soil disruption profile that has soil disruption features that extend in two dimensions (e.g., transverse and upward/downward, lateral and oblique or perpendicular, or horizontal and vertical).

[0065] In some examples, the transverse blade 110 may create a lateral disruption, which may be horizontal, or angled from horizontal, and the first fracture blade 115 and second fracture blade 125 may create vertical soil disruptions. In other examples, the first fracture blade 115 and second fracture blade 125 may be angled away from vertical, e.g., the first fracture blade 115 may extend upward from the transverse blade 110 at a first angle and the second fracture blade 125 may extend upward from the transverse blade 110 at a second angle, which may be, but is not necessarily, the same as or a reflection of the first angle. In an example, the first fracture blade 115 and second fracture blade 125 extend upward and away from each other at about 15 degrees off vertical, i.e., at 75 degrees and 105 degrees from horizontal. In another example, the first fracture blade 115 and second fracture blade 125 extend upward and toward each other at about 30 to 45 degrees from vertical.

[0066] The transverse blade 110 may be coupled to a shank 101 that may be coupled to an agricultural implement. In an example, the shank 101 may be coupled to a center portion 111 of the transverse blade 110. A first side portion 112 of the transverse blade 110 may extend laterally away from the center portion 111 in a first direction, and a second side portion 113 of the transverse blade 110 may extend laterally away from the center portion 111 of the transverse blade in a second direction.

[0067] In some examples, the transverse blade 110 may include a leading edge 130 and a top portion 140 that rises up from the leading edges 130, 135 to lift soil as the transverse blade 110 is moved through soil. The transverse blade 110 may also include a bottom portion 142 (shown in FIG. 1B) that is tapered down away from the leading edge 130 to press soil downward to create an additional soil disruption below the transverse blade 110. In some examples, first and second faces 145, 150 on the top portion 140 of the transverse blade 110 can be angled outward away from the center portion 111 of the transverse blade 110 and downward toward the leading edge 130 to displace soil outward and upward from the blade 110 when the blade 110 is pulled through a soil profile. In some examples, the faces 145, 150 can be planar. In an example, the faces 145, 150 may meet at a peak 141 (shown in FIG. 1B) that may be centrally located on the transverse blade 110. In other examples, the faces 145, 150 can be curved. In some examples, the faces 145, 150 are parabolic or hyperbolic. In some examples, the faces 145 are convex or concave. The faces 145, 150 may be symmetric to provide balanced forces acting on the shank 101 when the tillage device 100 is moved through soil.

[0068] FIG. 1B shows a cross-section of the example tillage device 100 of FIG. 1A. In some examples, a chamber 155 is created between an angle top portion 140 and bottom portion 142. In some examples, the peak 141 on the top portion 140 and a peak 143 on the bottom portion 142 create an angle of 10 to 35 degrees. In an example, the angle is about 15 degrees.

[0069] In some examples, the tillage device 100 may include a receptacle 160 for crop-enhancing product such as fertilizer. The receptacle 160 may be positioned in the chamber 155, or it may be defined by the walls of the chamber 155.

[0070] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of an example tillage device 100 that includes the soil disruptor 105 shown in FIG. 1 and a lower soil disruptor 205. The lower soil disruptor 205 may include a second lower transverse blade 210. The soil disruptor 205 may also include a first lower fracture blade 215 extending upward from a first lateral side 220 of the second lower transverse blade 210, and a second lower fracture blade 225 extending upward from a second lateral side 230 of the blade 210. The lower soil disruptor 205 may also include a third lower fracture blade 216 and fourth lower fracture blade 226 (shown in FIG. 3) extending downward from a bottom portion 241 (shown in FIG. 3) of the lower soil disruptor 205. The tillage device 100 may also optionally include a submersion element 290 having an angled face 291 that is sized and shaped to introduce the tillage device 100 to the soil and pull the tillage device 100 down into the soil as due to downward forces created on the sharply angled face 291. In some examples, the various portions of the tillage device 100 may be sized and shaped to balance upward and downward forces once the tillage device 100 is submerged to maintain the tillage device 100 at a consistent depth beneath the soil surface. The tillage device 100 may also be locked at a depth using above-ground structures that are coupled to the agricultural implement.

[0071] FIG. 3 is a front schematic view of the example tillage device 100 situated under a soil surface 310. The soil disruptor 105 may be sized and shaped to create a soil disruption in a target soil profile 320. The lower soil disruptor 205 may be sized and shaped to create a soil disruption in lower target soil profile 330. The tillage device 100 may be sized and shaped so that it creates disruptions in the target soil profile 320 with minimal disruption of the soil surface 310, e.g., without tilling the soil surface 310. In contrast, prior art strip tillage devices create a berm as they till a strip of soil in a field.

[0072] In some examples, there may be a gap between target soil profile 320 and lower target soil profile 330. In other examples, the soil disruptors 105, 205 are configured so that target soil profile 320 and lower target soil profile 330 meet or intersect to provide a continuous volume of tilled soil in the rooting zone beneath the soil surface 310. One or both of the soil disruptors 105, 205 can be configured to establish soil disruption in a target soil disruption zone that overlaps or coincides with a rooting zone. For example, when a seed is planted, a developing root can grow and extend downward through the target soil profile 320 and eventually into the lower target soil profile 330. By contrast, some prior art tillage devices tend to create compaction layers below a tillage zone, which can limit root development. In some examples, the soil disruptors 105, 205 can be configured to distribute crop-enhancing products such as anhydrous fertilizer, solid fertilizer, liquid fertilizer, or biologicals, and disperse such crop-enhancing products to the target soil profiles 320, 330 to provide a tilled and fertilized rooting zone to further promote plant and root development.

[0073] FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are respective front, side, and back views of the example soil disruptor. The example shown does not include the submersion element 290 shown in FIG. 2.

[0074] In the rear view of the tillage device 100 shown in FIG. 6, a receptacle 160 is shown. The receptacle 160 can house crop-enhancing products such as a solid fertilizer. In an example, fertilizer can be placed in the fertilizer receptacle, e.g., the receptacle 160, either directly or by placement of a fertilizer container in the receptacle 160. Fertilizer can be delivered from the receptacle 160 out the back of the soil disruptor 105. Fertilizer can also be pumped to the soil disruptor 105 from an agricultural implement.

[0075] In some examples, a fertilizer disperser can be provided to assure delivery of fertilizer to a particular area of the target soil profile 320, such as behind the blade 110 or behind the fracture blades 115, 125, where soil is most likely to be loosened from the disruption by the tilling device 100. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show fertilizer dispersers 605, 610. The fertilizer dispersers 605, 610 can be in or near the receptacle 160. The receptacle 160 and fertilizer dispersers 605, 610 can be sized and shaped so that fertilizer flows, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, from the receptacle 160 around the fertilizer dispersers 605, 610 and into disrupted soil regions behind the blade 110 or one or more of the fracture blades 115, 116, 125, 126.

[0076] In some examples, liquid fertilizer can be delivered near the soil disruptor 105, lower soil disruptor 205, or both. In FIG. 6, a hose 601 extends down the shank 101 and terminates near lower soil disruptor 205, at which point the liquid fertilizer (pumped from an agricultural implement) can be delivered into a target soil profile 320 where the soil has been disrupted by the lower soil disruptor 205.

[0077] FIG. 7 is a top cross-sectional view of the soil disruptor 105 at its widest (middle) section. The length (l) and width (w) of the device are labeled. In some examples, the soil disruptor 105 can be approximately 6 to 12 cm long and 20-30 cm wide. In some examples, the fracture blades in various examples shown and described herein may be 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) tall. Larger and smaller widths, lengths, and heights are possible. In an example, the size of the soil disruptor 105 can be selected based on soil conditions, seed type/crop, or both. In some examples, the blade 110 can include edges 710, 715 that are symmetrically swept back at an angle (A) of about 5 to 20 degrees. In an example, the angle A can be about 7.5 degrees.

[0078] FIG. 8 is a side view of an example tillage device having replaceable wear strips. In some examples, the soil disruptor 805 can be configured with replaceable wear strips 810, 815, 820 along front-facing edges 811, 816, 821. In an example, the wear strips 810, 815, 820 can be made of a durable polymer such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) or metal based materials. In some examples, the wear strips 810, 815, 820 can be made of a metal such as steel. The wear strips 810, 815, 820 can be coupled to the fracture transverse blade 840 or fracture blades 850, 855 using connectors 830a, 830b, 830c, 830d, which can be bolts, for example.

[0079] In FIG. 8, a receptacle 860 is shown behind the blade 840 and fracture blades 850, 855 as opposed to in the blade 840. In some examples, the receptacle 860 can be connected to or integrally formed with the soil disruptor 805. In some examples, the receptacle 860 can be removable, for example using bolt connections.

[0080] As shown in the other illustrated examples, the soil disruptor 805 can be coupled to a shank that may be coupled to an agricultural implement that may pull the soil disruptor 805 through the soil profile 870. Any of the soil disruptor examples described herein may also be moved through a target soil profile using other techniques. For example, the soil disruptor 805 includes a connection point 880 that may include an eye bolt, for example, and a pulling element 885 such as a cable or chain may be attached to the connection point 880 and used to pull the soil disruptor 805 through the soil profile 870 below the soil surface 801.

[0081] An example method for tilling a soil profile can include moving a soil disruptor into a target soil profile beneath a soil surface, and disrupting a first lateral region of the target soil profile and a second lateral region of the soil profile without tilling the soil surface above the first lateral region of the target soil profile and without tilling the soil surface above the second lateral region of the target soil profile. The method can be performed, for example, using any of the tillage devices and soil disruptors described in the detailed description and shown in the figures. For example, disrupting the target soil profile can include moving a soil disruptor through the soil profile. The method can further include disrupting a second soil profile beneath the target soil profile, for example using a tillage device with upper and lower soil disruptors as shown in FIG. 2.

[0082] Each of these non-limiting examples can stand on its own, or can be combined in various permutations or combinations with one or more of the other examples.

[0083] The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the inventive subject matter can be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as examples. Such examples can include elements in addition to those shown or described. However, the present inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examples using any combination or permutation of those elements shown or described (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect to other examples one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.

[0084] In the event of inconsistent usages between this document and any documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in this document controls.

[0085] In this document, the terms a or an are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of at least one or one or more. In this document, the term or is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that A or B includes A but not B, B but not A, and A and B, unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms including and in which are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms comprising and wherein. Also, in the following claims, the terms including and comprising are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms first, second, and third, etc., are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

[0086] The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b), to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. 1t is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description as examples or embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and it is contemplated that such embodiments can be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of the inventive subject matter should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.