	US 12,232,440 B2
	Crop input application systems, methods, and apparatus
Greggory Sauder, Morton, IL (US); Timothy Sauder, Morton, IL (US); Justin Koch, Morton, IL (US); Nowell Moore, Morton, IL (US); Reid Aberle, Morton, IL (US); Tyler Nafzinger, Morton, IL (US); Connor Hesterberg, Morton, IL (US); Jonathan Welte, Morton, IL (US); Kyle Waremburg, Morton, IL (US); and Steven Nuest, Morton, IL (US)
Appl. No. 17/596,825
Filed by MA Industries, LLC, Morton, IL (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/038437 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 17, 2021, PCT Pub. No. WO2020/257456, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/883,579, filed on Aug. 6, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/862,953, filed on Jun. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0232759 A1, Jul. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. A01C 23/04 (2006.01); A01G 25/09 (2006.01); A01G 25/16 (2006.01)

CPC A01C 23/042 (2013.01) [A01G 25/092 (2013.01); A01G 25/095 (2013.01); A01G 25/167 (2013.01)]

24 Claims

1. A method of applying a crop input to a soil surface within a field, the field having adjacently spaced crop rows, the method comprising:

traversing the field with a crop applicator vehicle, the crop applicator vehicle having a frame supported by wheels, wherein at least one of the wheels is driven for rotation by a motor at a wheel drive speed, the frame supporting a rotatable reel above the adjacently spaced crop rows, a length of fluid conduit wound upon the rotatable reel, one end of the fluid conduit in communication with a crop input source;

driving rotation of the rotatable reel at a first rotational speed in a first rotational direction to begin causing a portion of the length of the fluid conduit to be dispensed from the rotatable reel onto the soil surface as the crop applicator vehicle traverses the field;

sensing a position of a part of the dispensed portion of the length of the fluid conduit extending between the rotatable reel and the soil surface;

comparing the sensed position of the part of the dispensed portion of the length of the fluid conduit relative to a target position, the target position indicative of a desired amount of tension on the part of the dispensed portion of the fluid conduit; and

adjusting the first rotational speed of the rotatable reel so that the sensed position of the part of the dispensed portion of the length of the fluid conduit approximates the target position.