5586results about "Fertiliser distributers" patented technology

A method of depositing and etching dielectric layers having low dielectric constants and etch rates that vary by at least 3:1 for formation of horizontal interconnects. The amount of carbon or hydrogen in the dielectric layer is varied by changes in deposition conditions to provide low k dielectric layers that can replace etch stop layers or conventional dielectric layers in damascene applications. A dual damascene structure having two or more dielectric layers with dielectric constants lower than about 4 can be deposited in a single reactor and then etched to form vertical and horizontal interconnects by varying the concentration of a carbon:oxygen gas such as carbon monoxide. The etch gases for forming vertical interconnects preferably comprises CO and a fluorocarbon, and CO is preferably excluded from etch gases for forming horizontal interconnects.

A trailer having support wheels and a frame adapted to be hitched to a truck, includes a support track extending longitudinally for supporting an unload conveyor. The conveyor is mounted by a turret to the support track and, thus, to the trailer frame, permitting the turret to move in a fore-to-aft direction, as well as to rotate about the vertical for about 180°, providing flexibility in use as well as transport and storage. A support module, carrying at least one storage container is mounted on the trailer frame. The storage containers may be provided in a number of different sizes and they may be arranged in various configurations suiting the user's needs. The turret is positioned along the track beneath a desired seed container, which may then be unloaded by the conveyor to fill a planter seed box or grain drill, or for other seed handling applications.

A seeding apparatus having a distribution manifold with selectively openable outlet ports thereon, to permit or stop delivery of seed or fertilizer to soil A meter device, responsive to both the number of selected open ports and the speed of the apparatus over the ground, is provided to regulate supply of seed / fertilizer to a distribution manifold. The distribution manifold has a plurality of outlet ports spaced about a periphery of such manifold, each outlet port having a valve to allow opening and closing of individual outlet ports. Soil engaging members on such apparatus are individually raisable from an lowered operative position to a raised inoperative position, and when moved to such inoperative position, valve associated with an outlet port for providing seed and / or fertilizer to such soil engaging member is closed to prevent supply to the associated soil engaging member.

A bulk seed handling system (20) is provided to facilitate seed transfer from a distributor to a farm and then to a planter or the like. The handling system (20) includes one or more upright bin assemblies (22) adapted to be moved in a filled condition, and a trailer (24) designed to move the bin assembly (22) and unload seed therefrom. The bin assembly (22) includes a seed bin (26) having a lower unload opening (34) and supported by a frame assembly (38) including telescopic legs (50) shiftable between a retractable travel position and an extended bin support position. The trailer (24) includes a lift frame (60) operable to engage and elevate the bin assembly (22) for travel with the legs (50) thereof in a retracted position, and a seed-conveying arrangement including an intermediate conveyor (62) and a delivery conveyor (64). At an unloading site, the intermediate conveyor (62) is shifted to an unloading position in communication with the bin unload opening (34) and the delivery conveyor (64) in order to transfer seed from the bin.

A method and apparatus for depositing a low dielectric constant film by reaction of an organosilicon compound and an oxidizing gas at a constant RF power level from about 10W to about 200W or a pulsed RF power level from about 20W to about 500W. Dissociation of the oxidizing gas can be increased prior to mixing with the organosilicon compound, preferably within a separate microwave chamber, to assist in controlling the carbon content of the deposited film. The oxidized organosilane or organosiloxane film has good barrier properties for use as a liner or cap layer adjacent other dielectric layers. The oxidized organosilane or organosiloxane film may also be used as an etch stop and an intermetal dielectric layer for fabricating dual damascene structures. The oxidized organosilane or organosiloxane films also provide excellent adhesion between different dielectric layers. A preferred oxidized organosilane film is produced by reaction of methylsilane, CH3SiH3, dimethylsilane, (CH3)2SiH2, or 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-disiloxane, (CH3)2-SiH-O-SiH-(CH3)2, and nitrous oxide, N2O, at a constant RF power level from about 10W to about 150W, or a pulsed RF power level from about 20W to about 250W during 10% to 30% of the duty cycle.

A pressure sensing system for a seeding machine such as a planter to measure the down force on a planter row unit uses a wireless pressure sensor embedded in a load carrying wheel of the row unit. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure sensor is a passive piezoelectric pressure sensor that is a transmitter only, transmitting both pressure and RFID the information that identifies the particular sensor. Multiple sensors may be employed in each wheel and sensors may be employed in more than one wheel of the row unit, such as the gauge wheels on opposite sides of the trench opening disks. The sensors may be made of a PVDF, a known piezoelectric material. A wireless receiver is located on the planter frame or could be located elsewhere to receive the signals from the pressure sensor. A controller determines from the signal, any change in down force and commands the change to a down force generator on the row unit.

A seeding and fertilizing apparatus comprises a plurality of seed assemblies each comprising a trailing arm pivotally connected at a front end thereof to the frame and a packer wheel rotatably attached to rear end thereof. A seed knife is attached to the trailing arm ahead of the packer wheel which rolls along the seed furrow created by the knife. A vertical position of the knife with respect to the packer wheel is adjustable, and a bias device is operative to exert a downward bias force on the trailing arm. A plurality of fertilizer assemblies each comprises a fertilizer disc rotatably mounted to the frame such that a vertical position of the disc with respect to the implement frame is adjustable. The seed assemblies and fertilizer assemblies are oriented laterally such that each fertilizer furrow is located between adjacent seed furrows.

An ultra precise seed planter apparatus and method for generating a centimeter accuracy map of the location of seeds or vegetation as they are planted from an agricultural planting machine. The apparatus is fitted with a GPS receiver feeding a data logger, and optical sensors that are placed adjacent seed or vegetation dispenser. The data logger monitors GPS time and UTM coordinates, as well as the optical sensors. Ground speed and azimuth are also monitored. The seeds or vegetation are time-tagged as they are dispensed, and software is used to process the dispensing time and GPS location data and estimate the exact coordinates of each seed or plant and its distance from adjacent seeds or plants. As a result, a precise planting map is generated. The invention may also be used to determine the location to dispense seeds or vegetation, and activating the dispenser when that location is reached.

A seed delivery apparatus has a moving member that captures and entraps the seed from the seed meter and physically moves the seed from the meter to the lower outlet opening. In so doing, the seed engages and travels along an interior surface of the seed delivery apparatus. A seed sensor is mounted on the housing wall such that the seed passes directly in front of the sensor. The sensor has both the light emitting devices and the photo-sensitive elements on the same wall of the delivery apparatus, or on two opposed walls. The moving member prevents ambient light, dust and dirt from entering the housing and impacting the sensor output signal.

Apparatus for clearing crop residue from a field is adapted for attachment to a tool bar of an agricultural implement or to a planter unit such that the apparatus is pulled through a field by the implement. The apparatus includes a support structure extending forward of the tool bar and at least one and preferably a pair of floating arms pivotally attached to a forward portion of the support structure and extending rearwardly, with a toothed wheel rotationally attached to an aft end of the arm(s). A coulter attached to the support structure is disposed between and extends forward of the soil-engaging toothed wheel(s) and in combination with the wheel(s) severs and removes residue in the seeding pathway. An adjustable biasing arrangement urges the toothed wheels, either in unison or independently, downwardly into engagement with the soil. Upper and lower stop limits are provided to limit vertical positioning of the toothed wheel(s).

An agricultural seeder or fertilizer having a meter device which dispenses seed or fertilizer to a plurality of ground-engaging members. The supply of metered seed or fertilizer to each of the ground-engaging members is controlled via input from a GPS / GNSS satellite navigation system to prevent the meter device delivering seed or fertilizer to selected of the ground-engaging members which would otherwise pass over soil which has been previously seeded or fertilized. Raising means, responsive to input from said GPS / GNSS satellite navigation system detecting that the device is travelling or is about to travel over areas of soil that has been previously seeded or fertilized, is further is provided to raise the selected ground-engaging members to which delivery of seed / fertilizer has been prevented in order to prevent soil which has been previously seeded or fertilized from being disturbed. A method of operating a seeder / fertilizer implement to achieve the aforesaid is further disclosed.

A seeding machine having a plurality of seed meters receiving rotary input from a common input shaft. First and second gearboxes respectively connect the common rotary input to individual seed meters. A flexible drive extends from the gearbox adjacent the common rotary input to the seed meters. Spring clutches, normally connected, are electrically actuated to disengage the drive to the individual seed meters. The clutches may be integrated in the gearbox adjacent the rotary drive or the gear box for the individual seed meters.

A seed metering gate assembly (12) is provided for use with an upright seed bin (10) having a shiftable primary gate (24), wherein the gate assembly (12) provides an additional seed flow control function allowing more accurate dispensing of seed from the bin (10). The gate assembly (12) includes a seed hopper (13) equipped with a fore and aft-shiftable metering gate (42) movable between a closed position and an open position presenting a seed output passageway (40). Apparatus (62) is operably coupled with the gate member (42) in order to determine the travel of metering gate member between the fully closed position and a plurality of open positions presenting respective, differently sized passageways (40). The apparatus (62) preferably includes a rod (64) having a series of through openings (70) and coupled with the gate member (42), with a shiftable, motion-limiting collar (72) mounted on the rod (64) and securable at any of the openings (70) by a clip (76). The opening movement of the rod (64) is limited by engagement between the collar (72) and a bracket (68) affixed to hopper (13).

An agricultural row unit includes a hydraulic cylinder coupled to a support member for urging a soil-engaging tool coupled to the support member downwardly toward the soil. A hydraulic line is coupled to the hydraulic cylinder for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to the cylinder, and a controllable valve is provided in the hydraulic line for controlling the supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid to the cylinder through the line. A pressure sensor, such as a load cell or strain gauge, is connected between the hydraulic cylinder and the support member for producing an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure on the tool, and a controller is coupled to the pressure sensor and the controllable valve, the controller being adapted to receive the electrical signal from the pressure sensor and produce a control signal for controlling the valve thus the supply of the hydraulic fluid to the cylinder.

An apparatus and method of dispensing small-scale powders for a variety of applications, including, for example, fabricating a three-dimensional heterogeneous small-scale device, includes using a feed mechanism that causes motion of the powder particles and the steps of depositing fine heterogeneous materials (such as dry powders and biological materials) towards a substrate. The depositing step preferably includes providing a feed mechanism having an input to receive the material, an output, and a source of ultrasonic vibration to impart a torsional force on the material so as to precisely discharge the material from the output. To improve particle flowability, a cooling system is provided to cool the source, generally above a threshold input voltage.

A disc opener unit for an agricultural implement has a down pressure adjustment device that automatically adjusts the amount of down pressure applied on a furrowing disc based on strain measurements taken by a strain gauge or load cell. The strain gauge, which may be mounted to an arm that is used to set the position of a depth setting gauge wheel, provides feedback to a processor that in turn controls the amount of hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic cylinder to adjust the down force applied on the disc. The amount of down pressure is therefore adjusted in substantially real-time in response to changes in field conditions, which improves furrow depth consistency and reduces wear on the gauge wheel and its components.

A plural bin metering system for broadcasting material ingredients contained therein over a ground surface. The system includes at least two material ingredient hoppers, each of the hoppers having a material ingredient discharge port. At least one of the material ingredient hoppers includes a variably controllable metering unit associated therewith for variably controlling the discharge of material ingredients therefrom independently from the rate of discharge of material ingredients from the other material ingredient hopper. A conveyor is disposed below the hoppers for receiving material ingredients discharged from the hoppers, and a material ingredient broadcasting device disposed off of one end of the conveyor for receiving material ingredients conveyed thereon, received from the hoppers, for broadcasting the material ingredients over a ground surface. The metering unit is capable of metering material ingredients from its associated hopper at ultra low rates. In a preferred embodiment the system has three hoppers for broadcasting, for example fertilizer across a field in one pass.

An assembly for selectively supplying particulate material to an air seeder, an agricultural implement able to selectively supply and dispense particulate material into the ground and a method of selectively dispensing particulate material into the ground are provided. The assembly has at least one supply receptacle for receiving particulate material from a source and a metering roller for supplying the material to an air seeder. The assembly is operative to selectively supply the material to the air seeder and prevent the material from being supplied to the air seeder. The implement can use the assembly to selectively supply particulate material to ground engaging openers where the particulate material will be dispensed into the ground. Particulate material can be selectively supplied to the implement when it is desired to have the particulate material dispensed into the ground and then prevented from being supplied to the implement when it is not desirable.