Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110113995 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PLANTING AND IRRIGATION - A planting and irrigation apparatus and method for planting seeds in and irrigating a field. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of spray nozzles configured with a pressure setting sufficient for forming a plurality of holes into soil of the field and a seed dispenser configured for dispensing one or more seeds into one or more of the holes. Once the seeds are dispensed throughout the field, the apparatus may irrigate the field, thereby washing soil displaced when the holes were formed back into the holes, thereby covering the seeds. | 05-19-2011 |
20110127344 | IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR SMALL FIELDS - An irrigation system and method for irrigating a field including a plurality of towers linked together by at least one rotatable torque tube. Each of the towers may comprise a frame, one or more wheels on which the frame may travel, a rotatable reel, and a line configured to be spooled onto the reel. A motor may be configured to rotate the torque tube, which may in turn actuate each of the reels to rotate simultaneously. One end of each of the lines may be anchored at a first location and the towers may be located at a second location. Rotation of the reels spools the lines onto the reels and thereby actuates the towers to travel from the second location to the first location. The irrigation system also comprises hoses to link one or more fluid-emitting devices positioned on each of the towers with a water source. | 06-02-2011 |
20110153161 | CORNER UNIT GUIDANCE CONTROL SYSTEM USING TWO ANTENNAS - A corner unit guidance control system for use with a corner unit that is part of a center pivot irrigation system includes a primary antenna, a secondary antenna, a receiver, and a controller. The primary antenna and the secondary antenna may receive signals from at least one external positional information source. The receiver may be in communication with the antennas and operable to process the signals to produce position data corresponding to a current position of a wheel and altitude data about the height of the antennas. The controller may be in communication with the receiver and may be programmed to steer the wheel to a heading corresponding to a difference between the current position of the wheel and a point along the path and further programmed to calculate a tilt angle from the altitude data and adjust the heading based on the tilt angle. | 06-23-2011 |
20130008977 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM END GUN - A control system for controlling operation of an irrigation system end gun includes memory for storing end gun operating parameters for a plurality of locations in an area to be irrigated; a location determining component for determining a current location of the end gun in the area to be irrigated; a computing device in communication with the location determining component and operable to access an end gun operating parameter from the memory that corresponds to the current location of the end gun; and an end gun control mechanism responsive to the computing device for controlling operation of the end gun in accordance with the end gun operating parameter. | 01-10-2013 |
20130026259 | LATERAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM WITH PIVOTING SPAN - A lateral move irrigation system may comprise a plurality of towers configured to laterally travel across a field and a plurality of support structures each attached to and spanning a distance between two of the towers. The irrigation system may further comprise a fluid delivery system comprising conduits attached to or extending through the support structures and configured to output water from orifices formed therein. The irrigation system may also comprise a first joint at which one of the support structures may pivot relative to another of the support structures and a control system configured to pivot one of the support structures toward another of the support structures at a location of a field that is not passable when all of the support structures are laterally aligned with each other. | 01-31-2013 |
20130026260 | LATERAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM WITH Z-FOLD SPANS - A lateral irrigation system comprising a plurality of towers and a plurality of lateral structures extending between and connected to the towers. The support structures may comprise a first support structure, a second support structure pivotable relative to the first support structure, and a third support structure pivotable relative to the second support structure. The irrigation system may also comprise a fluid delivery system having conduits attached to or extending through the support structures and configured to output water from orifices formed therein. The irrigation system may further comprise joints at which the second and third support structures may pivot. The second and third support structures may be configured to pivot into a substantially zig-zag or āZā-shaped configuration relative to the first support structure. | 01-31-2013 |
20130026261 | LATERAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM WITH PIVOTING AND Z-FOLD SPANS - A lateral move irrigation system comprising a main section having a first end and a second end, a first end section pivotally joined at the first end of the main section, a second end section pivotally joined at the second end of the main section, and a fluid delivery system. The main section may comprise a plurality of main towers configured to travel across a field in a lateral direction and a plurality of main support structures fixedly connected to and extending between adjacent ones of the main towers. The main support structures may be laterally aligned from the first end to the second end of the main section. The fluid delivery system may extend through the main section, first section, and second section. The first section may be pivoted into a Z-shaped configuration and the second section may be pivoted about a single joint. | 01-31-2013 |
20130043084 | IRRIGATION SYSTEM TRACK ASSEMBLY WITH ADJUSTABLE TOW - A track assembly for a mobile tower of an irrigation system includes a mounting bracket; a gearbox assembly and rotatable drive wheel hub attached to the mounting bracket; a drive wheel attached to the drive hub; a rotatable tension wheel hub attached to the mounting bracket and spaced from the drive hub; a tension wheel attached to the tension wheel hub; a track belt trained over the drive wheel and the tension wheel and driven by the drive wheel to propel the mobile tower; and structure for pivotally mounting the mounting bracket to the mobile tower. | 02-21-2013 |
20130048747 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ALIGNING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS - An irrigation system includes a central pivot and a series of mobile towers connected to the central pivot and to one another by support structure. Each mobile tower has wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the wheels. A control system for maintaining alignment of the mobile towers includes a location-determining component for determining a position or orientation of each of the mobile towers and a computing device operable to detect mis-alignment of the mobile towers based on the position or orientation of each of the mobile towers, determine a control sequence to re-align the mobile towers, and send commands to at least one of the motors for implementing the control sequence. | 02-28-2013 |
20130087631 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POSITIONING AN EXTENSION ARM OF A CENTER PIVOT IRRIGATION SYSTEM - A system and method for controlling the positioning of an extension arm of a center pivot irrigation system. The method determines at least some boundaries of a field to be irrigated; determines positions for the end tower along a path in the field; determines a desired angular orientation of the extension arm relative to the end tower for each of the positions of the end tower along the path based at least partially on the boundaries; and stores in memory desired angular orientations of the extension arm associated with positions of the end tower along the path. The method determines an actual position of the end tower while the irrigation system is in operation; determines an actual angular orientation of the extension arm relative to the end tower; accesses the memory and determines the desired angular orientation of the extension arm; and compares the actual angular orientation to the desired angular orientation. | 04-11-2013 |
20130087640 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ORIENTING SOLAR POWERED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS - An irrigation system includes a central pivot; a main section pivotally connected to the central pivot; and at least one solar panel supported on the main section. A control system positions the main section relative to the central pivot so that the solar panel faces the sun. | 04-11-2013 |
20130090766 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS MOTORS - An irrigation system includes a central pivot and a series of mobile towers connected to the central pivot and to one another by support structure. Each mobile tower has wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the wheels. A control system operates the motors to maintain alignment of the mobile towers and the central pivot while preventing power usage of the system from exceeding a maximum power threshold. The control system determines in which sequence to operate the motors to maintain alignment of the mobile towers while operating no more than a selected number of the motors simultaneously. | 04-11-2013 |
20130090772 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ORIENTING AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM TO MINIMIZE WIND DAMAGE - An irrigation system comprises a central pivot; a main section pivotally connected to the central pivot; and a control system for positioning the main section to minimize wind damage. The control system comprises a location-determining component for determining a current position or bearing of the main section; a wind sensor for determining wind direction; and a computing device coupled with the wind sensor and the location-determining component for determining an optimal orientation of the main section based on an output of the wind sensor and the current position or bearing of the main section and for directing the motors to drive the wheels of the mobile towers to orient the main section in the optimal orientation. | 04-11-2013 |
20130226356 | SAFETY MONITOR FOR AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM - The method determines an actual position of the end tower while the irrigation system is in operation; determines an actual angular orientation of the extension arm relative to the end tower; accesses memory and determines the desired angular orientation of the extension arm; and compares the actual angular orientation to the desired angular orientation. If the actual angular orientation deviates from the desired angular orientation by more than a threshold amount, the method shuts down the irrigation system. | 08-29-2013 |
20130284328 | WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY WITH ADJUSTABLE SPACER SYSTEM - A wheel assembly is disclosed, the wheel assembly including a rigid wheel and an airless tire mounted on the wheel. A portion of the tire is separated radially from the wheel by a space and is configured to flex inwardly toward the wheel when subject to ground engaging pressure. A spacer is interposed between the wheel and the portion of the tire separated radially from the wheel by a space and is configured to limit the inward flexing of the tire. The spacer may be permanently affixed to the wheel assembly or may be removably attached to the wheel assembly. The spacer may be adjustable between a first size and a second size. | 10-31-2013 |
20130284860 | WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY - A wheel assembly includes a rigid wheel with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outermost mounting elements and a flexible tire mounted on the wheel. The tire engages the mounting elements such that portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements are separated radially from the wheel by a space, the portions of the tire not engaging the mounting elements being configured to flex inwardly toward the wheel when subject to ground engaging pressure. | 10-31-2013 |
20130284861 | WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY - A wheel assembly is disclosed, the wheel assembly including a rigid wheel including a radially outer rim wall presenting a polygonal shape with a plurality of outermost vertices connecting a plurality of planar faces, and a flexible tire mounted on the outer rim wall. The tire is supported by the vertices of the rim wall and is separated from the rim faces by a space, portions of the tire located between the vertices being configured to flex inwardly when subject to ground engaging pressure. | 10-31-2013 |
20130341419 | IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of operating a mobile irrigation system includes receiving water application amount and application pattern information from a user, automatically determining an irrigation plan using the amount information and the pattern information, and using an automated controller to operate the mobile irrigation system according to the irrigation plan. The irrigation system is operated by applying water at progressively decreasing levels as the irrigation system moves from a first position to a second position, and applying water at the same or similar progressively decreasing levels as the irrigation system is moved in a reverse direction from the second position back to the first position. | 12-26-2013 |
20150048186 | WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A COLLAPSIBLE WHEEL - A wheel assembly includes a collapsible wheel and an airless flexible tire mounted on the wheel. The wheel includes a central portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting elements attached to the central portion. Each of the mounting elements is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, and may be pivotally attached to the central portion of the wheel and configured to pivot between the retracted position and the extended position. The tire may be positioned on the wheel when one or more of the mounting elements is in the retracted position, and the one or more mounting elements are moved to the extended position wherein the mounting elements engage and support the tire. | 02-19-2015 |
20150081120 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS MOTORS - An irrigation system includes a central pivot and a series of mobile towers connected to the central pivot and to one another by support structure. Each mobile tower has wheels and a motor for driving at least one of the wheels. A control system operates the motors to maintain alignment of the mobile towers and the central pivot while preventing power usage of the system from exceeding a maximum power threshold. The control system determines in which sequence to operate the motors to maintain alignment of the mobile towers while operating no more than a selected number of the motors simultaneously. | 03-19-2015 |