Patent · US Expired

Planting apparatus and method

US6997120B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
13References
42Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 15, 2003
Grant dateFeb 14, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 15, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S111/903
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a vehicle, such as a tractor, and a planting apparatus that is movable across the ground by the vehicle. The vehicle desirably has a guiding system for automatically guiding the vehicle to follow a predetermined planting path as the vehicle moves across the ground. The guiding system can comprise, for example, a global positioning system for determining the instantaneous positions of the vehicle and an automatic steering system for steering the vehicle based on positioning information from global positioning. As the vehicle moves the planting apparatus along the planting path, the planting apparatus plants a row of plants, such as trees or other agricultural products, at spaced apart locations along the planting path.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.