Patent · US Expired

Planting apparatus and method

US7197992B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
17References
25Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 30, 2005
Grant dateApr 3, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 30, 2025

Classification

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

Abstract

Embodiments of an apparatus and method for planting plants are disclosed. In one embodiment, the 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.