EP-4734749-A1 - SELF-ADJUSTING APPLICATOR

Abstract

Provided is a self-adjusting applicator apparatus (100) and method for use in applying solid, particulate compositions or liquid compositions to plants. In particular, the applicator is self-adjusting on a row of plants regardless of any curvature or inconsistency in plant row spacing. The applicator may include a biasing member (122), at least one pivot member (110), and at least one guide member (116). Contact between the at least one guide member and a plant may be configured to cause the at least one pivot member to pivot about a pivot point (126). The application means may be directly or indirectly attached to the at least one pivot member, such that the application means moves to best position itself about the plant to which material will be applied, thereby ensuring proper alignment of the application with a row of plants.

Inventors

• COPE, JASON
• KELSICK, Jason
• WENDT, Christopher

Assignees

• PowerPollen, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240315

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus for applying material via at least one applicator to a plurality of plants in a row, said row having a longitudinal center and wherein at least one of said plants is located a lateral distance from said longitudinal center, said self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus comprising at least one guide member configured to successively sense each of said plurality of plants in said row and if a plant is located a different lateral distance from said longitudinal center than the immediate previously sensed plant, said guide member actuates said self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus to move said at least one applicator.
2. 2. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a self- adjusting pivot.
3. 3. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 2 wherein said self-adjusting pivot comprises: a. a pivot point, b. a biasing member, c. and at least one pivot member.
4. 4. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 3 wherein said biasing member biases said self-adjusting plant row guide in a neutral position.
5. 5. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 4 wherein said neutral position is at the longitudinal center of said row.
6. 6. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 4 wherein said at least one guide member senses said plants by touching said plants.
7. 7. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 6 wherein the touching of said at least one guide member by said plants causes said at least one guide member to move laterally.
8. 8. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 7 wherein the lateral movement of said at least one guide member overcomes the bias of said biasing member, causing movement of said biasing member,
9. 9. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 8 wherein the movement of said biasing member causes said at least one pivot member to pivot about said pivot point.
10. 10. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 9 wherein said at least one pivot member is engaged with said at least one applicator, such that movement of said at least one pivot member moves said at least one applicator.
11. 11. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 10 comprising two pivot members.
12. 12. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 11 wherein each pivot member is connected to at least one applicator.
13. 13. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 12, wherein said applicator is selected from the group consisting of: a. a nozzle b. an atomizer
14. 14. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 12, wherein said applicator is designed for metered application.
15. 15. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 12, wherein said applicator is configured to apply pollen.
16. 16. The self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus of claim 10 further comprising at least one height adjustment member configured to adjust the height of said at least one guide member with respect to the ground.
17. 17. A method of applying material to a plurality of plants using a self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus having at least one guide member, wherein said self-adjusting plant row guide apparatus is connected to at least one applicator, comprising; a. Sensing said plurality of plants with said at least one guide member connected to said at least one applicator, wherein said sensing causes said self-adjusting plant row guide to move to accommodate said plurality of plants, and b. Applying material to said plurality of plants with said at least one applicator after sensing said plurality of plants with said guide member.
18. 18. The method of claim 17 wherein said plurality of plants are selected from the group consisting of corn, sorghum, cotton, canola, sunflowers, soybeans, wheat, barley, pearl millet, oats, and rice.
19. 19. The method of claim 17 wherein said sensing further comprises bunching said plurality of plants by said guide member.
20. 20. The method of claim 17 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of solid particulates and liquids.

Description

SELF-ADJUSTING APPLICATOR Inventors: Jason Cope, Jason Kelsick and Christopher Wendt CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from United States Provisional Application Serial No. 63/524,385 filed June 30, 2023, and entitled SELF-ADJUSTING APPLICATOR FOR ROW CROPS. The contents of United States Provisional Application Serial No. 63/524,385 are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to self-adjusting applicator apparatuses and their use in dispensing and applying materials in agricultural settings, such as traditional fields used for row crops, In particular, this invention discloses an applicator apparatus that selfcenters on one or more rows of plants. The apparatus can be used for dispensing both dry and liquid materials. BACKGROUND [0003] The current invention has application to the field of pollination and other crop production practices, including but not limited to seed, grain, ornamental, and fruit production practices. During the growth period of many crops, various materials are applied to the crop. Such materials can include liquids, such as fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, or other liquid treatments. In addition, the materials can include dry materials in a particulate or powdered format, such as fertilizers, pesticides, or pollen. In all cases, materials being applied to crops may need to be applied to particular parts of the crop or at a particular height on the plant. The materials may need to be applied to flowers, leaves, fruits, roots, stems, stalks or other specific plant parts and structures. [0004] The current invention is particularly suited to the intentional application of pollen, for example to plants that are receptive to pollen. Intentional pollination is used to produce specific hybrid seeds or plants, to pollinate plants when natural pollination has failed or is particularly poor, to supplement natural pollination, and/or to pollinate plants as needed for any other reason. In such circumstances, pollen must be applied to plants in such a manner to ensure that the pollen reaches the stigma of the receptive flowers. The targeted application of pollen requires an applicator apparatus that ensures the pollen is not harmed during the delivery, and that the pollen is applied at the correct location and in the correct density or amount. [0005] As used in this disclosure, “pollen” may refer to either pure pollen or it can refer to pollen that has been mixed with other additives. Furthermore, the pollen may be freshly-collected pollen, recently-collected pollen, or pollen that was previously collected and subjected to short-term or long-term storage, including pollen that has been maintained at cool or cold temperatures, including cryopreserved pollen. When additives are combined with the pollen, they may be mixed with the pollen at specified additive to pollen ratios. The additives may be non-living particles, living particles, or they may be a combination of living and non-living particles. The additives may include, for example, diluents, anti-flocculants, absorbent materials, materials intended to separate particles, or be materials with other uses such as, but not limited to, additives that help maintain the viability of the pollen or other living particles. [0006] It is important to prevent physical stress to pollen and other living particulates during handling, particularly when recalcitrant pollen is being used, or when using other living particulates, the viability of which is impacted by stressors such as heat, humidity, friction, crowding, compression, or other stressors. In particular, handling of the pollen by means of vibration, forced air, rotation, physical force or other means can be disruptive to pollen membrane integrity, at least in part as a result of the friction experienced during the distribution process. Accordingly, some embodiments of tire present invention seek to minimize the stress applied to pollen, other living particulates, or other non-living particulate matter being distributed in a growing environment or applied to a crop. In some cases, additives may be used to reduce the impact of stressors. For example, additives may be used to reduce the effects of high humidity, thereby reducing clumping or aggregation of living or non-living particles. Research has demonstrated that live pollen grains that come into contact with the contents of burst dead pollen cells are adversely affected by such contact, reducing viability and killing the pollen cells (US Patent Application 16/028,626). As such, pollen particles may be blended with additives to reduce contact with dead pollen contents. Other living particles that can be applied using the invention may include actual insects, such as those used in biological control regimes to combat crop pests or plant diseases, which may be gently blended with additives to improve their viability, prevent