Patents by Inventor Kent Levy

Kent Levy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12566121
    Abstract: A system may analyze agricultural materials. The system may include one or more inlets receiving the agricultural materials. The agricultural materials may be a slurry (e.g., soil slurry) including at least one solid and at least one liquid. The system may include a chamber configured to house the agricultural materials. The chamber may include a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural materials. The system may include a flow control device configured to stop the flow of the agricultural materials in a first state, or move the flow of the agricultural materials in a second state. The system may include an agricultural materials density device configured to determine the density of the agricultural materials when the flow of the agricultural materials is stopped in the first state and when the flow of the agricultural materials is moving in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2026
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Kent Levy, Reid Harman, Joshua Seelye, Adam Vaccari, Riley Litwiller, Dale M. Koch
  • Patent number: 12560520
    Abstract: A system may analyze agricultural materials. The system may include one or more inlets receiving the agricultural materials. The agricultural materials may be a slurry (e.g., soil slurry) including at least one solid and at least one liquid. The system may include a chamber configured to house the agricultural materials. The chamber may include a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural materials. The system may include a flow control device configured to stop the flow of the agricultural materials in a first state, or move the flow of the agricultural materials in a second state. The system may include an agricultural materials density device configured to determine the density of the agricultural materials when the flow of the agricultural materials is stopped in the first state and when the flow of the agricultural materials is moving in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2026
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Kent Levy, Reid Harman, Joshua Seelye, Adam Vaccari, Riley Litwiller, Dale M. Koch
  • Patent number: 12546695
    Abstract: A system may analyze agricultural materials. The system may include one or more inlets receiving the agricultural materials. The agricultural materials may be a slurry (e.g., soil slurry) including at least one solid and at least one liquid. The system may include a chamber configured to house the agricultural materials. The chamber may include a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural materials. The system may include a flow control device configured to stop the flow of the agricultural materials in a first state, or move the flow of the agricultural materials in a second state. The system may include an agricultural materials density device configured to determine the density of the agricultural materials when the flow of the agricultural materials is stopped in the first state and when the flow of the agricultural materials is moving in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2026
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Kent Levy, Reid Harman, Joshua Seelye, Adam Vaccari, Riley Litwiller, Dale M. Koch
  • Patent number: 12520743
    Abstract: A seed unit for placing seeds into soil includes a seed meter for singulating seeds, a shaft to deliver the seeds into soil during operation, and an actuator coupled to the shaft. The actuator moves the shaft during operation and the shaft delivers seeds into the soil without a continuous seed trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2026
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Jason Stoller, Todd Swanson, Jeremy Hodel, Kent Levy, Ian Radtke
  • Publication number: 20250296056
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (e.g., mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The preparation sub-system may comprise a slurry recirculation flow loop configured with devices to stir, measure, and adjust a water to solids ratio of the slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2025
    Publication date: September 25, 2025
    Applicant: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Kent Levy, Timothy A. Schaefer, Reid Harman, Joshua Seelye, Adam Vaccari
  • Publication number: 20250224315
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Kent Levy, Dale M. Koch, Reid Harman, Adam Vaccari, Joshua SEELYE
  • Patent number: 12343694
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (e.g., mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The preparation sub-system may comprise a slurry recirculation flow loop configured with devices to stir, measure, and adjust a water to solids ratio of the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Kent Levy, Timothy A. Schaefer, Riley Litwiller, Reid Harman, Joshua Seelye, Adam Vaccari, Joaquin Ganoza, Dale M. Koch
  • Publication number: 20250155335
    Abstract: A grinder-filter apparatus for preparing an agricultural sample slurry in one embodiment includes a housing defining a grinding chamber, a rotatable paddle disposed in the chamber, a peripheral grinding ring fixedly mounted in the chamber, and a perforated baseplate inside the grinding ring. The grinding ring includes vertically elongated slots each having portions extending above and below the baseplate. The paddle may be formed of a resiliently deformable material. The rotating paddle mixes water and the sample material which may be soil in one embodiment to form the slurry, and forces the slurry into the slots which is deposited in a collection chamber beneath the baseplate. The slots filter out soil particles exceeding a predetermined maximum size as the slurry flows through the slots to the collection chamber. The grinding chamber includes an openable waste door to flush debris out of the chamber between preparing batches of slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Kent Levy, Dale M. Koch
  • Patent number: 12281968
    Abstract: A coulter assembly for collecting soil samples from an agricultural field in one embodiment comprises an annular collection blade configured for penetrating soil to capture a sample, an annular cam ring configured for stationary mounting to a frame of an agricultural vehicle and comprising a cam track, a blade hub coupled to the blade for rotatably supporting the annular collection blade from the annular cam ring, and a movable sample collector mounted to the annular collection blade. The moveable sample collector is configured and operable for extracting a soil sample as the annular collection blade is rotated through the soil. The moveable sample collector in one embodiment comprises a piston mechanism including a cylinder and rod movably disposed therein which actuated by the annular cam ring to alternatingly open and close a collection end of the cylinder as the annular collection blade rotates through the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Dale Koch, Kent Levy, Matthew O'Neall, Reid Harman
  • Publication number: 20250060286
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2024
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: Kent Levy, Reid Harman
  • Publication number: 20240426713
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Dale Koch, Kent Levy, Matthew O’Neall, Reid Harman, Timothy Schaefer, Adam Vaccari
  • Patent number: 12174096
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Kent Levy, Reid Harman
  • Patent number: 12163869
    Abstract: A coulter assembly for collecting soil samples from an agricultural field in one embodiment comprises an annular collection blade configured for penetrating soil to capture a sample, an annular cam ring configured for stationary mounting to a frame of an agricultural vehicle and comprising a cam track, a blade hub coupled to the blade for rotatably supporting the annular collection blade from the annular cam ring, and a movable sample collector mounted to the annular collection blade. The moveable sample collector is configured and operable for extracting a soil sample as the annular collection blade is rotated through the soil. The moveable sample collector in one embodiment comprises a piston mechanism including a cylinder and rod movably disposed therein which actuated by the annular cam ring to alternatingly open and close a collection end of the cylinder as the annular collection blade rotates through the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Dale Koch, Kent Levy, Matthew O'Neall, Reid Harman
  • Publication number: 20240377298
    Abstract: A system may analyze agricultural materials. The system may include one or more inlets receiving the agricultural materials. The agricultural materials may be a slurry (e.g., soil slurry) including at least one solid and at least one liquid. The system may include a chamber configured to house the agricultural materials. The chamber may include a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural materials. The system may include a flow control device configured to stop the flow of the agricultural materials in a first state, or move the flow of the agricultural materials in a second state. The system may include an agricultural materials density device configured to determine the density of the agricultural materials when the flow of the agricultural materials is stopped in the first state and when the flow of the agricultural materials is moving in the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Todd SWANSON, Kent LEVY, Reid HARMAN, Joshua SEELYE, Adam VACCARI, Riley LITWILLER, Dale M. KOCH
  • Patent number: 12104988
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Dale Koch, Kent Levy, Matthew O'Neall, Reid Harman, Timothy Schaefer, Adam Vaccari
  • Patent number: 12066359
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Dale Koch, Kent Levy, Matthew O'Neall, Hayden Splechter, Reid Harman, Timothy Schaefer, Adam Vaccari
  • Patent number: 12031996
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis sub-systems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Precision Planting LLC
    Inventors: Todd Swanson, Dale Koch, Kent Levy, Matthew O'Neall, Reid Harman, Timothy Schaefer, Adam Vaccari
  • Publication number: 20240210298
    Abstract: A system may analyze agricultural materials. The system may include one or more inlets receiving the agricultural materials. The agricultural materials may be a slurry (e.g., soil slurry) including at least one solid and at least one liquid. The system may include a chamber configured to house the agricultural materials. The chamber may include a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural materials. The system may include a flow control device configured to stop the flow of the agricultural materials in a first state, or move the flow of the agricultural materials in a second state. The system may include an agricultural materials density device configured to determine the density of the agricultural materials when the flow of the agricultural materials is stopped in the first state and when the flow of the agricultural materials is moving in the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Kent LEVY, Reid HARMAN, Joshua SEELYE, Adam VACCARI, Riley LITWILLER, Dale M. KOCH
  • Publication number: 20240210375
    Abstract: A system may analyze agricultural materials. The system may include one or more inlets receiving the agricultural materials. The agricultural materials may be a slurry (e.g., soil slurry) including at least one solid and at least one liquid. The system may include a chamber configured to house the agricultural materials. The chamber may include a mixing device configured to mix the agricultural materials. The system may include a flow control device configured to stop the flow of the agricultural materials in a first state, or move the flow of the agricultural materials in a second state. The system may include an agricultural materials density device configured to determine the density of the agricultural materials when the flow of the agricultural materials is stopped in the first state and when the flow of the agricultural materials is moving in the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Kent LEVY, Reid HARMAN, Joshua SEELYE, Adam VACCARI, Riley LITWILLER, Dale M. KOCH
  • Publication number: 20240207798
    Abstract: An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients are disclosed. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (e.g., mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventors: Kent Levy, Todd Swanson, Reid Harman, Dale M. Koch