Strip tillage device

Abstract

A tillage device includes a soil disruptor configured to couple to an agricultural implement. The soil disruptor is sized and shaped to create a soil disruption in a target soil profile beneath a soil surface without tilling the soil surface when the soil disruptor is moved through the target soil profile by the agricultural implement.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A tillage device, comprising:
 a transverse blade configured for coupling with a shank at a shank connection, the transverse blade including:
 a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface meet at a leading edge, and 
 a center portion proximate the shank connection, wherein:
 the shank is configured to extend upward from the top surface; 
 the bottom surface is tapered away from the leading edge in a downward direction to create a soil disruption in the downward direction; 
 the bottom surface includes a first face and a second face; and 
 wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the transverse blade to create an outward soil disruption from the blade when the blade is pulled through a soil profile. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The tillage device of  claim 2 , wherein the top surface is tapered away from the leading edge in an upward direction to create a soil disruption in the upward direction. 
     
     
         4 . The tillage device of  claim 2 , wherein the leading edge includes a first swept-back portion and a second swept-back portion. 
     
     
         5 . The tillage device of  claim 4 , wherein the top surface includes:
 a first face;   a second face;   wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the transverse blade to displace soil outward from the blade when the blade is pulled through a soil profile.   
     
     
         6 . The tillage device of  claim 5 , wherein the tillage device is symmetrical around a. plane defined by the leading edge. 
     
     
         7 . The tillage device of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second swept-back portions are symmetrically swept back at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 20 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The tillage device of  claim 2 , wherein the transverse blade is configured to create a V-shaped soil disruption. 
     
     
         9 . The tillage device of  claim 2 , further comprising a receptacle for crop-enhancing product, wherein the receptacle is positioned in a chamber between the top surface and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         10 . The tillage device of  claim 2 , wherein the transverse blade is both tapered and swept back from the leading edge, and tapers away from the center portion. 
     
     
         11 . A tillage device comprising:
 a shank;   a transverse blade coupled to the shank, the transverse blade including:
 a leading edge configured to move through a soil; 
 a top portion extending backward and upward from the leading edge, 
   wherein the top portion is configured to create a soil disruption above the leading edge;
 a bottom portion extending backward and downward from the leading edge, wherein: 
 the bottom portion is configured to create a soil disruption below the leading edge; 
 the bottom portion includes:
 a first lateral surface; 
 a second lateral surface; and 
 wherein the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface each face forward and downward to create an angled soil disruption below the leading edge. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The tillage device of  claim 11 , wherein the leading edge has first and second edge portions that are swept back from a center portion of the transverse blade. 
     
     
         13 . The tillage device of  claim 12 , wherein the tillage device is symmetrical around a plane defined by the leading edge. 
     
     
         14 . The tillage device of  claim 11 , wherein the top portion includes:
 a third lateral surface;   a fourth lateral surface; and   wherein the third lateral surface and the fourth lateral surface each face forward and downward to create an angled soil disruption above the leading edge.   
     
     
         15 . The tillage device of  claim 11 , wherein the first lateral surface is planar. 
     
     
         16 . The tillage device of  claim 11 , wherein the first lateral surface is curved. 
     
     
         17 . The tillage device of  claim 11 , further comprising a receptacle for crop-enhancing product, wherein the receptacle is positioned in a chamber between the top surface and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         18 . A tillage device, comprising:
 a shank;   a first transverse blade coupled to the shank, the transverse blade including:
 a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface meet at a leading edge; and 
 a center portion proximate a connection point of the shank; and 
 wherein:
 the shank is configured to extend upward from the top surface; 
 the bottom surface is tapered away from the leading edge in a down ward direction to create a soil disruption in the downward direction; and 
 the bottom surface includes:
 a first face; 
 a second face; and 
 wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the first transverse blade to create an outward soil disruption from the first transverse blade when the first transverse blade is pulled through a soil profile; and 
 
 
   a second transverse blade coupled to the shank below the first transverse blade.   
     
     
         19 . The tillage device of  claim 18 , wherein the top surface of the first transverse blade includes:
 a third face;   a fourth face;   wherein the third face and the fourth face are angled outward away from the center portion of the transverse blade to displace soil outward from the blade when the blade is pulled through a soil profile.   
     
     
         20 . The tillage device of  claim 18 , wherein the tillage device is symmetrical around a plane defined by the leading edge to create balanced forces above and below the fracture blade. 
     
     
         21 . The tillage device of  claim 18 , wherein the second transverse blade coupled includes:
 a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface and the bottom surface meet at a leading edge; and   a center portion proximate a connection point of the shank; and   wherein:   the shank is configured to extend upward from the top surface;   the bottom surface is tapered away from the leading edge in a downward direction to create a soil disruption in the downward direction; and   the bottom surface includes:
 a first face; 
 a second face; and 
 wherein the first face and the second face are angled outward away from the center portion of the first transverse blade to create an outward soil disruption from the first transverse blade when the first transverse blade is pulled through a soil profile