Seeding machine with seed delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10004173-B2
Application number	US-201715674122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2017
Priority date	Feb 2, 2009
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A seed delivery system for use in a seeding or planting machine that removes the seed from a seed meter by capturing the seed therefrom. The delivery system then moves the seed down to a lower discharge point and accelerates the seed horizontally rearward to a speed approximately equal to the forward travel speed of the seeding machine such that the seed, when discharged has a low or zero horizontal velocity relative to the ground. Rolling of the seed in the trench is thus reduced. Furthermore, as the seed only has a short drop from the outlet to the bottom of the seed trench, the seed has little vertical speed to induce bounce. The delivery system uses a brush belt to capture, move and accelerate the seed. By capturing the seed and moving it from the meter to the discharge, the seed is held in place relative to other seeds and the planter row unit. As a result, the seeds are isolated from row unit dynamics thereby maintaining seed spacing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seeding machine, comprising:
a seed metering system;
a seed transfer device positioned adjacent to the seed metering system;
a seed delivery system comprising a housing having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening located proximal to the seed transfer device through which seed is transferred from the seed metering system into the seed delivery system, and the second opening located distal of the seed transfer device through which seed is discharged from the seed delivery system; and
an endless member of the seed delivery system movable within the housing to receive the seed at the first opening and transport the seed to the second opening;
wherein the seed transfer device transfers seed from the seed metering system to the seed delivery system through the first opening of the seed delivery system.

2. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an elongated side wall that defines the first and second openings.

3. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the first opening is defined in an upper portion of the housing and the second opening is defined in a lower portion of the housing.

4. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the housing forms a ramp at the second opening along which the seed is discharged from the seed delivery system.

5. The seeding machine of claim 4 , wherein the seed is transported by the endless member in a direction from the first opening to the second opening substantially perpendicular to the ramp formed at the second opening.

6. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed transfer device comprises a wheel.

7. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed transfer device is rotatable about a first axis and the seed metering system is rotatable about a second axis, the first and second axes being offset from but parallel to one another.

8. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed metering system comprises a seed metering disk that is rotatable about a first axis in a first rotational direction, the seed transfer device is rotatable about a second axis in a second rotational direction, and the endless member moves about at least one pulley which is rotatable about a third axis in a third rotational direction, wherein the first and second rotational directions are the same but opposite of the third rotational direction.

9. The seeding machine of claim 8 , wherein the first axis, the second axis and the third axis are offset from but parallel to one another.

10. The seeding machine of claim 8 , wherein the first axis and the third axis are not parallel to one another.

11. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the endless member comprises a belt that is rotatably driven by at least one pulley.

12. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed transfer device comprises a surface that contacts the seed and directs the seed through the first opening onto the endless member.

13. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed metering system comprises a plurality of apertures through which an air differential is applied for maintaining seed thereon, the seed metering system being movable to convey seed to the seed transfer device.

14. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the seed travels along a seed path defined between the seed metering system and the second opening of the seed delivery system, wherein the seed transfer device is located upstream of the first opening along the seed path.

15. The seeding machine of claim 14 , wherein the seed transfer device is positioned along the seed path between the seed metering system and the endless member.

16. The seeding machine of claim 1 , wherein the endless member travels about a first curved path at an upper portion of the housing and about a second curved path at a lower portion of the housing, wherein the first opening is positioned along the first curved path and the second opening is positioned along the second curved path.

17. A row unit of a planter configured to move in a travel direction while planting seed, comprising:
a seed hopper for holding a plurality of seeds;
a seed metering system including a seed metering device for receiving seed from the seed hopper;
a seed delivery system comprising a housing defining a first opening and a second opening, the first opening located proximal to the seed metering system through which seed is transferred into the seed delivery system, and the second opening located distal of the seed metering system through which seed is discharged from the seed delivery system for planting in a furrow;
an endless member of the seed delivery system movable within the housing to receive the seed at the first opening and transport the seed to the second opening; and
a seed transfer device disposed adjacent to the first opening for transferring seed from the seed metering system to the seed delivery system through the first opening of the seed delivery system.

18. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein:
the housing comprises an elongated side wall that defines the first opening in an upper portion of the housing and the second opening in a lower portion of the housing; and
the housing forms a ramp at the second opening along which the seed is discharged from the seed delivery system in a direction substantially opposite of the travel direction.

19. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein:
the seed metering system comprises a disk having a plurality of apertures through which an air differential is applied for maintaining seed thereon, the disk being rotatable to transport seed to the seed transfer device; and
the seed transfer device comprises a rotatable wheel for transferring seed from one of the plurality of apertures through the first opening to the endless member.

20. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein:
the seed transfer device comprises a wheel rotatable about a first axis; and
the seed metering system is rotatable about a second axis, the first and second axes being offset from but parallel to one another.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Garner Elijah B
• Thiemke Daniel B
• Rylander David J
• Mariman Nathan A
• Friestad Michael E

Classifications

• A01C7/20

  Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed · CPC title

• A01C7/127 Primary

  Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts · CPC title

• A01C7/125

  with bottom delivery of the seeds · CPC title

• A01C21/00

  Methods of fertilising {, sowing or planting} · CPC title

• A01C7/04

  Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices · CPC title