Dual-seed metering device, system, and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10028427-B2
Application number	US-201514687767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2015
Priority date	Apr 15, 2014
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A seed meter comprising a housing including one or more air inlets for receiving pressurized air into the housing. The seed meter additionally includes a first metering disc and a second metering disc, each rotatably received in the housing. Each of the first and second metering discs comprises seed pockets for receiving seeds therein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seed meter comprising:
a housing including a first air inlet and a second air inlet for receiving air into said housing, wherein said first air inlet is located on a first side of said housing and said second air inlet is located on a second side of said housing;
a first metering disc and a second metering disc, each rotatably received in said housing, wherein said first and second metering discs are received within said housing between said first and second air inlets, such that said first metering disc faces said first air inlet and said second metering disc faces said second air inlet;
a drive assembly for rotating said first metering disc and said second metering disc,
wherein said first and second metering discs are independently rotatable about a common rotational axis presented by said drive assembly, wherein said drive assembly comprises an outer axle configured to rotate said first metering disc and an inner axle configured to rotate said second metering disc, wherein said inner axle is at least partially received within said outer axle,
wherein each of said first and second metering discs comprises seed pockets for receiving seeds therein;
a first seed inlet and a second seed inlet, wherein said first seed inlet is located on the first side of said housing and said second seed inlet is located on the second side of said housing; and
a pressure differential device for producing an air-pressure differential, via said first and second air inlets, between an interior of said housing and an exterior of said housing.

2. The seed meter of claim 1 , wherein said pressure differential device comprises an air pump.

3. The seed meter of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes seed pool cavities between the first side of said housing and said first metering disc and between the second side of said housing and said second metering disc, wherein said seed pool cavities are configured to receive seeds from said first and/or second seed inlets.

4. The seed meter of claim 3 , wherein said drive assembly further includes first and second drive components, wherein said drive assembly is configured such that a rotation of said first drive component causes a corresponding rotation of said first metering disc and a rotation of said second drive component causes a corresponding rotation of said second metering disc.

5. The seed meter of claim 4 , further comprising a control system for controlling the drive assembly, so as to be operable to selectively rotate said first metering disc and said second metering disc.

6. The seed meter of claim 5 , wherein said control system includes a manual control input.

7. The seed meter of claim 5 , wherein said control system includes an automated control input based on a global positioning system input corresponding to a position of the seed meter.

8. The seed meter of claim 4 , wherein each of said seed pockets is configured to pick up at least one seed therein as the seed pocket rotates through the seed pool cavities.

9. The seed meter of claim 8 , wherein seeds are configured to be retained within the seed pockets by the air-pressure differential created by said pressure differential device.

10. The seed meter of claim 8 , further comprising a dispensing tube for receiving seeds from said seed pockets and dispensing the seeds from said seed meter.

11. A seed planting machine comprising:
a frame configured to be transported by a tractor;
one or more seed bins configured to hold at least a first seed type and a second seed type;
a plurality of dual-seed meters secured to said frame, wherein each of said dual-seed meters is configured to dispense the first seed type and the second seed type from a single dispensing tube into a single row within a field,
wherein each of said dual-seed meters includes a housing including a first air inlet and a second air inlet for receiving air into said housing, wherein said first air inlet is located on a first side of said housing and said second air inlet is located on a second side of said housing,
wherein each of said dual-seed meters includes a first metering disc for dispensing the first type of seed and a second metering disc for dispensing the second type of seed, with each metering disc rotatably received in said housing of its respective dual seed meter, wherein said first and second metering discs of each dual-seed meter are received within said housing between said first and second air inlets of said housing, such that said first metering disc faces said first air inlet of said housing and said second metering disc faces said second air inlet of said housing, wherein each of said first and second metering discs of said dual-seed meters comprises seed pockets for receiving seeds therein;
a drive assembly for rotating said first metering disc and said second metering disc,
wherein said first and second metering discs are independently rotatable about a common rotational axis presented by said drive assembly, wherein said drive assembly comprises an outer axle configured to rotate said first metering disc and an inner axle configured to rotate said second metering disc, wherein said inner axle is at least partially received within said outer axle,
wherein each of said dual-seed meters includes a first seed inlet and a second seed inlet, wherein said first seed inlet is located on the first side of said housing of said dual seed meter and said second seed inlet is located on the second side of said housing of said dual seed meter; and
a pressure differential device for producing an air-pressure differential between an interior and an exterior of said housing of each dual-seed meter, with the air-pressure differential for each dual-seed meter being produced through said first and second air inlets of said housing of said dual-seed meter.

12. The seed planting machine of claim 11 , further comprising a seed transportation system for transporting the first and second types of seeds to each of the dual-seed meters from the one or more seed bins.

13. The seed meter of claim 12 , wherein the seed transportation system comprises a plurality of conduits connecting the one or more seed bins to each of the dual-seed meters.

14. The seed planting machine of claim 11 , wherein said pressure differential devices is part of a pneumatic system for providing pressurized air to each of the dual-seed meters.

15. The seed planting machine of claim 14 , wherein the pneumatic system further comprises a plurality of conduits connecting the pressure differential device to each of the dual-seed meters.

16. The seed planting machine of claim 11 , further comprising power generation system for providing rotary power to each of the dual-seed meters, wherein each of the dual-seed meters include a first drive component and a second drive component configured to be selectively rotated via the power generation system, wherein when the first drive component is rotated the dual-seed meter is configured to dispense the first type of seed, and wherein when the second drive component is rotated the dual-seed meter is configured to dispense the second type of seed.

17. The seed planting machine of claim 16 , further comprising a control system for selectively causing each of the dual-seed meters to either dispense a first type of seed or a second type of seed based on a position of the seed planting machine.

18. A seed planting machine comprising:
a frame configured to be transported by a tractor;
a first seed bin configured to hold at least a first seed type and a second seed bin configur

Assignees

• Great Plains Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Arnett Gregory W
• Galle Paul

Classifications

• A01C21/005

  Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern · CPC title

• A01C19/02

  by a motor · CPC title

• A01C7/046 Primary

  with perforated seeding discs · CPC title

• A01C7/044

  Pneumatic seed wheels · CPC title

• A01C7/0443

  Seed singulators · CPC title