Seed meter singulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10827670-B2
Application number	US-201815995548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2018
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A seed meter includes a meter housing having a first chamber for seeds and a second chamber. A seed disk is rotatably supported within the meter housing and has a first side and a second side. The first side is exposed to the first chamber and the second side is exposed to the second chamber. The seed disk includes a plurality of seed openings that extend between the first and second sides at a predetermined radial position. A singulator is positioned against the first side of the seed disk and has at least one structure for removing excess seeds from the seed openings as the seed meter disk rotates relative to the singulator. A radial position of the singulator is controlled at least in part by a hub portion of the seed meter. A biasing spring is positioned to exert an axially-oriented bias force pressing the singulator against the first side of the seed meter disk.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seed meter for installation in a planting unit of a seeding machine, the seed meter comprising:
a meter housing having therein a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein a seed inlet is coupled to the first chamber;
a seed meter disk having a first side and a second side, the first side exposed to the first chamber and the second side exposed to the second chamber, wherein the seed meter disk includes a plurality of seed openings that extend between the first and second sides at a predetermined radial position, and wherein the seed meter disk includes a plurality of agitation recesses formed in the first side at a predetermined radial position adjacent that of the plurality of seed openings; and
a singulator positioned against the first side of the seed meter disk and having at least one structure for removing excess seeds from the plurality of seed openings as the seed meter disk rotates relative to the singulator,
wherein the at least one structure for removing excess seeds defines an overlying area that overlies the predetermined radial position of the plurality of agitation recesses and is chamfered for clearance in the overlying area.

2. The seed meter of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing spring positioned to exert an axially-oriented bias force pressing the singulator against the first side of the seed meter disk, wherein the biasing spring defines disparate locations of contact with the singulator, and wherein the biasing spring is secured to the meter housing, and a portion of the biasing spring defines a snap fit with the singulator so that the singulator is retained in position with respect to the meter housing without a direct connection thereto.

3. The seed meter of claim 1 , wherein the singulator defines an anti-rotation abutment surface in abutment with the meter housing.

4. The seed meter of claim 1 , wherein the disparate locations of contact include a first location of contact located along a rotational axis of the seed meter disk.

5. The seed meter of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined radial position of the plurality of agitation recesses is radially inward of the plurality of seed openings.

6. The seed meter of claim 1 , wherein the singulator includes a radially inboard singulating knife that extend radially inward toward a path defined by the plurality of seed openings and a radially outboard singulating knife that extends radially inward toward the path defined by the plurality of seed openings, and wherein the radially outboard singulating knife is the at least one structure for removing excess seeds.

7. The seed meter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structure for removing excess seeds from the plurality of seed openings is one of a knife or a brush.

8. A seed meter for installation in a planting unit of a seeding machine, the seed meter comprising:
a meter housing having therein a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein a seed inlet is coupled to the first chamber;
a seed meter disk having a first side and a second side, the first side exposed to the first chamber and the second side exposed to the second chamber, wherein the seed meter disk includes a plurality of seed openings that extend between the first and second sides at a predetermined radial position, and wherein the seed meter disk includes a plurality of agitation recesses formed in the first side at a predetermined radial position adjacent that of the plurality of seed openings; and
a singulator positioned against the first side of the seed meter disk and having at least one knife edge for removing excess seeds from the plurality of seed openings as the seed meter disk rotates in a rotation direction relative to the singulator, wherein the singulator further includes a brush having bristles extending toward the first side of the seed meter disk at a trailing end of the singulator with respect to the rotation direction of the seed meter disk.

9. The seed meter of claim 8 , further comprising a biasing spring positioned to exert an axially-oriented bias force pressing the singulator against the first side of the seed meter disk, wherein the biasing spring defines disparate locations of contact with the singulator, and wherein the biasing spring is secured to the meter housing, and a portion of the biasing spring defines a snap fit with the singulator so that the singulator is retained in position with respect to the meter housing without a direct connection thereto.

10. The seed meter of claim 8 , wherein the singulator defines an anti-rotation abutment surface in abutment with the meter housing.

11. The seed meter of claim 9 , wherein the disparate locations of contact include a first location of contact located along a rotational axis of the seed meter disk.

12. The seed meter of claim 8 , wherein the brush includes a stepped shape in which the distal end of the brush is spaced from the seed meter disk at the predetermined radial position of the plurality of seed openings.

13. The seed meter of claim 12 , wherein the brush is spaced closer to the seed meter disk at the predetermined radial position of the plurality of agitation recesses than at the predetermined radial position of the plurality of seed openings.

14. The seed meter of claim 8 , wherein the singulator includes a brush mounting receptacle having opposed prongs arranged to grip the brush.

15. A seed meter for installation in a planting unit of a seeding machine, the seed meter comprising:
a meter housing having therein a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein a seed inlet is coupled to the first chamber;
a seed meter disk having a first side and a second side, the first side exposed to the first chamber and the second side exposed to the second chamber, wherein the seed meter disk includes a plurality of seed openings that extend between the first and second sides at a predetermined radial position, and wherein the seed meter disk includes a plurality of agitation recesses formed in the first side at a predetermined radial position adjacent that of the plurality of seed openings; and
a singulator positioned against the first side of the seed meter disk and having at least one structure for removing excess seeds from the plurality of seed openings as the seed meter disk rotates relative to the singulator, wherein the singulator defines an anti-rotation abutment surface in abutment with the meter housing to inhibit rotation of the singulator as the seed meter disk rotates against the singulator, wherein the singulator is retained with respect to the meter housing without a direct connection to the meter housing.

16. The seed meter of claim 15 , further comprising a biasing spring positioned to exert an axially-oriented bias force pressing the singulator against the first side of the seed meter disk, wherein the biasing spring defines disparate locations of contact with the singulator, and wherein the biasing spring is secured to the meter housing, and a portion of the biasing spring defines a snap fit with the singulator so that the singulator is retained in position with respect to the meter housing without a direct connection thereto.

17. The seed meter of claim 16 , wherein the disparate locations of contact include a first location of contact located along a rotational axis of the seed meter disk.

18. The seed meter of claim 15 , wherein an interior wall of the meter housing projects into the first chamber, and wherein the anti-rotation abutment surface is in abutment with the interior wall to inhibit rotation of the singulator as the seed meter disk rotates again

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Garner Elijah B
• Wolfs Beth A
• Borkgren Stanley R
• Dhobale Dnyanesh

Classifications

• A01C7/046

  with perforated seeding discs · CPC title

• A01C7/0443 Primary

  Seed singulators · CPC title

• A01C7/105 Primary

  Seed sensors · CPC title

• A01C19/02

  by a motor · CPC title

• A01C7/082

  Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders · CPC title