Agricultural metering system having meter roller sleeves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10834867-B2
Application number	US-201816182217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2011
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

An agricultural metering system includes multiple meter boxes and multiple meter rollers, in which each meter roller is disposed in a respective meter box. The agricultural metering system also includes multiple meter roller sleeves, in which each meter roller sleeve is disposed about a respective meter roller, and each meter roller sleeve is configured to move relative to the respective meter roller to selectively cover a first portion of the respective meter roller and a second portion of the respective meter roller. In addition, the agricultural metering system includes a control bar coupled to the meter roller sleeves. The control bar is configured to collectively move the meter roller sleeves relative to the meter rollers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An agricultural metering system, comprising:
a plurality of meter boxes;
a plurality of meter rollers, wherein each meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers is disposed in a respective meter box of the plurality of meter boxes;
a corresponding plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is disposed about a respective meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers, and each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is configured to move relative to the respective meter roller along a longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller to selectively cover a first portion of the respective meter roller during operation of the agricultural metering system and a second portion of the respective meter roller, larger than the first portion, during operation of the agricultural metering system; and
a control bar coupled to the plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein the control bar is configured to collectively move the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the plurality of meter rollers along the respective longitudinal axes of the plurality of meter rollers.

2. The agricultural metering system of claim 1 , wherein each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is configured to move independently relative to the respective meter roller along the longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller.

3. The agricultural metering system of claim 2 , comprising an adjustment assembly extending between each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves and the control bar, wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to independently move each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the respective meter roller along the longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller.

4. The agricultural metering system of claim 3 , wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to independently move each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the respective meter roller along the longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller via rotation of the meter roller sleeve.

5. The agricultural metering system of claim 1 , comprising an actuator coupled to the control bar, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the control bar to move the plurality of meter roller sleeves.

6. The agricultural metering system of claim 1 , wherein at least one meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers is configured to provide a product flow rate that varies non-linearly as a function of coverage by a respective meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves.

7. The agricultural metering system of claim 1 , wherein at least one meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is disposed about an entire circumference of the respective meter roller.

8. An agricultural metering system, comprising:
a plurality of meter boxes;
a plurality of meter rollers, wherein each meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers is disposed in a respective meter box of the plurality of meter boxes;
a corresponding plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is disposed about a respective meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers, and each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is configured to move relative to the respective meter roller along a longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller to cover a selected portion of the respective meter roller; and
a control bar coupled to the plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein the control bar is configured to collectively move the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the plurality of meter rollers along the respective longitudinal axes of the plurality of meter rollers.

9. The agricultural metering system of claim 8 , wherein each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is configured to move independently relative to the respective meter roller along the longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller.

10. The agricultural metering system of claim 9 , comprising an adjustment assembly coupled to each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to independently move each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the respective meter roller along the longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller.

11. The agricultural metering system of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to independently move each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the respective meter roller along the longitudinal axis of the respective meter roller via rotation of the meter roller sleeve.

12. The agricultural metering system of claim 8 , wherein at least one meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers is configured to provide a product flow rate that varies non-linearly as a function of coverage by a respective meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves.

13. The agricultural metering system of claim 8 , wherein at least one meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is disposed about an entire circumference of the respective meter roller.

14. An agricultural metering system, comprising:
a plurality of meter boxes;
a plurality of meter rollers, wherein each meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers is disposed in a respective meter box of the plurality of meter boxes;
a corresponding plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is disposed about a respective meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers, and each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is configured to move relative to the respective meter roller to cover a selected portion of the respective meter roller;
a control bar coupled to the plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein the control bar is configured to collectively move the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the plurality of meter rollers; and
an actuator coupled to the control bar, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the control bar to move the plurality of meter roller sleeves.

15. The agricultural metering system of claim 14 , wherein each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is configured to move independently relative to the respective meter roller.

16. The agricultural metering system of claim 15 , comprising an adjustment assembly coupled to each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves, wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to independently move each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the respective meter roller.

17. The agricultural metering system of claim 16 , wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to independently move each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves relative to the respective meter roller via rotation of the meter roller sleeve.

18. The agricultural metering system of claim 14 , wherein at least one meter roller of the plurality of meter rollers is configured to provide a product flow rate that varies non-linearly as a function of coverage by a respective meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves.

19. The agricultural metering system of claim 14 , wherein each meter roller sleeve of the plurality of meter roller sleeves is configured

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Kowalchuk Trevor Lawrence
• Turner Jack Donald
• Engel Gordon Anthony

Classifications

• A01C19/02

  by a motor · CPC title

• A01C7/081

  Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01C7/082

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

• A01C7/163

  Gravity distributors · CPC title

• A01C7/126

  Stubbed rollers or wheels · CPC title