Row unit for a seeding machine with pneumatic seed loading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11770997-B2
Application number	US-202217830139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2022
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

A row unit for a seeding machine includes a seed reservoir and a seed meter assembly having a metering member with a seed side facing the seed reservoir and a non-seed side opposite the seed side. The metering member is operable to selectively move seeds from the seed reservoir. A pump provides a pressure differential between the seed side and the non-seed side for adhering the seeds to the metering member. A conveyor has an inlet for receiving the seeds and an outlet configured to discharge the seeds from the seeding machine. The conveyor includes a belt movable from the inlet to the outlet. A pneumatic seed displacer includes a nozzle disposed adjacent the metering member for concentrating air. The nozzle is configured to eject the air towards the metering member for directing the seeds from the metering member to the conveyor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A row unit for a seeding machine, the row unit comprising:
a seed reservoir;
a seed metering member having opposing sides and a plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein one of the opposing sides is oriented to face the seed reservoir, the seed metering member operable to selectively move seeds from the seed reservoir;
a conveyor having an inlet for receiving seeds and an outlet for discharging seeds from the seeding machine, wherein the conveyor includes a belt movable from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the belt is one of a flighted and a brush belt;
an air source;
a pump in pneumatic communication with the air source and configured to generate a pressure differential across the plurality of apertures sufficient to adhere seeds to the one of the opposing sides such that, during operation of the row unit, at least one seed is at or adjacent to at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures; and
a pneumatic seed displacer including a nozzle in pneumatic communication with the air source, wherein the nozzle is disposed adjacent the metering member and configured to eject a stream of air in a direction from and including 0 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a surface of the other of the opposing sides of the seed metering member that at least partially forms the plurality of apertures, such that during operable rotation of the seed metering member, the stream of air is directed to move a seed from the metering member as the belt moves from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the nozzle is mounted on a rotatable hub.

2. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes an air knife.

3. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle extends at least partially through an aperture of the plurality of apertures.

4. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is disposed on the other of the opposing sides of the seed metering member.

5. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to eject air through each aperture of the plurality of apertures.

6. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the belt is a brush belt, and wherein the row unit is configured such that during the operable rotation of the seed metering member, the stream of air is directed to move a seed from the metering member into bristles of the brush belt as the brush belt moves from the inlet to the outlet.

7. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the belt is a flighted belt, and wherein the row unit is configured such that during the operable rotation of the seed metering member, the stream of air is directed to move a seed from the metering member into flights of the flighted belt as the flighted belt moves from the inlet to the outlet.

8. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the seed displacer further includes a conduit having a venturi for drawing the seeds away from the metering member.

9. The row unit of claim 8 , wherein the seed displacer further includes a fixed blade for mechanically guiding seeds from the seed metering member into the venturi.

10. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the seed metering member is a first seed metering member, wherein the plurality of apertures is a first plurality of apertures, and further including a second metering member having opposing sides and a second plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein the conveyor is disposed between the first and second metering members, wherein the pneumatic seed displacer is a first seed displacer, the nozzle is a first nozzle, and the stream of air is a first stream of air, and further including a second pneumatic seed displacer including a second nozzle, wherein the second nozzle is disposed adjacent the second metering member and configured to eject a second stream of air in a direction from and including 0 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a surface of the second seed metering member that at least partially forms the second plurality of apertures such that during operable rotation of the second seed metering member, the second stream of air is directed to move a seed from the second metering member as the belt moves from the inlet to the outlet.

11. A seeding assembly for a row unit for a seeding machine, the seeding assembly comprising:
a seed reservoir;
a seed metering member having opposing sides and a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, wherein one of the opposing sides is oriented to face the seed reservoir;
a conveyor having an inlet for receiving seeds and an outlet for discharging seeds, wherein the conveyor includes a belt movable from the inlet to the outlet; and
a seed displacer including a nozzle in pneumatic communication with a first air source and disposed adjacent the metering member and configured to eject a stream of air to one of the opposing sides of the seed metering member such that during operable rotation of the seed metering member the stream of air is directed to move a seed from the metering member as the belt moves from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the nozzle extends at least partially through an aperture of the plurality of apertures.

12. The seeding assembly of claim 11 , further including a pump in pneumatic communication with a second air source and configured to generate a pressure differential from the one of the opposing sides to the other of the opposing sides.

13. The seeding assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first air source is the same as the second air source.

14. The seeding assembly of claim 12 , wherein, during the operable rotation of the seed metering member, the pressure differential is sufficient to adhere seeds to the one of the opposing sides such that at least one seed is at or adjacent to at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures.

15. The seeding assembly of claim 11 , wherein the belt is a brush belt, and wherein the seeding assembly is configured such that during the operable rotation of the seed metering member, the stream of air is directed to move a seed from the seed metering member into bristles of the brush belt as the brush belt moves from the inlet to the outlet.

16. The seeding assembly of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle is configured such that during the operable rotation of the seed metering member the stream of air is directed in the form of pulsating puffs of air.

17. The seeding assembly of claim 16 , wherein the pulsating puffs of air are synchronized to the passing of each aperture of the plurality of apertures relative to the nozzle of the seed metering member.

18. The seeding assembly of claim 11 , wherein the nozzle is mounted on a rotatable hub.

19. A seeding conveyance assembly comprising:
a seed metering member having an axis of rotation and including a plurality of apertures extending axially from a first side of the seed metering member to a second side of the seed metering member;
a seed conveyor having an inlet for receiving seeds and an outlet for discharging seeds, wherein the seed conveyor includes a belt movable from the inlet to the outlet; and
an air conduit opening disposed adjacent the seed metering member and including a nozzle configured to eject a stream of air in the direction of one of the first and second sides of the seed metering member such that during operable rotation of the seed metering member and movement of the belt from the inlet to the outlet air is directed to move a seed from the metering member to the belt, wherein the nozzle is mounted on a rotatable hub.

20. The seeding conveyance assembly of claim 19 , wherein the nozzle extends at least partially through an aperture of the plurality of apertures.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Garner Elijah B
• Borkgren Stanley R
• Hubner Cary S
• Wolfs Beth A
• Frasier Michael E
• Migliorini Joseph W
• Helmick Kriss
• Felton Keith L
• Natarajan Kamalakannan

Classifications

• A01C7/0445

  Seed ejectors · CPC title

• A01C7/046

  with perforated seeding discs · CPC title

• A01C7/20 Primary

  Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed · CPC title

• A01C7/206

  Seed pipes · CPC title

• A01C7/16

  Seeders with other distributing devices, e.g. brushes, discs, screws or slides · CPC title