Brush belt for seed delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12369516-B2
Application number	US-202418422940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2024
Priority date	Apr 1, 2020
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A brush belt includes a base member having a drive surface configured to engage a drive member and a mounting surface opposite the drive surface, the mounting surface having a longitudinal axis, a first edge, and second edge, the first edge and the second edge being positioned on opposite sides of the mounting surface and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of bristles, each bristle having a first end that is proximal to the mounting surface and a second end distal thereto, the second ends of the bristles collectively defining an undulating surface profile relative to the mounting surface when viewed parallel to the mounting surface and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis from either the first edge or the second edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A delivery system for a seed meter, the delivery system comprising:
a drive pulley including a plurality of pulley teeth and a plurality of pulley grooves, teeth of the plurality of pulley teeth alternating with grooves of the plurality of pulley grooves about a periphery of the drive pulley; and
a brush belt including
a base member having a longitudinal axis, a mounting surface, and a traction surface having a plurality of traction teeth and a plurality of traction grooves, teeth of the plurality of traction teeth alternating with grooves of the plurality of traction grooves along the longitudinal axis, wherein rotation of the drive pulley causes each tooth of the plurality of pulley teeth to engage one groove of the plurality of traction grooves, wherein the base member extends along a base member width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and each traction tooth extends across a portion of the base member width along a traction tooth width, the traction tooth width being less than the base member width, and
a plurality of bristles extending from the mounting surface, each bristle of the plurality of bristles having a first end proximal to the mounting surface and a second end distal thereto, the second ends of the plurality of bristles collectively presenting a continuous bristle surface.

2. The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of pulley teeth is a first plurality of pulley teeth and the plurality of traction teeth is a first plurality of traction teeth,
the drive pulley further includes a second plurality of pulley teeth and a second plurality of pulley grooves, teeth of the second plurality of pulley teeth alternating with grooves of the second plurality of pulley grooves about a periphery of the drive pulley, and
the traction surface includes a second plurality of traction teeth and a second plurality of traction grooves, teeth of the second plurality of traction teeth alternating with grooves of the second plurality of traction grooves along the longitudinal axis, wherein rotation of the drive pulley causes each tooth of the second plurality of pulley teeth to engage one groove of the second plurality of traction grooves.

3. The delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the base member includes a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, the first plurality of traction teeth extends along the first side of the base member and the second plurality of traction teeth extends along the second side of the base member.

4. The delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of traction teeth and the second plurality of traction teeth are positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, and wherein the plurality of bristles include first bristles each having a first cross-sectional dimension and second bristles each having a second cross-sectional dimension less than the first cross-sectional dimension.

5. The delivery system of claim 2 , wherein the base member includes a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, each tooth of the first plurality of traction teeth is aligned with a corresponding tooth of the second plurality of traction teeth along a common axis that extends between the first side and the second side of the base member and that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

6. The delivery system of claim 2 , wherein each traction tooth defines a first length extending along the longitudinal axis of the base member and each traction groove defines a second length extending along the longitudinal axis of the base member, the first length being substantially similar to the second length, and wherein each tooth of the first plurality of traction teeth is spaced apart from a corresponding tooth of the second plurality of traction teeth in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

7. The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein each traction tooth defines a first length extending along the longitudinal axis of the base member and each traction groove defines a second length extending along the longitudinal axis of the base member, the first length being substantially similar to the second length, and wherein each tooth of the first plurality of traction teeth is spaced apart from a corresponding tooth of the second plurality of traction teeth in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

8. A brush belt configured for use with a delivery system including a drive pulley having a plurality of pulley teeth and a plurality of pulley grooves, teeth of the plurality of pulley teeth alternating with grooves of the plurality of pulley grooves about a circumference of the drive pulley, the brush belt comprising:
a base member having a longitudinal axis, a mounting surface, and a traction surface having a plurality of traction teeth, wherein each tooth of the plurality of traction teeth is configured to engage one groove of the plurality of pulley grooves during rotation of the drive pulley, wherein each traction tooth defines a first length extending along the longitudinal axis of the base member and each traction groove defines a second length extending along the longitudinal axis of the base member, the first length being substantially similar to the second length; and
a plurality of bristles, each bristle of the plurality of bristles having a first end proximal to the mounting surface and a second end distal thereto, the second ends of the plurality of bristles collectively presenting a continuous bristle surface.

9. The brush belt of claim 8 , wherein the base member extends along a base member width perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and each traction tooth extends across a portion of the base member width along a traction tooth width, the traction tooth width being less than the base member width.

10. The brush belt of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of traction teeth is a first plurality of traction teeth, and wherein the traction surface further includes a second plurality of traction teeth, and wherein the base member includes a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, the first plurality of traction teeth extends along the first side of the base member and the second plurality of traction teeth extends along the second side of the base member.

11. The delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of traction teeth is a first plurality of traction teeth, and wherein the traction surface further includes a second plurality of traction teeth, and wherein the first plurality of traction teeth and the second plurality of traction teeth are positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.

12. The delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of traction teeth is a first plurality of traction teeth, and wherein the traction surface further includes a second plurality of traction teeth, and wherein the base member includes a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, each tooth of the first plurality of traction teeth is aligned with a corresponding tooth of the second plurality of traction teeth along a common axis that extends between the first side and the second side of the base member and that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

13. The delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of traction teeth is a first plurality of traction teeth, and wherein the traction surface further includes a second plurality of traction teeth, and wherein each tooth of the first plur

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Godart Luc
• Beauneveu Patrick
• Berthonneau Bruno
• Dole Damien

Classifications

• A01C7/046

  with perforated seeding discs · CPC title

• A01C7/04

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

• B65G15/42

  having ribs, ridges, or other surface projections · CPC title

• A01C7/20

  Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed · CPC title

• A46B2200/405

  Brush used for purposes that are not conventional brushing, e.g. holder or support · CPC title