Commodity delivery field debris guard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12369518-B2
Application number	US-202117459236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2021
Priority date	Aug 27, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A commodity debris guard for a commodity delivery apparatus may comprise a debris guard configured to mitigate debris from engaging with an endless member. The debris guard may comprise a first debris guard operably connected to a housing. The first debris guard may comprise a base and upwardly extending side portions. The first debris guard may be configured to mitigate debris from contacting an endless member positioned at least partially within the housing. A second debris guard may be operably connected to the housing and disposed forward and below the first debris guard. The second debris guard may be configured to mitigate debris from contacting the endless member comprising. The second debris guard may comprise a base, upwardly extending side portions, and an extension portion configured to channel commodity as it exits the extension member to an associated furrow of an underlying surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A commodity debris guard for a commodity delivery apparatus for transferring a commodity to a furrow, the commodity debris guard comprising:
a first debris guard operably connected to a support member and configured to mitigate debris from contacting an endless member positioned at least partially within a housing of the support member, the first debris guard comprising a base configured to face a rear of the endless member and upwardly extending side portions configured to cover sides of the endless member, the housing having a first opening through which commodity is received and a second opening through which commodity exits;
a second debris guard operably connected to the support member and disposed forward and below the first debris guard, the second debris guard configured to mitigate debris from contacting the endless member, the second debris guard comprising:
a first end and a second end oppositely disposed from the first end comprising a base section therebetween configured to face a front of the endless member;
upwardly extending side portions proximate the second end configured to cover sides of the endless member; and
an extension member formed by the base section and upwardly extending side portions configured to channel commodity as it exits the extension member to an associated furrow of an underlying surface, the extension member comprising one or more of:
an extension portion configured to extend substantially along a tangent line extending from the second opening; and
a drop down body comprising the tangent line and a drop down line extending along a length of the drop down body forming a drop down angle α therebetween, the drop down angle being from about zero degrees to about thirty degrees.

2. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the drop down angle α is about ten degrees.

3. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises a ramp angle θ, wherein the drop down angle α increases from about zero degrees to about thirty degrees as the ramp angle θ decreases.

4. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the endless member is a brush belt.

5. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the endless member is a flighted belt.

6. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the endless member is a conveyor belt.

7. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the support member further comprises:
a first side;
a second side oppositely disposed from the first side;
a rear edge wall operably connecting the first side and the second side; and
a front edge wall operably connecting the first side and the second side.

8. The commodity debris guard of claim 7 , wherein the first debris guard comprises an upper substantially linear portion and a lower curved portion, the upper substantially linear portion and the lower curved portion each comprising the base and the upwardly extending sidewalls, the base being proximate the endless member and one upwardly extending sidewall being proximate the first side of the housing and the other upwardly extending sidewall being proximate the second side of the housing.

9. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the second debris guard comprises an upper substantially linear portion and a lower curved portion, the lower curved portion operably connected to the extension member, the upwardly extending side portions having an upper edge at the extension member, the upper edge of the extension member abutting a lower edge of a lower curved portion of the first debris guard.

10. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the extension portion comprises a cross section profile, the cross section profile being one of a parabola, one more undulating contours, a triangle, a w-shape, a square, a rectangle, a curve, or semi-circular.

11. The commodity debris guard of claim 1 , wherein the second debris guard further comprises an extension member configured to channel commodity as it exits the extension member to an associated furrow of an underlying surface.

12. The commodity debris guard of claim 11 , wherein the extension member further comprises an extension portion configured to extend substantially along a tangent line extending from an opening configured to discharge commodity from the housing.

13. The commodity debris guard of claim 11 , wherein the extension portion comprises a cross section profile, the cross section profile being one of a parabola, one more undulating contours, a triangle, a w-shape, a square, a rectangle, a curve, or semi-circular.

14. A commodity debris guard for a commodity delivery apparatus for transferring a commodity to a furrow, the commodity debris guard comprising:
a first debris guard operably connected to a support member, the first debris guard comprising a base and upwardly extending side portions extending from the base, the first debris guard configured to mitigate debris from contacting an endless member positioned at least partially within a housing of the support member; and
a second debris guard operably connected to the support member and disposed forward and below the first debris guard, the second debris guard configured to mitigate debris from contacting the endless member, the second debris guard comprising a base and upwardly extending side portions extending from the base,
wherein upper edges of the upwardly extending side portions of the second debris guard abut respective lower edges of the upwardly extending side portions of the first debris guard.

15. The commodity debris guard of claim 14 , wherein the second debris guard further comprises a drop down body comprising a tangent line and a drop down line forming a drop down angle α therebetween, the drop down angle α being from about zero degrees to about thirty degrees.

16. The commodity debris guard of claim 15 , wherein the second debris guard further comprises an extension portion configured to extend substantially along the tangent line extending from an opening of the support member.

17. The commodity debris guard of claim 14 , wherein the second debris guard further comprises a first end and a second end, the first debris guard further comprises a first end and second end, wherein the second end of the second debris guard and the second end of the first debris guard form an angle β, wherein angle β is an acute angle.

18. The commodity debris guard of claim 14 , wherein the second debris guard further comprises:
an extension portion configured to extend substantially along a tangent line extending from an opening configured to discharge commodity from the housing; and
a drop down body comprising the tangent line and a drop down line forming a drop down angle α therebetween, the drop down angle being from greater than about zero degrees to about thirty degrees.

19. The commodity debris guard of claim 14 , wherein the housing further comprises:
a first side;
a second side oppositely disposed form the first side;
a rear edge wall operably connecting the first side and the second side; and
a front edge wall operably connecting the first side and the second side;
wherein, the first debris guard comprises:
an upper substantially linear portion; and
a lower curved portion, the upper substantially linear portion and the lower curved portion each comprising the base and upwardly extending sidewalls, the base being proximate the endless member and one upwardly extending sidewall being proximate the first side of the housing and the other upwardly extending sidewall being prox

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Zumdome Lee E
• Frasier Michael E
• Arnold Matt

Classifications

• A01C7/08

  Broadcast seeders; Seeders depositing seeds in rows · CPC title

• A01C7/20 Primary

  Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed · CPC title