Meter calibration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516973-B2
Application number	US-202118248590-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A method of calibrating a meter module wherein the meter module comprises: an opening; a bottom opening; a metering mechanism disposed in the meter module; a bottom plate to selectively open and close the bottom opening; and a load cell for measuring a mass of material in the meter module, the method comprising: starting the metering mechanism to flow material through the meter module; at any time before counting, closing the bottom opening with the bottom plate; during a counting time, counting a number of metering units of the metering mechanism and measuring an amount of material with the load cell; and calculating an amount of mass per metering unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method of calibrating a meter module for an air cart, the meter module being one of a plurality of meter modules disposed within a metering bank below a hopper filled with a product, each one of the plurality of meter modules being individually removable as a singular unit from the metering bank in a direction generally parallel with a forward direction of travel of the air cart, each one of the plurality of meter modules comprising:
a unitary structure including an upper meter housing portion and a lower chamber portion, the upper meter housing portion having a top opening through which the product in the hopper enters the upper meter housing portion, the lower chamber portion disposed below the upper meter housing portion, the lower chamber portion including a bottom opening in communication with an air tube disposed below the lower chamber portion through which an air stream passes; a meter disposed within the upper meter housing portion; an electric motor disposed within the unitary structure and coupled to the meter, the electric motor driving rotation of the meter to sequentially discharge metered product units into the lower chamber portion; a receptacle disposed within the lower chamber portion; an actuator coupled to the receptacle to move the receptacle between a capture position and a dump position, wherein, in the capture position, the receptacle captures the metered product units sequentially discharged by the meter into the lower chamber portion, wherein, in the dump position, the metered product units captured within the receptacle are released from the receptacle; and a load cell; wherein the unitary structure within which the meter and the electric motor are disposed, defines the singular unit individually removable from the metering bank in the direction generally parallel with the forward direction of travel of the air cart, the method comprising: actuating the electric motor to drive rotation of the meter to cause the meter to begin sequentially discharging the metered product units into the lower chamber portion; moving the receptacle from the dump position to the capture position; initiating a counting period, wherein, during the counting period, the receptacle in the capture position captures the metered product units sequentially discharged by the meter into the lower chamber portion; counting each rotation of the meter during the counting period to determine a metered unit count; terminating the counting period; via the load cell, determining a measured mass by measuring a mass of the metered product units captured by the receptacle during the counting period; determining a mass per unit value by dividing the measured mass by the metered unit count; and moving the receptacle from the capture position to the dump position to release the metered product units captured within the receptacle, the released metered product units passing through the bottom opening of the lower chamber portion and into the air stream passing through the air tube.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the meter is an auger and wherein one rotation of the auger corresponds to one of the metered product units.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the meter is a fluted metering roll and wherein one rotation of the fluted metering roll corresponds to one of the metered product units.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle includes a bottom plate pivotally supported within the lower chamber portion above the bottom opening, the actuator pivoting the bottom plate between the capture position in which the bottom plate is pivoted to cover bottom opening and the dump position in which the bottom plate is pivoted to uncover the bottom opening and wherein the bottom plate is instrumented with the load cell.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle includes:
a funnel with an open bottom; a bottom plate pivotally supported from the funnel; and wherein the actuator is supported from the funnel; whereby the actuator pivots the bottom plate between the capture position in which the bottom plate is pivoted to cover the open bottom end of the funnel and the dump position in which the bottom plate is pivoted to uncover the open bottom end of the funnel; and wherein the funnel structure is supported by the load cell.

Assignees

• Prec Planting Llc

Inventors

• Frank William

Classifications

• A01C7/081 Primary

  Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means · CPC title

• G01F13/005

  comprising a screw conveyor · CPC title

• A01C7/107

  Calibration of the seed rate · CPC title

• A01C7/105

  Seed sensors · CPC title

• A01C19/02

  by a motor · CPC title