Air seed meter housing with seed path relief

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016192579-A1
Application number	US-201615070799-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2016
Priority date	Oct 23, 2012
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A seed metering system, for use on a row crop planter, selects individual seeds from a seed reservoir and dispenses the seeds singularly at a controlled rate. A direct drive seed metering system includes a seed disc having a plurality of suction apertures with a recessed pocket adjacent to an aperture. The recessed pockets act to agitate seeds in the seed reservoir and to direct seed flow towards the apertures. A seed path relief system provides for allowing the placement of the seeds such that they are released from an outer edge of the seed disc. An adjustable seed singulator is mounted adjacent to the face of the seed disc where inner and outer blades are adjusted radially to compensate for the singulation of various seed sizes and shapes. The seed disc is driven via engagement of an internal gear with the external gear of an independent drive motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An air seed meter, comprising:
a housing including a seed meter side and a vacuum side; wherein the seed meter side of the housing comprises an outer sidewall radially positioned from the axis of the housing and extending in the axial direction with at least a portion of the sidewall offset radially outward from the remainder of the outer sidewall.

2 . The air seed meter of claim 1 , further comprising a relief member at least partially covering the radially offset portion of the housing.

3 . The air seed meter of claim 2 , further comprising a seed disc mounted in said housing for rotation about an axis and having a plurality of seed cells spaced radially about the axis for seating and retaining seeds.

4 . The air seed meter of claim 3 , wherein said seed meter side of the housing including a seed pool wherein seed is deposited in the housing.

5 . The air seed meter of claim 4 , wherein said radially offset portion of the outer sidewall configured to provide seed additional room to move about and be drawn onto or against the seed cell of the disc.

6 . The air seed meter of claim 5 , wherein the portion of the outer sidewall that is offset spans the circumference prior to a point of singulation to the intersection with the discharge chute.

7 . The air seed meter of claim 5 , wherein the disc comprises a chamfer adjacent the seed cells and a surface extending outwardly from the chamfer.

8 . The air seed meter of claim 7 , wherein the relief member extends generally inward from the sidewall of the housing.

9 . The air seed meter of claim 2 , wherein the offset portion of the housing is eccentric with the outer periphery of the housing.

10 . The air seed meter of claim 2 , wherein the relief member comprises a flexible member attached to a portion of the housing at or near the offset portion of the housing.

11 . A housing of a seed metering system for use with an agricultural implement, comprising:
a seed meter housing member comprising an outer sidewall radially positioned from the axis of the housing and extending in the axial direction, a seed reservoir through the outer sidewall, and a seed chute extending from the outer sidewall, wherein the outer sidewall includes an eccentric offset portion adjacent the reservoir.

12 . The housing of claim 11 , further comprising a vacuum housing operatively connected to the seed meter housing and comprising a sealed vacuum chamber operatively connected to an air source.

13 . The housing of claim 12 , wherein the offset portion of the seed meter housing is adjacent at least a portion of the sealed vacuum chamber of the vacuum housing member.

14 . The housing of claim 13 , further comprising a relief member at least partially covering the offset portion of the seed meter housing and configured to aid in securing seed to the seed cells.

15 . The housing of claim 14 , wherein the relief member at least partially covering the offset portion of the seed meter housing and configured to aid in securing seed to the seed cells.

16 . An agricultural planter comprising a plurality of row units, each of said row units comprising:
an air seed meter comprising a housing including a seed meter side and a vacuum side; wherein the seed meter side of the housing comprises an outer sidewall radially positioned from the axis of the housing and extending in the axial direction with at least a portion of the sidewall offset radially outward from the remainder of the outer sidewall.

17 . The agricultural planter of claim 16 , further comprising a vacuum operatively connected to the air seed meter.

18 . The agricultural planter of claim 16 , wherein the air seed meter further comprises a seed disc mounted in said housing for rotation about an axis and having a plurality of seed cells spaced radially about the axis for seating and retaining seeds.

19 . The agricultural planter of claim 16 , further comprising a relief member a seed disc mounted in said housing for rotation about an axis and having a plurality of seed cells spaced radially about the axis for seating and retaining seeds, said relief member comprising flexible member attached to a portion of the housing at or near the offset portion of the housing.

20 . The agricultural planter of claim 16 , wherein the offset portion of the housing is eccentric with the outer periphery of the housing.

Assignees

• Kinze Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Wilhelmi Matthew J
• Brockmann Kale J

Classifications

• A01C7/128

  Cell discs · CPC title

• A01C19/02

  by a motor · CPC title

• A01C7/125

  with bottom delivery of the seeds · CPC title

• A01C7/042

  using pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01C7/04 Primary

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