Seeding machine for planting multiple seed varieties

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8948980-B2
Application number	US-201213715145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2012
Priority date	Dec 14, 2012
Publication date	Feb 3, 2015
Grant date	Feb 3, 2015

Abstract

A seeding machine, such as a row crop planter, is described which is adapted to switch between two or more seed varieties as the machine traverses a field. The control system uses a programmed quantity of seed representing a number of seeds in the seed meter that need to be substantially consumed once the flow of a first seed variety is stopped before introducing a second seed variety to minimize seed mixing. The seed quantity can be determined by a calibration process or published from the manufacturer or third parties. The seed quantity can also be part of a seeding prescription that includes assignment of where each seed variety is to be planted in a field. The seed quantity and the distance traveled to empty the meter can be used to optimize the planting operation including the machine direction which can also be part of the prescription.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seed distributing machine comprising:
a seed meter having a housing adapted to hold a pool of seed to be singulated and delivered sequentially;
a seed delivery system to provide at least two different varieties of seed to the meter, the seed delivery system having a switching mechanism to change from a first variety of seed to a second variety of seed being delivered to the meter housing; and
a controller programmed to operate the switching mechanism t…

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Garner Elijah B
• Krueger Kelby J
• Landphair Donald K
• Graham Charles T

Classifications

• A01C7/107

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A01C7/08 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A01B79/005

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A01C7/046

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A01C21/005 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic