Air entrainment device for seed delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9253940-B2
Application number	US-201313858876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2013
Priority date	Jul 2, 2009
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A seed delivery device including a frame defining at least one seed chamber. The frame includes a sidewall and an air permeable floor. Seed can be received and deposited on the air permeable floor through an input port. An air input channel is utilized to introduce an air stream into the seed chamber and direct it through the air permeable floor such that seed is lifted from the air permeable floor to an outlet port. An air bypass channel is configured to separate the air stream into a first stream that is directed through the air permeable floor and a second stream that is directed through the bypass channel and recombined with the first stream, at a point prior to the output port, to prevent excess accumulation of seed in the seed chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seed delivery service, comprising:
a frame that includes an air permeable surface;
a seed input port through Which seed can be received and deposited on the air permeable surface;
an air flow channel through which an air stream can be directed through the air permeable surface such that the seed is lifted from the air permeable surface; and
a bypass channel through which a portion of the air stream can be directed, wherein the air stream navigating the bypass channel does not pass through the air permeable surface and seed;
wherein the lifted seed is combined with the air stream directed through the bypass channel at a location at least partially above the air permeable surface to direct the seed out of the frame.

2. The seed delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the air stream in the bypass channel is at least partially parallel to the air flow channel lifting the seed from the air permeable surface.

3. The seed delivery device of claim 2 further comprising an outlet port through which the air stream and the seed can traverse after the air stream lifts the seed from the air permeable surface.

4. The seed delivery device of claim 3 , wherein the seed input port is at least partially defined by a partition, the partition separating the seed input port from the outlet port.

5. The seed delivery device of claim 4 , wherein the air permeable surface comprises a plurality of substantially circular holes defined therein.

6. The seed delivery device of claim 5 , wherein the air permeable surface further comprises a plurality of perforated sections and non-perforated dividing lines, the perforated sections comprising the plurality of substantially circular holes.

7. The seed delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the air permeable surface further comprises a surface area, and wherein the perforated sections comprise at least 75% of the air permeable surface's surface area, and wherein the non-perforated dividing lines comprise at least 10% of the air permeable surface's surface area.

8. The seed delivery device of claim 3 , wherein the outlet port comprises a plurality of outlet ports.

9. The seed delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the seed input port is further at least partially defined by an inclined surface, and the frame further comprising a seed chamber including at least one sidewall.

10. A seed delivery service, comprising:
a frame;
a seed input port through which seed can be received and deposited, wherein the seed input port is at least partially defined by a partition;
an air flow channel through which an air stream can be directed through an air permeable surface;
a bypass channel through which a portion of the air stream can be directed such that said portion does not pass through said seed; and
an outlet port through which the air stream and the seed can traverse, wherein the partition separates the seed input port from the outlet port;
said air stream passing through the bypass channel and said air stream passing through the air permeable surface combining at said outlet port.

11. The seed delivery device of claim 10 , wherein the seed input port is further at least partially defined by an inclined surface, and the frame further comprising a seed chamber including at least one sidewall.

12. The seed delivery device of claim 10 , wherein the outlet port comprises a plurality of outlet ports.

13. The seed delivery device of claim 10 , further comprising an air permeable surface.

14. The seed delivery device of claim 13 , wherein the air permeable surface further comprises a surface area, a plurality of perforated sections, and non-perforated dividing lines, and wherein the plurality of perforated sections comprise over 75% of the perforated surface's surface area.

15. A seed delivery device, comprising:
a frame defining a seed chamber, wherein the frame includes at least one sidewall and an air permeable surface;
a seed input port through which seed can be received and deposited on the air permeable surface;
an air input channel through which an air stream can be introduced into the seed chamber and directed through the air permeable surface; and
an outlet port through which air and seed can exit the seed chamber;
said air stream passing through the air input channel and air permeable surface further directed through said outlet port with said seed.

16. The seed delivery device of claim 15 , wherein the seed input port is at least partially defined by a partition, the partition separating the seed input port from the outlet port.

17. The seed delivery device of claim 13 , wherein the seed input port is further at least partially defined by an inclined surface.

18. The seed delivery device of claim 17 , further comprising a bypass channel through which a portion of the air stream can be directed, wherein the air stream navigating the bypass channel does not pass through the air permeable surface.

19. The seed delivery device of claim 17 , wherein the air permeable surface comprises a plurality of substantially circular holes defined therein.

20. The seed delivery device of claim 17 , wherein the air permeable surface comprises a surface area, a plurality of perforated sections, and non-perforated dividing lines, and wherein the plurality of perforated sections comprise over 75% of the perforated surface's surface area.

Assignees

• Kinze Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Wilhelmi Matthew
• Shoup Kenneth E
• Koop Daniel

Classifications

• A01C7/081 Primary

  Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01C7/084 Primary

  Pneumatic distribution heads for seeders · CPC title

• A01C7/042

  using pneumatic means · CPC title

• A01C7/082

  Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders · CPC title