Seeding machine with seed delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820429-B2
Application number	US-201514617497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2015
Priority date	Feb 2, 2009
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A seed delivery system for use in a seeding or planting machine that removes the seed from a seed meter by capturing the seed therefrom. The delivery system then moves the seed down to a lower discharge point and accelerates the seed horizontally rearward to a speed approximately equal to the forward travel speed of the seeding machine such that the seed, when discharged has a low or zero horizontal velocity relative to the ground. Rolling of the seed in the trench is thus reduced. Furthermore, as the seed only has a short drop from the outlet to the bottom of the seed trench, the seed has little vertical speed to induce bounce. The delivery system uses a brush belt to capture, move and accelerate the seed. By capturing the seed and moving it from the meter to the discharge, the seed is held in place relative to other seeds and the planter row unit. As a result, the seeds are isolated from row unit dynamics thereby maintaining seed spacing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A row unit for a seeding machine having a seed metering member with a plurality of apertures through which an air pressure differential is applied to retain seed thereon, the seed metering member movable to convey seed from a seed reservoir, the row unit comprising:
a housing for the seed metering member; and
a seed delivery apparatus comprising
a first pulley,
a second pulley, and
an endless member configured to be driven by the first pulley and/or the second pulley, at least a portion of the endless member positioned within the housing, wherein the endless member is positioned to move across at least one of the plurality of apertures.

2. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures extends from a seed side to an opposing side of the seed metering member, the seed side presenting a seed face, and wherein the endless member is positioned to move across a portion of the seed face.

3. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the endless member is positioned to contact the portion of the seed face.

4. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the seed metering member is in the form of a disk.

5. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the seed metering member is configured to rotate about a first axis, and wherein the first pulley is configured to rotate about a second axis having a non-parallel orientation to the first axis.

6. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the seed metering member is configured to rotate about a first axis, and wherein the first pulley is configured to rotate about a second axis having a parallel orientation to the first axis.

7. The row unit of claim 1 , wherein the endless member is in the form of a bristle belt.

8. A method of delivering a seed from a seed metering member to a furrow, the seed metering member at least partly contained within a seed meter housing, the method comprising:
releasing the seed from the seed metering member;
sweeping a portion of the seed metering member with a surface of an endless member, the surface positioned within the seed meter housing;
conveying the seed via the endless member along an interior of a housing within which the endless member extends; and
discharging the seed from an opening in the housing within which the endless member extends to the furrow.

9. The method of claim 8 , further including driving the endless member with a pulley.

10. The method of claim 9 , further including driving the seed metering member independently from the endless member.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein releasing the seed from the seed metering member means removing an air pressure differential applied to an aperture extending from a seed face to an opposing side of the seed metering member.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the releasing the seed from the seed metering member occurs prior to the sweeping a portion of the seed metering member.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the seed metering member presents a seed face on which the seed is adhered, and wherein sweeping a portion of the seed metering member means sweeping a portion of the seed face.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the seed metering member is in the form of a disk, and wherein sweeping a portion of the seed metering member means sweeping a portion of the disk.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein sweeping a portion of the seed metering member includes contacting a portion of the seed face.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the endless member is in the form of a bristle belt, and wherein sweeping a portion of the seed metering member with a surface of the endless member means sweeping with a surface of the bristle belt.

17. A row unit for a seeding machine, the row unit comprising:
a housing;
a seed metering member disposed within the housing, the seed metering member including a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures arranged adjacent a periphery of the seed metering member; and
a seed delivery apparatus having an endless belt, at least a portion of which is positioned within the housing and configured to sweep across the seed metering member.

18. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein the endless belt is in the form of a brush.

19. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein the seed delivery apparatus includes a first pulley and a second pulley, and further wherein the endless belt is configured to be driven by one of the first pulley and the second pulley.

20. The row unit of claim 17 , wherein the seed delivery apparatus defines an elongated chamber along which movement of the endless belt is at least partially linear.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Garner Elijah B
• Thiemke Daniel B
• Rylander David J
• Mariman Nathan A
• Friestad Michael E

Classifications

• A01C7/127

  Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts · CPC title

• A01C7/20

  Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed · CPC title

• A01C7/04

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

• A01C7/125

  with bottom delivery of the seeds · CPC title

• A01C21/00

  Methods of fertilising {, sowing or planting} · CPC title