Agricultural metering system having multiple sets of meter rollers

• US 10,076,073 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2016
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Kowalchuk, Trevor Lawrence, Turner, Jack Donald, Engel, Gordon Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US15/165,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20160270288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/062 Devices for making drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/082 Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/084 Pneumatic distribution heads for seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/121 for sowing seeds of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/126 Stubbed rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/127 Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/163 Gravity distributors
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/20 Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed

Abstract

An agricultural metering system includes multiple independently controllable sets of meter rollers. Each set of meter rollers includes at least one meter roller, each set of meter rollers is configured to rotate about a respective rotational axis, the rotational axes are generally perpendicular to a common plane, and the rotational axes are offset relative to one another in the common plane. The agricultural metering system also includes multiple meter boxes configured to receive agricultural product from a storage tank. Each set of meter rollers is disposed within a respective meter box, and each set of meter rollers is configured to meter the agricultural product from the storage tank. In addition, the agricultural metering system includes multiple distribution lines. Each distribution line is disposed downstream from a respective set of meter rollers and configured to receive the agricultural product output from the respective set of meter rollers.

Claims

1. An agricultural metering system, comprising:

a plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers, wherein each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers comprises at least one meter roller, each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers is configured to rotate about a respective rotational axis, the rotational axes are generally perpendicular to a common plane, and the rotational axes are offset relative to one another in the common plane; and

a plurality of meter boxes configured to receive agricultural product from a storage tank, wherein each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers is disposed within a respective meter box of the plurality of meter boxes, and each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers is configured to meter the agricultural product from the storage tank; and

a plurality of distribution lines, wherein each distribution line is disposed downstream from a respective set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers and configured to receive the agricultural product output from the respective set of meter rollers.

2. The agricultural metering system of claim 1, comprising a drive unit coupled to each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers and configured to drive the set of meter rollers to rotate.

3. The agricultural metering system of claim 2, wherein each drive unit comprises an electric motor.

4. The agricultural metering system of claim 1, comprising the storage tank having a compartment configured to hold the agricultural product.

5. The agricultural metering system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers are in fluid communication with the compartment.

6. The agricultural metering system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers are configured to control output of the agricultural product to a plurality of row units.

7. An agricultural metering system, comprising:

a storage tank comprising a compartment configured to hold an agricultural product;

a plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers in fluid communication with the compartment, and configured to control output of the agricultural product to a plurality of row units, wherein each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers comprises at least one meter roller, each of the independently controllable sets of meter rollers are configured to rotate about a respective rotational axis, the respective rotational axes are generally perpendicular to a common plane, and the respective rotational axes are offset relative to one another in the common plane; and

a plurality of meter boxes configured to receive the agricultural product from the compartment, wherein each set of meter rollers is disposed within a respective meter box of the plurality of meter boxes, and each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers is configured to meter the agricultural product from the compartment; and

a plurality of distribution lines, wherein each distribution line is disposed downstream from a respective set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable meter rollers and configured to receive the agricultural product output from the respective set of meter rollers.

8. The agricultural metering system of claim 7, comprising a drive unit coupled to each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers and configured to drive the set of meter rollers to rotate.

9. The agricultural metering system of claim 8, wherein each drive unit comprises an electric motor.

10. The agricultural metering system of claim 9, wherein each set of meter rollers of the plurality of independently controllable sets of meter rollers comprises a drive shaft coupled to the electric motor of the respective drive unit.

11. The agricultural metering system of claim 10, wherein each drive shaft comprises a hexagonal cross section.