METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING AIR FLOW THROUGH SUPPLY CONDUITS THROUGH WHICH PRODUCT ENTRAINED IN AN AIR FLOW IS PROVIDED TO MULTIPLE ON-ROW PRODUCT CONTAINERS OF AN AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT

• US 20110073027A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Canada Limited (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Naylor, Matthew S., Neufeld, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,033,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/176
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/088 Sectional seeding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 111/90 Methods of planting seeds and miscellaneous compositions

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to improve seed distribution to a plurality of seed or row units of an agricultural planter. Each row unit is fitted with a seed box having an air/seed inlet and an air outlet through which air is allowed to escape. The present invention effectively closes off or substantially reduces the flow of air out of one or more of the seed boxes to reduce the amount of seed that is fed to the seed boxes. Through the use of restrictor plates, which may be vented to allow some air flow or solid to prevent air flow, the delivery of seed to the seed boxes can be equalized to provide more uniform seed distribution to the row units.

Claims

1. A method of supplying seed entrained in a forced air flow from a centralized source to a plurality of row units, comprising:

for a first set of row unit assemblies, forcing air, with seed entrained therein, to the first set of row unit assemblies and allowing air to escape from the first set of row unit assemblies at a first flow rate as the seed is collected in the first set of row unit assemblies; and

for a second set of row unit assemblies, forcing air, with seed entrained therein, to the second set of row unit assemblies and allowing air to escape from the second set of row unit assemblies at a second flow rate less than the first flow rate as the seed is collected in the second set of row unit assemblies.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of row unit assemblies are flow coupled to the centralized source via conduits that are shorter in length than those flow coupling the first set of row unit assemblies to the centralized source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each row unit assembly has a hopper, an air/seed inlet, a seed outlet, and an air outlet, and further comprising mounting a member having a plurality of orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of the first set of row unit assemblies and mounting a member substantially free of any orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of the second set of row unit assemblies.

4. The method of claim 2 where each row unit assembly has a hopper, an air/seed inlet, a seed outlet, and an air outlet, and further comprising mounting a member having a plurality of first orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of the first set of row unit assemblies and mounting a member having a plurality of second orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of the second set of row unit assemblies, wherein the second orifices are smaller than the first orifices.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein each row unit assembly has a hopper, an air/seed inlet, a seed outlet, and an air outlet, and further comprising mounting a member having a plurality of first orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of the first set of row unit assemblies and mounting a member having a plurality of second orifices adjacent the air outlet for each of the second set of row unit assemblies, wherein the second orifices are spaced farther apart from one another than the first orifices.

6. An on-row hopper kit comprising:

a seed box having an air/seed inlet, an air outlet, and a seed outlet;

a channel formed in an interior portion of the seed box; and

a number of restriction plates adapted to be received within the channel to control air flow from the air inlet to the air outlet wherein the restriction plates include a first plate that allows air flow and a second plate that substantially blocks air flow.