Air drill diffuser

• US 20130247803A1
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rick Heintzman
• Original Assignee: Rick Heintzman
• Inventors: Heintzman, Rick
• Granted Patent: US 9,155,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/176
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/082 Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/206 Seed pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries

Abstract

A diffuser adapted to dissipate air from seed conveyed in a stream of air at a planter to an opener arm and seed boot. The diffuser provides a housing that pivotally supports a counter-weighted valve piece and a resilient valve piece. Admitted seeds are resiliently deflected between the valve pieces. Repeated deflections between the dual valve pieces and simultaneous venting of the conveying air through an associated fulcrum screen and relief ports at the housing dissipate the conveying air. Spent seed momentarily collects on a surface inside the housing and gravitationally falls from the housing and through a lower lying seed boot at a relatively uniform, singulated rate without scatter and damage to the seed.

Claims

1. Apparatus for air delivery seed planters comprising:

a) a housing adapted for attachment to a conduit coupled to convey seeds in a stream of air and having input and output ports and an intermediate channel through which seeds are conveyed;

b) a first valve member resiliently mounted in said channel such that seed entering said input port impinges on said first valve member to transfer energy and reduce the velocity of impinging seed; and

c) a second member mounted relative to said first valve member such that seed impinging on said first valve member is deflected back and forth between said first valve member and said second member to progressively reduce the air velocity energy of said seed to substantially zero to fall under gravitational forces from said outlet port.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes air vents for exhausting air from said housing to the atmosphere and further includes a screen member mounted to exhaust air impinging on said screen member through said screen and air vents.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first valve member is mounted to pivot about a fulcrum piece.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said housing includes air vents for exhausting air from said housing to the atmosphere and wherein said fulcrum piece comprises a screen member mounted to exhaust air from said housing through pores of said screen and said air vents.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said screen member is rigidly mounted at an acute angle relative to a longitudinal air flow axis of said housing.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first valve member comprises a seed deflecting arm and a counter weight arm and wherein said seed deflecting and counter weight arms extend at an acute angle from a pivot bend and wherein said pivot bend is mounted to said screen member such that said seed deflecting arm pivots back and forth relative to said screen member under the impact of seed striking said seed deflecting arm.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said counter weight arm determines the degree of resilience to impinging seed exhibited by said seed deflecting arm.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said seed deflecting arm includes first and second portions, wherein said first portion extends at a first acute angle relative to said counter weight arm and said second portion extends at a second acute angle from said first arm portion relative to said counter weight arm.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second member comprises a screen having pores and wherein said screen is coupled to exhaust air from said housing.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said screen member and said second member extend at intersecting acute angles and wherein downstream edges of said first valve member and said second member are displaced apart in a region adjacent said output port of said housing in proximity to a ledge upon which spent seed momentarily collects before falling.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second member comprises a plate resiliently supported in said channel in the path of seed entering the channel to absorb energy from seed impinging on the second member.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second member comprises a plate mounted at an acute angle relative to a seed flow axis of said housing having a leading end rigidly supported to said housing adjacent said input port and a trailing end resiliently suspended within said channel to deflect and absorb energy from impinging seeds.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a flange piece positioned to collect spent seed prior to the spent seed falling from said housing.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said second member comprises a plate having a first end rigidly supported to said housing adjacent said input port and a trailing end resiliently suspended within said channel.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said housing includes a shelf positioned to momentarily collect spent seed prior to the spent seed falling from said housing.

14. Apparatus for air delivery seed planters comprising:

a) a housing adapted for attachment to a conduit coupled to convey seeds in a stream of air and having input and output ports and an intermediate channel through which seeds are conveyed and wherein air vent ports communicate through side walls of said housing to the atmosphere;

b) a first valve member resiliently mounted within said housing and positioned in the channel such that seed entering said input port impinges on said first valve member to absorb energy and reduce the velocity of impinging seed; and

c) a second member mounted relative to said first valve member such that seed impinging on said first valve member is deflected back and forth between said first valve member and said second member as air is vented from said housing to progressively reduce the air velocity energy of said seed to substantially zero to fall under gravitational forces from said outlet port.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first valve member comprises a seed deflecting arm and a counter weight arm, wherein said seed deflecting and counter weight arms extend at an acute angle from a pivot bend, and wherein said pivot bend is mounted such that said seed deflecting arm pivots back and forth under the impact of seed striking said seed deflecting arm.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said housing includes a screen member mounted to cover said vent ports and wherein said pivot bend is mounted to pivot about a peripheral edge of the screen member.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said seed deflecting arm includes first and second portions, wherein said first portion extends at a first acute angle relative to said counter weight arm and said second portion extends at a second acute angle greater than said first acute angle relative to said counter weight arm.

20. Apparatus for air delivery seed planters comprising:

a) a housing adapted for attachment to a conduit coupled to convey seeds in a stream of air and having input and output ports and an intermediate channel through which seeds are conveyed and wherein air vent ports communicate through side walls of said housing to the atmosphere;

b) a first valve member mounted to pivot back and forth within said housing and positioned in the channel such that seed entering said input port impinges on said first valve member to absorb energy and reduce the velocity of impinging seed; and

c) a second member mounted relative to said first valve member such that seed impinging on said first valve member is deflected back and forth between said first valve member and said second member such that the seed entering said housing in a high velocity stream of air eventually falls at substantially zero velocity under gravitational forces from said outlet port.

21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said first valve member comprises a seed deflecting arm and a counter weight arm and wherein said seed deflecting and counter weight arms extend at an acute angle from a pivot bend and wherein said pivot bend is mounted to a member such that said seed deflecting arm resiliently pivots back and forth under the impact of seed striking said seed deflecting arm.

22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 21 including a screen member mounted to vent air through said vent ports, wherein said seed deflecting arm includes first and second portions, and wherein said first portion extends at a first acute angle relative to a seed flow axis of said housing and said second portion extends at a second acute angle greater than said first acute angle relative to said seed flow axis.