DISTRIBUTION UNIT FOR GRANULAR COMMODITY, IN PARTICULAR A SOWING UNIT

• US 20150163991A1
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horsch Maschinen GmbH (Horsch Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Horsch Maschinen GmbH (Horsch Holding AG)
• Inventors: Funck, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 9,596,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/00 Fertiliser distributors combined with seeders A01C7/06
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/04 Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/12 Seeders with feeding wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/20 Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed

Abstract

The invention relates to a distribution unit (10) for a granular commodity such as grains (34), fertilizer or the like, in particular a sowing unit (12) of a distribution or sowing machine. The unit (10, 12) comprises a housing (14) having an approximately circular and/or circle-segment shaped inner lateral surface (16), at least one inlet opening (18) for conveyed granular commodities or conveyed grains (34), a conveying device (22) rotating concentrically in the housing (14) for the conveyed granular commodity or the conveyed grains (34) and at least one outlet opening (24) which connects approximately tangentially to the inner lateral surface (16). The conveying device (22) has one or more openings and/or steps on the outer region thereof, which, in a first housing and/or conveying region, form a pocket with the housing inner lateral surface (16) in which the grains (34) are compacted and conveyed circularly by centrifugal forces, supported by the conveying device (22). In a second housing and/or separation region, only one single grain (34) remains in the opening or in the step of the conveying device (22) due to a modified contour of the inner lateral surface (16) of the housing (14) and under centrifugal force influences, while excess grains (34) are separated and conveyed back to the first housing region for re-conveying.

Claims

1. Distribution unit for granular material, such as seed grains, fertilizer and the like, in particular a seeding unit of a distribution or seeding machine, comprising a housing having an approximately circular and/or circle-segment shaped inner circumferential surface, at least one inlet opening for conveyed granular material or conveyed grains, a conveying device concentrically rotating in the housing for the conveyed granular material or the conveyed grains, and at least one outlet opening, which connects approximately tangentially to the inner circumferential surface, the conveying device having one or more openings and/or steps at the outer region thereof, which, in a first housing and/or conveying region, form a pocket with the housing inner circumferential surface into which the grains are urged and conveyed circularly by centrifugal forces, supported by the conveying device, and—

in a second housing and/or separation region—

only one individual grain remains in the opening or against the step of the conveying device due to a modified contour of the inner circumferential surface of the housing and under the influence of centrifugal forces, excess grains are separated and in turn conveyed back to the first housing region for re-conveying.

2. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the inner circumferential surface of housing and the conveying device, separately or together, form at least one two-sided axial guide for the individual grains, which axially guides the grains while being pushed by the conveying device supported by centrifugal forces, which are larger than the gravitational force.

3. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein at least on one side of the axial guide is reduced in height at one location, and/or tapered off in cross section, creating a clearance into which picked-up excess grains are urged due to centrifugal forces and thus only one grain remains in the desired guide track.

4. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein at least on one side of the axial guide track is narrowed or reduced in width, whereby an outward clearance is created, in particular as or in the form of a radial extension, into which entrained excess grains are urged due to centrifugal forces and thus only one grain remains in the desired, narrowed guide track.

5. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein at least on one side of the axial guide track there is a clearance, into which picked-up excess grains are urged outwardly beyond the conveying circle due to centrifugal forces and thus only one grain, respectively, remains in the conveying device.

6. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein entrainment devices of the conveying device form a conveying pocket with the inner circumferential surface of the housing, wherein the circumferential surface transitions from a wide region into a very narrow region so that the narrow inner circumferential surface only offers sufficient guidance for one grain to be conveyed.

7. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the grain flow is tangentially conveyed towards the conveying device and leaves the conveying device tangentially, again.

8. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein there are almost no stationary grains in the housing, but only excess and/or discharged gains of the grain flow, which remain in the housing for one or several rotations, and in doing so, rotate around the axis of the housing to fill conveying gaps.

9. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the grain flow is tangentially re-conveyed into the housing where it rotates around the rotational axis, and subsequently leaves the housing tangentially, again.

10. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the excess grains are conveyed to the inflowing grains, and subsequently are urged against the conveying device based on the slope of the inner circumferential surface inclined towards the conveying device.

11. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein a through-conveying of the grains can be ensured even for a fixed conveying element.

12. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the grain flow conveyed towards the conveying device glides along the inner circumferential surface before and during intake, which surface forms an almost coaxial shape towards the conveying device, the grain flow thus being almost aligned with the receiving conveying device.

13. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the separation of the grains can be implemented unilaterally and bilaterally.

14. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the housing is adjusted to the respective grain shape.

15. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the conveying device is adjusted to the respective grain shape.

16. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the grain conveyance can be implemented per a conveying air flow or from a grain inventory container.

17. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the drive of the conveying device can be implemented electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically and via the conveyance flow itself.

18. Distribution unit according to claim 1, wherein the re-conveying of the excess grains can be implemented pneumatically or mechanically.