AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT METERING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160135359A1
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Engel, Gordon Anthony, Kowalchuk, Trevor Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 9,591,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/00 Methods of fertilising , sowing or planting
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors

Abstract

One embodiment describes an agricultural implement. The agricultural implement includes a plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies that each excavates a trench into soil and deposits a granular product into the trench as the agricultural implement is towed though a field; and a first tool meter coupled to the agricultural implement and pneumatically coupled to a first portion of the plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies. The first tool meter instructs a pneumatic distribution system to supply the granular product to the first tool meter based at least in part on a first amount of granular product stored in the first tool meter; and pneumatically distributes the granular product to the first portion of the plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies.

Claims

1. An agricultural implement, comprising:

a plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies each configured to excavate a trench into soil and to deposit a granular product into the trench as the agricultural implement is towed though a field; and

a first tool meter coupled to the agricultural implement and pneumatically coupled to a first portion of the plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies, wherein the first tool meter is configured to;

instruct a pneumatic distribution system to supply the granular product to the first tool meter based at least in part on a first amount of granular product stored in the first tool meter; and

pneumatically distribute the granular product to the first portion of the plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies.

2. The agricultural implement of claim 1, comprising a second tool meter coupled to the agricultural implement and pneumatically coupled to a second portion of the plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies, wherein the second tool meter is configured to:

instruct the pneumatic distribution system to supply the granular product to the second tool meter based at least in part on a second amount of granular product stored in the second tool meter; and

pneumatically distribute the granular product to the second portion of the plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies.

3. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein the agricultural implement comprises a press wheel and each of the plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies comprises an opener, wherein the opener is configured to engage the soil to excavate the trench, and the press wheel is configured to move excavated soil into the trench to cover the granular product.

4. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein the first portion of ground engaging opener assemblies comprises two or more ground engaging opener assemblies.

5. The agricultural implement of claim 1, comprising a first hitch configured to couple a tool frame of the agricultural implement to an off-road work vehicle and a second hitch configured to couple the tool frame to an air cart that comprises at least a portion of the pneumatic distribution system.

6. The agricultural implement of claim 1, wherein the granular product comprises seeds, dry fertilizer, or a mixture thereof.

7. The agricultural implement of claim 1, comprising a plurality of hoses, wherein each of the plurality of hoses is coupled to the first tool meter and a respective ground engaging opener assembly of the first portion of ground engaging opener assemblies to enable the first tool meter to pneumatically distribute the granular product to each respective ground engaging opener assembly of the first portion of ground engaging opener assemblies.

8. A method for depositing rows of a granular product into soil using an agricultural implement, comprising:

instructing, using a control unit, a pneumatic distribution system to selectively distribute the granular product to a first tool meter and to a second tool meter on the agricultural implement, wherein the first tool meter is configured to control deposition of the granular product into a first plurality of rows and the second tool meter is configured to control deposition of the granular product into second plurality of rows;

determining, using the control unit, whether it is desirable to deposit the granular product in the second plurality of rows, the first plurality of rows, or both;

enabling or disabling, using the control unit, the first tool meter to control distribution of the granular product to a first plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies configured to deposit the granular product in the first plurality of rows based on whether is desirable to deposit the granular product in the first plurality of rows; and

enabling or disabling, using the control unit, the second tool meter to control distribution of the granular product to a second plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies configured to deposit the granular product in the second plurality of rows based on whether is desirable to deposit the granular product in the second plurality of rows.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising controlling, using the first tool meter, a flow rate of the granular product distributed to the first tool meter based on level of the granular product held in the first tool meter.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein instructing the pneumatic distribution system to distribute the granular product comprises:

instructing a first air source to generate a first air stream that tangential engages the granular product in the pneumatic distribution system such that the granular product is entrained in the first air stream; and

dividing the first air stream between a first hose coupled to the first tool meter and a second hose coupled to the second tool meter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein enabling the first tool meter comprises:

instructing a second air source to generate a second airstream that tangentially engages the granular product stored in the first tool meter such that the granular product is entrained in the second air stream; and

guiding the second air stream to the first plurality of ground engaging opener assemblies.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein enabling the first tool meter comprises:

instructing an air source to generate an airstream that flows through the first tool meter; and

instructing a meter roller of the first tool meter to rotate to control output of the granular product stored in the first meter tool into the air stream.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the granular product comprises seeds, dry fertilizer, or a mixture thereof.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein disabling the first tool meter comprises:

instructing a meter roller of the first tool meter to stop outputting seeds;

or

instructing an air source in the first tool meter to stop generating an air stream.

15. A tool meter configured to be mounted to an agricultural implement, comprising:

a plurality of hose connectors, wherein each of the plurality of hose connectors is configured to be pneumatically coupled to a respective ground engaging opener assembly on the agricultural implement via a hose;

a hopper configured to receive a first air stream from a pneumatic distribution system and to store a granular product entrained in the first air stream; and

a metering component configured to control flow of the granular product from the hopper into a second air stream, wherein the second air stream is output through the plurality of hose connectors toward the ground engaging opener assemblies.

16. The tool meter of claim 15, wherein the metering component comprises a meter roller comprising a plurality of flutes and recesses, wherein the meter roller is configured to control the flow of the granular product from the hopper into the second air stream based at least in part on a rotational speed of the meter roller.

17. The tool meter of claim 16, comprising:

a drive unit configured to actuate the meter roller;

an air source configured to generate the second air stream; and

a control unit configured to control operation of the drive unit and the air source.

18. The tool meter of claim 15, wherein the metering component comprises a plurality of meter rollers, and each of the plurality of meter rollers is configured to control amount the granular product output by a respective hose connector.

19. The tool meter of claim 15, wherein the hopper comprises a screened opening, and the screened opening is configured to enable air from the first air stream to escape and to dislodge the granular product entrained in the first air stream.

20. The tool meter of claim 19, wherein the tool meter is configured to adjust amount of the first air stream received by the hopper using the screened opening, wherein the screen opening is configured to control flow rate of the first air stream into the tool meter based at least in part on amount of the granular product stored in the tool meter.