Apparatus for controlling the flow rate of an air seeder

• US 6,192,813 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Flexi-Coil Ltd. (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Robert J., Wilson, James N., Klassen, Neil D., Memory, Russell J., Benneweis, Robert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US09/455,154
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 111/174, 111/176, 111/900, 111/200, 340/684, 340/627, 340/611, 731/99, 738/610.5, 738/61, 73/53, 738/614.1, 73/12.4, 73/13.5, 73/15.8, 73/17.1
• US Class Current: 111/176
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/7086 using optical detecting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/712 using auto-correlation or cross-correlation detection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing particles includes a storage tank for containing particles to be dispensed a metering mechanism for transferring particles from the storage tank and an air distribution system for receiving particles from the metering mechanism. The air distribution system includes a bank of tubes for transporting particles in a flow of air having a flow rate, and a damper mechanism at the bank of tubes for selective control of the flow rate within the bank of tubes. The apparatus for dispensing particles also includes an air flow source for providing a flow of air to the bank of tubes, a sensor located at each tube for providing a sensor output signal indicative of a value of a flow characteristic, and a controller operably connected to the sensors and to the damper mechanism. The controller automatically effects an adjustment of the flow rate in the bank of tubes by receiving the sensor output signals, normalizing the values corresponding to the sensor output signals, and automatically effecting an adjustment of the damper mechanism as a function of the normalized values and a target value.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for dispensing, the apparatus comprising:

a. an air distribution system comprising at least one tube for transporting air borne particles in a flow of air having a flow rate;

b. an air flow source for providing a flow of air to the air distribution system;

c. a controller operably connected to the air flow source for automatically effecting an adjustment of the flow rate;

d. a particle velocity sensor located at the air distribution system for providing a sensor output signal indicative of a velocity of air borne particles in the tube, the particle velocity sensor including;

i. an upstream light interruption sensor, including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver, located at the tube to detect particles at a first location in the tube; and

ii. a downstream light interruption sensor, including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver, located at the tube to detect particles at a second location in the tube, the second location being at a known distance downstream of the first location; and

e. wherein the controller is operably connected to the sensor and to the air flow source, such that the controller automatically effects an adjustment of the flow rate by receiving a sensor output signal and automatically effecting an adjustment of the air flow source as a function of the sensor output signal and a target particle velocity value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

a. the air flow source comprises a fan and a fan drive mechanism operably connected to the fan to power the rotation of the fan through a range of speeds; and

b. the controller is operably connected to the fan drive mechanism for automatically effecting adjustments of the flow rate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

a. the air distribution system further comprises a damper mechanism for selective control of the flow rate; and

b. the controller is operably connected to the damper mechanism for automatically effecting adjustments of the flow rate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3:

a. further comprising a sensor located at the air distribution system for providing a sensor output signal indicative of a value of a flow characteristic; and

b. wherein the controller is operably connected to the sensor such that the controller automatically effects an adjustment of the flow rate by receiving a sensor output signal and automatically effecting an adjustment of the damper mechanism as a function of the sensor output signal and a target value for the flow characteristic.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

a. the damper mechanism comprises;

i. an air damper mounted within the tube for movement relative thereto, the air damper being operable to restrict the flow of air through the tube as a function of the position of the damper relative to the tube between an open position wherein the flow of air is substantially unrestricted and a closed position wherein the flow of air is substantially restricted; and

ii. a damper actuator operably connected to the air damper to effect movement between the open and closed positions; and

b. the controller is operably connected to the damper actuator for automatically effecting adjustments of the flow rate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a. a storage tank for containing particles to be dispensed; and

b. a metering mechanism for transferring particles from the storage tank to the air distribution system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is a light emitting diode, and the receiver is a near IR phototransistor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the optical transmitter and optical receiver of the upstream sensor are coplanar, and the optical transmitter and optical receiver of the downstream sensor are coplanar.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the optical transmitter of the upstream sensor is located adjacent the optical receiver of the downstream sensor, and the optical receiver of the upstream sensor is located adjacent the optical transmitter of the downstream sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the conduit comprises light tunnels into which the transmitters and receivers of the upstream and downstream sensors are mounted.