Seed belt housing with impact absorbing material to reduce seed skip and method for same
First Claim
1. An improved seed belt housing adapted to be disposed adjacent a finger-pickup seed meter, wherein the seed belt housing includes a front panel having a seed receiving opening through which seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter are received, the seed belt housing further including a back panel having an area spaced in opposition to the seed receiving opening against which the seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter normally impact and ricochet therefrom, the improvement comprising:
- an impact absorbing member disposed at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel and ricochet therefrom, wherein said impact absorbing member substantially reduces the seed ricochet otherwise normally experienced when seeds discharge by the finger-pickup seed meter impact the back panel of the seed belt housing without said impact absorbing member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved seed belt housing to reduce seed skip and method for same. The seed belt housing having a modified back panel with an area of impact absorbing material disposed at least in the area where the seed normally hits the back panel of the seed belt housing after being discharged by the seed meter. The impact absorbing material having the properties to dampen, absorb, or reduce the amount of bounce or ricochet otherwise experienced by the seed after hitting the back panel of the seed belt housing.
28 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An improved seed belt housing adapted to be disposed adjacent a finger-pickup seed meter, wherein the seed belt housing includes a front panel having a seed receiving opening through which seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter are received, the seed belt housing further including a back panel having an area spaced in opposition to the seed receiving opening against which the seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter normally impact and ricochet therefrom, the improvement comprising:
an impact absorbing member disposed at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel and ricochet therefrom, wherein said impact absorbing member substantially reduces the seed ricochet otherwise normally experienced when seeds discharge by the finger-pickup seed meter impact the back panel of the seed belt housing without said impact absorbing member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method to reduce seed ricochet within a seed belt housing adapted to be disposed adjacent a finger-pickup seed meter;
- wherein the seed belt housing includes a front panel having a seed receiving opening for receiving seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter, the seed belt housing further including a back panel having an area spaced in opposition to said seed receiving opening against which the seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter normally impact and ricochet therefrom, the method comprising;
providing an impact absorbing member disposed at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel, wherein said impact absorbing member substantially reduces the seed ricochet otherwise normally experienced when seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter impact the back panel of the seed belt housing. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
securing said impact absorbing member to a back face of the back panel over an opening in the back panel at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel.
- wherein the seed belt housing includes a front panel having a seed receiving opening for receiving seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter, the seed belt housing further including a back panel having an area spaced in opposition to said seed receiving opening against which the seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter normally impact and ricochet therefrom, the method comprising;
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9. The method of claim 8 further comprising cutting said opening in the back panel at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel.
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10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
securing an exterior cover over said impact absorbing member.
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11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
securing said impact absorbing member within a recess in a front face of the back panel at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel.
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12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
forming said recess in a front face of the back panel at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel.
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13. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
integrally forming said impact absorbing member with the back panel at least at the area where the seeds normally impact the back panel.
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14. The method of claim 7
wherein the back panel substantially comprises the impact absorbing member.
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15. A method for modifying an existing seed belt housing adapted to be disposed adjacent to a finger-pickup seed meter to reduce seed skip, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a template adapted for positioning against a back panel of the seed belt housing, said template defining an area of the back panel of the seed belt housing where seeds discharged by the finger-pickup seed meter normally impact the back panel;
positioning said template against the back panel of the seed belt housing;
removing said area of the back panel defined by said template;
providing an impact absorbing member;
securing said impact absorbing member over said removed area;
whereby in use, said impact absorbing member so disposed substantially reduces seed ricochet otherwise normally experienced when seeds discharge by the finger-pickup seed meter impact the back panel, thereby reducing seed skip.
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16. A seed selecting and dispensing mechanism comprising:
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a finger-pickup seed meter having a backing plate with a seed discharge opening therein, said finger-pickup seed meter adapted to select individual seeds from a seed reservoir and discharge said individual seeds through said seed discharge opening in said backing plate;
a seed belt housing adapted to receive said individual seeds discharged from the finger-pickup seed meter and to convey said seeds, individually and in sequence, for dispensing into a seed tube, said seed belt housing including;
a front panel having a seed receiving opening substantially aligned with said seed discharge opening in said backing plate through which seeds discharged by said finger-pickup seed meter are received;
a back panel with an area spaced in opposition to said seed receiving opening, said back panel having an impact absorbing member disposed at least at said area in opposition to said receiving opening, whereby said impact absorbing member substantially reduces seed ricochet otherwise normally experienced when seeds discharge by the finger-pickup seed meter impact the back panel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification