Apparatus, method and system for creating, handling, collecting and indexing seed and seed portions from plant seed

• US 8,221,968 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Hi-Bred International (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Hi-Bred International (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Becker, Steven Michael, Cope, Jason, Kurth, David, Mongan, Joshua L
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Kent L
• Application Number:
  US13/313,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20120073416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• Field of Search: 435/4, 356/318, 47/581.SE, 47/581
• US Class Current: 435/4
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/286 involving mechanical work, e.g. chopping, disintegrating, compacting, homogenising microtomes G01N1/06; pulverising in general B02C; mixing in general B01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/0425 Stacks, magazines or elevators for plates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0448 With subsequent handling [i.e., of product]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/202 With product handling means

Abstract

An apparatuses, methods and systems for creating, handling and collecting seed portions are highly beneficial. The apparatus includes a carrier having one or more carrying positions adapted to carry a seed. The carrying positions having a seed orienter adapted to orient the seed relative to the carrying position in the carrier for creating seed portions therefrom. The method includes taking a carrier having one or more carrying positions, orienting a seed relative to the carrying position in the carrier, ablating the seed with a seed ablation device, and communicating seed portions through a manifold into a compartment layer. The system includes a seed manifold adapted to dock thereon a seed carrier having pre-positioned and pre-oriented seed therein. Seed and seed portions removed from the seed in the carrier are communicated into a collector and compartment layer respectively using the seed manifold.

Claims

1. A method for creating, handling and collecting seed portions comprising:

taking a carrier having one or more carrying positions;

positioning and orienting a seed relative to the carrying position in the carrier;

ablating the seed with a seed ablation device; and

communicating seed sample and sampled seed through manifolds into collectors.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of coating a crown portion of the seed with a magnetically active material for orienting the seed relative to the carrying positions in the carrier with a magnet.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of docking the carrier on top of the manifold and positioning the collector within the manifold.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of

a. removing collector with sampled seed from the manifold;

b. retaining seed samples at the carrying positions;

c. removing the carrier with seed samples from off of the manifold; and

d. docking the carrier with a second manifold adapted to communicate seed samples at the carrying positions into a collector by releasing seed samples from the carrying positions in the carrier.

5. A method for creating, handling and collecting seed portions comprising:

coating a crown portion of a seed with a magnetically responsive material;

taking a carrier having one or more carrying positions;

positioning and orienting the crown portion of the seed relative to the carrying position in the carrier with a magnet;

ablating the seed with the seed ablation device to create a seed portion;

communicating the seed portions through a plurality of conduits in a manifold into a plurality of compartments in a compartment layer; and

retaining the other seed portions at the carrying positions in the carrier for collection in a collector.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of

a. docking the carrier on top of the manifold whereby the carrying positions in carrier mate with the plurality of conduits in the manifold;

and

b. positioning the compartment layer within the manifold.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of removing the carrier having the plurality of retained seed portions from the manifold for docking the carrier with a second manifold adapted to communicate the plurality of retained seed portions from the carrying positions in the carrier into a plurality of compartments in the collector by releasing the plurality of retained seed portions from the carrying positions in the carrier.

8. A method for handling seed and seed portions removed from the seed in an efficient and high throughput manner, the method comprising:

providing a seed manifold having a plurality of conduits there-through, a partition member dividing a portion of each conduit into first and second partitions, and a slot for accommodating a plate;

docking a seed carrier on top of the seed manifold, the carrier having seed pre-positioned and pre-oriented within apertures in the seed carrier;

ablating the seed with a seed ablation device to create the seed portion;

passing energy exiting the seed through the first partition out the bottom of the seed manifold; and

capturing the seed portion in the second partition to prevent inadvertent exposure to direct or reflected energy from the seed ablation device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of aligning a plurality of apertures in the plate with the second partition in the seed manifold for creating a throughway for energy from the ablation device to pass there-through.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of inserting a compartment layer underneath the seed manifold to align a plurality of compartments in the layer with the plurality of conduits in the seed manifold.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

a. sliding the plate into the slot in the seed manifold to close-off a portion of the second partition to capture the seed portion ablated from the seed and prevent inadvertent contact with energy from the ablation device; and

b. sliding the plate out of the slot in the seed manifold to release seed portions within the second partitions into the plurality of compartments to collect the seed portions in the compartment layer.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of removing the seed carrier with retained seed portions from the seed manifold for docking onto another manifold having a plurality of conduits for communicating seed portions removed from the carrier into a collector.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of indexing the position of the sampled seed and respective seed portions in the compartment layer and collector.

14. A system for creating, handling, collecting and indexing seed and seed portions removed from the seed in an efficient and high-throughput manner, the system comprising:

a seed ablation device adapted to sample a seed by removing a seed portion from the seed; and

a seed manifold having a plurality of conduits adapted to communicate the sampled seed into one collector and seed portions into another collector.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a seed carrier having a plurality of apertures adapted to position and orient seed relative to the carrier, the seed carrier adapted to dock on top of the seed manifold.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising another seed manifold having a plurality of conduits adapted to communicate seed portions retained with the seed carrier into the collector having compartments indexed to correlate with the seed carrier and other collector.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the seed manifold further comprises:

a. a partition member adapted to partition each of the plurality of conduits into first and second partitions; and

b. a slot extending longitudinally there-through, the slot adapted to receive a plate with apertures, wherein a portion of the second partition closed-off by the plate is adapted to capture and separate the seed portion to prevent inadvertent contact with energy from the ablation device.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the apertures in the plate align with the first partition in the seed manifold to provide a throughway to pass energy from the seed ablation device through to be diffused or absorbed outside of the seed manifold to prevent reflected energy from damaging the seed or seed portion.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the partition member has a vertical most edge, the vertical most edge being closely adjacent the underside of the seed in the seed carrier whereby energy from the ablation device exiting the seed passes immediately into the first partition formed by the partition member to prevent inadvertent contact of the seed or seed portion with reflected energy.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the seed manifold is adapted to receive a collector, wherein the seed portions in the second partition are moved into the collector by removing the plate from the slot in the seed manifold.