Row unit for a seeding machine

• US 8,276,529 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Garner, Elijah, Friestad, Michael E., Mariman, Nathan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US13/352,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20120111247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 111170-172, 222/1, 222160-173, 222608-628, 222251-415, 222/575, 239/1, 239/11, 239650-688, 239/140, 239146-176, 239/750, 239/568, 239/602, 198804-853, 198/615, 198/617, 198/620, 198622-637, 198/643, 198/644, 198/678.1, 1988601-8616, 198/866, 198/950, 198418-433, 198570-613
• US Class Current: 111/171
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/042 using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/127 Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts

Abstract

A seeding machine row unit having a seed meter with an endless belt as a seed transport member. A pressure differential holds the seed onto the belt. The belt allows greater freedom in determining the location of the seed pick-up region and the seed release or removal region beyond the constraints of a fixed diameter seed disk. The row unit further includes a delivery system using a brush belt to move metered seed from the meter to the ground.

Claims

1. A row unit for a seeding machine comprising:

a seed meter having an endless metering belt having apertures formed therein, means for moving the belt along a defined path having a seed pick-up region and a seed release region and means for creating a pressure differential on opposite sides of the belt along at least the portion of the path between the seed pick-up region and the seed release region to adhere and retain seed on the belt at the apertures; and

a seed delivery system receiving seed from the metering belt, the delivery system having an endless member contained within a housing, the housing having an upper opening through which seed is received from the seed meter with the endless member entrapping the seed between the housing and the endless member wherein the endless member of the delivery system sweeps across the metering belt to remove seed from the metering belt.

2. A row unit for a seeding machine comprising:

a seed meter having an endless metering belt having apertures formed therein, means for moving the belt along a defined path having a seed pick-up region and a seed release region and means for creating a pressure differential on opposite sides of the belt along at least the portion of the path between the seed pick-up region and the seed release region to adhere and retain seed on the belt at the apertures;

a seed delivery system receiving seed from the metering belt, the delivery system having an endless member contained within a housing, the housing having an upper opening through which seed is received from the seed meter with the endless member entrapping the seed between the housing and the endless member; and

a transition member adjacent the metering belt and extending between the metering belt and the housing of the delivery system, the transition member having a surface over which the endless member of the delivery system moves the seed from the metering belt in to the housing.

3. A row unit for a seeding machine comprising:

a seed meter having an endless metering belt having apertures formed therein, means for moving the belt along a defined path having a seed pick-up region and a seed release region and means for creating a pressure differential on opposite sides of the belt along at least the portion of the path between the seed pick-up region and the seed release region to adhere and retain seed on the belt at the apertures; and

a seed delivery system receiving seed from the metering belt, the delivery system having an endless member contained within a housing, the housing having an upper opening through which seed is received from the seed meter with the endless member entrapping the seed between the housing and the endless member wherein the endless member of the delivery system is a brush belt having bristles to entrap the seed and which bristles move over the surface of the metering belt.

4. A row unit for a seeding machine comprising:

a seed meter having an endless metering belt having apertures formed therein, means for moving the belt along a defined path having a seed pick-up region and a seed release region and means for creating a pressure differential on opposite sides of the belt along at least the portion of the path between the seed pick-up region and the seed release region to adhere and retain seed on the belt at the apertures; and

a seed delivery system receiving seed from the metering belt, the delivery system having an endless member contained within a housing, the housing having an upper opening through which seed is received from the seed meter with the endless member entrapping the seed between the housing and the endless member wherein the metering belt has a feature following each aperture along the defined path forming a confronting face to push seed on the aperture into the endless member of the delivery system.