Baffle orientation device for an inductor box of an agricultural implement

• US 9,125,338 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Chad M., Connors, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US13/737,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20140190379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 111/170, 111174-188, 221/211
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/082 Ducts, distribution pipes or details thereof for pneumatic seeders
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/084 Pneumatic distribution heads for seeders
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/46 Gates or sluices, e.g. rotary wheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]

Abstract

An agricultural product distribution system is presented that includes an inductor box configured to receive agricultural product and conveyed air to combine the agricultural product and the conveyed air. The agricultural product distribution system also includes a removable baffle configured to control an amount of the conveyed air that flows into each port of the plurality of ports. Furthermore, the inductor box is configured to enable the removable baffle to be slidingly inserted into the inductor box, and the removable baffle comprises a tang configured to at least partially block insertion of the removable baffle into the inductor box while the removable baffle is oriented at an undesirable orientation.

Claims

1. An agricultural product distribution system comprising:

an inductor box configured to receive agricultural product and conveyed air and to combine the agricultural product and the conveyed air; and

a removable baffle having a plurality of ports that are configured to control an amount of the conveyed air that flows through the inductor box, wherein the inductor box is configured to enable the removable baffle to be slidingly inserted into the inductor box, and the removable baffle comprises a tang that enables insertion of the removable baffle in a first orientation in which one or more ports of the plurality of ports align with one or more air channels of the inductor box and that at least partially blocks insertion of the removable baffle into the inductor box in a second orientation in which the plurality of ports do not align with the one or more air channels.

2. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of air conduits, wherein each air conduit of the plurality of air conduits is coupled to at least one air channel of the one or more air channels.

3. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 2, comprising a plurality of distribution units, wherein each distribution unit is coupled to a respective air conduit of the plurality of air conduits.

4. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 3, wherein a number of openings of a portion of the at least one opening is at least partially dependent upon a length of the respective air conduit between.

5. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 1, comprising an air inlet coupled to an air intake port of the inductor box, wherein the air intake port is configured to receive the conveyed air from an air supply via the air inlet.

6. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 5, wherein the air supply comprises a fan configured to provide the conveyed air to the inductor box via the air intake port.

7. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 5, wherein the tang at least partially blocks the coupling of the air inlet to the air intake port while the removable baffle is oriented in the second orientation.

8. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 1, comprising a tank coupled to the inductor box and configured to supply the agricultural product to the inductor box.

9. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 1, wherein the agricultural product comprises insecticide coated seeds, corn, soybeans, grain sorghum, sweet corn, popcorn, sunflower, cotton, edible beans, sugar beets, peanuts, or a combination thereof.

10. An agricultural product distribution system comprising:

an inductor box comprising one or more outlet ports;

a removable baffle comprising;

one or more openings each configured to control an amount of air flow into a respective outlet port; and

one or more tangs extending from the removable baffle, wherein the inductor box is configured to enable the removable baffle to be slidingly inserted into the inductor box, and the one or more tangs enable insertion of the removable baffle in a first orientation in which at least one of the one or more openings align with at least one of the one or more air channels in the inductor box and at least partially block assembly of the inductor box while the removable baffle is inserted into the inductor box in a second orientation in which the one or more openings do not align with the one or more air channels.

11. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 10, wherein an air inlet is at least partially blocked from coupling to the inductor box while the removable baffle is inserted into the inductor box in the second orientation.

12. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 10, comprising:

one or more air conduits each configured to couple to a respective outlet port of the one or more outlet ports; and

one or more distribution units each configured to couple to a respective air conduit of the one or more air conduits.

13. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 10, wherein the one or more tangs comprise a protrusion extending from a lateral edge of the removable baffle.

14. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 13, wherein the one or more tangs are positioned vertically below the removable baffle while the removable baffle is oriented in the first orientation.

15. The agricultural product distribution system of claim 13, wherein the one or more tangs are configured to contact the air intake port of the inductor box while the removable baffle is oriented in the second orientation.