Particulate material delivery system for variable rate sectional control

• US 9,144,190 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Henry, James W., Stuart, Graham D., Wolowski, Evan J. B., Petruic, Matthew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US13/746,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20130192503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 19/02 by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/044 Pneumatic seed wheels
• 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: A01C 7/088 Sectional seeding
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/127 Cell rollers, wheels, discs or belts
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2095 Control of electric, electro-mechanical or mechanical equipment not otherwise provided for, e.g. ventilators, electro-driven fans control of hydraulic driven equipment E02F9/22

Abstract

A particulate material delivery system is provided that allows for variable rate sectional control while delivering particulate material to an agricultural field. The system may include an air cart and a drill that are towable behind a tractor and that includes a metering system receiving product from the air cart and delivering the product to the drill for distribution to the ground, such as an agricultural field. The metering system includes multiple metering units that receive separate portions of the product from the air cart. Multiple prime movers drive the multiple metering units. A controller is connected to and individually controls the multiple prime movers such that distribution rates of the multiple metering units can be varied independently of each other.

Claims

1. A particulate material delivery system comprising:

an air cart and a drill that are towable behind a tractor;

a pneumatic distribution system arranged with respect to the air cart and the drill, the pneumatic distribution system including multiple distribution lines configured to pneumatically deliver a product to the drill for pneumatic distribution to the agricultural field;

a metering system receiving the product from the air cart and delivering the product to the multiple distribution lines, the metering system including,

multiple metering units receiving separate portions of the product from the air cart and transmitting each separate portion of the product to a corresponding one of the multiple distribution lines;

multiple prime movers driving the multiple metering units; and

a controller connected to and individually controlling the multiple prime movers for controlling the rate at which the multiple metering units transmit the separate portions of the product to the corresponding multiple distribution lines independently of each other;

wherein;

the pneumatic distribution system includes at least one fan that provides air flow in at least one distribution line for pneumatically delivering at least one separate portion of product to the drill for pneumatic distribution to the agricultural field; and

the controller operatively connected to and controlling a speed of the at least one fan.

2. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1 wherein the multiple prime movers are electric motors.

3. The particulate material delivery system of claim 2 wherein each of the multiple metering units includes a metering roller, and a shaft that supports and rotates the metering roller, and wherein each electric motor drives an end of the shaft that supports a respective metering roller.

4. The particulate material delivery system of claim 2 wherein each of the multiple metering units includes a metering roller having an external gear at an outer circumferential surface thereof, and wherein each electric motor directly drives the external gear of a respective metering roller.

5. The particulate material delivery system of claim 2 wherein each of the multiple metering units includes a metering roller having an internal gear at an inner circumferential surface thereof, and wherein each electric motor directly drives the internal gear of a respective metering roller.

6. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1 wherein the air cart defines a seed cart and the drill defines an air drill cooperating with the pneumatic distribution system for entraining the product in at least one airflow for continuous pneumatic conveyance of the product from the metering system to the agricultural field.