Seed inductor for an agricultural implement having an adjustable air bypass

• US 9,215,841 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• 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., Legner, Frank C. III, Prickel, Marvin A., Connors, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US13/737,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20140193214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 406/86, 406/95, 406/144, 406/153, 111174-176
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/08 Broadcast seeders; Seeders depositing seeds in rows
• 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 7/20 Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed

Abstract

A particulate material delivery system for an agricultural implement including, an inductor box configured to receive particulate material from a tank, the inductor box including, an inductor segment comprising an air bypass channel extending through a particulate material supply chamber, wherein the particulate material supply chamber is configured to receive the particulate material for distribution to at least one row unit, and the air bypass channel is configured to guide airflow through the particulate material supply chamber without interacting with a flow of the particulate material through the particulate material supply chamber, and an airflow control device in communication with the inductor segment and configured to control the airflow through the air bypass channel.

Claims

1. A particulate material delivery system for an agricultural implement comprising:

an inductor box configured to receive particulate material from a tank, the inductor box comprising;

an inductor segment comprising an air bypass channel extending through a particulate material supply chamber, wherein the particulate material supply chamber is configured to receive the particulate material for distribution to at least one row unit, and the air bypass channel is configured to guide airflow through the particulate material supply chamber without interacting with a flow of the particulate material through the particulate material supply chamber; and

an airflow control device in communication with the inductor segment and configured to control the airflow through the air bypass channel.

2. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the air bypass channel includes an inlet and an outlet.

3. The particulate material delivery system of claim 2, wherein the airflow control device is positioned adjacent to the inlet.

4. The particulate material delivery system of claim 3, wherein the airflow control device includes one or more apertures configured to facilitate airflow through the airflow control device and into the air bypass channel.

5. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the inductor box includes a plurality of inductor segments each having a respective air bypass channel, and each air bypass channel having a respective inlet and a respective outlet.

6. The particulate material delivery system of claim 5, comprising a plurality of airflow control devices each positioned adjacent to a respective inlet.

7. The particulate material delivery system of claim 5, wherein a single airflow control device is positioned adjacent to a respective inlet.

8. The particulate material delivery system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of airflow control devices includes differently sized apertures configured to control the airflow through the respective air bypass channels.

9. The particulate material delivery system of claim 7, wherein the airflow control device includes differently sized apertures configured to control the airflow through the respective air bypass channels.

10. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the air bypass channel is substantially perpendicular to an air supply chamber, the air supply chamber is configured to provide the airflow from an airflow supply, and the air supply chamber directs the airflow into the air bypass channel through the airflow control device.

11. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the airflow control device comprises a baffle.

12. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the airflow control device comprises a plug configured to be inserted into the air bypass channel.