Direct vacuum seed metering system and method

• US 9,426,940 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Connors, Michael J., Dienst, Johnathon R., Long, Scott A., Prickel, Marvin A., MacDonald, Grant T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LUAT T
• Application Number:
  US14/540,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20160135362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 111/149, 111/185
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/046 with perforated seeding discs
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors

Abstract

One embodiment describes a seed metering system that includes a first seed meter that controls seed deposition by a first row unit on a seed planting implement; a first direct vacuum source fluidly coupled to the first seed meter, in which the first direct vacuum source supplies vacuum pressure only to the first seed meter to enable the first seed meter to control seed deposition by the first row unit; a second seed meter that controls seed deposition by a second row unit on the seed planting implement; a second direct vacuum source fluidly coupled to the second seed meter, wherein the second direct vacuum source supplies vacuum pressure only to the second seed meter to enable the second seed meter to control seed deposition by the second row unit; and a control unit communicatively coupled to the first direct vacuum source and the second direct vacuum source, in which the control unit controls vacuum pressure supplied by the first direct vacuum source and the second direct vacuum source independently.

Claims

1. A seed metering system comprising;

a first seed meter configured to control seed deposition by a first row unit on a seed planting implement;

a first direct vacuum source fluidly coupled to the first seed meter, wherein the first direct vacuum source is configured to supply vacuum pressure only to the first seed meter to enable the first seed meter to control seed deposition by the first row unit;

a second seed meter configured to control seed deposition by a second row unit on the seed planting implement;

a second direct vacuum source fluidly coupled to the second seed meter, wherein the second direct vacuum source is configured to supply vacuum pressure only to the second seed meter to enable the second seed meter to control seed deposition by the second row unit; and

a control unit communicatively coupled to the first direct vacuum source and the second direct vacuum source, wherein the control unit is configured to control vacuum pressure supplied by the first direct vacuum source and the second direct vacuum source independently.

2. The seed metering system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to:

instruct the first direct vacuum source to supply a first desired vacuum pressure to reduce skips and multiples output by the first seed meter; and

instruct the second direct vacuum source to supply a second desired vacuum pressure to reduce skips and multiples output by the second seed meter;

wherein the first desired vacuum pressure is different from the second desired vacuum pressure.

3. The seed metering system of claim 2, comprising a sensor configured to determine when a seed is output by the first seed meter;

wherein the control unit is configured to

receive an indication from the sensor when a seed is output;

detect that a skip has occurred when a seed is not output when expected;

determine the first desired vacuum pressure based on the detected skip; and

instruct the first direct vacuum source to increase vacuum pressure to the first desired vacuum pressure.

4. The seed metering system of claim 2, comprising a sensor configured to determine a number of seeds output by the first seed meter within a selected time frame;

wherein the control unit is configured to;

receive an indication from the sensor regarding the number of seeds output within the selected time frame;

detect that a multiple has occurred when multiple seeds are output within the selected time frame;

determine the first desired vacuum pressure based on the detected multiple; and

instruct the first direct vacuum source to decrease vacuum pressure to the first desired vacuum pressure.

5. The seed metering system of claim 2, wherein the first direct vacuum source comprises a fan and the control unit is configured to instruct the first direct vacuum source to supply the first vacuum pressure by controlling speed of the fan.

6. The seed metering system of claim 1, wherein the first seed meter is configured to output a first type of seed and the second seed meter is configured to output a second type of seed, wherein the first type of seed and the second type of seed have different size, weight, shape, or any combination thereof.

7. The seed metering system of claim 1, wherein the first seed meter comprises a vacuum port and the first direct vacuum source is molded to the vacuum port.

8. The seed metering system of claim 1, wherein the first direct vacuum source faces a downward direction.

9. A tangible, non-transitory, computer readable medium configured to store instructions executable by a processor, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:

determine, using the processor, when a seed is expected to be output by a seed meter on a seed planting implement;

determine, using the processor, whether the seed is actually output and number of seeds output when the seed is expected to be output;

detect, using the processor, that a skip has occurred when the seed is not actually output;

detect, using the processor, that a multiple has occurred when more than one seed is output; and

instruct, using the processor, a direct vacuum source fluidly coupled only to the seed meter to adjust vacuum pressure supplied to the seed meter based at least in part on whether a skip or a multiple is detected.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions to instruct the direct vacuum source comprise instructions to instruct the direct vacuum source to increase vacuum pressure supplied when a skip is detected.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions to instruct the direct vacuum source comprise instructions to instruct the direct vacuum source to decrease vacuum pressure supplied when a multiple is detected.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, comprising instructions to:

determine number of skips and multiples that occur over a period of operation of the seed meter; and

calculate amount to adjust the vacuum pressure based at least in part on the number skips that occur, the number of multiples that occur, or both.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the period of operation comprises a rotation of a seed disc in the seed meter.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the seed planting implement comprises a plurality of seed meters each with supplied vacuum pressure from a separate direct vacuum source.

15. A method comprising:

detecting, using a control unit, abnormal operation of a first seed meter on a planting implement;

automatically instructing, using the control unit, a first direct vacuum source that supplies vacuum pressure to the first seed meter to switch from supplying a first vacuum pressure to a second vacuum pressure when abnormal operation is detected, wherein the first vacuum pressure is a negative vacuum pressure and the second vacuum pressure is a positive vacuum pressure; and

instructing, using the control unit, the first direct vacuum source to resume supplying the first vacuum pressure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the abnormal operation comprises determining a number of skips and multiples that occur over a period of operation of the seed meter.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the abnormal operation comprises determining a number and magnitude of vacuum pressure adjustments made by the first direct vacuum source.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising instructing a second direct vacuum source to supply a third vacuum pressure to a second seed meter on the planting implement while the first vacuum source supplies the first vacuum pressure and the second vacuum pressure, wherein the third vacuum pressure is a negative vacuum pressure different from the first vacuum pressure.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first vacuum pressure is supplied when blades of a fan in the direct vacuum source face a first direction, and the second vacuum pressure is supplied when the blades face a second direction, opposite the first direction.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first vacuum pressure is supplied when a fan in the direct vacuum source rotates in a first direction, and the second vacuum pressure is supplied when the fan rotates in a second direction, opposite the first direction.