Seed inductor for an agricultural implement having an adjustable air bypass

• US 9,848,525 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• 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, III, Frank C., Prickel, Marvin A., Connors, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US14/975,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 406 86, 406 95, 406144, 406153
• 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 comprising;

at least one particulate material supply chamber configured to receive particulate material from a particulate material source;

at least one particulate material delivery chamber;

an air supply chamber configured to receive an airflow from an airflow supply;

at least one air bypass channel directly connecting the air supply chamber to the at least one particulate material delivery chamber, wherein the at least one air bypass channel is configured to guide the airflow from the air supply chamber through the at least one particulate material supply chamber to the at least one particulate material delivery chamber without receiving the particulate material from the at least one particulate material supply chamber, wherein the at least one air bypass channel is configured to block the particulate material in the at least one particulate material supply chamber from interacting with the airflow through the at least one air bypass channel; and

at least one airflow control device configured to control the airflow through the at least one air bypass channel.

2. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the at least one airflow control device is positioned adjacent to an inlet of the at least one air bypass channel.

3. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the inductor box includes a plurality of inductor segments, the at least one air bypass channel comprises a plurality of air bypass channels, each inductor segment of the plurality of inductor segments includes a respective air bypass channel of the plurality of air bypass channels, and each air bypass channel of the plurality of air bypass channels includes a respective inlet and a respective outlet.

4. The particulate material delivery system of claim 3, wherein the at least one airflow control device comprises a single airflow control device positioned adjacent to each respective inlet of the plurality of air bypass channels.

5. The particulate material delivery system of claim 4, wherein the single airflow control device includes differently sized apertures configured to control the airflow through the plurality of air bypass channels.

6. The particulate material delivery system of claim 3, wherein the at least one airflow control device comprises a plurality of airflow control devices each positioned adjacent to a respective inlet of the plurality of air bypass channels.

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

8. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the at least one particular material delivery chamber is configured to receive the particulate material from the at least one particulate material supply chamber and to distribute the particulate material to at least one row unit.

9. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the at least one airflow control device comprises a baffle, or the at least one airflow control device comprises a plug configured to be inserted into the at least one air bypass channel.

14. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the inductor segment comprises a first wall disposed between the at least one particulate material supply chamber and the air supply chamber.

15. The particulate material delivery system of claim 14, wherein the inductor segment comprises a second wall disposed between the at least one particulate material supply chamber and the at least one particulate material delivery chamber.

16. The particulate material delivery system of claim 15, wherein the at least one air bypass channel extends from the first wall to the second wall.

17. The particulate material delivery system of claim 1, wherein the inductor segment comprises at least one fluidization chamber disposed between the at least one particulate material supply chamber and the at least one particulate material delivery chamber.

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

an inductor segment comprising;

a particulate material supply chamber configured to receive particulate material from a particulate material source and a first airflow from an air source;

a particulate material delivery chamber configured to receive the particulate material from the particulate material supply chamber and to distribute the particulate material to at least one row unit;

an air bypass channel extending through the particulate material supply chamber, wherein the air bypass channel is configured to direct a second airflow through the particulate material supply chamber and into the particulate material delivery chamber without receiving the particulate material from the particulate material supply chamber, wherein the at least one air bypass channel is configured to block the particulate material in the particulate material supply chamber from interacting with the airflow through the at least one air bypass channel; and

an airflow control device configured to control the airflow through the air bypass channel.

11. The particulate material delivery system of claim 10, wherein the airflow control device comprises a baffle.

12. The particulate material delivery system of claim 10, wherein the airflow control device comprises a plug configured to be inserted into the air bypass channel.

13. The particulate material delivery system of claim 10, comprising an air supply chamber configured to provide the first airflow from the air source to the particulate material supply chamber and to provide the second airflow from the air source to the air bypass channel.