Air distribution system for a pneumatic conveying system

• US 9,902,571 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Hui, Ka Po Catherine, Roberge, Martin J., Denis, Jol Jean-Claude, Carlton, Owen Robert, Thompson, Dennis George
• Primary Examiner(s): Dillon, Jr., Joseph A
• Application Number:
  US15/055,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20170247199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 406181, 137561 A, 111175
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/34 Details

Abstract

A plenum of distributing a flow of air from an air source includes ports extending from a face element of a body. The ports are configured to direct the flow of air out of the plenum, and the ports are arranged on the face element in a first row having first length, a second row having a second length, and a third row having a third length. The first row is positioned proximate to the top element, the third row is positioned proximate to the bottom element, and the second row is positioned between the first row and the third row. In addition, the second length is greater than the first length and the third length, and a shape of the face element is configured to accommodate the first length of the first row, the second length of the second row, and the third length of the third row.

Claims

1. A plenum for distributing a flow of air from an air source, comprising:

a body comprising;

an inlet positioned at a first end of the body and configured receive the flow of air from the air source;

a first side coupled to a top element and to a bottom element, wherein the top element is opposite the bottom element;

a second side, opposite the first side, coupled to the top element and the bottom element; and

a face element disposed on a second end of the body, opposite the first end; and

a plurality of ports extending from the face element and configured to direct the flow of air out of the plenum, wherein the plurality of ports is arranged on the face element in a first row having first length, a second row having a second length, and a third row having a third length, the first row is positioned proximate to the top element, the third row is positioned proximate to the bottom element, and the second row is positioned between the first row and the third row;

wherein the second length is greater than the first length and the third length, and a shape of the face element is configured to accommodate the first length of the first row, the second length of the second row, and the third length of the third row.

2. The plenum of claim 1, wherein the first row comprises four ports, the second row comprises five ports, and the third row comprises four ports.

3. The plenum of claim 2, wherein one of the five ports of the second row is a pressurization port configured to direct the flow of air to a tank, and each of the four other ports of the second row, each of the four ports of the first row, and each of the four ports of the third row is an outlet port configured to couple to at least one hose to supply the flow of air to an agricultural implement.

4. The plenum of claim 3, wherein the pressurization port is laterally centered between the four outlet ports of the second row.

5. The plenum of claim 1, wherein at least one port of the second row comprises a pressurization port configured to direct the flow of air to a tank, and the pressurization port is laterally centered between the other ports of the second row.

6. The plenum of claim 1, wherein the body and the plurality of ports are integrally formed from a single piece of material.

7. The plenum of claim 1, wherein the shape of the face element is substantially hexagonal.

8. The plenum of claim 7, wherein each of the first side and the second side includes a first section, a second section, and a third section, the first section and the second section are substantially flat, only the first and second sections are connected to the face element, and only the third section is connected to a flange at the inlet.

9. The plenum of claim 8, wherein the body comprises:

a first sheet of material forming the top element, the first section of the first side, and the first section of the second side;

a second sheet of material forming the bottom element, the second section of the first side, and the second section of the second side;

a third sheet of material forming the third section of the first side; and

a fourth sheet of material forming the third section of the second side.

10. The plenum of claim 9, wherein the first, second, and third sections of the first side are coupled to one another, and the first, second, and third sections of the second side are coupled to one another.