IMPLEMENT FOR ADJUSTABLY METERING AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD INPUT ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT FRAME SECTIONS

• US 20130333601A1
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raven Industries Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Raven Industries Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Shivak, Stanislaus Montgomery
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/118
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 21/005 Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/007 Metering or regulating systems
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/042 Adding fertiliser to watering systems
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/04 Single-grain seeders with or without suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/042 using pneumatic means
• 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 7/102 Regulating or controlling the seed rate
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/20 Parts of seeders for conducting and depositing seed
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1681 with a selecting mechanism comprising a gate valve, sliding valve or cock and a lift valve
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/169 having three or more selectively effective outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0406 with several pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0423 for supplying liquid or other fluent material to several spraying apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/003 using interconnected flow control elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0605 specially adapted for solid materials
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0641 using a plurality of throttling means G05D7/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0652 the plurality of throttling means being arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0664 the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a plurality of diverging flows from a single flow G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13

Abstract

Metering devices for an agricultural implement are provided for applying a field input, for example, pneumatically delivered granular product including seed or fertilizer or sprayed liquid product including fertilizer and the like, to an agricultural field. In the applying of the field input, the rate of application of the dispensers of one section of the implement can be collectively varied in relation to the rate of application of the dispensers of a different section of the implement frame.

Claims

1. An implement for applying an input product to an agricultural field, the implement comprising:

a frame arranged to be supported for movement across the field in a forward working direction in which the frame includes a plurality of designated frame sections;

a plurality of product dispensers supported on the frame in association with each designated frame section;

a product supply arranged to store the input product therein so as to be supported for movement across the field together with the frame;

a plurality of conveying lines communicating between the product supply and respective ones of the product dispensers;

a plurality of metering devices in which each metering device is associated with one of the designated frame sections and communicates with at least one main line in communication with the respective conveying lines of the product dispensers associated therewith;

the metering devices being arranged to meter the input product therethrough from the product supply to the respective conveying lines at an adjustable rate relative to one another.

2. The implement according to claim 1 wherein each metering device is arranged to be operated in a closed condition such that no input product is conveying through the conveying lines of the associated frame section.

3. The implement according to claim 1 wherein each metering device is operable at a rate which is responsive to a respective speed input representing a speed of the respective frame section across the field in the forward working direction.

4. The implement according to claim 3 further comprising a controller arranged to receive a measured speed from at least two speed sensing locations and determine the respective speed input for each metering device based upon the measured speeds.

5. The implement according to claim 3 further comprising a controller arranged to receive GPS data and determine the respective speed input for each metering device based upon the GPS data.

6. The implement according to claim 1 wherein the implement comprises an agricultural seeder in which the conveying lines comprise pneumatic conveying lines.

7. The implement according to claim 6 wherein the product supply comprises a seed tank and wherein the metering devices comprise respective metering wheel sections which are independently rotatably and which commonly communicate with the seed tank.

8. The implement according to claim 7 wherein the frame comprises two designated frame sections extending outward towards respective laterally opposed ends of the frame and wherein the metering devices operate at respective rates which are proportional to speed inputs from respective ones of a pair of laterally spaced apart ground engaging wheels on the frame.

9. The implement according to claim 6 wherein the product supply comprises a plurality of seed tanks, each associated with a different one of the designated frame sections and each being only in communication with the respective one of the metering devices.

10. The implement according to claim 1 wherein the implement comprises an agricultural sprayer in which the conveying lines comprise pressurized fluid lines receiving the input product pumped therethrough from the product supply.

11. The implement according to claim 10 wherein each metering device comprises a throttling valve which is operable independently of the other metering devices.

12. The implement according to claim 11 wherein each throttling valve is adjustable in response to a flow rate sensor in communication with the respective main line downstream from the throttling valve.

13. The implement according to claim 10 wherein each metering device comprises a pressure reducing valve which is operable to regulate flow rate in the respective main line at a set point flow rate.

14. The implement according to claim 13 wherein each pressure reducing valve is adjusted in response to deviation a measured flow rate by a flow rate sensor in communication with the respective main line downstream from the pressure reducing valve from the set point flow rate.

15. The implement according to claim 13 wherein the set point flow rate of each pressure reducing valve is adjusted by pulse width modulation.

16. The implement according to claim 10 wherein the metering device of each designated frame section includes a flow regulating orifice in series therewith and wherein the metering device of at least one of the designated frame sections further includes a flow reducing valve in series with the flow regulating orifice which is arranged to adjust the flow rate to said at least one section relative to at least one other section.

17. The implement according to claim 10 wherein the designated frame sections comprise a center section and a plurality of side sections, wherein the metering device of each designated frame section includes a flow regulating orifice in series therewith, and wherein the metering device of the side sections further include a valve in series with the flow regulating orifice which is arranged to adjust the flow rate to the respective designated frame section relative to the other designated frame sections.

18. The implement according to claim 10 wherein the metering device of each designated frame section includes a throttling valve such that each valve is arranged to adjust the flow rate to the respective designated frame section relative to the other designated frame sections.

19. The implement according to claim 10 wherein the designated frame sections comprise a center section and a plurality of side sections, wherein the metering device associated with the center section comprises a center pump operable at a set point flow rate which is in communication with only to the product dispensers of the center section.

20. The implement according to claim 19 wherein there is provided an auxiliary pump operable at a set point flow rate which is in communication with the product dispensers of all of the side sections and wherein the metering device associated with each side section comprises a valve in series with the main line of the respective side section which is arranged to adjust the flow rate to the side section relative to at least one other side section.

21. A sprayer implement for applying an input product to an agricultural field, the implement comprising:

a frame arranged to be supported for movement across the field in a forward working direction in which the frame includes a plurality of designated frame sections;

a plurality of product dispensers supported on the frame in association with each designated frame section;

a carrier fluid supply arranged to store a carrier fluid therein so as to be supported for movement across the field together with the frame;

a plurality of main lines in communication with the carrier fluid supply to receive carrier fluid therefrom in which each main line is only associated with one of the designated frame sections;

a plurality of conveying lines, each communicating a respective one of the product dispensers to one of the main lines associated with the respective designated frame section to dispense carrier fluid from the main lines therethrough;

a primary product supply arranged to store a primary input product therein so as to be supported for movement across the field together with the frame;

a plurality of metering devices in which each metering device is associated with one of the designated frame sections and communicates with at least one main line associated with the designated frame section;

the metering devices being arranged to meter the primary input product therethrough at an adjustable rate from the primary product supply into carrier fluid in the respective conveying lines whereby a metered amount of the primary input product is dispensed from the product dispensers in each designated frame section independently of the other frame sections.