AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR A PNEUMATIC CONVEYING SYSTEM

• US 20180134505A1
• Filed: 01/16/2018
• Published: 05/17/2018
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,486,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 configured to distribute a flow of air from an air source, comprising:

a body having an inlet positioned at a first end of the body and configured to receive the flow of air from the air source, and a face element positioned on a second end of the body, opposite the first end;

a plurality of outlet ports extending from the face element and configured to direct the flow of air to an agricultural implement; and

a baffle assembly disposed within the body and configured to control the flow of air through the plenum, wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least one baffle and an adjustment assembly, and the adjustment assembly is configured to control an angle of the at least one baffle, a lateral position of the at least one baffle, or a combination thereof.

2. The plenum of claim 1, wherein the adjustment assembly comprises at least one pin extending from the at least one baffle, the at least one pin engages at least one slot in at least one of a top element and a bottom element of the body, and the adjustment assembly is configured to control the angle of the at least one baffle via movement of the at least one pin within the at least one slot.

3. The plenum of claim 2, wherein the at least one pin comprises a first pin positioned proximate to a leading edge of the at least one baffle and a second pin positioned proximate to a trailing edge of the at least one baffle, the at least one slot comprises a first slot and a second slot, the first pin engages the first slot, the second pin engages the second slot, and the adjustment assembly is configured to control the angle and the lateral position of the at least one baffle via movement of the first pin within the first slot and movement of the second pin within the second slot.

4. The plenum of claim 2, wherein the at least one pin comprises a top pin and a bottom pin, the at least one slot comprises a first slot in the top element and a second slot in the bottom element, the top pin engages the first slot, and the bottom pin engages the second slot.

5. The plenum of claim 1, wherein the at least one baffle comprises a first baffle positioned on a first side of a longitudinal centerline of the plenum and a second baffle positioned on a second side of the longitudinal centerline, opposite the first side.

6. The plenum of claim 5, wherein the first baffle and the second baffle are configured to establish a first passage between the first and second baffles, a second passage between the first baffle and a first side of the body, and a third passage between the second baffle and a second side of the body, opposite the first side.

7. The plenum of claim 1, comprising a panel configured to selectively couple to the body to block an opening in the body, wherein the opening is configured to facilitate insertion and removal of the at least one baffle.

8. The plenum of claim 1, wherein the face element has a substantially hexagonal shape.

9. A plenum configured to distribute a flow of air from an air source, comprising:

a body having an inlet configured to receive the flow of air from the air source and a face element;

a plurality of outlet ports extending from the face element and configured to direct the flow of air to an agricultural implement; and

a baffle assembly disposed within the body and configured to control the flow of air through the plenum, wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least one baffle and an adjustment assembly, and the adjustment assembly is configured to control an angle of the at least one baffle, a lateral position of the at least one baffle, or a combination thereof.

10. The plenum of claim 9, wherein the adjustment assembly comprises at least one pin extending from the at least one baffle, the at least one pin engages at least one slot in at least one of a top element and a bottom element of the body, and the adjustment assembly is configured to control the angle of the at least one baffle via movement of the at least one pin within the at least one slot.

11. The plenum of claim 10, wherein the at least one pin comprises a first pin positioned proximate to a leading edge of the at least one baffle and a second pin positioned proximate to a trailing edge of the at least one baffle, the at least one slot comprises a first slot and a second slot, the first pin engages the first slot, the second pin engages the second slot, and the adjustment assembly is configured to control the angle and the lateral position of the at least one baffle via movement of the first pin within the first slot and movement of the second pin within the second slot.

12. The plenum of claim 10, wherein the at least one pin comprises a top pin and a bottom pin, the at least one slot comprises a first slot in the top element and a second slot in the bottom element, the top pin engages the first slot, and the bottom pin engages the second slot.

13. The plenum of claim 9, wherein the at least one baffle comprises a first baffle positioned on a first side of a longitudinal centerline of the plenum and a second baffle positioned on a second side of the longitudinal centerline, opposite the first side.

14. The plenum of claim 9, wherein a control system is configured to instruct at least one actuator of the adjustment assembly to control the angle of the at least one baffle, the lateral position of the at least one baffle, or the combination thereof, based on at least one determined flow characteristic within the plenum, operating conditions, product type, configuration of the agricultural implement, or a combination thereof.

15. The plenum of claim 9, comprising a panel configured to selectively couple to the body to block an opening in the body, wherein the opening is configured to facilitate insertion and removal of the at least one baffle.

16. A plenum configured to distribute a flow of air from an air source, comprising:

a body having an inlet configured to receive the flow of air from the air source and a face element;

a pressurization port extending from the face element and configured to direct the flow of air to a tank;

an outlet port extending from the face element and configured to direct the flow of air to an agricultural implement; and

a baffle assembly disposed within the body and configured to control the flow of air through the plenum, wherein the baffle assembly comprises at least one baffle and an adjustment assembly, and the adjustment assembly is configured to control an angle of the at least one baffle, a lateral position of the at least one baffle, or a combination thereof.

17. The plenum of claim 16, wherein the inlet is positioned at a first end of the body, and the face element is positioned on a second end of the body, opposite the first end.

18. The plenum of claim 17, wherein the body comprises:

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

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

19. The plenum of claim 18, comprising 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 a 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; and

wherein one of the plurality of ports is the pressurization port, and one of the plurality of ports is the outlet port.

20. The plenum of claim 16, wherein the face element has a substantially hexagonal shape.