# US 10,863,666 B2 · Method for calibration of feed rate of a metering device and a metering device

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- Number: US 10,863,666 B2
- Document ID: US10863666B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/303,244
- Filed: 2017-05-12
- Published: 2019-07-04
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-23
- Assignees: Väderstad Holding AB
- Applicants: Väderstad Holding AB
- Inventors: Crister Stark
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10863666B2

## CPC

- A01C 7/107: {Calibration of the seed rate}
- A01C 7/081: {Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means}
- A01C 7/105: {Seed sensors}
- G01F 25/10: of flowmeters
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A method and system for calibrating the feed rate of a metering device for airflow-borne feeding of granular material in an agricultural implement. The method of calibrating the feed rate of the metering device comprises a first volumetric feeder with a first metering rotor arranged to feed granular material to an airflow channel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for calibration of feed rate of a metering device for airflow-borne feeding of granular material in an agricultural implement, the metering device comprising:
a first volumetric feeder with a first metering rotor arranged to feed a first granular material to an airflow channel and
a second volumetric feeder with a second metering rotor arranged to feed a second granular or powdered material to the airflow channel, the method comprising:
to drive the agricultural implement during a first time period,
to drive only the first metering rotor at a first rotational speed for feeding a first granular material during the first time period,
by means of a granule-counting device, to count a number of fed granules in the airflow channel of the first granular material,
based on the number of granules and the first rotational speed, to calculate a first feed rate of the first feeder,
to drive the agricultural implement during a second time period,
to drive the first metering rotor during the second time period so that a first predetermined granular feed rate is provided, and
to drive the second metering rotor during the second time period so that both the first and the second material are fed into the airflow channel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the second material is added to the airflow channel downstream of the feeding from the first feeder but upstream of the granule-counting device, viewed in the direction of the air flow.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the second material is added to the airflow channel upstream of the feeding from the first feeder but upstream of the granule-counting device, viewed in the direction of the air flow.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein material from the airflow channel is fed via a distributor to a plurality of feeder tools of the agricultural implement.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein said number of fed granules per unit time of the first granular material is counted downstream of the distributor viewed in the direction of the airflow.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising, during the second time period, to
receive input from a user with respect to a desired change of the granular feed rate, and to
adjust the rotational speed of the metering rotor so that a corresponding change of the predetermined granule feed rate is provided.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
for the second volumetric feeder to carry out the steps:
to drive the agricultural implement during a third time period which is separate from the first and second time periods and which falls before the second time period,
to drive the metering rotor of the second feeder during the third time period at a second rotational speed for feeding of a granular material,
by means of the granule-counting device, to count a number of fed granules in the airflow channel of the second granular material,
based on the number of granules per unit time and the rotational speed of the second metering rotor, to calculate a feed rate of the second feeder, and
during the second time period, to drive the metering rotor of the second feeder so that a second predetermined granule feed rate per unit area is provided.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein, during the third time period, the second feeder is driven while the first feeder is not driven, so that said number of fed granules only corresponds to the number of granules fed by the second feeder.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein, during the third time period, the first feeder and second feeder are both driven, so that said number of fed granules corresponds to a sum of the number of granules fed from the first feeder and the number of granules fed from the second feeder.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the length of the first time period is determined based on a measure of the variation of said number of fed granules in the airflow channel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the first time period, only the first metering rotor is driven, and wherein the granule-counting device is arranged downstream of the first and second feeder.

### Claim 12

A metering device for airflow-borne feeding of granular material in an agricultural implement, comprising:
a first container for a first granular material,
a first volumetric feeder with a first metering rotor arranged to feed the first material from the first container to an airflow channel,
a second container for a second granular or powdered material,
a second volumetric feeder with a second metering rotor arranged to feed the second material from the second container to the airflow channel,
the second feeder being arranged to feed the second material to the airflow channel, and
the airflow channel being arranged to lead the first and second material to a plurality of feeder tools of the agricultural implement,
a granule-counting device for counting the number of granules being transported in the airflow channel, the granule-counting device being arranged downstream of the first and second feeder, and
a control unit for controlling the first and second feeder, the control unit being arranged:
during a first time period, to drive only the first metering rotor at a first rotational speed,
during the first time period, to collect data from the granule-counting device representing the number of granules,
based on said number of fed granules per unit time and the first rotational speed of the metering rotor, to calculate a first feed rate of the first feeder, and
during a second time period, to drive the first and second feeder, the first feeder being driven to provide a first predetermined granule feed rate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The metering device according to claim 12, further comprising a distributor for onward transport of material from the airflow channel to the feeder tools via a plurality of airflow channels.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The metering device according to claim 13, wherein the granule-counting device is arranged downstream of the distributor viewed in the direction of the airflow.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The metering device according to claim 12, further comprising a user interface for displaying information to a user and for receiving commands from the user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The metering device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is further arranged:
during a third time period, which is separate from the first and second time period and which falls before the second time period, to drive the metering rotor of the second feeder at a second rotational speed,
during the third time period, to collect data from the granule-counting device representing the number of granules per unit time of the second material,
based on the number of fed granules per unit time and the second rotational speed of the metering rotor, to calculate a second feed rate of the second feeder, and
during the second time period, to drive the second feeder to provide a second predetermined granule feed rate per unit area of the second material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The metering device according to claim 12, wherein the granule-counting device comprises one or more sensors for counting granules in one or more places in the airflow channel and/or in the outgoing airflow channels from the distributor to the feeder tools.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

An agricultural implement comprising at least one metering device according to claim 12.