Seed level detection in a seed meter
AssigneeCNH Industrial America LLC
InventorsChristopher Schoeny, Chad M. Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vacuum seed meter includes a vacuum channel and a seed disc having seed cells defined as openings through a perimeter region of the seed disc, which rotates through the vacuum channel. The seed meter includes a sensor that addresses the seed cells in a way that enables prediction of imminent seed starvation of the seed meter.
Claims21
A method of controlling a seed meter having a housing defining a seed chamber and a seed disc having seed cells defined as openings through a perimeter region of the seed disc, the method comprising:
- receiving, with an electronic controller, signals from a first sensor carried by the housing and aimed at the perimeter region of the seed disc where the seed cells are defined;
- receiving, with the electronic controller, signals from a second sensor carried by the housing and aimed at the seed cells in the perimeter region of the seed disc at a different location than the first sensor;
- and
- coordinating, with the electronic controller, the sampling of signals from the first sensor with the detection of an empty seed cell based on the signals received from the second sensor.
A method of controlling a seed meter having a housing defining a seed chamber and a seed disc having seed cells defined as openings through a perimeter region of the seed disc, the method comprising:
- receiving, with an electronic controller, signals from a first sensor carried by the housing and aimed at, the perimeter region of the seed disc where the seed cells are defined;
- receiving, with the electronic controller, signals from a second sensor carried by the housing and aimed at the seed cells in the perimeter region of the seed disc at a different location than the first sensor;
- and
- coordinating, with the electronic controller, the sampling of signals from the first sensor with the detection of an empty seed cell based on the signals received from the second sensor,
- wherein the seed disc is disposed so that at any given moment only a first portion of the seed disc is bounded within a vacuum channel of the seed meter while a second portion of the seed disc is bounded outside of the vacuum channel, and wherein the second sensor is aimed at the seed cells in the perimeter region of the seed disc in the second portion that is bounded outside of the vacuum channel.
A method of controlling a seed meter having a housing defining a seed chamber and a seed disc having seed cells defined as openings through a perimeter region of the seed disc, the method comprising:
- receiving, with an electronic controller, signals from a first sensor carried by the housing and aimed at the perimeter region of the seed disc where the seed cells are defined;
- receiving, with the electronic controller, signals from a second sensor carried by the housing and aimed at the seed cells in the perimeter region of the seed disc at a different location than the first sensor;
- determining a frequency at which empty seed cells pass by the second sensor based on the signals received from the second sensor
- coordinating, with the electronic controller, the sampling of signals from the first sensor with the detection of an empty seed cell based on the signals received from the second sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.