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US 12,477,972 B2Granted
Adjustable seed meter and related systems and methods
AssigneeAg Leader Technology
InventorsBrett Buehler, Alex Hartogh, Scott Eichhorn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Adjustable seed meters having a first seed disk having first openings defined therein and a second seed disk having second openings defined therein adjacent to the first openings such that the first and second openings are alignable to form adjustable seed cells. Various embodiments have a plate adjustment drive system to rotate the first and second seed disks in relation to each other. Other embodiments relate to methods of automatically adjusting a seed meter during operation of the overall planting system.
Claims17
An automatically adjustable seed metering system, the system comprising:
- (a) a first seed disk comprising first openings defined in the first seed disk;
- (b) a second seed disk adjacent to and rotatable in relation to the first seed disk, the second seed disk comprising second openings defined in the second seed disk adjacent to the first openings, wherein the second openings are rotatably and adjustably alignable with the first openings, wherein a rotational axis of the second seed disk is concentric with a rotational axis of the first seed disk;
- and
- (c) a disk adjustment drive system comprising:
- (i) a first cylinder operably coupled to the first seed disk;
- (ii) a second cylinder rotatably disposed within the first cylinder and operably coupled to the second seed disk;
- and
- (iii) a translational elongate structure slidable along an axis parallel with the rotational axes of the first and second seed disks, wherein the translational elongate structure is operably coupled to the first and second cylinders such that translational movement of the translational elongate structure causes rotation of the first and second cylinders.
5 more elements
An automatically adjustable seed metering system, the system comprising:
- (a) a metering housing;
- (b) a first seed disk rotatably disposed within the metering housing, the first seed disk comprising at least one first disk curved row of first disk openings defined in the first seed disk;
- (c) a second seed disk rotatably disposed within the metering housing adjacent to and rotatable in relation to the first seed disk, the second seed disk comprising at least one second disk curved row of second disk openings defined in the second seed disk adjacent to one of the at least one first disk curved rows, wherein the second disk openings are rotatably and adjustably alignable with the first disk openings, wherein a rotational axis of the second seed disk is concentric with a rotational axis of the first seed disk;
- (d) a seed chamber defined between a first wall of the metering housing and the first seed disk;
- and
- (e) a disk adjustment drive system operably coupled to the first and second seed disks, the disk adjustment drive system comprising:
- (a) a first cylinder operably coupled to the first seed disk;
- (b) a second cylinder rotatably disposed within the first cylinder and operably coupled to the second seed disk;
- and
- (c) a translational elongate structure slidable along an axis parallel with the rotational axes of the first and second seed disks, wherein the translational elongate structure is operably coupled to the first and second cylinders such that translational movement of the translational elongate structure causes rotation of the first and second cylinders.
7 more elements
A method of automatically adjusting a seed meter during operation of a planting system, the method comprising:
- rotating a first seed disk and a second seed disk at the same speed;
- automatically rotating the first seed disk in relation to the second seed disk without manual adjustment, wherein:
- (a) the first seed disk comprises at least one curved row of a plurality of first disk openings defined in the first seed disk;
- (b) the second seed disk comprises at least one curved row of a plurality of second disk openings defined in the second seed disk adjacent to one of the at least one first disk curved rows,
- wherein the plurality of second disk openings are rotatably and adjustably alignable with the plurality of first disk openings to form a plurality of seed cells,
- wherein a plate adjustment drive system is operably coupled to the first and second seed disks, the plate adjustment drive system comprising:
- (i) a first cylinder operably coupled to the first seed plate;
- (ii) a second cylinder rotatably disposed within the first cylinder and operably coupled to the second seed plate;
- and
- (iii) a translational elongate structure slidable along an axis parallel with the rotational axes of the first and second seed disks, wherein the translational elongate structure is operably coupled to the first and second cylinders such that translational movement of the translational elongate structure causes rotation of the first and second cylinders.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.