Air entrainment device for seed delivery
AssigneeKinze Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsMATTHEW J. WILHELMI, KENNETH E. SHOUP, DANIEL KOOP
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seed delivery device including a frame defining at least one seed chamber. The frame includes a sidewall and an air permeable floor. Seed can be received and deposited on the air permeable floor through an input port. An air input channel is utilized to introduce an air stream into the seed chamber and direct it through the air permeable floor such that seed is lifted from the air permeable floor to an outlet port. An air bypass channel is configured to separate the air stream into a first stream that is directed through the air permeable floor and a second stream that is directed through the bypass channel and recombined with the first stream, at a point prior to the output port.
Claims20
A method for delivering seed from one or more hoppers to a row unit of a planter including a plurality of row units, the method comprising:
- delivering seed from the one or more hoppers to a seed delivery device, said seed delivery device including an air permeable surface and an air bypass channel;
- wherein said seed is delivered to an area adjacent said air permeable surface;
- providing airflow to the seed delivery device such that a first air stream of the airflow is directed towards the permeable surface and seed, and a second air stream is directed towards the air bypass channel, and wherein the first air stream combines with seed;
- and
- recombining the first and second air streams of the airflow and seed to deliver the seed to one of the row units of the planter.
A method for delivering seed from one or more hoppers to a plurality of row units of a planter, the method comprising:
- providing a seed delivery device corresponding to each row unit of the planter, said seed delivery device including an air permeable surface and an air bypass channel;
- adding seed from the one or more hoppers to each of the seed delivery devices, with the seed being positioned adjacent the air permeable surface thereof;
- providing airflow to the seed delivery device such that a first air stream of the airflow is directed towards the permeable surface and seed, and a second air stream is directed towards the air bypass channel, and wherein the first air stream combines with seed;
- and
- recombining the first and second air streams of the airflow and seed to deliver the seed to one of the row units of the planter.
A method of delivering seed to a row unit of a planter, the method comprising:
- providing a seed delivery device comprising a seed chamber having at least one air permeable surface, a bypass channel, and an outlet;
- adding seed to the seed chamber of the seed delivery device;
- providing air to the seed delivery device, said air separating into a first stream passing through the permeable surface to combine with seed, and a second stream passing through the bypass channel;
- combining the first stream and seed with the second stream at the outlet;
- and
- delivering the air and seed combination to one of the row units of the planter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.