Dual Seed Meter And Related Systems And Methods
AssigneeAg Leader Technology
InventorBrett Buehler
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are various embodiments of dual seed meters having a metering housing having first and second seed disks with a plurality of openings arranged along a curved path of each disk, wherein the disks overlap to form a convergence region such that seed traveling along the curved paths is delivered to a single point. Certain implementations also have a vacuum chamber defined between a first wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks and a seed chamber defined between a second wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks.
Claims20
A seed metering system for a row unit of an agricultural machine capable of switching a type of seed being planted as the agricultural machine travels through a field, the metering system comprising:
- (a) a metering housing;
- (b) a first seed disk rotatably disposed within the metering housing, the first rotatable seed disk comprising a plurality of first openings arranged along a first curved path;
- and
- (c) a second seed disk rotatably disposed within the metering housing, the second rotatable seed disk comprising a plurality of second openings arranged along a second curved path, wherein the first and second seed disks overlap at the first and second openings to form a convergence region, wherein each seed traveling along the first or second curved path is delivered to a single point.
A seed metering system for a row unit of an agricultural machine capable of switching a type of seed being planted as the agricultural machine travels through a field, the metering system comprising:
- (a) a metering housing;
- (b) a first seed disk rotatably disposed within the metering housing, the first rotatable seed disk comprising a plurality of first openings arranged along a first curved path;
- (c) a second seed disk rotatably disposed within the metering housing, the second rotatable seed disk comprising a plurality of second openings arranged along a second curved path;
- (d) a convergence region disposed where the first and second seed disks overlap at the first and second openings, the convergence region comprising a single point, wherein each seed transported along the first or second curved path is delivered to the single point;
- (e) a vacuum chamber defined between a first wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks;
- and
- (f) a seed chamber defined between a second wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks.
A seed metering system for a row unit of an agricultural machine capable of switching a type of seed being planted as the agricultural machine travels through a field, the metering system comprising:
- (a) a metering housing comprising first and second seed disk chambers defined within the metering housing;
- (b) a first seed disk rotatably disposed within the first seed disk chamber, the first rotatable seed disk comprising a plurality of first openings defined in an outer edge of the first seed disk, wherein the plurality of first openings follow a first curved path during rotation of the first seed disk;
- (c) a second seed disk rotatably disposed within the second seed disk chamber, the second rotatable seed disk comprising a plurality of second openings defined in an outer edge of the second seed disk, wherein the plurality of second openings follow a second curved path during rotation of the second seed disk;
- (d) a convergence region disposed where the first and second curved paths intersect, the convergence region comprising a single release point, wherein each seed transported along the first or second curved path is transported to and released at the single release point;
- (e) a vacuum chamber defined between a first wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks;
- and
- (f) a seed chamber defined between a second wall of the metering housing and the first and second seed disks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.