US-12616082-B2 - Seed placement device

Abstract

A seed placement device connected to a machine to transfer seed to a furrow includes a housing having a first opening through which seed is received and a second opening through which seed is discharged. An endless member positioned within the housing, and a drive member that controls movement of the endless member in cooperation with movement of the machine. The machine operates in a seeding direction at a travel speed, and the endless member discharges seed at a discharge speed and in a discharge direction. The discharge direction is approximately opposite to the seeding direction, and the discharge speed of the seed is at least 1.2 times the travel speed of the machine.

Inventors

• Robert T. Casper
• Elijah B. Garner
• Dnyanesh Dhobale
• Stanley R. Borkgren

Assignees

• DEERE & COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20220221

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A seed placement device configured to be connected to a seeding machine to transfer seed to a furrow, the seed placement device comprising: a housing having a first opening through which seed is received and a second opening through which seed is discharged; an endless member positioned within the housing; a drive member configured to control movement of the endless member in cooperation with movement of the seeding machine, wherein the seeding machine is operable in a seeding direction at a travel speed; and a seed capture device configured to retain seeds within the furrow, wherein the seed capture device comprises a press wheel, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seed into a point where the seed capture device contacts a bottom of the furrow at a discharge speed and in a discharge direction, wherein the discharge direction is approximately opposite to the seeding direction, and wherein the discharge speed of the seed is between 1.1 and 10 times the travel speed of the machine.
2. 2 . The seed placement device of claim 1 , wherein the drive member is a variable speed drive member.
3. 3 . The seed placement device of claim 1 , further comprising a metering member including a plurality of apertures each sized to receive one or more seeds and to deliver the one or more seeds to the endless member in response to rotation of the metering member.
4. 4 . The seed placement device of claim 3 , wherein the drive member is configured to rotate the metering member in cooperation with movement of the seeding machine.
5. 5 . The seed placement device of claim 4 , wherein a speed of rotation of the drive member is proportional to the travel speed, and wherein the discharge speed is at least two times the travel speed.
6. 6 . The seed placement device of claim 4 , wherein the endless member is configured to receive seeds from the metering member and discharge seeds into the furrow at the discharge speed, and wherein the discharge speed of the seed is between 1.1 and 5 times the travel speed of the machine.
7. 7 . The seed placement device of claim 1 , wherein the discharge speed is a first discharge speed, and the travel speed is a first travel speed, wherein the seeding machine is operable in the seeding direction at a second travel speed, the second travel speed being different from the first travel speed, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seed at a second discharge speed in the discharge direction while the machine travels at the second travel speed, and wherein the second discharge speed is between 1.1 and 10 times the second travel speed.
8. 8 . The seed placement device of claim 7 , wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seeds into the furrow at a first seed spacing while the machine travels at the first travel speed and is configured to discharge seeds into the furrow at a second seed spacing while the machine travels at the second travel speed, and wherein the first seed spacing is approximately equal to the second seed spacing.
9. 9 . A seeding machine configured to move along a ground surface in a seeding direction at a seeing speed and to transfer seed to a furrow, the seeding machine comprising: a seed placement device connected to the machine for movement along the ground surface with the machine, the seed placement device including: a housing having a first opening through which seed is received and a second opening through which seed is discharged; an endless member positioned within the housing; a drive member configured to control movement of the endless member in cooperation with movement of the machine, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seed in a discharge direction at a discharge speed, wherein the discharge direction is approximately opposite to the seeding direction, and wherein the discharge speed of the seed is between 1.1 and 10 times the seeding speed of the machine; and a seed capture device configured to retain seeds within the furrow, wherein the seed capture device comprises a press wheel, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seeds into a point where the seed capture device contacts a bottom of the furrow.
10. 10 . The seeding machine of claim 9 , wherein the drive member is a variable speed drive member.
11. 11 . The seeding machine of claim 9 , further comprising a metering member positioned within the housing and configured to rotate, the metering member including a plurality of apertures each sized to receive one or more seeds and to deliver the one or more seeds to the endless member in response to rotation of the metering member.
12. 12 . The seeding machine of claim 11 , wherein the drive member is configured to rotate the metering member in cooperation with movement of the machine.
13. 13 . The seeding machine of claim 12 , wherein a speed of rotation of the drive member is proportional to the seeding speed, and wherein the discharge speed of the seed is at least two times the seeding speed of the machine.
14. 14 . The seeding machine of claim 13 , wherein the endless member is configured to receive seeds from the metering member and discharge seeds into the furrow at the discharge speed, and wherein the discharge speed of the seed is between 1.1 and 5 times the travel speed of the machine.
15. 15 . The seeding machine of claim 9 , wherein the discharge speed is a first discharge speed and the seeding speed is a first seeding speed, wherein the machine is operable in the seeding direction at a second seeding speed, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seed in the discharge direction at a second discharge speed while the machine travels at the second seeding speed, and wherein the second discharge speed is at between 1.1 and 10 times the second seeding speed.
16. 16 . The seeding machine of claim 15 , wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seeds into the furrow at a first seed spacing while the machine travels at the first seeding speed and is configured to discharge seeds into the furrow at a second seed spacing while the machine travels at the second seeding speed, and wherein the first seed spacing is approximately equal to the second seed spacing.
17. 17 . A seed placement device configured to be connected to a machine to transfer seed to a furrow, the seed placement device comprising: a hopper configured to store and deliver seed; a metering member including a plurality of apertures each sized to receive one or more seeds from the hopper and to dispense the one or more seeds; an endless member positioned to receive the one or more seeds from the metering member and configured to discharge the one or more seeds into the furrow; a variable speed drive member configured to control movement of the endless member in cooperation with movement of the machine, wherein the machine is operable in a seeding direction at a seeding speed, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seed in a discharge direction at a discharge speed while the machine travels at the seeding speed, wherein the discharge direction is approximately opposite to the seeding direction, and wherein the discharge speed is between 1.1 and 10 times the seeding speed; and a seed capture device configured to retain seeds within the furrow, wherein the seed capture device comprises a press wheel, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seeds into a point where the seed capture device contacts a bottom of the furrow.
18. 18 . The seed placement device of claim 17 , wherein a speed of rotation of the drive member is proportional to the seeding speed, and wherein the discharge speed of the seed is at least two times the seeding speed of the machine.
19. 19 . The seed placement device of claim 17 , wherein the discharge speed is a first discharge speed and the seeding speed is a first seeding speed, wherein the machine is operable in the seeding direction at a second seeding speed, wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seed at a second discharge speed in the discharge direction, and wherein the second discharge speed is between 1.1 and 10 times the second seeding speed.
20. 20 . The seed placement device of claim 19 , wherein the endless member is configured to discharge seeds into the furrow at a first seed spacing while the machine travels at the first seeding speed and is configured to discharge seeds into the furrow at a second seed spacing while the machine travels at the second seeding speed, and wherein the first seed spacing is substantially equal to the second seed spacing.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS This application claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/152,995, filed on Feb. 24, 2021. All of the above applications are incorporated by reference herein and are to be considered a part of this specification. Any and all applications for which foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to a planting unit for a seeding machine that is configured to position one or more seeds of various sizes for planting within a furrow. SUMMARY In one embodiment, the disclosure provides a seed placement device connected to a machine to transfer seed to a furrow. The seed placement device includes a housing having a first opening through which seed is received and a second opening through which seed is discharged. An endless member positioned within the housing, and a drive member that controls movement of the endless member in cooperation with movement of the machine. The machine operates in a seeding direction at a travel speed, and the endless member discharges seed at a discharge speed and in a discharge direction. The discharge direction is approximately opposite to the seeding direction, and the discharge speed of the seed is at least 1.2 times the travel speed of the machine. In another embodiment the disclosure provides a seeding machine that transfers seed to a furrow. The seeding machine includes a machine that moves along a ground surface in a seeding direction at a seeding speed, and a seed placement device connected to the machine for movement along the ground surface with the machine. The seed placement device includes a housing having a first opening through which seed is received and a second opening through which seed is discharged, an endless member positioned within the housing, and a drive member that controls movement of the endless member in cooperation with movement of the machine. The endless member discharges seed in a discharge direction at a discharge speed. The discharge direction is approximately opposite to the seeding direction, and the discharge speed of the seed is at least 1.2 times the seeding speed of the machine. In another embodiment the disclosure provides a seed placement device connected to a machine to transfer seed to a furrow. The seed placement device includes a hopper that stores and delivers seed, and a metering member having a plurality of apertures each sized to receive one or more seeds from the hopper and to dispense the one or more seeds. An endless member is positioned to receive the one or more seeds from the metering member and to discharge the one or more seeds into the furrow, and a variable speed drive member controls movement of the endless member in cooperation with movement of the machine. The machine operates in a seeding direction at a seeding speed, and the endless member discharges seed in a discharge direction at a discharge speed while the machine travels at the seeding speed. The discharge direction is approximately opposite to the seeding direction, and the discharge speed is at least 1.2 times the seeding speed. Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an agricultural planter. FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a planting unit frame, seed meter and seed delivery system. FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the planting unit frame, seed meter and seed delivery system. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a metering member and seed delivery system. FIG. 5 is a close-up perspective view of a portion of the planting unit frame, seed meter and seed delivery system. FIG. 6 is a close-up top perspective view of a portion of the planting unit frame, seed meter and seed delivery system with parts removed for clarity. FIG. 7 is a front view of the assembly shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a drive train. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of supporting other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. An agricultural seeding machine 10 is shown in FIG. 1 as a row crop planter. The seeding machine 10 has a central frame 12, or toolbar, on which may be mounted a plurality of individual planting units 14, or row units. The seeding machine 10 has a fore-aft direction shown by arrow 15 and a transverse direction shown by arrow 17. In some embodiments, the seeding machine 10 is configured to be drawn, e.g., by a tractor or other vehicle (not shown). In other embodi