SEED METER WITH MULTIPLE SENSORS FOR SEED CELL STATUS MONITORING
A vacuum seed meter includes a vacuum channel and a seed transport member having seed cells defined as openings through a perimeter region of the seed transport member, which rotates through the vacuum channel. The seed meter includes a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors targeting a different location within the seed meter. Each of the plurality of sensors connected to send signals to a controller that evaluates whether each seed cell passing through these locations is filled or empty.
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The present subject matter relates generally to seed meters and more particularly to seed meters that are monitored by at least one sensor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA seed meter carried on a row unit of a planting implement dispenses seed and includes a seed transport member in which a plurality of seed cells is defined around the outer perimeter region thereof. As the seed transport member rotates within the housing of the seed meter, each individual seed cell completes repeated rotations around the housing of the seed meter. During each rotation, each particular seed cell will pass through different regions of the seed meter. When passing through the seed pool region of the seed meter, each seed cell typically acquires at least one seed during normal operation of the seed meter.
It is known to draw inferences about the operational status of the seed meter by a sensor that detects when seed is dropping through the seed tube. However, seed tube sensors are exposed to the dust buildup from the seeds, the field and from seed lubricant, and thus the information obtained can prove unreliable. It also is known to provide a sensor within the seed pool region of the seed meter in order to monitor whether there are sufficient seeds in the seed pool to enable each seed cell to acquire seed so that the seed meter can operate in a normal fashion. However, because the information provided by such sensors can result from any of a number of different operating conditions within the seed meter, such sensors only provide indirect evidence of the operational status of the seed meter in real time. Thus, it is difficult to use this information as the basis for diagnosing operational malfunctions of the seed meter and accordingly prescribing corrective actions to overcome or ameliorate such malfunctioning of the seed meter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONAspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
Seed meters configured in accordance with the present invention include a plurality of sensors that are mounted to the seed meter. Moreover, each one of the plurality of the sensors has its sensing end disposed so as to target its detection zone within the housing of the seed meter, some within the vacuum chamber of the seed meter and at least one outside of the vacuum chamber of the seed meter. Each sensor is oriented to detect the presence or absence of seed within a seed cell of the seed transport member when that seed cell passes through the detection zone of the sensor. The detection zone of each sensor desirably is targeted at a different region within the seed meter, though more than one sensor can be targeting a different location within the same region of the seed meter. In lieu of a plurality of sensors, the seed meter can include a single sensor having its sensing end disposed so that its detection zone falls within the housing and aimed at the region of the seed meter immediately before the seed cells encounter the singulator during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing of the seed meter.
A controller is provided to receive and evaluate the voltage signals emitted by each of the plurality of sensors. Each sensor emits voltage signals with peaks and valleys of sufficient resolution to enable the controller to differentiate that signal to determine whether a seed cell is presented within the detection zone of the sensor, as opposed to an interstitial portion of the seed transport member being presented within the detection zone of the sensor, and whether the seed cell is filled or empty. The location where the detection zone of each sensor is targeted is chosen so that the controller will be provided with information about seed cell status (filled or empty) at different locations within the seed meter at a given moment (or series of closely spaced moments). The controller is preprogrammed to use this information according to various protocols. Each protocol is tailored to enable the controller to make judgments about the operating status of the seed meter and to take one or more actions based on such judgments. Such actions can include adjusting various operating parameters of the seed meter or adjusting various operating parameters of the planting implement. Examples of such operating parameters of the seed meter include adjusting the vacuum level within the seed meter, adjustments to the seed singulator, adjustments to any seed baffle, adjustments to seed agitation, adjustments to any seed gates whether opening or closing, and adjustments to any fluted rollers provided for seed supply whether engaging or disengaging. An example of such operating parameters of the planting implement would be adjustments to the planting speed.
Seed meters configured in accordance with the present invention provide more accurate monitoring of the presence or absence of seed within individual seed cells of the seed transport member at more than one desired location through which these seed cells will be rotating during operation of the seed meter and thus afford greater control over operation of each individual seed meter. More specifically, in some embodiments, a plurality of sensors are arrayed to target different locations within the seed meter to detect when the seeds are either filling particular seed cells or absent from particular seed cells when passing predetermined locations within the seed meter. One of those particular locations is where the seed cell is outside of the influence of the vacuum channel and expected to be empty of any seed. A second one of those particular locations is where the seed cell would likely not acquire a seed when the seed chamber is almost depleted of seed. In embodiments in which the seed meter includes a seed singulator, two additional locations for a sensor directed at the passage of seed cells in the seed transport member are immediately before the seed cells encounter the seed singulator and immediately after the seed cells leave the seed singulator.
According to one embodiment of a seed cell detection system, the controller is preprogrammed to evaluate the signals emitted by each of the plurality of sensors. The controller is preprogrammed to determine whether the respective seed cells are passing through the respective detection zone of each sensor and whether the respective seed cell is filled or empty based on the patterns of voltages being emitted to the controller by one or more of the sensors. This system has the advantage of being capable of implementation without requiring any fixed clocking or timing relationship between the locations of the seed cells relative to the detection zones of the sensors. Accordingly, this method can be employed with many different seed transport members, which have a different number of seed cells around the periphery of the seed transport member. However, in order to implement this embodiment of the seed meter, the controller must be capable of a somewhat complex analysis of the signals from the sensors targeting the difference regions within the seed meter.
According to one embodiment of a seed meter with a cell detection system in accordance with the present invention, one of the sensors functions as a timing sensor, which desirably is disposed to monitor seed cells that pass outside of the vacuum region of the seed meter. Desirably, the sensor that issues the timing signal has its detection zone disposed to target seed cells that are passing through the seed meter's post-delivery region, in which the seed cells are outside the influence of the vacuum chamber of the seed meter. The controller is preprogrammed to evaluate the signals emitted by the timing sensor to determine the moment when the seed cell is passing through the detection zone of the timing sensor and whether the seed cell is filled or empty based on the patterns of voltages being emitted to the controller by the timing sensor. In these embodiments, the timing sensor can be used by the controller as a timing mechanism that determines the frequency with which the seed cells will pass in front of the detection zones of the other sensors that are targeting seed cells that are within the influence of the vacuum chamber so that the signals received from these other sensors can be evaluated by the controller in a coordinated fashion and thereby enable the controller to focus its evaluations on only the moment or those intervals during which a seed cell is presented to these other sensors.
According to this embodiment, when the timing sensor sends to the controller a signal indicative of the open cell, the controller is configured so that upon receiving from the timing sensor this signal indicative of the open cell, the controller evaluates at this first moment the signals received from the other sensors that have their respective detection zones disposed to target other regions of the seed meter. The geometry of the locations of the seed cells relative to the detection zones of the timing sensor and the other sensors is fixed, and thus a seed cell coincident with the detection zone of the timing sensor ensures that a respective other seed cell will likewise be coincident with the respective detection zone of each of the other sensors. This embodiment has the advantage of being capable of implementation without requiring of the controller any complex analysis of the signals received from the sensors targeting seed cells passing through the vacuum region in order to detect open seed cells in different regions of the seed meter.
According to a related embodiment, the controller is preprogrammed to evaluate signals received from each of the plurality of sensors over a predetermined duration of time (or a predetermined rotational increment of the seed transport member) from the first moment when the timing sensor reports to the controller a signal indicating an open cell passing through the detection zone of the timing sensor. The controller is configured so that upon receiving from the timing sensor this signal indicative of the open cell, the controller begins at this first moment a discrete number of samplings of the signals received from the other sensors, which have their respective detection zones disposed to target seeds within seed cells that are passing through other regions of the seed meter, and evaluates these signals to determine whether an open cell was encountered. In order to implement this embodiment, the controller must be capable of a more complex analysis of the signals from the sensors targeting regions within the vacuum region of the seed meter than was the case with the previous embodiment.
In other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a rotary encoder signal can be provided to enable the controller to determine when a cell of the seed transport member will present itself proximate the detection zone of the sensors other than the timing sensor. The controller will be able to count the pulses received from the rotary encoder in relation to when one of the sensors generates a signal indicating an open seed cell in the detection zone of that one sensor.
According to an additional embodiment, the timing sensor detects an open cell passing through its detection zone aimed at the seed transport member at a first moment. The timing sensor sends to the controller a signal indicative of the open cell. The controller is preprogrammed for monitoring the pulses from the rotary encoder and is preprogrammed with the number of such pulses that must ensue from this first moment until each respective one of the other sensors will have its detection zone aligned coincidentally with a passing seed cell on the seed transport member. The controller is preprogrammed to use this relationship in order to evaluate at the appropriate number of ensuing pulses from the rotary encoder the respective signal received from the respective other sensor that has its respective detection zone disposed to target seeds within seed cells that are passing through the respective other region of the seed meter. This embodiment has the advantage of being capable of implementation without requiring any fixed geometrical relationship between the locations of the seed cells relative to the detection zones of the timing sensor and the other sensors. Accordingly, this method can be employed with many different seed transport members, which have a different number of seed cells around the periphery of the seed transport member. This method has the further advantage of being capable of implementation without requiring of the controller any complex analysis of the signals received from the sensors targeting seed cells passing through the vacuum chamber in order to detect open seed cells in different regions of the seed meter.
In still another embodiment, in place of the seed cell of the seed transport member, a discernible feature on the seed transport member other than a seed cell, for example a highly reflective surface, a gap, a hole, a boss, a protrusion, a metallic feature, or a magnet, can be detected by the timing sensor as a timing feature (a.k.a. index feature) to establish the timing of when a seed cell of the seed transport member will present itself within the detection zone of a sensor.
Due to the constant high velocity air passing through the vacuum channel, any accumulation or build-up of dust or other contaminants on a sensor disposed in the vacuum channel is prevented to a significant degree. Examples of sensors that can be placed inside the vacuum channel of a vacuum seed meter can include an optical sensor or a capacitive proximity sensor. Each of these types of sensors can be aimed at or adjacent a path taken by the seed cells (or an alternative feature) on the rotating seed transport member. The sensor can be aimed to emit and receive energy along a direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the seed transport member to allow seed cells to pass directly into the detection zone of the sensors. Alternatively, the sensor can be aimed to emit and receive energy along a direction that is parallel to the plane of the seed transport member to allow the sensors to detect the seed without the seed cells passing directly into the detection zone of the sensors. The signal generated by the sensor in response to the energy received by the sensor can be provided to a controller to indicate when the seed cells of the seed meter are either filled or vacant of seed.
If the optical sensor is a reflectance style sensor, the entire sensor would be located within the vacuum channel. Light reflecting off the seed transport member and the seed in the seed cells as the seed cells pass by the sensor would be received by the sensor assembly. If the optical sensor is a break beam style sensor, either the emitter or the receiver would be fitted in the vacuum channel while the other element would be located behind the seed pool in the seed meter. Though one of these elements would be susceptible to dust buildup, the other element would remain in a relatively clean environment that would remain relatively unaffected by any buildup of dust or other contaminants.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Any examples of operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are not exclusive of other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments.
Generally, a vacuum seed meter is one that employs vacuum pressure to attach seeds to a rotating seed transport member, which controls the rate at which seeds are output by the seed meter. As used herein, “vacuum pressure” is intended to describe a pressure that is lower than ambient atmospheric pressure and not necessarily a true vacuum.
As shown in
As additionally depicted in
As shown in
As schematically shown in
In the embodiment depicted in
The manner in which the seeds are dispensed to the seed tube 34 from the output of the seed meter 32 determines the rate and/or spacing of the seeds into the trench. In other words, by controlling the output of seeds from the seed meter 32, for example, by reducing the possibility of multiple seeds being deposited in the same location (e.g., a multiple) or a seed not being planted in a desired location (e.g., a skip), operation of the seed meter 32 according to one suitable protocol enables the seeds to be planted at desired locations. Operation of the seed meter 32 according to another suitable protocol enables a multi-variety seed meter to switch seed varieties flowing through the same seed meter on the fly by shutting off the first variety of seed for a very minimal duration of time before switching to the successive seed variety to be planted in order to minimize mixing of seed varieties being dispensed. However, implementation of the protocol in each case demands a way of sensing in real time a reliable indication of the dispensing status of the seed meter 32. Accordingly, the present invention addresses such needs, among others.
Basic components and operation of a vacuum seed meter are described in some detail in U.S. Pat. No. 9,426,940, which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference for all purposes. However, only those components playing a role in the understanding of the present invention will be described herein in any detail.
The seed meter 32 generally includes an exterior housing that in a disassembled state depicted in
As shown in
As schematically shown in
As shown in
The seed transport member 48 is spaced axially apart (in the direction along the central axis of rotation 50) from the vacuum channel wall 65. As shown in
In operation, the seed meter 32 receives seeds from the seed hopper 30 (
As schematically shown in
As the seed transport member 48 rotates out of the store of seeds in the seed chamber 62 and in the direction of the disc rotation arrow 47 schematically shown in
As schematically shown in
As shown in
Once the seeds are released from the seed transport member 48 prior to the post-delivery region 72 of the seed meter 32, the seeds are free to fall under the influence of gravity through the seed output port 58 (
In one embodiment, the seed meter 32 desirably includes a plurality of sensors. Each of the plurality of sensors has its sensing end disposed within the housing of the seed meter 32. Moreover, each of the plurality of sensors has a detection zone that is targeted so that during each complete rotation of the seed transport member 48 within the housing each seed cell 66 of the seed transport member 48 passes through the respective detection zone of each of the plurality of sensors. As schematically shown in
As the seed transport member 48 is rotating through the seed chamber 62, each individual seed cell 66 can be said to be orbiting about the central axis of rotation 50. Continuing the planetary orbital metaphor, a so-called perigee location is arbitrarily defined as the location within the seed chamber 62 a seed cell 66 most closely approaches the absolute bottom of the seed chamber 62. At some particular moment during each complete orbit of a single seed cell 66 in the rotating seed transport member 48, that seed cell 66 will pass through the perigee location within the seed chamber 62. Accordingly, the detection zone 52 shown in
However, the precise location of this detection zone 52 of the seed pool sensor 80 can be varied within the seed chamber 62. However, as schematically shown in
Referring to
As schematically shown in
The seed pool sensor 80 can be an optical sensor. One example of an optical sensor is one that emits a narrowly focused beam in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In the embodiment schematically depicted in
Other types of sensors could be employed in other embodiments, and for example the seed pool sensor 80 could be a capacitive proximity sensor. Moreover, as schematically shown in
The detection signal emitted by the sensor 80 is schematically represented in
Referring to
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the controller 42 can be preprogrammed with algorithms that differentiate between the anticipated patterns of the magnitude of the signals that are transmitted from the seed pool sensor 80 to the controller 42 and correspond to the anticipated spacing between adjacent seed cells 66. The signal received by the seed pool sensor 80 can be provided to the controller 42 to indicate when the seed cells 66 of the seed meter 32 are being starved of seed and thus are empty. Referring to
The signal received by the seed pool sensor 80 also can be provided to the controller 42 to indicate when the seed meter 32 is about to be starved of a first variety of seed before the controller 42 switches the seed meter 32 to dispense a second variety of seed or refills the seed chamber 62 from the hopper 30 with the same variety of seed. Additionally, the signal received by the seed pool sensor 80 also can be provided to the controller 42 to indicate when the seed meter 32 is being deprived of seed because of a malfunction upstream of the seed meter 32. Some examples of such upstream problems might include a plugged seed supply hose, seed that is bridged in the hopper 30 and thus ceasing to flow, a seed hopper 30 that has become fully depleted of seed or a malfunction of the switching mechanism 31.
As schematically shown in
According to one embodiment of a seed cell detection method, each sensor 80, 90, 110, 120 independently detects passing seed cells 66 based on the peaks and valleys of the voltage signals emitted by the sensor to the controller 42, which evaluates the signals and determines whether the seed cell 66 is passing through the detection zone of the sensor and whether the seed cell 66 is filled or empty based on the patterns of voltages being emitted to the controller 42 by the particular sensor. This embodiment of the seed meter 32 has the advantage of being capable of implementation without requiring any fixed geometrical relationship between the locations of the seed cells 66 relative to the detection zones 52, 53, 112, 122 (
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, one of the sensors is employed as a timing sensor 90, which as schematically shown in
Moreover, as shown in
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the relatively uniform and reliable signal provided by the timing sensor 90 desirably can be used by the controller 42 as a timing signal for evaluating the detection signal being received by other sensors. As schematically shown in
Thus, when the timing sensor 90 and the seed pool sensor 80 can be arranged in a configuration that permits a seed cell 66 to pass through the detection zone 52 of the seed pool sensor 80 (
However, some embodiments of the seed meter 32 impose restrictions that render such precise arrangements of the relative disposition between the seed pool sensor 80 and the timing sensor 90 unsuitable, ill-advised, or superseded by other engineering considerations. Thus, in embodiments of the seed meter 32 subject to imprecise arrangements of the relative dispositions between the seed pool sensor 80 and the timing sensor 90, the controller 42 can be programmed to perform a running sampling of the signal being detected by the seed pool sensor 80 to determine if the signal passes a threshold that indicates an empty seed cell 66 rather than a single point sample of the signal being detected by the seed pool sensor 80 for example. In such an embodiment, which presently is deemed to afford flexibility in design of the seed meter 32 for the reasons noted, the controller 42 can use the relatively uniform spacing of the signals received from the timing sensor 90 as a reset trigger to start evaluating the signal from the seed pool sensor 80 as each successive seed cell 66 is passing through the detection zone 52 of the seed pool sensor 80 as schematically shown in
The controller can be preprogrammed to evaluate the detection signal being received by the seed pool sensor 80 only when a seed cell 66 is being addressed (passing through the detection zone 52) by the detection signal being emitted from the seed pool sensor 80. As schematically shown in
The detection signal emitted by the timing sensor 90 is schematically represented in
Desirably, the pattern of signals detected by the timing sensor 90 can be used by the controller to determine the frequency with which the seed cells 66 pass a fixed point in the housing of the seed meter 32. In one embodiment, the controller 42 desirably can be preprogrammed to use this pattern of empty seed cells 66 detected by the timing sensor 90 to time the sampling of the detecting signals being received by the seed pool sensor 80 to determine whether one of the seed cells 66 is positioned at the detection zone 52 of the seed pool sensor 80 schematically shown in
Thus, in one embodiment of a seed meter 32 of the present invention, a timing sensor 90 is disposed to monitor seed cells 66 that pass through the region of the seed meter 32 that is outside of the vacuum channel 64. Desirably, the timing sensor 90 that issues the timing signal has its sensing end disposed to target its detection zone at seed cells 66 that are passing through the seed meter's post-delivery region 72, which as schematically shown in
According to one embodiment of the seed meter 32, the timing sensor 90 detects an open seed cell 66 passing through its detection zone 53 aimed at the seed transport member 48 at a first moment. The timing sensor 90 sends to the controller 42 a signal indicative of the open seed cell 66. In this embodiment, the controller 42 is configured so that upon receiving from the timing sensor 90 this signal indicative of the open seed cell 66, the controller 42 evaluates at this first moment the signals received from the other sensors 80, 110, 120 that have their respective sensing ends disposed to target their detection zones (e.g., 52, 112, 122 in
According to a further embodiment of a seed meter 32, the timing sensor 90 detects an open seed cell 66 passing through its detection zone 53 aimed at the seed transport member 48 at a first moment. The timing sensor 90 sends to the controller 42 a signal indicative of the open seed cell 66. In this further embodiment, the controller 42 is configured so that upon receiving from the timing sensor 90 this signal indicative of the open seed cell 66, the controller 42 begins at this first moment a discrete number of samplings of the signals received from the other sensors 80, 110, 120, which have their respective sensing ends disposed to target their detection zones at seed cells 66 that are passing through other regions of the seed meter 32, and evaluates these signals to determine whether an open seed cell 66 was encountered. This embodiment desirably requires the availability of a controller 42 that is capable of a more complex analysis of the signals from the sensors 80, 110, 120 targeting regions within the seed chamber 62 of the seed meter 32 than was the case with the previous seed cell detection method.
In other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as schematically shown in
According to an additional embodiment of a seed meter 32, the timing sensor 90 detects an open seed cell 66 passing through its detection zone 53 aimed at the seed transport member 48 at a first moment. The timing sensor 90 sends to the controller 42 a signal indicative of the open seed cell 66. The controller 90 is monitoring the pulses from the rotary encoder 100 and is preprogrammed with the number of such pulses that must ensue from this first moment until each respective one of the other sensors 80, 110, 120 will have its respective detection zone 52, 112, 122 aligned coincidentally with a passing seed cell 66 on the seed transport member 48. The controller 42 then uses this relationship in order to evaluate at the appropriate number of ensuing pulses from the rotary encoder 100, the respective signal received from the respective other sensor 80, 110, 120 that has its respective sensing end disposed to target its respective detection zone 52, 112, 122 at seed cells 66 that are passing through the respective other regions of the seed meter 32. This embodiment of the seed meter 32 that includes a rotary encoder 100 has the advantage of being capable of implementation without requiring any fixed geometrical relationship between the locations of the seed cells 66 relative to the detection zone 53 of the timing sensor 90 and the detection zones 52, 112, 122 other sensors 80, 110, 120. Accordingly, this embodiment of the seed meter 32 is adaptable for use with many different seed transport members 48, which have a different number of seed cells 66 around the periphery of the seed transport member 48. This embodiment of the seed meter 32 has the further advantage of being capable of implementation without requiring of the controller 42 any complex analysis of the signals received from the sensors 80, 110, 120 targeting seed cells 66 passing through the seed chamber 62 in order to detect open seed cells 66 in different regions of the seed meter 32.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
Claims
1. A vacuum seed meter, comprising:
- a housing defining a seed chamber wall and a vacuum channel wall;
- a seed transport member having seed cells defined as openings through a perimeter region of the seed transport member, the seed transport member is disposed between the seed chamber wall and the vacuum channel wall, the seed transport member is spaced apart from the seed chamber wall to define a seed chamber between the seed transport member and the seed chamber wall, and the seed transport member is spaced apart from the vacuum channel wall to define a vacuum channel between the seed transport member and the vacuum channel wall, wherein the seed transport member is rotatably carried within the housing such that during each complete rotation of the seed transport member each of the seed cells successively passes through at least the following zones within the seed meter: a seed acquisition region and a post-delivery region; and
- a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors having a detection zone disposed within the housing, the detection zone of at least one of the plurality of sensors being targeted so that during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing a discernible feature of the seed transport member passes through the detection zone of the at least one of the plurality of sensors;
- wherein:
- the detection zone of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors is disposed within the post-delivery region;
- the detection zone of a second sensor of the plurality of sensors is disposed within the seed acquisition region; and
- the detection zone of a third sensor of the plurality of sensors is disposed within an intermediate region that is successively intermediate the seed acquisition region and the post-delivery region during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing.
2. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, further comprising a controller that receives signals from each of the plurality of sensors.
3. The vacuum seed meter of claim 2, wherein the controller is preprogrammed to coordinate the sampling of the signals received from the second sensor with the detection of an empty seed cell by the first sensor.
4. The vacuum seed meter of claim 2, further comprising a rotary encoder that is connected to emit to the controller index signals that correlate with the proportion of each complete rotation of the seed transport member.
5. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, wherein a sensing end of the first sensor is disposed outside of the vacuum channel.
6. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, wherein the detection zone of the first sensor is disposed within the region of the seed meter immediately before the seed cells encounter the seed acquisition region during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing.
7. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is disposed so that a line of sight between a sensing end of the second sensor and the seed transport member passes through a region within the vacuum chamber.
8. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, wherein a light source illuminates a seed cell located within the detection zone of the second sensor and a line of transmission between the light source and the seed transport member passes through a region within the vacuum chamber.
9. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, further comprising a singulator disposed between the seed acquisition region and the post-delivery region.
10. The vacuum seed meter of claim 9, wherein the detection zone of the third sensor is located at the region of the seed meter immediately before the seed cells encounter the singulator during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing.
11. The vacuum seed meter of claim 9, wherein the detection zone of the third sensor is located at the region of the seed meter immediately after the seed cells leave the influence of the singulator during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing.
12. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is located on a first side of the seed transport member with a seed cell located within the detection zone of the first sensor and wherein a light source is located on the first side of the seed transport member illuminating the seed cell.
13. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor.
14. The vacuum seed meter of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is located on a first side of the seed transport member with a seed cell located within the detection zone of the second sensor and wherein a light source is located on the first side of the seed transport member illuminating the seed cell.
15. (canceled)
16. A planting implement, comprising:
- a frame that carries at least one row unit, a furrow opener disc, at least one seed hopper, and a seed meter;
- wherein the seed meter includes:
- a housing defining a seed chamber wall and a vacuum channel wall;
- a seed transport member having seed cells defined as openings through a perimeter region of the seed transport member, the seed transport member is disposed between the seed chamber wall and the vacuum channel wall, the seed transport member is spaced apart from the seed chamber wall to define a seed chamber between the seed transport member and the seed chamber wall, and the seed transport member is spaced apart from the vacuum channel wall to define a vacuum channel between the seed transport member and the vacuum channel wall, wherein the seed transport member is rotatably carried within the housing such that during each complete rotation of the seed transport member each of the seed cells successively passes through at least the following zones within the seed meter: a seed acquisition region and a post-delivery region;
- a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors having its a detection zone disposed within the housing, the detection zone of at least one of the plurality of sensors being targeted so that during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing a discernible feature of the seed transport member passes through the detection zone of the at least one of the plurality of sensors;
- wherein:
- the detection zone of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors is disposed within the post-delivery region;
- the detection zone of a second sensor of the plurality of sensors is disposed within the seed acquisition region; and
- the detection zone of a third sensor of the plurality of sensors is disposed within an intermediate region that is successively intermediate the seed acquisition region and the post-delivery region during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing.
17. The planting implement of claim 16, further comprising a controller that receives signals from each of the plurality of sensors.
18. The planting implement of claim 17, wherein the controller is preprogrammed to coordinate the sampling of the signals received from the second sensor with the detection of an empty seed cell by the first sensor.
19. The planting implement of claim 17, further comprising a rotary encoder that is connected to emit to the controller index signals that correlate with the proportion of each complete rotation of the seed transport member.
20. The planting implement of claim 16, wherein the detection zone of the first sensor is disposed within the region of the seed meter immediately before the seed cells encounter the seed acquisition region during each complete rotation of the seed transport member within the housing.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 22, 2017
Publication Date: Mar 28, 2019
Applicant:
Inventors: CHRISTOPHER SCHOENY (Yorkville, IL), CHAD M. JOHNSON (Arlington Heights, IL)
Application Number: 15/712,375