A seed metering chamber with a disc motor direct drive for use in seeding equipment

Abstract

This invention proposes a seed metering chamber directly driven by a disc motor for use in seeding equipment, belonging to the field of seed metering machine technology. It solves the problems of complex transmission structures, poor transmission stability, and high operating noise in existing technologies where the seed disc is driven by a mechanical shaft. It includes a housing A, a top seed wheel, a seed disc, a disc motor, and a housing B. Housing A and housing B are interconnected to form the seed metering chamber. The seed disc is disposed inside the seed metering chamber and has an overall disc-shaped structure with a seed metering structure on its outer periphery for accommodating seeds. The top seed wheel is disposed on housing A and located at the seed metering position on the outer periphery of the seed disc. The disc motor is disposed on housing B, with its output end facing the inside of the seed metering chamber and connected to the seed disc for directly driving the rotation of the seed disc. This invention is applicable to precision seeding operations in agricultural seeding machinery, providing stable and low-noise drive for the seed metering mechanism to achieve uniform seed discharge.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of seed metering technology, and in particular relates to a disc motor direct-drive seed metering chamber for use in seeding equipment. Background Technology

[0002] The seed metering device is one of the core components of agricultural seeding machinery. Its main function is to continuously and evenly discharge seeds according to the set plant spacing and seeding rate during the sowing process, thereby achieving precision sowing. With the continuous improvement of agricultural mechanization, sowing equipment is gradually developing towards higher efficiency, precision, and stability. Therefore, the structural form and driving method of seed metering devices are also constantly being researched and improved. Currently, mechanical seed metering structures are commonly used in precision seeders for crops such as corn, soybeans, and peanuts. These include air-suction seed meterers, mechanical precision seed meterers, and combined seed metering mechanisms. These seed metering devices typically include a seed metering chamber, a seed tray, a seed-lifting mechanism, and a drive mechanism. The rotation of the seed tray enables the seed to be transported and discharged one seed at a time, thus completing the sowing operation.

[0003] In existing technologies, seed trays are mostly driven by mechanical transmission systems. Power is typically provided by the seeder's ground wheel, main drive shaft, or power take-off shaft, and then transmitted step-by-step to the seed tray in the seed metering device via mechanical transmission mechanisms such as gears, chains, belts, or couplings, causing the seed tray to rotate. For example, in common mechanical precision seeders, the seeder's ground wheel drives the drive shaft to rotate during movement, and then the power is transmitted to the seed metering mechanism via sprockets or gears, thus driving the seed tray to rotate and complete the seed metering. Some seeding equipment also uses complex transmission mechanisms to link multiple seed metering devices together to achieve simultaneous multi-row sowing. This type of mechanical transmission method is widely used in agricultural seeding equipment due to its mature technology and simple structure.

[0004] Furthermore, to achieve higher precision seeding, some existing technologies improve seed separation and seeding uniformity by optimizing the seed tray structure, adding seed-lifting mechanisms, or improving the seed metering hole structure. For example, by setting a seed-lifting wheel or a seed-cleaning mechanism, excess seeds in the seed tray are ejected or removed to ensure the stability of single-seed seeding. However, regardless of how the seed metering structure is improved, its driving method still largely relies on traditional mechanical shaft transmission structures, that is, power is transmitted step by step through multiple mechanical components.

[0005] However, the aforementioned traditional mechanical transmission methods still have certain limitations in practical applications. On the one hand, because mechanical shaft transmission systems typically contain multiple transmission links, such as drive shafts, gears, sprockets, and chains, they are prone to wear, loosening, or increased transmission clearances during long-term operation, thus affecting the stability of the seed disc rotation and consequently the seed metering accuracy. On the other hand, multi-stage mechanical transmission structures are prone to vibration and impact during operation, which not only increases equipment operating noise but may also lead to instability in the seed metering device. Furthermore, the complex mechanical transmission structure increases the overall structural complexity of the equipment, making installation, maintenance, and adjustment more cumbersome and increasing subsequent maintenance costs.

[0006] Meanwhile, in some high-precision seeding operations, the response speed of traditional mechanical transmission methods is relatively slow. When the seeder's operating speed changes, the mechanical transmission system struggles to adjust the seed tray rotation speed in a timely and stable manner, thus affecting seeding uniformity. Therefore, how to reduce the mechanical transmission links in the seed metering device, improve the stability of the seed tray drive, and reduce operating noise has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art.

[0007] In summary, existing technologies suffer from drawbacks such as complex transmission structures, poor transmission stability, and high operating noise when the seed disc is driven by a mechanical shaft. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, in order to solve the defects of the existing technology where the seed disc is driven by a mechanical shaft, the transmission structure is complex, the transmission stability is poor and the operating noise is large, the present invention proposes a seed metering chamber with a disc motor direct drive for sowing equipment.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a seed metering chamber for direct drive by a disc motor in a seeding device, comprising a housing A, a top seed wheel, a seed disc, a disc motor, and a housing B. The shell A and shell B are connected to each other to form a seed dispensing chamber; The seed tray is located inside the seed metering chamber. The seed tray has a circular structure and a seed metering structure for holding seeds is provided on its outer periphery. The top seed wheel is provided on the housing A and is located at the seed metering position on the outer periphery of the seed tray. The disc motor is mounted on housing B, with its output end facing the inside of the seed chamber and connected to the seed tray, for directly driving the seed tray to rotate.

[0010] Furthermore, the seed disc is provided with at least one protruding structure on the side near the disc motor, and the output end surface of the disc motor is provided with a groove structure that cooperates with the protruding structure, so that the protruding structure is embedded in the groove structure to form a connection structure that prevents relative rotation, so that the disc motor can directly drive the seed disc to rotate. Furthermore, the seed-discharging structure of the seed-discharging wheel is configured to push the seeds out during the rotation of the seed disc to achieve seed discharging.

[0011] Furthermore, corresponding mounting flanges are provided at the edges of housing A and housing B, and the mounting flanges are provided with several connection holes. Housing A and housing B are connected by bolts.

[0012] Furthermore, a motor mounting cavity is provided at the center of the housing B, and the disc motor is embedded in the motor mounting cavity and fixed to the housing B by fasteners.

[0013] Furthermore, a mounting hole is provided at the center of the seed tray, and the output end of the disc motor passes through the mounting hole and is fixedly connected to the seed tray.

[0014] Furthermore, the seed disc is provided with multiple raised structures, which are evenly distributed in a ring around the center of the seed disc. The output end surface of the disc motor is provided with multiple groove structures, which correspond one-to-one with the raised structures on the seed disc.

[0015] Furthermore, an axial clamping structure is provided between the seed disc and the disc motor, and the axial clamping structure is a central fastening screw.

[0016] Furthermore, the seeding wheel is mounted on a mounting base located inside the housing A1 via a rotating shaft, and the seeding wheel is capable of rotating around the rotating shaft.

[0017] Furthermore, the seed tray is provided with multiple seed arrangement structures on its outer periphery, and the multiple seed arrangement structures are evenly distributed along the outer periphery of the seed tray.

[0018] A seed metering system, the system being implemented based on the seed metering chamber directly driven by the aforementioned disc motor. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the seed metering chamber with disc motor direct drive in the seeding equipment described in this invention are: 1. The shell A and shell B of the present invention cooperate to form a closed seed dispensing chamber, so that the relative positions of the seed tray, the top seed wheel and the disc motor are constrained within the same spatial reference, thereby ensuring the coaxial consistency and stability of the rotation trajectory of the seed tray and the ejection trajectory of the top seed wheel. This overall support and limiting formed by the shell A and shell B is less likely to cause changes in the internal gap of the seed dispensing chamber due to vibration or assembly deviation compared to structures that rely solely on external brackets or single-sided shell support, thereby reducing intermittent jamming and uneven seed dispensing caused by structural drift during the seed dispensing process.

[0019] 2. The housing B of the present invention serves as the mounting and bearing side of the disc motor, so that the motor is fixed on the structural components of the seed metering chamber rather than passively suspended in the transmission shaft link. This forms a rigid integrated mounting base between the drive source and the seed metering chamber, reducing the slight sway and eccentricity of the drive source relative to the seed metering mechanism. Compared with the traditional method of mounting through bearing seats and long transmission shafts in series, the mounting rigidity and positioning accuracy provided by the housing B can better suppress the speed fluctuations and noise amplification induced by shaft movement, chain jumping or gear backlash amplification.

[0020] 3. The seed tray of the present invention is the core rotating component for carrying and distributing seeds. Its rotational motion directly determines the seed picking rhythm and seed dispensing rhythm per unit time. The stability of the seed tray body structure and its rotation center is jointly guaranteed by the direct drive connection between the seed tray and the disc motor, so that the seed tray speed is closer to the motor output speed and the fluctuation is smaller. Compared with the polygonal effect of chain drive, gear meshing impact and shaft clearance accumulation commonly found in mechanical shaft drive, it can reduce the impact of instantaneous angular velocity fluctuations of the seed tray on seed picking consistency and improve the stability and repeatability of seed dispensing pitch.

[0021] 4. The seed-ejecting wheel of this invention works in conjunction with the seed tray to achieve the ejection action. The effect of the seed-ejecting wheel is brought about by its geometric fit with the seed tray's seed-distribution position, so that the seeds carried to the seed-distribution area by the seed tray are ejected at a specific angle and position, thereby forming a clear single-seed release timing and reducing dragging and falling back. Especially under the condition of small rotation speed fluctuation, the ejection timing of the seed-ejecting wheel is more stable, which can reduce the phenomenon of double seeds, missed sowing or uneven sowing caused by the drift of ejection timing. This is consistent with the idea of ​​improving the single seed rate by optimizing the seed cleaning mechanism or seed-removing mechanism in existing research. However, this solution further amplifies the stable benefits of the geometric fit of the seed-ejecting wheel by improving the drive stability.

[0022] 5. The disc motor of this invention drives the seed disc to rotate in a direct-drive manner. The noise reduction and stability are achieved by replacing the mechanical shaft link with the disc motor, so that the power no longer passes through multiple transmission links such as transmission shaft, chain, sprocket or gear. This reduces the structural vibration and air noise caused by meshing impact, chain slapping and shaft imbalance. Moreover, the low speed and high torque output characteristics of the disc motor are more suitable for directly driving the disc-shaped load with relatively concentrated inertia, such as the seed disc. It can reduce the speed drop and torque pulsation during startup and load changes. Compared with the existing technology that relies on ground wheel mechanical transmission or multi-stage gear reduction, it is more conducive to maintaining the controllability and stability of the seed disc speed when the operating speed changes.

[0023] 6. The connection between the disc motor and the seed disc of the present invention adopts the locking mechanism of protrusions and grooves to form a reliable anti-relative rotation connection between the motor output end and the seed disc. Its anti-slip and coaxiality maintenance effect is brought about by the protrusions on the seed disc and the mating grooves on the surface of the disc motor. This allows the torque to be transmitted through surface contact or multi-point contact rather than relying solely on friction clamping, thereby reducing relative rotation and clearance growth caused by fastener loosening or friction surface wear after long-term operation. Compared with traditional connection methods using key connections, single screw clamping, or single friction disc clamping, the geometric limit of protrusions and grooves can more directly suppress the backlash and knocking noise caused by fretting wear, further improving the quietness and long-term transmission stability of the direct drive system.

[0024] 7. The structural fit between the seed disc protrusion and the motor groove of the present invention can also bring about the effects of assembly positioning and rapid assembly. This is due to the groove guiding and self-positioning of the protrusion, so that angle positioning and axial fit can be achieved without relying on complex coaxial alignment or multiple trial assembly during assembly. This reduces the eccentricity and radial runout caused by assembly errors. After the eccentricity is suppressed, the noise caused by the periodic friction of the seed disc on the inner wall of the shell and the periodic air gap change during the rotation of the shell can be reduced. This coaxiality control brought about by geometric self-positioning is quite common in the research and engineering application of existing direct drive rotary mechanisms. Its advantage is that it transfers stability from relying on fastening force to relying on structural fit accuracy, which is more suitable for long-term vibration conditions such as seed metering devices.

[0025] 8. If the connection method between the disc motor and the seeding chamber of the present invention adopts the method of setting a motor mounting step and a positioning stop on the housing B, and using several fastening holes to achieve axial clamping and fixing, the motor stator can be reliably fixed on the housing B and the position can be repeated. The effect is brought about by the positioning stop and mounting step of the housing B, so that the counter torque of the motor during operation is absorbed by the housing and the motor housing is prevented from fretting relative to the housing, thereby reducing fretting friction noise and the risk of fastener loosening. Compared with suspending the motor on a thin plate bracket or long stud, the use of stop positioning and surface support can significantly improve the connection rigidity and reduce the amplification of structural resonance.

[0026] 9. If the axial constraint of the disc motor and seed disc of the present invention adopts the matching positioning between the motor output end and the center hole of the seed disc, and is supplemented by the end face pressing structure to form axial pre-tightening, the end face of the seed disc can fit against the end face of the motor and avoid axial movement. The effect is brought about by the end face pressing and center matching positioning. It can reduce the gap impact and periodic axial runout between the end faces during rotation, thereby reducing structural noise and improving the relative gap stability between the seed roller and the seed disc, and thus improving the ejection consistency. This is easier to control than the movement problem caused by the bearing clearance and axial force change in traditional mechanical shaft transmission.

[0027] 10. The shells A and B of the present invention also improve the stability of the seed metering chamber by preventing dust and foreign object intrusion. The effect is brought about by the closed cavity formed by the two shells and the shielding of the rotating parts, so that soil, debris or seed coating dust is not easy to enter the connection area between the disc motor and the seed disc and the working area of ​​the top seed wheel, thereby reducing the risk of jamming, wear and noise increase caused by foreign object entry. Compared with some existing open transmission chain and gear structures, which are more likely to attract dust and cause wear and abnormal noise, the closed seed metering chamber is more suitable for long-term working conditions of field dust and vibration.

[0028] 11. This invention is applicable to precision seeding operations in agricultural seeding machinery, and is used to drive the seed metering mechanism stably and with low noise to achieve uniform seed discharge. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 An exploded view of the seed metering chamber of the disc motor direct drive in the seeding equipment described in this invention; In the diagram: 1-Shell A, 2-Top seed wheel, 3-Seed disc, 4-Disc motor, 5-Shell B. Detailed Implementation The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the drawings, and not all of them. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0030] See Figure 1 This embodiment describes a seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device, comprising a housing A1, a top seed wheel 2, a seed disc 3, a disc motor 4, and a housing B5, wherein housing A1 and housing B5 cooperate to form a closed seed metering chamber structure for installing and supporting the seed metering mechanism and the drive mechanism.

[0031] The shell A1 has an overall shell-like structure, with an inner cavity space for accommodating the seed tray 3. A circular receiving area for the rotation of the seed tray 3 is located at the center of shell A1. The diameter of this circular receiving area is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the seed tray 3 to ensure that the seed tray 3 does not interfere with the inner wall of the shell during rotation. An installation edge is provided on the outer side of shell A1, with several evenly distributed connecting holes for bolt connection to shell B5, thus forming an integral seed dispensing chamber structure. A mounting base for supporting the top seed wheel 2 is also provided on the inner wall of shell A1. This mounting base has a rotating shaft hole for mounting the rotating shaft of the top seed wheel 2.

[0032] Housing B5 is located on the other side of housing A1, and its overall structure cooperates with housing A1 to form a closed cavity. A motor mounting area is located at the center of housing B5, forming an inwardly recessed mounting cavity. The shape of the mounting cavity matches the shape of the disc motor 4, allowing the disc motor 4 to be embedded in the mounting cavity and fixed by housing B5. Several evenly distributed threaded holes are provided around the mounting cavity of housing B5, and the disc motor 4 is fixed to housing B5 with bolts, so that the output end of the disc motor 4 faces the inside of the seeding chamber. A mounting flange is also provided on the outer side of housing B5 for installation and fixation to the main body of the seeding equipment.

[0033] The seed tray 3 is located inside the seed dispensing chamber formed between the housing A1 and the housing B5. The seed tray 3 has a circular structure with a connecting hole at its center for connecting to the output end of the disc motor 4. Several evenly distributed seed dispensing structures, which can be grooves or seed dispensing holes, are provided on the outer edge of the seed tray 3 to carry and transport seeds during its rotation. Several protruding structures, in the form of strips or blocks, are provided on the side of the seed tray 3 facing away from the housing A1. These protruding structures are arranged in a ring around the center of the seed tray 3 and are used to cooperate with the groove structure on the surface of the output end of the disc motor 4, thereby achieving reliable connection and fixation.

[0034] The disc motor 4 is housed in the mounting cavity of the housing B5. Its overall structure is a flat disc, with a circular outer shell. The motor output end is located at the center of the motor and faces the seed discharge chamber. The output end of the disc motor 4 has grooves that match the protrusions on the seed disc 3. These grooves are evenly distributed circumferentially. When the seed disc 3 is installed at the output end of the disc motor 4, the protrusions on the seed disc 3 can fit into the grooves at the output end of the disc motor 4, forming a convex-concave fit connection. This convex-concave fit structure restricts the relative rotation of the seed disc 3 with respect to the output end of the disc motor 4, allowing the disc motor 4 to directly drive the seed disc 3 to rotate during operation. This structure also provides positioning, making the installation position of the seed disc 3 more stable. The seed disc 3 and the disc motor 4 can also be axially tightened using a center screw, further improving the connection reliability.

[0035] The seed-discharging wheel 2 is located near the seed-discharging position of the seed tray 3. It has a circular wheel-like structure and is mounted on a mounting base on the inner wall of the housing A1 via a rotating shaft, allowing it to rotate freely around the shaft. The outer surface of the seed-discharging wheel 2 corresponds to the seed-discharging structure of the seed tray 3. When the seed tray 3 rotates and transports the seeds to the position of the seed-discharging wheel 2, the seed-discharging wheel 2 can push out the seeds located at the discharging position, thus achieving single-seed discharge.

[0036] In actual operation, the disc motor 4 rotates after being powered on. Through the mating connection between the groove structure at its output end and the protrusion structure on the seed disc 3, it drives the seed disc 3 to rotate around its central axis. As the seed disc 3 rotates, seeds enter the seed metering structure located on the outer edge of the seed disc 3 and are conveyed to the position of the top seed wheel 2. When the seed metering structure rotates to the top seed wheel 2, the top seed wheel 2 pushes the seeds out, allowing them to be discharged from the seed metering port of the seed metering chamber, thus achieving a stable seed metering process. Because the seed disc 3 is directly driven by the disc motor 4, without the need for transmission structures such as mechanical shafts, chains, or gears, the transmission links are reduced, driving stability is improved, and operating noise is reduced.

[0037] With the above structural setup, shell A1 and shell B5 form a stable seed metering chamber structure. The disc motor 4 directly drives the seed disc 3 to rotate, and the top seed wheel 2 cooperates with the seed disc 3 to achieve seed metering, thus forming a seed metering device with a compact structure, stable drive and low noise.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating orientation and positional relationships are based on the orientation and positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0039] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention.

Claims

1. A seed metering chamber with a disc motor direct drive for use in a seeding device, characterized in that: It includes housing A (1), top seed wheel (2), seed disc (3), disc motor (4) and housing B (5). The shell A (1) and the shell B (5) are connected to each other to form a seeding chamber; The seed tray (3) is set inside the seed dispensing chamber. The seed tray (3) has a disc-shaped structure and a seed dispensing structure for holding seeds is provided on its outer periphery. The top seed wheel (2) is set on the shell A (1) and located at the seed dispensing position on the outer periphery of the seed tray (3). The disc motor (4) is mounted on the housing B (5). The output end of the disc motor (4) faces the inside of the seed chamber and is connected to the seed tray (3) to directly drive the seed tray (3) to rotate.

2. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The seed disc (3) has at least one protruding structure on the side near the disc motor (4). The output end surface of the disc motor (4) has a groove structure that matches the protruding structure, so that the protruding structure is embedded in the groove structure to form a connection structure that prevents relative rotation, so that the disc motor (4) can directly drive the seed disc to rotate.

3. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The seed-push wheel (2) is set in a corresponding manner to the seed-distribution structure of the seed tray (3), and is used to push the seeds out during the rotation of the seed tray (3) to achieve seed distribution.

4. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The edges of the housing A (1) and housing B (5) are provided with corresponding mounting flanges, and the mounting flanges are provided with several connection holes. The housing A (1) and housing B (5) are connected by bolts.

5. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing B (5) has a motor mounting cavity at its center. The disc motor (4) is embedded in the motor mounting cavity and fixed to the housing B (5) by fasteners.

6. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The seed tray (3) has a mounting hole at its center, and the output end of the disc motor (4) passes through the mounting hole and is fixedly connected to the seed tray (3).

7. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The seed tray (3) is provided with multiple protrusions, which are evenly distributed in a ring around the center of the seed tray (3). The output end surface of the disc motor (4) is provided with multiple grooves, which correspond one-to-one with the protrusions on the seed tray (3).

8. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An axial clamping structure is also provided between the seed disc (3) and the disc motor (4), and the axial clamping structure is a center fastening screw.

9. The seed metering chamber for direct drive of a disc motor in a seeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top seed wheel (2) is mounted on a mounting base provided inside the housing A (1) via a rotating shaft, and the top seed wheel (2) can rotate around the rotating shaft.

10. A seeding system, characterized in that: The system is implemented based on the seeding chamber driven by a disc motor as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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