Seed drill, particularly for seeds of lamb's lettuce, spinach, salad greens or other dense crops

Abstract

The present invention relates to a seed drill (1), particularly for seeds of lamb's lettuce, spinach, salad greens, or other dense crops. The seed drill (1) includes, in particular, a rear roller (5) having a peripheral wall (51) with a serrated outer surface (511) for forming micro-ridges (B) above rows of seeds (R). According to the invention, said serrated outer surface (511) is made of metallic material; and said rear roller (5) is associated with heating means (7) for heating said serrated outer surface (511). Figure for the abstract: 3

Description

Title of the invention: Seeder, in particular for corn salad, spinach, salad or other dense crops Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of seeders, in particular for corn salad, spinach, salad or other dense crops, advantageously on a bed or mound.

[0002] It relates in particular to seeders which include a rear roller for the formation of micro-ridges above rows of seeds. State of the art

[0003] In the field of market gardening, certain crops are now grown on soil covered by a layer of sand.

[0004] This is the case, for example, with lamb's lettuce, spinach shoots or salad shoots or other dense crops.

[0005] But this sandblasting operation has various drawbacks:

[0006] - economical: sandblasting is very expensive,

[0007] - agronomic: sand degrades the agronomy of the soil, and

[0008] - environmental: the piles of sand at vegetable producers are not the welcome in the eyes of the general public.

[0009] To allow cultivation without sand, seeders are known which include a chassis equipped with:

[0010] - a front roller, to level the ground,

[0011] - at least one sowing element, for sowing several rows of seeds, and

[0012] - a rear roller which has a peripheral wall having an ex surface crenellated interior for the formation of microridges above each of said rows of seeds.

[0013] But such seeders are unfortunately not satisfactory in certain conditions: damp soil tends to adhere to the rear roller, with the risk of hindering the good shape of the micro-ridges and therefore the yield. Presentation of the invention

[0014] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawback of the state of the art, the present invention proposes a seeder, in particular for corn salad, spinach, salad or other dense crops, advantageously on a bed or mound.

[0015] This seeder includes a chassis which is equipped with:

[0016] - a front roller, to level the ground,

[0017] - at least one sowing element, for sowing several rows of seeds,

[0018] - a rear roller which has a peripheral wall having an ex surface crenellated interior for the formation of microridges above each of said rows of seeds.

[0019] And, according to the invention, said crenellated outer surface is made of metallic material. And said rear roller is associated with heating means intended to heat said crenellated outer surface.

[0020] Such a seeder has the advantage of reducing, or even eliminating, the phenomenon of wet soil sticking to the rear roller.

[0021] The formation of microbeads is thus improved, including in more difficult conditions (wet soil for example).

[0022] Such a solution, without sand, offers various advantages:

[0023] - economical: no more sandblasting,

[0024] - agronomic: more degradation of soil agronomy,

[0025] - environmental: no more piles of sand among vegetable producers.

[0026] In addition, growing plants in micro-ridges has advantages at the agronomic and health level.

[0027] Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the product according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are the following:

[0028] - the peripheral wall of the rear roller is made of metallic material, by example in steel;

[0029] - the peripheral wall of the rear roller has a crenellated inner surface, parallel to said crenellated outer surface, so that said peripheral wall has a constant, or at least approximately constant, thickness;

[0030] - the peripheral wall of the rear roller has a thickness ranging from 3 to 6 cm;

[0031] - the heating means are chosen from gas heating means, electricity or other;

[0032] - the peripheral wall of the rear roller has an inner surface defining an internal volume in which the heating means are installed, arranged to heat said interior surface, ensuring heating of said crenellated exterior surface by conduction;

[0033] - said seeder comprises means for measuring the temperature of the surface ex crenellated interior, to record a collected temperature, and control means adapted to control the heating means taking into account the collected temperature and a target temperature;

[0034] - the rear roller is passive or mechanically assisted (for example hydraulic or electric);

[0035] - said at least one sowing element is structured to deposit the seeds at a depth ranging from 1 to 10 mm deep;

[0036] - the front roller and the rear roller are associated with a scraper.

[0037] The present invention also relates to the method for sowing seeds in half-rows, by using a seeder according to the invention.

[0038] This method comprises a sowing step during which said seeder travels over a row of crops and during which the notched outer surface of the rear roller, rolling on the ground, is heated to a temperature ranging from 50 to 300 degrees Celsius.

[0039] The present invention also relates to the rear roller for a seeder according to the invention, which rear roller comprises a peripheral wall comprising a crenellated outer surface for the formation of micro-ridges.

[0040] And said crenellated outer surface is made of metallic material; said rear roller is associated with heating means intended to heat said crenellated outer surface.

[0041] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0042] Furthermore, various other characteristics of the invention emerge from the appended description given with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting forms of embodiment of the invention and where:

[0043] [Fig.l] is a general and perspective view of a seeder according to the invention, fitted to a tractor vehicle, which travels along a row of crops for sowing under micro-ridges;

[0044] [Fig.2] is a general and schematic view, from above, of a seeder according to the invention;

[0045] [Fig.3] is a general and schematic view, in section and isolated, of the rear roller according to the invention;

[0046] [Fig.4] is a partial view of the rear roller according to [Fig.3].

[0047] It should be noted that, in these figures, the structural and / or functional elements common to the different variants may have the same references.

[0048] As generally shown in Figures 1 and 2, the present invention relates to a seeder 1 for market gardening in micro-ridges.

[0049] Generally speaking, by "microbeads" is meant a raised strip of earth, for example with a trapezoidal or curved section, which is formed above a row of seeds R (as illustrated schematically in [Fig.4]).

[0050] In this case, a crop row then comprises several microbeads B which are juxtaposed so as to each cover a row of seeds R (figures 1 and 4)

[0051] Such a microbead B has, for example, the following dimensions:

[0052] - a height of 2 to 5 cm, preferably 3.5 to 4.5 cm,

[0053] - a width of 3 to 6 cm.

[0054] Such a seeder 1 is particularly suitable for planting corn salad seeds, spinach, lettuce or other dense crops, preferably on a bed or mound.

[0055] Such a seed drill 1 is advantageously intended to be coupled to a tractor vehicle T, for its movement in a crop field ([Fig. 1]). Alternatively, such a seed drill 1 may consist of a self-propelled machine, equipped with its propulsion means.

[0056] Generally speaking and as illustrated schematically in [Fig.2], the seeder 1 comprises a chassis 2 which is equipped with:

[0057] - a front roller 3, to level the ground,

[0058] - at least one sowing element 4, for sowing several rows of seeds R,

[0059] - a rear roller 5, for the formation of microbeads B above each of said rows of seeds R.

[0060] The front roller 3 (for example a stainless steel roller) and said at least one sowing element 4 (for example a pneumatic sowing element) are advantageously chosen from conventional equipment per se.

[0061] In particular, said at least one sowing element 4 is preferably structured to deposit the seeds at a depth ranging from 1 to 10 mm deep.

[0062] And, for example, said at least one sowing element 4 comprises several triple-line sowing units.

[0063] The rear roller 5, shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4, comprises a peripheral wall 51, advantageously cylindrical or tubular.

[0064] As shown in more detail in [Fig.4], the peripheral wall 51 comprises:

[0065] - a crenellated outer surface 511, and

[0066] - preferably, an interior surface 512.

[0067] According to the invention, the crenellated outer surface 511 is made of metallic material.

[0068] More preferably, the peripheral wall 51 of the rear roller 5 (from the inner surface 512 to the crenellated outer surface 511) is made of metallic material (advantageously in one piece).

[0069] The metallic material is advantageously chosen from steels.

[0070] The crenellated outer surface 511 is shaped for the formation of microbeads B above each of the rows of seeds R.

[0071] For this, this crenellated outer surface 511 advantageously comprises several bottom strips 511a, for example cylindrical strips parallel to a longitudinal axis 5' of the rear roller 5, which are separated by ribs 511b.

[0072] The crenellated outer surface 511 then advantageously comprises several grooves 511c which are formed by a strip 511a delimited by two ribs 511b.

[0073] The grooves 511c may have various sections, for example trapezoidal or curved.

[0074] The ribs 511b here have a convex V-shaped section, defining a groove 511c of generally trapezoidal shape which diverges from a bottom strip 511a.

[0075] In other words, the crenellated outer surface 511 comprises a plurality of grooves 511c which are distributed along its length to each form a microbead B.

[0076] Generally, each groove 511c has the following dimensions:

[0077] - a maximum height of 2 to 5 cm, preferably 3.5 to 4.5 cm (measured perpendicular dicular relative to the longitudinal axis 5' of the rear roller 5),

[0078] - a maximum width of 3 to 6 cm (measured parallel to the longitudinal axis) 5' horizontal of the rear roller 5).

[0079] Preferably, the peripheral wall 51 of the rear roller 5 comprises a crenellated inner surface 512, parallel to the crenellated outer surface 511.

[0080] The peripheral wall 51 thus advantageously has a constant, or at least approximately constant, thickness E.

[0081] In other words, the peripheral wall 51 of the rear roller 5 advantageously consists of a corrugated tube or a ringed tube.

[0082] The peripheral wall 51 of the rear roller 5 advantageously has a thickness E ranging from 3 to 6 cm.

[0083] According to the invention, the rear roller 5 is associated with heating means 7 which are intended to heat the crenellated outer surface 511.

[0084] The heating means 7 are preferably chosen from:

[0085] - the gas heating means 7, for example in the form of a burner ramp,

[0086] - the electric heating means 7, for example in the form of a resistor electric heating,

[0087] - or other.

[0088] Preferably, the heating means 7 are in the form of a heating strip or a heating ramp which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 5' of the rear roller 5 and along the length of the crenellated outer surface 511.

[0089] According to a preferred embodiment, the interior surface 512 defines an internal volume V in which the heating means 7 are installed.

[0090] The heating means 7 are then arranged opposite the inner surface 512, to heat this inner surface 512 and to ensure heating of the crenellated outer surface 511 by thermal conduction.

[0091] The heating means 7 advantageously ensure the heating of an Ion- longitudinal of the inner surface 512 of the peripheral wall 51. In particular, the heating means 7 are fixed; and the inner surface 512 of the peripheral wall 51 circulates in front of these heating means 7, so that these heating means 7 progress on the circumference of this inner surface 512.

[0092] In this case, the supply 75 of the heating means 7 advantageously extends at the level of the longitudinal axis 5' of the rear roller 5, through the hubs 55 ([Fig.4]).

[0093] As shown schematically in [Fig.3], to control the temperature of the crenellated outer surface 511, the seeder 1 comprises:

[0094] - temperature measuring means 8, for measuring the temperature of the crenellated outer surface 511, for recording a collected temperature, and

[0095] - control means 9 adapted to control the heating means 7 holding account of the collected temperature and a target temperature.

[0096] In particular, the control means 9 ensure an increase in the heating provided by the heating means 7 when the collected temperature is lower than the target temperature; conversely, the control means 9 ensure a reduction in the heating provided by the heating means 7 when the collected temperature is higher than the target temperature.

[0097] For example, the target temperature is 50 to 300 degrees Celsius.

[0098] For example, the temperature measuring means 8 consist of a temperature probe for recording the actual external temperature of the crenellated external surface 511.

[0099] For example, the control means 9 consist of a microcontroller associated with a dedicated computer program making it possible to regulate the temperature of the crenellated outer surface 511 according to a given instruction.

[0100] Generally speaking, the rear roller 5, and in particular its rotation, is:

[0101] - passive (by friction with the ground), or

[0102] - with mechanical assistance (for example hydraulic or electrical).

[0103] Still generally, the front roller 3 and the rear roller 5 are preferably associated with a scraper (not shown and conventional in itself). This scraper aims to remove the soil which would stick to the respective rollers 3, 5. Process for sowing seeds in micro-ridges

[0104] The implementation of the seeder 1 according to the invention is detailed below.

[0105] In practice, during a sowing stage, the seeder 1 moves along a row of culture.

[0106] During this path, the seeder 1 ensures different successive actions within the crop row:

[0107] - the front roller 3 flattens the ground,

[0108] - said at least one sowing element 4 sows several rows of seeds R, then

[0109] - the rear roller 5 forms microbeads B above each of said rows of R seeds.

[0110] In particular, the crenellated outer surface 511 of the rear roller 5, rolling on the ground, is heated to a temperature ranging from 50 to 300°C.

[0111] This heating operation limits, or even eliminates, the phenomenon of adhesion of the earth to the rear roller 5.

[0112] The microbeads B are then formed optimally.

[0113] Of course, various other modifications may be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims

1. Seeder (1), in particular for corn salad, spinach, salad or other dense crops, which seeder (1) comprises a chassis (2) which is equipped with: - a front roller (3), for leveling the ground, - at least one sowing element (4), for sowing several rows of seeds (R), - a rear roller (5) which comprises a peripheral wall (51) comprising a crenellated outer surface (511) for the formation of microridges (B) above each of said rows of seeds (R), characterized in that said crenellated outer surface (511) is made of metallic material and in that said rear roller (5) is associated with heating means (7) intended to heat said crenellated outer surface (511).

2. Seeder (1), according to claim 1, characterized in that the peripheral wall (51) of the rear roller (5) is made of metallic material, for example steel.

3. Seeder (1), according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the peripheral wall (51) of the rear roller (5) comprises a crenellated inner surface (512), parallel to said crenellated outer surface (511), so that said peripheral wall (51) has a constant, or at least approximately constant, thickness (E).

4. Seeder (1), according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the peripheral wall (51) of the rear roller (5) has a thickness (E) ranging from 3 to 6 cm.

5. Seeder (1), according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the heating means (7) are chosen from gas, electric or other heating means (7).

6. Seeder (1), according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the peripheral wall (51) of the rear roller (5) comprises an inner surface (512) defining an internal volume (V) in which the heating means (7) are installed, arranged to heat said inner surface (512), ensuring heating of said crenellated outer surface (511) by conduction.

7. Seeder (1), according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said seeder (1) comprises: - measuring means (8), for measuring the temperature of the crenellated outer surface (511), for recording a collected temperature, and - control means (9) adapted to controlling the heating means (7) taking into account the collected temperature and a target temperature.

8. Seeder (1), according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the rear roller (5) is passive or mechanically assisted.

9. Seeder (1), according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said at least one sowing element (4) is structured to deposit the seeds at a depth ranging from 1 to 10 mm deep.

10. Method for sowing seeds in micro-ridges (B), by using a seeder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said method comprises a sowing step during which said seeder (1) travels over a row of crops and during which the crenellated outer surface (511) of the rear roller (5), rolling on the ground, is heated to a temperature ranging from 50 to 300 degrees Celsius.

11. Rear roller (5), for seeder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, which rear roller (5) comprises a peripheral wall (51) comprising a crenellated outer surface (511) for the formation of micro-ridges (B), characterized in that said crenellated outer surface (511) is made of metallic material and in that said rear roller (5) is associated with heating means (7) intended to heat said crenellated outer surface (511).

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