Planter for planting root crops
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/EP2026/056846
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2025-03-12
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-17
Smart Images
Figure EP2026056846_17092026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Planting device for planting root crops
[0002] The present invention relates to planting devices for planting root crops, wherein the planting devices are in particular designed as cup planting machines for planting potatoes or potato tubers.
[0003] Such a planting device is known, for example, from US Patent 2006 / 0283363 A1. In this device, potato tubers are picked up from a storage container by cups arranged in four rows on a belt and dropped into a furrow in the soil being worked by the planting device, with the two middle rows of cups being dropped into place. While picking up the tubers in multiple rows increases the planting device's efficiency, the tubers from the two middle rows are dropped laterally. Any centering of the tubers in the furrow is achieved solely by the furrow itself and is therefore relatively unreliable and imprecise. The final position of the tuber in the furrow is thus relatively irregular and unpredictable.
[0004] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a planting device of the type mentioned at the outset, which enables improved handling and dispensing of root vegetables, in particular with high precision and simultaneously high efficiency. This objective is achieved by a planting device according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims relating thereto, the figures, and the following description.
[0005] According to the invention, the planting device for planting root crops comprises a storage container for holding the root crops and at least one conveying device for receiving and singulating the root crops from a scooping chamber of the storage container. The conveying device includes at least one conveying element rotating in a circular direction during operation of the planting device and singulation components arranged in at least two rows on the at least one conveying element. During operation of the planting device, each row of singulation components describes a receiving path extending through the scooping chamber, and by means of the singulation components, individual root crops can be received from the scooping chamber in several adjacent receiving rows within a receiving section of the conveying device.The conveying device also has a transfer section downstream of the receiving section in the direction of rotation, in which, during operation of the planting device, the respective root crop is transferred from its respective singulation component to a respective receiving component of the conveying element. The receiving components assigned to at least one of the receiving rows each have a transfer section and a discharge section, such that the root crop can be received in a receiving position by means of the transfer section, which is inclined to the direction of rotation, and can be transferred along the transfer section, at least partially, in a lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation, to a discharge position offset from the receiving position in the discharge section.
[0006] Thus, according to the invention, a planting device with receiving components is created in which the discharge positions of at least one row of root crops deviate laterally from the receiving and / or receiving positions of these root crops. In other words, the discharge positions of at least one receiving row of root crops are located outside a receiving plane or planes defined by the receiving track(s). Simultaneously, for the sake of high receiving efficiency, several rows of root crops are picked up side by side. In contrast to the prior art, a lateral displacement of the root crops can therefore occur within the receiving components of the conveying device itself and independently of any downstream assemblies or the furrow.This creates the basis for shifting the root crops during transport by means of the receiving components to a laterally offset discharge plane, in particular to at least approximate a final depositing position in the furrow laterally.
[0007] At least one belt, tape, roller, or similar conveying element can be used. Several conveying elements, arranged side-by-side with or without spacing, can also be used, each with at least one row of singulation components. The singulation components of the multiple rows are preferably arranged offset from each other in the direction of rotation. This allows root crops to be picked up from the scoop at different heights in the direction of rotation, thus ensuring particularly efficient handling.
[0008] To pick up and separate their respective root crops, the singulation components preferably each have a shape that is formed opposite to the direction of rotation. This shape can be, in particular, a bowl- or cup-shaped singulation component. The shape allows the root crop, separated by the respective singulation component, to be reliably picked up and transported. The shape is preferably dimensioned to accommodate a single root crop. Furthermore, the respective root crop is picked up in a receiving position that is arranged, in particular, centrally within the shape in the lateral direction.
[0009] The receiving section of the conveying device is understood to be that part of the circular path of movement described by the conveying element in which the root crops are received by the singulation components. This receiving section is preferably arranged on the side of the conveying device facing the storage container, in particular on the path of movement of the conveying element.
[0010] Accordingly, the transfer section of the conveying device is understood to be that portion of the circular path of motion described by the conveying element in which the root crops are transferred from the singulating components to the receiving components. This transfer section is preferably located on the side of the conveying device, and in particular on the path of motion of the conveying element, facing away from the storage container. The transfer of the root crop in the transfer section is particularly simple, preferably occurring by gravity. The receiving section and the transfer section can be connected via a vertex of a circular path of the conveying element.
[0011] The transfer of the respective root crop from the singulation component to the receiving component preferably takes place within the receiving plane defined by the respective receiving path, in particular by the receiving positions of the singulation components of this receiving path. The receiving position, in which the root crop is taken over by the transfer section, can also lie within the receiving plane. Due to its inclined design or arrangement relative to the direction of rotation, i.e., at least partially not perpendicular to the direction of rotation, the transfer section guides the respective root crop away from this receiving plane. The transfer section can therefore comprise straight and / or curved transfer section segments inclined relative to the direction of rotation.
[0012] At least one of the intake rows is assigned a series of receiving components, each with a transfer section and a discharge section. Thus, all root crops from this at least one intake row are transferred laterally via a transfer section to a discharge section. Preferably, no lateral transfer of the root crop occurs within or from the discharge section. The discharge section serves to temporarily transport the respective root crop in its discharge position until it is released from the conveying device.Accordingly, the discharge position is understood to be the position of the root crop in which it is initially transported further within the discharge section, particularly in a centered manner, and from which it is subsequently discharged by the discharge section and, in particular, also by the conveying device, for example, transferred to a subsequent assembly or dropped into a furrow. The lateral direction is perpendicular to the direction of rotation and, in particular, to the direction of travel of the planting device, and thus, when viewed in the direction of travel, preferably runs to the left and / or right.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the planting device, the root crops can be moved from their respective receiving positions to their respective discharge positions by gravity, with the direction of rotation in the transfer section of the conveying device directed towards a surface. Thus, the relocation of the root crops is achieved in a particularly simple manner. The surface is understood to be the ground on which the planting device is positioned during operation.
[0014] Gravity can be easily used to relocate the root crops by, in a further preferred embodiment of the planting device, positioning the discharge position offset from the receiving position in the direction of rotation. In particular, the discharge position is positioned in front of the receiving position in the direction of rotation. Thus, the root crop moves from its receiving position to its discharge position due to the influence of gravity.
[0015] Effective transfer of the root crops can be achieved by preferably having the transfer section run at an acute angle to the direction of rotation. An acute angle is defined as an angle of less than 90 degrees. In particular, the angle of the transfer section to the direction of rotation is, at least in sections, in an increasingly preferred order, 45 degrees to 85 degrees, 60 degrees to 85 degrees, 65 degrees to 80 degrees, or 70 degrees to 75 degrees. With such an angle, the root crop can be set in motion advantageously in the transfer section, i.e., while avoiding excessive acceleration, and can be stopped relatively easily and reliably in the discharge section.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the displacement sections of the receiving components assigned to at least one of the receiving rows extend in the direction of, and in particular up to, at least one receiving plane defined by the receiving path of the singulation components of another receiving row. The receiving plane is defined, in particular, by the receiving path of the receiving positions of the singulation components of a receiving row. Thus, the root crops of at least one receiving row can be brought at least close to, and in particular merged with, the root crops of another receiving row in the lateral direction. Upon merging, the root crops of several receiving rows can then be discharged into a common discharge row.
[0017] Alternatively or additionally, in a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the displacement sections of at least one of the receiving rows associated with the receiving components can extend in the direction of, and in particular up to, at least one discharge plane that differs from the receiving planes defined by the receiving tracks of the singulation components of the receiving rows. Thus, no displacement occurs within one of the existing receiving planes, but rather to a new discharge plane offset laterally. Preferably, at least two, and in particular all, of the receiving rows of root crops are displaced towards a common discharge plane, and in particular, merged within this discharge plane.The transfer sections of the receiving components, which are assigned to these at least two receiving rows, each extend in the direction of, and in particular up to, at least one discharge plane that differs from the receiving planes defined by the receiving paths of the singulation components of the receiving rows. The discharge plane is defined by a movement path of the discharge positions of the root crops in the receiving components as the conveying element rotates.
[0018] The displacement path during the transfer of root crops can be advantageously kept short, and the displacement sections particularly compact, by preferably arranging the discharge plane laterally, and especially centrally, between at least two of the receiving planes. Preferably, the discharge plane is arranged centrally between the laterally outer receiving planes. This also allows the use of symmetrical components and can reduce the number of parts required for the planting device.
[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the planting device, the discharge section for transporting the root crop has a shape that is directed opposite to the direction of rotation, in particular a bowl- or cup-shaped form. Thus, the discharge section forms a boundary for the root crop, at least laterally, to ensure safe transport. To adapt to typical root crop shapes, the discharge section can be at least partially arc-shaped. To stop the root crop moving along the transfer section, the discharge section also has, in particular, a limiting element that extends at least partially in the direction of rotation. Such a limiting element is preferably provided at least on one side of the discharge section facing away from the transfer section in the lateral direction.The limiting element preferably has a length in the direction of rotation that exceeds the diameter of the root crop to be placed, in particular an average potato tuber. Furthermore, the limiting element preferably extends, at least partially, and especially at its free end, in the opposite direction to the direction of displacement. The direction of displacement is understood to be the direction along which the root crop is moved within the displacement section. This reliably prevents the root crop from rolling over the limiting element and thus from undesirably leaving the delivery position.
[0020] In a further preferred embodiment of the laying device, the singulation component is formed on the front side of a transport element arranged on the conveying element, facing in the direction of rotation, and the transport element forms one of the receiving components on its rear side, facing opposite to the direction of rotation, preferably integrally with the singulation component. The receiving component preferably comprises the transfer section and the discharge section. The receiving component and the singulation component are thus formed by different sides of the same component, thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying interchangeability.
[0021] Preferably, both the singulation component and the receiving component each comprise a receptacle into which the root crop can be received for transport, wherein the respective receiving openings, which are arranged laterally, particularly offset from each other, point in opposite directions. The receptacle can be designed, for example, as a molded shape. One of the receiving openings is preferably oriented in the direction of rotation, while the other receiving opening is oriented opposite to the direction of rotation.
[0022] The receiving section formed by the discharge section of the receiving component is preferably arranged following the transfer section, in particular as an extension of it. The transfer section then extends to the receiving section of the receiving component. For easy receiving of the root crop, the transfer section of the transport element can be arranged at least partially, preferably at least predominantly, behind the singulation component in the direction of travel. To ensure reliable receiving and transfer of the root crop, the transfer section can also have edge boundaries that prevent the root crop from falling out.
[0023] A compact design of the transport element can be achieved by spacing the receiving position in the singulation component and the discharge position in the receiving component in the direction of rotation, with respect to their respective contact surfaces to be brought into contact with a root crop, at most 20 centimeters, 15 centimeters, 10 centimeters, 8 centimeters, 6 centimeters, 4 centimeters or 2 centimeters apart in an increasingly preferred sequence.
[0024] For easy attachment to the conveying element, the singulation component and the transfer component can be arranged on a common, for example, plate-shaped, base of the transport element. The singulation component and the transfer component can also be formed integrally with this base. A particularly stable connection between the singulation component and the transfer component can be achieved by preferably providing at least one stiffening element connecting these components, for example, in the form of a web. At least one such stiffening element can stiffen the transfer section of the transfer component and the receiving area of the singulation component.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the receiving components is assigned a holding element of the conveying device for fixing the root crop in its respective discharge position. Preferably, several, particularly preferably a predominant number, of the receiving components, and more preferably all receiving components, are assigned such a holding element. Thus, the root crop can be temporarily fixed in its discharge position and transported safely. Furthermore, the location and timing of the discharge of the root crop can be influenced and thus made more repeatable and precise. In particular, gravity-independent discharge of the root crop is possible. For this purpose, in a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding element is adjustable between an inactive position without fixing the root crop and an active position with fixing the root crop, in particular pivotable or deformable.
[0026] Preferably, the holding element overlaps the receptacle at least partially, preferably at least predominantly, and in particular completely, at least when the holding element is in its active position. Thus, a root crop located in the receptacle can also be securely held, at least partially, by the holding element. For this purpose, the holding element can comprise a holding arm that extends, in particular, elongates and is angled and / or curved. Furthermore, the holding element can be curved, at least partially, especially at at least one contact point of the holding arm, to adapt to the typical shape of root crops. At least one such contact point is arranged, in particular, at a free end of the holding arm.
[0027] For easy adjustment of the holding element, in a preferred embodiment of the laying device, it can be pivotally mounted about a pivot axis that is at least partially oriented laterally. The pivot axis, which is at least partially oriented laterally, is preferably arranged, in an increasingly preferred sequence, at an angle of less than 45 degrees, less than 35 degrees, less than 25 degrees, less than 15 degrees, or less than 5 degrees to the lateral direction. The holding element can be mounted at least indirectly on the conveying element, i.e., also, for example, on the receiving component or the base of the transport element.
[0028] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding element at least partially forms the displacement section. At least a portion of the displacement section is thus formed by the holding element, particularly in its inactive position. When the root crop is in its delivery position, the holding element can be moved from this inactive position to its active position, which secures the root crop, in particular by pivoting or deforming it. Thus, the holding element fulfills several functions, and the planting device can be designed to be particularly compact.
[0029] Preferably, the holding element is pivotably mounted about a pivot axis that lies at least partially transverse to the direction of rotation and at least partially transverse to the lateral direction. This allows the holding element to easily incorporate the transfer section. The pivot axis is arranged, particularly in an increasingly preferred sequence, at an angle of less than 45 degrees, less than 35 degrees, less than 25 degrees, less than 15 degrees, or less than 5 degrees to a normal vector of a plane spanned by the conveying element in the transfer section. In the case of a transfer section running vertically to the ground, the pivot axis is accordingly located at least partially in the direction of travel of the laying device. The holding element can be mounted at least indirectly on the conveying element, i.e., also, for example, on the transfer component or the base of the transport element.
[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the planting device, the holding element is elastically deformable, and the root crop can be fixed in its dispensing position by means of elastic deformation of the holding element. The holding element is preferably capable of being moved from its inactive position to its active position by at least partial elastic deformation. This can be easily achieved by the holding element at least partially forming the receiving area. Thus, the root crop is advantageously already positioned on the holding element in its dispensing position, and in particular, rests upon it. The holding element can also at least partially form the transfer section. In particular, the laterally located ends of the holding element can be deformed around the root crop to at least partially grip it. Such a holding element can be designed as a strip-shaped surface element for gripping the root crop.The retaining element can also be made of an elastically deformable material, in particular a plastic.
[0031] In a further preferred embodiment, the placing device includes a guide element of the conveying device that interacts with the holding elements to actuate them. Actuation of the holding elements, in the case of pivotally mounted holding elements, means pivoting the holding elements. In the case of elastically deformable holding elements, actuation means deforming the holding elements. Actuation, in particular, leads at least to the movement of the holding element from the inactive position to the active position. The guide element can also be used to move the holding elements from their active position to their inactive position. Thus, a large number of holding elements can be actuated precisely and repeatably in a simple manner.
[0032] The guiding device preferably comprises at least one guide element and actuating means, at least partially guided by the guide element and assigned to the respective holding elements. The guide element, which in particular forms a guide track, can be arranged on an inner side of the conveying device, i.e., at least partially within a space bounded by the conveying element when viewed from the side, to create a compact design for the placing device. The guide track preferably runs at an angle to the direction of travel, and in particular is curved at least partially. Thus, when the actuating means move along the guide track, the position of the actuating means, and consequently also the position of the holding element, can be changed. The actuating means can be connected to or formed by the holding elements. The holding elements are actuated by means of the actuating means when moving along the guide track.
[0033] In the case of pivotally mounted retaining elements, actuation is achieved primarily by pivoting the actuating device. This also pivots the retaining element associated with the actuating device. The actuating device can be designed as a pivot lever extending from the respective retaining element, particularly from its pivot axis. At its end, the actuating device can have a guide element, designed in particular as a guide roller or the like, through which the actuating device interacts with the guide element.
[0034] In the case of elastically deformable holding elements, the actuating means can be designed, for example, as a shaping element arranged on the holding element that influences its shape. The shape and / or arrangement of the shaping element can be determined or changed by means of the guide element to alter the shape of the holding element. For this purpose, the shaping element can be pivotally mounted and / or, in particular, comprise at least one guide element designed as a guide roller or the like, through which the actuating means interacts with the guide element. In its active position, the holding element surrounds the root crop in such a way that it maintains its dispensing position. The elastic deformability of the holding element also allows for individual shape adaptation of the holding element to the respective root crop.
[0035] The holding element and the actuating device can be movably connected to each other, in particular by pivoting. They can be held in position relative to each other by a force storage element, in particular a spring. When the holding element is in contact with the crop, the actuating device can then be pivoted further relative to the holding element, thus charging the force storage element, i.e., tensioning the spring. The spring then exerts a holding force on the crop via the holding element, by means of which the crop can be held particularly securely. In addition, the force storage element can be used to move the holding element into its inactive position with force assistance, in this case spring assistance.
[0036] In a further preferred embodiment of the planting device, the conveying device forms a discharge section, particularly on its underside, in which the holding elements release their respective root crops, preferably with spring assistance, during operation of the planting device. In the discharge section, the holding elements are preferably moved from their active to their inactive position to release the respective root crop. This can be achieved by appropriately designing the guide element and actuating the actuating elements. However, this can be implemented in a particularly simple way by disengaging the holding elements from the guide element and moving them into their inactive position without assistance, i.e., by gravity or with spring assistance. Thus, the location and timing of the discharge or transfer to a subsequent assembly or into the furrow can be advantageously influenced and precisely determined.
[0037] Further advantages and details of the invention can be found in the following description of the figures. Where appropriate, equivalent elements of the invention are designated with the same reference numerals. The features of the embodiments can also be combined to form further embodiments in ways other than those shown, where appropriate. The figures schematically show:
[0038] Fig. 1 shows a side view of a laying device according to the invention,
[0039] Fig. 2 shows a front view of a transfer section of the laying device in direction I from Fig. 2.
[0040] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a transport element with singulation and transfer components as well as a holding element.
[0041] Fig. 4 shows a side view of a receptacle for a transfer component with a further embodiment of a retaining element.
[0042] Fig. 5 is a front view of a transfer section of another embodiment of a laying device in direction I from Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a side view of a transport element in direction VI from Fig. 5,
[0043] Fig. 7 shows a part of the transfer section from Fig. 5 with the conveying element hidden,
[0044] Fig. 8 shows a front view of a take-up component with a further embodiment of a retaining element,
[0045] Fig. 9 shows a front view of a take-up component with the retaining element in the inactive position and
[0046] Fig. 10 shows the image from Fig. 9 with the holding element in the active position.
[0047] Individual technical features of the embodiments described below can also be combined with previously described embodiments and the features of one of the independent claims and any further claims to form articles according to the invention. Where appropriate, functionally equivalent elements are provided with identical reference numerals.
[0048] Figures 1 and 2 together show an embodiment of a planting device 2 according to the invention for planting root crops 4. In this embodiment, the planting device 2 is designed as a cup planter for planting root crops 4 in the form of potato tubers. The planting device 2 has a storage container 6 in which the root crops 4 are stored. The planting device 2 also includes a conveying device 8 for taking and singulating the root crops 4 from a scooping chamber 10 of the storage container 6. In this embodiment, the conveying device 8 comprises a conveying element 12, designed as a conveyor belt, which rotates in a direction U during operation of the planting device 2. According to the invention, several conveying elements 12 can also be provided. Singulating components 16 are attached around the outside of the conveying element 12. As shown in Figure 1, the conveying element 12 is designed as a conveyor belt.
[0049] As shown in Fig. 2, two rows 14, 14' of singulation components 16 are arranged on the conveying element 12. During operation of the planting device 2, each row 14, 14' of singulation components 16 describes a receiving path 18 running through the scooping chamber 10 (see Fig. 1). In a receiving section 20 of the conveying device 8, the singulation components 16 pick up individual root crops 4 in several adjacent receiving rows 22, 22' (see Fig. 2) from the scooping chamber 10. In a transfer section 24 downstream of the receiving section 20 in the direction of rotation U, the respective root crop 4 is transferred from its respective singulation component 16 to a respective receiving component 26 of the conveying element 12 (see Fig. 2).
[0050] In this case, each receiving row 22, 22' is assigned a respective row of receiving components 26, each of which has a transfer section 28 and a discharge section 30. As can be seen by way of example with the root crop 4 of the receiving row 22' on the right in Fig. 2, the root crops 4 are received in a receiving position 32 by the transfer section 28, which is inclined to the direction of rotation U. The root crop 4 is then transferred along the transfer section 28, at least partially, in a lateral direction S perpendicular to the direction of rotation U, i.e., to the left or right in Fig. 2, to a discharge position 34 in the discharge section 30, offset from the receiving position 32, as can be seen from the root crop 4 following in the direction of rotation U. Thus, in this case, both receiving rows 22, 22' of root crops 4 can be transferred by means of and within the receiving components 26 to more advantageous discharge positions 34.In the present embodiment, for example, the root crops 4 of both receiving rows 22, 22' are brought together in a common delivery plane 42 and can thus be delivered in a single plane with particular precision, for example into a furrow of the field to be cultivated.
[0051] The transfer of the root crops 4 from their respective receiving position 32 to their respective discharge position 34 is achieved here in a particularly simple manner, by gravity. For this purpose, the direction of rotation U in the transfer section 24 (see Fig. 1) of the conveying device 8 runs downwards, i.e., towards a surface 36, for example, an agricultural field. Furthermore, the discharge positions 34 shown in Fig. 2 are arranged offset in the direction of rotation U from the respective receiving position 32 of the same receiving component 26, in this case, in front of the receiving position 32 in the direction of rotation U. Effective transfer without excessive acceleration of the root crops 4 can be achieved here by an acute angle to the transfer sections 28 relative to the direction of rotation U. The angle 38 of the transfer section 28 relative to the direction of rotation U is 70 to 75 degrees.
[0052] As already mentioned, in the present embodiment the root crops 4 from two receiving rows 22, 22' are combined in a new discharge plane 42 that differs from these receiving rows 22, 22', whereby in principle more than two receiving rows 22, 22' can also be combined. For this purpose, the respective transfer sections 28 of the receiving components 26 assigned to the receiving rows 22, 22' extend here in the direction of and also up to a discharge plane 42 that differs from the receiving planes 40, 40' defined by the receiving tracks 18 of the singulation components 16 (cf.
[0053] Fig. 2). Alternatively or additionally, the displacement sections 28 of the receiving components 26 assigned to at least one of the receiving rows 22, 22' can each extend in the direction of, in particular up to, at least one receiving plane 40, 40' spanned by the receiving track 18 of the singulation components 16 of another of the receiving rows 22, 22'. Then the discharge plane 42 would be located in one of the receiving planes 40, 40'. For advantageous centering and / or merging of the root crops 4, the discharge plane 42 is arranged centrally between the receiving planes 40, 40' in the lateral direction S.
[0054] Figure 3 shows that the singulation component 16 and the transfer component 26 can be designed as the same component, here a transport element 48, for a simple design and easier interchangeability. The singulation component 16 is formed on a front face 46 of the transport element 48, which is arranged on the conveying element 12 (see Figure 2), and which faces in the direction of rotation U. On its rear face 50, which faces opposite the direction of rotation U, the transport element 48 forms one of the transfer components 26, comprising the transfer section 28 and the discharge section 30, which is integrally formed with the singulation component 16. The singulation component 16 and the transfer component 26 are connected to each other via a base 51, which is arranged on the conveying element 12 and is plate-shaped. A stiffening element 53, connecting the transfer section 28 to the singulation component 16, is provided for additional rigidity.
[0055] Furthermore, it can be seen that both the singulation component 16 and the receiving component 26 each comprise a receiving chamber 52 in which the root crop 4 can be received for transport, with the respective receiving openings 54 (see Fig. 2), which are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction S, pointing in opposite directions, in this case in the direction of rotation and opposite to it. For the further transport of the root crop 4, the discharge section 30 has a bowl- or cup-shaped recess 44, which is formed opposite to the direction of rotation U. In this recess 44, the root crop 4 can be transported in a centered position 34 (see Fig. 2).
[0056] Furthermore, Fig. 3 shows a holding element 56 of the conveying device 8, associated with the receiving component 26, for fixing the root crop 4 in its respective discharge position 34 or receiving position 52. This allows the root crop 4 to be transported safely and the timing of its discharge to be precisely determined by actuating the holding element 56. The holding element 56 is adjustable between an inactive position without fixing the root crop 4 and an active position with fixing the root crop 4, as shown in Fig. 3 without the root crop 4. In its active position, the holding element 56 overlaps the receiving position 52 and thus also the root crop 4 arranged therein with a retaining arm 57 that is angled here, at least partially, preferably at least predominantly. The holding element 56 shown in Fig. 3 is a fixed, fixed, and therefore angled, position 56.In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, such a holding element 56 is pivotable about a pivot axis 58, which lies at least partially in the lateral direction S, for moving between its inactive position and its active position. Here, the pivot axis is mounted at the base 51 of the transport element 48. For gentle and secure contact with the root crop 4, the holding element 56 has a contact piece 55 at its free end, which is larger than the rest of the holding element 56.
[0057] An alternative embodiment of a holding element 56 to the holding element 56 shown in Fig. 3 is shown in Fig. 4. For improved adaptation to the shape of typically round or at least rounded root crops 4, this holding element 56 comprises a curved holding arm 57 for fixing the root crop 4 and several contact pieces 55 arranged thereon that are to be brought into contact with the root crop 4. The fixing of the root crop 4 is thus particularly secure.
[0058] Figure 5 shows another embodiment of a holding element 56. As can be seen, for example, in the upper holding element 56 in Figure 5, this element, in its inactive position, also forms the displacement section 28 of the transfer component 26. Once the displacement of the root crop 4 has already taken place, the holding elements 56 can be moved from their inactive position to their active position, which can be seen, for example, in the two lower holding elements 56 in Figure 5. For this purpose, the holding elements 56 are pivoted about a pivot axis 58' that lies at least partially transversely to the direction of rotation U and at least partially transversely to the lateral direction S, i.e., perpendicular to the plane of the drawing (see Figure 5).
[0059] Fig. 6) pivotally mounted. This ensures safe displacement of the root crop 4 and at the same time allows for a structurally simple design of the planting device 2.
[0060] As shown in Fig. 6, each of these retaining elements 56, as in the embodiments shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is associated with an actuating means 64. The actuating means 64 extends at least towards, and in this case at least predominantly onto, the inner side 65 (see Fig. 1) of the conveying element 12 facing away from the root crops 4. There, it can interact with the guide device 60 (see also Fig. 1) of the conveying device 8 shown in Fig. 7 to actuate the retaining elements 56. The guide device 60 has at least one guide element 62 for this purpose, along which the actuating means 64 associated with the respective retaining elements 56 are guided at least section by section and used for actuation. For this purpose, the actuating means 64 each have a guide element 67 designed as a guide roller at their free end. Thus, it is possible that the actuating means 64 shown in Fig. 6 can actuate the retaining elements 56.The upper actuating means 64 is out of engagement with the guide device 60, and the holding element 56 associated with this actuating means 64 is therefore in its inactive position. In contrast, the holding elements 56 following it in the direction of rotation U are in contact with the guide element 62 via their respective actuating means 64 and are thereby pivoted during the process until the holding element 56, as can be seen in Fig. 7 at the middle holding element 56, is in contact with the root crop 4.
[0061] The retaining element 56 and the actuating means 64 can be movably connected to each other, in particular pivotably, as shown here. They can then be held in position relative to each other by a force storage element 70, in particular designed as a spring (see Fig. 6). When the retaining element 56, such as the middle retaining element 56 in Fig. 7, is brought into contact with the root crop 4, the actuating means 64 can subsequently be pivoted further and thus perform a relative movement to the retaining element 56, thereby charging the force storage element 70, i.e., tensioning the torsion spring.
[0062] This causes the energy storage element 70, in this case the torsion spring, to exert a holding force on the root crop 4 via the retaining arm 57 of the retaining element 56. The root crop 4 can thus be held particularly securely. Furthermore, the energy storage element 70 can be used to move the retaining element 56, when it is disengaged from the guide element 62, into its inactive position with force assistance, in this case spring assistance. This is evident from the lowest retaining element 56 in Fig. 7, which is shown in inactive, active, and an intermediate position for illustrative purposes.
[0063] In a further embodiment of a holding element 56 according to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the holding element 56 is made of an elastically deformable material, and the root crop 4 can be fixed in its dispensing position 34 by means of elastic deformation of the holding element 56. This can be implemented in a particularly simple way by having the holding element 56 at least partially form the receptacle 52. Thus, the root crop 4 is already in contact with or within the holding element 56 in its dispensing position 34 (see Fig. 9). The actuating means 64 for actuating, i.e., deforming, the holding element 56 can then be designed, as shown here, as a particularly elastic forming element. The actuating means 64 is in contact with the holding element 56, particularly on one side facing away from the root crop 4. In Fig. 8, two actuating means 64 designed as pivotably mounted forming elements are provided for this purpose, analogous to those in Fig.The actuating means 64 shown in Figures 5 to 7 can be pivoted by means of the guide device 60. This brings the ends of the holding element 56 closer together, and a root crop 4 (not shown) is at least partially, and in particular at least predominantly, gripped by the holding element 56. Alternatively, only one of the two ends can be brought closer to the other end of the holding element 56 to fix the root crop 4.
[0064] Figure 9 shows another embodiment of a forming element that at least partially surrounds or abuts the elastically deformable retaining element 56. The shape of the forming element can be changed by the guide device 60 analogously to the (angular) position of the actuating means 64 in Figure 7 (see Figure 10). For this purpose, the forming element 64 from Figures 9 and 10 can include guide means 67, designed as guide rollers, for interaction with the guide element 62 of the guide device 60. While Figure 9 shows the retaining element 56 in an inactive position, in Figure 10 it has been moved further in the direction of rotation U. In this process, the actuating means 64, here via its guide means 67, has been actuated by means of the guide element 62, and the retaining element 56 has thus been moved into its active, closed position. This ensures that the root crop 4 is securely fixed and adapted to its shape and / or size by means of the holding element 56.
[0065] The discharge of the root crops 4, for example to a subsequent assembly or into a furrow, takes place in a discharge section 68 of the conveying device 8, which is arranged particularly on an underside 66 (see Fig. 1). In or before this section 68, the holding elements 56 release their respective root crops 4 during operation of the planting device 2, for example by disengaging them from the guide device 60, and the root crop 4 can leave its discharge position 34, particularly due to gravity. The holding elements 56 can be moved into their inactive position with spring assistance, particularly by means of the energy storage element 70.
[0066] Laying device
[0067] Root crop
[0068] Storage container
[0069] Conveyor
[0070] Pumping space
[0071] Conveyor element
[0072] , 14' rows of singulation components Singulation component Intake track
[0073] Recording section
[0074] , 22' Recording series of root crops Transfer section Acceptance component Relocation section Delivery section
[0075] Takeover position
[0076] Delivery position
[0077] Subsoil
[0078] angle
[0079] , 40' Recording level
[0080] Delivery level
[0081] Shape 6 Front
[0082] 8 Transport element 0 Back
[0083] 1 Base
[0084] 2nd recording
[0085] 3 Stiffening element 4 Receiving opening
[0086] 5 contact pieces
[0087] 6 retaining element
[0088] 7 Support arm
[0089] 8.58' Swivel axis
[0090] 0 Guide device 2 Guide element 4 Actuating means 5 Inside
[0091] 66 Underside
[0092] 67 Management tools
[0093] 68 Ejection section 70 Energy storage element U Direction of rotation
[0094] S side direction
Claims
Claims 1. Planting device (2) for planting root crops (4), in particular preferably a planting device (2) designed as a cup planter for potatoes, comprising a storage container (6) for storing the root crops (4) and at least one conveying device (8) for taking up and singulating the root crops (4) from a scooping chamber (10) of the storage container (6), wherein the conveying device (8) comprises at least one conveying element (12) rotating in a direction of rotation (U) during operation of the planting device (2) and singulation components (16) arranged in at least two rows (14, 14') on the at least one conveying element (12), wherein the rows (14, 14') of singulation components (16) each describe a receiving track (18) extending through the scooping chamber (10) during operation of the planting device (2).and by means of the singulation components (16) in a receiving section (20) of the conveying device (8) individual root crops (4) in several adjacent receiving rows (22, 22') can be received from the scooping chamber (10), wherein the conveying device (8) has a transfer section (24) downstream of the receiving section (20) in the direction of rotation (U), in which, during operation of the planting device (2), the respective root crop (4) is transferred from its respective singulation component (16) to a respective receiving component (26) of the conveying element (12), and wherein the receiving components (26) assigned to at least one of the receiving rows (22, 22') each have a transfer section (28) and a discharge section (30), such that,that the root crop (4) can be received in a receiving position (32) by means of the transfer section (28) which is inclined to the direction of rotation (U) and can be transferred at least partially along the transfer section (28) in a lateral direction (S) perpendicular to the direction of rotation (U) to a delivery position (34) in the delivery section (30) which is offset from the receiving position (32).
2. Laying device (2) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the root crops (4) can be moved from their respective receiving position (32) to their respective delivery position (34) by gravity, for which purpose the direction of rotation (U) in the transfer section (24) of the conveying device (8) is directed in particular towards a substrate (36).
3. Laying device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the delivery position (34) is offset in the direction of rotation (U) to the receiving position (32), in particular in the direction of rotation (U) in front of the receiving position (32).
4. Laying device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement section (28) runs at an acute angle to the direction of rotation (U), in particular wherein an angle (38) of the displacement section (28) to the direction of rotation (U) is at least sectionally in an increasingly preferred sequence 45 degrees to 85 degrees, 60 degrees to 85 degrees, 65 degrees to 80 degrees or 70 degrees to 75 degrees.
5. Laying device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement sections (28) of at least one of the receiving row (22, 22') assigned receiving components (26) each extend in the direction, in particular up to, at least one receiving plane (40, 40') spanned by the receiving track (18) of the singulation components (16) of another of the receiving rows (22, 22').
6. Laying device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement sections (28) of at least one of the receiving rows (22, 22') assigned receiving components (26) each extend in the direction, in particular up to, at least one of the receiving planes (40, 40') spanned by the receiving tracks (18) of the singulation components (16) of the receiving rows (22, 22') the discharge plane (42) which deviates from the receiving planes (40, 40').
7. Laying device (2) according to claim 6, characterized in that the dispensing plane (42) is arranged in the lateral direction (S), in particular centrally, between at least two of the receiving planes (40, 40').
8. Laying device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispensing section (30) for further transport of the root crop (4) has a form (44) designed opposite to the direction of rotation (U), in particular a bowl- or cup-shaped form.
9. Laying device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the singulation component (16) is formed on a front side (46) of a transport element (48) arranged on the conveying element (12) facing in the direction of rotation (U) and that the transfer component (26) is formed on a rear side (50) of the same transport element (48) facing against the direction of rotation (U), in particular integrally with the singulation component (16).
10. Laying device (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that both the singulation component (16) and the receiving component (26) each comprise a receiving (52) in which the root crop (4) can be received for transport, wherein respective receiving openings (54), which are arranged in the lateral direction (S) in particular offset from each other, point in opposite directions.
11. Planting device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the receiving components (26) is assigned a respective holding element (56) of the conveying device (8) for fixing the root crop (4) in its respective discharge position (34).
12. Planting device (2) according to claim 11, characterized in that the holding element (56) is adjustable between an inactive position without fixing the root crop (4) and an active position with fixing the root crop (4), in particular pivotable or deformable.
13. Laying device (2) according to claim 11 or 12 and including claim 8, characterized in that the holding element (56) overlaps the receptacle (52) at least partially in an active position of the holding element (56).
14. Laying device (2) according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the holding element (56) is pivotably mounted about a pivot axis (58) which lies at least partially in the lateral direction (S).
15. Laying device (2) according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the holding element (56) at least forms the displacement section (28).
16. Planting device (2) according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the holding element (56) is pivotably mounted about a pivot axis (58') which lies at least partially transversely to the direction of rotation (U) and at least partially transversely to the lateral direction (S).
17. Planting device (2) according to any one of claims 11 to 16, in particular including claim 8, characterized in that the holding element (56) is elastically deformable and the root crop (4) can be fixed in its dispensing position (34) by means of an elastic deformation of the holding element (56), in particular wherein the holding element (56) at least forms the receptacle (52).
18. Laying device (2) according to one of claims 11 to 17, characterized by a guide device (60) of the conveying device (8) cooperating with the holding elements (56) for actuating the holding elements (56).
19. Laying device (2) according to claim 18, characterized in that the guide device (60) comprises at least one guide element (62) and at least sectionally guided actuating means (64) assigned to the respective holding elements (56) by means of the guide element (62).
20. Planting device (2) according to one of claims 11 to 19, characterized in that the conveying device (8) forms a discharge section (68) arranged in particular on its underside (66) in which the retaining elements (56) release their respective root crop (4) in the operation of the planting device (2), in particular with spring support.