Planter Row Cleaner with Adjustable Whippers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current planting machines face challenges in achieving uniform seed emergence due to variable soil moisture and temperature conditions, leading to uneven seed germination and potential crop failure, as they struggle to maintain a consistent seed depth across a field.
Innovation Solution
A planter unit equipped with a seed delivery tube, furrow opener, gauge wheel assembly for depth control, furrow closing tool, and a row cleaning and depth control tool with adjustable row whippers that remove excess soil and crop residues to maintain a constant soil thickness over the seeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If seeds are planted at a constant depth using gauge wheels, then the seed depth is controlled uniformly, but the soil moisture and temperature conditions above the seed vary leading to uneven germination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by removing excess soil and crop residues above the seed before germination occurs. The row cleaner and depth control tool is positioned to clean the soil surface ahead of the closing wheels, ensuring that seeds emerge through a uniform thickness of soil regardless of variations in seed depth or soil settling, thereby improving germination uniformity while maintaining constant seed placement depth
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different soil conditions at different locations relative to the seed. The row cleaner removes soil and residues specifically from above the seed area, while leaving other areas unchanged. This localized soil removal ensures that each seed has a uniform soil thickness above it, addressing the specific problem of variable soil conditions above seeds while maintaining overall seed depth consistency
2Manufacturing precision
If gauge wheels are used to control furrow opener penetration depth, then seed placement depth is maintained, but excess soil and residues remain above seeds causing variable emergence conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by extracting and removing excess soil and crop residues from above the seed area. The row cleaner and depth control tool physically removes these materials that would otherwise create variable soil conditions above the seeds, while preserving the correctly placed seeds at their intended depth. This extraction eliminates the harmful variable soil conditions without affecting the beneficial constant seed placement depth
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of excess soil and residues above seeds into a benefit by using the row cleaner to remove these materials. The same mechanism that could potentially bury seeds too deep or create uneven emergence is transformed into a tool that ensures uniform soil thickness above seeds, improving emergence consistency while maintaining proper seed placement
3Productivity
If closing wheels are positioned immediately after the seed delivery tube, then seeds are covered promptly, but row cleaning and depth control cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the planting system into distinct functional segments: the seed delivery and covering segment (with delivery tube and closing wheels), and the row cleaning and depth control segment (with separate cleaner and depth control tools). This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally - seeds are covered promptly by the closing wheels while the row cleaner separately removes excess soil and residues, achieving both rapid seed covering and effective row cleaning
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies multi-functionality by designing the planter system to perform multiple functions through integrated but separate components. The row cleaner and depth control tool serves dual purposes: cleaning rows of excess soil and residues, and controlling the final depth and positioning of seeds. This multi-functional tool is positioned after the closing wheels, allowing it to perform both cleaning and depth control functions without interfering with the seed covering process
Data Source
AI summary
A planter unit for planting seeds as it traverses a field in a direction of travel includes a seed delivery tube and a furrow opener configured to open a furrow in the soil for receiving seeds dropped through the delivery tube. A gauge wheel assembly controls the depth of penetration of the furrow opener. The planter unit also has a furrow closing tool that closes the furrow, the furrow closing tool positioned after the delivery tube in the direction of travel. The planter unit also has a row cleaning and depth control tool positioned after the furrow closing tool. The row cleaning and depth control tool has first and second row whippers that push excess soil out away from above where seeds were dropped in the furrow, wherein vertical position of first and second row whippers is selectively adjustable relative the vertical position of the furrow opener.