Planter Row Unit Speed Mapping for Seed Placement Accuracy

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural planters face challenges in maintaining seed placement accuracy at both low and high speeds due to seeds rolling and bouncing upon landing, leading to inconsistent plant spacing, which affects agronomic outcomes.

Innovation Solution

A seed conveyor system with a belt and flights that constrains the path of seeds, controlling their velocity to reduce horizontal velocity upon landing, combined with a guide surface and seed sensors for precise seed detection and placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the planter operates at higher speeds to increase productivity, then planting efficiency improves, but seed placement accuracy deteriorates due to seeds rolling and bouncing upon landing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplanting speedVSAvoidseed placement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A conveyor system acts as an intermediary between the seed meter and the planting trench. The conveyor receives seeds at high speed, controls their release timing, and delivers them to the trench with reduced horizontal velocity, mediating the conflict between high planting speed and accurate seed placement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Seeds are released onto the conveyor belt before being deposited into the trench. This preliminary action allows the conveyor to control the seeds' velocity and trajectory, ensuring they are delivered with minimal horizontal speed regardless of the planter's traveling speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If seeds are delivered with high horizontal velocity to match planter speed, then delivery efficiency improves, but seed spacing consistency deteriorates due to rolling and bouncing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseed delivery speedVSAvoidplant spacing consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor system serves as a velocity-mediating intermediary that decouples the high travel speed from the seed delivery speed. It receives seeds at high speed but delivers them at controlled low speed, maintaining both productivity and spacing consistency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the velocity parameter of seeds between reception and delivery. Seeds enter the conveyor with high horizontal velocity matching planter speed, but are delivered with reduced horizontal velocity to ensure consistent placement and spacing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3510852B1Method of mapping speed of row units of a planter

Publication Date: 2023.05.31 PRECISION PLANTING LLC

Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B

AI summary

A seed delivery apparatus and methods in which a seed conveyor delivers seed from a metering device to a furrow in a controlled manner to maintain seed placement accuracy within the furrow. Examples disclosed include a method of mapping speed of row units of a planter (9200) traveling through a field, comprising: displaying on a monitor screen (9000, 9100) an area of a field traveled by the planter; detecting a speed of each row unit (9210-1-9210-8) of the planter (9200); and graphically representing the detected speed of each row unit (9210-1-9210-8) on the area of the field traveled by the planter (9200).