Seed Planter Equalizer Assembly for Depth Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Agricultural seed planters face challenges in maintaining consistent seed depth and preventing damage when operating in rough field conditions with moist or wet soil, and they often require removal of fertilizer equipment for folding, which is inefficient and inconvenient.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a walking axle assembly with a pivotally coupled lever arm, a fertilizer furrow opener disc, and a trailing furrow closer wheel, allowing the planter to oscillate over field obstructions without impacting seed depth and enabling folding without removing fertilizer equipment by locating these components at the rear of the planter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If fertilizer depositing equipment is located on the front side of the planter, then liquid fertilizer can be deposited in the fertilizer furrow, but moist or wet soil accumulates on the gage wheels causing the planter to run too shallow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefertilizer deposition capabilityVSAvoidseed depth consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fertilizer depositing equipment is relocated from the front side to the rear side of the planter, reversing the conventional arrangement. This inversion prevents soil accumulation on gage wheels while maintaining fertilizer deposition capability, as the rear-mounted equipment no longer disturbs soil in front of the gage wheels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The equipment is positioned in a different spatial dimension (rear side versus front side) to eliminate the harmful interaction between fertilizer equipment and gage wheels, thereby preventing soil accumulation while preserving planting function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If fertilizer depositing equipment is located on the front end of the planter, then liquid fertilizer can be provided, but the planter cannot be folded without removing the equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefertilizer deposition capabilityVSAvoidfolding operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Relocating the fertilizer equipment from the front end to the rear end of the planter allows the front end to fold upward without obstruction, enabling the planter to be compacted for transport while retaining fertilizer deposition functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The planter is functionally segmented into front folding sections and rear fertilizer deposition sections, allowing independent movement of each section during folding operations while maintaining overall system functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the planter traverses rough field surfaces with obstructions, then it can operate in varied conditions, but seed depth varies radically between too deep and too shallow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverough field operation capabilityVSAvoidseed depth consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The trailing arm assembly incorporates pivotable connections that allow dynamic adjustment of component positions in response to field obstructions. This dynamic capability enables the planter to maintain consistent seed depth by automatically adapting to rough terrain variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The pivotable trailing arm assembly provides mechanical feedback response to terrain variations, automatically adjusting the position of fertilizer and seed depositing equipment to maintain consistent operating depth despite field surface irregularities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Adaptability or versatility

If the planter operates in rough field conditions with moist soil, then it can traverse varied terrain, but planter components are damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverough field operation capabilityVSAvoidcomponent durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pivotable trailing arm assembly provides dynamic movement capability that allows components to navigate over obstructions and rough terrain without rigid contact, thereby preventing damage while maintaining operational versatility in varied field conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9232689B2Seed planter with equalizer assembly

Publication Date: 2016.01.12 SCHAFFERT MFG CO INC

AI summary

A bracket for use with an agriculture planter including a trailing arm frame defining a pivot point thereon may include an arm bracket assembly with first, second, third, and fourth arms. Each arm may extend from a middle portion of the bracket. First and second fertilizer furrow opening discs may be rotatably mounted on mounting ends of two of the arms. First and second furrow closing wheels may be rotatably mounted on a mounting end of the other two arms. The middle portion of the bracket may be pivotally coupled to the trailing arm frame at the pivot point. The arms joined to the fertilizer furrow opening discs may be arranged at opposing ends of the middle portion to enable the furrow opening discs to open two fertilizer furrows on opposing sides of a seed furrow.