Undulating Seed Delivery Belt for High-Speed Planting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seed delivery systems face challenges in high-speed seed planting, particularly in efficiently securing and releasing seeds during conveyance, and they often require high energy consumption and have short lifespans in flex fatigue environments.

Innovation Solution

An endless seed delivery belt with an undulating outer surface featuring regularly-spaced peaks and troughs, each accommodating a seed, and seed ejectors between flights, which separates and clench seeds during conveyance, ensuring secure seed placement and release, and is designed for high-speed operation with reduced energy consumption and extended lifespan.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If conventional seed delivery systems are used for high-speed planting, then seed delivery speed can be increased, but seed securing and release efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseed delivery speedVSAvoidseed securing and release efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The belt surface is segmented into discrete flights with cavities, where each flight independently handles a single seed. This segmentation allows seeds to be securely held in individual cavities during high-speed conveyance while enabling easy release when flights separate, resolving the contradiction between speed and securing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The belt design incorporates dynamic flight separation where flights move closer together during seed pickup for secure holding, and separate during seed release. This dynamic adjustment of flight spacing enables efficient seed securing at high speeds while maintaining easy release capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If conventional seed delivery systems operate at high speed, then productivity increases, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseed delivery rateVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The flight structure design enables self-service seed pickup and release without additional actuators or energy-consuming mechanisms. Seeds are automatically captured in cavities when flights converge and released when flights separate, allowing high-speed operation with minimal energy input

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If conventional belts are used in high flex fatigue environments, then seed delivery function is maintained, but belt lifespan decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous operation capabilityVSAvoidbelt lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The belt is constructed from elastomeric material that provides both the flexibility needed for high-speed operation and the fatigue resistance required for extended lifespan. The composite structure of flights, cavities, and connecting material creates a durable design that maintains seed delivery function while withstanding repeated flexing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS11129325B2Conveyance belt for high speed planting of seeds

Publication Date: 2021.09.28 FELTON

AI summary

An endless seed delivery belt includes an inner surface, and an undulating outer surface. The undulating outer surface defines a plurality of alternating, and regularly-spaced peaks and troughs where each peak corresponds to a flight and each space between adjacent peaks defines a cavity that is generally sized and shaped to accommodate one seed. In some implementations, the endless seed delivery belt has a seed ejector between each pair of adjacent flights.