Vacuum Seed Meter With Controlled Outlet Pressure for Precise Placement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum seeders struggle to create sufficient vacuum for large seed disks and rely on gravity for seed placement, leading to imprecise seed distribution and bouncing issues.

Innovation Solution

Each seed meter in the planter is equipped with a vacuum producing device, allowing independent vacuum generation and control, enabling larger seed disks and precise seed placement without sharing vacuum across multiple seeders.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If vacuum seeders share a same vacuum producing device across multiple seeders, then device complexity is reduced, but vacuum pressure is insufficient for large seed disks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevacuum producing device configurationVSAvoidvacuum pressure

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the vacuum production function by providing each seed meter with its own vacuum producing device, eliminating the need to share vacuum across multiple seeders and enabling sufficient vacuum pressure for large seed disks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Speed

If positive air pressure is used to direct seeds to the furrow, then seed ejection speed is high, but seed placement precision deteriorates due to bouncing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseed ejection speedVSAvoidseed placement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system inverts the conventional approach by using negative pressure (vacuum) instead of positive pressure to direct seeds to the furrow, which eliminates seed bouncing and improves placement precision while maintaining adequate ejection speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Device complexity

If vacuum seeders rely on gravity for directing seeds to the furrow, then device complexity is reduced, but seed placement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseed directing mechanismVSAvoidseed placement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses pneumatic pressure (vacuum) to direct seeds to the furrow instead of relying on gravity, providing controlled and precise seed placement while maintaining relatively simple device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design simplifies the mechanism with fewer wear components and ensures uniform seed distribution by using independent vacuum generation and controlled outlet pressure for each seed meter.

Implementation Method 1

The vacuum producing device is configured to generate a vacuum pressure in the seed disk housing for loading seed onto the seed disk

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum pressure: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

The outlet is coupled to the seed disk housing and has an outlet pressure for ejecting the loaded seed from the seed meter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS12604792B2Seed meter with vacuum producing device and controlled outlet pressure

Publication Date: 2026.04.21 DEERE & CO

AI summary

A seed meter for agricultural planters is provided. The seed meter includes a seed disk provided in a seed disk housing. The seed meter includes a vacuum producing device configured to generate a vacuum pressure in the seed disk housing for loading seed onto the seed disk. The seed meter includes an outlet coupled to the seed disk housing. The outlet has an outlet pressure for ejecting the loaded seed from the seed meter. An advantage of such a seed meter is not having to change the seed disk between different types of seeds. Another advantage includes being able to control the output pressure and the vacuum pressure.