Patent Publication Number: US-11032964-B2

Title: Flow splitting control valve for secondary header

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to agricultural implements and, more specifically, to agricultural seeders with fluid hoses for transporting particulate matter. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Agricultural implements, such as planters, air seeders, or air drills, may be used to simultaneously plant multiple rows of crop material in a field in a uniform and consistent manner. Such implements typically include at least one storage tank, which stores particulate matter such as seed or fertilizer, a pneumatic seed metering system, and multiple row units for opening a trench in the field, depositing the seed in the trench, and closing the trench. The storage tank may be located on the seeding unit itself, as in some air drills, or located on a separate air cart that is either towed behind or in front of the seeder tool. In either configuration, the pneumatic seed metering system fluidly couples the storage tank to the row units so that seed or other particulate matter can be metered and transported in an airstream from the storage tank into the field. The pneumatic seed metering system generally includes a fan coupled to the storage tank and numerous fluid lines, e.g. hoses, interconnected between the storage tank and the row units. The row units may each include an auxiliary seed hopper, as in planters, a cutting disk or hoe for opening a trench in the field, a seed meter disk, a closing disk, and/or a packer roller to pack soil on top of the planted seed. 
     To increase the numbers of rows being planted, pneumatic seed metering systems of modern air seeders or drills typically have one or more primary fluid lines that are connected to the at least one storage tank and to multiple secondary fluid lines which then transport the seed or other particulate matter to each row unit. One type of air seeder uses a primary fluid line to transport the seed to a first hollow distributor or manifold that then divides the airstream into a number of secondary streams, which then couple to respective secondary headers. The secondary headers then further divide the airstream and transport the seed or other particulate matter to each row unit. Another type of air seeder uses a mechanical metering roller that is segmented into a number of respective subsections. Each subsection is fluidly connected to respective secondary headers that then further divide the airstream into individual airstreams associated with each row unit. 
     It is common for a single fan to provide the pressurized airstream across the various fluid lines of the pneumatic seed metering system. However, due to one fan servicing multiple fluid lines, the airstreams within the primary and/or secondary fluid lines may differ. For example, if one primary line is longer than another primary fluid line, then the two primary fluid lines will offer differing pressurized airstreams to their respective secondary fluid lines. The secondary header typically cannot compensate the air pressure within each individual secondary fluid line because the secondary header simply evenly splits the primary airstream among its various secondary fluid lines. To avoid pressure drops across the several secondary fluid lines, it is common to include fluid lines which all have the same length. However, this may lead to excessively long fluid lines for some row units which may then increase production costs and clutter the seeding unit. 
     What is needed in the art is a cost-effective seed metering system which individually controls the fluid pressure in each secondary fluid line. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pneumatic seed metering system for an agricultural implement that includes mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic pinch valves which are fluidly coupled to at least one outlet of the primary and/or secondary header(s). The pinch valves include a flexible tubing, an adjustable constricting member, and an actuator for adjusting the level of constriction of the constricting member. The pinch valves restrict the airstream exiting from the outlet(s) and can balance the airstreams among the various fluid lines such that a substantially even air pressure is provided to each row unit. The pneumatic seed metering system may additionally include a controller operably coupled with the pinch valves and a sensor that is coupled to at least one outlet of the primary and/or secondary header(s). The controller can automatically (un)constrict the pinch valves for automatically adjusting one or more of the airstream(s) within the fluid lines. 
     In another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an agricultural implement including a toolbar, a plurality of row units connected to the toolbar and configured for placing a particulate matter into a field, and a pneumatic seeding system associated with the toolbar and the plurality of row units. The pneumatic seeding system includes at least one storage tank configured for storing the particulate matter, a plurality of fluid lines fluidly interconnecting the at least one storage tank with each row unit of the plurality of row units, and a fan fluidly connected to the at least one storage tank and to the plurality of fluid lines. The fan being configured for providing an airstream through the plurality of fluid lines for carrying the particulate matter from the at least one storage tank to the plurality of row units. The pneumatic seeding system also includes at least one pinch valve fluidly coupled to at least one fluid line of the plurality of fluid lines for adjustably balancing a respective airstream within the at least one fluid line of the plurality of fluid lines. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pneumatic seeding system for an agricultural implement including at least one storage tank configured for storing a particulate matter, a plurality of fluid lines fluidly connected to the at least one storage tank, and a fan fluidly connected to the at least one storage tank and to the plurality of fluid lines. The fan is configured for providing an airstream through the plurality of fluid lines for transporting the particulate matter in the airstream. The pneumatic seeding system also includes at least one pinch valve fluidly coupled to at least one fluid line of the plurality of fluid lines for adjustably balancing a respective airstream within the at least one fluid line of the plurality of fluid lines. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment formed in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for depositing a particulate matter into a field. The method includes a step of providing a pneumatic seeding system. The pneumatic seeding system includes at least one storage tank configured for storing the particulate matter, a plurality of fluid lines fluidly connected to the at least one storage tank, and a fan fluidly connected to the at least one storage tank and to the plurality of fluid lines. The fan being configured for providing an airstream through the plurality of fluid lines for transporting the particulate matter in the airstream. The pneumatic seeding system also includes at least one pinch valve fluidly coupled to at least one fluid line of the plurality of fluid lines. The method also includes the steps of transporting the particulate matter in a respective airstream through the at least one fluid line of the plurality of fluid lines, and adjustably balancing, by the at least one pinch valve, the respective airstream within the at least one fluid line of the plurality of fluid lines. 
     One possible advantage of the exemplary embodiment of the agricultural implement is that the pneumatic seeding system of the present invention efficiently and automatically balances the individual airstreams within the air lines. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purpose of illustration, there are shown in the drawings certain embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements, dimensions, and instruments shown Like numerals indicate like elements throughout the drawings. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an agricultural implement, the agricultural implement including a pneumatic seeding system having at least one pinch valve, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the at least one pinch valve of  FIG. 1  in an open position, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the at least one pinch valve of  FIG. 1  in a constricted position, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the at least one pinch valve, taken across line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic view of another embodiment of a pneumatic seeding system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a pinch valve, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an agricultural vehicle  10 , such as a tractor, towing an agricultural implement  12  through a field “F”. The agricultural implement  12  may be in the form of any desired particulate matter dispensing implement such as a planter, an air seeder, or an air drill. As shown, the agricultural implement  12  is in the form of an air seeder  12  which deposits seed into the field F. The agricultural implement  12  may generally include a chassis with a toolbar  14 , multiple row units  16  connected to the toolbar  14  placing the particulate matter, e.g. seed and/or fertilizer, into the field F, and a pneumatic seeding system  18  associated with the toolbar  14  and the row units  16 . The row units  16  may be in the form of any desired row units. The pneumatic seeding system  18  generally includes at least one storage tank  20 , multiple fluid lines  22 , a blower or fan  24 , and at least one pinch valve  26 . 
     The storage tank(s)  20  may store the particulate matter, e.g. the seed to be planted and/or the fertilizer. The storage tank  20  may be in the form of an air cart  20  which can be towed behind or in front of the toolbar  14  carrying the row units  16 . For example, the storage tank  20  may be a Precision Air® Cart which is commercially available from CNH Industrial, LLC. Alternatively, the storage tank  20  may be supported by the chassis of the agricultural implement  12  (not shown). 
     The multiple fluid lines  22  respectively interconnect the storage tank(s)  20  to each row unit  16 . In more detail, the pneumatic seeding system  18  may include at least one header  28 , such as at least one primary header  28 P and at least one secondary header  28 S; and thereby, the fluid lines  22  may include at least one primary fluid line  22 P and at least two secondary fluid lines  22 S associated with the primary and secondary headers  28 P,  28 S. More particularly, a single, large fluid line  22  may connect the storage tank  20  to the primary header  28 P, and multiple primary fluid lines  22 P may extend between the primary header  28 P and the secondary header  28 S. In this regard, the primary fluid lines  22 P fluidly interconnect the storage tank  22  to the primary and secondary headers  28 P. The secondary fluid lines  22 S may then be coupled between the secondary header  28 S and each individual row unit  16 . It should be appreciated that each header  28 P,  28 S has at least two fluid outlets, for example two, four, six, or more fluid outlets. The multiple fluid lines  22  may be in the form of fluid hoses, such as air hoses  22 . 
     The fan  24  is fluidly connected to the at least one storage tank  20  and to the fluid lines  22 . The fan  24  provides a pressure differential, either positive or negative pressure, which then creates an airstream through the fluid lines  22 . The airstream within each fluid line  22  then carries the particulate matter from the storage tank(s)  20  to the row units  16 . The fan  24  may be in the form of any desired blower or vacuum fan  24 . It should be appreciated that the agricultural implement  12  may include one or more fan(s)  24  for servicing the fluid lines  22 . 
     Referring now collectively to  FIGS. 1-4 , the pinch valve(s)  26  can be fluidly connected to at least one fluid line  22  for adjustably balancing a respective airstream within the respective fluid line  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , each pinch valve  26  is located in between a respective fluid outlet of the secondary header  28 S and a respective secondary fluid line  22 S. In other words, each pinch valve  26  is connected to an outlet of the secondary header  28 S at one end and to the beginning of the secondary fluid line  22 S at the other end. Each pinch valve  26  can include an elastomer tube  30  and an actuator  32  connected to the elastomer tube  30  ( FIGS. 2-3 ). Each pinch valve  26  is configured for adjusting the airstream in the fluid lines  22  by adjusting a cross-sectional area through which the airstream passes. 
     The elastomer tube  30  has an inner diameter, defining a cross-sectional area, and can be fluidly coupled in between a respective primary or secondary fluid line  22 P,  22 S and a primary or secondary header  28 P,  28 S via known fasteners and/or adhesives. As shown, the elastomer tubes  30  are fluidly coupled to each outlet of the secondary headers  28 S. The elastomer tube  30  can be composed of any desired, flexible material, such as a deformable rubber material. 
     The actuator  32  is configured for pinching the elastomer tube  30  for adjustably decreasing and/or increasing the inner diameter to either restrict or open the airflow through the elastomer tube  30 , thereby adjusting the airstream within the respective primary or secondary fluid line  22 P,  22 S. The actuator  32  can pinch or otherwise alter the shape of the elastomer tube  30  to adjust the airflow therethrough. For instance, the actuator  32  can have an open position in which the elastomer tube  30  is not constricted ( FIG. 2 ) and a closed position in which the actuator  32  alters the shape of at least a portion of the elastomer tube  30  to at least partially restrict the airflow through the elastomer tube  30  ( FIG. 3 ). In an alternative embodiment the pinch valve(s)  26  may not include an elastomer tube  30  and thereby the actuator  32  may be directly coupled onto and constrict the fluid lines  22 P,  22 S or the outlets of the header  28 P,  28 S. 
     Each actuator  32  can include a constricting member  34  contacting the elastomer tube  30 , a worm gear  36  operably connected to the constricting member  34 , and a motor  38  connected to the worm gear  36  for selectively adjusting the worm gear  36  to tighten or loosen the constricting member  34  around the elastomer tube  30  ( FIG. 4 ). The constricting member  34  can be in the form of an annular clamp  24 , such as a commercially available hose clamp. The constricting member  34  can at least partially wrap around the elastomer tube  30  of the respective pinch valve  26 . As shown, the constricting member  34  of the actuator  32  symmetrically constricts the elastomer tube  30 , and thereby symmetrically decreases the cross-sectional area of the elastomer tube  30 . However, the actuator  32  may unevenly pinch or squeeze the elastomer tube  30  from one side of the elastomer tube  30  such that cross-sectional area is unevenly reduced. The worm gear  36  can be in the form of any desired gear or device that can be actuated to tighten or loosen the constricting member  34 . The motor  28  can be a hydraulic or an electric motor  38 . Alternatively, the actuator  32  can be in the form of a plastic strap or clamp and/or a scissor-type pinching device which is coupled with the elastomer tube  30  (not shown). Further, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the actuator  32  may not be a mechanical actuator and may instead be pneumatically or hydraulically actuated (not shown). 
     In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pneumatic seeding system  18  of the agricultural implement  12  may further include a feedback control device  40  for automatically and adjustably constricting at least one of the pinch valves  26  ( FIGS. 1-3 ). The feedback control device  40  may include a controller  42  operably coupled to each pinch valve  26  and a sensor  44  coupled to the respective pinch valve  26 , primary or secondary fluid line  22 P,  22 S, and/or the outlet of the primary or secondary header  28 P,  28 S. As shown, each sensor  44  is operably coupled to each outlet of the secondary header  28 S ( FIGS. 2-3 ). The controller  42  is operably coupled to the sensor  42  and to the actuator  32  of each pinch valve  26 . 
     In operation, the controller  42  can selectively constrict or open the pinch valve  26  based upon data received from the sensor  42 . Thus, the controller  42  can vary the airstream, and thereby the product flow rates, among the different outlets of the secondary header  28 S in order to ensure a particular air supply or product flow rate to each row unit  16 , individually. For example, the controller  42  may balance each outlet of the secondary header  28 S by substantially equalizing the product flow rates through each pinch valve  26 . Hence, the controller  42  may open or constrict only one pinch valve  26  or two or more pinch valves  26  which are associated with a respective secondary header  28 S. Additionally or alternatively, an operator can input a command into a user interface of the agricultural vehicle  10  which then prompts the controller  42  to adjust one or more of the pinch valves  26 . In addition to the automatic control of the pinch valves  26  by the feedback control device  40 , an operator can manually adjust the pinch valves  26  as desired. 
     The controller  42  can be incorporated into the control system of the agricultural vehicle  10 , as shown, or the agricultural implement  12 . The controller  42  may be in the form of any desired electronic control unit (ECU). The controller  42  may include software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium, e.g. a computer hard drive, an optical medium, solid-state memory, such as a flash memory, or other storage media known in the art. Thus, any of the functionality performed by the controller  42  described herein may be implemented in software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on the tangible computer readable medium. Each sensor  44  may be any desired sensor, such as an electrostatic, particle, or pressure sensor, which provides a signal to the controller  42 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is shown another embodiment of a pneumatic seeding system  50  which generally includes a first primary fluid line  52  and a second primary fluid line  54  which is longer than the first primary fluid line  52 , a respective set of secondary fluid lines  22 S, respective first and second headers or splitters  56 ,  58 , and at least one pinch valve associated with each primary fluid line  52 ,  54 , such as a first and second set of pinch valves  60 ,  62  respectively coupled with the first and second headers  56 ,  58 . The pneumatic seeding system  50  may be substantially similar to the pneumatic seeding system  18 . Thereby, the pneumatic seeding system  50  may further include the feedback control device  40  of the pneumatic seeding system  18 , wherein the sensors  44  would then be coupled to the primary fluid lines  52 ,  54  and/or the secondary fluid lines  22 S. The primary fluid lines  52 ,  54  may be in the form of the fluid lines  22 P as discussed above and may fluidly interconnect the storage tank  20  to the headers  56 ,  58 . The pinch valves  60 ,  62  may be in the form of the pinch valves  26  as discussed above. The secondary fluid lines  22 S fluidly interconnect the headers  56 ,  58  to an individual row unit  16  (not shown in  FIG. 5 ). The first pinch valve(s)  60  may constrict the airflow more than the second pinch valve(s)  62  in order to offset the pressure difference between the primary fluid lines  52 ,  54  due to the shorter length of the first primary fluid line  52 . Thereby, the pneumatic seeding system can substantially equalize the airflow provided through the secondary fluid lines  28 S. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , there is shown another embodiment of a pinch valve  70  which can be coupled with any one of the fluid lines  22  and/or headers  28  as discussed above. Each pinch valve  70  can include an elastomer tube  72  and an actuator  74  connected to the elastomer tube  72 . Each pinch valve  70  is configured for adjusting the airstream in the fluid lines  22  by constricting the cross-sectional area through which the airstream passes. The actuator  74  may unevenly, e.g. unsymmetrically, deform the substantially circular elastomer tube  72 . For example, the actuator  74  may pinch the elastomer tube  72  such that the elastomer tube  72  has an approximately oval cross-sectional shape. The elastomer tube  72  may be in the form of the elastomer tube  30  as discussed above. The actuator  74  can be in the form of the actuator  32 , as discussed above, except that the constricting member (unnumbered) of the actuator  74  can flex accordingly to correspondingly follow the substantially oval shape. Alternatively, the actuator  74  can be in the form of a scissor-type actuator located on one side of the elastomer tube  72 . Such a scissor-type actuator may include one or more elongate member(s) contacting the elastomer tube  72  and an electric motor for actuating the elongate member(s). For instance, a pair of elongate members can be pivotally connected to one another and the electric motor can actuate the elongate members so that the elongate members pinch the side of the elastomer tube  72  to subsequently create the substantially oval-shaped cross-section. 
     These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing specification. Accordingly, it is to be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention.