Patent ID: 7814849

Claim:
A seed tube for use with an agricultural planter, the seed tube comprising: an elongate housing having a front wall, a rear wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall cooperating to define a seed pathway, said housing defining a longitudinal axis and having a substantially straight upper portion and a curvilinear lower portion, said upper portion defining an entrance to said seed pathway and said lower portion defining an exit from said seed pathway, said seed pathway having an asymmetric cross-section taken at said exit of said lower portion in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said housing; a portion of said front wall extending along said lower portion of said housing having a first partial width portion and a second partial width portion cooperating to define the overall width of said front wall between said first sidewall and said second side wall, said first partial width portion extending between said first sidewall and said second partial width portion, said first partial width portion defining a concave surface extending along said seed pathway and having a first radius of curvature defined from a center, said center of said first radius of curvature being one of on a midline defining a junction between said first partial width portion and said second partial width portion and offset from said midline in the direction of said second side wall; wherein, if a seed entering the seed tube through said entrance travels through said upper portion of said housing and enters said lower portion of said housing contacting said first partial width portion of said front wall, the seed is rotated into a position in which the seed is substantially entirely positioned within said second partial width portion.