WO2019162537A1

WO2019162537A1 - Pneumatic dispenser for seeds or other granular elements and agricultural apparatus that carries same

Info

Publication number: WO2019162537A1
Application number: PCT/ES2018/070137
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oscar MONTEAGUDO ESCARIZ
Original assignee: Monteagudo Escariz Oscar
Priority date: 2018-02-23
Filing date: 2018-02-23
Publication date: 2019-08-29
Also published as: ES2804618R2; ES2804618B2; ES2804618A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispenser comprising a hollow body (1) that rotates about a shaft (2) solidly connected to a chassis, in accordance with the advance of the chassis. The body (1) has an apparatus for sucking up and blowing seeds, with suction chambers (for example, bellows (16)), which are disposed inside the body (1) and attached to the body (1) and to a cylinder (15) that is mounted in free rotation on an eccentric auxiliary shaft (17) attached to the shaft (2). Each bellows (16) is in communication with a small through-hole (23) in the surface of the body (1), by means of a channel (20). The auxiliary shaft (17) is attached to the shaft (2) such that each bellows (16) begins to fill when the hole (23) is opposite a tank (6) and begins to empty when same is opposite a discharge opening (8).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Pneumatic seed dispenser or other granular elements and agricultural apparatus that carries it

SECTOR OF THE TECHNIQUE

The present invention relates to a pneumatic seed dispenser and / or other granular elements, applicable to a seeder, among other uses. Its purpose is to improve energy efficiency and reliability at low cost, so that seeds, pills, fertilizers, or granular elements in general are dosed correctly, placing an element at each point.

The preferred scope of the invention would be agricultural, horticultural or gardening machines.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

So far for monograne dosing, for example of fine and irregular seeds, mechanical distribution systems are not precise enough, so that pneumatic precision distribution systems are used. These systems, for the most part, work by suction, others by blowing and some by a combination of both, but all need a source of generation of that pressure / air depression external to the distributor itself and generally common for several sowing modules. The most common source is a turbine driven by the tractor power take-off and connected by flexible pipes to each planting module. These systems are bulky and require large fuel consumption.

The small ones, from 1 to 4 rows, are driven by a motor-type machine with the same operating system as the large ones. This system is smaller, but it also requires a turbine that increases the weight and increases the risk of breakdown by being composed of many parts.

These pneumatic seeder systems have several drawbacks, such as:

- The price is high and not affordable for small farmers.

- The weight is high, which causes soil compaction.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) - The energy consumption is high and usually corresponds to explosion engines, that is, non-renewable sources.

- They are not suitable for manual seeders whose only source of energy is human force.

- They are not suitable for seeders pulled by animals still very common in many countries.

- They are not suitable for future agriculture based on autonomous mini agricultural robots with electric propulsion and equipped with GPS and sensors.

The applicant does not know any dosing similar to the invention, neither for seed nor for other similar uses.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The invention consists of a pneumatic seed dispenser for sowing or other granular materials, with its own pressure / depression generator according to the claims. It also refers to an agricultural machine that incorporates it.

The present invention solves the drawbacks of the prior art in terms of how to increase the energy efficiency of this type of apparatus, offering a light, ecological, economical and reliable system that automatically selects the seed to be placed in each moment.

Specifically, the seed dispenser for planting is of the type that has a chassis that can be carried by wheels, although the doser itself can perform the function of a wheel. This dispenser contains a mobile selector device, which rotates with the body, and a static charger, locked in rotation. The loading equipment contains a deposit of seeds or granular material, a discharge zone communicated with an exit of the seeds to the ground. Between the tank and the discharge, it preferably includes a passage channel with adjustable elements that close or open the passage, to remove excess seeds and allow only one to pass through. In the body it has a new device for vacuuming / blowing the seeds, which extracts them from the tank and drifts them, one by one, to the discharge. Therefore, the suction and blowing apparatus is placed in a hollow body adjacent to the sowing equipment.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) In a novel way, the body of the invention is arranged to rotate about a shaft integral to the chassis. If the dispenser is incorporated into a mobile device, such as a seeder, the body must rotate while traveling on the ground to be sown or dose fertilizer, in a coordinated manner. For this, the body and the selector equipment can be connected with a wheel, be a wheel, be moved by the same motor that turns the driving wheel or by another motor. In this way, the seeds or granular elements will be distributed evenly in some holes of the selector equipment and from there to the planting groove.

On the other hand, the suction and blowing apparatus comprises one or more aspiration chambers (for example bellows) arranged inside the body and fixed to the body by one end. The other end of the suction chambers will be attached to an eccentric circular guide with respect to the axis. For example, the circular guide can be a free-mounted cylinder mounted around an auxiliary shaft eccentrically fixed to the main shaft. The position of the eccentric circular guide is especially relevant, as will be seen later.

The inside of each suction chamber is communicated with the selector equipment through a channel. The selector device has one or more holes for each channel and suction chamber. This hole is underpass to the minimum section of the seed (or granule) to be used. That is, any air flow entering or leaving each suction chamber will be oriented towards or from the corresponding hole of the selector equipment where the seed adheres.

The eccentric position of the circular guide where the aspiration chambers are fixed, and therefore of the filling and emptying phases of the aspiration chambers is calculated so that each aspiration chamber begins its filling when the corresponding hole is faced with the deposit, to collect a seed, and starts emptying when the hole is faced with the discharge and in a position such that the seed enters the discharge when it is released or blown. Thus when the seed is released from the hole it falls on the discharge and from there it passes to the exit and to the planting groove.

As the first preferred variant, the selector equipment is formed by a disk (or other type of module with a complementary surface to the loading equipment) fixed on one or both flat sides of the body and the holes are oriented towards the outside of

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) the sides of the body, which is where the loader is located, with their respective elements. Inside the body will go the pressure / depression generation team

In a second variant, the selector equipment comprises a hollow cylinder fixed to the perimeter or to the sides of the movable body. And the loader equipment, locked in rotation, is placed on the selector equipment (in all or part of its perimeter). Inside the body will continue to be the pressure / depression generation equipment where the holes are oriented.

The aspiration chambers can contain removable filters and be adjustable, to adapt to different sizes of seeds. For example, varying the eccentricity of the auxiliary shaft or the diameter of the cylinder. A second way is to open an adjustable auxiliary outlet that causes loss of suction force. The selection equipment can be interchangeable to adapt to the type or size of seed or granule. On the other hand, if desired, one or more suction chambers can be deactivated by opening the adjustable auxiliary outlet until it is of a section greater than the hole. In this way, the aspiration for it is negligible and can not catch seeds or granules.

The invention also relates to an agricultural machine, such as a fertilizer or seeder, for seed distribution, fertilizer grains ... individual on one or more grooves, with the aforementioned dispenser.

Other variants will be commented on in other points of the memory.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, the following figures are included.

Figure 1: general view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2: detail of the interior of the body of the embodiment of Figure 1, in the area of the axis and the auxiliary axis.

Figure 3: detail of the interior of the body of the embodiment of Figure 1, in the area where a suction chamber (bellows) contacts the interior of the body.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) Figure 4: Front view of the loader with the seed tank and discharge area next to the outside of the body side cover, in the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 5: schematic section of a new embodiment, in which several lateral suction chambers take the seed or others from central loading equipment.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Next, an embodiment of the invention will be briefly described as an illustrative and non-limiting example thereof.

Specifically, the embodiment shown in the figures will be described used in a seed dosing process for planting. It should be taken into account that other uses are possible, and that this description is only an example.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 a general scheme of an embodiment of the invention can be seen. It comprises a hollow body (1), whose shape can be approximately cylindrical or revolution (at least outside), mounted on a chassis (3) and crossed by a longitudinal axis (2) fixed to the chassis (3). The chassis (3) will normally have a series of elements (not shown), common in seeders, whether manual or motorized: furrowers, furrow covers, motors, wheels, ...

The body (1) of the figures comprises two covers (4) on its two flat sides, of which at least one forms a selector device. That is, that cover comprises holes (23) that will be discussed later. The covers (4) that correspond to selection equipment are oriented towards a loading equipment (5) that includes a tank (6) for the seeds, an opening (7) for filling the tank (6), a discharge hole (8) ) of the seeds and a channel between them with double seed removal elements (not shown). This channel is in the form of an arc, and preferably has adjustable elements that vary in its passage at a starting point, connected to the tank (6). When the hole (23) has captured several seeds, the adjustable elements only allow the passage of one, and the others fall back to the tank (6). These types of elements are known in the art and need no further explanation.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) As can be seen in the figures, in this embodiment the loading equipment (5) corresponds to a thick disk shape, although it may be another type of surface module complementary to the loading equipment (5). In other embodiments not shown, the selector equipment will be a hollow cylinder around or on the sides of the body (1) and the loading equipment (5) will be placed on it, for example, in the form of C.

It is also possible that both covers (4) have a selector device and a loader at their side, which may be symmetrical. Later you will see its characteristics.

Each loading equipment (5) comprises the discharge hole (8) towards an outlet (10) that releases the seed on the planting groove. The loading equipment (5) is pressed against the cover selection equipment (4) for example by a spring arranged on the shaft (2). In any case, the body (1) must be able to aspirate a seed at one point of the loading equipment (5) and release it at another point in it.

A stop (11) anchored to the loader (5) and to the shaft (2) or to the chassis (3) prevents the loader (5) from rotating on the shaft (2) dragged by the rotation of the body (1). Other locking systems are equally applicable.

The interior of the body (1) can be seen in Figures 2 and 3. The internal suction and blowing mechanism of the embodiment is based on the eccentric circular guide, which in the case shown corresponds to a main axis (2) and a auxiliary axis (17) eccentrically fixed with respect to the axis (2) in an area approximately central to the body (1). The forces are transmitted to the auxiliary axis (17) through the axis (2).

The auxiliary shaft (17) carries a cylinder (15) with freedom of rotation facilitated by a bearing (14). This cylinder (15) serves as an anchor to a series of suction chambers, which in this case have been represented as bellows (16), which are arranged radially within the body (1). In the embodiment shown there are four bellows (16) distributed throughout the perimeter of the cylinder (15). These bellows (16) have been represented in a natural way of "bellows", but they are perfectly replaceable by any other type of cameras, elastic or not, that have the property of varying the internal volume depending on the shortening and stretching of its ends.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) Another example of an eccentric circular guide can be a fixed cylindrical prism, attached to the shaft (2), which has channels on its lateral surface for the movement of carriages carrying the ends of the suction chambers.

Figure 3 shows the part of the bellows (16) furthest from the auxiliary shaft (17). The bellows (16) are fixed to the inside of the body (1) by means of plates (19) fixed to the inner wall of the body (1). The whole body (1) and its contents revolve around the axis (2), which remains static. The bellows (16) as they make their angular travel with respect to the axis (2) are lengthening and shrinking, being mounted on the cylinder (15), which is eccentrically located. Therefore, they need to be filled and emptied of air. For this they have holes (21), communicated with channels (20) that in this case are internal to the plates (19). The air enters and leaves the bellows (16) from the outside of the holes (23) of the selector equipment that are of sufficient size to suck the seeds, but lower than that of the seed to be dosed to prevent the seed from accessing inside the bellows (16). Each hole (23) can be single, or multiple to catch an exact group of seeds or granules in each aspiration. In this way, when each bellows (16) lengthens, it can suck a seed and hold it over the hole (23) while the body (1) continues to rotate until the seed is placed over the discharge hole (8), at which time the bellows (16) begins to blow and release the seed, driving it if necessary to the planting groove.

In the embodiment shown, four bellows (16) are incorporated, but the number depends on the distance at which the seeds are to be placed. If you want to place them too far apart, the dispenser may have fewer bellows (16), or deactivate one by opening an adjustable opening (18). In this way, the bellow (16) deactivated will not use its channel (20) for its filling or emptying but the opening (18). If the seeds are to be sown more together, the body revolutions (1) will be increased with respect to the advance on the ground to be sown.

If each cover (4) has a selector device and a loading device, the number of aspiration chambers connected to the shaft (2) can be doubled, so that each selector equipment will comprise its own set of aspiration chambers. Both sets of aspiration chambers can be communicated to match the internal pressures of the parallel aspiration chambers. They may also be outdated so that the seeds or granules do not fall at once, but alternately.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) Likewise, each bellows (16) may comprise a removable filter and / or means for regulating the pressure or volume aspirated. For example, varying the length of its fixation on the cylinder (15), varying the eccentricity of the shaft (17), or with pressure regulating valves in any part of the corresponding air circuit.

Figure 4 shows a view of the cover (4) containing the selector equipment with the holes (23) on which the loading equipment (5) rests. The position of the seed tank (6) and the presence of a discharge hole (8) that ends in the form of a funnel to connect with the outlet (10) can be seen. This is usually a tube that can be extended or oriented to direct the seed as close as possible to the furrow even when it is far from the path. It can be made removable, so that the length can be varied by replacing it.

If the suction chambers are powerful enough, they can suck several seeds or granules in parallel, so that the outlet can (10) unfold, so that a hole (23) is above each outlet (10), and distributed Several units in parallel.

As one skilled in the art knows, the eccentric position of the cylinder (15) inside the body (1) must be correct so that the suction is carried out when the corresponding hole (23) passes in front of the reservoir (6) and blown when It is arranged on the discharge opening (8). To pass from one phase to the other, the body (1) will have rotated approximately 180 °.

The body (1) can be rotated in several ways. For example, the body (1) can be supported on the ground and act as a wheel. It can also be connected by a transmission system to an axle of a drive wheel of the planter. It can also be rotated by electric motors or others.

If the selector equipment is arranged as a perimeter tube over the body (1), it must be rotated through a transmission or an electric motor and suspended from the ground so as not to block any holes. Another way would be to make one or both caps (4) larger in diameter so that they could roll on the ground, without the tube with the holes touching the ground. In this case the deposit (6) of seeds together with the discharge zone and the channel that communicates them would go over the tube and not in the lids (4).

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) In the variant of Figure 5 shows an alternative in which the body (1) has been split into two, one on each side of the dispenser, and loading equipment (5), two in this embodiment, is arranged in the center. Any number is possible as long as the pneumatic connection allows it. As in the previous cases, the loading equipment (5) is locked in rotation, while the bodies (1) have to rotate to carry out the dosing.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims

1- Pneumatic seed dispenser or other granular elements, comprising: a chassis (3), a loader (5) locked in rotation, with a seed tank (6) connected by a passageway with a discharge hole ( 8) communicated with an outlet (10) of the seeds to the ground; adjacent to one or more bodies (1) with two devices for sucking and blowing the seeds;

characterized by:

each body (1) is rotatable about an axis (2), integral with the chassis (3);

each aspiration apparatus comprises one or more aspiration chambers that vary their internal volume in accordance with the variation in their length, fixed to the inside of the body (1) and to an eccentric circular guide with respect to the axis (2);

the inside of each suction chamber being communicated with the loading equipment (5) through communication channels (20) with a hole (23) of reduced passage in the surface of the body (1);

the eccentric circular guide being fixed to the shaft (2), in a position such that when turning the bodies (1) each suction chamber begins its filling when the corresponding hole (23) faces the tank (6) and starts its emptying when the corresponding hole (23) faces the discharge hole (8).

2- Dispenser, according to claim 1, comprising a loading device (5) formed by a module on at least one side of the body (1) and the holes (23) are oriented towards or from the corresponding side or sides of the body ( one).

3- Dispenser according to claim 1, whose loading equipment (5) formed by a hollow tube is placed on the perimeter or on the sides of the body (1) and the holes (23) are oriented towards or from the perimeter or the sides of the body (1).

4- Dispenser according to claim 1, whose aspiration chambers or channels (20) have an adjustable opening (18) that communicates with the outside.

5- Dispenser according to claim 1, whose body (1) is a chassis wheel (3).

6- Dispenser according to claim 1, whose eccentric circular guide comprises a cylinder (15), mounted in free rotation on an auxiliary axis (17) eccentrically fixed to the axis (2), and connected to the suction chambers.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) 7- Dispenser according to claim 1, whose eccentric circular guide comprises a cylindrical prism with a series of perimeter channels where cars connected to the suction chambers circulate.

8- Agricultural apparatus, for distribution of individual granular elements on one or more grooves, characterized in that it comprises a dispenser according to one of claims 1 to 7.

9- Apparatus according to claim 8, which has one or more axes of rotation of some wheels, one of them being connected by means of a rotation transmission system with the body (1) of the dispenser.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26)