US 11,877,532 B2
Seed delivery apparatus, systems, and methods
Ian R. Radtke, Washington, IL (US); and Jeremy J. Hodel, Morton, IL (US)
Assigned to Precision Planting LLC, Tremont, IL (US)
Filed by Precision Planting LLC, Tremont, IL (US)
Filed on May 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/306,897.
Application 17/306,897 is a continuation of application No. 16/502,027, filed on Jul. 3, 2019, granted, now 11,013,163.
Application 16/502,027 is a continuation of application No. 15/960,538, filed on Apr. 23, 2018, granted, now 10,368,477, issued on Aug. 6, 2019.
Application 15/960,538 is a continuation of application No. 15/441,628, filed on Feb. 24, 2017, granted, now 9,949,426, issued on Apr. 24, 2018.
Application 15/441,628 is a continuation of application No. 14/667,293, filed on Mar. 24, 2015, granted, now 9,578,802, issued on Feb. 28, 2017.
Application 14/667,293 is a continuation of application No. 14/347,902, granted, now 8,985,037, issued on Mar. 24, 2015, previously published as PCT/US2012/057327, filed on Sep. 26, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/539,786, filed on Sep. 27, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2021/0251130 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
Int. Cl. A01C 7/04 (2006.01); A01C 7/10 (2006.01); A01C 7/20 (2006.01); A01C 7/12 (2006.01); A01C 21/00 (2006.01); A01C 7/16 (2006.01); A01C 19/02 (2006.01)
CPC A01C 7/046 (2013.01) [A01C 7/102 (2013.01); A01C 7/105 (2013.01); A01C 7/12 (2013.01); A01C 7/127 (2013.01); A01C 7/16 (2013.01); A01C 7/163 (2013.01); A01C 7/20 (2013.01); A01C 19/02 (2013.01); A01C 21/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A seed delivery apparatus to deliver seeds to a planting surface, comprising:
a seed meter having a rotatable seed disc, the seed meter configured to entrain the seeds on the seed disc as the seed disc rotates and to release the seeds from the seed disc at a seed release location;
a seed conveyor including:
a housing having a seed inlet at an upper end through which the released seeds from the seed disc enter and a seed outlet at a lower end through which the released seeds are discharged and delivered to the planting surface;
an upper pulley disposed at the upper end of the housing;
a lower pulley disposed at the lower end of the housing;
a belt disposed around the upper pulley and lower pulley, the belt rotatably driven in a direction of rotation within the housing by at least one of the upper and lower pulleys, the belt having an inner surface that engages with the upper pulley and lower pulley, the belt having an outer surface that engages with the released seeds along a seed conveying side of the housing in the direction of rotation; and
a guide surface along the seed conveying side of the housing, the guide surface having an inner face spaced a distance from the outer surface of the belt;
whereby as the belt rotates within the housing in the direction of rotation, the released seeds entering the housing through the seed inlet are drawn between the inner face of the guide surface and the outer surface of the belt, and whereby a coefficient of friction between the released seeds and the inner face of the guide surface is substantially less than a coefficient of friction between the released seeds and the outer surface of the belt such that the released seeds are held substantially static with respect to the belt while the released seeds move along the seed conveying side of the housing until the released seeds are discharged from the housing through the seed exit.