Patent Application
20200230654
The present disclosure relates generally to devices for sorting or separating seeds from other materials.
There is a need in various agricultural industries to separate seeds from other materials. For example, in various industries it may be necessary to separate plant seeds from other plant materials, including leaves, flowers, stalks, stems, etc. As another example, in various industries it may be necessary to sort seeds, once separated from other plant materials, according to their type, grade, weight, density, size, volume, or other properties. These needs have existed for some time, and various systems and techniques have been developed to at least partially address them. Nevertheless, additional developments are still desirable, to improve in the efficiency, effectiveness, performance, and durability of such systems and techniques.
A device for separating seeds from other plant material may be summarized as comprising: a rear wall; a front wall; a bottom wall; a first side wall that extends from the rear wall to the front wall and from the bottom wall toward a top end of the device; a second side wall that extends from the rear wall to the front wall and from the bottom wall toward a top end of the device; a first drawer positioned within a first bay located adjacent to the first wall and between the bottom wall and a bottom end of the front wall; a second drawer positioned within a second bay located adjacent to the second wall and between the bottom wall and the bottom end of the front wall; a first opening in the first side wall; a second opening in the second side wall; and a fan coupled to the first side wall, the fan configured to induce air flow into the device through the second opening, through the device from the second opening to the first opening, and out of the device through the first opening at a rate of at least 100 cubic feet per minute.
The fan may be configured to induce air flow into the device through the second opening, through the device from the second opening to the first opening, and out of the device through the first opening at a rate of at least 115 cubic feet per minute, at least 200 cubic feet per minute, or at least 400 cubic feet per minute. The fan may be a variable speed fan and may be configured to induce air flow into the device through the second opening, through the device from the second opening to the first opening, and out of the device through the first opening at an adjustable air flow rate that is adjustable across an air flow rate adjustment range. The air flow rate adjustment range may be from 100 cubic feet per minute to 475 cubic feet per minute, from 115 cubic feet per minute to 400 cubic feet per minute, or from 115 cubic feet per minute to 200 cubic feet per minute.
The device may further comprise a power cable electrically coupled to the fan, the power cable being a standardized American power cable. The power cable may have a NEMA-1 plug or a NEMA-5 plug.
The device may further comprise a left side entry wall proximate the top end of the device, a right side entry wall proximate the top end of the device, and an entry gap between a left end of the right side entry wall and a right end of the left side entry wall, the entry gap having a width measured as a largest distance between the left end of the right side entry wall and the right end of the left side entry wall, wherein the width of the entry gap is adjustable across an entry gap width adjustment range. The entry gap width adjustment range may be from 0.5 mm to 5.0 cm, from 1.0 mm to 2.0 cm, or from 2.0 mm to 1.0 cm.
A method of operating a device comprising: a rear wall; a front wall; a bottom wall; a first side wall that extends from the rear wall to the front wall and from the bottom wall toward a top end of the device; a second side wall that extends from the rear wall to the front wall and from the bottom wall toward a top end of the device; a first drawer positioned within a first bay located adjacent to the first wall and between the bottom wall and a bottom end of the front wall; a second drawer positioned within a second bay located adjacent to the second wall and between the bottom wall and the bottom end of the front wall; a first opening in the first side wall; a second opening in the second side wall; and a fan coupled to the first side wall, the fan configured to induce air flow into the device through the second opening, through the device from the second opening to the first opening, and out of the device through the first opening at a rate of at least 100 cubic feet per minute, may comprise: turning on the fan to induce air flow along an air flow path into the device through the second opening, through the device from the second opening to the first opening, and out of the device through the first opening; providing raw plant material including seeds as an initial input to the device; and allowing the raw plant material to fall through the air flow path; wherein the air flow separates the seeds from other plant material, allows the seeds separated from the other plant material to fall into the second drawer, and allows the other plant material to fall into the first drawer.
The method may further comprise: providing the seeds separated from the other plant material as a secondary input to the device; and allowing the seeds separated from the other plant material to fall through the air flow path; wherein the air flow separates the seeds from additional plant material, allows the seeds separated from the additional plant material to fall into the second drawer, and allows the additional plant material to fall into the first drawer. The method may further comprise, prior to providing the raw plant material to the device, adjusting operation of the fan to optimize an air flow speed of the air flow along the air flow path based on characteristics of the seeds. The method may further comprise, after allowing the raw plant material to fall through the air flow path: adjusting operation of the fan to increase or decrease the air flow speed of the air flow along the air flow path; providing additional raw plant material including additional seeds to the device; and allowing the additional raw plant material to fall through the air flow path.
In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed implementations. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that implementations may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures associated with the technology have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the implementations.
As illustrated in
In some implementations, the fan 122 can be a variable speed fan and can be controlled and operated to induce air to flow through the separating system 100 at an adjustable air flow rate. The adjustable air flow rate may be adjustable across an air flow rate adjustment range. In some implementations, the lower end of this range may be 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, or 450 cubic feet per minute. In some implementations, the upper end of this range may be 105, 110, 115, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, or 475 cubic feet per minute. By adjusting the air flow rate, an operator can optimize the separating performed by the separating system 100, such as based on a type of seed being separated from other plant material, or based on a weight, density, and/or aerodynamics of such a type of seed.
When the separating system 100 is in use or in operation, power and/or communication cables or wires can run into the enclosure 114 through the conduit 120, and can power and/or provide communications including operating instructions to the fan 122. In some implementations, such a power cable or wire can be a standardized American power cable or wire, can be grounded or ungrounded, can have a NEMA-1 plug or connector or a NEMA 5 plug or connector, and can be designed to carry electricity at 120 volts or 240 volts. A user or an operator of the separating system 100 can use or operate the switch 118 to control operation of the fan 122 and the system 100, such as by switching the fan 122 on or off.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
A bottom portion of the lower central vertical wall 132 divides the gap between a bottom end of the front wall 112 and the bottom wall 110 into two distinct bays for receiving respective distinct drawers for catching falling materials. The two distinct bays can be referred to as a left bay, to the left of the lower central vertical wall 132, and a right bay, to the right of the lower central vertical wall 132. A top portion of the upper central vertical wall 134 divides the top end of the separating system 100 into two distinct openings, the left side opening 128 to the left of the upper central vertical wall 134, and the right side opening 130 to the right of the upper central vertical wall 134.
In some implementations, a width of the entry gap, measured as either a largest or a smallest distance between the right-most and bottom-most end of the left side entry wall 136 and the left-most and bottom-most end of the right side entry wall 138, is adjustable, such as by operation of a mechanical rocker switch, roller switch, or dial. The width of the entry gap may be adjustable across an entry gap width adjustment range. In some implementations, the lower end of this range may be 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 9.0 mm, or 1.0 cm. In some implementations, the upper end of this range may be 5.0 cm, 4.5 cm, 4.0 cm, 3.5 cm, 3.0 cm, 2.5 cm, 2.0 cm, 1.75 cm, 1.5 cm, 1.25 cm, 1.0 cm, 9.0 mm, 8.0 mm, 7.0 mm, 6.0 mm, 5.0 mm, 4.0 mm, 3.0 mm, or 2.0 mm. By adjusting the width of the entry gap, an operator can control the rate at which plant material, including seeds, is allowed to flow through the entry gap into the separating system 100.
When the separating system 100 is in operation, the switch 118 can be flipped or actuated to turn on or operate or actuate the fan 122. The fan 122 can draw air into the system 100 through the opening 124 and through the space or channel formed between the walls 140 and 142. The end of this channel can be located vertically between the entry gap between the entry walls 136 and 138 and the exit gap between the exit walls 144 and 142. Thus, the air blowing through the system 100 can interact with the plant material falling into the system through the entry gap to separate seeds from other plant material. Because the seeds are heavier or denser or more aerodynamic than such other plant material, the seeds can fall downward through the air current and through the exit gap into a drawer within the right bay. Because the other plant material is lighter, less dense, or less aerodynamic than the seeds, the other plant material can travel with the air current to the left and through the opening between the two vertical walls 132 and 134. In other implementations, the system 100 can work on a similar principle to separate different types of seeds having different weights, densities, etc. from one another.
As also illustrated in
When operation of the separating system 100 has ended, an operator can turn off the fan 122 by flipping the switch 118 to stop the flow of air through the system 100. The operator can also withdraw the drawers from their respective bays at the bottom of the system 100 to remove the seeds and other plant material from the system 100. The operator can also open the door 126 to clean out an internal space between a screen mounted on the peripheral frame 148 and the fan 122 and/or to replace the screen if needed.
In some implementations, an operator can use the separating system 100 to perform multiple separation passes on an initial batch of plant material. For example, the operator can provide initial or raw plant material including seeds as the initial input plant material to the separating system 100 and operate the separating system 100 as described herein to separate the seeds from other plant material in a first pass. The operator can then provide the seeds separated from the other plant material in the first pass as a secondary input plant material to the separating system 100 and operate the separating system 100 as described herein to separate the seeds from additional plant material in a second pass. Any suitable number of passes, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 passes, can be performed until the seeds have been adequately or desirably separated from other plant material.
In some implementations, an operator can use the separating system 100 to separate multiple, different types of seeds from other plant material. For example, the operator can adjust the operation of the fan 122 and the gap width to optimize performance of the separating system 100 for separating seeds of a first type. The operator can then provide initial or raw plant material including seeds of the first type as the initial input plant material to the separating system 100 and operate the separating system 100 as described herein to separate the seeds from other plant material. The operator can then adjust the operation of the fan 122 and the gap width to optimize performance of the separating system 100 for separating seeds of a second type different than the first type. This can include increasing or decreasing the air flow rate and/or increasing or decreasing the gap width. The operator can then provide initial or raw plant material including seeds of the second type as the initial input plant material to the separating system 100 and operate the separating system 100 as described herein to separate the seeds from other plant material. Any suitable number of different types of seeds, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 different types of seeds, can be separated from other plant material using the separating system 100 in this manner.
It has been found that existing seed sorting systems suffer from premature deterioration and degradation due at least in part to wear resulting from the flow of air and plant material through the systems over extended periods of time. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to know in advance which components of the systems, if any, warrant the additional cost associated with improvements in quality. It has been found that, in general, improvements to the quality of the connections between the various parts of seed sorting and separating systems often warrant the additional cost associated therewith.
Thus, in the seed sorting and separating system 100, various components thereof are coupled to one another using rivets 162. Except where otherwise stated, various connections described herein are made by positioning a first surface of a first component flush against a second surface of a second component, and the first and second components are coupled to one another by multiple rivets. Further, except where otherwise stated, in connections made using two rivets, the two rivets are positioned proximate respective opposite ends of the flush surfaces. Further, except as otherwise stated, in connections made using three rivets, the three rivets are positioned proximate respective opposite ends and proximate a center of the flush surfaces.
In the system 100, the lower central vertical wall 132 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets each located proximate a top end of the lower central vertical wall 132. The upper central vertical wall 134 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets. The left side entry wall 136 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets. The right side entry wall 138 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets. The upper air guide wall 140 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets. The lower air guide wall 142 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets. The left side exit wall 144 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets. The front portion 148a of the peripheral frame 148 is coupled to the front wall 112 by three rivets. The left side wall 106 is coupled to the front wall 112 by four rivets, each spaced apart from the next by the same distance, and collectively located closer to the top of the left side wall 106 than to the bottom of the left side wall 106. The top portion 108a of the right side wall 108 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets. The bottom portion 108b of the right side wall 108 is coupled to the front wall 112 by two rivets, collectively located closer to the top of the bottom portion 108b of the right side wall 108 than to the bottom of the bottom portion 108b of the right side wall 108.
The lower central vertical wall 132 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets collectively located closer to a bottom end of the lower central vertical wall 132 than to a top end of the lower central vertical wall 132. The upper central vertical wall 134 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets. The left side entry wall 136 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets. The right side entry wall 138 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets. The upper air guide wall 140 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets. The lower air guide wall 142 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets. The left side exit wall 144 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets. The rear portion 148b of the peripheral frame 148 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by three rivets. The first guide 150 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by two rivets. The third guide 154 is coupled to the rear wall 104 by three rivets.
The left side wall 106 is coupled to the bottom wall 110 by three rivets. The right side wall 106 is coupled to the bottom wall 110 by three rivets. The lower central vertical wall 132 is coupled to the bottom wall 110 by three rivets. The upper central vertical wall 134 is coupled to the first hinge 164 by two rivets. The upper central vertical wall 134 is coupled to the second hinge 164 by two rivets. The upper central vertical wall 134 is coupled to the support shaft 168 by two rivets. The hinged door 126 is coupled to the first hinge 164 by two rivets. The hinged door 126 is coupled to the second hinge 164 by two rivets. The right side entry wall 138 is coupled to the top portion 108a of the right side wall 108 by three rivets. The upper air guide wall 140 is coupled to the top portion 108a of the right side wall 108 by three rivets. The lower air guide wall 142 is coupled to the bottom portion 108b of the right side wall 108 by three rivets. The second guide 152 is coupled to the lower central vertical wall 132 by three rivets. The fourth guide 156 is coupled to the left side wall 106 by three rivets.
Aspects and features of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
