Iowa Patent of the Month – April 2023
Harvest International, Inc. is a leader in manufacturing planting equipment featuring modular customization designed to integrate with the latest precision planting technology. The company started out as, and remains, a grassroots company which has grown to global offerings, supplying farmers with the equipment needed to maximize their performance.
Recently, the company has revolutionized crop seed planting with the development of an innovative round bulk seed distributor that eliminates the problems associated with conventional elongated distributors. The new distributor provides uniform seed distribution, which ensures even filling of seed bins on row planter units, leading to more efficient planting and reduced planting time.
The distributor has a circular seed chamber that receives seeds from a bulk seed hopper, and an internal cone that distributes seeds 360° around the chamber. The cone includes air tubes that direct pressurized air to seed tubes for efficient delivery to the row planter seed bins. The sidewall of the distributor has a plurality of hoses, each connected to one of the seed bins, through which seeds are pneumatically conveyed from the distributor to the seed bins.
The distributor’s unique design eliminates the need for manual redistribution of seeds, which was a common issue with the conventional elongated distributor. Moreover, the distributor’s floor assembly has an air inlet that allows for quick and easy cleanout. Between improved seed distribution outcomes and easier cleanup, the novel design is set to improve any farmer’s practice.
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