IP Library Granted Patent US 11,266,061
Granted Patent B2
US 11,266,061 · App. 16/392,472 · Granted Mar 8, 2022

Vacuum system

Inventors: Brian Anderson (Yorkville, IL); Chad Johnson (Arlington Heights, IL); Brandon Kuboushek (New Lenox, IL); Austin McLuckie (Coal City, IL)
Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
A01C7/082A01C7/042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,266,061
App. No.
16/392,472
Granted
Mar 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vacuum system that includes a planter frame. A row unit bracket couples to the planter frame. A fan couples to the planter frame and draws air through a row unit. An exhaust duct extends through the row unit bracket. The exhaust duct couples to the fan and discharges airflow from the fan towards the ground.

Claims (31)

1. A vacuum system, comprising:

a toolbar;

a row unit bracket configured to individually couple a respective row unit to the toolbar;

a fan coupled to the toolbar and configured to draw air through a metering system of the respective row unit; and

an exhaust duct extending through the row unit bracket, wherein the exhaust duct is coupled to the fan and configured to discharge airflow from the fan toward a ground.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust duct comprises a front wall, a rear wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the front wall, the rear wall, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall extend from a first end of the exhaust duct to a second end of the exhaust duct.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first sidewall comprises a first curved portion and a first straight portion and the second sidewall comprises a second curved portion and a second straight portion.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first curved portion is longer than the second curved portion.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the exhaust duct defines an inlet and an outlet, wherein a first area of the inlet is greater than a second area of the outlet.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the inlet is angled with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the exhaust duct.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the front wall or the rear wall comprises a boss configured to couple to the planter frame or the row unit bracket.

9. A vacuum system, comprising:

a row unit bracket configured to individually couple a respective row unit to a toolbar; and

an exhaust duct extending through the row unit bracket, wherein the exhaust duct is configured to couple to a fan configured to draw air through a metering system of the respective row unit, and the exhaust duct is configured to discharge airflow from the fan toward a ground.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the exhaust duct comprises a front wall, a rear wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rear wall and the front wall define different lengths.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein a first width of the first sidewall and a second width of the second sidewall change from an inlet of the exhaust duct to an outlet of the exhaust duct.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first sidewall comprises a first curved portion and a first straight portion and the second sidewall comprises a second curved portion and a second straight portion.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second curved portion is longer than the first curved portion.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the front wall curves between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein a first end of the exhaust duct is angled with respect to a second end of the exhaust duct.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rear wall comprises a boss configured to couple to the planter frame or the row unit bracket.

18. A vacuum system, comprising:

an exhaust duct extending through a row unit bracket, wherein the exhaust duct is configured to couple to a fan configured to draw air through a metering system of a respective row unit, the exhaust duct is configured to discharge airflow from the fan toward a ground, the row unit bracket is configured to individually couple the respective row unit to a toolbar, and the exhaust duct comprises:

a front wall;

a rear wall;

a first sidewall comprising a first curved portion and a first straight portion; and

a second sidewall comprising a second curved portion and a second straight portion.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the first curved portion is longer than the second curved portion.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the exhaust duct defines an inlet and an outlet, wherein a first area of the inlet is greater than a second area of the outlet.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 9, 2022
From: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
To: INC., BLUE LEAF I
Reel/Frame 060328/0428 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2019
From: ANDERSON, BRIAN; JOHNSON, CHAD; KUBOUSHEK, BRANDON; MCLUCKIE, AUSTIN
To: CNH INDUSTRIAL AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 049142/0712 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200337222A1 · Oct 29, 2020