Planter with structural manifold

Abstract

A planter, in certain embodiments, includes a structural air manifold. The planter may include a hollow structural member configured to bear and/or distribute static and dynamic loads of the planter. The structural member may include a hollow interior having a first port and a second port. A plurality of individual planting units and a fan may be mounted to the structural member and coupled to the hollow interior at the first and second ports, respectively, via a conduit. The hollow interior may provide a path for forced airflow between the first and second ports to enable pneumatic operation of a feature of the agricultural seed planter. Further, each planting unit may include a seed meter pneumatically coupled to the fan. An orifice may be disposed in the first or second port to restrict the airflow through the port and to the seed meter.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a structural member configured to provide structural support in an agricultural seed planter, wherein the structural member comprises a hollow interior having a first port and a second port, and the hollow interior is configured to pass a forced airflow between the first and second ports to enable pneumatic operation of a feature of the agricultural seed planter.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member is configured to bear and/or distribute static and dynamic loads of the agricultural seed planter. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member comprises a hollow metal beam having the first and second ports disposed at positions between opposite ends of the beam. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member comprises a plurality of first ports configured to pneumatically couple to a plurality of planting units, and the second port is configured to pneumatically couple to a fan. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member comprises a planting units mount portion. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 6 , comprising a fan pneumatically coupled to the second port. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , comprising a plurality of planting units, seed meters, seed openers, or a combination thereof, pneumatically coupled to a plurality of the first ports. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , comprising a fan coupled to the second port. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , comprising a plurality of first conduits pneumatically coupling the plurality of first ports with the plurality of planting units, seed meters, seed openers, or the combination thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , comprising a second conduit pneumatically coupling the second port to the fan. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , comprising a planting unit assembly coupled to the structural member, wherein the planting unit assembly comprises a soil opener, a seeder, a soil closer, and a soil packer, and the feature is a pneumatically operated feature of the seed planter assembly. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 6 , comprising a tractor, a trailer, or a combination thereof, coupled to the structural member. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 6 , comprising an orifice disposed in the first and/or second port, wherein the orifice is configured to restrict air flow. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member comprises an access port having a removable access panel. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member comprises a plurality of sections, each section includes a hollow interior having a first port and a second port, and each hollow interior is configured to pass a forced airflow between the first and second ports to enable pneumatic operation of a feature of the agricultural seed planter. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member comprises a plurality of hollow metal beams that are parallel, sequential, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structural member comprises a pin connection to enable the structural member to fold from an operating position to a transport position.