A seed meter includes a seed disc rotatable in a direction of rotation. The seed disc has a plurality of seed apertures defining a circular path as the seed disc rotates and on which seeds from a seed source are entrained. A singulator is disposed along to the circular path. The singulator has a plurality of outer lobes and a first orientation lobe located downstream of the outer lobes. As the entrained seeds rotate along the circular path, the first orientation lobe contacts the entrained seeds to change their orientation. In some embodiments, the first orientation lobe may be disposed to remove excess seeds from the apertures and a second orientation lobe may change the orientation of the entrained seed.

Pneumatic meters for the singularization and metering of seeds. Such pneumatic meters may include a rotating disk with a plurality of holes arranged radially. The plurality of holes may define a circular seed path passage when the rotating disk rotates. The pneumatic meters may include a seed container structure associated with the rotating disk.

A device for an for singulating grains based on a pressure difference comprises a chamber for receiving the grains, and a rotatable singulation element. The chamber is delimited in one direction by the singulation element and grains are transported from the chamber to a dispensing region by the singulation element. A first compressed air supply supplies compressed air to the chamber in order to generate at least one pressure difference. The singulation element has a plurality of recesses and the grains can be held in the recesses due to the pressure difference. Individualized grains are dispensed into a grain line in the dispensing region. A second compressed air supply is provided in order to prevent a flow of air out of the chamber into the grain line and in order to transport the grains through the grain line in an accelerated manner by the compressed air.

A seed meter for an agricultural planter in which the seed disc is rotatably mounted within a seed meter housing. As the seed disc rotates, the apertures in the disc rotate along a seed aperture path through a horizontally adjacent seed pool area. The seed disc includes cavities disposed along the seed aperture path to agitate the seeds in the seed pool area. A singulator having multiple co-planar singulator surfaces is biased against the seed side surface of the seed disc.

Described herein are systems, implements, and methods for seed orientation during planting operations of agricultural plants of agricultural fields. In one embodiment, a system for seed orientation includes a seed disk capable of rotation in operation and having at least one singulator to adjust an orientation of seed to a desired seed orientation for placement within a furrow during planting. A vision system in proximity to the seed disk determines seed orientation data for seed on the seed disk.

Described herein are systems, implements, and methods for seed orientation during planting operations of agricultural plants of agricultural fields. In one embodiment, a system for seed orientation includes a vision system positioned in proximity to a seed disk. The vision system determines seed orientation data for seed on the seed disk. A seed belt receives seed from the seed disk and the seed belt adjusts an orientation of the seed from the seed disk to a desired seed orientation with a furrow during planting.

A seed singulator for use with a vacuum disk having a seed face and a shoulder. The seed singulator has a first member and a second member supported by biasing members. The first member has upper lobes disposed at a radius of curvature slightly less than the outside radius of a row of apertures on a seed plane of the vacuum disk. The seed member has lower lobes disposed at a radius of curvature slightly greater than the inside radius than the row of apradius. The biasing members permit the lobes to move with the seed plane and the shoulder as the vacuum disk rotates thereby maintaining their position with respect to the apertures.

A seed meter for an agricultural planter in which the seed disc is rotatably mounted within a seed meter housing. As the seed disc rotates, the apertures in the disc rotate along a seed aperture path through a horizontally adjacent seed pool area. The seed disc includes cavities disposed along the seed aperture path to agitate the seeds in the seed pool area. A singulator having multiple co-planar singulator surfaces is biased against the seed side surface of the seed disc.

An agricultural planting implement includes a number of row units. The row units include one or more seed meters for receiving, singulating, and dispensing seed to the ground such that preferred spacing of subsequent seed is attained. A seed meter provides seeds one at time to a seed carrier, such as a brush wheel. The brush wheel may move the seeds one at a time to a seed conveyor by directly moving seeds along a curved portion of a seed disc in the seed meter. The seed conveyor may be a flighted belt, and the velocity of the seeds when transferred from the seed carrier may match the velocity of the flighted belt. The seed conveyor conveys the seeds to a position near the bottom of a furrow, and ejects the seeds with little or no horizontal velocity relative to the bottom of the furrow.

A row unit of an agricultural planter includes a seed meter. The seed meter includes a seed disk within a seed meter housing. The seed disk is positioned in the seed meter housing such that the disk rotates and includes a seed release point. A drive member is operatively connected to the seed disk such that the drive member selectively rotates the disk. The seed disk is angularly positioned and is a conical-shaped member with a central axis and includes seed cells radially positioned about an outer portion. The seed disk is substantially non-perpendicular to the central axis. An air pressure source also is included to adhere seed to the disk.