Abstract
A seeding device is provided. That seeding device includes a seeding paddle having a plurality of seed holders and a seed tray having a channel. The channel receives the seeding paddle so that seeds in the seed tray are easily directed into the plurality of seed holders. The paddle may then be removed from the seeding tray for planting seeds in a desired quantity at the desired spaced locations.
Claims
1. A seeding device, comprising: a seeding paddle including a plurality of seed holders; and a seed tray having a channel for receiving said seeding paddle wherein seeds in said seed tray are easily directed into said plurality of seed holders.
2. The seeding device of claim 1, wherein said seeding paddle includes a first face and a second face.
3. The seeding device of claim 2, wherein said first face includes a first partition flange dividing said first face into a first section and a second section.
4. The seeding device of claim 2, including a first set of seed holders on said first section of said first face and a second set of seed holders on said second section of said first face.
5. The seeding device of claim 4, wherein said second face includes a second partition dividing said second face into a third section and a fourth section.
6. The seeding device of claim 5, including a third set of seed holders on said third section of said second face and a fourth set of seed holders on said fourth section of said second face wherein said first set of seed holders are a first size, said second set of seed holders are a second size, said third set of seed holders are a third size and said fourth set of seed holders are a fourth size and said first size, said second size, said third size and said fourth size are all different.
7. The seeding device of claim 6, wherein said first set of seed holders include a plurality of cavities.
8. The seeding device of claim 7, wherein each cavity of said plurality of cavities is cylindrical in shape.
9. The seeding device of claim 7, wherein each cavity of said plurality of cavities is frustoconical in shape.
10. The seeding device of claim 6, wherein said seeding paddle includes a handle.
11. The seeding device of claim 10, wherein said seed tray includes a seed support surface and a raised edge to maintain seeds on said seed support surface.
12. The seeding device of claim 11, wherein said channel divides said seed support surface into two sections.
13. The seeding device of claim 12, wherein said channel includes a support shelf dividing said channel into a first portion that receives said first partition flange or said second partition flange and a second portion wherein said second portion has a width W.sub.2 and said first portion has a width W.sub.1, where W.sub.2>W.sub.1.
14. The seeding device of claim 13, wherein said first face is flush with said seed support surface when said second face is resting on said support shelf and said second face is flush with said seed support surface when said first face is resting on said support shelf.
15. The seeding device of claim 14, wherein said channel includes an opening at one end.
16. The seeding device of claim 15, wherein said handle includes a stop sized and shaped to correspond to said opening and wherein said opening is closed when said seeding paddle is seated in said seed tray.
17. A seeding kit for hand seeding, comprising: a first seeding paddle having a first set of seed holders on a first side and a second set of seed holders on a second side; a second seeding paddle having a third set of seed holders on a third side and a fourth set of seed holders on a fourth side; a seed tray having a seed support surface and a channel for receiving and holding said first seeding paddle with said first side up, said first seeding paddle with said second side up, said second seeding paddle with said third side up or said second seeding paddle with said fourth side up whereby seeds may be directed from said support surface onto one of said first set of seed holders, said second set of seed holders, said third set of seed holders and said fourth set of seed holders.
18. The seeding kit of claim 17, wherein said first set of seed holders are of a first size, said second set of seed holders are of a second size, said third set of seed holders are of a third size and said fourth set of seed holders are of a fourth size wherein said first size, said second size, said third size and said fourth size are all different.
19. A method of planting seeds in a substrate, comprising: selecting a seeding paddle with a plurality of spaced seed holders of desired size for seeds to be planted; placing said seeding paddle on a seed tray; shaking seeds on said seed tray into said plurality of spaced seed holders; removing said seeding paddle from said seed tray; and delivering seeds from said plurality of said spaced seed holders onto said substrate at spaced locations.
20. The method of claim 19, including recovering any excess seeds on said seed tray by tipping said seed tray to cause said excess seeds to be dispersed from said seed tray through a seed recovery opening.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0015] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the seeding device and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a seeding device incorporating a seeding paddle and a seed tray.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the seeding paddle positioned in the seed tray.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a plurality of seeds resting on one section of the seed support surface of the seed tray and a first section of the seeding paddle.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing how the seeding device may be shaken to direct seeds into the plurality of seed holders provided in the seeding paddle.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing all of the seeds directed and held in the plurality of seed holders on the seeding paddle.
[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates how the seeding paddle may be removed from the seed tray and utilized to plant seeds at desired spaced locations on a substrate such as a seedling tray including correspondingly spaced seedling compartments.
[0022] FIGS. 6a and 6b are top plan views of the respective first faces and second faces of a first seeding paddle.
[0023] FIGS. 7a and 7b are respective top plan views of the third face and fourth face of a second seeding paddle.
[0024] FIGS. 8a and 8b are respective top plan views of the fifth face and sixth face of a third seeding paddle.
[0025] FIGS. 9a and 9b are respective views of a seeding paddle incorporating a cylindrically shaped seed holding cavity and a frustoconically shaped seed holding cavity.
[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the seeding device, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-5 illustrating a seeding device 10 as well as a method of planting seeds in a substrate, such as the soil S, held in a seedling tray T. As illustrated, the seeding device 10 includes a seeding paddle 12 and a seed tray 14. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6a and 6b, the seeding paddle 12 includes a first face 16 having a first partition flange 18 that divides the first face into a first section 20 and a second section 22. A first set of seed holders 24 are provided at spaced locations along the first section 20 while a second set of seed holders 26 are provided at spaced locations along the second section 22.
[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 6b, the seeding paddle 12 also includes a second face 28 opposite the first face 16. The second face 28 includes a second partition flange 30 dividing the second face into a third section 32 and a fourth section 34. A third set of seed holders 36 are provided at spaced locations along the third section 32 while a fourth set of seed holders 38 are provided at spaced locations along the fourth section 34. As should be appreciated, the first, second, third and fourth sets of seed holders 24, 26, 36, 38 may comprise closed-end cavities of substantially any desired shape. In one possible embodiment, the seed holder cavities 40 may be cylindrical in shape (see FIG. 9a). In another possible embodiment, the seed holder cavities may be frustoconical in shape (see FIG. 9b).
[0029] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the seed tray 14 includes a seed support surface 42 and a raised edge 44 to maintain seeds 46 on the seed support surface. Further, the seed tray 14 includes a channel 48 that divides the seed support surface 42 into two sections 50, 52. As will be apparent from the following description, the channel 48 is adapted to receive the seeding paddle 12 so that seeds 46 in the seed tray 14 are easily directed into any one of the plurality of the selected sets of the seed holders 24, 26, 36 or 38.
[0030] As further illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the channel 48 includes a support shelf 54 dividing the channel into a first portion 56 that receives the first partition flange 18 or the second partition flange 30 and a second portion 58 where the second portion has a width W.sub.2 and the first portion 56 has a width W.sub.1 where W.sub.2>W.sub.1.
[0031] As best illustrated in FIG. 2, when the seeding paddle 12 is seated in the seed tray 14 with the second partition flange 30 in the first portion 56 of channel 48, the second face 28 of the seeding paddle 12 is seeded on the support shelf 54 and the first face 16 of the seeding paddle is flush with the seed support surface 42.
[0032] With reference back to FIG. 1, it should be appreciated that the channel 48 includes an opening 60 at one end. Further, the seeding paddle 12 includes a handle 62 that includes a stop 64. The stop 64 is sized and shaped to correspond to the opening 60 so that the opening 60 is closed when the seeding paddle 12 is seated in the seed tray 14 as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4.
[0033] Seeds 46 may be added or dropped onto the seed support surface 42 when the seeding paddle 12 is properly seated in the seed tray 14. As illustrated in FIG. 4, one then gently shakes the seeding device 10 until the desired number of seeds 46 are delivered to and held in each seed holding cavity of the selected set of seed holders 24, 26, 36 or 38. Here it should be appreciated that the raised edge 44 of the seed tray 14, the exposed partition flange 18 of the seeding paddle 12 and the stop 64 on the handle 62 function together to form a fully enclosed sidewall for holding the seeds 46 where they can be easily delivered into the selected set of seed holders 24, 26, 36 and 38.
[0034] For some applications, the selected set of seed holders 24, 26, 36, 38 will receive a single seed each. In other applications, each seed holder will receive multiple seeds. The size of the seed holder 24, 26, 36, 38 selected for planting will be determined by the size and type of seed being planted.
[0035] Once the selected seed holders 24, 26, 36 or 38 have been properly filled with seeds 46, the seeding paddle 12 is removed from the seed tray 14. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the seeding paddle 12 is positioned over the substrate S to be planted. In the illustrated embodiment, the spacing of the cavities 40 of the first set of seed holders 24 corresponds with the spacing between the seedling compartments C in the seedling tray T so that seeds are properly delivered to each seedling compartment by gently tilting and shaking the seeding paddle 12. Should any seeds 46 remain on the seed support surface 42 at the end of planting, one may shake them into the channel 48 and, more particularly the first portion 56 of the channel. One may then tip the end of the seed tray 14 opposite the opening 60 upward so that the seeds 46 in the first portion 56 of the channel 48 pour from the opening back into a seed packet or storage container.
[0036] Reference is now made to FIGS. 7a and 7b showing a second seeding paddle 66 that is very similar to the first seeding paddle 12. The second seeding paddle 66 includes third and fourth faces 68, 70 divided into two sections each by respective third and fourth partition flanges 72, 74. A fifth set of seed holders 76 and a sixth set of seed holders 78 are provided on the respective fourth and fifth sections of the third face 68 while a seventh set of seed holders 80 and an eighth set of seed holders 82 are provided on the seventh and eighth sections of the fourth face 70.
[0037] Similarly, as illustrated in FIGS. 8a and 8b, a third seeding paddle 84 includes a fifth face 86 and a sixth face 88 with each of those two faces divided by respective fifth and sixth partition flanges 90, 92. The fifth partition flange 90 includes a ninth set of seed holders 94 and a tenth set of seed holders 96 on the respective ninth and tenth sections of the fifth face and an eleventh set of seed holders 98 and a twelfth set of seed holders 100 on the respective eleventh and twelfth sections of the sixth face. As should be appreciated, all of the sets of seed holders include cavities of different sizes with a user selecting the cavity of desired size to hold and plant the different size seeds to be used in planting. Thus, a seeding kit is also provided wherein that kit comprises one or more seeding paddles 12, 66, 84 having sets of seed holders 24, 26, 36, 38, 76, 78, 80, 82, 94, 96, 98, 100 and a cooperating seed tray 14 as described above.
[0038] The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a detent 102 may be provided on the seed tray 14 at the open end 60 of the first portion 56 of the channel 48. A cooperating socket or aperture 104 may be provided on each side of the handle 62 where the handle meets with the partition flanges 18, 30. When the seeding paddle 12 is properly seated in the channel 48 of the seed tray 14, the detent 102 rests in the aperture 104 so as to resist the potential for the paddle 12 to slide out of the channel 48 through the open end of 60. As a consequence, the stop 64 on the handle 62 is maintained in position to close the opening 60 by engaging flush with the raised edge 44.
[0039] All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
