Agricultural implement particulate distribution system

Abstract

An exemplary agricultural implement includes a plurality of units configured to inject particulate material into a ground surface and a plurality of metering modules. Each metering module is configured to receive a supply of particulate material and to meter the particulate material to a set of the plurality of units. A distribution assembly is configured to receive particulate material from a source and to distribute the particulate material to the plurality of metering modules.

1 . An agricultural implement comprising:
 a distribution assembly configured to receive particulate material from a source and to distribute the particulate material to a plurality of metering modules;   wherein at least one of the plurality of metering modules is configured to receive a supply of the particulate material from the distribution assembly, the at least one of the metering modules comprising a plurality of compartments;   a plurality of lines to which the at least one of the metering modules delivers a metered flow of the supply, wherein each of the plurality of lines corresponds with one of the plurality of compartments; and   a plurality of units configured to deposit the supply to a ground surface, wherein each unit is connected to one of the plurality of lines, and wherein each unit receives an entirety of the flow in the connected line.   
     
     
         2 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate material comprises at least one of seed and fertilizer, and the plurality of units comprise a plurality of ground-engaging furrow openers. 
     
     
         3 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein each metering module of the plurality of metering modules comprises an enclosure configured to hold a quantity of particulate material, the plurality of enclosures being spaced apart along a frame of the agricultural implement. 
     
     
         4 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of units extend along a width of the agricultural implement that is transverse to a direction of implement travel, and wherein each unit of the plurality of units is spaced a distance from its associated metering module that is less than or equal to thirty percent of the width of the agricultural implement. 
     
     
         5 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein each unit of the plurality of units is disposed within 16 feet of the metering module that meters the particulate material to the unit. 
     
     
         6 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the supply is pneumatically delivered from the at least one of the metering modules to the plurality of units. 
     
     
         7 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein each metering module comprises a meter controllable independent of the other metering modules. 
     
     
         8 . The agricultural implement of  claim 7 , wherein each metering module is configured to control a flow of particulate material to a different set of the units, each set comprising two or more of the units. 
     
     
         9 . The agricultural implement of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the metering modules is configured to prevent the metered flow of the supply to an individual unit of the plurality of units. 
     
     
         10 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the distribution assembly is configured to demand fill each of the plurality of metering modules. 
     
     
         11 . The agricultural implement of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the metering modules comprises an enclosure configured to hold the supply, and wherein particulate material flows to the enclosure as a function of space available in the enclosure. 
     
     
         12 . The agricultural implement of  claim 10 , wherein the particulate material is pneumatically delivered from the distribution assembly to each of the metering modules. 
     
     
         13 . A particulate material distribution assembly comprising:
 a pneumatic demand fill distribution assembly configured to receive particulate material from a supply source and to pneumatically distribute the particulate material;   a plurality of metering modules configured receive the pneumatically distributed particulate material, at least one of the metering modules being configured to receive a portion of the particulate material from the distribution assembly and to meter the portion into a plurality of compartments;   a plurality of tubes to which the at least one of the metering modules delivers a metered flow of the portion, wherein each of the plurality of tubes corresponds with one of the plurality of compartments; and   a plurality of units configured to deposit the portion to a ground surface, wherein each of the plurality of units is connected to one of the plurality of tubes, and wherein each of the plurality of units receives an entirety of the flow in the connected tube.   
     
     
         14 . The particulate material distribution assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the demand fill distribution assembly comprises a plurality of distribution lines, each line distributing particulate material to one of the metering modules. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The particulate material distribution assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of metering modules are spaced apart along a frame of an agricultural implement. 
     
     
         17 . A method of particulate material distribution comprising:
 distributing particulate material from a source to a plurality of remote locations;   metering the particulate material from each remote location into a plurality of compartments; and   conveying the particulate material in the plurality of compartments to a respective plurality of seeding units.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein metering the particulate material comprises controlling a meter at each of the plurality of remote locations, including turning the flow on, adjusting a particulate material flow rate, and turning the flow off. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein distributing particulate material comprises distributing the particulate material to a plurality of said remote locations spaced apart along an agricultural implement. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The agricultural implement of  claim 1 , wherein the meter is configured to control a flow of the particulate material including turning the flow on, adjusting a particulate material flow rate, and turning the flow off. 
     
     
         22 . The particulate material distribution assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one of the metering modules is configured to control a flow of the portion including turning the flow on, adjusting a particulate material flow rate, and turning the flow off.