Seed monitoring system for counting seeds as they are dispensed through a seed planting tube
US5650609A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 22, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 15, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V8/16
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical seed counting system for counting seeds that are dispensed through a plurality of seed tubes associated with a multiple row seed planter. Each seed tube includes an optical sensor having an emitter and a receiver. The emitter and the receiver each include lens components for shaping an optical beam. Optical fibers connect the emitter to an optical beam generating device and the receiver to an optical beam detecting device both positioned remotely from the seed tubes. The optical components of the emitter generate a substantially spatially uniform optical beam across a sensing area within the seed tubes. The detecting device generates a pulse signal where the period of the pulses represents the intensity of the optical beam in the sensing area. Seeds that are dispensed in the seed tubes interfere with the optical beam in a manner that affects the light intensity of the beam. Therefore, the change in intensity of the beam indicates the number of seeds.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.