Method of counting seeds dispensed through seed tubes of an air seeding system
US6093926A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 16, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P60/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical particle flow monitoring system for monitoring particle flow through the primary and/or secondary tubes of an air dispensing system, such as an air seeder. The primary tubes include a particle sensor having at least one emitter lens body, which forms a substantially uniform, collimated beam which illuminates a sensing area in a seed tube in order to accurately monitor the number of particles flowing in the seed tube. In the preferred embodiment, optical fibers connect the emitter lens bodies to optical beam generating devices, and connect respective receiver lens bodies to optical beam detecting devices, with both the optical beam generating devices and the optical beam detecting devices being located remotely from the seed tubes for improved immunity to static electricity discharge. All the particles flowing in the secondary seed tubes associated with a given primary tube may be counted by a particle sensor located on the primary tube, thus greatly decreasing the number of sensors and the amount of data processing required to determine the total number of particles dispensed by the secondary tubes of the air dispensing system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.