Method and apparatus for monitoring characteristics of a flow path having solid components flowing therethrough
US7367880B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 8, 2004 |
| Grant date | May 6, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 7, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA01D41/1277
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring a flow path having plurality of different solid components flowing therethrough. For example, in the harvesting of a plant material, many factors surrounding the threshing, separating or cleaning of the plant material and may lead to the inadvertent inclusion of the component being selectively harvested with residual plant materials being discharged or otherwise processed. In accordance with the present invention the detection of the selectively harvested component within residual materials may include the monitoring of a flow path of such residual materials by, for example, directing an excitation signal toward of flow path of material and then detecting a signal initiated by the presence of the selectively harvested component responsive to the excitation signal. The detected signal may be used to determine the presence or absence of a selected plant component within the flow path of residual materials.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.