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Seed sensor with lightpipe photodetect assembly

  • US 10,412,880 B2
  • Filed: 03/12/2018
  • Issued: 09/17/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A seed counting sensor for use with seeding machines, the sensor comprising:

  • a detection chamber or area within a housing or seed tube, the detection chamber or area allowing the seeds to pass through the sensor having a center longitudinal axis extending in the flow direction of the seeds;

    a plurality of light sources arranged within the housing or seed tube at predetermined distances from each other, the light sources being in a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the center axis of the sensor;

    a plurality of light detectors arranged within the housing or seed tube at predetermined distances from each other, the light detectors being in substantially the same plane as the light sources, wherein the number of the light detectors equals the number of the light sources; and

    a signal processing unit or controller for controlling operation of the light sources and for processing electronic signals produced by the light detectors in response to interruptions of light received from the light sources;

    wherein the sensor further comprises optical adapters arranged in front of the light sources and the light detectors, respectively, the optical adapters configured to form a sight waveguide to channel light from the light sources to the light detectors;

    wherein the light sources are separated from each other, andwherein the light sources and the light detectors are arranged in the plane so that they are capable of scanning substantially the entire cross section of the detection chamber or area.

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