HARVESTER BIN SENSOR

• US 20110199221A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH America Llc (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: RICKETTS, Brandon E., KLENNERT, Wade L., RICKETTS, Jonathan E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,981,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/617
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1208 Tanks for grain or chaff for threshing machines A01F12/60
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1275 for the level of grain in grain tanks

Abstract

A harvester grain bin monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a sensor that monitors the perimeter of the bin proximate to the top rim to provide a warning to an operator when the grain level reaches approaches the bin rim. The sensor may be optical or mechanical.

Claims

1. A harvester, comprising:

a grain bin having an interior surface, a top surface, and an interior surface having a perimeter at a predetermined distance from the top surface; and

a monitoring system, comprising;

a sensor system that is activated by the presence of grain at the perimeter of the grain bin; and

a control system that provides a alarm signal to an operator when the sensor is activated.

2. The harvester of claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises a sensor and a sending unit, the sensor being disposed around a perimeter of the grain bin at a predetermined distance below the top surface.

3. The harvester of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a ribbon.

4. The harvester of claim 2, wherein the sending unit comprises a light beam generator.

5. The harvester of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of positioning devices for positioning the ribbon at the predetermined distance from the top surface.

6. The harvester of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of light directing devices for directing the light beam along the perimeter at the predetermined distance from the top surface.

7. The harvester of claim 4, wherein the light beam is a laser beam.

8. A monitoring system for a grain bin, comprising

a sensor system comprising a sensor and a sending unit, the sensor activated by the presence of grain at a perimeter of the grain bin;

and

a control system that provides a alarm signal to an operator when the sensor is activated; and

a plurality of positioning devices for positioning the sensor around the perimeter of the grain bin and at a predetermined distance below a top surface of the grain bin.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is a ribbon.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is a light beam.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of positioning devices comprise a reflective surface.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the sending unit comprises a light beam generator.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the sending unit comprises a laser.

14. A method of monitoring the fill level of a harvester grain bin, comprising:

positioning a sensor around a perimeter of the harvester grain bin;

wherein the sensor is activated upon grain reaching a position along the perimeter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an alarm signal is transmitted to a control unit when the sensor is activated.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor is a ribbon.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor is a light beam.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the control unit activates a visual or audible alarm after receiving the alarm signal.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor is activated by the grain sufficiently displaces the ribbon upon reaching the perimeter.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensor is activated by the grain interrupting the light beam along the perimeter.