Nonmetallic debris detector for harvester equipment
First Claim
1. An apparatus for detecting nonmetallic debris in plant material gathered by a harvester, comprising:
- a housing attachable to the harvester;
a signal generator engaged with said harvester for transmitting a signal toward the plant material capable of distinguishing the nonmetallic debris from the plant material before the nonmetallic debris contacts the harvester, a sensor for receiving the generator signal and for producing an alarm signal, before the nonmetallic debris contacts the harvester, when the nonmetallic debris in the plant material is distinguished; and
a controller for receiving said alarm signal and for modifying operation of the harvester in response to said alarm signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting nonmetallic debris in plant material collected with harvester equipment. As the plant material is collected, a signal generator transmits a signal capable of distinguishing the nonmetallic debris from the plant material, and a sensor receives the generator signal and produces an alarm signal when the nonmetallic debris is detected. A controller receives the alarm signal and modifies operation of the harvester in response to the alarm signal. Different signals can identify the nonmetallic debris. The signal generator and sensor can function based on energy from laser light waves, from sound waves, microwave, gamma, x-ray, or fluoroscope energy wavelengths.
31 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting nonmetallic debris in plant material gathered by a harvester, comprising:
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a housing attachable to the harvester;
a signal generator engaged with said harvester for transmitting a signal toward the plant material capable of distinguishing the nonmetallic debris from the plant material before the nonmetallic debris contacts the harvester, a sensor for receiving the generator signal and for producing an alarm signal, before the nonmetallic debris contacts the harvester, when the nonmetallic debris in the plant material is distinguished; and
a controller for receiving said alarm signal and for modifying operation of the harvester in response to said alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A plant material harvester for detecting nonmetallic debris in the plant material, comprising:
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harvester equipment which is mobile relative to the plant material;
plant material collecting equipment attached to said harvester equipment for gathering the plant material;
a signal generator engaged with said harvester equipment for transmitting an energy wave signal capable of distinguishing the nonmetallic debris from the plant material before the nonmetallic debris contacts the harvester;
a sensor for receiving said generator signal and for producing and alarm signal, before the nonmetallic debris contacts the harvester, when said energy wave signal distinguishes nonmetallic debris in the plant material; and
a controller engaged with said harvester equipment for receiving said alarm signal and for modifying operation of the harvester equipment in response to said alarm signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification