Load fill sensor system for grain storage vessels

• US 9,169,032 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S7 IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: S7 IP Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Gengerke, Shawn L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US14/700,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20150259083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 180 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/30 Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/32 by weighing check-weighing of filled containers or receptacles B65B1/46
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/48 Checking volume of filled material
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/00 Indicating measured values
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2921 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment

Abstract

A system for remotely indicating the level of grain being loaded into a grain trailer. Plural vertically oriented sensing strips are affixed to a trailer'"'"'s hopper(s) sidewall of the trailer'"'"'s hopper(s) at spaced locations. Signals from transducer elements on the strips are delivered to an electronics module on the trailer'"'"'s forward wall. The electronics module includes a multiplexer for sampling the state of the strip transducers and a wireless transmitter for relaying the state data to a receiver and microprocessor in the cab of a towing vehicle. The microprocessor presents a visual display of height reached by the grain in a hopper as loading continues. Following system calibration where a pixel count of the load being displayed and a measured net weight of the load are determined using a scale, a calibration factor corresponding to the weight-per-pixel is stored for use in computing the weight and volume of subsequent loads.

Claims

1. The method for monitoring the volume of grain being stored in a grain storage bin comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of cables of a length sufficient to reach from a support member proximate a roof to a location proximate a floor of a grain storage bin, the cables each having a plurality of proximity sensors affixed thereto at regularly spaced intervals along the length of the cables;

(b) suspending each of the cables to a support structure disposed proximate the roof of the grain storage bin so the cables extend downward a predetermined distance toward the floor thereof at predetermined, spaced-apart locations there within;

(c) providing an electronic circuit coupled to receive input signals from said proximity sensors and for telemetering proximity sensor state information to a remote computing and display device;

(d) programming the remote computing and display device to compute and display at least one of a level of grain contained within the grain storage bin and a volume measured in bushels of the grain.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the proximity sensors are photoelectric devices.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the photoelectric devices comprise a light source and a light sensor each disposed in a light transmissive housing affixed to said cables where the housing defines a channel separating the light source form the light sensor and where entry of grain in the channel results in a change in the sensor state information.

4. The method of claim 1 and further providing moisture sensors on the plurality of cables at longitudinally spaced locations and coupled to said electronic circuit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of programming includes;

(a) calibrating the computing and display device by counting a number of pixels in a display of a known volume of grain in the grain storage bin; and

(b) computing and storing a bushel/pixel factor.

6. The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of providing temperature sensors on the plurality of cables and where the electronic circuit telemeters temperature information to the remote computing and display device.