AIR SEEDER MONITORING AND EQUALIZATION SYSTEM USING ACOUSTIC SENSORS

• US 20120227647A1
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Agricultural Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Gelinske, Joshua N., Batcheller, Barry D., Reich, Adam A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,950,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 111/174
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/081 Seeders depositing seeds in rows using pneumatic means
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 7/105 Seed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/666 by detecting noise and sounds generated by the flowing fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/00 Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87764 Having fluid actuator

Abstract

A particulate flow monitor for a pneumatic system including a particulate flow tube defining a particulate flow path, a blower connected to the flow tube and the flow tube terminating at a particulate discharge, which flow monitor comprises an acoustic transducer connected to the flow tube intermediate the blower and the discharge; said acoustic transducer being located in said particulate flow path; an impact surface on said acoustic transducer adapted for being impacted by the particulate matter in said flow path; and an electrical signal generator connected to said acoustic transducer and adapted for generating an electrical signal in response to sound waves created by particulate matter impact; said signal generator including an output adapted for providing an electrical output signal corresponding to said sound waves; and a processor connected to said signal generator output; and said processor being programmed to monitor particulate flow based on said detected particulate matter impact.

Claims

1. A particulate flow monitor for a system including a particulate flow tube defining a particulate flow path and the flow tube terminating at a particulate discharge, which flow monitor comprises:

an acoustic transducer connected to the flow tube intermediate the blower and the discharge;

said acoustic transducer being located in said particulate flow path;

an impact surface on said acoustic transducer adapted for being impacted by the particulate matter in said flow path; and

an electrical signal generator connected to said acoustic transducer and adapted for generating an electrical signal in response to sound waves created by particulate matter impact;

said signal generator including an output adapted for providing an electrical output signal corresponding to said sound waves;

a processor connected to said signal generator output; and

said processor being programmed to monitor particulate flow based on said detected particulate matter impact.

2. The flow monitor according to claim 1, which includes:

said acoustic transducer comprising an impact plate with said impact surface and a transducer housing mounting said impact plate and enclosing an acoustic chamber therewith;

a pneumatic impulse line connected to said acoustic chamber; and

said electrical signal generator including a microphone connected to said impulse line.

3. The flow monitor according to claim 2, wherein said microphone is a micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) microphone.

4. The flow monitor according to claim 1 wherein said system is pneumatic and includes a blower connected to said flow tube.

5. The flow monitor according to claim 4, which includes:

an elbow mounted in said flow tube and forming a particulate flow path turn from a first particulate flow path direction to a second particulate flow path direction; and

said acoustic transducer housing being mounted on said elbow with said impact plate located at said particulate flow path turn and adapted for deflecting particulate from said first flow path direction to said second flow path direction.

6. The flow monitor according to claim 5, which includes:

said transducer housing being shaped so as to direct said sound waves from said impact plate toward an outlet opening positioned in spaced relation from said impact plate;

said pneumatic impulse line being connected to said outlet opening; and

said impact plate being mounted on said transducer housing and forming flow path angles with said first and second particulate flow path directions.

7. The flow monitor according to claim 4, which includes:

said processor being programmed with a flow interrupt function adapted for detecting a particulate flow interruption through said flow tube;

said flow interrupt function including an output signal associated with a particulate flow interruption; and

a flow interrupt alarm receiving said flow interruption signal and alerting an operator to said interrupted particulate flow condition.

8. The flow monitor according to claim 7 wherein said flow interrupt function comprises:

a predetermined particulate flow rate threshold;

a falling flow rate timer including a below-threshold-while-falling maximum duration;

a below-threshold steady-state flow rate timer including a below-threshold steady-state maximum duration;

a rising flow rate timer including a below-threshold-while-rising maximum duration; and

said flow interrupt function actuating said flow interrupt alarm in response to one of said maximum durations being exceeded.

9. The flow monitor according to claim 3, which includes:

a communications module connected to said processor and adapted for outputting a signal corresponding to said particulate flow.

10. The flow monitor according to claim 4, which includes:

said particulate matter comprising seed;

multiple said flow tubes;

multiple seed hoppers connected to said flow tubes;

multiple blowers connected to said flow tubes;

multiple said acoustic transducers each located in a respective flow tube;

multiple flow restrictors each located in a respective flow tube and located downstream from a respective transducer; and

multiple discharges each associated with a respective ground-working implement and adapted for depositing seed in a furrow.

11. The air seeder according to claim 10 wherein each said acoustic sensor includes:

an acoustic transducer connected to a respective seed-conveying tube intermediate the hopper and the discharge;

said acoustic transducer being located in said seed flow path;

an impact surface on said acoustic transducer adapted for being impacted by seeds in said flow path; and

an electrical signal generator connected to said acoustic transducer and adapted for generating an electrical signal in response to seeds impacting said impact surface; and

said signal generator including an output adapted for providing an electrical output signal corresponding to seed impacts.

12. The air seeder according to claim 11 wherein each said sensor includes:

said acoustic transducer comprising an impact plate with said impact surface and a transducer housing mounting said impact plate and enclosing an acoustic chamber therewith;

a pneumatic impulse line connected to said acoustic chamber; and

said electrical signal generator including a microphone connected to said impulse line.

13. The air seeder according to claim 12, wherein said microphone is a micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) microphone.

14. The air seeder according to claim 13 wherein said pneumatic seed distribution system includes:

multiple primary seed tubes connected to and conveying seed from said hopper;

multiple manifolds each mounted on said toolbar and connected to a respective primary seed tube;

multiple secondary seed tubes connected to each manifold and to a respective discharge; and

a respective acoustic transducer being mounted on each secondary seed tube.

15. The air seeder according to claim 14 wherein each said sensor includes:

an elbow mounted in said secondary flow tube and forming a seed flow path turn from a first seed flow path direction to a second seed flow path direction; and

said transducer housing being mounted on said elbow with said impact plate located at said seed flow path turn and adapted for deflecting seed from said first flow path direction to said second flow path direction.

16. The air seeder according to claim 15 wherein each said acoustic transducer includes:

said transducer housing being shaped so as to direct said sound waves from said impact plate toward an outlet opening positioned in spaced relation from said impact plate;

said pneumatic impulse line being connected to a respective outlet opening; and

said impact plate being mounted on said transducer housing and forming flow path angles with said first and second seed flow path directions.

17. The air seeder according to claim 11, which includes:

said processor being programmed with a flow interrupt function adapted for detecting a seed flow interruption through said flow tube;

said flow interrupt function including an output signal associated with a seed flow interruption; and

a flow interrupt alarm receiving said flow interruption signal and alerting an operator to said interrupted seed flow condition.

18. The air seeder according to claim 17 wherein said flow interrupt function comprises:

a predetermined seed flow rate threshold;

a falling flow rate timer including a below-threshold-while-falling maximum duration;

a below-threshold steady-state flow rate timer including a below-threshold steady-state maximum duration;

a rising flow rate timer including a below-threshold-while-rising maximum duration; and

said flow interrupt function actuating said flow interrupt alarm in response to one of said maximum durations being exceeded.

19. The air seeder according to claim 18, which includes:

a communications module connected to said processor and adapted for outputting a signal corresponding to said seed flow.

20. The air seeder according to claim 19, which includes:

multiple flow restrictors each located in a respective flow tube and located downstream from a respective transducer; and

each said discharge being adapted for depositing seed in a furrow.

24. The air seeder according to claim 19 wherein the communications module is capable of transmitting and receiving information wirelessly.

25. The air seeder according to claim 24 wherein the signal corresponding to said seed flow is transmitted wirelessly to a handheld computing device.

26. The air seeder according to claim 25 wherein the handheld computing device is used as the primary information display for the air seeder.

27. The air seeder according to claim 26 which includes an adaptor module connected to a communications bus on the air seeder, wherein said communications bus is configured according to an industry standard communications protocol, wherein said adaptor module can transmit and receive information on said communications bus, wherein said adaptor module can transmit information received from said communications bus to said handheld computing device.

28. The air seeder according to claim 27, wherein the handheld computing device includes a program that emulates a virtual terminal based on said industry standard communication protocol.

29. The air seeder according to claim 28, wherein said industry standard communications protocol is the ISO11783 standard protocol, and the virtual terminal being emulated is an ISOBUS virtual terminal.

10-1. An air seeder, which includes:

a seed hopper;

a toolbar including multiple ground working tools;

a pneumatic seed distribution system including a blower, multiple seed-conveying tubes each defining a respective seed flow path and connected to said seed hopper and to said blower, and multiple discharges each connected to a respective seed-conveying tube and to said toolbar;

a seed flow monitor system including multiple acoustic sensors each connected to a respective tube and adapted for monitoring seed flow through said tube; and

a controller connected to said monitor system and to said distribution system, said controller being adapted for interactively controlling seed flow based on seed flow detected by said monitor system.

21. A method of monitoring and balancing seed flow in an air seeder including a seed hopper and a toolbar mounting multiple ground working tools, which method comprises:

providing a pneumatic seed distribution system including a blower, multiple seed-conveying tubes each defining a respective seat flow path and connected to said seed hopper and to said blower and multiple discharges each connected to a respective seed-conveying tube and to said toolbar;

blowing seeds along seed flow paths extending through respective seed-conveying tubes;

providing a seed flow sensor in each said seed-conveying tube;

generating with each said seed flow sensor an output signal corresponding to a flow of seed along a respective seed flow path;

providing a processor connected to said seed flow sensors and receiving output signals therefrom; and

computing seed flow through said seed-conveying tubes based on said seed flow sensor output signals.

22. The method according to claim 21 which includes:

providing an adjusting means to increase or decrease the flow of seed along a respective seed flow path; and

using the adjusting means to adjust the flow of seed along seed flow paths in order to balance the flow of seed along all seed flow paths.

23. An adjustable pneumatic particulate flow controller, which comprises:

inlet and outlet ends;

said inlet end being adapted for connection to a particulate flow tube;

said outlet end being associated with a particulate discharge;

a flow restrictor having a generally tubular configuration with a first, inlet end having a first diameter and a second, outlet end having a second diameter;

said flow restrictor including multiple slots open at said second end; and

said second diameter being adjustable by regularly compressing and expanding said second, outlet end.