Microwave moisture meter and sensor
AssigneeTSI Incorporated
InventorAmit Vasant Itagi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microwave moisture sensor for agricultural materials, such as grains and nuts, is disclosed herein that includes a material sample holder having a substantially cylindrical cavity formed therein. The meter assembly further includes a transmitting antenna on a side of the sample holder and a receiving antenna on a side of sample holder directly opposite the transmitting antenna wherein the sample holder is located between the two antennas, the receiving antenna configured to receive a transmitted microwave through the sample holder.
Claims17
A microwave moisture meter assembly including a microwave source, the microwave meter assembly configured to measure attenuation and phase changes in a sample of material being measured, the microwave meter assembly comprising:
- a material sample holder assembly having a substantially inner cylindrical holder member disposed within an outer holder member, the inner cylindrical holder member having a longitudinal axis along a length of the cylindrical holder and configured to be rotated axially about the longitudinal axis within the outer holder member, wherein the outer holder member is comprised of a material that approximates a permittivity of the sample material being measured within the sample holder assembly;
- a rotator mechanism in operative contact with the inner holder and configured to at least axially rotate the inner cylindrical holder within the outer holder member;
- a transmitting antenna located on a side of the material sample holder configured to transmit a polarized microwave signal;
- and
- a receiving antenna located on a side of the material sample holder assembly directly opposite the transmitting antenna such that the material sample holder is located in between both antennas, the receiving antenna configured to receive the microwave signal transmitted through the sample holder.
A microwave moisture meter assembly including a microwave source, the microwave meter assembly configured to measure attenuation and phase changes in a sample of material being measured, the microwave meter assembly comprising:
- a material sample holder assembly including a holder member having a longitudinal axis along a length of the holder member and an outer holder member disposed outside and about the holder member, wherein the outer holder member is comprised of a material that approximates a permittivity of the sample material being measured within the sample holder assembly;
- a rotator mechanism in operative contact with the holder member and configured to axially rotate the holder member;
- a transmitting antenna located on a side of the material sample holder assembly and configured to transmit a polarized microwave signal;
- and
- a receiving antenna located on a side of the material sample holder assembly directly opposite the transmitting antenna such that the material sample holder assembly is located in between both antennas, the receiving antenna configured to receive the microwave signal transmitted through the sample holder.
A microwave moisture meter assembly including a microwave source, the microwave meter assembly configured to measure attenuation and phase changes in a sample of material being measured, the microwave meter assembly comprising:
- a material sample holder assembly having a cavity and longitudinal axis along a length of cavity and the holder assembly, wherein the sample holder assembly is comprised of a material that approximates a permittivity of the sample material being measured within the sample holder assembly;
- a transmitting antenna located on a side of the material sample holder configured to transmit a polarized microwave signal in at least one of a circular, linear and elliptical polarization mode to reduce differences in moisture measurements due to orientation of a particle in the sampled material located in the sample holder assembly;
- and
- a receiving antenna located on a side of the material sample holder assembly and directly opposite the transmitting antenna such that the material sample holder assembly is located in between both antennas, the receiving antenna configured to receive the circular polarized microwave signal transmitted through the sample holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.