Yield monitoring apparatus, systems, and methods
AssigneePrecision Planting LLC
InventorsJustin Koch, Michael Strnad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for monitoring yield while harvesting grain. Grain released from paddles on the clean grain elevator chain of a harvester contacts a flow sensor which reports the rate of grain flow through the clean grain elevator. In some embodiments a brush is mounted to the chain and disposed to clean the flow sensor surface. In other embodiments a bucket mounted to the clean grain elevator chain releases grain against the flow sensor at a rate dependent on a grain property.
Claims14
A method of correcting a flow rate measurement of harvested grain in a combine, wherein the combine includes an impact mass flow sensor and a clean grain elevator chain supporting a plurality of paddles, each of the plurality of paddles configured to direct clean grain carried thereby against the impact mass flow sensor, and wherein the clean grain elevator chain further supports a property pulse assembly, the property pulse assembly disposed to direct clean grain carried thereby against the impact mass flow sensor, said method comprising:
- the impact mass flow sensor generating a paddle pulse when each clean grain pile directed by each of the plurality of paddles impacts against the impact mass flow sensor;
- the impact mass flow sensor generating a property pulse when the clean grain directed by the property pulse assembly impacts against the impact mass flow sensor;
- identifying said property pulse from said paddle pulses;
- determining a property pulse value related to a force with which the clean grain directed by the property pulse assembly impacts the impact mass flow sensor;
- choosing a flow correction factor based on said property pulse value;
- calculating a mass flow rate from said paddle pulses;
- applying said flow correction factor to said calculated mass flow rate to determine a corrected mass flow rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.