Bulk material sensing system
AssigneeCustom Agri Systems, Inc.
InventorsWesley Lynn Peterson, Daniel L. Burnette
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensing system for a bulk material includes a housing, a sensor assembly at least partially disposed in the housing, and a controller in communication with the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a flow member and an electromagnetic sensor configured to detect at least one parameter of the flow member. The controller is configured to determine at least one desired output based upon the at least one parameter of the flow member.
Claims19
A sensing system for a material handling system, comprising:
- a housing configured to be coupled to a structure for receiving a flow of a material, wherein the housing includes a first opening and a second opening formed therein, and wherein the second opening is configured to permit the material in the housing to return back to the structure and into the flow of the material;
- and
- a sensor assembly including a flow member disposed in the housing and a sensor disposed in the housing adjacent the flow member, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor the flow member in the housing, wherein a portion of the flow member extends through the first opening of the housing into the structure adjacent the flow of the material and the sensor is configured to detect at least one parameter of at least one of the flow member and the flow of the material.
A sensing system for a grain handling system, comprising:
- a housing configured to be coupled to a structure for receiving a flow of grain, wherein the housing includes a first opening and a second opening formed therein, and wherein the second opening is configured to permit grain in the housing to return back to the structure and into the flow of grain;
- and
- a sensor assembly including a flow member disposed in the housing and a sensor disposed in the housing adjacent the flow member, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor the flow member in the housing, wherein a portion of the flow member extends through the first opening of the housing into the structure adjacent the flow of grain and the sensor is configured to detect at least one parameter of at least one of the flow member and the flow of grain.
A method of detecting a material flow, comprising:
- providing a sensing system including:
- a housing configured to be coupled to a structure for receiving the material flow, wherein the housing includes a first opening and a second opening formed therein, and wherein the second opening is configured to permit a material in the housing to return back to the structure and into the material flow;
- a sensor assembly at least partially disposed in the housing, wherein the sensor assembly includes a flow member disposed in the housing and a sensor disposed in the housing adjacent the flow member, wherein the sensor is configured to monitor the flow member in the housing, and wherein a portion of the flow member extends through the first opening of the housing into the structure adjacent the material flow;
- and
- a controller in communication with the sensor assembly;
- detecting, via the electromagnetic sensor, at least one parameter of at least one of the flow member and the material flow;
- and
- determining, via the controller, at least one desired output based upon the at least one parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.