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US 12,359,958 B2Granted
Bin level monitoring system
AssigneeBinsentry Inc.
InventorRandall Schwartzentruber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bin level monitoring system bin level monitoring system comprising an optical sensor for sensing a feed level inside a feed bin, a circuit board communicatively connected to the sensor for receiving a level signal from the sensor and for processing the level signal to generate bin level data, a battery for powering the circuit board and sensor, an enclosure for enclosing the circuit board and a radio transmitter for transmitting the bin level data. The sensor may be a LIDAR sensor or a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor.
Claims18
A bin level monitoring system comprising:
- a sensor for sensing a bin level inside a bin having a roof including a sloped portion, wherein the sensor is a volumetric level sensor;
- a circuit board communicatively connected to the sensor for receiving a level signal from the sensor and for processing the level signal to generate bin level data;
- an enclosure for enclosing the circuit board, wherein the enclosure is mounted to the sloped portion of the roof on an outside surface of the roof;
- a radio transmitter for transmitting the bin level data;
- and
- a sensor-mounting bracket for mounting the sensor inside the bin, the bracket including:
- an upper hanger portion that fits over an upright structural element of the roof, the hanger portion comprising a hole to receive a fastener for fastening the hanger to the upright structural element, wherein the upright structural element is a collar that surrounds a feed bin lid opening at a top of the bin;
- a vertical portion extending downwardly from the hanger;
- an angled portion extending obliquely from the vertical portion and beneath the hanger;
- and
- a horizontal portion extending from the angled portion and having a lower face to which the sensor is mounted;
- wherein the enclosure comprises an enclosure mounting plate having magnets for securing the enclosure to the sloped portion of the roof of the bin.
9 more elements
A method of monitoring a bin level of a bin having a roof, the method comprising:
- mounting a volumetric level sensor to the bin using a sensor-mounting bracket by fitting an upper hanger portion of the bracket over an upright structural element of the roof and by fastening the hanger portion to the upright structural element by inserting a fastener through a hole in the hanger portion, wherein the upright structural element is a collar that surrounds a feed bin lid opening at a top of the bin, wherein the bracket includes a vertical portion extending downwardly from the hanger portion, an angled portion extending obliquely from the vertical portion and beneath the hanger portion, and a horizontal portion extending from the angled portion and having a lower face to which the sensor is mounted;
- mounting an enclosure enclosing a circuit board to a sloped portion of the roof on an outside surface of the roof;
- sensing the bin level inside the bin using the sensor;
- receiving a level signal by sensing the bin level;
- processing the level signal to generate bin level data;
- transmitting the bin level data;
- wherein the mounting of the enclosure to the sloped portion of said roof is performed by securing an enclosure mounting plate having magnets to said sloped portion of the roof of the bin.
4 more elements
A bin level monitoring system comprising:
- a sensor for sensing a bin level inside a bin having a roof including a sloped portion, wherein the sensor is a volumetric level sensor;
- a circuit board communicatively connected to the sensor for receiving a level signal from the sensor and for processing the level signal to generate bin level data;
- an enclosure for enclosing the circuit board, wherein the enclosure is mounted to the sloped portion of the roof on an outside surface of the roof;
- a radio transmitter for transmitting the bin level data;
- and
- a sensor-mounting bracket for mounting the sensor inside the bin, the bracket including:
- an upper hanger portion that fits over an upright structural element of the roof, wherein the upright structural element is a collar that surrounds a feed bin lid opening at a top of the bin, the hanger portion fastening the hanger to the upright structural element;
- a vertical portion extending downwardly from the hanger for supporting the sensor;
- wherein the enclosure comprises an enclosure mounting plate for securing the enclosure to the sloped portion of the roof of the bin.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.