Photoelectric sensor for seed dispensing system
AssigneeTSI Incorporated
InventorsBarry C. Mears, Kyle T. Kalk
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Abstract
A seed dispensing system is provided with a photoelectric sensor for monitoring the dispensing of seeds from a seed dispenser comprising a discharge conveyor with conveyor flights that transport seeds through the seed dispenser. The sensor outputs a signal representative of obstructions to the flow of light in an optical path of the sensor, and a computing unit is adapted to distinguish portions of the output signal that are attributable to the passage of one or more seeds from portions of the output signal that are attributable to the passage of a conveyor flight.
Claims13
A system for monitoring the dispensing of seeds, comprising:
- a photoelectric sensor comprising a light-emitting element and a light-responsive element for detecting changes in light flow through an optical path between the light-emitting element and the light-responsive element, and for outputting a signal conveying detected changes in the light flow;
- and
- signal conditioning circuitry adapted to condition the output signal of the photoelectric sensor to generate a pulse signal waveform with a stable baseline in which pulses generated from the passage of conveyor flights through the optical path of the photoelectric sensor are maintained with substantially uniform amplitude to serve as signal references for the determination of signal characteristics of pulses generated from the passage of one or more seeds through the optical path of the photoelectric sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.