Devices and methods for collecting volumetric measurements of objects with complex shapes
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorsTruman Combs, Kamel Didan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Direct measurements of plant morphological characteristics can be difficult. Allometric equations can relate traits such as canopy height (CH) and width or stem diameter at breast height (DBH) to coarse measures of biomass or volume. However, precise and accurate measurements of plants and other irregular objects are still difficult. Thus, the present invention was developed as a simple and effective solution for quickly measuring the volume of plants. The devices and methods described herein allow for the precise and accurate measurement of plants as well as other irregularly shaped objects.
Claims20
A device (100) for collecting volumetric measurements, the device (100) comprising
- a. a chamber (110) enclosing a space and configured to contain a liquid, the chamber (110) having a first end (111) and a second end (112);
- b. a chamber lid (120) disposed on the first end (111) of the chamber (110);
- c. a vertical reducer (130) fluidically coupled to the chamber lid (120), wherein the vertical reducer (130) comprises a scale for measuring liquid;
- d. a spigot (140) disposed directly on the chamber (110), fluidically connected thereto, adjacent to the second end (112) of the chamber (110);
- e. a tube (150) comprising a first end (151) and a second end (152);
- wherein the spigot (140) is configured to evacuate at least a portion of the liquid from the chamber (110);
- wherein the tube (150) disposed through the chamber lid (120) such that the second end (152) of the tube (150) is disposed outside of the chamber lid (120) and the first end (151) of the tube (150) is disposed inside of the chamber lid (120), wherein the tube (150) is configured to evacuate air from the chamber (110);
- f. a valve (160) disposed at the second end (152) of the tube (150);
- wherein to measure a volume of an object, the chamber is filled with a liquid and the object is placed inside the chamber, and the linear displacement of the liquid measured by the vertical reducer (130) is correlated with the volume of the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.