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US 2012/0068688 A1Published application
Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorJason Lester Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention includes a wireless soil sensor having a curved surface and at least two groups of sensor-pin electrodes. A tine-catching block is disposed within the sensor body, near a top of the sensor to protect against aeration tools damaging components of the sensor. The electrical circuitry and the battery are separately potted in an epoxy material and oriented vertically, creating a central gap through which an incoming aeration tine is directed.
Claims15
A soil moisture sensor comprising:
- a sensor casing have a first side with a generally flat shape and a second side with a generally curved shape;
- a first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes located at said second side of said sensor casing;
- a second plurality of elongated sensor electrodes located at said second side of said sensor casing and spaced apart from said first plurality of elongated sensor electrodes.
A soil moisture sensor comprising:
- a sensor enclosure;
- sensor circuitry disposed within said sensor enclosure;
- and,
- a power supply disposed within said sensor enclosure;
- wherein said sensor circuitry is located adjacent a first side of said sensor enclosure and said power supply is disposed against a second side of said sensor enclosure so as to create a gap within said sensor enclosure.
2 more elements
A method of installing a moisture sensor comprising:
- creating a cylindrical hole in soil;
- placing a soil moisture sensor in said hole;
- orienting a first group of sensor pins at a first distance from a top of said soil;
- orienting a second group of sensor pins at a second distance from a top of said soil, said second distance being longer than said first distance;
- and,
- pressing a curved surface of said soil moisture sensor into a curved wall of said cylindrical hole.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.