US 4,307,390 AGranted

Corn and soybean sensor

AssigneeDickey-john Corporation

InventorsDavid E. Steffen, Victor D. Goeckner

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Abstract

A seed monitoring apparatus for use with a seed planting machine includes a seed sensor comprising a housing forming a substantially tubular passageway and mounting a light source and three photosensitive elements arranged substantially in a triangular configuration. The arrangement of the light source and the triangular photosensor configuration is such that a seed passing through the tubular passageway will momentarily obscure the passage of light to the photosensor the apex of the triangle, if at all, before obscuring the passage of light to either of the photosensors forming the base of the triangle. The monitoring circuit includes two signal paths in which different methods of counting are used to produce different numbers of pulses in response to signals from the three photosensors. One or the other of these signal paths is selected automatically in accordance with the rate at which seeds are detected. One of these signal paths includes a delay circuit interposed in the line from the apical sensor while the other includes a one shot circuit interposed in the line from the same apical sensor. Additionally, a bunch detector circuit produces a predetermined number of additional pulses or counts in response to seeds detected substantially simultaneously at the two sensors forming the base of the triangle.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A seed monitoring apparatus for monitoring the passage of seeds along a predetermined path of travel in a seed planting machine including conduit means defining the path of travel, said apparatus comprising:

light emitting means mounted on said conduit means in optical alignment with said path of travel, a plurality of light sensitive means mounted on said conduit means, each in optical alignment with said light emitting means and with a predetermined portion of said path of travel for producing an electrical signal responsive to a momentary change in the light level incident on said light sensitive means due to passage of a seed through said predetermined portion of the path of travel and between said light source and said light sensitive means, said plurality of light sensitive means being arranged such that each seed passing through said path of travel will cause the production of an electrical signal from at least one thereof, and monitoring circuit means responsive to said electrical signals for producing one or more pulse signals and including means for controlling the number of pulse signals produced in a predetermined fashion in accordance with which one or ones of said plurality of light sensitive means produces an electrical signal and in accordance with the rate at which said one or ones of said light sensitive means produce said electrical signals and wherein said controlling means includes first and second pulse signal producing circuits and rate circuit means responsive to the rate at which said electrical signals are produced for selecting the first pulse signal producing circuit when the rate is at or below a predetermined rate, and for selecting the second pulse signal producing circuit when the rate is above said predetermined rate.

A monitoring circuit for use in a seed monitoring apparatus including a seed sensor comprising a housing providing a path of travel for seeds and a plurality of sensor means each mounted on said housing means for detecting passage of a seed through a predetermined associated portion of said path of travel and for emitting an electrical signal in response thereto, said monitoring circuit comprising:

means responsive to said electrical signals for producing one or more pulse signals and including means for controlling the number of pulse signals produced in accordance with which one or ones of said sensor means emits an electrical signal in response to each seed and in accordance with the rate at which said one or ones of said sensor means emit said electrical signals and wherein said controlling means includes first and second pulse signal producing circuits and rate circuit means responsive to the rate at which said electrical signals are emitted for selecting the first pulse signal producing circuit when the rate is at or below a predetermined rate and for selecting the second pulse signal producing circuit when the rate is above said predetermined rate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.