Patent ID: 9631964
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: A01D,G01F,G01N

Claim:
1. A material flow sensor for a harvesting machine comprising: an acoustic chamber, comprising an impact plate and a housing; a pneumatic impulse line; a microphone; an electronics module; wherein the acoustic chamber and the microphone are connected by the pneumatic impulse line; wherein the housing is shaped so as to direct sound waves created by crop matter striking the impact plate into the pneumatic impulse line; wherein the sound waves move through the pneumatic impulse line into the microphone; wherein the microphone detects the sound waves and converts them into an electrical signal; wherein the electrical signal is a representation of a sound power derived from the sound waves; wherein the microphone is electrically connected to the electronics module; and wherein the electronics module analyzes the electrical signal and converts it into an approximate mass of crop matter striking the impact plate.