Patent ID: 6237427
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: G01F,G01G

Abstract:
A flow rate measuring system for crop material moving on a conveyor of a moving crop harvester, the system comprising:a frame supporting the conveyor, the conveyor having a crop material supporting surface;wherein the crop material supporting surface moves with respect to the frame at a known speed and direction to support the crop material; the crop material having a height;at least one height measurement device supported by the frame above the crop material supporting surface responsive to the height of crop material supported on the crop material supporting surface beneath the height measurement device; and wherein the height measurement device includes at least one deflection impact surface; and wherein the deflection impact surface deflects in the same direction as the movement of the crop material supporting surface; a signal generating transducer connected to the deflection impact surface to convert a deflection of the deflection impact surface to an electrical signal; and, wherein the electrical signal of the signal generating transducer corresponds to a height measurement of the crop material;a signal processor calculate an instantaneous flow rate of crop material on the crop material supporting surface relative to the height measurement of crop material supported on the crop material supporting surface; and, wherein the signal processor includes an electrical connection connecting the signal processor with the signal generating transducer;wherein the signal processor includes a global positioning device to calculate distance intervals; wherein the signal processor takes and records height measurements at specific distance intervals of the frame; and, wherein the global positioning device further assigns a global position to the instantaneous flow rate of crop material on the crop material supporting surface; and wherein the instantaneous flow rate of crop material on the crop material supporting surface as calculated by the signal processor is for use creating a crop yield analysis map of a field from which the crop material is harvested.