Patent ID: 7207165

Claim:
An apparatus for use with a non-frangible object detection mechanism on an agricultural harvester, the detection mechanism including a sensing surface and a sensor for sensing force applied to the sensing surface that is associated with a foreign object adjacent the sensing surface, the harvester including a transport surface along which harvested materials are transported toward the sensing surface, the apparatus comprising: at least first and second ramp members positioned between the transport surface and the sensing surface, the ramp members separated by a gap, each ramp member including a front ramp surface that extends between a front ramp end adjacent the transport surface and a ramp member apex, the ramp member apexes positioned at a location higher than the sensing surface and proximate the sensing surface; wherein, as harvested material and non-frangible objects are conveyed along the transport surface and toward the sensing surface, at least a portion of the harvested material passes between the ramp members to the sensing surface and at least a portion of the non-frangible objects move along the ramp surfaces and are forced over the ramp apexes to descend toward the sensing surface.