Grain Moisture Meter Diagnostic Tool

Abstract

To provide a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter that can easily diagnose operation of a grain moisture meter.SOLUTION: A diagnostic tool 1 for a grain moisture meter 20 is used in diagnosing operation of a grain moisture meter 20 that comprises a first electrode roll 24 and a second electrode roll 25 arranged side by side in a roll diameter direction, and converts and obtains a value of moisture contained in a sample grain S on the basis of, an electric resistance value when crushing the sample grain S while passing the sample grain S between the electrode rolls 24, 25 rotating in opposite directions from each other. The diagnostic tool 1 for a grain moisture meter 20 comprises: a diagnostic tool body 2 that includes a first electric resistance part 11; and a first external terminal part 3a and a second external terminal part 3e that are provided projecting in the same direction at a predetermined interval on an outer surface of the diagnostic tool body 2, and when the diagnostic tool body 2 is brought close to the grain moisture meter 20, are brought into contact with the side faces of the electrode rolls 24, 25. The first external terminal part 3a and the second external terminal part 3e are electrically connected with one end and the other end of the first electric resistance part 11, respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter used when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter. [Background technology]

[0002] Grain moisture meters capable of measuring the moisture content of grains such as unhulled rice have been known for some time. These grain moisture meters are configured to measure the moisture content of a sample grain while crushing the sample grain between a first electrode roll and a second electrode roll.

[0003] Grain moisture meters, however, require periodic operational diagnosis because there is a risk of a decrease in measurement accuracy or malfunction due to aging or other factors. For example, the grain moisture meter disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a moisture meter main body with a built-in electrical circuit, which is divided into functional blocks: a power supply unit, a measurement circuit unit, a temperature correction unit, and an indicator unit. Input / output terminals corresponding to each functional block of the electrical circuit are exposed on the exterior of the moisture meter main body, and by connecting the diagnostic terminals of a diagnostic device to these input / output terminals, it is possible to diagnose the operation of each functional block of the grain moisture meter. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-082757 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the case of a diagnostic device for a grain moisture meter such as the one described above, the diagnostic terminals of the diagnostic device must be connected to the input / output terminals of the moisture meter body for each functional block, making the work complicated.For example, if the grain moisture meter is installed in a grain dryer, and a service technician attempts to diagnose the operation of multiple points on the grain moisture meter before the rice harvest season, when the grain dryer is in operation and most of the grain moisture meter diagnostic work is carried out, the increased number of diagnostics could be a significant burden.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter that can easily diagnose the operation of a grain moisture meter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that the operation of a grain moisture meter can be diagnosed by abutting the external terminal portion of a diagnostic tool against the sides of the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll of the grain moisture meter.

[0008] Specifically, the present invention targets a grain moisture meter diagnostic tool used when diagnosing the operation of a grain moisture meter configured to measure the moisture content of a sample grain while crushing the sample grain between a first electrode roll and a second electrode roll, and the following solution has been implemented.

[0009] That is, the first invention comprises a diagnostic tool main body having an electrical resistance portion, and a pair of external terminal portions protruding in the same direction from the outer surface of the diagnostic tool main body at a predetermined interval, and configured so that when the diagnostic tool main body is brought close to the grain moisture meter, one abuts against the side surface of the first electrode roll and the other abuts against the side surface of the second electrode roll, and is characterized in that one external terminal portion is electrically connected to one end of the electrical resistance portion, and the other external terminal portion is electrically connected to the other end of the electrical resistance portion.

[0010] The second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, an elastic member that can contact at least one of the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter is attached between the two external terminal portions on the outer surface of the diagnostic device main body.

[0011] In the third invention, in the first or second invention, the external terminal portion is characterized in that it comprises a cylindrical body with an opening at one end, a movable pin that is housed within the cylindrical body and can move back and forth along the center line of the cylinder, and is configured to pop out from the opening at one end of the cylindrical body when moved forward, and to be in a conductive state with the electrical resistance portion when moved backward, and a biasing member that biases the movable pin to move forward.

[0012] A fourth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to third inventions, the electrical resistance portion includes a first electrical resistance portion and a second electrical resistance portion having a higher electrical resistance than the first electrical resistance portion, and is equipped with a switching portion that can switch between a first state in which the first electrical resistance portion is electrically connected to both external terminal portions and a second state in which the second electrical resistance portion is electrically connected to both external terminal portions.

[0013] The fifth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll are arranged side by side in the roll diameter direction so that their rotation axes extend in the same horizontal direction, and a support plate is provided that supports a guide member that can guide the diagnostic tool main body in the protruding direction of the external terminal portions, and can be attached to an opening that communicates with the interior of the grain moisture meter so that the protruding direction of the external terminal portions is along the rotation axis and each of the external terminal portions is positioned corresponding to the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll, respectively.

[0014] The sixth invention is characterized in that, in the fifth invention, the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll are configured to rotate in opposite directions to each other, and the guide member includes a bottom wall portion provided opposite the bottom surface portion of the diagnostic tool body, and a pair of side wall portions provided continuous with each side edge portion of the bottom wall portion and opposite each side portion of the diagnostic tool body.

[0015] A seventh invention is characterized in that in the fifth or sixth invention, the support plate is made of a transparent material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] In the first invention, when diagnosing the operation of a grain moisture meter, the external terminals of the diagnostic tool are brought into contact with the sides of the first and second electrode rolls, respectively, to electrically connect the first and second electrode rolls via the two external terminals and the electrical resistance of the diagnostic tool. In this state, when electricity is passed between the first and second electrode rolls, the grain moisture meter detects an electrical resistance value corresponding to the electrical resistance of the diagnostic tool. Here, for example, by setting the electrical resistance of the electrical resistance of the diagnostic tool to correspond to dry unhulled rice, a service technician or the like can check whether the moisture content value obtained by converting the detected electrical resistance value corresponds to a value corresponding to dry unhulled rice, thereby diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter. This eliminates the need to individually diagnose multiple locations on the grain moisture meter as in Patent Document 1, thereby simplifying the operation of the grain moisture meter.

[0017] According to the second aspect of the present invention, when diagnosing the operation of a grain moisture meter, when the diagnostic tool is brought close to the first and second electrode rolls, the external terminals of the diagnostic tool come into contact with the side surfaces of the first and second electrode rolls, respectively, while the elastic member is sandwiched between the diagnostic tool body and at least one side surface of the first and second electrode rolls and elastically deformed. As a result, when the electrode rolls rotate during the operation diagnosis of the grain moisture meter, the restoring force of the elastically deformed elastic member generates rotational resistance in at least one of the first and second electrode rolls. Therefore, even in a grain moisture meter in which the first and second electrode rolls are driven to rotate by an electric motor, crushing of the sample grain is determined based on the motor load generated when the sample grain passes between the rotating first and second electrode rolls, and a moisture content value of the sample grain is obtained when crushing is determined, the rotational resistance of at least one of the first and second electrode rolls generated by the elastic member can cause the grain moisture meter to determine that the sample grain has been crushed, thereby enabling reliable operation diagnosis of the grain moisture meter.

[0018] In the third aspect of the present invention, when the diagnostic tool is brought close to the first and second electrode rolls, the external terminals of the diagnostic tool are pressed against the first and second electrode rolls, and the movable pins of the external terminals move backward against the biasing force of the biasing member, establishing electrical continuity between the movable pins and the electrical resistance units. On the other hand, when the pressing force of the diagnostic tool against the sides of the first and second electrode rolls is reduced or the diagnostic tool is moved away from the sides, the restoring force of the biasing member causes the movable pins to move forward until they return to their initial positions, establishing electrical continuity between the movable pins and the electrical resistance units. Therefore, the diagnostic tool can be switched between a conductive state and a non-conductive state with a simple structure, without the need for a separate switch.

[0019] In the fourth aspect of the present invention, the operation of the grain moisture meter can be diagnosed by switching between electrical resistances corresponding to two different dryness states of the dry rice grains, thereby improving the accuracy of the diagnosis compared to when the operation of the grain moisture meter is diagnosed using a single electrical resistance.

[0020] In the fifth aspect of the invention, when the support plate is attached to the opening of the grain moisture meter, the protruding direction of each external terminal of the diagnostic tool body attached to the guide member of the support plate is aligned with the rotation axes of the first and second electrode rolls, and the external terminals are aligned opposite the side surfaces of the first and second electrode rolls of the grain moisture meter. Therefore, the operation of the grain moisture meter can be easily diagnosed by simply moving the diagnostic tool relative to the support plate in a direction approaching the side surfaces of the first and second electrode rolls.

[0021] In the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the first and second electrode rolls rotate with the external terminals of the diagnostic tool abutting against the sides of the first and second electrode rolls during operation diagnosis of the grain moisture meter, the rotational force of the first and second electrode rolls acts on the diagnostic tool body via the external terminals, tending to move the diagnostic tool body downward or to the side. Even in such a case, the force tending to move the diagnostic tool body downward is absorbed by the bottom wall of the guide member, and the force tending to move the diagnostic tool body to the side is absorbed by the side wall of the guide member. Therefore, even if the first and second electrode rolls rotate during diagnosis of the grain moisture meter, the rotational force can be reliably absorbed by the guide member, preventing excessive strain on the service technician or other person performing the diagnosis.

[0022] In the seventh invention, when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter, it is possible to easily visually check from outside the grain moisture meter through the support plate whether the first and second electrode rolls are rotating normally, whether the external terminals of the diagnostic tool are being pressed appropriately against the side surfaces of the first and second electrode rolls, etc. This makes it possible to avoid situations in which the operation of the grain moisture meter cannot be properly diagnosed due to reasons such as the external terminals not being pressed appropriately against the side surfaces of the first and second electrode rolls. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a right side view showing a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a grain moisture meter installed in a grain dryer. [Figure 5] 3 is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for diagnosing the operation of a grain moisture meter using a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover is removed from an opening of a grain moisture meter and a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to the opening of the grain moisture meter. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter is attached to the grain moisture meter. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which an operational diagnosis of a grain moisture meter is being performed using a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter that is set to a first state. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which an operational diagnosis of a grain moisture meter is being performed using the diagnostic tool for the grain moisture meter set to the second state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature.

[0025] 1 shows a diagnostic tool 1 for a grain moisture meter according to an embodiment of the present invention. The diagnostic tool 1 is used when diagnosing the operation of a grain moisture meter installed in a grain dryer, and is configured to be small enough to be carried by a service technician or the like in a bag.

[0026] The diagnostic tool 1 is an assembly made up of a diagnostic tool body 2, a guide member 6, and a support plate .

[0027] The diagnostic tool body 2 is a rectangular parallelepiped and hexahedron, and has six outer surfaces: a front surface 2a, a rear surface 2b, a right side surface 2c, a left side surface 2d, a top surface 2e, and a bottom surface 2f (see FIG. 3). In the present invention, the upper side of the pages of FIGS. 1 and 2 is the right side of the diagnostic tool 1, while the lower side of the pages is the left side of the diagnostic tool 1; the right side of the pages is the rear side of the diagnostic tool 1, while the left side of the pages is the front side of the diagnostic tool 1. Furthermore, the upper side of the page of FIG. 3 is the upper side of the diagnostic tool 1, while the lower side of the page is the lower side of the diagnostic tool 1; the right side of the page is the front side of the diagnostic tool 1, while the left side of the page is the rear side of the diagnostic tool 1.

[0028] A pair of external terminal portions 3 protruding from the front surface 2a to the front side of the diagnostic device main body 2 are provided at a predetermined distance in the left-right direction of the diagnostic device main body 2 on the front surface 2a, and an elastic member 4 having a roughly block shape is attached between the two external terminal portions 3 on the front surface 2a.

[0029] The external terminal portion 3 is a spring pin connector, and is composed of a first external terminal portion 3a located on the right side and a second external terminal portion 3e located on the left side.

[0030] The first external terminal portion 3a comprises a first cylindrical body 3b having an opening at the front end, a first movable pin 3c accommodated within the first cylindrical body 3b so as to be movable back and forth along the cylindrical center line, and a first spring 3d that biases the first movable pin 3c (see Figure 2), and the first movable pin 3c is configured to move forward due to the biasing force of the first spring 3d and pop out from the front end opening of the first cylindrical body 3b.

[0031] The second external terminal portion 3e comprises a second cylindrical body 3f having an opening at the front end, a second movable pin 3g accommodated within the second cylindrical body 3f so as to be movable back and forth along the cylindrical center line, and a second spring 3h that biases the second movable pin 3g (see Figure 2), and the second movable pin 3g is configured to move forward due to the biasing force of the second spring 3h and pop out from the front end opening of the second cylindrical body 3f.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the diagnostic tool body 2 accommodates a switching section 5, an electrical connection line 10, a first electrical resistance section 11, and a second electrical resistance section 12 therein.

[0033] The electrical connection wire 10 includes a first connection wire 10a, a second connection wire 10b, a third connection wire 10c, a fourth connection wire 10d, and a fifth connection wire 10e.

[0034] The first connection wire 10a has one end electrically connected to the first external terminal portion 3a and the other end electrically connected to the switching portion 5, and is configured so that when the first movable pin 3c of the first external terminal portion 3a advances within the first cylindrical body 3b, the first movable pin 3c and the switching portion 5 become non-conductive, whereas when the first movable pin 3c retreats within the first cylindrical body 3b, the first movable pin 3c and the switching portion 5 become conductive via the first connection wire 10a.

[0035] The second connection line 10b has one end electrically connected to the switching unit 5 and the other end electrically connected to one end of the first electrical resistance unit 11.

[0036] The third connection line 10c has one end electrically connected to the switching unit 5 and the other end electrically connected to one end of the second electrical resistance unit 12.

[0037] The fourth connecting wire 10d has one end electrically connected to the other end of the first electrical resistance portion 11 and the other end electrically connected to the second external terminal portion 3e, and is configured so that when the second movable pin 3g of the second external terminal portion 3e advances within the second cylindrical body 3f, the second movable pin 3g and the other end of the first electrical resistance portion 11 become non-conductive, while when the second movable pin 3g retreats within the second cylindrical body 3f, the second movable pin 3g and the other end of the first electrical resistance portion 11 become conductive via the fourth connecting wire 10d.

[0038] The fifth connection wire 10e has one end electrically connected to the other end of the second electrical resistance portion 12 and the other end electrically connected to the middle portion of the fourth connection wire 10d, and is configured so that when the second movable pin 3g of the second external terminal portion 3e advances within the second cylindrical body 3f, the second movable pin 3g and the other end of the second electrical resistance portion 12 become non-conductive, while when the second movable pin 3g retreats within the second cylindrical body 3f, the second movable pin 3g and the other end of the second electrical resistance portion 12 become conductive via the fourth connection wire 10d and the fifth connection wire 10e.

[0039] The first electrical resistance unit 11 is a fixed resistor, and is configured to generate an electrical resistance value (for example, 1 MΩ) corresponding to the moisture content of semi-dried unhulled rice when in an energized state.

[0040] The second electrical resistance unit 12 is a fixed resistor and is configured to generate an electrical resistance value (e.g., 20 MΩ) corresponding to the moisture content of dried rice grains when energized, which is greater than the electrical resistance value of the first electrical resistance unit 11.

[0041] The switching unit 5 is configured to be switchable between a first state in which the first connection line 10a and the second connection line 10b are electrically connected and a second state in which the first connection line 10a and the third connection line 10c are electrically connected by a service person or the like manually operating the manual operation unit 5a that protrudes upward from the top surface 2e of the diagnostic tool main body 2.

[0042] When the switching unit 5 is switched to the first state, one end of the first electrical resistance unit 11 is electrically connected to the first external terminal unit 3a via the second connection line 10b, the switching unit 5, and the first connection line 10a, and the other end of the first electrical resistance unit 11 is electrically connected to the second external terminal unit 3e via the fourth connection line 10d.

[0043] On the other hand, when the switching unit 5 is switched to the second state, one end of the second electrical resistance unit 12 is electrically connected to the first external terminal unit 3a via the third connection line 10c, the switching unit 5, and the first connection line 10a, and the other end of the second electrical resistance unit 12 is electrically connected to the second external terminal unit 3e via the fifth connection line 10e and the fourth connection line 10d.

[0044] The elastic member 4 is provided between the pair of external terminals 3 on the front surface 2a, i.e., between the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e, and protrudes toward the front of the diagnostic device main body 2. The elastic member 4 is made of, for example, a rubber material, and is configured to expand and contract in the front-rear direction of the diagnostic device main body 2 by elastic deformation.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3, the right side surface 2c is provided with an elongated hole 2g that is recessed inward of the diagnostic tool body 2 and extends in the front-rear direction of the diagnostic tool body 2.

[0046] The guide member 6 has a generally U-shaped cross section that is wide in the left-right direction and opens upward, and is configured to cover the bottom and both side surfaces of the diagnostic tool body 2. Specifically, the guide member 6 includes a bottom wall portion 6a provided opposite the bottom surface portion 2f of the diagnostic tool body 2, a right side wall portion 6b provided continuous with the right edge of the bottom wall portion 6a and opposite the right side surface portion 2c of the diagnostic tool body 2, a first attachment portion 6c provided protruding rightward from a middle portion of the right side wall portion 6b in the front-to-rear direction, a left side wall portion 6d provided continuous with the left edge of the bottom wall portion 6a and opposite the left side surface portion 2d of the diagnostic tool body 2, and a second attachment portion 6e provided protruding leftward from a middle portion of the left side wall portion 6d in the front-to-rear direction.

[0047] A screw hole (not shown) is provided in the right side wall 6b of the guide member 6 at a position corresponding to the elongated hole 2g of the diagnostic tool body 2, and a first screw member 6f is screwed into the screw hole toward the diagnostic tool body 2. The tip portion of the first screw member 6f is loosely fitted into the elongated hole 2g, so that the diagnostic tool body 2 placed on the top surface of the bottom wall 6a of the guide member 6 can move in the front-rear direction relative to the guide member 6 by the distance that the first screw member 6f can move within the front-rear direction range of the elongated hole 2g.

[0048] The support plate 7 is a rectangular plate extending horizontally, and is made of a transparent material such as acrylic resin, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), etc. A notch 7a (see FIG. 6) that opens downward is formed in the lower part of the support plate 7 near one side in the longitudinal direction.

[0049] The support plate 7 is provided with a pair of first fixing members 8 and a pair of second fixing members 9, and each of the first fixing members 8 and each of the second fixing members 9 is attached to the support plate 7 by being inserted into a hole portion (not shown) provided in the support plate 7.

[0050] Each first fixing member 8 is composed of a third screw member 8b and a second screw member 8a provided on both the left and right sides of the cutout portion 7a, and when the diagnostic tool main body 2 and the guide member 6 are positioned inside the cutout portion 7a in the support plate 7, the second mounting portion 6e of the guide member 6 and the support plate 7 are fastened together from the rear side of the support plate 7 with the third screw member 8b, and the first mounting portion 6c of the guide member 6 and the support plate 7 are fastened together from the rear side of the support plate 7 with the second screw member 8a, thereby fixing the guide member 6 with the diagnostic tool main body 2 attached to the support plate 7.

[0051] Each second fixing member 9 is made up of a second fixing tool set 9e and a first fixing tool set 9a provided on the left and right sides of the third screw member 8b and the second screw member 8a, respectively.

[0052] The second fastener set 9e includes a second male screw portion 9f and a second female screw portion 9g that can be screwed together, and a second clamping plate 9h that is bent in a stepped shape.

[0053] When the second clamping plate 9h is arranged on the front side of the support plate 7, it is attached to the support plate 7 by tightening one end side of the second clamping plate 9h and the support plate 7 together with the second male screw portion 9f and the second female screw portion 9g, and the other end side of the second clamping plate 9h is located to the left of the one end side of the second clamping plate 9h and is spaced apart from the front side of the support plate 7.

[0054] The first fastener set 9a includes a first male screw portion 9b and a first female screw portion 9c that can be screwed together, and a first clamping plate 9d that is bent in a stepped shape.

[0055] When the first clamping plate 9d is arranged on the front side of the support plate 7, it is attached to the support plate 7 by tightening one end of the first clamping plate 9d and the support plate 7 together with the first male screw portion 9b and the first female screw portion 9c, and the other end of the first clamping plate 9d is located to the right of the one end of the first clamping plate 9d and is spaced apart from the front side of the support plate 7.

[0056] Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a grain moisture meter 20 to be subjected to operational diagnosis using the diagnostic tool 1 for the grain moisture meter 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0057] The grain moisture meter 20 is installed in a grain dryer 13 used to dry grains such as rice and wheat, and is configured to be able to measure the moisture content of the sample grain S supplied when a portion of the grain being dried in the grain dryer 13 is supplied as the sample grain S.

[0058] The grain dryer 13 is equipped with a display 14 that can display the measurement results of the moisture content of the sample grain S. The grain dryer 13 also houses a power supply 15, a voltage sensor 16, and a controller 17.

[0059] The display 14 is configured to function as a touch panel, and for example, a service person or the like can touch a specific image displayed on the display 14 to execute processing corresponding to the specific image.

[0060] The power supply 15 has a positive electrode part 15a and a negative electrode part 15b, and is configured to be electrically connectable to a commercial power outlet via a power cord (not shown).

[0061] The voltage sensor 16 is a sensor capable of detecting the potential difference between the positive electrode part 15 a and the negative electrode part 15 b, and is configured to transmit the detected value to the controller 17 .

[0062] The control controller 17 is connected to the display 14, power supply 15, voltage sensor 16, temperature sensor 23, and electric motor 26, and is configured to perform processes such as measuring the moisture content of the sample grain S, diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter 20, displaying the results of these measurements and diagnosing the operation on the display 14, and controlling the drive of the electric motor 26 during the above measurements and diagnosing the operation.

[0063] The grain moisture meter 20 is an electrical resistance type single-grain moisture meter capable of measuring the moisture content of individual grains of sample grain S, such as rice or wheat, and has a generally rectangular prism shape (see FIG. 6 ). The grain moisture meter 20 includes a case 21 with a rectangular opening 21a formed in the center of the front surface and communicating with the interior of the case 21, and a cover 22 that can be attached to and detached from the case 21 to cover the opening 21a. A pair of third female threads 21c (not shown) are provided at the edge 21b of the opening 21a and penetrate the edge 21b. A pair of third male threads 30 are inserted into respective holes (not shown) in the cover 22, and are then screwed into the pair of third female threads 21c, thereby securing the cover 22 to the edge 21b of the opening 21a. The case 21 houses a temperature sensor 23, a first electrode roll 24, a second electrode roll 25, and an electric motor 26.

[0064] The temperature sensor 23 is a sensor that can detect the temperature inside the grain moisture meter 20. For example, it is configured as a thermistor, and is configured to transmit the detected value to the controller 17.

[0065] The first electrode roll 24 is a disc-shaped conductor having a thickness such that the rotation axis faces horizontally, and is equipped with a first roll surface portion 24a that extends in a circular shape centered on the rotation axis, and a first side surface portion 24b that is provided on one side of the first roll surface portion 24a and has a circular shape centered on the rotation axis.

[0066] The second electrode roll 25 is a disc-shaped conductor having a thickness such that the rotation axis faces horizontally, and is equipped with a second roll surface portion 25a that extends in a circular shape centered on the rotation axis, and a second side surface portion 25b that is provided on one side of the second roll surface portion 25a and has a circular shape centered on the rotation axis.

[0067] The first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 are arranged side by side with a predetermined distance in the roll diameter direction so that their rotation axes extend in the same horizontal direction, and are configured to rotate in opposite directions when driven by an electric motor 26. This makes it possible to crush the sample grain S as it passes between the first roll surface 24a of the first electrode roll 24 and the second roll surface 25a of the second electrode roll 25.

[0068] The first electrode roll 24 is electrically connected to the positive electrode portion 15a via a sixth connection wire 28a, and the second electrode roll 25 is electrically connected to the negative electrode portion 15b via a seventh connection wire 28b. As a result, when the sample grain S is crushed between the first roll surface portion 24a of the first electrode roll 24 and the second roll surface portion 25a of the second electrode roll 25, electrical continuity is established between the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 via the crushed sample grain S, forming a closed circuit extending from the positive electrode portion 15a of the power source 15 to the negative electrode portion 15b of the power source 15 via the sixth connection wire 28a, the first electrode roll 24, the sample grain S, the second electrode roll 25, and the seventh connection wire 28b.

[0069] When the closed circuit is energized by the power supply 15, the potential difference between the sixth connection wire 28a and the seventh connection wire 28b, i.e., the voltage of the closed circuit, is detected by the voltage sensor 16 and transmitted to the controller 17. This detected value varies depending on the moisture content of the sample grain S crushed between the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25. That is, if the sample grain S is semi-dried rice with a relatively high moisture content, the electrical resistance of the semi-dried rice itself is relatively low, and therefore, when a constant current is passed through the closed circuit, the voltage detected by the voltage sensor 16 will be relatively small. On the other hand, if the sample grain S is dry rice with a relatively low moisture content, the electrical resistance of the dry rice itself is relatively high, and therefore, when a constant current is passed through the closed circuit, the voltage detected by the voltage sensor 16 will be relatively large.

[0070] For example, when measuring the moisture content of sample grain S, the control controller 17 commands the electric motor 26 to rotate the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 in order to crush the sample grain S placed between them, and commands the power supply 15 to apply electricity to the positive electrode 15a. The control controller 17 determines whether the sample grain S has been crushed by the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 by checking whether the load on the electric motor 26 has reached a predetermined load. If the answer is Yes, the control controller 17 continues measuring the moisture content, but if the answer is No, the control controller 17 stops measuring the moisture content.

[0071] The controller 17 then acquires the detection values ​​of the voltage sensor 16 and the temperature sensor 23, calculates the electrical resistance of the sample grain S being crushed between the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 based on the detected value of the voltage sensor 16, converts the calculated electrical resistance value and the detected value of the temperature sensor 23 into a moisture content value of the sample grain S, and controls the display 14 to show the moisture content value and the temperature inside the grain moisture meter 20 (detected value of the temperature sensor 23). Note that for the same electrical resistance value, the higher the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 23, the lower the moisture content value of the sample grain S that is converted into.

[0072] Next, the procedure of the method for diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter 20 using the diagnostic tool 1 for the grain moisture meter 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0073] In step S1, as shown in Fig. 6, the third male screw portion 30 and cover 22 are removed from the opening 21a of the grain moisture meter 20, and the diagnostic tool 1 is attached to the opening 21a. Here, the diagnostic tool 1 is attached to the opening 21a of the grain moisture meter 20 by clamping the opening edge 21b of the opening 21a of the grain moisture meter 20 in the front-to-rear direction between the rear surface of the first clamping plate 9d of the first fastener set 9a and the front surface of the support plate 7, and between the rear surface of the second clamping plate 9h of the second fastener set 9e and the front surface of the support plate 7 (see Fig. 7). 7, the diagnostic tool 1 attached to the opening 21a is oriented such that the protruding directions of the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e of the diagnostic tool 1 are aligned with the rotation axes of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, and the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e are positioned corresponding to the first side surface portion 24b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface portion 25b of the second electrode roll 25, respectively. Note that in the state of step S1, the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e are not in contact with the first side surface portion 24b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface portion 25b of the second electrode roll 25.

[0074] In step S2, an operation to start the operation diagnosis of the grain moisture meter 20 is performed, for example, by touching a predetermined diagnosis execution image displayed on the display 14 of the grain dryer 13. This causes the control controller 17 to issue a drive command to the electric motor 26 to rotate the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, and also issues a command to the power source 15 to supply electricity from the positive electrode part 15a.

[0075] In step S3, the diagnostic tool 1, which is set to the first state, i.e., a state in which the first electrical resistance portion 11 is conductive, is advanced and pressed against the first side surface portion 24b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface portion 25b of the second electrode roll 25, as shown in Fig. 8. This causes the first movable pin 3c and the second movable pin 3g located at the front end of the diagnostic tool 1 to retract, thereby enabling electrical continuity between the first movable pin 3c and the second movable pin 3g and the first electrical resistance portion 11. Therefore, a closed circuit is formed from the positive electrode portion 15a of the power source 15 to the sixth connection line 28a, the first electrode roll 24, the first external terminal portion 3a, the first connection line 10a, the switching unit 5, the second connection line 10b, the first electrical resistance portion 11, the fourth connection line 10d, the second external terminal portion 3e, the second electrode roll 25, the seventh connection line 28b, and the negative electrode portion 15b of the power source 15, and an electrical current is applied. Then, voltage sensor 16 detects the voltage value of the closed circuit that is energized in the first state and transmits the detected value to control controller 17. Control controller 17 calculates the electrical resistance value based on the detected value of voltage sensor 16, converts the calculated electrical resistance value and the detected value of temperature sensor 23 into a first contained moisture value WC1, and then displays first contained moisture value WC1 and the internal temperature T1 of grain moisture meter 20 (the detected value of temperature sensor 23) on display 14.

[0076] In step S3, the elastic member 4 of the diagnostic tool 1 is pressed against the first side surface 24b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface 25b of the second electrode roll 25, thereby generating a predetermined load on the electric motor 26 that drives the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25. Therefore, the elastic member 4 is used to simulate a state in which the sample grain S has been crushed by the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, allowing the controller 17 to determine that the sample grain S has been crushed.

[0077] Furthermore, in step S3, because the elastic member 4 of the diagnostic tool 1 is pressed against the first side surface 24b of the rotating first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface 25b of the second electrode roll 25, the rotational force of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 also acts on the diagnostic tool main body 2 via the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e, attempting to move the diagnostic tool main body 2 downward or to the side. Even in such a case, in the diagnostic tool 1 of the grain moisture meter 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the force attempting to move the diagnostic tool main body 2 downward is received by the bottom wall 6a of the guide member 6, and the force attempting to move the diagnostic tool main body 2 rightward or leftward is received by the right side wall 6b or the left side wall 6d of the guide member 6.

[0078] In step S4, the service technician or other person performing the diagnostic work checks the first moisture content value WC1 and the internal temperature T1 of the grain moisture meter 20 displayed on the display 14, and if necessary, records the first moisture content value WC1 and the internal temperature T1 of the grain moisture meter 20 on a piece of memo paper or the like.

[0079] In step S5, the switching unit 5 is manually switched to change the diagnostic tool body 2 from the first state to the second state, that is, to set the second electrical resistance unit 12 to a state in which it is conductive.

[0080] In step S6, when an operation to perform an operational diagnosis of the grain moisture meter 20 is performed, the controller 17 issues the same commands as in step S2 to the first electrode roll 24, the second electrode roll 25, and the power supply 15.

[0081] In step S7, the diagnostic tool 1, with the second electrical resistance portion 12 set to a conductive state, is advanced and pressed against the first side surface portion 24b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface portion 25b of the second electrode roll 25, as shown in Fig. 9. This causes the first movable pin 3c and the second movable pin 3g located at the front end of the diagnostic tool 1 to retract, thereby enabling electrical continuity between the first movable pin 3c and the second movable pin 3g and the second electrical resistance portion 12. Therefore, a closed circuit is formed from the positive electrode portion 15a of the power source 15 to the sixth connection line 28a, the first electrode roll 24, the first external terminal portion 3a, the first connection line 10a, the switching unit 5, the third connection line 10c, the second electrical resistance portion 12, the fifth connection line 10e, the fourth connection line 10d, the second external terminal portion 3e, the second electrode roll 25, the seventh connection line 28b, and the negative electrode portion 15b of the power source 15, and the circuit is energized. Then, voltage sensor 16 detects the voltage value of the closed circuit that is energized in the second state and transmits the detected value to control controller 17. Control controller 17 calculates the electrical resistance value based on the detected value of voltage sensor 16, converts the calculated electrical resistance value and the detected value of temperature sensor 23 into a second moisture content value WC2, and then displays the second moisture content value WC2 and the internal temperature T2 of grain moisture meter 20 (the detected value of temperature sensor 23) on display 14.

[0082] In step S8, a service technician or the like checks the second moisture content value WC2 and the internal temperature T2 of the grain moisture meter 20 displayed on the display 14, and if necessary, records the second moisture content value WC2 and the internal temperature T2 of the grain moisture meter 20 on a piece of memo paper or the like.

[0083] In step S9, the service technician or the like determines whether the first moisture content value WC1 and the second moisture content value WC2 confirmed in steps S4 and S8 are within a predetermined range (for example, within a range of ±0.5% of the moisture content value serving as the judgment standard) set for each internal temperature of the grain moisture meter 20. The predetermined range is set so that the higher the internal temperature of the grain moisture meter 20, the lower the moisture content value. If the above determination is Yes, that is, if the first moisture content value WC1 and the second moisture content value WC2 are both within the predetermined range, the grain moisture meter 20 is diagnosed as normal (step S10).

[0084] If the above determination is No, that is, if either the first moisture content value WC1 or the second moisture content value WC2 is not within the predetermined range, the grain moisture meter 20 is diagnosed as abnormal (step S11). If the grain moisture meter 20 is diagnosed as abnormal, the first electrode roll 24, the second electrode roll 25, etc. are checked for dirt, wear, or other abnormalities. If abnormalities are found, the relevant areas are cleaned or replaced, and the diagnosis shown in FIG. 5 is performed again to determine whether the grain moisture meter 20 has returned to normal. On the other hand, if no abnormalities are found, a predetermined image displayed on the display 14, which is configured to function as a touch panel, is touched to correct any discrepancies between the first moisture content value WC1 and the second moisture content value WC2 and the preset reference values. Thereafter, the diagnosis shown in FIG. 5 is performed again to determine whether the grain moisture meter 20 has returned to normal.

[0085] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter 20, the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e of the diagnostic tool 1 are brought into contact with the first side surface 24b and the second side surface 25b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, respectively, so that the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 are electrically connected via the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e of the diagnostic tool 1 and the electrical resistance portion (the first electrical resistance portion 11 or the second electrical resistance portion 12). In this state, when electricity is passed between the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, for example, the grain moisture meter 20 detects an electrical resistance value corresponding to the electrical resistance portion (the first electrical resistance portion 11 or the second electrical resistance portion 12) of the diagnostic tool 1. Here, for example, by setting the electrical resistance of the electrical resistance section of the diagnostic tool 1 to correspond to dry unhulled rice, a service person or the like can check whether the moisture content value obtained by conversion based on the detected electrical resistance value corresponds to the value of dry unhulled rice, thereby making it possible to diagnose the operation of the grain moisture meter 20. Therefore, since there is no need to individually diagnose multiple locations of the grain moisture meter as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the operation of the grain moisture meter can be easily diagnosed.

[0086] Furthermore, when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter 20, if the diagnostic tool 1 is brought close to the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e of the diagnostic tool 1 come into contact with the first side surface portion 24b and the second side surface portion 25b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, respectively, while the elastic member 4 is sandwiched and elastically deformed between at least one side surface of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 (at least one of the first side surface portion 24b and the second side surface portion 25b) and the diagnostic tool main body 2. Then, when the electrode rolls 24, 25 rotate during the operation diagnosis of the grain moisture meter 20, a restoring force of the elastically deformed elastic member 4 generates rotational resistance in at least one of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25. Therefore, for example, in a grain moisture meter 20 in which the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 are driven to rotate by an electric motor 26, crushing of the sample grain S is determined based on the motor load generated when the sample grain S passes between the rotating first electrode roll 24 and second electrode roll 25, and the moisture content of the sample grain S is obtained when crushing is determined, even in such a case, the rotation resistance of at least one of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 generated by the elastic member 4 can cause the grain moisture meter 20 to determine that the sample grain S has been crushed, so the operation of the grain moisture meter 20 can be reliably diagnosed.

[0087] Furthermore, when the diagnostic tool 1 is brought close to the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e of the diagnostic tool 1 are pressed against the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, and the first movable pin 3b and the second movable pin 3g of the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e move back against the biasing force of the first spring 3d and the second spring 3h, so that the first movable pin 3b and the second movable pin 3g become conductive with the electrical resistance portion (the first electrical resistance portion 11 or the second electrical resistance portion 12). On the other hand, when the pressing force of the diagnostic tool 1 against the first side surface portion 24b and the second side surface portion 25b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 is weakened, or when the diagnostic tool 1 is moved away from the first side surface portion 24b and the second side surface portion 25b, the restoring forces of the first springs 3d and the second springs 3h cause the first movable pin 3b and the second movable pin 3g to move forward until they return to their initial positions, and the first movable pin 3b and the second movable pin 3g become non-conductive with the electrical resistance portions (first electrical resistance portion 11, second electrical resistance portion 12). Therefore, the diagnostic tool 1 can be switched between a conductive state and a non-conductive state with a simple structure without providing a separate switch.

[0088] Furthermore, the operation of the grain moisture meter 20 can be diagnosed by switching between the first electrical resistance unit 11 and the second electrical resistance unit 12, which correspond to dry rice grains in two different dryness states, using the switching unit 5. Therefore, the accuracy of the diagnosis can be improved compared to when the operation of the grain moisture meter 20 is diagnosed using a single electrical resistance.

[0089] Furthermore, when the support plate 7 is attached to the opening 21a of the grain moisture meter 20, the protruding direction of the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e of the diagnostic tool main body 2 attached to the guide member 6 of the support plate 7 is aligned along the rotation axes of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, and the first external terminal portion 3a and the second external terminal portion 3e are aligned opposite the first side surface portion 24b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface portion 25b of the second electrode roll 25 in the grain moisture meter 20. Therefore, the operation of the grain moisture meter 20 can be easily diagnosed simply by moving the diagnostic tool 1 relative to the support plate 7 in a direction approaching the first side surface portion 24b and the second side surface portion 25b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25.

[0090] Furthermore, during operational diagnosis of the grain moisture meter 20, when the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 rotate with the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e of the diagnostic tool 1 abutting against the first side surface 24b and the second side surface 25b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25, the rotational force of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 also acts on the diagnostic tool main body 2 via the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e, attempting to move the diagnostic tool main body 2 downward or sideways. Even in such a case, the force attempting to move the diagnostic tool main body 2 downward is received by the bottom wall 6a of the guide member 6, and the force attempting to move the diagnostic tool main body 2 sideways is received by the right side wall 6b and the left side wall 6c of the guide member 6. Therefore, when diagnosing the grain moisture meter 20, even if the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 rotate, the rotational force can be reliably absorbed by the guide member 6, preventing excessive burden from being placed on the service person or the like performing the diagnostic work.

[0091] Furthermore, because the support plate 7 is made of a transparent material, when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter 20, it is possible to easily visually check, from outside the grain moisture meter 20 through the support plate 7, whether the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25 are rotating normally, or whether the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e of the diagnostic tool 1 are properly pressed against the first side surface 24b and the second side surface 25b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25. This makes it possible to avoid situations in which the operation of the grain moisture meter 20 cannot be properly diagnosed due to reasons such as the first external terminal 3a and the second external terminal 3e not being properly pressed against the first side surface 24b and the second side surface 25b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second electrode roll 25.

[0092] In the embodiment of the present invention, the diagnostic tool 1 includes one elastic member 4, but it may include two or more elastic members, or may not include any elastic member.

[0093] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member 4 in the diagnostic tool 1 is configured to be able to contact both the first side surface portion 24b of the first electrode roll 24 and the second side surface portion 25b of the second electrode roll 25, but it may also be configured to be able to contact only the side surface portion of one of the electrode rolls.

[0094] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the external terminal portion 3 includes the first cylindrical body 3b and the second cylindrical body 3f, the first movable pin 3c and the second movable pin 3g, the first spring 3d and the second spring 3h, but the external terminal portion may not include these.

[0095] In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention, the diagnostic device main body 2 is provided with a first electrical resistance portion 11 and a second electrical resistance portion 12, but it may be provided with only one of them, or it may be provided with three or more electrical resistance portions by adding further electrical resistance portions.

[0096] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first electrical resistance section 11 and the second electrical resistance section 12 are fixed resistors, but they may also be variable resistors whose electrical resistance can be changed arbitrarily, or only one variable resistor may be provided.

[0097] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first electrical resistance portion 11 and the second electrical resistance portion 12 are housed inside the diagnostic device main body 2, but they may be provided so that a portion of them is exposed to the outside of the diagnostic device main body 2, or they may be provided on the outer surface of the diagnostic device main body 2.

[0098] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the guide member 6 is provided, but the guide member 6 may not be provided.

[0099] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the support plate 7 is attached to the opening 21a of the grain moisture meter 20 using the first fastener set 9a and the second fastener set 9e, but it is also possible to provide a pair of holes in the support plate 7 at positions corresponding to the pair of third female screw portions 21c, insert a pair of male screws into the pair of holes, and then screw the pair of male screws into the pair of third female screw portions 21c, thereby screwing the support plate 7 to the opening edge 21b of the opening 21a.

[0100] Furthermore, although the embodiment of the present invention includes the support plate 7, it is also possible to not include the support plate 7. Furthermore, although the support plate 7 is formed of a transparent material, it may be formed of a material other than a transparent material.

[0101] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter 20, both the first electrical resistance section 11 and the second electrical resistance section 12 are diagnosed, but it is also possible to diagnose only one of them.

[0102] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the grain dryer 13 is equipped with a voltage sensor 15. However, instead of the voltage sensor 15, a current sensor may be provided, and the electrical resistance value and the moisture content value may be calculated based on the detected value of the current sensor.

[0103] Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter 20, in step S9 of Figure 5, it is determined whether the first moisture content value WC1 and the second moisture content value WC2 are both within a predetermined range. However, the operation of the grain moisture meter 20 may also be diagnosed by displaying the detected values ​​of the voltage sensor 29 when the diagnostic tool 1 is set to the first state and the second state on the display 14, and having a service person or the like check the detected values ​​of the voltage sensor 16 displayed thereon and determining whether all of the detected values ​​are within a predetermined range. Alternatively, it may be determined whether all of the first moisture content value WC1, the second moisture content value WC2, and the detected values ​​of the voltage sensor 16 (detected values ​​when set to the first state and the second state) are within a predetermined range.

[0104] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first moisture content value WC1, the second moisture content value WC2, etc. are displayed on the display 14 of the grain dryer 13, but if the grain moisture meter 20 is equipped with a display, the first moisture content value WC1, the second moisture content value WC2, etc. may also be displayed on the display of the grain moisture meter 20.

[0105] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the moisture meter 20 is installed in the grain dryer 13, but it may be installed in a device other than a grain dryer, or it may not be installed in a device such as a grain dryer. [Industrial Applicability]

[0106] The present invention is suitable for use as a diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter used for diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1 Diagnostic Tools 2 Diagnostic tool body 2c Right side part (side part) 2d Left side part (side part) 2f Bottom part 3 External terminal section 4 Elastic member 5 Switching section 6 Guide member 6a Bottom wall 6b Right side wall (side wall) 6c Left side wall (side wall) 7 Support Plate 3b First cylindrical body (cylindrical body) 3c First movable pin (movable pin) 3d First spring (biasing member) 3f 2nd cylindrical body (cylindrical body) 3g Second movable pin (movable pin) 3h Second spring (biasing member) 11 First electrical resistance section (electrical resistance section) 12 Second electrical resistance section (electrical resistance section) 20 Grain Moisture Meter 21a opening S Sample grain

Claims

1. 1. A grain moisture meter diagnostic tool used in diagnosing the operation of a grain moisture meter configured to measure the moisture content of a sample grain while crushing the sample grain between a first electrode roll and a second electrode roll, comprising: a diagnostic tool body having an electrical resistance portion; a pair of external terminals provided on the outer surface of the diagnostic tool body in the same direction at a predetermined interval, one of which contacts a side surface of the first electrode roll and the other of which contacts a side surface of the second electrode roll when the diagnostic tool body is brought close to the grain moisture meter; the one external terminal portion is electrically connected to one end of the electrical resistance portion, and the other external terminal portion is electrically connected to the other end of the electrical resistance portion; A diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter, characterized in that an elastic member is attached between the two external terminal portions on the outer surface of the diagnostic tool body, which can contact at least one of the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll when diagnosing the operation of the grain moisture meter.

2. The diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to claim 1, The external terminal portion comprises a cylindrical body with an opening at one end, a movable pin that is housed within the cylindrical body and can move back and forth along the center line of the cylinder, and is configured to pop out from the opening at one end of the cylindrical body when moved forward, and to become conductive with the electrical resistance portion when moved backward, and a biasing member that biases the movable pin to move forward.

3. The diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to claim 1 or 2, the electrical resistance portion includes a first electrical resistance portion and a second electrical resistance portion having electrical resistance greater than that of the first electrical resistance portion, A diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter, characterized in that it is equipped with a switching unit that can switch between a first state in which the first electrical resistance unit is electrically connected to both external terminal units, and a second state in which the second electrical resistance unit is electrically connected to both external terminal units.

4. The diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll are arranged side by side in a roll radial direction so that their rotation axes extend in the same horizontal direction, A diagnostic tool for grain moisture meters, characterized in that it supports a guide member that can guide the diagnostic tool body in the protruding direction of the external terminal portions, and is equipped with a support plate that can be attached to an opening that communicates with the interior of the grain moisture meter so that the protruding direction of the external terminal portions is along the rotation axis and so that each external terminal portion is positioned corresponding to the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll, respectively.

5. The diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to claim 4, the first electrode roll and the second electrode roll are configured to rotate in opposite directions to each other; A diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter, characterized in that the guide member includes a bottom wall portion arranged to face the bottom surface portion of the diagnostic tool main body, and a pair of side wall portions arranged contiguous with each side edge of the bottom wall portion and facing each side portion of the diagnostic tool main body.

6. The diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter according to claim 4 or 5, A diagnostic tool for a grain moisture meter, wherein the support plate is formed of a transparent material.

Images