Wireless Particulate Flow Sensor with Internal Battery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing particulate flow sensors in agricultural machinery are prone to malfunction due to dust accumulation, require invasive installation, and rely on wired power supplies, leading to faults and maintenance issues, especially when monitoring seed and fertilizer flows.
Innovation Solution
A wireless particulate solid material flow sensor with an internal battery and passive electromechanical transducers, housed in a rigid resonant conductor with a protective coating, that uses radiofrequency communication and minimizes energy consumption, eliminating the need for wires and invasive installation, while isolating from external vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If wired power supply is used for the sensor, then the sensor can be powered continuously, but the system becomes more complex and prone to faults due to wires routed through agricultural machinery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply function from the external wired system and integrates it into the sensor itself through an internal battery. This eliminates the need for wire routing through agricultural machinery, removing the complexity and fault-prone connections while maintaining continuous power supply capability.
2Measurement precision
If optical sensors are used to detect particulate flow, then flow monitoring is enabled, but the sensors are sensitive to dust accumulation which causes reading failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical detection system with a mechanical vibration-based detection system. Instead of using light to detect particulate flow, the sensor uses a piezoelectric transducer to detect mechanical vibrations caused by particles moving through the conduit. This mechanical approach is not sensitive to dust accumulation on the sensor surface, eliminating the reading failures experienced with optical sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection mechanism from optical (light-based) to mechanical (vibration-based). This fundamental change in detection modality allows the sensor to operate reliably in dusty environments where optical sensors would fail due to dust accumulation blocking or scattering the light path.
3Ease of operation
If the sensor housing is open or minimally protected, then installation and maintenance is easier, but dust and material deposit on the sensors causing malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a mechanical vibration detection approach that is inherently resistant to dust contamination. The piezoelectric transducer detects vibrations through the conduit wall, eliminating the need for direct exposure of sensing elements to the particulate flow. This maintains reliability while keeping the housing protected and simple.
4Use of energy by moving object
If passive piezoelectric transducers are used, then energy consumption is minimized for extended battery operation, but the transducers require precise mechanical coupling to detect vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the conduit wall itself as an intermediary medium to transmit vibrations from the particulate flow to the piezoelectric transducer. The transducer is coupled to the external surface of the conduit, and the conduit wall acts as the intermediary that transmits the mechanical vibrations caused by internal flow to the sensing element, eliminating the need for precise internal coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent exploits mechanical vibrations generated by particulate flow through the conduit. The piezoelectric transducer converts these mechanical vibrations into electrical signals for flow detection. This passive vibration-based approach minimizes energy consumption while providing reliable flow monitoring.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sensor operates reliably for extended periods without maintenance, provides non-invasive flow monitoring, reduces dust deposition, and enhances robustness by eliminating wire-related faults, allowing for efficient monitoring of particulate material flows in agricultural machinery.
Implementation Method 1
use of a piezoelectric transducer
Implementation Method 2
rigid resonant conductor with a protective coating
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention refers to a robust low cost wireless sensor with an internal battery that permits operation for extended periods without the necessity of maintenance, for monitoring the flow of particulate solid material such as chemical fertilizers, small seeds, granulated foodstuffs, and others, where such flow is generated by mechanical action, gravity or by pneumatic pressure, as used in equipment or machines found in various sectors such as agriculture and livestock, foodstuffs, civil construction, plastics, etc., although mainly in agricultural machinery, the main purpose of which is to monitor flow within the conduits that conduct particulate material during the operation of equipment and/or machines, and to alert the operator where the flow is irregular or interrupted, which consists of a rigid resonant conductor (1) that comprises a circular support (3) which fits to supports (4) that secure the transducers (5) to the external face of a rigid conductor (1), which is provided with internal batteries (7) which supply power to the flow sensor and electronic circuit board (6) provided with a radiofrequency transceiver for sending data which results in a completely wireless particulate solid material flow sensor.