Sensor system for recording elements of a flow of harvested material
A sensor system for counting elements of a flow of harvested material. The sensor system comprises an oscillating circuit and a measuring device, wherein the oscillating circuit comprises at least one capacitive component with a capacitance and an inductive component with an inductance. The oscillating circuit has a resonance frequency which depends on the capacitance and the inductance. Further, the capacitive component is positioned in the region of the flow of harvested material, so that the capacitance is influenced by individual elements of the flow of harvested material. The measuring device is configured to determine the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit. In this way, the sensor system is configured to deduce at least one property of the particular element of the flow of harvested material from the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit.
1. A sensor system for recording elements of a flow of harvested material, the sensor system comprising:
an oscillating circuit comprising at least one capacitive component with a capacitance and at least one inductive component with an inductance, wherein the oscillating circuit has a resonance frequency that depends on the capacitance and the inductance, wherein the at least one capacitive component is positioned in a region of the flow of the harvested material so that the capacitance of the at least one capacitive component is affected by the elements of the flow of the harvested material; and
a measuring device configured to determine the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit;
wherein the sensor system is configured to deduce at least one property of the elements of the flow of harvested material based on the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit;
wherein the at least one capacitive component comprises a flat capacitor;
wherein the flat capacitor is mounted at an edge of the flow of harvested material and is configured to detect the elements of the flow of harvested material flowing;
wherein the flat capacitor is attached to an outside of a separating rotor;
wherein the outside of the separating rotor has a grid structure;
wherein at least one flap is configured to close at least one opening in the grid structure; and
wherein the flat capacitor is attached to the at least one flap.
2. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is configured for an agricultural production machine.
3. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system is configured, based on the resonance frequency of the oscillating circuit, to distinguish between grain elements and non-grain elements.
4. The sensor system of claim 3 , wherein the non-grain elements comprise straw elements.
5. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the measuring device is configured to determine the resonance frequency with a predetermined measuring frequency.
6. The sensor system of claim 5 , wherein the resonance frequency is greater than 1 kHz.
7. The sensor system of claim 6 , wherein the measuring frequency is less than one-tenth of the resonance frequency.
8. The sensor system of claim 7 , wherein the measuring frequency multiplied by a length of the at least one capacitive component in a direction of movement of the flow of harvested material is greater than 2 m/s.
9. The sensor system of claim 7 , wherein the measuring frequency multiplied by a length of the at least one capacitive component in a direction of movement of the flow of harvested material is greater than 10 m/s.
10. The sensor system of claim 7 , wherein the measuring frequency multiplied by a length of the at least one capacitive component in a direction of movement of the flow of harvested material is greater than 25 m/s.
11. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein a surface normal of the flat capacitor is oriented substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the flow of harvested material.
12. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one capacitive component comprises an interdigital capacitor.
13. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the measuring device is configured to use a sampling frequency in order to determine the resonance frequency; and
wherein the sampling is indicative of a frequency of determining one or both of a voltage or current for the oscillating circuit.
14. The sensor system of claim 13 , wherein the sampling frequency is at least ten times as large as the resonance frequency.
15. The sensor system of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the flat capacitor extends perpendicular to an outside of a separating rotor.
16. The sensor system of claim 15 , wherein a surface normal of the flat capacitor is oriented substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the flow of the harvested material.