Method and apparatus for monitoring characteristics of a flow path having solid components flowing therethrough

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring a flow path having plurality of different solid components flowing therethrough. For example, in the harvesting of a plant material, many factors surrounding the threshing, separating or cleaning of the plant material and may lead to the inadvertent inclusion of the component being selectively harvested with residual plant materials being discharged or otherwise processed. In accordance with the present invention the detection of the selectively harvested component within residual materials may include the monitoring of a flow path of such residual materials by, for example, directing an excitation signal toward of flow path of material and then detecting a signal initiated by the presence of the selectively harvested component responsive to the excitation signal. The detected signal may be used to determine the presence or absence of a selected plant component within the flow path of residual materials.

1 . An apparatus for monitoring a flow path having at a plurality of solid components flowing therethrough, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one excitation source located and configured to emit an excitation signal to at least a portion of the flow path; and   at least one sensor configured to detect a signal initiated by the presence of at least one select component of the plurality of solid components responsive to the excitation signal.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a fluorescent signal emitted by the at least one select component. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one excitation source is configured to emit light at a specified wavelength. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one excitation source is configured to emit light at a wavelength of approximately 375 nanometers. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter associated with the at least one excitation source located and configured to define a frequency of the at least one excitation signal. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a substantially transparent structure over which the defined flow path passes. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the substantially transparent structure is formed of a material comprising quartz glass. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one lens configured to direct the at least one excitation source to a defined area on a surface of the substantially transparent structure. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a beam splitter located and configured to direct a first image to a first sensor of the at least one sensor and to direct a second image to a second sensor of the at least one sensor. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a filter disposed between the beam splitter and the first sensor and a second filter disposed between the beam splitter and the second sensor. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each of the first sensor and the second sensor comprise a charge-coupled device (CCD) array. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a first image processor configured to receive and analyze a signal from the first sensor and a second image processor configured to receive and analyze a signal from the second sensor. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an output device operably coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to generate a signal representative of the detected signal emitted from the select component and transmit the representative signal to the output device. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one select component includes a component of plant material. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the select component of plant material includes grain. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the component of plant material includes internodal stems. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one sensor is further configured to determine a specified characteristic of the component of plant material. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the monitoring apparatus is configured to determine the moisture content of the component of plant material.