US 12,259,376 B2
Methods and apparatus for evaluating agricultural material with an imaging device
Bret M. Culpepper, West Des Moines, IA (US); James M. Hershbarger, LeClaire, IA (US); James K. Pettit, Urbandale, IA (US); and Steven Coughlen, Geneseo, IL (US)
Assigned to Deer & Company, Moline, IL (US)
Filed by DEERE & COMPANY, Moline, IL (US)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/304,979.
Prior Publication US 2022/0412936 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 33/02 (2006.01); A01D 41/127 (2006.01); G01N 21/88 (2006.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01); H04N 23/80 (2023.01); G01N 33/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 33/025 (2013.01) [A01D 41/1277 (2013.01); G01N 21/8851 (2013.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01); H04N 23/80 (2023.01); G01N 33/0098 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for evaluating an agricultural material, the system comprising:
a housing having a passage in or through an interior of the housing with an inlet for receiving the agricultural material and an outlet for outputting the agricultural material;
a wall opening in a wall of the passage; and
an imaging device, the imaging device including a removable portion, the removable portion acting to reduce obscuring of a window of the imaging device, connected by a first fastener and a seal to the imaging device, and removable without disassembly of the imaging device, and having
a heat source, the heat source to include an electrically powered heating coil to heat the agricultural material to reduce a temperature differential between the imaging device and the agricultural material to reduce fogging of the window.