US 12,031,996 B2
Agricultural sampling system and related methods
Todd Swanson, Morton, IL (US); Dale Koch, Tremont, IL (US); Kent Levy, Morton, IL (US); Matthew O'Neall, Ellsworth, IL (US); Reid Harman, Trivoli, IL (US); Timothy Schaefer, Tremont, IL (US); and Adam Vaccari, Tremont, IL (US)
Assigned to Precision Planting LLC, Tremont, IL (US)
Filed by Precision Planting LLC, Tremont, IL (US)
Filed on Jan. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/144,107.
Application 17/144,107 is a continuation of application No. PCT/IB2019/055862, filed on Jul. 10, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/860,297, filed on Jun. 12, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/829,807, filed on Apr. 5, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/792,987, filed on Jan. 16, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/745,606, filed on Oct. 15, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/729,623, filed on Sep. 11, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/696,271, filed on Jul. 10, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0208036 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 35/10 (2006.01); A01C 23/00 (2006.01); B01D 19/00 (2006.01); B01D 21/26 (2006.01); B01D 29/11 (2006.01); B01F 23/53 (2022.01); B01F 23/80 (2022.01); B01F 25/30 (2022.01); B01F 25/54 (2022.01); B01F 27/1125 (2022.01); B01F 27/808 (2022.01); B01F 27/906 (2022.01); B01F 35/00 (2022.01); B01F 35/10 (2022.01); B01F 35/21 (2022.01); B01F 35/45 (2022.01); B04B 5/04 (2006.01); F04B 43/06 (2006.01); G01G 17/04 (2006.01); G01N 1/08 (2006.01); G01N 1/38 (2006.01); G01N 1/40 (2006.01); G01N 21/05 (2006.01); G01N 21/25 (2006.01); G01N 21/78 (2006.01); G01N 33/24 (2006.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01); G05B 15/02 (2006.01); B01F 23/50 (2022.01); B01F 101/00 (2022.01); B01F 101/23 (2022.01)
CPC G01N 35/1095 (2013.01) [A01C 23/007 (2013.01); B01D 19/00 (2013.01); B01D 21/262 (2013.01); B01D 29/112 (2013.01); B01F 23/53 (2022.01); B01F 23/807 (2022.01); B01F 23/808 (2022.01); B01F 25/30 (2022.01); B01F 25/54 (2022.01); B01F 27/11253 (2022.01); B01F 27/808 (2022.01); B01F 27/906 (2022.01); B01F 35/1452 (2022.01); B01F 35/187 (2022.01); B01F 35/2117 (2022.01); B01F 35/453 (2022.01); B04B 5/0421 (2013.01); F04B 43/06 (2013.01); G01G 17/04 (2013.01); G01N 1/08 (2013.01); G01N 1/38 (2013.01); G01N 1/4055 (2013.01); G01N 1/4077 (2013.01); G01N 21/05 (2013.01); G01N 21/251 (2013.01); G01N 21/78 (2013.01); G01N 33/24 (2013.01); G01N 35/00584 (2013.01); G01N 35/1004 (2013.01); G05B 15/02 (2013.01); B01D 2201/4092 (2013.01); B01F 23/581 (2022.01); B01F 2101/005 (2022.01); B01F 2101/23 (2022.01); G01N 2001/4061 (2013.01); G01N 2001/4083 (2013.01); G01N 2001/4088 (2013.01); G01N 2033/245 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00188 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00475 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00495 (2013.01); G01N 2035/00514 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for determining a volume of a collected sample, the system comprising:
a mixing device defining a mixing chamber of known fixed volume having an inlet;
the mixing device comprising a rotatable motor-driven blade assembly disposed in the mixing chamber;
an actuated sample loading valve fluidly coupled to the inlet for introducing a sample into the mixing chamber;
a solvent pump fluidly coupled to the mixing chamber and operable to pump a solvent into the mixing chamber to prepare a slurry from the sample comprising solid particles;
a first temperature sensor operable to measure a temperature of the slurry in the chamber;
a reference container of known fixed volume fluidly coupled to the mixing chamber by a flow conduit controlled by a gas valve;
a pressurized gas source fluidly coupled to the reference container to fill the reference container with gas;
an actuated slur outlet valve fluidly coupled to a slurry outlet from the chamber; and
a pressure sensor operable to measure a pressure of the gas in the reference container;
a second temperature sensor operable to measure a temperature of the gas in the reference container;
a reference slurry outlet valve fluidly coupled to the chamber;
a weighing device fluidly coupled to the reference slurry outlet valve, the weighing device configured and operable to receive and measure a weight of at least a portion of slurry extracted from the mixing chamber;
a programmable controller operably and communicably coupled to the mixing device, the slurry outlet valve, the reference slurry outlet valve, the solvent pump, the weighing device, the temperature sensors, and the pressure sensor, the controller being configured to:
obtain the weight of the at least a portion of slurry from the weighing device;
determine a volume of slurry in the mixing chamber based at least in part on the pressure and temperature of the gas measured in the reference container and the temperature of the slurry in the mixing chamber;
determine an initial solvent to sample ratio of the at least a portion of slurry based on using the weight of the at least a portion of slurry; and
compare the initial solvent to sample ratio to a target solvent to sample ratio preprogrammed into the controller.