NZ286786A - Pasture height meter with plate and probe for measuring compressed grass height, electronic distance sensor indicates extent of relative movement of probe between a plate and a probe - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand No. 286786 International No. PCT/ TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority dates: 10.06.1996 Complete Specification Filed: 08.07.1997 Classification:^) A01K29/00; G01B7/00; G01B21/00 Publication date: 28 July 1998 Journal No.: 1430 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention: Improvements in pasture meters Name, address and nationality of apK»licant(s) as in international application form: FILIP VAN DEN HOUT, a Dutch citizen of 170 Railway Road, R D 10, Palmerston North, New Zealand 286 786 No: 286786 Date: 10 June 1996 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION IMPROVEMENTS IN PASTURE METERS I, FILIP VAN DEN HOUT a Dutch citizen of 170 Railway Road, R D 10, Palmerston North, New Zealand do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- 7 8 616^ 2 286786 PASTURE METER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in pasture meters.

A known manual pasture plate meter consists of a plate having a tubular upstand permanently attached thereto. A probe rod is slidingly engaged therethrough. The probe or pressure plate end of the rod is located at the side of the plate which is opposite to that from which the tubular upstand projects. When the probe rod is moved within the upstand to move the probe end away from the plate a counter or meter carried by the tubular upstand is activated to thereby provide a reading which is representative of the distance the probe end has moved relative to the plate. This distance provides a measure of the length of pasture (ie the compressed grass height) at the point of measurement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an improved pasture meter of the aforementioned type which provides a more convenient means of determining the length of pasture.

SPEC890 8 July, 1997 Broadly in one aspect of the invention there is provided a pasture meter having a plate and a probe mounted together such that relative movement therebetween can take place, the pasture meter being characterised by an electronic distance sensor to sense and indicate the extent of relative movement between the probe and the plate.

In a preferred form of the invention, the sensor is adjustably mounted with the probe and preferably is located at a predetermined position from the plate such as at a distance of one metre from the plate.

The sensor can include a visual display.

In a preferred form of the invention, there is also provided computer means programmed to provide an output indicative of compressed grass height derived from the difference in the measured distance sensed by the sensor. The computer means can include memory means to accumulate a plurality of readings and can furthermore be programmed to average a plurality of readings. The computer can also be programmed to convert compressed grass height readings into dry matter readings.

In one form of the invention the sensor can be detachable from the probe.

INTELLECTUAL PRUHbRTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 0 k jlTJ 1993 I received SPEC159 3 June, 1998 4 38 67 8 6 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an isometric view of a known form of manual pasture plate meter, and Figure 2 is an isometric view of the pasture meter according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In accordance with a known construction as shown in Figure 1 the pasture meter consists of a plate 10 (which is generally square in shape) from which extends a probe rod 11 which is slidably mounted in a tubular upstand 12. A knob 13 is provided at the upper end of rod 11. The lower end of the rod is mounted by a mounting 14 to the plate 10.

A meter such as a counter 15 having a toothed wheel is carried by the tubular upstand 12. This toothed wheel meshes with a toothed or grooved portion 16 of rod 11.

In use plate 10 is located on the grass and a downward pressure applied to knob 13. This results in the distal end of the probe moving down into contact with the ground. During such movement the toothed/ground portion 16 causes the counter to rotate such that compressed SPEC890 8 July, 1997 28 67 8 6 grass height can be determined by the difference in the counter reading prior to and after the downward movement of the probe.

According to the present invention as shown in Figure 2 an electronic distance measuring device 17 is mounted with the probe rod 11. The distance measuring device can be of a known construction operable to direct a sensing beam or signal (ultra-sound, infrared or the like) toward a part of the plate 10 and by detecting the reflected beam or signal determine the distance of the plate from the sensor. In a preferred form the device 17 is set at a distance of one metre from the plate when the plate is in its furthest distance from the knob 13 (ie the pasture meter is in the rest or non-use position. Accordingly, the device 17 is preferably mounted by an adjustable mount or mounts (shown generally at 18) so that its distance from the plate 10 can be adjusted.

Upon the pasture meter being used as aforesaid the device 17 can be operated to produce a reading on the visual display 19, this reading indicating a distance which will be less than the distance between the sensor 17 and the plate 10 when the pasture meter is in the rest position, ie a distance less than one metre. The difference between this distance and the "rest" distance will provide the compressed grass height.

SPEC890 8 July, 1997 6 28 67 8 0 In a preferred form of the invention the electronic distance measuring device includes a microprocessor which is suitably programmed such that the visual display 19 provides the actual compressed grass height as calculated by the microprocessor by subtracting the measured distance from the rest distance. Furthermore, the microprocessor can provide memory means to accumulate a plurality of readings and then when required provide an average compressed grass height over the number of readings taken. In a more sophisticated arrangement the microprocessor can also be programmed to convert the compressed grass height readings into a visual dry matter display.

The invention is open to modification as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, while it is preferred that the microprocessor will be included within the sensor housing, this is not strictly necessary. Also, the sensor and/or microprocessor can be removably mounted with the probe whereby removal can occur so that, for example, the sensor/microprocessor can be removed to the location of a personal computer for down-loading information.

Furthermore, modifications can be made to the pasture meter itself such as, for example, the probe simply being a sliding fit within a guide mounted with the plate. The plate can take on different peripheral shapes such as circular, hexagonal, etc. Also, the probe can be SPEC890 8 July, 1997 7 18 67 8 6 constructed to be demountable or collapsible in a known manner.

By the use of an electronic distance measuring device the vertical movement of the plate can thereby be readily sensed without the use of the counter 15 of known pasture meters. To this end, the threaded or grooved portion 16 of probe rod 11 will not be required in the construction of the present invention. By having the device 17 located near the knob 13 the visual reading of a measurement is more convenient than having to stoop to read the counter of the prior art pasture meter.

SPEC890 8 July, 1997

Claims (14)

8 WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A pasture meter having a plate and a probe mounted together such that relative movement therebetween characterised by an electronic distance sensor to sense and indicate the extent of relative movement between the probe and the plate.

2. A pasture meter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sensor is adjustably mounted to the probe.

3. A pasture meter as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the sensor is located at a predetermined position from the plate when the meter is in its non-use or rest position.

4. A pasture meter as claimed in claim 3 wherein the distance is one metre.

5. A pasture meter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the sensor employs a sensing beam or signal and detects a reflected beam or signal from the plate to determine the distance of the plate from the sensor.

6. A pasture meter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the sensor includes a can take place, the pasture meter being INTELLECTUA! PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 0 4 j'Jil 10S3 RECEIVED SPEC159 3 June, 1998 9 28 67 8 e visual display indicating the distance between the sensor and the plate.

7. A pasture meter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein there is provided computer means programmed to provide an output indicative of compressed grass height derived from the difference in the measured distance sensed by the sensor.

8. A pasture meter as claimed in claim 7 wherein the computer means includes memory means to accumulate a plurality of readings.

9. A pasture meter as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein the computer means is programmed to average a plurality of readings.

10. A pasture meter as claimed in claim 7, R or 9 wherein the computer means is programmed to convert compressed grass height readings into dry matter readings.

11. A pasture meter as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein there is provided a visual display for displaying output from the computer means.

12. A pasture meter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the plate has guide means through which the probe can slidingly move the probe SPEC890 8 July, 1997 10 to one side of the plate forming a ground engaging end and to the other side of the plate mounting said sensor.

13. A pasture meter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the sensor and/or computer means is detachable from the probe.

14. A pasture meter as claimed in claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. FILIP VAN DEN HOUT By his Attorney DON HOPKINS & ASSOCIATES Per: END OF CLAIMS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 0 4 JUN 1938 RECEIVED SPEC159 3 June, 1998