Radiant energy – Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling – Infrared responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-28
2001-06-26
Hannaher, Constantine (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling
Infrared responsive
C250S339070, C250S339010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252230
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the degree of sugariness of fruit or vegetables such as apples and peaches.
2. Related Background Art
As shown in
FIG. 6
of the accompanying drawings, the juice of fruit or a vegetable has heretofore been used as an object
50
to be examined, and the object to be examined has been sandwiched between prisms
52
and
54
having the same refractive index.
In this apparatus, monochromatic visible light from a light source
56
enters the object
50
to be examined through the prisms
52
and
54
, and the incident light is refracted by the difference between the refractive indices of the object
50
to be examined and the prisms
52
,
54
. A line sensor
58
for receiving the refracted light is divided into light and dark portions by the presence or absence of the application of emergent light.
The direction of emergence of the emergent light differs depending on the refractive index of the object to be examined and therefore, the refractive index of the object to be examined can be found from the boundary position of the refracted light which has arrived at the line sensor
58
, and further, the degree of sugariness of the fruit or a vegetable which is the object to be examined is obtained (by the relational expression of ICUMSA (International Commission on Uniformity Method of Sugar Analysis) (Table 1).
TABLE 1
Relation between Brix and Refractive Index
1974 ICUMSA
%
n
D
20
%
n
D
20
%
n
D
20
%
n
D
20
%
n
D
20
0
1.33299
20
1.36384
40
1.39986
60
1.44193
80
1.49071
1
1.33442
21
1.36551
41
1.40181
61
1.44420
81
1.49333
2
1.33586
22
1.36720
42
1.40378
62
1.44650
82
1.49597
3
1.33732
23
1.36889
43
1.40576
63
1.44881
83
1.49862
4
1.33879
24
1.37060
44
1.40776
64
1.45113
84
1.50129
5
1.34026
25
1.37233
45
1.40978
65
1.45348
85
1.50398
6
1.34175
26
1.37406
46
1.41181
66
1.45584
86
1.5067
7
1.34325
27
1.37582
47
1.41385
67
1.45822
87
1.5094
8
1.34477
28
1.37758
48
1.41592
68
1.46061
88
1.5121
9
1.34629
29
1.37936
49
1.41799
69
1.46303
89
1.5149
10
1.34782
30
1.38115
50
1.42009
70
1.46546
90
1.5177
11
1.34937
31
1.38296
51
1.42220
71
1.46790
12
1.35093
32
1.38478
52
1.42432
72
1.47037
13
1.35250
33
1.38661
53
1.42647
73
1.47285
14
1.35408
34
1.38846
54
1.42863
74
1.47535
15
1.35568
35
1.39032
55
1.43080
75
1.47787
16
1.35729
36
1.39220
56
1.43299
76
1.48040
17
1.35891
37
1.39409
57
1.43520
77
1.48295
18
1.36054
38
1.39600
58
1.43743
78
1.48552
19
1.36218
39
1.39792
59
1.43967
79
1.48811
In this example, monochromatic visible light is applied to an object
50
to be examined which is the juice of fruit or a vegetable through a prism
62
. When the angle of incidence at this time is suitably selected, the incident light is totally reflected by the surface
64
of the object to be examined
50
which is in contact with the prism
62
. A line sensor
58
which receives the totally reflected light is divided into light and dark portions by the presence or absence of the application of the reflected light. The angle at which the total reflection begins differs depending on the refractive index of the object to be examined and, therefore, it is similar to the above-described example of the prior art that the refractive index and the degree of sugariness of the fruit or vegetable which is the object to be examined are obtained from the boundary position of the line sensor
58
.
In these apparatuses, however, juice had to be picked with the fruit or vegetable destroyed. Therefore, the fruit or vegetable had to be destroyed and consumed each time measurement was done, and the degree of sugariness of the fruit or vegetable to be sold could not be measured.
In contrast with these, an example of the prior art as shown in
FIG. 8
of the accompanying drawings is known as a method of measuring an object to be examined without destroying it.
In this example, fruit or a vegetable which is not yet destroyed is used as an object
66
to be examined, instead of the object
50
to be examined in FIG.
7
. The principle of measurement is similar to that in the example of FIG.
7
.
However, if the contact between the prism
62
and the surface
68
of the object to be examined is insufficient or if air is present near it, total reflection does not take place on the surface
68
of the object to be examined. Also, if the surface of the object to be examined has an inclination angle with respect to the prism
62
, accurate measurement cannot be done due to the influence of this inclination angle.
Further, an apparatus using near infrared absorption analysis has been put into practical use as a method of measuring fruit or a vegetable without destroying it, but this apparatus is bulky and expensive, and requires a power source.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above-noted problems, the present invention provides a refraction type non-destruction measuring apparatus having a prism having a predetermined refractive index, projecting means for projecting near infrared light onto an object to be examined through the prism, a contact material filling the space between the object to be examined and the prism and having a refractive index set in conformity with the characteristic of the object to be examined, and light receiving means for receiving the interval reflected light of the light having entered the interior of the object to be examined through the contact material and the prism.
REFERENCES:
patent: 62-91955 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 6-186159 (1994-07-01), None
Fujita Akihiko
Kimura Mikio
Hannaher Constantine
Israel Andrew
Kubovcik & Kubovcik
Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co. Ltd.
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