Spectral assessment of fruit
AssigneesColor Vision Systems PTD Ltd., Central Queensland University
InventorsPeter Gary Brown, Colin Victor Greensill, Kerry Brian Walsh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for the spectral assessment of fruit comprising a sensor head (10) positioned adjacent a near infrared light source (11), the sensor head being coupled to a spectrometer via fibre optics (30), the sensor head being positioned close to the periphery of fruit substantially parallel with the light from the light source so that the fibre optics sense only the internally reflected or refracted light emanating from the fruit.
Claims15
Apparatus for the spectral assessment of fruit comprising a sensor head positioned adjacent a near infrared light source, the sensor head being coupled to a spectrometer via fibre optics, the sensor head being arranged to be positioned close to the periphery of fruit, characterised in that the sensor head is positioned substantially parallel with the light from the light source whereby the fibre optics sense only the internally reflected or refracted light emanating from the fruit.
The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sensor head is in the form of a small open ended cylinder, the open end of the cylinder beam positioned in close proximity to the periphery of the fruit, the cylinder containing a mirror so that light emanating from the shadow on the fruit is reflected by the mirror to be transferred by the fibre optics to an associated spectrometer.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims comprising conveying means to support fruit to pass the sensor head in close proximity to the head.
A method of a spectral assessment of fruit comprising passing the fruit past a sensor head positioned adjacent a near infrared light source, the sensor head being coupled to a spectrometer via fibre optics characterised by the steps of positioning the sensor head substantially parallel with the light from the light source, transferring only the internally reflected or refracted light emanating from the fruit to the spectrometer via the fibre optics and conducting a spectral analysis of the light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.