Apparatus for optically analyzing products such as fruit having indirect illumination

Apparatus for optically analyzing products such as fruit for automatic sorting, comprising:

• a device (1, 2) for conveying the products in a continuous line in a longitudinal direction with respect to a fixed structure (7);
• at least one station (8, 9, 10, 11) for optically analyzing the external surface of the products, comprising at least one imaging device (12 to 19) fixed to the structure (7) with an optical axis oriented towards the products transported past it by the conveying device (1, 2);
• a device (23 to 34) for illuminating the products being transported past each optical analysis station (8 to 11) and extending longitudinally at right angles to each optical analysis station (8 to 11),
• wherein
• the illumination device (23 to 34) includes at least one illumination chamber (30) through which at least one conveying line of the conveying device (1, 2) passes, each illumination chamber (30) being provided with at least one light source (26, 28) adapted to provide indirect illumination of the products by diffuse light prevailing in the illumination chamber (30);
• at least one screen (27) is arranged between each conveying line (1, 2) and each light source (26, 28) in such a way as to protect the products carried by each conveying line from debris that might originate from said light source (26, 28).