# US 2022/0034799 A1 · Device and method for measuring moisture in corn on ear > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0034799 A1 - Document ID: US20220034799A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/625,582 - Filed: 2018-06-19 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-20 - Assignees: Monsanto Technology LLC - Applicants: Monsanto Technology LLC - Inventors: Jarrett R. Ceglinski; Amanuel G. Ghebretinsae; Jiha Kim; Richard M. Leimgruber; Tracy L. Whitehead - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220034799A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/3554: for determining moisture content - G01J 3/0272: {Handheld} - G01N 21/359: using near infrared light - G01N 21/84: Systems specially adapted for particular applications - G01N 33/025: {Fruits or vegetables} - G01N 2021/8466: {Investigation of vegetal material, e.g. leaves, plants, fruits} - G01N 2201/0221: Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held - G01N 2201/0646: Light seals - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract In a method of measuring moisture in corn, an ear of corn is operatively coupled to a moisture meter and an amount of moisture is determined while the ear of corn is being grown on a corn plant. The moisture meter can use a spectrometry to determine the amount of moisture in the corn. A moisture meter includes a corn interface configured to conformingly engage the ear of corn when pressed against the ear of corn to form an optical seal about an opening through which the spectrometer determines the amount of moisture in the corn to inhibit ambient light from passing between the corn interface and the ear of corn into the at least one opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of measuring moisture in corn, the method comprising: operatively coupling an ear of corn to a spectrometer; and determining an amount of moisture in the ear of corn with the spectrometer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of operatively coupling the spectrometer to the ear of corn comprises forming an optical seal between the spectrometer and the ear of corn to substantially inhibit ambient light from being detected by the spectrometer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of operatively coupling the ear of corn to the spectrometer comprises engaging the ear of corn with a corn interface secured to the spectrometer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the step of engaging the corn interface comprises engaging the ear of corn with a compressible gasket of the interface to form the optical seal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the step of determining the amount of moisture comprises directing radiation from the spectrometer to the ear of corn through an opening in the interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the step of determining the amount of moisture further comprises detecting a radiation spectrum through one of said opening in the interface and another opening in the interface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising exposing kernels of the ear of corn, wherein the step of operatively coupling the ear of corn to the spectrometer comprises operatively coupling the exposed kernels to the spectrometer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of determining an amount of moisture in the ear of corn comprises: generating near infrared (NIR) radiation; and detecting the amount of generated NIR radiation that is one of absorbed and reflected by the ear of corn. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of determining an amount of moisture in the ear of corn comprises measuring the amount of NIR radiation that is one of absorbed and reflected by the ear of corn. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: operatively coupling the spectrometer to at least one other ear of corn while the at least one other ear of corn is being grown on another corn plant; and measuring an amount of moisture in said at least one other ear of corn with the spectrometer while the at least one other ear of corn is being grown on the corn plant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method of harvesting corn, the method comprising: (a) measuring moisture in the corn according to the method of claim 1; (b) determining whether the measured moisture in the corn is less than, equal to, or greater than a threshold amount of moisture for use in determining whether to harvest the corn. ### Claim 12 A corn interface for operatively coupling a spectrometer to an ear of corn for measuring an amount of moisture in the corn, the interface comprising: a spectrometer interface configured to attach to the spectrometer; and a compressible gasket supported on the spectrometer interface, wherein the compressible gasket is configured to conformingly engage the ear of corn when pressed against the ear of corn to form an optical seal between the ear of corn and at least one of a radiation source and a radiation detector of the spectrometer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A corn interface as set forth in claim 12, wherein the compressible gasket is generally U-shaped and comprises an arcuate base portion having first and second ends and first and second arm portions extending from the first and second ends, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A corn interface as set forth in claim 13, wherein the opening extends through the base portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A corn interface as set forth in claim 13, wherein the base portion of the compressible gasket is attached to the spectrometer interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A corn interface as set forth in claim 12, wherein the compressible gasket defines another opening spaced apart from said opening that extends through the thickness of the compressible gasket from the exterior surface through the interior surface, the other opening being shaped and arranged to be aligned with the spectrometer for conveying radiation from the radiation source of the spectrometer through the gasket when the spectrometer interface is attached to the spectrometer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) A corn interface as set forth in claim 12, wherein the compressible gasket comprises: a seal portion defining the interior surface of the compressible gasket and comprising a first material; and a backing portion proximal of the seal portion comprising a second material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A corn interface as set forth in claim 17, wherein the first material comprises rubber and the second material comprises foam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A moisture meter comprising the interface of claim 12 attached to the spectrometer. ### Claim 20 A moisture meter for measuring moisture in corn, the moisture meter comprising: a hand-held housing; a corn interface mounted on the hand-held housing and having a thickness the corn interface being configured to operatively couple to an ear of corn to form an optical seal around between the ear of corn and the corn interface to inhibit ambient light from passing between the corn interface and the ear of corn; a radiation source supported on the hand-held housing and configured to convey radiation through to the corn when the corn is operatively coupled to the moisture meter; a detector mounted on the hand-held housing and configured to detect a radiation spectrum passing and to generate a signal representative of the detected radiation spectrum; and a measurement processor configured to receive the signal from the detector and to determine an amount of moisture in the corn based on the signal.