US4806764A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains
Assignee: Satake Engineering Co Ltd
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Filing: 1988-04-22
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Granted: 1989-02-21
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Expires: 2008-04-22
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to an apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains. The apparatus comprises a near infrared spectrometer having a band-pass filter and detectors for detecting the intensity of reflected light from the sample rice; a control device having a memory for storing various values and a calculator for performing various calculations; indicating device for displaying or printing the various calculated values; and a sample case for being filled with the sample rice and being disposed at the measuring portion within the near infrared spectrometer.The apparatus is capable of measuring the content percentages of pre-selected constituent or constituents, such as, of protein, either amylose or amylopectin and moisture of the rice grains, calculating a quality evaluation value of the sample rice based on the measured and calculated values and powers established for the preselected constituents, and displaying the calculated evaluation value of the sample rice.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshihiko Satake
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 02:04
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/47; G01N21/4738; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/12; G01J2003/1226; G01J2003/123; G01J2003/1243; G01N21/25; G01N21/31; G01N2021/3129; G01N2021/4764; G01N2021/4769; G01N21/84; G01N21/85; G01N2021/8592; G01N21/35; G01N21/3554; G01N21/359; G01N2201/00; G01N2201/06; G01N2201/065; G01N2201/12; G01N2201/126; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S250/00; Y10S250/91
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
251 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains based on the measured values obtained by measuring content percentages of a pre-selected constituent or constituents of rice grains comprising: a near infrared spectrometer having a light source, a band-pass filter allowing the passage of only such specific wavelengths of the light from said light source that are useful for the measurement of content percentages of the constituents of the sample rice grains and producing near infrared monochromatic light to be incident on the sample rice at a measuring portion, and detecting means for detecting the intensity of reflected light from said sample rice at said measuring portion and producing detection signals; control means having a memory device for storing content conversion coefficients for the calculation of the content percentages established correspondingly to said pre-selected constituents and specific powers for the calculation of the quality evaluation values of the sample rice established correspondingly to said pre-selected constitutents of said sample rice, and calculation device for calculating the content percentages and the quality evaluation values of the sample rice grains based on said content conversion coefficients and said specific powers stored in said memory device as well as said detection signals from said detecting means; indicating means, connected to said control means, for visually displaying or printing said quality evaluation values of said sample rice grains calculated in said calculation device; and a sample case to be filled with said sample rice and disposed at said measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
251 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains based on the measured values obtained by measuring content percentages of a pre-selected constituent or constituents of rice grains comprising: a near infrared spectrometer having a light source, a band-pass filter allowing the passage of only such specific wavelengths of the light from said light source that are useful for the measurement of content percentages of the constituents of the sample rice grains and producing near infrared monochromatic light to be incident on the sample rice at a measuring portion, and detecting means for detecting the intensity of reflected light from said sample rice at said measuring portion and producing detection signals; control means having a memory device for storing content conversion coefficients for the calculation of the content percentages established correspondingly to said pre-selected constituents and specific powers for the calculation of the quality evaluation values of the sample rice established correspondingly to said pre-selected constitutents of said sample rice, and calculation device for calculating the content percentages and the quality evaluation values of the sample rice grains based on said content conversion coefficients and said specific powers stored in said memory device as well as said detection signals from said detecting means; indicating means, connected to said control means, for visually displaying or printing said quality evaluation values of said sample rice grains calculated in said calculation device; and a sample case to be filled with said sample rice and disposed at said measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 1, in which said band-pass filter has specific wavelength passing properties for measuring, out of constituents of the sample rice, at least content percentages of protein, content percentages of either amylose or amylopectin, and content percentages of moisture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 2, in which said band-pass filter has a tilting angle which provides an angle of incidence which is variable with respect to a surface of said filter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 1, in which said band-pass filter disposed between said light source and said measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer is such that its tilting angle is variable for varying an angle of incidence with respect to a surface of said filter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 1, in which said band-pass filter is constituted by a plurality of filters each of which has a given wavelength as a nominal wavelength in the wavelength region 1900-2500 nm, each of said plurality of filters being in a rotating disc form.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 1, which further comprises an inputting means for inputting information in the memory device of said control means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 6, in which said inputting means inputs into said memory device information on costs of rice grains represented by the sample rice grains and conditions for blending them and said calculation device calculates the most suitable blending ratio based on the input information.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
301 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains based on the measured values obtained by measuring content percentages of a pre-selected constituent or constituents of rice grains comprising: a near infrared spectrometer having a light source, a band-pass filter allowing the passage of only such specific wavelengths of the light from said light source that are useful for the measurement of content percentages of the constituents of the sample rice grains and producing near infrared monochromatic light to be incident on the sample rice at a measuring portion, and detecting means for detecting the intensity of reflected light from said sample rice at said measuring portion and producing detection signals; control means having a memory device for storing content conversion coefficients for the calculation of the content percentages established correspondingly to said pre-selected constituents and specific powers for the calculation of the quality evaluation values of the sample rice established correspondingly to said pre-selected constituents of said sample rice, and calculation device for calculating the content percentages and the quality evaluation values of the sample rice grains based on said content conversion coefficients and said specific powers stored in said memory device as well as said detection signals from said detecting means; indicating means, connected to said control means, for visually displaying or printing said quality evaluation values of said sample rice grains calculated in said calculation device; a sample case to be filled with said sample rice and disposed at said measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer; and a sample rice supplying means including a sample grain grinding means for grinding sample rice grains and filling said sample case with the ground sample and a sample rice positioning means for moving said sample case to and positioning the same at the measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
301 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains based on the measured values obtained by measuring content percentages of a pre-selected constituent or constituents of rice grains comprising: a near infrared spectrometer having a light source, a band-pass filter allowing the passage of only such specific wavelengths of the light from said light source that are useful for the measurement of content percentages of the constituents of the sample rice grains and producing near infrared monochromatic light to be incident on the sample rice at a measuring portion, and detecting means for detecting the intensity of reflected light from said sample rice at said measuring portion and producing detection signals; control means having a memory device for storing content conversion coefficients for the calculation of the content percentages established correspondingly to said pre-selected constituents and specific powers for the calculation of the quality evaluation values of the sample rice established correspondingly to said pre-selected constituents of said sample rice, and calculation device for calculating the content percentages and the quality evaluation values of the sample rice grains based on said content conversion coefficients and said specific powers stored in said memory device as well as said detection signals from said detecting means; indicating means, connected to said control means, for visually displaying or printing said quality evaluation values of said sample rice grains calculated in said calculation device; a sample case to be filled with said sample rice and disposed at said measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer; and a sample rice supplying means including a sample grain grinding means for grinding sample rice grains and filling said sample case with the ground sample and a sample rice positioning means for moving said sample case to and positioning the same at the measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 8, in which said sample grain grinding means includes at an upper portion thereof a hopper for feeding sample rice grains, a pair of grinding rollers disposed face to face below said hopper, and a pair of second rollers disposed face to face below said grinding rollers for reducing the ground grains into powder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 8, in which said band-pass filter has specific wavelengths passing properties for measuring, out of constituents of the sample rice, at least content percentages of protein, content percentages of either amylose or amylopectin, and conent percentages of moisture.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice gains according to claim 8, in which said band-pass filter disposed between said light source and the measuring portion of said near infrared spectrometer is such that its tilting angle is variable for varying an angle of incidence with respect to a surface of said filter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 8, in which said band-pass filter is constituted by a plurality of filters each of which has a given wavelength as a nominal wavelength in the wavelength region 1900-2500 nm, and each of said plurality of filters being in a rotating polygonal form.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 8, which further comprises an inputting means for inputting information in the memory device of said control means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus for evaluating the quality of rice grains according to claim 13, in which said inputting means inputs into said memory device information on costs of rice grains represented by the sample rice grains and conditions for blending them and said calculation device calculates the most suitable blending ratio based on the input information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4540286A
Cited
US4692620A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-02-21 | 1992-08-22 | 1993-02-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-02-21 | 1996-08-22 | 1997-02-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-02-21 | 2000-08-22 | 2001-02-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |