JPH11332378A - Ripeness meter of vegetable or fruit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the subject device capable of easily and accurately measuring the degree of ripeness at a low cost at a place culturing the vegetable or fruit, etc., without damaging the vegetable or fruit. SOLUTION: This meter for measuring the ripeness degree of a vegetable or fruit is provided with plural floodlight projectors disposed along a part of the vegetable or fruit, a light receiver 6 disposed between the floodlight projectors and receiving the light scattered on the vegetable or fruit, an operation portion for comparing and calculating data obtained from the light receiver 6 receiving scattered light from unripe vegetables or fruits and ripe vegetables or fruits, and a display 3 for the ripeness degree calculation result of the operation portion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fruit and vegetable ripeness meter for measuring the degree of maturity of fruits and vegetables, especially fruits.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In harvesting fruits and vegetables such as peaches, pears, apples, tangerines, tomatoes, etc., it is important to know that individual fruits and vegetables have reached the most desirable ripeness. However, conventionally, harvesting is performed based on days determined by the producer or the number of days elapsed from the fruit set date (mainly the flowering time). Recently, a method of measuring the sugar content of some typical fruits and vegetables, or a method of transmitting light from one of the fruits and vegetables and measuring the transmitted light with a sensor installed on the other to measure the ripeness has also been implemented.

[0003]

Conventional attempts to determine the harvest time have the following drawbacks in each case. That is, when judging whether or not the product is ripe based on its appearance, it often depends on experience and intuition, and includes artificial differences, unevenness, and the like. When the fruiting date is used as a reference, the harvest time may be incorrect due to climate change. The method of measuring the sugar content has a drawback that the fruit to be measured is destroyed because the juice is taken from the fruit. The method of measuring the transmitted light is large in size, and cannot be measured unless the fruit is harvested because the harvested fruit is set in a holder. Since the core is inside the fruit, the measurement accuracy is low. Further, since the equipment is expensive, it cannot be introduced by ordinary producers.

Therefore, the present inventor has studied the provision of a device which does not have the above-mentioned disadvantages, that is, can be measured inexpensively, easily, and accurately without damaging the fruits and vegetables at the vegetable growing area.

[0005]

As a result of examining the above-mentioned problems, a plurality of light-projecting bodies that adhere to a part of the surface of the fruits and vegetables, and light from the light-projecting bodies disposed between the light-projecting bodies and scattered from the fruits and vegetables are obtained. Developed a fruit and vegetable maturity meter with a photoreceptor that receives light, a calculation unit that compares and calculates data obtained by the photoreceptor from immature and mature fruits and vegetables, and a display unit that displays the results of the maturity calculation by the calculation unit. . The plurality of light emitters referred to here are arranged at positions separated by a predetermined distance from a light receiver such as a light emitter such as a semiconductor or light emission from the tip of an optical fiber. Light emitted from the light projector to the fruits and vegetables is received by a light receiver arranged in the middle of the plurality of light projectors while being irregularly reflected.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a main part of a maturity meter according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view showing the state of use. The ripeness meter of the present invention is a small-sized handy type that can be easily carried to an orchard or a field and can be measured while being held in one hand. A measuring unit 2 is provided at the tip of the cylindrical case 1, and a display unit 3 is provided near the measuring unit 2 for displaying the maturity of fruits and vegetables. Operation buttons 4 such as a power switch, a data reset, and a light emission frequency change button are provided at a position close to the hand to be held. A microcomputer for computation and data storage and a battery 7 serving as a power supply are housed in the case.

In the measuring section 2, four light emitting elements of the long-wavelength side light emitting diode 5a and four light emitting elements of the short wavelength side light emitting diode 5b are equally arranged from the center light receiving element 6 respectively. The long wavelength side and the short wavelength side of the light emitting diode indicate both of them relatively, and the reason is shown below. FIG. 4 is an absorbance curve diagram of an apple, in which a is the case where the apple is immature and b is the case where the apple is ripe. As can be seen in this example, the 678 nm absorption of chlorophyll (chlorophyll) decreases as the apple ripens. Since the absorption indicated by water exists at 960 nm, the ratio of the absorption peak at 678 nm to the absorption peak at 960 nm is calculated. As shown in FIG.
It can be seen that the absorption at 678 nm of (chlorophyll) becomes smaller.
Ripeness rises in reverse. This correlation is stored in a memory, and the calculated value is compared with an actually measured value to display the ripeness on the display unit 3. 940nm for long wavelength light emitting diode 5a
The light emitting diode 5b of the short wavelength side is used as a light emitter of 660 nm, emits light alternately, the amount of reflection is measured by the light receiver, and the absorbance ratio between them is calculated by the microcomputer of the calculation unit.

[0008] When the type and variety of fruits and vegetables change, the absorbance curve differs, and even if the ratio of the absorption peak at 678 nm to the absorption peak at 960 nm is taken, the maturity may not be accurately expressed. Assuming such a case, in the present invention, both the long-wavelength light-emitting diode 5a and the short-wavelength light-emitting diode 5b use an emission wavelength variable type that can change the emission wavelength. Thus, when the scales set for white peach, mizumitsu peach, etc. are matched, the most accurate measurement of ripeness for the type and variety of fruits and vegetables can be performed.

[0009]

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and accurately measure a fruit and vegetable at a cultivation place without damaging the fruit and vegetable by simply applying it to the fruit and vegetable. The device is small and can be provided at low cost. Judging the harvest time of each fruit and vegetables on the spot,
You can choose the best time to harvest. Inappropriate harvesting was eliminated and yields could be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front view of a main part of a maturity meter of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of a main part of the maturity meter of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view showing a state of use of the maturity meter of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an absorbance curve diagram.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between chlorophyll (chlorophyll) and maturity.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Case 2 Measuring part 3 Display part 4 Operation button 5a Long wavelength side light emitting diode 5b Short wavelength side light emitting diode 6 Light receiver 7 Battery

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of light emitters along a part of a vegetable surface,
A light-receiving element disposed between the light-emitting elements and receiving light from the light-projecting element scattered from the fruits and vegetables, an arithmetic unit for comparing and calculating data obtained by the light-receiving element from immature fruits and mature fruits and vegetables, and A fruit and vegetable ripeness meter comprising a display for displaying a result of ripeness calculation.