Near infrared spectrometer used in combination with an agricultural implement for real time grain and forage analysis
US5991025A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/8592
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for combining NIR spectography with an implement including a combine or a chopper for measuring major constituents of harvested products in real time includes a monochromator or other sensor having no moving optical parts. The monochromator includes a fixed diffraction grating and a photodiode collector comprised of a plurality of photodiodes. A radiation source irradiates a product sample and the reflected radiation is transmitted to the diffraction grating. By analyzing the intensities and wavelengths of the reflected radiation at the photodiode collector, the presence and amount of major constituents of the harvested product can be determined. The present invention may be used on or with a research combine or chopper along with the conventional instrumentation which measures the weight, moisture, and volume of products harvested in a test plot.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.