Optical crop evaluation device, device comprising the optical crop evaluation device, and work vehicle comprising the optical crop evaluation device

Abstract

Optical crop evaluation device (100), comprising: a light source unit (10) configured to emit light in the direction of an evaluation target; an optical sensor (20) configured to receive light emitted by the light source unit (10) and reflected by and / or transmitted through the evaluation target, and a housing (30) that defines a housing interior, wherein the light source unit (10) and the optical sensor (20) are arranged in the housing interior (31), and wherein the housing interior (31) is essentially fluidically sealed from an external environment (E) of the housing (30).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present design relates to an optical crop evaluation device, a device comprising the optical crop evaluation device, and a work vehicle comprising the device. BACKGROUND

[0002] A harvesting process, particularly a grass harvesting process, generally comprises a mowing step, a tedder step, a windrowing step, and a harvesting or baling step. In the mowing step, crops are cut using a mower or a mower-conditioner. The cut crops can then optionally be tedded, i.e., spread across the field, to accelerate the drying process. Once the desired crop moisture content has been reached, the crop is windrowed to create multiple windrows for subsequent harvesting. Finally, the windrows are harvested using a baler or a forage harvester.

[0003] In one or more of the aforementioned steps of the harvesting process, one or more physical properties of the harvested crop, such as moisture content, protein content, and / or amylose content, can be detected by an optical evaluation device. The optical evaluation device is usually mounted on agricultural equipment, such as a harvester, and / or on a work vehicle, i.e., a tractor. The one or more crop properties detected by the optical evaluation device can be used, for example, for work planning purposes.

[0004] Known optical evaluation devices for assessing one or more physical properties of harvested crops typically comprise a light source and a grain evaluation unit for assessing grain properties based on information about the received light. The light source and the grain evaluation unit are located within a housing enclosure. The housing enclosure is provided with two or more openings through which the interior of the housing is cooled. Specifically, air is drawn in from outside the housing enclosure, blown into the enclosure, and discharged to the outside environment to dissipate the heat generated by the light source and the grain evaluation unit, thus cooling the optical grain evaluation device.To prevent dust from entering the housing, especially when outside air contains a large amount of dust generated during harvesting operations, a large dust removal filter is / are provided.

[0005] However, in known optical evaluation devices, dust, particularly microdust, may still enter the housing despite the use of dust removal filters. In fact, microdust may not be effectively filtered by dust removal filters, leading to an accumulation of dust within the housing over time. Consequently, in known optical evaluation devices, the light source and / or the optical evaluation device may come into direct contact with dust. This can damage the light source and / or the optical evaluation device, significantly reducing its service life.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need to improve the durability of known optical evaluation devices. SUMMARY

[0007] Therefore, one task of the present model is to provide an optical crop evaluation device with increased durability.

[0008] The foregoing task is fulfilled by the features of the independent claim, with certain embodiments being the subject of the dependent claims.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present design, an optical crop evaluation device is provided, the optical crop evaluation device comprising: a light source unit configured to emit light in the direction of an evaluation target, an optical sensor configured to receive light emitted by the light source unit and reflected and / or transmitted by the evaluation target, and an enclosure defining an interior space. The light source unit and the optical sensor are arranged within the interior space, and the interior space is substantially fluidically sealed from an external environment of the enclosure.

[0010] Advantageously, the essentially fluidic sealing of the housing interior from the external environment prevents contaminants such as dust, especially microdust, from entering the housing interior, which contains the light source unit and the optical sensor. In particular, the absence of external air currents blown into the housing interior prevents dust, especially microdust, from entering the housing interior and thus contacting and damaging the light source unit and / or the optical sensor. As a result, the service life of the optical grain evaluation device is significantly increased.

[0011] Furthermore, the ingress of water and even moisture into the housing and thus contact with the light source unit and / or the optical sensor is prevented, as the housing interior is essentially fluidically sealed from the external environment. This allows for an IP65 protection rating, meaning the enclosure is dustproof and can withstand water jets from any direction without damaging effect. This also advantageously prevents damage to any component housed within the enclosure, namely the light source unit and the optical sensor, significantly increasing the durability of the optical crop evaluation device.

[0012] Furthermore, the essentially fluidic sealing of the housing interior from the external environment, and thus the absence of external airflows blown into the housing interior to cool the device components, can be even more advantageous when the ambient temperature is rather high, e.g., above 40°C, which further improves the measurement stability of the optical sensor. In particular, the use of an external airflow to cool the optical evaluation device may not be effective in the case of high ambient temperatures, e.g., above 40°C. In fact, in such a case, the internal housing temperature can easily exceed the permissible limit of 50°C for the optical sensor, which could also impair measurement stability.Advantageously, a housing enclosure that is essentially fluidically sealed from the external environment of the housing prevents the internal housing temperature from exceeding the permissible limit of 50°C of the optical sensor, thus improving the measurement stability of the optical sensor.

[0013] A “fluidic seal from an external environment of the enclosure” within the meaning of the present application can mean that the enclosure is configured in such a way as to prevent the ingress of dust, moisture, and water, in particular from the external environment, into the interior of the enclosure. In particular, the “fluidic seal from an external environment of the enclosure” can also include the exchange of some air between the external environment of the enclosure and the interior of the enclosure in the event of a pressure difference between them. Specifically, the enclosure can include a valve or vent configured to allow air to pass or diffuse from the interior of the enclosure to the external environment and / or vice versa. Advantageously, a change in the pressure of the interior of the enclosure, e.g., an increase in the air pressure of the interior of the enclosure, can be compensated for by releasing or diffusing air to the external environment via the valve or vent.To ensure the fluidic seal of the housing interior, the valve or vent can be configured to prevent the ingress of dust, moisture, and water from the external environment into the housing interior. The valve or vent can be or include a layer of Gore-Tex®. A "valuation target" within the meaning of this application can be "harvest material." "Harvest material" within the meaning of this application can be any type of plant that is cut and collected after drying, such as grass for animal feed. The evaluation target is located outside the optical harvest assessment device. In particular, the evaluation target is located outside the housing interior defined by the housing of the optical harvest assessment device.

[0014] Accordingly, the evaluation target is located in the external environment of the housing of the optical crop evaluation device. Thus, the external environment of the housing corresponds to the environment in which the evaluation target is located.

[0015] The optical crop evaluation device comprises a light source unit configured to emit light in the direction of the evaluation target. The light source unit is arranged within the housing interior defined by the housing such that it is essentially fluidically sealed from the housing's external environment. The light emitted by the light source unit can be transmitted through the housing to the evaluation target. In particular, the light emitted by the light source unit can be transmitted through a light projection aperture and a window to the evaluation target. The light projection aperture can be a through-opening in a housing, in particular a through-opening in a base plate. The light projection aperture can be dimensioned to correspond to a size (e.g., diameter) of a light beam emitted by the light source unit.

[0016] The light source unit can comprise a light unit housing, which defines an interior space in which a light unit is located. The interior space of the light unit housing can be sealed from the housing interior. Accordingly, the light unit can be housed within the light unit housing in such a way that it is fluidically sealed from the housing interior defined by the housing, in particular from the space in which the optical sensor is located. That is, the light unit can be fluidically sealed from the optical sensor located in the housing interior defined by the housing.

[0017] The light source unit can be detachably mounted to the external heat sink and / or the housing (main body) via an opening in the housing. Specifically, the light source unit housing can be detachably mounted to the external heat sink and / or the housing, for example, via one or more bolts connected to corresponding holes in the light source unit housing. Accordingly, the light source unit housing can act as a heat sink by absorbing heat from the light source unit and transferring that heat to the external heat sink, with both the external heat sink and the light source unit housing suspended from a side (wall) of the main housing.

[0018] The light unit can be a lamp, e.g., a halogen lamp, with a reflector. Alternatively, the lamp can be an LED lamp. The LED lamp can include one or more LEDs configured to emit light with different wavelengths. The lamp unit can be placed on a base mounting plate. The base mounting plate can be detachably connected to the light unit housing, in particular to a bottom surface of the housing. The lamp unit can be detachably mounted on a top support plate. The top support plate can be detachably mounted to the light unit housing, in particular to a top surface of the housing. The light unit can be supported while being slightly inclined along the longitudinal direction of the light unit housing to emit light, e.g., light collected by the reflector, towards the light projection aperture of the housing.In particular, the direction of a light beam emitted by the light unit can be inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the light unit housing such that it forms an angle of less than 90° with the longitudinal direction of the light unit housing. In particular, the angle can be approximately 15°. In other words, the direction of a light beam emitted by the light unit can be inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the base plate of the housing, in particular, an angle of less than 90° being formed between the direction of the light beam emitted by the light unit and the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the base plate. Furthermore, in particular, the angle can be approximately 15°.

[0019] The light unit can be equipped with a heat-blocking filter configured to shield infrared rays from the light emitted by the lamp unit, thus hindering heat transfer to the evaluation target. The heat-blocking filter can be substantially parallel to a top and / or bottom surface of the light unit housing. Specifically, an angle of less than 90° can be formed between the direction of a light beam emitted by the light unit and a top or bottom surface of the heat-blocking filter. In other words, the direction of a light beam emitted by the light unit need not be perpendicular to the top or bottom surface of the heat-blocking filter. Accordingly, arranging the heat-blocking filter substantially parallel to a top and / or bottom surface of the light unit housing can simplify its installation.

[0020] The lamp unit may also be equipped with a diffusion filter configured to diffuse light so that the lamp unit emits light with a uniform light intensity.

[0021] The light unit housing can be configured to substantially seal the light unit from the housing interior. The light unit housing can be box-shaped. The light unit housing can be configured to accommodate the light unit within its interior. Additionally, the bottom mounting base, top support plate, reflector, heat-blocking filter, and / or diffusion filter can be housed within the light unit housing. The light unit housing can include a light projection aperture provided on a bottom surface of the light unit housing through which light emitted by the light unit can be emitted from the light unit housing. The light projection aperture can be sealed by a window, e.g., a glass window, which may be at least substantially partially transparent to light emitted by the light unit.The light emitted from the light unit housing can be directed to the evaluation target through the housing's light projection aperture and the housing window that covers the light projection aperture. Accordingly, the light projection aperture of the light unit housing can be aligned with the housing's light projection aperture. The light projection aperture of the light unit housing can be a through-hole and can be dimensioned to correspond to a size (e.g., diameter) of a light beam emitted by the light unit. In particular, the light projection aperture of the light unit housing can be provided in a removable base plate of the light unit housing. The removable base plate can, for example, be detachably mounted to the light unit housing by one or more screws.The optical crop evaluation device can be equipped with at least two interchangeable base plates for the light unit housing, each having a light projection aperture of a different size (diameter). In other words, the at least two base plates, which can be detachably mounted on the light unit housing, can have light projection apertures of different sizes; for example, the light projection aperture of each base plate can have a different diameter. Accordingly, by equipping the optical crop evaluation device with at least two interchangeable base plates, each with a light projection aperture of a different size (different diameter), it is possible to adjust the amount of light emitted by the light unit source.In other words, the size of the light projection aperture of the light unit housing allows for the control of the amount of light emitted by the light source unit. For example, the amount of light emitted towards the evaluation target can be reduced by mounting a base plate with a smaller light projection aperture (a light projection aperture with a smaller diameter) on the light unit housing. Consequently, the amount of light reflected by the evaluation target and / or transmitted back to the optical sensor would also be reduced, thus preventing the optical sensor from becoming saturated with light.

[0022] A bottom surface of the light unit housing, e.g., the surface to which the base mounting plate for the light unit is attached, may be inclined relative to a top surface of the light unit housing. In other words, an angle of less than 90° may be formed between the bottom surface of the light unit housing and the top surface of the light unit housing. When mounted on the housing of the optical crop evaluation device, the bottom surface of the light unit housing may be inclined relative to a bottom surface of the housing. In other words, an angle of less than 90° may be formed between the bottom surface of the housing (top surface of the base plate) and the bottom surface of the light unit housing.Advantageously, an inclined surface of the light unit housing allows moisture generated within the housing, particularly due to temperature changes caused by the light unit, to be channeled away from the light unit, especially from the light projection aperture of the housing. In this respect, the housing can further include a collection channel adjacent to the inclined bottom surface of the housing, in which moisture can be collected.

[0023] The lighting unit housing can be configured to enhance the dissipation of heat generated within an interior space defined by the housing. For the purposes of this application, the heat generated within this interior space can correspond to the heat generated by the lighting unit itself, e.g., by the halogen lamp. To this end, the lighting unit housing can be partially made of, or partially comprise, a metallic material. The metallic material can be a material with high thermal conductivity, e.g., aluminum, in particular an alloy, or copper, in particular a copper alloy.Furthermore, the light unit housing can be in direct or indirect contact with a heat sink located outside the housing, so that heat generated inside the light unit housing can be dissipated into the external environment, which is outside the housing of the optical crop evaluation device.

[0024] The optical crop evaluation device further comprises an optical sensor configured to receive light emitted by the light source unit and reflected by and / or transmitted through the evaluation target.

[0025] The optical sensor can be configured to measure the intensity of the light reflected from and / or transmitted through the evaluation target at one or more specific wavelengths in order to measure an attenuation rate of the light at one or more specific wavelengths.

[0026] The optical sensor can be a spectrometer. The optical sensor can include one or more grating elements housed within an optical sensor housing. In other words, the optical sensor housing can contain the sensor, e.g., the image sensor, as well as one or more grating elements configured to split light into its wavelength components. Specifically, the one or more grating elements can include a convex lens on which a grating is formed, e.g., by nanoimprinting. The sensor can be a CMOS linear image sensor.

[0027] The optical sensor can have a spectral sensitivity range from approximately 640 nm to approximately 1050 nm. It can also have a maximum spectral resolution of approximately 20 nm. The optical sensor can be configured to detect one or more parameters: moisture content, crop proteins, or crop amylose. Under constant light input conditions, the optical sensor can exhibit wavelength reproducibility from approximately -0.5 nm to approximately +0.5 nm, a wavelength temperature dependence from approximately -0.05 nm / °C to approximately +0.05 nm / °C, and / or a spectral scatter of no more than -25 dB. For example, the optical sensor could be a spectrometer module "C11708MA" manufactured by "Hamamatsu Photonics KK".

[0028] The optical sensor can be mounted directly on a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB can serve as a carrier plate for the optical sensor. The optical sensor can also be mounted to the base plate of the housing via the PCB. The optical sensor can be mounted on the base plate of the housing in such a way that it is aligned with the light-receiving aperture of the housing. In particular, the optical sensor can be mounted on the base plate in such a way that it faces the light-receiving aperture and the window of the housing. Accordingly, light reflected from and / or transmitted through the target can reach the optical sensor after passing through the light-receiving aperture and the window of the housing.

[0029] The optical sensor can be located inside the housing on a side opposite the side where the light source unit is located. In particular, a gap can be provided between the optical sensor and the light source unit. Alternatively, the optical sensor can be located inside the housing on a side opposite the side where an external heat sink is located. In particular, the light source unit can be located between the optical sensor and the external heat sink mounted on the housing.

[0030] The crop evaluation device may include a controller. The controller may be a microcontroller. Specifically, the controller may be a microcomputer on a single integrated circuit (IC) chip made of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS). The controller may contain one or more CPUs (processor cores) along with memory and programmable input / output peripherals. Program memory in the form of ferroelectric RAM, NOR flash, or OTP ROM may also be included on the chip, as well as RAM. The controller may be configured to communicate with and control the optical sensor and / or control the light source unit.In particular, the controller can be configured to perform arithmetic processing to analyze the evaluation target based on information relating to the light reflected from and / or transmitted through the evaluation target, which is detected by the optical sensor. The controller can be configured to control the switching on and off of the light source unit. The controller can be located within the housing of the optical crop evaluation device, particularly within the housing interior. Specifically, the controller can be mounted on the base plate of the housing.

[0031] The optical crop evaluation device comprises the housing, which defines the interior of the housing. The housing may include a main body and a base plate. The main body may define the interior of the housing. The main body may be box-shaped. The main body may include a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces. The top surface and the plurality of side surfaces together define the interior of the housing. The main body further includes a bottom opening. The main body may also include a circumferential flange extending from a bottom section of the plurality of side surfaces. The circumferential flange may enclose the bottom opening of the main body. The circumferential flange may include one or more through-holes for receiving one or more screws.In one embodiment, at least one surface or several side surfaces of the plurality of side surfaces of the main housing body are provided with one or more external heat sinks. In particular, the external heat sink can be mounted on the at least one side surface of the housing such that it is in contact with the side surface of the housing. Alternatively, the external heat sink can be mounted on at least one internal heat sink such that it is in contact with the internal heat sink and optionally also with the main housing body.In particular, the external heat sink can be detachably mounted, for example, to at least one side of the housing via one or more bolts connected to corresponding through-holes provided in the housing (main housing body), and / or to the internal heat sink via one or more bolts connected to corresponding holes provided in the internal heat sink, and / or to the light unit housing via one or more bolts connected to corresponding holes provided in the light unit housing. The one or more bolts connected to the corresponding holes provided in the light unit housing can also be connected to the housing (main housing body) via the corresponding through-holes.Accordingly, the light unit housing can be detachably connected to the external heat sink and / or to the housing (main body) such that it is located within the housing interior defined by the housing (main body). The internal heat sink can be provided in an opening in a side face of the main body. The main body can further include one or more additional through-holes. These additional through-holes can be located on one or more side faces of the main body. Each of the additional through-holes can accommodate a connection element, such as a power outlet and / or a data port, capable of connecting the optical crop evaluation device to one or more external units, such as a power supply unit and / or a controller of a work vehicle.The additional through-holes, each accommodating the connecting element, can be configured to essentially seal the interior of the housing from the external environment of the housing, e.g. by means of a sealing gasket.

[0032] The base plate of the housing can be a cover plate. The optical sensor can be mounted on the base plate of the housing. In particular, the optical sensor and the controller can be mounted on the base plate of the housing. Optionally, in addition to the optical sensor and the controller, a calibration unit, a cooling fan, and / or a thermoelectric heat pump can also be mounted on the base plate of the housing. Accordingly, if the base plate is mounted on the main housing body, the calibration unit, the cooling fan, and / or the thermoelectric heat pump can be located inside the housing and thus be substantially sealed off from the external environment of the optical crop evaluation device housing. The base plate of the housing can include a light projection aperture and a light reception aperture.The light projection aperture and the light reception aperture can be through-holes provided in the base plate. The base plate can further include a window, which is detachably mounted to the base plate and configured to close the light projection aperture and the light reception aperture. In particular, the window can be a single window. The window can be an optical window, e.g., a cold-filter glass, which is functional to allow the passage of light emitted by the lamp unit while acting as a barrier against air, dust, and / or moisture. This allows the lamp unit to continuously illuminate the evaluation target while preventing contamination of the housing interior in which the optical sensor is located. For this purpose, the window can be configured to substantially seal the light projection aperture and the light reception apertures from the external environment of the housing.The light projection aperture and the light reception aperture can be essentially aligned with the light source unit or the optical sensor, such that a light beam emitted by the light source unit first passes through the light projection aperture and the window, hits the evaluation target, and then, after being reflected by and / or transmitted through the evaluation target, is reflected back into the housing, in particular via the light reception aperture and the window back to the optical sensor.

[0033] The base plate can be detachably connected to the main housing body to essentially fluidically seal the housing interior from the external environment. In particular, the base plate can be detachably connected to the main housing body by one or more screws provided in one or more through-holes of the circumferential flange of the main housing body, and corresponding one or more nuts screwed to the one or more screws and bearing against a bottom surface of the base plate. The main housing body can further be provided with a gasket arranged in a corresponding groove.

[0034] The groove can be provided in a bottom face of the circumferential flange of the housing main body. When the housing main body is mounted to the base plate, the gasket simultaneously contacts both the housing main body and the base plate, thus essentially fluidically sealing the housing interior from the housing's external environment. Specifically, since the light source unit and the optical sensor are located within the housing interior, the light source unit and the optical sensor are essentially fluidically sealed from the housing's external environment. In particular, the light source unit housing and the optical sensor are sealed from the housing's external environment.

[0035] The main body of the housing and / or the base plate may be made of or comprise a material with high thermal conductivity, in particular a metallic material with high thermal conductivity. The metallic material may be aluminum, in particular an aluminum alloy, or copper, in particular a copper alloy.

[0036] The housing may further include a partition configured to divide the housing interior into a first housing interior, which accommodates the light source unit, and a second housing interior, which accommodates the optical sensor. The first housing interior may correspond to the interior defined by the light source housing in which the light source unit is located. The second housing interior may be part of the housing interior defined by the housing, in particular by the main housing body. The first housing interior may be fluidically sealed from the second housing interior. In particular, the light source housing may be configured to seal the light source unit from the second housing interior, in which the optical sensor is located. Accordingly, the light source unit may be sealed from the optical sensor.

[0037] In one configuration, the partition can be part of the light unit housing. Specifically, the partition can correspond to one or more walls of the light unit housing. The one or more walls can be one of the bottom faces, the top faces, or one or more side faces of the light unit housing. Alternatively, the partition can be an additional wall, such as a cover layer, configured to at least partially cover the light unit housing. For example, the partition can be configured to integrally cover one or more side faces of the light unit housing facing the second housing interior, whereas the bottom and top faces of the light unit housing need not be covered by the partition. Likewise, the face of the light unit housing that contacts the external or internal heat sink and / or faces and / or contacts the main housing body need not be covered by the partition.The partition can be configured to prevent or at least reduce the transfer of heat generated within the light unit housing, e.g., by the light unit itself, to the optical sensor located in the second housing compartment. For this purpose, the partition can be made of or incorporate a thermal insulation material. The thermal insulation material can be a thermoplastic polymer, e.g., neoprene, expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyurethane (PUR), or polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam. If the partition corresponds to one or more walls of the light unit housing, then in this case, the one or more walls of the light unit housing acting as the partition are made of or incorporate a thermal insulation material, whereas the other walls of the light unit housing, which do not act as the partition, e.g.,the base, top and / or any walls that come into contact with the internal or external heat sink or the main body of the housing are made of or comprise a material with high thermal conductivity, e.g. a metallic material, for example aluminum, in particular aluminum alloy, or copper, in particular copper alloy.

[0038] The optical crop evaluation device may further include an external heat sink arranged on an outer wall of the housing. The external heat sink may be configured to dissipate heat from the interior of the housing towards the external environment. The external heat sink may include a plurality of fins to increase the available surface area for heat dissipation towards the external environment. The plurality of fins may extend from a support base of the external heat sink. The external heat sink may be made of, or include, a material with high thermal conductivity. The material may be a metallic material, e.g., aluminum, in particular an alloy, or copper, in particular a copper alloy. The external heat sink may be arranged on an outer wall of the housing.In particular, the external heat sink can be arranged on one or more outer walls of the housing's main body. These outer walls can be side faces of the housing's main body. The external heat sink can be detachably mounted to an outer wall of the housing's main body, for example, via a mechanical connection. The external heat sink can be arranged to directly contact one or more walls of the housing's main body, thus thermally connecting the external heat sink to the housing, particularly the main body. The housing, in particular the main body, can in turn be in direct or indirect contact with the lighting unit housing and / or the partition. Furthermore, in particular, one or more inner walls of the housing, in particular the main body, can be in direct or indirect contact with the lighting unit housing and / or the partition.As a result, indirect thermal contact can be established between the external heat sink and the partition and / or the light unit housing. Due to this indirect thermal contact, heat generated within the housing interior, particularly in the first housing interior defined by the light unit housing, can be dissipated through the external heat sink, via the main housing body and / or the partition, towards the housing's external environment. Alternatively, the external heat sink can be in direct contact with the partition and / or the light unit housing, thus establishing direct thermal contact between the external heat sink and the partition and / or the light unit housing. In this alternative configuration, the main housing body can include a through-hole.The through-hole can be provided on a side face of the main housing body where the external heat sink is located. Through this through-hole, the external heat sink, for example, its support base, can directly contact the light unit housing and / or the partition. As a result, a direct thermal connection can be established between the partition and / or the light unit housing and the external heat sink, allowing heat generated within the housing interior, particularly in the first housing interior defined by the light unit housing, to be dissipated by the external heat sink towards the outside environment of the housing.

[0039] The optical crop evaluation device may further comprise an internal heat sink arranged within the housing interior. In particular, the internal heat sink may be located within the first housing interior defined by the partition. Specifically, the internal heat sink may be the light unit housing or an integral part of the light unit housing of the light source unit. Alternatively, the internal heat sink may be designed and configured separately from the light source unit to surround and / or be in direct contact with the light source unit. In such an alternative arrangement, the internal heat sink may, for example, be detachably mounted to the light unit housing via a mechanical connection. Specifically, the internal heat sink may be configured to surround and / or be in direct contact with the light unit housing.The internal heat sink can also be in direct contact with the housing, particularly with the main housing body. As a result, heat generated by the light unit, which is housed within the light unit housing, can be transferred towards an outer wall of the housing. Since the housing, particularly the main housing body, can be in direct contact with the external heat sink, heat generated by the light unit can, in turn, be dissipated to the external environment of the housing via the internal heat sink (light unit housing), the housing (main housing body), and the external heat sink. Alternatively, the internal heat sink (light unit housing) can be in direct contact with the external heat sink via an opening in the outer wall of the housing, particularly in the outer wall of the main housing body. In this configuration, the housing wall can be sandwiched between the two components.In other words, on the outside, the external heat sink can be arranged so that it contacts the internal heat sink (light unit housing) via the opening in the outer wall of the housing and the outer wall of the housing, while on the inside, the internal heat sink (light unit housing) can be arranged so that it contacts the external heat sink via the opening in the inner wall of the housing and the inner wall of the housing. The internal heat sink can be made of or comprise a material with high thermal conductivity. The material can be a metallic material, e.g., aluminum, especially an aluminum alloy, or copper, especially a copper alloy.

[0040] The optical crop evaluation device may further include a cooling fan. The cooling fan may be arranged in the interior of the housing defined by the housing. In particular, the cooling fan may be arranged in the second interior of the housing. Consequently, the light unit may be sealed from the cooling fan, in particular by the light unit housing. The cooling fan may be detachably mounted to the base plate of the housing. In particular, the cooling fan may be detachably mounted to the base plate via a mechanical connection, e.g., bolts and nuts. Furthermore, in particular, the cooling fan may be supported by a carrier plate, which is detachably mounted to the base plate, for example, via a mechanical connection, e.g., bolts and nuts. The cooling fan may be electrically driven. The cooling fan may be controlled or regulated by the controller of the optical crop evaluation device.The cooling fan can be configured to cool the optical sensor by circulating air within the housing interior. Specifically, since the cooling fan can be located in the second housing interior, which is sealed off from the first housing interior containing the light unit, the optical sensor is cooled by circulating air within the second housing interior. As a result, heat generated by the optical sensor can be dissipated by transferring at least some of the heat generated by the optical sensor to the housing, particularly the main housing body, and / or to the partition and / or the light unit housing. The cooling fan can be configured to generate an airflow toward the optical sensor. Accordingly, the cooling fan can be positioned so that it faces substantially toward the optical sensor and an interior wall of the housing.This means that the optical sensor can be located between an inner wall of the housing, in particular the main housing body, and the cooling fan.

[0041] The optical crop evaluation device may further comprise a thermoelectric heat pump arranged and configured within the housing interior to dissipate heat from the housing interior towards the external environment of the housing. In a first configuration, the thermoelectric heat pump may be detachably mounted to the base plate and / or the main body of the housing. In particular, the thermoelectric heat pump may be arranged in the second housing interior. Furthermore, the thermoelectric heat pump may be configured to dissipate heat from the first housing interior, that is, the heat generated by the light unit within the light unit housing, towards the external environment of the housing.In particular, the heat generated by the light unit can be dissipated towards the outside environment of the housing via the light unit housing and / or the partition and the thermoelectric heat pump located in the second housing compartment. Alternatively, in a second configuration, the thermoelectric heat pump can be detachably mounted to the base plate and / or the main body of the housing and located in the second housing compartment. In this configuration, the thermoelectric heat pump can be configured to dissipate heat from the second housing compartment, i.e., the heat generated by the optical sensor, towards the outside environment of the housing. In particular, the heat generated by the optical sensor can be dissipated directly towards the outside environment of the housing via the thermoelectric heat pump located in the second housing compartment.Furthermore, alternatively or in combination with the first and second configurations mentioned above, the optical crop evaluation device may also include an (additional) thermoelectric heat pump configured to dissipate heat from the first housing interior towards the housing's external environment. In particular, the (additional) thermoelectric heat pump may be detachably mounted to the light unit housing so that it is located within the first housing interior. Furthermore, the (additional) thermoelectric heat pump may be located within an opening in the housing to dissipate heat from the first housing interior—that is, the heat generated by the light unit within the light unit housing—directly towards the housing's external environment.

[0042] The optical crop evaluation device may further include a calibration unit configured to calibrate the optical sensor. The calibration unit may be located in the second housing compartment. In particular, the calibration unit may be detachably mounted to the base plate of the housing. The calibration unit may include a shutter configured to switch between an open state, in which light from the light unit is allowed to pass through the light projection aperture of the housing, and a closed state, in which light is prevented from passing through. This shutter may be formed by a circular disk body serving as a circular disk-shaped rotating body. The circular disk body may be capable of rotating about an axis extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the base plate.In particular, the circular disc body can be provided with a cutout formed by cutting out a portion in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential edge section of the circular disc body. This circular disc body can be driven to rotate by a drive motor. The circular disc body can be configured to allow light from the light unit to pass through the light projection aperture when the cutout is in a rotating position where it overlaps the projection aperture. In other words, the shutter is open. Conversely, when the cutout is moved away from the projection aperture, the projection aperture is blocked, and light from the light unit can no longer pass through it.In other words, the shutter is in the closed position. The drive motor can be a stepper motor and is configured to rotate the circular disc body into any desired phase of rotation. The drive motor can be controlled by the controller. The circular disc body can be provided with an inclined step section at an intermediate position between the outer and inner circumferential sections, allowing them to be displaced along the axis. This circular disc body can be made of a metal material and surface-treated to reflect light easily.

[0043] The calibration device further comprises a circular retaining element. In particular, the circular disk body can be provided with the circular retaining element at a position on the side facing away from the base plate. The circular retaining element can be configured to rotate together with the circular disk body. The retaining element is provided with a circular upper surface and a tubular circumferential surface that extends axially to one side from the outer circumferential section of the upper surface. This retaining element is positioned to cover the inner circumferential portion of the circular disk body. The circular disk body and the retaining element can be mechanically coupled to each other, for example, by bolts at four positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction, so that no gap is created between the contact positions.Thus, the circular disc body and the retaining element are positioned so that they can rotate together. The circular disc body and the retaining element can be driven by the drive motor of the calibration device.

[0044] The circular disc body further includes a measurement through-hole through which light from the target passes and reaches the optical sensor. The measurement through-hole can be positioned corresponding to the cut-out recess and located radially inside it. The upper surface of the retaining element is provided with an insertion hole at a position corresponding to the measurement through-hole of the circular disc body, through which light from the target is transmitted when the circular disc body is in the measurement rotation position. The configuration is designed such that light from the target passes through the light-receiving aperture of the base plate, the measurement through-hole of the circular disc body, and the insertion hole of the retaining element, and enters a light entry slot of the optical sensor.Accordingly, in the measuring rotation position of the shutter, the optical sensor can be aligned with the insertion hole of the circular retaining element and the measuring hole of the shutter. The circular retaining element can further be equipped with optical correction filters. In particular, the optical correction filters can provide a correction mechanism that receives the light from the light unit and obtains light information for correction, which is to be used when correcting an evaluation result with respect to the evaluation target. The optical correction filters can include a reference filter and / or a wavelength correction filter. In particular, the circular retaining element can further include a reference filter and a wavelength correction filter, which serve as optical correction filters, at positions that are the same distance from the center of rotation in the radial direction and differ from each other in the circumferential direction.The wavelength correction filter can be an optical filter with known absorption peaks at defined wavelengths. The wavelength correction filter can be rotated into the beam path to perform wavelength calibration of the optical sensor. By measuring the spectrum produced by the wavelength correction filter, the optical sensor can detect and correct any shifts or deviations in the spectral comparison. This ensures that temperature drift of the light source or aging effects of the detector do not affect the measurement accuracy. The reference filter can be a transparent reference surface, such as a frosted glass diffuser. This reference filter allows the optical sensor to regularly perform a reference measurement of the full lamp light spectrum. This reference is used for intensity calibration, i.e., to compensate for changes in the brightness of the lamp (light unit) or the ambient light.In combination with a dark measurement (sensor darkening to determine noise), this allows for the calculation of the actual absorption of the sample material by comparing sample, reference, and dark values. Specifically, the reference filter and the wavelength correction filter can be positioned at locations corresponding to the stepped portion of the circular disk body. The retaining element is further provided with cutouts in its circumferential portion. These cutouts are located on the outer surface in the radial direction of the mounted reference filter and the wavelength correction filter and penetrate the circumferential portion in the radial direction.Furthermore, the arrangement of the light source unit and the retaining element is such that when the circular disc body is rotated so that one of the cutouts formed in the circumferential surface portion of the retaining element is located in the position corresponding to the light projection aperture of the light unit housing, light projected outwards through the light projection aperture can pass through the cutout to reach the stepped portion of the circular disc body. In other words, when the circular disc body is moved from the measuring rotation position and is in a reference rotation position, the cutout corresponding to the reference filter can be positioned to correspond to the light projection aperture of the light unit housing.This configuration is designed such that projected light passing through the cutout is reflected from the inclined surface of the stepped portion of the circular disk body and passes through the reference filter onto the optical sensor. Furthermore, when the circular disk body is moved from the measurement rotation position to a wavelength correction (calibration) rotation position, the cutout corresponding to the wavelength correction filter is positioned to align with the light projection aperture of the light unit housing. This configuration is designed such that projected light passing through the cutout is reflected from the inclined surface of the stepped portion of the circular disk body and passes through the wavelength correction filter onto the optical filter.Accordingly, the circular disc body can be configured to also serve as a light reflector, reflecting light from the light source and directing the reflected light to the reference filter and the wavelength correction filter when the shutter is closed. Furthermore, a ready position is defined where none of the circular disc body's measurement aperture, the reference filter, or the wavelength correction filter are aligned with the optical sensor. When the circular disc body is in the ready position, its shielding section is positioned relative to the optical sensor. This creates a condition in which light from the light source is prevented from passing through the light projection aperture and is not directed to the reference filter and the wavelength correction filter.The circular disk body can be configured to be actuated by the drive motor into the ready position, the measuring rotation position, the wavelength correction rotation position, or the reference rotation position. The drive motor can be coupled to the circular disk body via the holding element. A drive shaft of the drive motor is directly coupled to the holding element without an intervening gearbox, so that no phase error occurs due to backlash. Accordingly, the circular disk body, the holding element, the drive motor, and the like constitute the calibration device. Furthermore, the shutter, the reference filter, and the wavelength correction filter are arranged so that they are aligned on the same plane and can move together, thus switching between a state in which the shutter is in operation and a state in which the reference filter and the wavelength correction filter are in operation.It should be noted that the shutter, reference filter, and wavelength correction filter are slightly displaced along the axis; however, "same plane" in this context refers to a state in which they are slightly shifted relative to each other. The calibration device can be configured so that the optical sensor is configured to perform an initial calibration at each system startup. In particular, the shutter position is referenced, and measurements are taken for lamp intensity, ambient light, and temperature compensation. During operation, fully automatic calibration sequences are performed at regular intervals, e.g., every 10 minutes. These typically include a dark test, a reference dark test, a reference measurement, and a wavelength correction measurement. This continuously adjusts the optical sensor to optimal accuracy, even under changing operating conditions (e.g.,Heating of the light unit, contamination, daylight variation).

[0045] The optical crop evaluation device can be part of a piece of equipment that can be connected to a work vehicle. In particular, the piece of equipment can be agricultural equipment, such as a mower, a mower conditioner, a tedder, a rake, a harvester, a baler, or a forage wagon. A work vehicle can include the piece of equipment, with the latter including the optical crop evaluation device. Alternatively, the optical crop evaluation device can be part of the work vehicle, such as an agricultural work vehicle (tractor).

[0046] In particular, the housing includes a partition that divides the housing interior into a first housing interior, which houses the light source unit, and a second housing interior, which houses the optical sensor.

[0047] Advantageously, by dividing the housing interior with a partition into a first compartment housing the light source unit and a second compartment housing the optical sensor, it is possible to prevent or at least reduce the transfer of heat generated by the light source to the optical sensor, thus ensuring measurement stability for the optical sensor. At the same time, the optical sensor and the light source can potentially be positioned close to each other while being thermally isolated, thus also achieving a compact housing.

[0048] In particular, the first housing interior is fluidically sealed from the second housing interior.

[0049] Advantageously, by fluidically sealing the first housing interior from the second housing interior, it is possible to further prevent or at least further reduce the transfer of heat generated by the light source to the optical sensor, thereby ensuring even greater measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0050] In particular, the partition wall includes thermal insulation material.

[0051] Advantageously, because the partition wall includes thermal insulation material, it is possible to further prevent or at least further reduce the transfer of heat generated by the light source to the optical sensor, thereby ensuring even greater measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0052] In particular, the optical crop evaluation device further comprises an external heat sink which is arranged on an outer wall of the housing and configured to dissipate heat from the interior of the housing towards the external environment of the housing.

[0053] Advantageously, by providing the optical crop evaluation device with an external heat sink, which is arranged and configured on an outer wall of the housing, it is possible to efficiently dissipate heat generated inside the housing towards the outside environment, thus keeping the optical sensor sufficiently cool to ensure its measurement stability.

[0054] In particular, the external heat sink is arranged in direct contact with the outer wall of the housing, especially wherein the external heat sink is in indirect contact with the partition.

[0055] Advantageously, by arranging the external heat sink in direct contact with the outer wall of the housing and especially in indirect contact with the partition, it is possible to dissipate heat generated inside the housing more efficiently towards the outside environment of the housing, thereby keeping the optical sensor sufficiently cool to ensure its measurement stability.

[0056] In particular, the external heat sink is configured to dissipate heat from the first interior compartment of the housing towards the outside environment of the housing.

[0057] Advantageously, by configuring the external heat sink to dissipate heat from the first housing interior towards the housing's external environment, it is possible to dissipate heat generated by the light source more efficiently towards the housing's external environment, thus keeping the optical sensor sufficiently cool to ensure its measurement stability.

[0058] In particular, the optical crop evaluation device further comprises an internal heat sink arranged in the interior of the housing, wherein the internal heat sink is configured to transfer heat from the light source unit towards an outer wall of the housing, in particular wherein the internal heat sink is configured to surround the light source unit and / or be in direct contact with the light source unit, or wherein the internal heat sink is designed as a light source unit housing.

[0059] Advantageously, by providing the optical crop evaluation device with an internal heat sink, which is arranged and configured inside the housing to transfer heat from the light source unit towards an outer wall of the housing, it is possible to dissipate heat generated by the light source more efficiently towards the outside environment of the housing, thus keeping the optical sensor sufficiently cool to ensure its measurement stability.

[0060] In particular, the internal heat sink is in direct contact with the external heat sink via an opening in the outer wall of the housing.

[0061] Advantageously, because the internal heat sink is in direct contact with the external heat sink via an opening in the outer wall of the housing, it is possible to transfer heat from the internal heat sink more efficiently to the external heat sink, thereby dissipating heat generated by the light source more efficiently towards the outside environment of the housing, thus keeping the optical sensor sufficiently cool to ensure its measurement stability.

[0062] In particular, the internal heat sink is in thermal contact with the external heat sink via the sandwich-like outer wall of the housing.

[0063] Advantageously, because the internal heat sink is in thermal contact with the external heat sink via the sandwich-like outer wall of the housing, it is possible to further increase the surface area available for heat dissipation, thereby dissipating heat generated by the light source more efficiently towards the outside environment of the housing, so that the optical sensor is kept sufficiently cool to ensure its measurement stability.

[0064] In particular, the optical sensor is located inside the housing on a side opposite the side on which the light source unit is located.

[0065] Advantageously, by arranging the optical sensor inside the housing on a side opposite the side on which the light source unit is located, it is possible to prevent or at least reduce the transfer of heat generated by the light source to the optical sensor, thereby ensuring even greater measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0066] In particular, the optical sensor is located inside the housing on a side opposite the side on which the external heat sink is located.

[0067] Advantageously, by arranging the optical sensor inside the housing on a side opposite the side on which the external heat sink is located, it is possible to keep the optical sensor essentially away from the section of the housing where heat is dissipated, thereby preventing or at least reducing the transfer of heat generated by the light source to the optical sensor, thus achieving greater measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0068] In particular, the optical crop evaluation device further comprises a cooling fan which is arranged and configured inside the housing to cool the optical sensor by circulating air within the housing.

[0069] Advantageously, by providing the optical crop evaluation device with a cooling fan, which is arranged and configured inside the housing, to cool the optical sensor by circulating air within the housing, it is possible to cool the optical sensor more efficiently, thereby ensuring higher measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0070] In particular, the cooling fan is located in the second housing interior and configured to cool the optical sensor by circulating air within the second housing interior.

[0071] In particular, the cooling fan is configured to generate an airflow towards the optical sensor.

[0072] In particular, the optical crop evaluation device further comprises a thermoelectric heat pump which is arranged and configured inside the housing to dissipate heat from the housing interior towards the outside environment of the housing.

[0073] Advantageously, by equipping the optical crop evaluation device with a thermoelectric heat pump, which is arranged and configured inside the housing, to dissipate heat from the housing interior towards the outside environment of the housing, it is possible to dissipate heat generated inside the housing more efficiently towards the outside environment, thereby ensuring higher measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0074] In particular, the thermoelectric heat pump is located in the second housing interior and configured to dissipate heat from the second housing interior towards the outside environment of the housing.

[0075] Advantageously, by arranging the thermoelectric heat pump in the second housing interior and configuring it to dissipate heat from the second housing interior towards the outside environment of the housing, it is possible to cool the optical sensor more efficiently, thereby ensuring higher measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0076] In particular, the thermoelectric heat pump is configured to dissipate heat from the first housing interior to the outside environment of the housing.

[0077] Advantageously, by configuring the thermoelectric heat pump to dissipate heat from the first housing interior towards the outside environment of the housing, it is possible to dissipate heat generated by the light unit source more efficiently towards the outside environment, thereby ensuring higher measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0078] In particular, the housing comprises a housing main body that defines the housing interior and a base plate, wherein the housing main body is detachably connected to the base plate to seal the housing interior from the external environment of the housing in a substantially fluidic manner.

[0079] Advantageously, by configuring the housing to include a housing main body defining the housing interior and a base plate, wherein the housing main body is detachably connected to the base plate to essentially fluidically seal the housing interior from the external environment of the housing, it is possible to effectively fluidically seal the housing interior from the external environment of the housing while simultaneously allowing easy access to the internal components of the device, for example for the purpose of maintenance and / or replacement of components.

[0080] In particular, the main body of the housing and / or the base plate are made of or comprise a metallic material, especially wherein the metallic material is aluminium.

[0081] Advantageously, the fact that the main housing body and / or the base plate are made of or comprise a metallic material, in particular where the metallic material is aluminium, makes it possible to dissipate heat generated inside the housing more efficiently towards the outside environment, thereby ensuring higher measurement stability for the optical sensor.

[0082] In particular, the optical sensor is mounted on the base plate.

[0083] Advantageously, because the optical sensor is mounted on the base plate, it is possible to easily access the optical sensor, for example for the purpose of maintenance and / or replacement of components.

[0084] In particular, the optical crop evaluation device further includes a calibration unit configured to calibrate the optical sensor.

[0085] Advantageously, by equipping the optical crop evaluation device with a calibration unit configured to calibrate the optical sensor, it is possible to ensure high measurement accuracy despite the use of cost-effective optical sensors with lower spectral resolution and higher measurement noise. Accordingly, stable measurement accuracy is ensured even with the use of lower-power sensors. The use of cost-effective optical sensors, in turn, leads to cost reductions, as these are typically standard components that offer lower costs, higher availability, and simplified maintenance compared to custom-designed optical sensors.

[0086] In particular, the calibration unit is housed in the second interior compartment of the casing.

[0087] In particular, the calibration unit is mounted on the base plate.

[0088] Advantageously, by placing the calibration unit in the first interior compartment of the housing, it is possible to prevent or at least reduce the transfer of heat from the light source to the calibration unit.

[0089] In particular, the base plate includes a single window configured to close a light projection aperture through which light projected by the light source unit passes, and a light receiving aperture through which light reflected from and / or transmitted through the evaluation target passes towards the optical sensor.

[0090] Advantageously, by configuring the base plate to include a single window configured to close a light projection aperture through which light projected by the light source unit passes and a light receiving aperture through which light reflected from and / or transmitted by the evaluation target passes to the optical sensor, it is possible to effectively seal the housing interior from the environment outside the housing, thereby increasing the durability of the optical evaluation device.

[0091] In particular, the optical sensor is a spectrometer.

[0092] In particular, the optical sensor has one or more grating elements that are housed within an optical sensor enclosure.

[0093] Advantageously, because the optical sensor has one or more grid elements housed within an optical sensor casing, it is possible to reduce the overall dimensions of the casing and thus of the optical crop evaluation device. Accordingly, the optical crop evaluation device can be easily integrated into any piece of equipment or machinery, even where the available space for the sensor is limited, e.g., in mowers or balers.

[0094] In particular, the optical sensor is mounted on a circuit board.

[0095] Advantageously, mounting the optical sensor on a printed circuit board simplifies both the manufacturing and assembly processes of the optical crop evaluation device. In fact, with in-house customized optical sensors, the optical placement and alignment of the sensor and grating elements are crucial for accuracy. In contrast, because an optical sensor incorporates one or more grating elements integrated into the sensor housing, which is directly mounted on a PCT (printed circuit board), no special optical alignment is required to achieve high measurement accuracy. This eliminates the need for trained engineers, equipment, testing, and other specialized skills, and enables the production of common electronic components on a single production line.Accordingly, both the manufacturing and maintenance of the optical crop evaluation device are simplified, thereby reducing the costs of manufacturing and maintenance.

[0096] In particular, the optical sensor has a spectral sensitivity range between approximately 640 nm and approximately 1050 nm.

[0097] In particular, the optical sensor has a maximum spectral resolution of approximately 20 nm.

[0098] In particular, the light source unit comprises a light unit housing that defines an interior space in which a light source is housed, and wherein the partition is arranged to cover the light unit housing.

[0099] Advantageously, by configuring the light source unit to include a light unit housing that defines an interior space in which a light source is housed, and wherein the partition is arranged to cover the light unit housing, it is possible to prevent or at least reduce the transfer of heat from the light source to the optical sensor.

[0100] In particular, the light unit housing is partly made of or partly comprises a metallic material.

[0101] In particular, the optical sensor is configured to detect one or more of the moisture content, crop proteins, or amylose.

[0102] According to another aspect of the present design, a device is provided which can be connected to a work vehicle, the device comprising the optical crop evaluation unit according to the present design.

[0103] In particular, the device is one of a mower, a mower conditioner, a tedder, a rake, a harvester, a baler or a feed wagon.

[0104] According to another aspect of the present design, a work vehicle is provided which includes the device according to the present design. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

[0105] These and other tasks, features, and advantages of the present design will become clearer upon reading the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. It is understood that even when embodiments are described separately, individual features of the same can be combined to form additional embodiments. Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device according to the present model; Fig. Figure 2 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device. Fig. 1 from a different viewpoint; Fig. Figure 3 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device. Fig. 1 from a different viewpoint; Fig. Figure 4 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device. Fig. 1 from a different viewpoint, with the external heat sink removed for better visibility; Fig. Figure 5 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device. Fig. 4, wherein the housing was removed to allow better visibility of the components housed inside the housing; Fig. Figure 6 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device. Fig. 5 from a different viewpoint; Fig. Figure 7 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device. Fig. 5 from a different viewpoint; Fig. Figure 8 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device equipped with the external heat sink or heat sink. Fig. 5 from a different viewpoint, with the PCB carrying the optical sensor removed for better visibility of the calibration unit; Fig. Figure 9 is a side view of the optical crop evaluation device equipped with the external heat sink, with the housing removed to allow better visibility of the components housed inside the housing; Fig. Figure 10 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device, with the base plate removed for better visibility of the optical sensor and light unit housing; Fig. 11 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device, with the main housing body removed to allow better visibility of the components housed inside the housing interior; Fig. 12 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device, with the light unit housing removed for better visibility of the light unit; Fig. Figure 13 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device, with the base plate removed for better visibility of the calibration unit's closure; Fig. 14 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device, with the main housing body and the PCB carrying the optical sensor removed to allow better visibility of the calibration unit's closure; Fig. Figure 15 is another perspective view of the optical crop evaluation device, with the main housing body and the PCB carrying the optical sensor removed to better show the circular retaining element of the calibration unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0106] With reference to Fig. 1 to 4, the optical crop evaluation device according to the present model is marked in its entirety with reference numeral 100. Furthermore, with reference to Fig. Figures 5 to 9 describe the optical crop evaluation device 100 as comprising a light source unit 10 configured to emit light in the direction of the evaluation target. The light source unit 10 is arranged within the housing interior 31 defined by the housing 30 such that it is essentially fluidically sealed from an external environment E of the housing 30. The light emitted by the light source unit 10 can pass through the housing 30 to the evaluation target. In particular, as shown in Figures 5 to 9, the light emitted by the light source unit 10 can be transmitted through the housing 30 to the evaluation target. Fig. Figure 3 shows that the light emitted by the light source unit 10 is transmitted through a light projection aperture 32 and a window 33 of the housing to the evaluation target. The light projection aperture 32 can be a through-opening of the housing 30, in particular a through-opening of a base plate 36 of the housing 30. The light projection aperture 32 can be dimensioned such that it corresponds to a size (e.g., diameter) of a light beam emitted by the light source unit 10.

[0107] With reference to Fig. 5 to 10 and 12, the light source unit 10 can comprise a light unit housing 11, which defines an interior space in which a light unit 12 is housed. The interior space of the light unit housing 10 can be sealed from the housing interior 31. Accordingly, the light unit 12 can be housed within the light unit housing such that it is fluidically sealed from the housing interior 31 defined by the housing 30, in particular from the space in which the optical sensor 20 is housed. That is, the light unit 12 can be fluidically sealed from the optical sensor 20, which is housed in the housing interior 31 defined by the housing 30. The light unit 12 can be a lamp, e.g., a halogen lamp, with a reflector 13. The light unit 12 can be placed on a base plate 14.The base mounting plate 14 can be detachably connected to the light unit housing 11, in particular to a base surface of the light unit housing 11. The light unit 12 can be detachably mounted on an upper support plate 15. The upper support plate 15 can be detachably mounted on the light unit housing 11, in particular on an upper surface of the light unit housing 11. The light unit 12 can be supported while being slightly inclined in the longitudinal direction of the light unit housing 11 in order to emit light, e.g., light collected by the reflector 13, in the direction of the light projection aperture of the light unit housing 11.

[0108] The light unit housing 11 can be configured to substantially seal the light unit from the housing interior 31. The light unit housing 11 can be box-shaped. The light unit housing 11 can be configured to accommodate the light unit 12 within its interior. Furthermore, the base mounting plate 14, the top support plate 15, the reflector 13, the heat-radiation blocking filter, and / or the diffusion filter can be accommodated within the light unit housing 11. The light unit housing 11 can include a light projection aperture 112, provided on a base surface 110 of the light unit housing 11, through which light emitted by the light unit 12 can be emitted from the light unit housing 11. The light projection aperture 112 can be sealed by a window 113, e.g., a glass window, which can be at least substantially partially transparent to light L emitted by the light unit 12.The light emitted from the light unit housing 11 can be transmitted to the evaluation target through the light projection aperture 32 of the housing and the window 33 of the housing, which closes the light projection aperture 32 of the housing 30. Accordingly, the light projection aperture 112 of the light unit housing 11 can be aligned with the light projection aperture 32 of the housing 30. The light projection aperture 112 of the light unit housing 11 can be a through-opening of the light unit housing 11 and can be dimensioned to correspond to a size (e.g., diameter) of a light beam emitted by the light unit 12. A bottom surface 110 of the light unit housing 11, e.g., the bottom surface on which the base mounting plate 14 for the light unit 12 is mounted, can be inclined with respect to a top surface 111 of the light unit housing 11.

[0109] In other words, an angle of less than 90° can be formed between the bottom surface 110 of the light unit housing 11 and the top surface 111 of the light unit housing 11. If the light source unit is mounted on the housing 30 (main body of the housing) and / or on the external heat sink or heat sink of the optical crop evaluation device 100, the bottom surface 110 of the light unit housing 11 can be inclined with respect to a bottom surface of the housing 30, in particular a top surface 362 of the base plate 36. In other words, an angle of less than 90° can be formed between the bottom surface of the housing (top surface 362 of the base plate 36) and the bottom surface 110 of the light unit housing 11.Advantageously, an inclined surface of the light unit housing 11 allows moisture generated within the light unit housing 11, particularly due to temperature changes caused by the light unit 12, to be directed away from the light unit 12, especially from the light projection aperture 112 of the light unit housing 11. In this respect, the light unit housing 11 can further comprise a collection channel adjacent to the inclined bottom surface of the light unit housing 11, in which moisture can be collected. Furthermore, with reference to... Fig. 8, Fig. 9, Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 the light unit housing 11 is in direct or indirect contact with an external heat sink 70 which is located outside the housing 30, so that heat generated inside the light unit housing 11 can be dissipated into the external environment which is outside the housing 30 of the optical crop evaluation device 100.

[0110] With reference to Fig. 6, Fig. 9, Fig. 10. The optical sensor 20 can include one or more grating elements (not visible) housed within an optical sensor housing 21. In other words, the optical sensor housing 21 can house the sensor, e.g., the image sensor, as well as one or more grating elements (not visible) configured to split light into its wavelength components. The optical sensor 20 can be mounted on a printed circuit board 22. The printed circuit board 22 can serve as a support plate for the optical sensor 20. In particular, the optical sensor 20 can be mounted on the base plate 36 of the housing 30 via the printed circuit board 22. The optical sensor 20 can be mounted on the base plate 36 of the housing 30 such that it is aligned with the light-receiving aperture 34 of the housing 30. In particular, the optical sensor can be mounted on the base plate 36 such that it faces the light-receiving aperture 34 and the window 33 of the housing 30.Accordingly, light reflected from and / or transmitted through the evaluation target can reach the optical sensor 20 after passing through the light-receiving aperture 34 and the window 33 of the housing 30. With reference to... Fig. 9. The optical sensor 20 can be arranged inside the housing interior 31 of the housing 30 on a side opposite the side on which the light source unit 10 is arranged. In particular, a gap can be provided between the optical sensor 20 and the light source unit 10. The optical sensor 20 can be arranged inside the housing interior on a side opposite the side on which the external heat sink 70 is arranged. In particular, the light source unit 10 can be arranged between the optical sensor 20 and the external heat sink 70 mounted on the housing 30.

[0111] With reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. The crop evaluation device may include a controller 40. The controller 40 may be configured to communicate with and control the optical sensor 20 and / or to control the light source unit 10. In particular, the controller may be configured to control the switching on and off of the light source unit 10. The controller 40 may be located in the housing 30 of the optical crop evaluation device, in particular in the interior of the housing 31. In particular, the controller 40 may be mounted on the base plate 36 of the housing 30.

[0112] With reference to Fig. From 1 to 15, the housing 30 can comprise a main housing body 35 and a base plate 36. The main housing body 35 can define the housing interior 31. The main housing body 35 can comprise a top surface 351 and a plurality of side surfaces 352. The top surface 351 and the plurality of side surfaces 352 together define the housing interior 31. The main housing body 35 further comprises a bottom opening 354. The main housing body can also comprise a circumferential flange 355 extending from a bottom section of the plurality of side surfaces 352. The circumferential flange 355 can surround the bottom opening 354 of the main housing body 35. The circumferential flange 355 can include one or more through-holes for receiving one or more screws.In one embodiment, at least one surface or several side surfaces 352 of the plurality of side surfaces 352 of the main housing body 35 are provided with one or more external heat sinks 70. In particular, the external heat sink 70 can be mounted on the at least one side surface 353 of the housing such that it is in contact with the side surface 353 of the main housing body 35. Alternatively, the external heat sink 70 can be mounted on at least one internal heat sink 73 such that it is in contact with the internal heat sink 73 and optionally also with the main housing body 35. With reference to . Fig. 4 The internal heat sink 73 can be provided in an opening 356 of a side surface 353 of the main housing body 35. With reference to Fig. 3. The main housing body 35 may further include one or more additional through-openings 357. The additional through-openings 357 may be arranged on one or more side faces 352 of the main housing body 35. Each of the additional through-openings 357 may accommodate a connection element, e.g., a power outlet and / or a data port, which is functional for connecting the optical crop evaluation device to one or more external units, e.g., a power supply unit and / or a controller of a work vehicle. The additional through-openings 357, each accommodating a connection element, may be configured to substantially seal the housing interior 31 from the external environment E of the housing 30, e.g., by means of a sealing gasket.

[0113] With reference to Fig. 5 to 9 The optical sensor 20 and the controller 40 can be mounted on the base plate 36 of the housing 30. Optionally, in addition to the optical sensor 20 and the controller 40, a calibration unit 50, a cooling fan 80 and / or a thermoelectric heat pump (not illustrated) can also be mounted on the base plate 36 of the housing 30. With reference to Fig. 3. The base plate 36 of the housing can include the light projection aperture 32 and the light reception aperture 34. The light projection aperture 32 and the light reception aperture 34 can be through-holes provided in the base plate 36. The base plate 36 can further include the window 33, which is detachably mounted on the base plate 36 and configured to close the light projection aperture 32 and the light reception aperture 34. The window 33 can be configured to substantially seal the light projection aperture 32 and the light reception aperture 34 from the external environment E of the housing 30. With reference to Fig. 9 The light projection aperture 32 and the light reception aperture 34 can be substantially aligned with the light source unit 10 and the optical sensor 20, respectively, such that a light beam emitted by the light source unit 10 first passes through the light projection aperture 32 and the window 33, strikes the evaluation target, and then, after being reflected by and / or transmitted through the evaluation target, is reflected back into the housing 10, in particular via the light reception aperture 34 and the window 33, back to the optical sensor 20. As described in Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the base plate 36 of the housing 30 can be fastened by one or more screws provided in one or more through-holes of the circumferential flange 355 of the main housing body 35, and corresponding one or more nuts screwed to the one or more screws and bearing against a bottom surface 360 ​​of the base plate 36, as shown in Figure 2. Fig. 3 shown, detachably connected to the main housing body 35. With reference to Fig. 5-7 and 11, the main housing body 35 or the base plate 36 can be provided with a seal 361 arranged in a corresponding groove (not illustrated). As in Fig. As illustrated in Figure 13, the groove can be provided in a bottom surface 3550 of the circumferential flange 355 of the housing main body 35, and the seal 361 can be removably housed within the groove. When the housing main body 35 is mounted on the base plate 36, the seal 361 is configured to simultaneously contact the housing main body 35 and the base plate 36 to essentially fluidically seal the housing interior 31 from an external environment E of the housing 30.

[0114] With reference to Fig. 5 to 8, the housing 30 may further comprise a partition 60 configured to divide the housing interior 31 into a first housing interior, which accommodates the light source unit 10, and a second housing interior, which accommodates the optical sensor 20. The first housing interior may correspond to the interior defined by the light unit housing 11, in which the light unit 12 is housed. The second housing interior may be part of the housing interior 31 defined by the housing 30, in particular by the housing main body 35. The first housing interior may be fluidically sealed from the second housing interior. In particular, the light unit housing 11 may be configured to seal the light unit 12 from the second housing interior, in which the optical sensor 20 is housed.

[0115] In one configuration (not illustrated), the partition can be part of the light unit housing. In particular, the partition 60 can correspond to the light unit housing 11, and furthermore, in particular, to one or more walls of the light unit housing 11. The one or more walls can be one of the bottom surface 110, the top surface 111, or one or more side surfaces of the light unit housing 11. Alternatively, as in Fig. Figures 5 to 8 illustrate that the partition 60 can be an additional wall, e.g., a cover layer, configured to at least partially cover the light unit housing 11. For example, the partition can be configured to integrally cover one or more side surfaces of the light unit housing 11 facing the second housing interior 31, whereas the bottom and top surfaces 110, 111 of the light unit housing 11 need not be covered by the partition 60. Likewise, the surface of the light unit housing 11 that contacts the external or internal heat sink and / or faces and / or contacts the main housing body 35 need not be covered by the partition 60.

[0116] With reference to Fig. As described in Figures 1 to 3, the optical crop evaluation device 100 may further comprise an external heat sink 70 arranged on an outer wall 37 of the housing 30. The external heat sink 70 may be configured to dissipate heat from the housing interior 31 towards the external environment E of the housing 30. The external heat sink 70 may comprise a plurality of fins 71 to increase the available surface area for heat dissipation towards the external environment E of the housing. The plurality of fins 71 may extend from a support base 72 of the external heat sink 70. The external heat sink 70 may be arranged on one or more outer walls 37 of the housing main body 35 of the housing 30. The one or more outer walls 37 of the housing main body 35 of the housing 30 may be a side face of the housing main body 35. As described in Figures 1 to 3, the external heat sink 70 may be arranged on one or more outer walls 37 of the housing main body 35 of the housing 30. Fig. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the external heat sink 70 can be arranged such that it directly contacts one or more walls of the main housing body 35 in order to thermally connect the external heat sink 70 to the housing 30, in particular to the main housing body 35. In particular, as shown in Fig. Figure 5 shows that the external heat sink 70 can be detachably mounted, for example, on at least one side face of the housing (main housing body) via one or more bolts connected to respective through-holes 358 provided in the housing (main housing body), and / or on the internal heat sink 73 via one or more bolts connected to respective holes 730 provided in the internal heat sink 73, and / or on the light unit housing 11 via one or more bolts connected to respective holes 114 provided in the light unit housing 11. The one or more bolts connected to the respective holes 114 provided in the light unit housing can also be connected to the housing (main housing body) via the respective through-holes 358. The housing 30, in particular the main housing body 35, can in turn be in direct or indirect contact with the light unit housing 11 and / or the partition 60.Furthermore, in particular, reference can be made to . Fig. 10 and Fig. 13 one or more inner walls 38 of the housing 30, in particular of the main housing body 35, are in direct or indirect contact with the light unit housing 11 and / or the partition 60. As a result, indirect thermal contact can be established between the external heat sink 70 and the partition 60 and / or the light unit housing 11. Due to the indirect thermal contact between the partition 60 and / or the light unit housing 11 and the external heat sink 70, heat generated within the housing interior 31, in particular in the first housing interior defined by the light unit housing 11, can be dissipated by the external heat sink 70 via the main housing body 35 and / or the partition 60 towards the external environment E of the housing 30.In an alternative configuration, the external heat sink 70 can be in direct contact with the partition 60 and / or the light unit housing 11, thus establishing direct thermal contact between the external heat sink 70 and the partition 60 and / or the light unit housing 11. In this alternative configuration, the main housing body 35 can have a through-opening 356 (see . Fig. 4) include. The through-opening 356 can be provided on a side surface of the main housing body 35, on which the external heat sink 70 is arranged. The external heat sink 70, in particular its support base 72, can directly contact the light unit housing 11 and / or the partition 60 via the through-opening 356 of the main housing body 35. As a result, a direct thermal connection can be established between the partition 60 and / or the light unit housing 11 and the external heat sink 70, so that heat generated within the housing interior, in particular in the first housing interior defined by the light unit housing 11, can be dissipated by the external heat sink 70 towards the external environment of the housing 30.

[0117] With reference to Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 9 The optical crop evaluation device 100 may further comprise an internal heat sink 73 arranged within the housing interior 31. In particular, the internal heat sink 73 may be arranged within the first housing interior defined by the partition 60. In particular, the internal heat sink 73 may be the light unit housing 11 or an integral part of the light unit housing 11 of the light source unit 10. Alternatively, the internal heat sink 73 may be designed and configured separately from the light source unit 10 to surround and / or be in direct contact with the light source unit 10. In particular, in this alternative configuration, the internal heat sink 73 may be configured to surround and / or be in direct contact with the light unit housing 11.The internal heat sink 73 can also be in direct contact with the housing 30, in particular with the main housing body 35. As a result, heat generated by the light unit 12, which is housed within the light unit housing 11, can be transferred towards an outer wall 37 of the housing 30. Since the housing 30, in particular the main housing body 35, can be in direct contact with the external heat sink 70, heat generated by the light unit 12 can, in turn, be dissipated to the external environment E of the housing in the following sequence: via the light unit housing 11, the internal heat sink 73, or via the light unit housing 11, the internal heat sink 73, the housing (main housing body) 30, and the external heat sink 70. Alternatively, the internal heat sink 73 can be in direct contact with the external heat sink 70 via an opening 356 in the outer wall 37 of the housing 30, in particular in the outer wall of the main housing body 35.In this in . Fig. In the configurations shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 9, the wall of the housing 30 can be sandwiched between the components. In other words, on the outside, the external heat sink 70 can be arranged so that it contacts the internal heat sink 73 via the opening 356 in the outer wall 37 of the housing 30, while on the inside, the internal heat sink 73 can be arranged so that it contacts the external heat sink 70 via the opening 356 in the inner wall 38 of the housing 30, and the inner wall 38 of the housing 30.

[0118] With reference to Fig. 5 to 9, the optical crop evaluation device 100 can further comprise a cooling fan 80. The cooling fan 80 can be arranged in the housing interior 31 defined by the housing 30. In particular, the cooling fan 80 can be arranged in the second housing interior. Consequently, the light unit 12 can be sealed from the cooling fan 80, in particular by the light unit housing 11. The cooling fan 80 can be detachably mounted on the base plate 36 of the housing 30. In particular, the cooling fan 80 can be detachably mounted on the base plate 36 by means of a mechanical connection, e.g., bolts and nuts (not illustrated). Furthermore, in particular, the cooling fan 80 can be supported by a carrier plate 81, which is detachably mounted on the base plate 36, for example, by means of a mechanical connection, e.g., bolts and nuts. The cooling fan 80 can be an electrically driven cooling fan.The cooling fan 80 can be controlled or regulated by the controller 40 of the optical crop evaluation device. As in . Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the cooling fan 80 can be configured to cool the optical sensor 20 by circulating air within the housing interior 31. Specifically, since the cooling fan 80 can be located in the second housing interior, which is sealed off from the first housing interior containing the light unit 12, the optical sensor 20 is cooled by circulating air within the second housing interior. Consequently, heat generated by the optical sensor 20 can be dissipated by transferring at least some of the heat generated by the optical sensor 20 to the housing, in particular to the main housing body 35, and / or to the partition 60 and / or to the light unit housing 11. The cooling fan 80 can be configured to generate an airflow towards the optical sensor 20.Accordingly, the cooling fan 80 can be arranged such that it faces essentially the optical sensor 20 and an inner wall 38 of the housing 30. That is, the optical sensor 20 can be arranged between an inner wall 38 of the housing 30, in particular the main body of the housing 35, and the cooling fan 80.

[0119] With reference to Fig. The optical crop evaluation device 100, as described in figures 13 to 15, can further comprise a calibration unit 50 configured to calibrate the optical sensor 20. The calibration unit 50 can be located in the second interior compartment of the housing. In particular, the calibration unit 50 can be detachably mounted on the base plate 36 of the housing 30. The calibration unit 50 can comprise a shutter 51 configured to switch between an open state, in which light from the light unit 12 is allowed to pass through the light projection aperture of the housing, and a closed state, in which light is prevented from passing through it. This shutter 51 can be formed by a circular disk body, which serves as a circular disk-shaped rotating body.The circular disc body can be configured to rotate about an axis extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the base plate 36. In particular, the circular disc body can be provided with a cutout 510 formed by cutting out a portion in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential edge section of the circular disc body. This circular disc body can be driven to rotate by a drive motor 52. The circular disc body can be configured to allow light from the light unit 12 to pass through the light projection aperture 32 when the cutout 510 is in a measuring rotation position where the cutout 510 overlaps the light projection aperture 32. In other words, the shutter 51 is in the open position.If, however, the cut-out recess 510 is displaced from the light projection aperture 32, the light projection aperture 32 is shielded, and the passage of light from the light unit 12 through the light projection aperture 32 is prevented. In other words, the shutter 51 is in the closed position. The drive motor 52 can be a stepper motor and is configured to rotate the circular disc body into any desired rotational phase. The drive motor 52 can be controlled by the controller 40. The circular disc body can be provided with an inclined step section 511 at an intermediate position between the outer circumferential section and the inner circumferential section, allowing them to be displaced along the axis. This circular disc body can be made of a metal material and subjected to a surface treatment to reflect light easily.

[0120] With reference to Fig. The calibration unit 50 further comprises a circular retaining element 53. In particular, the circular disk body can be provided with the circular retaining element 53 at a position on the side facing away from the base plate 36. The circular retaining element 53 can be configured to rotate together with the circular disk body. The retaining element 53 is provided with a circular upper surface section and a tubular circumferential surface section that extends laterally in the axial direction from the outer circumferential section of the upper surface section. This retaining element 53 is provided such that it covers the inner circumferential section of the circular disk body. The circular disk body and the retaining element 53 can be mechanically coupled to each other, for example, by bolts at four positions spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction, so that no gap is created between the contact positions.Thus, the circular disc body and the retaining element 53 are positioned so that they can rotate together. The circular disc body and the retaining element 53 can be driven by the drive motor 52 of the calibration unit 50.

[0121] With reference to Fig. 13 and Fig. The closure 51, in particular the circular disc body, further includes a measuring through-hole 512 through which light from the evaluation target passes and reaches the optical sensor 20. The measuring through-hole 512 can be arranged at a position corresponding to the cut-out recess 510 and located radially inside it. The upper surface portion of the retaining element 53 is provided with an insertion hole 531 at a position corresponding to the measuring through-hole 512 of the circular disc body, through which light from the evaluation target passes to the optical sensor 20 when the circular disc body is in the measuring rotation position.The configuration is designed such that light from the evaluation target passes through the light receiving aperture 34 of the base plate 36, the measuring through-hole 512 of the circular disk body, and the insertion hole 531 of the retaining member 53, and enters a light entry slot of the optical sensor 20. Accordingly, in the measuring rotation position of the shutter 51, the optical sensor 20 can be aligned with the insertion through-hole 531 of the circular retaining member 53 and the measuring through-hole 512 of the shutter 51. The circular retaining member 53 can also be provided with optical correction filters. In particular, the optical correction filters can provide a correction mechanism that receives the light from the light unit 12 and obtains light information for correction, which is to be used when correcting an evaluation result with respect to the evaluation target.The optical correction filters can include a reference filter and / or a wavelength correction filter. In particular, the circular retaining element can further include a reference filter 54 and a wavelength correction filter 55, which serve as optical correction filters, at positions that are equidistant from the center of rotation in the radial direction but differ from each other in the circumferential direction. The wavelength correction filter 55 can be an optical filter with known absorption peaks at defined wavelengths. The wavelength correction filter 55 can be rotated into the beam path to perform a wavelength calibration of the optical sensor 20. By measuring the spectrum produced by the wavelength correction filter 55, the optical sensor 20 can detect and correct any shifts or deviations in the spectral comparison.This ensures that temperature drift of the light source or aging effects of the detector do not affect the measurement accuracy. The reference filter 54 can be a transparent reference surface, e.g., a frosted glass diffuser. This reference filter 54 enables the optical sensor 20 to regularly perform a reference measurement of the full lamp light spectrum. This reference is used for intensity calibration, i.e., to compensate for changes in the brightness of the lamp (light unit) or the ambient light. In combination with a dark measurement (sensor darkening to determine noise), this allows the calculation of the actual absorption of the sample material by comparing sample, reference, and dark values. In particular, the reference filter 54 and the wavelength correction filter 55 can be positioned at locations corresponding to the step portion 511 of the circular disk body.The retaining member 53 is furthermore provided in its circumferential part with cutouts 56 (see . Fig.15). The cutouts 56 are located at positions on the outside in the radial direction of the mounted reference filter 54 and the wavelength correction filter 55 and penetrate the circumferential part in the radial direction. Furthermore, the arrangement of the light source unit 10 and the retaining member 35 is such that when the circular disk body is rotated so that one of the cutouts 56 formed in the circumferential surface part of the retaining member 53 is located in the position corresponding to the light projection aperture 112 of the light unit housing 11, light projected outwards via the light projection aperture 112 can pass through the cutout 56 to reach the step part 511 of the circular disk body (shutter 51).In other words, when the circular disk body is moved from the measuring rotation position and is in a reference rotation position, the cutout 56, corresponding to the reference filter 54, can be positioned to correspond to the light projection aperture 112 of the light unit housing 11. This configuration is designed such that light that has been projected and passed through the cutout 56 is reflected from the inclined surface of the step portion 511 of the circular disk body and passes through the reference filter 54 onto the optical sensor 20. Furthermore, when the circular disk body (shutter 51) is moved from the measuring rotation position and is in a wavelength correction (calibration) rotation position, the cutout 56, corresponding to the wavelength correction filter 55, is positioned to correspond to the light projection aperture 112 of the light unit housing 11.This configuration is designed such that light projected through the aperture 56 is reflected by the inclined surface of the stepped portion 511 of the circular disk body and passes through the wavelength correction filter 55 onto the optical sensor 20. Accordingly, the circular disk body (shutter 51) can also be configured to act as a light reflector, reflecting light from the light unit 12 and directing the reflected light to the reference filter 54 and the wavelength correction filter 55 when the shutter 51 is closed. Furthermore, a ready position is defined at the position where none of the measuring aperture 512 of the circular disk body, the reference filter 54, and the wavelength correction filter 55 are aligned with the optical sensor 20.When the circular disk body is in the ready position, the shielding section of the circular disk body is in the position corresponding to the optical sensor 20. This creates a condition in which light from the light unit 12 is prevented from passing through the light projection aperture 112 and is not directed to the reference filter 54 and the wavelength correction filter 55. The circular disk body can be configured to be actuated by the drive motor 52 into the ready position, the measuring position, the wavelength correction position, or the reference position. The drive motor 52 can be coupled to the circular disk body (shutter 51) via the retaining element 53. A drive shaft 57 of the drive motor 52 is directly coupled to the retaining element 53 without an intervening gearbox, so that no phase error occurs due to backlash.Accordingly, the circular disk body, the retaining element 53, the drive motor 52, and the like constitute the calibration unit 50. Furthermore, the shutter 51, the reference filter 54, and the wavelength correction filter 55 are arranged in a row on the same plane and are movable together, allowing them to switch between a state in which the shutter 51 is in operation and a state in which the reference filter 54 and the wavelength correction filter 55 are in operation. The shutter 51, the reference filter 54, and the wavelength correction filter 55 may be slightly displaced along their axis; however, "same plane" in this context implies a state in which they are slightly displaced relative to each other. The calibration unit 50 can be configured such that, at each system startup, the optical sensor 20 can be configured to perform an initial calibration.In particular, the position of the shutter 51 is referenced, and measurements are taken for lamp intensity, ambient light, and temperature compensation. During operation, fully automatic calibration sequences are performed at regular intervals, e.g., every 10 minutes. These typically include a dark test, a reference dark test, a reference measurement, and a wavelength correction measurement. This ensures that the optical sensor is continuously calibrated for optimal accuracy, even under changing operating conditions (e.g., heating of the light unit, contamination, daylight variation). Reference symbol list 100 optical crop evaluation device 10 light source units 11 light unit housings 110 Floor area (of the light unit housing) 111 upper surface (of the light unit housing) 112 Light projection aperture (of the light unit housing) 113 windows (of the light unit housing) 114 holes (of the light unit housing) 12 light units 13 Reflector 14 Base mounting plate 15 upper support plate 20 optical sensors 21 optical sensor housing 22 Circuit board (of the optical sensor) 30 cases 31 Interior of the housing 32 Light projection aperture (of the housing) 33 windows (of the casing) 34 Light receiving aperture (of the housing) 35 Main housing body 351 upper surface (of the main housing body) 352 side surfaces (of the main housing body) 353 side surface equipped with external heat sink 354 Bottom opening (of the main housing body) 355 circumferential flange (of the main housing body) 3550 Base area of ​​the circumferential flange (of the main housing body) 356 Opening in a side surface (of the main housing body) 357 additional opening(s) (of the main housing body) 358 through holes in the main housing body 360° floor area (of the base plate) 361 Seal 36 Base plate 37 Outer wall (of the housing) 38 Inner wall (of the housing) 40 controllers 50 calibration units 51 Closure 510 cut-out recess (of the closure) 511 inclined step section (of the closure) 512 Measuring hole (of the closure) 52 Drive motor (of the calibration device) 53 circular retaining element (of the calibration device) 531 Insertion hole (of the circular retaining element) 54 Reference filters 55 wavelength correction filters 56 cutouts (of the circular retaining element) 57 Drive shaft 60 partition wall 70 external heat sink 71 ribs 72 Support base (of the external heat sink) 73 internal heat sink 730 holes (of the internal heatsink) 80 Cooling fan 81 Mounting plate (of the cooling fan) E Outdoor environment

Claims

[1] Optical crop evaluation device (100), comprising: a light source unit (10) configured to emit light in the direction of an evaluation target; an optical sensor (20) configured to receive light emitted by the light source unit (10) and reflected by and / or transmitted through the evaluation target, and a housing (30) that defines a housing interior, wherein the light source unit (10) and the optical sensor (20) are arranged in the housing interior (31), and wherein the housing interior (31) is essentially fluidically sealed from an external environment (E) of the housing (30). [2] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the housing (30) comprises a partition (60) which divides the housing interior (31) into a first housing interior which accommodates the light source unit (10) and a second housing interior which accommodates the optical sensor (20). [3] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the first housing interior is fluidically sealed from the second housing interior. [4] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the partition (60) comprises thermal insulation material. [5] Optical crop evaluation device according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an external heat sink or heat sink (70) which is arranged and configured on an outer wall (37) of the housing (30) to dissipate heat from the interior of the housing (31) towards the outer environment (E) of the housing (30). [6] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 5, wherein the external heat sink (70) is arranged in direct contact with the outer wall (37) of the housing (30), in particular wherein the external heat sink (70) is in indirect contact with the partition (60). [7] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the external heat sink (70) is configured to dissipate heat from the first housing interior towards the external environment (E) of the housing (30). [8] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising an internal heat sink or heat sink (73) arranged in the interior of the housing (31), wherein the internal heat sink (73) is configured to transfer heat from the light source unit (10) towards an outer wall of the housing (30), in particular wherein the internal heat sink (73) is configured to surround the light source unit (10) and / or is in direct contact with the light source unit (10) or wherein the internal heat sink (73) is designed as a light unit housing (11). [9] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 8 with reference to claim 5, wherein the internal heat sink (73) is in direct contact with the external heat sink (70) via an opening (356) in the outer wall of the housing (30). [10] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 8 with reference to claim 5, wherein the internal cooling element (73) is in thermal contact with the external cooling element (70) via the outer wall (37) of the housing (30), which is sandwiched between them. [11] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the optical sensor (20) is arranged inside the housing interior (31) on a side opposite the side on which the light source unit (10) is arranged. [12] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the optical sensor (20) is arranged inside the housing interior (31) on a side opposite the side on which the external heat sink (70) is arranged. [13] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a cooling fan (80) arranged and configured in the housing interior (31) to cool the optical sensor (20) by circulating air within the housing interior (31). [14] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 13, wherein the cooling fan (80) is arranged in the second housing interior and configured to cool the optical sensor (20) by circulating air within the second housing interior. [15] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the cooling fan (80) is configured to generate an airflow in the direction of the optical sensor (20). [16] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a thermoelectric heat pump arranged and configured in the housing interior (31) to dissipate heat from the housing interior (31) towards the outside environment (E) of the housing (30). [17] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 16, wherein the thermoelectric heat pump is arranged and configured in the second housing interior to dissipate heat from the second housing interior towards the outside environment (E) of the housing (30). [18] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the thermoelectric heat pump is configured to dissipate heat from the first housing interior towards the outside environment (E) of the housing. [19] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the housing (30) comprises a housing main body (35) defining the housing interior (31) and a base plate (36), wherein the housing main body (35) is detachably mounted on the base plate (36) to substantially fluidically seal the housing interior (31) from the external environment (E) of the housing (30). [20] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 19, wherein the main housing body (35) and / or the base plate (36) are made of a metallic material; or comprise such a material; in particular wherein the metallic material is aluminium. [21] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the optical sensor (20) is mounted on the base plate. [22] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 21, further comprising a calibration unit (50) configured to calibrate the optical sensor (20). [23] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 22, wherein the calibration unit (50) is housed in the second housing interior. [24] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 22 or 23 with reference to claim 19, wherein the calibration unit (50) is mounted on the base plate (36). [25] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of claims 19 to 24, wherein the base plate (36) comprises a single window configured to close a light projection aperture (32) through which light projected by the light source unit (21) passes and a light receiving aperture (34) through which light reflected from and / or transmitted through the evaluation target passes in the direction of the optical sensor (20). [26] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the optical sensor (20) is a spectrometer. [27] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the optical sensor (20) has one or more grid elements which are housed within an optical sensor housing (21). [28] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 27, wherein the optical sensor (20) is mounted on a circuit board (22). [29] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the optical sensor (20) has a spectral sensitivity range between approximately 640 nm and approximately 1050 nm. [30] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the optical sensor (20) has a maximum spectral resolution of approximately 20 nm. [31] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein the light source unit (10) comprises a light unit housing (11) which defines an interior space in which a light unit (12) is housed, and wherein the partition (60) is arranged such that it at least partially covers the light unit housing (11). [32] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to claim 31, wherein the light unit housing (11) is partially made of or comprises a metallic material. [33] Optical crop evaluation device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein the optical sensor (20) is configured to detect one or more of moisture content, crop proteins or amylose. [34] Device that can be connected to a work vehicle, wherein the device comprises the optical crop evaluation device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 33. [35] Device according to claim 34, wherein the device is a mower, a mower conditioner, a tedder, a rake, a harvester, a baler or a feed wagon. [36] Work vehicle comprising the device according to claim 34 or 35.

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