Crop measurement apparatus

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of suppressing disturbance due to external light during measurement.SOLUTION: A crop measurement device 1 according to the present disclosure includes a light emitting unit 6 that emits light, a light receiving unit 16 that receives reflected light of the light reflected by a crop, and a light shielding member 30 provided around the light emitting unit 6 and the light receiving unit 16. The shading member 30 has a housing part 32 for housing at least a part of the farm products.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to crop measurement devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a handy measuring device that irradiates light onto an object to be measured, such as a fruit, and performs spectroscopic analysis of the reflected light to obtain quality values ​​such as sugar content and acidity of the object to be measured. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-116141 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The conventional measuring device includes a plurality of light sources and a light receiving element. The light sources and the light receiving element are mounted on a single substrate. The light receiving element is exposed on the surface of the substrate and receives light reflected from the object to be measured.

[0005] In the above-mentioned measuring device, a substrate on which a plurality of light sources and light receiving elements are provided is brought close to the surface of the fruit to perform the measurement. However, when the substrate is placed close to the fruit for measurement, light may enter from the gap between the fruit and the substrate, and the light receiving unit may receive both the reflected light from the fruit and the external light, which may result in a decrease in measurement accuracy. That is, the above-mentioned measuring device may be subject to disturbance by external light during measurement.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that can suppress disturbance caused by external light. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The presently disclosed crop measuring device includes a light-emitting unit that emits light, a light-receiving unit that receives light reflected by the crop, and a light-shielding member provided around at least one of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit. The light-shielding member has a storage unit that stores at least a portion of the crop. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, disturbance caused by external light can be suppressed during measurement. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a crop measuring device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the agricultural product measuring device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an external view of the farm crop measuring device according to the first embodiment as viewed from the X1 direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state when measuring a crop using the crop measuring device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a crop measuring device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a top view of the crop measuring device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a view of the crop measuring device according to the second embodiment as viewed from the Y1 direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which agricultural products are stored in the storage section. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another example of the internal configuration of the agricultural product measuring device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] First, the contents of the embodiment will be listed and explained. [Outline of the embodiment] (1) The presently disclosed crop measuring device includes a light-emitting unit that emits light, a light-receiving unit that receives light reflected by the crop, and a light-shielding member provided around at least one of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit. The light-shielding member has a storage unit that stores at least a portion of the crop. According to the above configuration, the agricultural product to be measured is contained in the container, and therefore, during measurement, light from outside is blocked by the light blocking member. As a result, disturbance caused by external light can be suppressed during measurement.

[0011] (2) In the agricultural product measuring device of (1) above, when the storage section includes a recess that opens to the first surface of the shading member, the inner surface of the recess may have an exposed portion that exposes at least one of the light-emitting section and the light-receiving section. In this case, light can be irradiated onto the crops housed in the recess, or reflected light can be received.

[0012] (3) In the agricultural product measuring device of (2) above, the contour shape of the opening of the recess on the first surface may have a shape in which the length in a first direction on the first surface is different from the length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this case, the shape of the recess can be made to fit the shape of agricultural produce having an elongated outline, such as grapes.

[0013] (4) In the agricultural crop measuring device of (2) or (3) above, when the inner surface of the recess has a bottom surface that is located at the bottom of the recess and includes the exposed portion, the contour shape of the bottom surface when the first surface is viewed from the front may be smaller than the contour shape of the opening of the recess when the first surface is viewed from the front, and may be located at the center of the contour shape of the opening of the recess. In this case, light is irradiated or reflected light is received near the bottom surface of the recess, so that disturbance caused by external light can be more effectively suppressed.

[0014] (5) Furthermore, in the agricultural crop measuring device of (2) or (3) above, if the inner surface of the recess has a bottom surface located at the bottom of the recess and including the exposed portion, and an inclined surface connecting from the edge of the bottom surface to the opening of the recess, the inclined surface may have a slope that widens from the bottom surface toward the opening. In this case, light is irradiated or reflected light is received near the bottom surface of the recess. Furthermore, the shape of the inner surface of the recess can be made to fit the shape of agricultural produce having an elongated outline, such as grapes.

[0015] (6) In the agricultural crop measuring device of (1) above, the light blocking member may further include a storage section adjustment mechanism that adjusts the size of the storage section. In this case, the size of the storage section can be changed depending on the size of the crops.

[0016] (7) In the agricultural product measuring device of (6) above, the storage unit may have a base having an exposed surface on which at least one of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit is exposed, and a strip-shaped member provided on the base so as to cover the exposed surface. In this case, the storage unit can store agricultural products in a space surrounded by the base and the strip-shaped member. Furthermore, the storage unit adjustable mechanism can change the size of this space by adjusting the length of the portion of the strip-shaped member that covers the exposed surface.

[0017] (8) In the agricultural crop measuring device of (7) above, when the base has a first fixing portion on a first side of the base to which a first end of the strip-shaped member is fixed, and the storage portion adjustable mechanism is provided on a second side of the base opposite to the first side and has a rail extending from the base in a direction opposite to the direction in which the exposed surface faces, and a slider that moves along the rail, the slider may have a second fixing portion to which a second end of the strip-shaped member opposite the first end is fixed. In this case, the length of the portion of the belt-shaped member that covers the exposed surface can be changed by the slider, thereby making it possible to vary the size of the storage section.

[0018] (9) In the agricultural crop measuring device described above in (8), the base may have a holding portion for holding the belt-shaped member on a second side of the base opposite to the first side. In this case, the portion of the belt-shaped member that covers the exposed surface is held by the first side and the second side of the base.

[0019] (10) In the agricultural produce measuring device according to any one of (7) to (9) above, both ends of the storage section in the strip width direction may be open to the outside. In this case, it becomes easy to take agricultural products into and out of the storage section.

[0020] [Details of the embodiment] Preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. At least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any manner.

[0021] [Regarding the first embodiment] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a crop measuring device according to a first embodiment. The agricultural product measuring device 1 is a device used to measure the quality values ​​of agricultural products. Measurable quality values ​​include, for example, sugar content, acidity, pH, and polyphenol content. Crop measuring device 1 has the function of emitting light including near-infrared rays toward crops and receiving light reflected from the crops. Furthermore, crop measuring device 1 has the function of separating the reflected light into spectra and outputting information related to the near-infrared rays in the reflected light as crop quality information. The reflected light includes not only light reflected from the surface of the crop, but also diffuse reflected light, which occurs when light penetrates the interior of the crop, scatters within the crop, and is then emitted back out.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the agricultural product measuring device 1 includes a housing 2, a handle 3, a light blocking member 30, and a power switch 5. The housing 2 is a member made of resin or the like, and has a horizontally long shape. Inside the housing 2, circuits and the like for realizing the functions of the agricultural crop measuring device 1 are housed.

[0023] In the following description, the three mutually orthogonal directions in each drawing are referred to as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, one of the X directions is referred to as the X1 direction, and the opposite direction of the X1 direction is referred to as the X2 direction. One of the Y directions is referred to as the Y1 direction, and the opposite direction of the Y1 direction is referred to as the Y2 direction. One of the Z directions is referred to as the Z1 direction, and the opposite direction of the Z1 direction is referred to as the Z2 direction.

[0024] The housing 2 has a horizontally elongated shape along the Y direction. The handle 3 extends along the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the housing 2, and is provided on the outer surface of the housing 2. The handle 3 is a part that is held by an operator who operates the agricultural produce measuring device 1. The power switch 5 is a switch for starting up the agricultural crop measuring device 1. The power switch 5 has a function of switching the state of the agricultural crop measuring device 1 between an activated state and a stopped state in response to an operator's operation input. In this embodiment, the power switch 5 is provided on the side of the housing 2, but is not limited to this and may be provided on the top or end surface of the housing 2 or on the handle 3. The light blocking member 30 is provided at the tip of the housing 2 on the Y1 direction side. The light blocking member 30 has a main body 31 made of resin and having a truncated cone shape. The main body 31 has a first surface 31a which is a large diameter surface and a second surface 31b which is a small diameter surface. The second surface 31b is a surface that is parallel to the XZ plane and faces the Y2 direction. The second surface 31b is connected to the housing 2. The first surface 31a is a surface parallel to the XZ plane and facing the Y1 direction. In other words, it is a surface opposite to the surface on which the housing 2 and the light emitting and receiving unit 4, which will be described later, are attached.

[0025] Main body 31 has storage section 32 for storing at least a portion of the produce. Storage section 32 includes recess 34. Recess 34 is provided so as to open to first surface 31a. The light blocking member 30 will be described in detail later.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the agricultural crop measuring device 1. The crop measuring device 1 further includes a light projecting and receiving unit 4. The light projecting and receiving unit 4 is provided at the tip of the housing 2 on the Y1 direction side. The light projecting and receiving unit 4 has a light source circuit 6, a protective plate 8, a holding unit 10, and a light receiving unit 16. The light source circuit 6 has a plurality of light sources 12 and a circuit board 14. The plurality of light sources 12 have the function of emitting light to be emitted to the crops G. The plurality of light sources 12 are LED elements. The plurality of light sources 12 emit light including near-infrared rays. The light source circuit 6 has the function of a light-emitting unit that emits light. In the following description, the light source circuit 6 is also referred to as the light-emitting unit 6. Although grapes are shown as the crop G here, other crops such as apples, peaches, pears, tomatoes, etc. may also be used.

[0027] The circuit board 14 is a dielectric substrate made of polyimide resin, epoxy resin, PPE resin, fluororesin, or the like. The circuit board 14 has a mounting surface 14a on which a plurality of light sources 12 are mounted. The circuit board 14 has a disk shape. The circuit board 14 has a hole 14b. The center of the hole 14b coincides with the center of the outline of the circuit board 14. The light receiving unit 16 is provided in the hole 14b so as to be exposed to the protective plate 8. The light receiving unit 16 has the function of receiving light from the crops G.

[0028] The protection plate 8 is a member having a disk shape, and is made of a glass plate or a resin plate that transmits at least near-infrared rays. The holder 10 is a resin member integrally formed at the end of the housing 2, and has an opening 11. The opening 11 communicates between the inside and outside of the housing 2. The opening 11 has a cylindrical inner circumferential surface 11a. The light-emitting unit 6 and the protective plate 8 are held and fixed on the inner circumferential surface 11a of the opening 11. The holding portion 10 holds the periphery of the light emitting portion 6 and the periphery of the protective plate 8. Therefore, the light emitting portion 6 and the protective plate 8 are fixed to the inner circumferential surface 11a so as to close the opening hole 11.

[0029] The light-emitting unit 6 and the protective plate 8 are arranged along the XZ plane. The light-emitting unit 6 and the protective plate 8 are arranged concentrically and parallel to each other, facing each other. The light-emitting unit 6 and the protective plate 8 are arranged in this order in the Y1 direction. The mounting surface 14a of the light-emitting unit 6 faces the Y1 direction. In other words, the mounting surface 14a faces the outside of the housing 2. Therefore, the light emitted by the light source 12 of the light emitting unit 6 passes through the protective plate 8 and is emitted to the outside.

[0030] The light receiving unit 16 is a component including a single optical fiber or a bundle of multiple optical fibers, and is fixed inside the housing 2. The light receiving unit 16 has a rod shape that extends along the Y direction of the housing 2. The light receiving unit 16 has a light receiving surface 16a and an end surface 16b. The light receiving surface 16a is an end surface that faces the protection plate 8 (Y1 direction side) and faces the protection plate 8. The end surface 16b is an end surface opposite to the light receiving surface 16a. The light receiving section 16 has a function of guiding light incident from a light receiving surface 16a to an end surface 16b.

[0031] The end of the light receiving unit 16 on the light receiving surface 16a side is inserted into the hole 14b of the circuit board 14. The light receiving surface 16a is located inside the hole 14b. The light receiving surface 16a is exposed to the protection plate 8. The light receiving section 16 receives light that enters the inside of the housing 2 through the protection plate 8 on a light receiving surface 16a. In other words, the outer surface of the protection plate 8 constitutes the light emitting / receiving surface 4a for emitting light and receiving light reflected from the crops G. The light receiving unit 16 guides the light received by the light receiving surface 16a to an end surface 16b, which in turn is fed to a spectrometer 18 at a subsequent stage.

[0032] The agricultural crop measuring device 1 further includes a spectrometer 18 , a control circuit 20 , and a power supply circuit 22 . The spectroscope 18 , the control circuit 20 , and the power supply circuit 22 are housed inside the housing 2 . The spectrometer 18 has a function of splitting the light guided from the light receiving unit 16 and converting the light intensity for each wavelength in a predetermined wavelength range into a signal output. The signal output of the spectrometer 18 is provided to the control circuit 20. The control circuit 20 is a computer having a processing unit configured with a processor etc., a storage unit etc. The control circuit 20 can be connected to an external computer 29 via an interface unit 24 provided in the housing 2. Control circuit 20 has a function of controlling spectrometer 18 and power supply circuit 22. Control circuit 20 also controls light-emitting unit 6 via power supply circuit 22. Furthermore, control circuit 20 has a function of generating quality information based on the signal output provided from spectrometer 18 and providing the information to computer 29 external to agricultural produce measuring device 1. The quality information includes information about the light intensity of the dispersed light in the near-infrared region. The computer 29 uses the quality information to calculate and output quality values ​​such as sugar content and acidity. The power supply circuit 22 converts power given from an external source and supplies the converted power to the light emitting unit 6 , the spectroscope 18 , and the control circuit 20 . Each unit including power supply circuit 22 is switched between an operating state and a stopped state by power switch 5. When each unit including power supply circuit 22 is switched from the stopped state to the operating state, agricultural produce measuring device 1 enters an activated state.

[0033] The light from light-emitting unit 6 emitted from light-emitting / receiving surface 4a is irradiated onto crops G stored in storage unit 32 and reflected by crops G. The light reflected from crops G reaches light-emitting / receiving surface 4a. Light from light-emitting / receiving surface 4a may also pass through crops G and reach light-emitting / receiving surface 4a again. As described above, the light-receiving surface 16a is exposed to the protective plate 8. Therefore, the reflected light and transmitted light that reach the light-emitting / receiving surface 4a pass through the protective plate 8 and are incident on the light-receiving surface 16a of the light-receiving unit 16. As a result, the reflected light and transmitted light are received by the light-receiving unit 16.

[0034] The reflected light and transmitted light incident on the light receiving surface 16a are guided to the spectroscope 18 by the main body of the light receiving unit 16. The spectroscope 18 separates the reflected light and transmitted light and provides quality information to the computer 29. As a result, the computer 29 determines the quality value of the crop G.

[0035] [Regarding the light blocking member 30] As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 31 of the light blocking member 30 is provided on the holding part 10. The main body 31 has the accommodation portion 32 (recess 34) and also a through-hole 36. The through-hole 36 passes through the center of the main body 31 in the Y direction. The through hole 36 has an annular surface 36a, an annular step 36b, and an opening 36c. The annular surface 36a is provided on the second surface 31b side of the through-hole 36. The annular surface 36a abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the holder 10. When the holder 10 is inserted into the annular surface 36a, the main body 31 is fixed to the housing 2. Therefore, the main body 31 is provided around the light-emitting unit 6 and the light-receiving unit 16.

[0036] The annular step 36b is a surface parallel to the XZ plane and rises radially inward from the edge of the annular surface 36a on the Y1 direction side. The end face of the holder 10 on the Y1 direction side abuts against the annular step 36b. The annular step 36b determines the position of the light blocking member 30 relative to the housing 2 in the Y direction. The opening 36c is a circular opening where the through-hole 36 connects to the recess 34.

[0037] As described above, the light blocking member 30 has the recess 34. The through-hole 36 opens into the recess 34. The first surface 31a of the light blocking member 30 includes the recess 34 as well as a flat portion 38. The flat portion 38 is a flat portion parallel to the XZ plane. The recess 34 is recessed in the Y2 direction relative to the flat surface 38. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the recess 34 has an opening 34a and an inner surface 34b. The inner surface 34b has a bottom surface 34b1 and an inclined surface 34b2. The bottom surface 34b1 is a surface located on the bottom side of the recess 34 (the Y2 direction side). The inclined surface 34b2 is a surface that connects the edge of the bottom surface 34b1 to the opening 34a. The inclined surface 34b2 has an inclination that widens from the bottom surface 34b1 toward the opening 34a.

[0038] The opening 36c is blocked by inserting the holder 10 into the through-hole 36. Therefore, part or all of the protective plate 8 blocking the opening 36c becomes the bottom surface 34b1. In other words, the light emitting and receiving surface 4a of the protective plate 8 is included in (the bottom surface 34b1 of) the inner surface 34b of the recess 34.

[0039] Therefore, the light-emitting unit 6 and the light-receiving unit 16 are exposed to the inside of the recess through the protective plate 8. The protective plate 8 constitutes an exposure portion that exposes the light-emitting unit 6 and the light-receiving unit 16 to the inside of the recess .

[0040] The opening 34a is the boundary between the recess 34 and the flat portion 38. Fig. 3 is an external view of the agricultural produce measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment as viewed from the Y1 direction. Fig. 3 shows a front view of the first surface 31a of the light blocking member 30. 3, the contour shape of opening 34a in first surface 31a has a shape in which the length in the X direction (first direction) is different from the length in the Z direction (second direction) perpendicular to the X direction. More specifically, the contour shape of opening 34a has an elliptical shape with the minor axis parallel to the X direction and the major axis parallel to the Z direction.

[0041] Furthermore, the contour shape of the bottom surface 34b1 when the first surface 31a is viewed from the front is smaller than the contour shape of the opening 34a and is located approximately in the center of the contour shape of the opening 34a.

[0042] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state when measuring a crop G using the crop measuring device 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the crop G is held by the hand of an operator wearing a light-shielding glove 100, and the light-shielding member 30 of the crop measuring device 1 is pressed against the surface of the crop G opposite the light-shielding glove 100. At this time, light blocking member 30 is pressed against recess 34 so that a portion of crop G is contained within recess 34. In other words, the internal space of recess 34 is a space for containing crop G. Thereafter, when light emitting unit 6 is turned on, the light from light emitting unit 6 is irradiated onto crops G in recess 34 (container 32). This allows the quality value of crop G to be determined.

[0043] According to the above configuration, a portion of crop G to be measured is accommodated in recess 34 of accommodation section 32, and therefore light from outside is blocked by light blocking member 30 during measurement. As a result, disturbance caused by external light can be suppressed during measurement.

[0044] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the inner surface 34b of the recess 34 has a protective plate 8 as an exposed portion that exposes the light-emitting portion 6 and the light-receiving portion 16, so that light can be appropriately irradiated onto the crops G contained in the recess 34 and the reflected light can be received. Furthermore, in the above configuration, the contour shape of the bottom surface 34b1 of the inner surface of the recess 34, including the light emitting / receiving surface 4a, is smaller than the contour shape of the opening 34a and is located in the center of the contour shape of the opening 34a. As a result, light is irradiated near the bottom surface 34b1 of the recess 34 and reflected light is received, so that disturbance caused by external light can be more effectively suppressed.

[0045] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the contour shape of the opening 34a has a shape (elliptical shape) in which the length in the X direction is different from the length in the Z direction, so that the shape of the recess 34 can be made to fit the shape of agricultural produce such as grapes, which have an elongated contour shape. Furthermore, since the inclined surface 34b2 of the recess 34 has an inclination that widens from the bottom surface 34b1 toward the opening 34a, light is irradiated and reflected light is received near the bottom surface 34b1 of the recess 34. Furthermore, the shape of the inner surface 34b of the recess 34 can be made to fit the shape of agricultural produce with an elongated outline, such as grapes.

[0046] [Regarding the second embodiment] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the farm crop measuring device 1 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 6 is a top view of the farm crop measuring device 1 according to the second embodiment. The light blocking member 30 of this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that the storage section 40 is composed of a base section 44 and a strip-shaped member 46, and in that a storage section adjusting mechanism 42 is provided.

[0047] Fig. 7 is a view of the agricultural crop measuring device 1 according to the second embodiment as viewed from the Y1 direction. Note that the belt-shaped member 46 is omitted from Fig. 7. As described above, the storage section 40 of this embodiment has the base section 44 and the strip-shaped member 46 . The base 44 is a rectangular plate-shaped member fixed to the holder 10 of the light projecting and receiving unit 4. The base 44 is made of resin or metal such as steel or aluminum alloy. The base 44 has a plate-shaped portion 44a, a housing 44b, and four ribs 44c. The plate-shaped portion 44a is a rectangular plate-shaped portion that constitutes the entire base portion 44. The plate-shaped portion 44a is provided along the XZ plane. The housing 44b is provided on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 44a facing the Y2 direction. The housing 44b is a cylindrical member. The holding portion 10 is inserted into the inner periphery of the housing 44b. This fixes the base portion 44 to the casing 2. The base portion 44 is also provided around the light-emitting portion 6 and the light-receiving portion 16.

[0048] The plate-shaped portion 44a has an opening 44a1. The opening 44a1 is a circular hole. The opening 44a1 is concentric with the housing 44b. The opening 44a1 is large enough to expose the entire light emitting / receiving surface 4a of the protection plate 8. Therefore, when the surface of the plate-shaped portion 44a facing the Y1 direction is viewed from the front, the light-emitting portion 6 and the light-receiving portion 16 are exposed through the opening 44a1 and the protective plate 8. Therefore, the surface of the plate-shaped portion 44a facing the Y1 direction constitutes an exposed surface on which the light-emitting portion 6 and the light-receiving portion 16 are exposed. In the following description, the surface of the plate-shaped portion 44a facing the Y1 direction will be referred to as exposed surface 44a2.

[0049] The four ribs 44c are provided on the four sides of the plate-shaped portion 44a and protrude in the Y1 direction from the four sides of the plate-shaped portion 44a. The four ribs 44c include a first rib 44c1 and a second rib 44c2. The first rib 44c1 is a rib provided on the first side 44p side of the base 44. The first side 44p of the base 44 is the side of the base 44 on the X1 direction side. The second rib 44c2 is a rib provided on the second side 44q of the base 44. The second side 44q of the base 44 is the side of the base 44 on the X2 direction side.

[0050] The first rib 44c1 has a rectangular plate shape along the YZ direction. The first rib 44c1 has a first fixing surface 45 to which the strip-shaped member 46 is fixed. The first fixing surface (first fixing portion) 45 is provided on the surface of the first rib 44c1 facing the X1 direction. The second rib 44c2 has a rectangular plate shape along the YZ direction. 7, a slit S is provided between the second rib 44c2 and the edge portion 44a3 of the plate-shaped portion 44a. The slit S is a long, narrow gap extending along the Z direction. A strip-shaped member 46 is passed through the slit S.

[0051] The belt-shaped member 46 is a member formed of a resin film, cloth, etc. The belt-shaped member 46 has a function of blocking at least near-infrared rays. The strip-shaped member 46 is provided on the base 44 so as to cover the exposed surface 44a2 of the base 44. The strip-shaped member 46 forms an arch that protrudes in the Y1 direction between the first side 44p and the second side 44q of the base 44. In other words, the strip-shaped member 46 has an arch portion A in the portion from the first end 46a to the slit S. The arch portion A is a portion that covers the exposed surface 44a2 of the belt-shaped member 46. A space is provided between the arch portion A and the exposed surface 44a2. The agricultural product to be measured is placed in this space. That is, the storage section 40 of this embodiment has a space for storing agricultural products between the arch section A and the exposed surface 44a2.

[0052] The strip-shaped member 46 has a first end 46a on one side in the longitudinal direction and a second end 46b on the opposite side in the longitudinal direction to the first end 46a. The first end 46a is fixed to the first fixing surface 45 of the base 44. The strip-shaped member 46 rises in the Y1 direction from the first rib 44c1, forms an arch portion A by drawing a gentle curve, and returns to the second side 44q of the base 44. The belt-shaped member 46 passes through the slit S on the second side 44q of the base 44. The second end 46b of the belt-shaped member 46 is located on the Y2 direction side of the base 44. The second end 46b is fixed to the storage portion adjustment mechanism 42.

[0053] The storage section variable mechanism 42 has a function of making the size of the storage section 40 variable. The accommodation section variable mechanism 42 has a rail 50 and a slider 52 . The rail 50 is made of resin or a metal such as steel or an aluminum alloy. The rail 50 is provided on the second side 44q of the base 44. More specifically, the rail 50 is fixed to the second rib 44c2. The end of the rail 50 on the Y1 direction side is fixed to the second rib 44c2. The rail 50 extends from the second rib 44c2 in the Y2 direction (the opposite direction from the exposed surface 44a2).

[0054] The second rib 44c2 has a holding portion 53 into which the rail 50 is inserted. The holding portion 53 is provided in approximately the center of the second rib 44c2 in the Z direction. The rail 50 is inserted into the holding portion 53 and fixed with a bolt 54. The end of the rail 50 on the Y2 direction side is fixed to a bracket 56. The bracket 56 is a member fixed to the end face of the housing 2 on the Y2 direction side. The bracket 56 protrudes from the end face of the housing 2 in the X2 direction. A holding portion 56a into which the rail 50 is inserted is provided at the tip of the bracket 56. The rail 50 is inserted into the holding portion 56a and fixed with a bolt 58. With both ends fixed to the second rib 44c2 and the bracket 56, the rail 50 is disposed on the X2 side of the housing 2 along the Y direction.

[0055] The slider 52 is a member formed from resin or metal such as steel or aluminum alloy, etc. The slider 52 is slidable along the rail 50 in the Y direction. The slider 52 has a guide portion 52a and an arm 52b. The guide portion 52a is a cylindrical member slidably attached to the rail 50. The guide portion 52a is provided on the outside of the rail 50 and is slidable in the Y direction along the rail 50. The guide portion 52a can be fixed to the rail 50 by a thumbscrew 52c. The arm 52b is a rod-shaped member extending from the guide portion 52a on both sides in the Z direction. The arm 52b has a second fixing surface 52b1 to which the strip-shaped member 46 is fixed (FIG. 6). The second fixing surface (second fixing portion) 52b1 is provided on the surface of the arm 52b facing the X1 direction. The second end 46b of the belt-shaped member 46 is fixed to the second fixing surface 52b1.

[0056] Therefore, when the slider 52 is moved along the Y direction, the second end 46b also moves along the Y direction. As described above, the belt-shaped member 46 passes through the slit S. Therefore, when the slider 52 is moved, the belt-shaped member 46 moves in and out of the slit S, and the dimension of the portion of the belt-shaped member 46 from the first end 46a to the slit S changes. When the slider 52 is moved in the Y1 direction, the dimension of the portion from the first end 46a to the slit S increases, and the arch portion A becomes larger. Conversely, when the slider 52 is moved in the Y2 direction, the dimension of the portion from the first end 46a to the slit S decreases, and the arch portion A becomes smaller. In this way, by moving slider 52 of storage unit adjusting mechanism 42, the size of the space in storage unit 40 for storing agricultural products can be adjusted.

[0057] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which crops G are stored in storage section 40. As shown in FIG. 8, crops G are housed in a space surrounded by arch portion A and base portion 44. In this state, when light emitting unit 6 is turned on, the light from light emitting unit 6 is irradiated onto crops G in recess 34 (container 32). This allows the quality value of crop G to be determined.

[0058] In this embodiment, the storage section 40 has a base 44 having an exposed surface 44a2 and a strip-shaped member 46 attached to the base 44 so as to cover the exposed surface 44a2, so that the crops G can be stored in the space surrounded by the base 44 and the strip-shaped member 46, and light from outside is blocked during measurement. As a result, disturbance caused by external light can be suppressed during measurement.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the length of the arch portion A, which is the portion of the belt-shaped member that covers the exposed surface, can be changed by the slider 52. As a result, the size of the storage portion 40 can be made variable. Therefore, by operating slider 52, the size of storage section 40 can be changed according to the size of crops G.

[0060] In this embodiment, the slit S provided in the base portion 44 constitutes a holding portion that holds the belt-shaped member 46 on the second side 44q side. As a result, the arch portion A of the belt-shaped member 46 is appropriately held by the first side 44p side and the second side 44q side of the base portion 44.

[0061] In this embodiment, both ends in the Z direction (band width direction) of the space surrounded by the arch portion A and the base portion 44 are open. This makes it easy to put crops G in and take them out of the storage portion 40.

[0062] 〔others〕 It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

[0063] In each of the above embodiments, the light-emitting unit 6 and the light-receiving unit 16 are collectively provided in the light-emitting / receiving unit 4, but the light-emitting unit 6 and the light-receiving unit 16 may also be configured as separate units. When the light-emitting unit 6 and the light-receiving unit 16 are configured separately, the light-shielding member 30 may be provided around at least one of the light-emitting unit 6 and the light-receiving unit 16 . In the first embodiment, the outline of the opening 34a is elliptical. However, the outline of the opening 34a may be circular or rectangular. Furthermore, the outline of the opening 34a may be a combination of a circular shape and a rectangular shape.

[0064] In each of the above embodiments, the agricultural produce measuring device 1 provides quality information to an external computer 30, and the computer 30 uses the quality information to determine a quality value. However, as shown in FIG. 9 , the agricultural produce measuring device 1 may have a built-in microcomputer 60 that is capable of determining a quality value. In this case, the control circuit 20 of the agricultural produce measuring device 1 provides the quality information to the microcomputer 60. The microcomputer 60 that has received the quality information determines a quality value and outputs the quality value to the outside via the interface unit 24. According to this configuration, the agricultural produce measuring device 1 can output quality values, so there is no need to connect the computer 30 to the agricultural produce measuring device 1.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the power supply circuit 22 converts externally applied power and supplies it to each component. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the agricultural produce measuring device 1 may have a built-in battery 62. In this case, the power supply circuit 22 can supply power from the battery 62 to each component. This allows the agricultural produce measuring device 1 to be used for measurement without receiving power from an external source. This eliminates the need to connect a power supply cable or the like to the agricultural produce measuring device 1, reducing the burden on the operator.

[0066] The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the meaning described above, and is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1 Crop measuring device 2. Case 3 Handle 4 Light emitter / receiver section 4a Light emitting / receiving surface 6 Light emitting unit (light source circuit) 8 Protective plate (exposed part) 10 Holding part 11 Opening hole 11a Inner surface 12 light source 14 Circuit Board 14a Mounting surface 14b Hole 16 Light receiving section 16a Photosensitive surface 16b End face 18 Spectrometer 20 Control circuit 22 Power supply circuit 24 Interface section 29 Computer 30 Light blocking member 31 Main body 31a 1st page 31b 2nd side 32 Storage section 34 Recess 34a aperture 34b Inside 34b1 Bottom 34b2 Slope 36 Through hole 36a Annular surface 36b Circular Step 36c aperture 38 Plane section 40 Storage section 42 Variable storage mechanism 44 Base 44a Plate-shaped part 44a1 Opening hole 44a2 Exposed surface 44a3 Edge 44b Housing 44c Rib 44c1 1st Rib 44c2 2nd Rib Page 44, Side 1 44q Side 2 45 1st fixing surface (1st fixing part) 46 Belt-shaped member 46a First end 46b 2nd end 50 rails 52 Slider 52a Guide part 52b Arm 52b1 Second fixing surface (second fixing part) 52c Thumb screw 53 Holding part 54 volts 56 Bracket 56a Holding part 58 volts 60 Microcomputer 62 Battery 100 Blackout Gloves A Arch G. Crops S slit (holding part)

Claims

1. a light-emitting unit that emits light; a light receiving unit that receives reflected light from the light reflected by the crops; a light-shielding member provided around at least one of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit, The light-shielding member has a storage portion for storing at least a portion of the crop. Crop measuring device.

2. the housing portion includes a recess that opens to a first surface of the light blocking member, The inner surface of the recess has an exposed portion that exposes at least one of the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion. The crop measuring device according to claim 1 .

3. The contour shape of the opening of the recess on the first surface has a shape in which the length in a first direction on the first surface is different from the length in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The crop measuring device according to claim 2 .

4. the inner surface of the recess has a bottom surface located at the bottom of the recess and including the exposed portion, The contour shape of the bottom surface when the first surface is viewed from the front is smaller than the contour shape of the opening of the recess when the first surface is viewed from the front, and is located at the center of the contour shape of the opening of the recess. The crop measuring device according to claim 2 .

5. The inner surface of the recessed portion is a bottom surface located at the bottom of the recess and including the exposed portion; an inclined surface that connects the edge of the bottom surface to the opening of the recess, The inclined surface has a slope that widens from the bottom surface toward the opening. The crop measuring device according to claim 2 .

6. The agricultural product measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the light blocking member further comprises a storage portion adjusting mechanism that adjusts the size of the storage portion.

7. The storage section is a base having an exposed surface to which at least one of the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit is exposed; a strip-shaped member provided on the base so as to cover the exposed surface, The crop measuring device according to claim 6.

8. the base portion has a first fixing portion on a first side of the base portion to which a first end portion of the belt-shaped member is fixed, The accommodation portion variable mechanism is a rail provided on a second side of the base opposite to the first side and extending from the base in a direction opposite to a direction in which the exposed surface faces; a slider that moves along the rail, The slider has a second fixing portion to which a second end portion of the strip-shaped member opposite to the first end portion is fixed. The crop measuring device according to claim 7.

9. The base portion has a holding portion that holds the belt-shaped member on a second side of the base portion that is opposite to the first side. The crop measuring device according to claim 8.

10. Both ends of the storage section in the band width direction are open to the outside. The crop measuring device according to claim 7.

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