Patent ID: 6449932
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: A01D,G01N

Abstract:
A combine harvester comprising means for harvesting crop, means for separating grain kernels from the harvested crop, and a detection apparatus for detecting damaged grain kernels among the grain kernels, the detection apparatus including an ultraviolet light source (20) having an emission line at a wavelength shorter than 300 nm, a measurement region (38) in which said grain kernels which are either in a stationary or a moving state are located, a wavelength selector, a non-imaging photon detecting device (22), wherein, when said apparatus is in use, light from the ultraviolet light source (20) irradiates grain kernels positioned at the measurement region (38), the wavelength selector and the photon detecting device (22) are arranged such that light which is emitted in the measurement region (38) passes the wavelength selector and falls onto the photon detecting device (22), whereby the wavelength selector substantially prevents light having wavelengths shorter than 300 nm from being incident onto the non-imaging photon detecting device, such that provided that a grain kernel in the measurement region (38) is damaged to the extent that the endosperm of the kernel is exposed, more fluorescence emission from the damaged grain kernel in the wavelength from 300 nm to 380 nm is incident on and detected by the photon detecting device (22) than when the kernel is not damaged.