Inspection apparatus to simultaneously measure the sugar content and weight of fruit

An inspection instrument includes main unit, Brix testing unit, weight measurement unit, display unit, control unit, and label printer; both of Brix and weight of an object pending test are tested and measured at the same time by the Brix testing unit and the weight measurement unit; resultant data are directly displayed on the inspection instrument by the display unit; data are directly printed on a label; and the label is outputted to be directly attached to the fruit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to inspection instrument and more particularly, to one that tests Brix scale and measures weight of fruits.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

In Taiwan R&D results on the production of top quality fruits are very impressive, and significant achievements have been reported in species modifications, or in culture technology improvement; however, quality testing and measuring technologies commonly practiced by fruit growers today in Taiwan remain focusing on the ratings of size and appearance without analyzing those factors affecting internal quality of the fruits, namely, containment of compositions of quality, Brix, acidity, amino acid, and vitamins.

Furthermore, use of manual inspection of the exterior quality of agricultural products so to decide on ratings and selling prices not only consumes lengthy time, efforts, and high cost, but also fails to judge internal quality, e.g., Brix, of the agricultural products. As a result, there exists excessively great difference between the rating and the actual quality. Thought there are non-destructive on-line testing application systems for fruits generally available in the market, they are too expensive (e.g., one system may be sold at NT$40M up to NT$50M) and they get too complicated in measuring the Brix of fruits. First, the fruit must be put in a juicer before fetching a drop of the fruit juice with a burette to drop on a refractometer to determine the sugar containment (° Brix). Whereas those Brix testing instruments generally available in the market are related to destructive testing methods since the fruit must be first put into a juicer before conducting the Brix measurement, they are not applicable to the site where non-destructive Brix testing and rating, and thus their practicability is restricted. This warrants development of a summary non-destructive application system for testing quality of fruits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an inspection instrument to solve the problem found with the fruit Brix tester of the prior art that works only with destructive test to measure Brix of fruits.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an inspection instrument that immediately prints out the information of the measurement in a label and directly attaches the label on the fruit tested for achieving real time test and register.

Another purpose yet of the present invention is to provide an inspection instrument that tests the Brix, measures the weight, and displays the results at the same time.

To achieve these purposes, the present invention is comprised of a main unit, a Brix testing unit, a weight measurement unit, a display unit, a control unit, and a label printer. The main unit is related to a rigid enclosure and the Brix testing unit, the weight measurement unit, the display unit and the control unit are basically disposed on the main unit; the control unit is respectively linked to the Brix testing unit, the weight measurement unit, and the display unit; the label printer is adapted to one side of the main unit and also linked to the control unit. Accordingly, both of the Brix testing unit and the weight measurement unit measure the Brix and the weight at the same time with the resultant numeric values being directly displayed on the inspection instrument and then directly printed on a label through the label printer; the label is outputted and directly attached to the fruit tested.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1showing a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an inspection instrument is comprised of a main unit10, a Brix testing unit20, a weight measurement unit30, a display unit40, a control unit50and a label printer60. Wherein, the main unit10is related to a rigid enclosure; the Brix testing unit20, the weight measurement unit30, the display unit40and the control unit50are basically disposed on the main unit10; and the control unit50is respectively linked to the Brix testing unit20, the weight measurement unit30, and the display unit40. In the preferred embodiment, the label printer60is adapted to one side of the main unit10; however, it may be integrated to the main unit10depending on the general design of the inspection instrument. The option is obvious to those who are familiar with the art of the present invention and thus will not be elaborated herein. Instead, only the operation relation between the label printer60and the inspection instrument will be described below. The label printer60is linked to the control unit50and directly prints the information (e.g., data of Brix or weight of the fruit tested) upon receiving it from the control unit50on a label61, which is then outputted to be directly attached to the fruit inspected for achieving the purpose of real time inspection and record.

Now referring toFIG. 2for a sectional view of the inspection instrument of the preferred embodiment, a holder11is further disposed to the main unit10. The holder11is exposed out of the main unit10and contains a loading surface111for an object90, e.g., fruit, pending test to be place thereon. The loading surface is made concave to facilitate securing the fruit in the holder11, which is located at where above the Brix testing unit20and is secured to the weight measurement unit30.

The Brix testing unit20is disposed in the main unit10; and in the preferred embodiment, the Brix testing unit20is related to a laser testing component22to perform laser test upon the object90pending test. Located at where below the holder11, the laser testing component22includes a laser transmission end221, a laser receiving end222, and a fixation disk223; wherein, both of the laser transmission end221and the laser receiving end222are provided on the fixation disk223, and the fixation disk223is fastened to a bottom of the main unit10with a bolt224so to keep the entire laser testing component22from contacting the holder11or the weight measurement unit30for preventing mutual interference. The laser receiving end222is located at a center of the holder11. A convergence lens225is disposed on a top of the laser receiving end222to cope with the individual object90pending test by adjusting the convergence lens225. The laser transmission end221is located by the laser receiving end222and six laser transmission ends221are disposed surrounding the receiving end222in the preferred embodiment as illustrated inFIG. 3for a perspective view of a local part, i.e., the laser testing component22, of the inspection instrument of the present invention. A laser diode disposed at each laser transmission end emits laser beams to enter into the object90pending test, signals transmitted from each laser transmission end is received by the laser receiving end222and then transmitted to the control unit, where signals converted into the ° Brix, after computation using mathematic formula. In the preferred embodiment, the ° Brix is expressed by numeric value, e.g., 10° Brix.

As illustrated inFIG. 4for a perspective view showing the weight measurement unit of the present invention, the weight measurement unit30in the preferred embodiment contains a weight sensor31and a bracket32with the weight sensor suspended to the bottom of the main unit10and at where below the laser testing component22. A center of the bracket32is fixed to the weight sensor31with one end holding against and connecting the holder11. Whereas the entire weight measurement unit30does not directly contact the laser testing component22, there will be no error created due to mutual affects between the weight measurement unit30and the laser testing component22. With the object90pending test being placed on the holder11, the holder11is subject to the weight of the object90pending test and thus to compress the weight sensor31for the weight sensor31to generate an electronic signal to be transmitted to the control unit50for solving the weight of the object90pending test.

As illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, the display unit40located on the main unit10to display information includes a first screen41and a second screen42to respectively display the Brix expressed in numeric value in the preferred embodiment, e.g., 10° Brix; and the weight, e.g., 1000.0 g or 0.1 kg.

The control unit50contains a control keypad51and a controller. The control keypad51is provided on the main unit10and linked to the controller52for keying in information of associate parameters to the controller52and for presetting each control key51to the parameter information adaptable to the individual object90pending test. A user presses different keys51according to the individual object90pending test to facilitate testing and measuring. The controller52is provided in the main unit10and is respectively linked to the Brix testing unit20, the weight measurement unit30, and the display unit40to receive or transmit related signals.

The inspection instrument of the present invention allows testing the Brix and measuring the weight of an object pending test at the same time (i.e., fruit) by operating the Brix testing unit20and the weight measurement unit30; the resultant data are directly displayed on the display unit40mounted on the inspection instrument; then the resultant data (e.g., ° Brix or the weight of the fruit) are directly printed on a label and outputted for the label to be directly attached to the fruit in achieving the purpose of real time inspection and record.

Accordingly, an inspection instrument of the present invention for being capable of testing the Brix and measuring the weight of fruit at the same time, followed by immediate display of the resultant data to achieve precise control of the quality of each fruit and perform assorting by quality level in a non-destructive inspection method is innovative and advanced to meet requirements of patentability; therefore, this application is duly filed.

However, it is to be noted that the preferred embodiments disclosed in the specification and the accompanying drawings are not limiting the present invention; and that any construction, installation, or characteristics that is same or similar to that of the present invention should fall within the scope of the purposes and claims of the present invention.