Patent ID: 7847947

Claim:
A lance assembly for spectroscopically sampling bulk product, the lance assembly comprising: an elongate lance body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end for maneuvering and a head at a distal end opposite the proximal end, the head defining a cavity; a spectroscopic receiver housed within the cavity, the receiver having a field of view and a cover movable to block the field of view of the spectroscopic receiver; a radiant energy source housed within the cavity providing a beam of energy to be reflected from the bulk product to the receiver; and a window on the head, the window allowing transmission of a reflected spectroscopic signal through the field of view to the receiver from a position adjacent the window, the window having an external surface, in use the external surface in contact with the bulk product; whereby the beam of energy and the field of view of the receiver are both directed towards the external surface so as to allow sampling adjacent the external surface.