Apparatus for evaluating the grade of rice grains

United States Patent [19]

Satake et al.

Ill

Hi]

[45]

US0O5135114A

Patent Number:
Date of Patent:

5,135,114 Aug. 4, 1992

[54] APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING THE GRADE OF RICE GRAINS

[75] Inventors: Toshihiko Satake, Higashihiroshima;

Satoru Satake, Oota; Yasuharu
Mitoma, Higashihiroshima, all of
Japan

[73] Assignee: Satake Engineering Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

[21] Appl. No.: 392,277

[22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1989

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Aug. 11, 1988 [JP] Japan 63-201314

Nov. 28, 1988 [JP] Japan 63-301537

[51] Int. CI.' B07C 5/342

[52] U.S. CI 209/558; 209/577;

209/581; 209/585; 209/587; 209/588; 209/643;

209/911; 209/920; 209/934

[58] Field of Search 209/555, 556, 558, 576,

209/577, 580-582, 585, 587, 588, 643, 911, 920,

934

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,097,743 7/1963 Scholten et al 209/577 X

3,685,650 8/1972 Walther et al 209/581

4,057,352 11/1977 Babb 209/582 X

4,454,029 6/1984 Codding 209/581

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

2230724 9/1973 Fed. Rep. of Germany 209/577

2621733 12/1977 Fed. Rep. of Germany 269/580

0243875 3/1987 Fed. Rep. of Germany 209/577

56- 125664 10/1981 Japan .

57- 153249 9/1982 Japan .

59-145951 8/1984 Japan 209/580

61- 110016 5/1986 Japan 209/582

62- 150141 7/1987 Japan .

0574247 9/1977 U.S.S.R 209/558

0667669 3/1952 United Kingdom 209/581

2091416 7/1982 United Kingdom 209/576

Primary Examiner—Donald T. Hajec

Assistant Examiner—Edward M. Wacyra

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Wegner, Cantor, Mueller &

Player

[57] ABSTRACT

An apparatus for evaluating the grade of rice grains includes a grain supply unit, vibrating troughs on which the rice grains run in their longitudinal posture, flowdown troughs having slits each opening to each of the flow-down troughs, a reflected light measuring unit having its light sources and its detecting element for detecting the amount of the light reflected from the rice grains, a transmitted light measuring unit having its light sources and its detecting element for detecting the amount of the light transmitted through the rice grains at the positions of the slits, and a calculation control unit for digitally calculating the values measured at the reflected light measuring unit and the transmitted light measuring unit for evaluating the rice grains into a plurality of grades. The light sources for reflection may be of visible light and the light source for transmission may be of infrared light. Also, it is possible to use a single unit, namely, a reflected and transmitted light measuring unit, having a reflected light detecting element and a transmitted light detecting element for measuring both the reflected light amount and the transmitted light amount from the rice grains at the same positions of the slits.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets