JP2004264130A

JP2004264130A - Quality evaluating device and equipment for measuring quality

Info

Publication number: JP2004264130A
Application number: JP2003054094A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Kenichi Iwami; 憲一石見; Shinichi Kawabata; 真一河端
Original assignee: Kubota Corp
Current assignee: Kubota Corp
Priority date: 2003-02-28
Filing date: 2003-02-28
Publication date: 2004-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-28
Also published as: JP4192012B2

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a quality evaluating device for vegetable fruits, which can save labor hours for making calibration formulas and reduce the difference between quality evaluation values output from respective devices when measuring the same object to be measured, even in the case a plurality of quality evaluating devices to be used are arranged side-by-side. <P>SOLUTION: The quality evaluating device is provided with a control means 3 which computes the quality evaluation value of the object to be measured M based on spectral data obtained by receiving spectroscopically treated light of transmission light from the object to be measured M. The control means 3 executes a process for compensating motion states where the shape of detected secondary differential spectral data and light intensities with respect to wavelength obtained based on the transmission light from the object to be measured M are conformed to the shape of reference secondary differential spectral data and light intensities with respect to wavelength corresponding to a reference measurement state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、被計測物に対して光を投射する投光手段と、前記被計測物からの透過光又は反射光を分光する分光手段と、その分光手段にて分光された光を受光してスペクトルデータを出力する受光手段と、分光手段にて分光された光を前記受光手段の受光面に集光する集光手段と、前記分光スペクトルデータに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求める制御手段とを備えて構成され、前記制御手段が、前記分光スペクトルデータを２次微分して求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータと品質解析用の検量式とに基づいて前記品質評価値を求めるように構成されている品質評価装置に関する。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
上記構成の品質評価装置は、被計測物から得られる透過光や反射光の特性に基づいて、被計測物として蜜柑や林檎等の果菜類における内部品質、例えば糖度や酸度等の内部品質を非破壊状態で計測するためのものであるが、このような品質評価装置においては、被計測物に対する計測作業が行われるに伴って、装置の経年変化等の種々の要因となって被計測物の品質評価値が本来求められるべき値からずれて計測誤差が生じてしまうことがある。例えば、被計測物に照射される光の光量が変化したり、受光する特定波長の光に対する受光特性が変化してその特定波長の光に対する吸収特性を精度よく求めることができなくなることがある。
【０００３】
そこで、このような計測誤差を少なくするために、従来では、被計測物の代わりに一対の特定波長にピークを備えた波長校正用の光学フィルターを用いて受光手段の波長校正を行うようにしている。つまり、前記受光手段は、分光された各波長の光を受光するための複数の単位受光部を備えており、それら複数の単位受光部の夫々が受光すべき光の波長は常に同じ状態でなければ適正な分光スペクトルデータを計測できないが、被計測物に対する計測作業が行われるに伴って種々の要因によって複数の単位受光部の夫々が受光する波長が本来受光すべき波長からずれてしまうことがある。そこで、前記光学フィルターに光を照射して光学フィルターを通して得られた光を受光して得られた受光情報に基づいて、複数の単位受光部が本来受光すべき光の波長と合っていなければ、複数の単位受光部とそれらが受光する光の波長との対応関係を適正な状態となるように波長校正を行う構成となっている。
【０００４】
又、波長のずれの場合と同様に、被計測物に対する計測作業が行われるに伴って、例えば投光手段の光量が変化する等の種々の要因によって、同じ被計測物を計測した場合であっても複数の単位受光部の夫々が受光する光量が異なった値に変化して本来受光すべき光量からずれてしまうことがある。そこで、予め透過度が判っているリファレンスフィルターを用いてそのリファレンスフィルターを計測したときの基準となる分光スペクトルデータと、計測対象である被計測物を計測したときの分光スペクトルデータとの比をとることによって計測データを正規化して上述したような光量変化による誤差を少なくして、品質評価値を精度よく計測するようにしている（例えば、特許文献１参照。）。
【０００５】
【特許文献１】
特開平７−２００４２号公報（第３―４頁、図１、図３、図４）
【０００６】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
上記従来構成では、波長校正用の光学フィルターを用いて波長校正処理を行うようにしており、しかも、リファレンスフィルターを用いて基準となる光量を計測して、被計測物を計測したときの分光スペクトルデータを正規化して品質評価値を精度よく計測することができるようにしているので、装置の使用に伴う投光手段における光量の変動に起因した計測誤差や、受光手段における分光スペクトルデータにおける検出されたデータに対応する波長と実際の波長との間のズレに起因する計測誤差等を修正することは可能であるが、未だ次のような点で改善すべき余地があった。
【０００７】
つまり、前記受光手段は、前記異なる波長毎の光の光量を各別に検出するために、その光量を例えば電荷量等の電気量情報に変換する複数の単位受光部を備えた光電変換装置やその他の光学部品等を備えて構成されるものであるが、このような受光手段に対して、被計測物からの光を光学レンズや凹面鏡等の集光装置を用いて集光した光を導くようになっている。つまり、受光手段の受光面上には集光されて焦点が合う状態で計測が行われるようになっているが、このような受光手段を組み付ける場合における組み付け誤差に起因して、複数の品質評価装置を生産した場合に個々の装置においてはその焦点位置に対する受光手段の位置が僅かに少しづつ位置ずれして、同じ被計測物を計測した場合であっても計測される品質評価値が異なったものとなるおそれがある。
【０００８】
又、上記したようなリファレンスフィルターは、品質評価装置を複数生産する場合に個々の品質評価装置夫々に装備されることになるが、このリファレンスフィルターにおいても光透過度の特性に個体差がありバラツキが存在するものである。その結果、そのリファレンスフィルターの光透過度の差異に起因して、複数の品質評価装置において夫々同じ被計測物を計測した場合であっても計測される品質評価値が異なったものとなるおそれがある。
【０００９】
ところで、このような品質評価装置は、例えば、農家の生産者等により持ち込まれた果菜類の品質を計測してその計測結果により等階級別に仕分けを行うために選果設備等に備えられて、被計測物として例えば一つの荷口に対応する多数の果菜類の仕分けを能率よく行うために使用されることがある。このような場合には、被計測物群が分配供給される複数の計測箇所夫々に品質評価装置を備えて、複数の品質評価装置により並行して計測処理することができるようにして、農家の生産者等により持ち込まれた多数の果菜類に対する計測処理を効率よく行えるようにすることが一般に行われるものである。
【００１０】
しかし、上述したように複数の品質評価装置において上記したように焦点位置に対する受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差やリファレンスフィルターの個体差に起因した誤差が発生するおそれがあることから、上記したような選果設備などのように複数の品質評価装置を並べて使用するような場合において、同じ被計測物を計測した場合であっても各装置毎の品質評価値が異なったものとなるおそれがあり、又、上記したような検量式は各品質評価装置毎にその装置の受光手段の受光光量の情報を用いて各別に作成する必要があり、この検量式を作成するための手間が多くかかる不利があった。
【００１１】
本発明はかかる点に着目してなされたものであり、その目的は、複数の品質評価装置を使用するような場合であっても、同じ被計測物を計測したときの各装置毎の品質評価値のずれを少なくすることができ、しかも、検量式の作成の手間を少なくすることが可能となる果菜類の品質評価装置を提供する点にある。
【００１２】
【課題を解決するための手段】
請求項１に記載の品質評価装置は、被計測物に対して光を投射する投光手段と、前記被計測物からの透過光又は反射光を分光する分光手段と、その分光手段にて分光された光を受光してスペクトルデータを出力する受光手段と、分光手段にて分光された光を前記受光手段の受光面に集光する集光手段と、前記分光スペクトルデータに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求める制御手段とを備えて構成され、
前記制御手段が、前記分光スペクトルデータを２次微分して求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータと品質解析用の検量式とに基づいて前記品質評価値を求めるように構成されているものであって、
前記制御手段が、
補正情報算出モードと前記品質評価値を求める計測処理モードとに切り換え自在に構成され、
前記補正情報算出モードにおいて、補正情報取得用の被計測物からの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を、基準計測状態に対応する基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるための補正情報を求める補正情報算出処理を実行するように構成され、
前記計測処理モードにおいて、前記補正情報に基づいて、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせる動作状態補正処理を実行するように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【００１３】
すなわち、制御手段は補正情報算出モードに切り換えられると、補正情報取得用の被計測物からの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を、基準計測状態に対応する基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるための補正情報を求める補正情報算出処理を実行するのである。
【００１４】
ここで、前記補正情報取得用の被計測物としては、１つの特定される被計測物や投光手段にて光を照射したときに透過光や反射光などの計測用の光を得ることが可能な１つの擬似計測体、例えば光学フィルター等がある。
【００１５】
又、前記基準計測状態としては、例えば、複数の品質評価装置が並べて配備されるような場合に、そのうちのいずれか１つのものを基準の装置として定めて、その基準の装置における計測状態を基準計測状態とするような場合がある。つまり、その基準の装置にて求められた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータを他の装置に対する基準２次微分スペクトルデータとするのである。又、このような構成に代えて例えば工場での製造段階で特定される１台の基準の品質評価装置を用意しておいて、その装置にて求められた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータを工場から出荷される装置の夫々に対する基準２次微分スペクトルデータとするような構成もある。
【００１６】
つまり、品質評価装置にて計測される分光スペクトルデータに基づく検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を、前記基準計測状態における検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるための補正情報を求めて、その補正情報を用いて検出２次微分スペクトルデータを補正することで、基準計測状態にて計測した状態と同様な計測結果が得られることになる。
【００１７】
その結果、検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を、前記基準計測状態における検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせることによって、受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差を少ないものにすることが可能となるのである。
【００１８】
そして、制御手段は、計測処理モードに切り換えられると、前記補正情報に基づいて検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度が基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせる動作状態補正処理が行われる。そして、このように基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせられた検出２次微分スペクトルデータと品質解析用の検量式とに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求めることになる。
【００１９】
従って、複数の品質評価装置を使用するような場合であっても、個々の品質評価装置における受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差を少なくすることにより、同じ被計測物を計測したときの各装置毎の品質評価値のずれを少なくすることができ、しかも、複数の品質評価装置について同一の検量式を用いることが可能となって、複数の品質評価装置毎に各別に検量式を作成する必要がなく、検量式の作成の手間を少なくすることが可能となる果菜類の品質評価装置を提供できるに至った。
【００２０】
請求項２に記載の品質評価装置は、請求項１において、前記制御手段が、前記動作状態補正処理として、前記補正情報に基づいて前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータを補正する演算処理を実行することにより、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【００２１】
すなわち、制御手段は、動作状態補正処理として演算処理を実行することにより、検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるようにしているので、例えば、受光手段の位置を焦点位置に合わせるように機械的に位置調節するような構成に比べて、機械的な部材の作動が無くそれだけ処理を迅速に行うことが可能であるとともに演算処理だけ対応できるので制御構成が簡素になる。
【００２２】
請求項３記載の品質評価装置は、前記分光計測手段が、前記集光手段と前記受光手段との間での相対位置関係を変更調整自在な位置調整手段を備えて構成され、前記制御手段が、前記動作状態補正処理として、前記補正情報に基づいて前記位置調整手段を作動させる受光位置調節処理を実行することにより、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【００２３】
すなわち、制御手段が、前記動作状態補正処理として、補正情報に基づいて、検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるように、集光手段と受光手段との間での相対位置関係を変更調整自在な位置調整手段を作動させる受光位置調節処理を実行することになる。具体的には、分光手段にて分光された光が集光手段で集光されている焦点位置に対して、受光手段の受光面が適正な位置に位置合わせするように機械的に相対位置を変更調節するである。つまり、受光手段を組み付ける場合における組み付け誤差により焦点位置に対する受光手段の位置が位置ずれしているようなことがあったり、長期の使用に伴う経年変化によって位置ずれするようなことがあっても、そのような位置ずれを強制的に修正するように位置調節するので、受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差を少ないものにすることが可能となる。従って、受光手段を機械的に位置調節して強制的に修正するので、受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差を確実に少なくすることが可能となる。
【００２４】
請求項４記載の品質評価装置は、請求項１〜３のいずれかにおいて、前記制御手段が、前記補正情報算出処理として、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータと前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間の各波長毎のデータの相関関係を判別して、その判別結果に基づいて前記補正情報を求めるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【００２５】
すなわち、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータと前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間の各波長毎のデータの相関関係を判別して、その判別結果に基づいて前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるための補正情報を求める。つまり、計測したデータ同士の演算処理によって相関関係として最も相関が近いもの、例えば、相関関係の一例として相関係数を用いてその相関係数が最も大きいもの選択したり、データ同士の差分値を２乗した値が最も小さくなるような相関関係を有するデータを表す情報を補正情報として求めるのである。
【００２６】
このようにして検出２次微分スペクトルデータと基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間の各波長毎のデータの相関関係を判別することによって、検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度とを基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるため補正情報を適切に求めることが可能となる。
【００２７】
請求項５記載の品質評価装置は、請求項４において、前記制御手段が、前記補正情報算出処理として、前記分光スペクトルデータの波長の変化に対する移動平均値を求める処理を平均データ数を異ならせて複数回実行し、且つ、その複数の移動平均値データを２次微分して求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータと前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間での前記相関関係としての相関係数を求めて、そのうち最も大きい相関係数に対応する平均データ数を前記補正情報として求めるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【００２８】
すなわち、制御手段は、前記補正情報算出処理として、前記分光スペクトルデータの波長の変化に対する移動平均値を平均データ数を異ならせて複数回実行する。このように平均データ数を異ならせて移動平均値を求めるのは、平均データ数を異ならせると、検出２次微分スペクトルデータを示す曲線の屈曲部分における曲がり具合が滑らかとなったり急峻となったりするというように、焦点位置に対する受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差の大きさに起因した変化に類似したような変化をするからである。
そして、その複数の移動平均値データを２次微分して求めた複数の検出２次微分スペクトルデータのうち、前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間での前記相関関係としての相関係数を求めて、そのうち最も大きい相関係数に対応する平均データ数を前記補正情報として求めることによって、焦点位置に対する受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差が最も小さいものに対応するデータとして特定することが可能となる。
【００２９】
説明を加えると、被計測物からの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度は、例えば、図１７に示すように波長の変化に対して滑らかに屈曲しながら変化する曲線として表すことができる。この図の横軸は波長の変化を示し、縦軸は２各波長毎の演算された２次微分値を表すものである。そして、本出願人は実測データに基づいて、上述したような焦点位置に対する受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差の大きさと、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータを示す曲線との相関関係について検討を行ったところ、受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差の大きさに応じて屈曲部分における曲がり具合が緩やかになったり急峻になったりするという変化があることを実験により見出した。例えば、図１７の各ラインは共に同一の被計測物を異なる品質計測装置によって計測して得られた分光スペクトルデータを平均データ数を異ならせて移動平均して得られた検出２次微分スペクトルデータを示しているが、受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差が大きい場合にもこれと同じように屈曲部分における曲がり具合が変化することになる。
【００３０】
従って、移動平均値のデータ数を異ならせた分光スペクトルデータを求めて、それを２次微分して求めた複数の検出２次微分スペクトルデータについて最も大きい相関係数に対応する平均データ数を前記補正情報として求めるという簡単な処理によって補正情報を求めることが可能となり、簡単な制御構成によって対応することが可能となる。
【００３１】
請求項６記載の品質計測用設備は、被計測物に対して光を投射する投光手段と、前記被計測物からの透過光又は反射光を分光する分光手段と、その分光手段にて分光された光を受光してスペクトルデータを出力する受光手段と、分光手段にて分光された光を前記受光手段の受光面に集光する集光手段と、前記分光スペクトルデータに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求める制御手段とを備えて構成され、
前記制御手段が、前記分光スペクトルデータを２次微分して求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータと品質解析用の検量式とに基づいて前記品質評価値を求めるように構成されているものであって、
前記投光手段からの光を前記被計測物に代えて所定の吸光度特性を有するリファレンスフィルターに照射する状態に切り換え自在に構成され、
前記制御手段が、
補正処理モードと前記品質評価値を求める計測処理モードとに切り換え自在に構成され、
前記補正処理モードにおいて、前記リファレンスフィルターからの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量を予め設定された基準受光光量にするための補正情報を、前記リファレンスフィルターの光透過度の特性と基準光透過度との差のデータ、分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量のデータ、及び、前記基準受光光量のデータの夫々に基づいて求めて記憶する補正情報記憶処理を実行するように構成され、
前記計測処理モードにおいて、前記投光手段からの光を前記被計測物に照射してからの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた分光スペクトルデータを前記補正情報にて補正して、その補正した分光スペクトルデータに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求めるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【００３２】
すなわち、制御手段は、前記補正処理モードにおいて、所定の吸光度特性を有するリファレンスフィルターからの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量を予め設定された基準受光光量にするための補正情報を、リファレンスフィルターの光透過度の特性と基準光透過度との差のデータ、分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量のデータ、及び、基準受光光量のデータの夫々に基づいて求めて、その補正情報を記憶する。そして、制御手段は、前記計測処理モードにおいて、投光手段からの光を被計測物に照射してその被計測物からの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた分光スペクトルデータを補正情報にて補正して、その補正した分光スペクトルデータに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求めることになる。
【００３３】
従って、前記リファレンスフィルターにより得られた分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量を予め設定された基準受光光量にするための補正情報を求めて、その補正情報を用いて被計測物の品質評価値を求めるようにしたので、リファレンスフィルターにより得られた分光スペクトルデータが経年変化等によって変化することがあっても、その分光スペクトルデータを基準受光光量に対応させるように被計測物にて得られた分光スペクトルデータが補正されることになる。
【００３４】
従って、複数の品質評価装置を使用するような場合であっても、個々の品質評価装置におけるリファレンスフィルターの個体差に起因した誤差を少なくすることにより、同じ被計測物を計測したときの各装置毎の品質評価値のずれを少なくすることができ、しかも、複数の品質評価装置について同一の検量式を用いることが可能となって、複数の品質評価装置毎に各別に検量式を作成する必要がなく、検量式の作成の手間を少なくすることが可能となる果菜類の品質評価装置を提供できるに至った。
【００３５】
請求項７記載の品質計測用設備は、請求項１〜５のいずれかに記載の品質評価装置が、被計測物が分配供給される複数の計測箇所の夫々に配備されたものであって、
前記複数の品質評価装置のうちのいずれか１つのものが基準の品質評価装置として設定され、
前記基準の品質評価装置以外の他の品質評価装置が、
前記補正情報算出処理として、
前記基準の品質評価装置にて前記被計測物からの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータを前記基準計測状態における基準２次微分スペクトルデータとして用いて、前記基準の品質評価装置にて計測が行われた被計測物と同じ被計測物について自己が求めた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度及び前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度の情報に基づいて前記補正情報を求めるように構成されていることを特徴とする。
【００３６】
すなわち、品質評価装置が被計測物が分配供給される複数の計測箇所の夫々に配備されて、それら複数の品質評価装置のうちのいずれか１つのものが基準の品質評価装置として設定される。そして、その基準の品質評価装置以外の他の品質評価装置が、基準の品質評価装置にて被計測物からの透過光又は反射光に基づいて得られた検出２次微分スペクトルデータを基準計測状態における基準２次微分スペクトルデータとして用いて、前記補正情報算出処理を実行するのである。
【００３７】
つまり、基準の品質評価装置とそれ以外の他の品質評価装置が夫々、同一の被計測物について計測を行い検出２次微分スペクトルデータを求め、基準の品質評価装置以外の他の品質評価装置が、基準の品質評価装置が求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータを基準２次微分スペクトルデータとして用いて、自己が求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を、前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるための補正情報を求めるのである。
【００３８】
従って、基準の品質評価装置とそれ以外の他の品質評価装置の夫々の検出２次微分スペクトルデータを、全て基準２次微分スペクトルデータに合わせるように処理することで、夫々の品質評価装置における受光手段の位置ズレに起因した誤差を少なくすることにより、同じ被計測物を計測したときの各装置毎の品質評価値のずれを少なくすることができ、しかも、複数の品質評価装置について同一の検量式を用いることが可能となる。
【００３９】
【発明の実施の形態】
【００４０】
〔第１実施形態〕
以下、本発明に係る品質評価装置及び品質計測用設備の第１実施形態について、例えば蜜柑等の果菜類の選別仕分けを行う選果設備にて果菜類の品質の一例として糖度や酸度等を評価する構成に適用した場合について図面に基づいて説明する。
【００４１】
前記選果設備は、蜜柑等の果菜類が被計測物として夫々コンテナＣＯに収納された状態で搬入され、その搬送経路の途中からコンテナＣＯから被計測物Ｍを放出して載置搬送するようにして、各被計測物Ｍを１個づつ撮像して画像処理によりその大きさや色の情報等から傷等の外観判別を行うとともに、品質の一例である被計測物Ｍの糖度や酸度を評価し、それらの情報によって各被計測物Ｍを複数の品質ランクとしての等階級に仕分ける選別処理が行われる。
【００４２】
図１に本発明に係る品質計測用設備としての選果設備が示されており、この選果設備は、図示しない受入れ部において、運搬車両等により積載されてコンテナＣＯに収納された状態で被計測物Ｍが搬入される。そして、コンテナＣＯに収納された状態で第１搬送装置Ｂ１にて搬送され、重量計測等が行われた後に、コンテナＣＯの搬送方向と交差する方向に沿って設けられる広幅の第２搬送装置Ｂ２の載置搬送面上に、コンテナＣＯに収納されている被計測物Ｍを放出させるダンパー装置Ｂ３が設けられ、このダンパー装置Ｂ３にてコンテナＣＯ内の被計測物Ｍが積み重なりが無い状態で放出された後、被計測物Ｍは広幅の第２搬送装置Ｂ２にて載置搬送される構成となっている。尚、空のコンテナＣＯは別途回収されることになる。
【００４３】
前記第２搬送装置Ｂ２にて載置搬送される被計測物Ｍは、洗浄処理やワックス処理及びそれに伴う乾燥処理等を行う洗浄処理部ＳＪを通過した後、それまで広幅の搬送経路にてバラバラの状態で載置搬送されていた被計測物Ｍが、チャネライザＣＨによって搬送方向に沿って一列で縦列状に並ぶ状態で且つ複数列（６列）の搬送コンベア４に分岐した状態で設定間隔をあけて載置搬送される状態に切り換わる。そして、このような６列の搬送ラインの夫々において縦列状態で搬送される被計測物Ｍに対して、ＣＣＤカメラ等の撮像手段にて１個づつ撮像して画像処理によりその大きさや色の情報等から傷等の外形情報を評価する画像評価部ＨＫ１、及び、後述するように分光分析により被計測物Ｍの糖度や酸度等の品質を１個づつ評価する品質評価装置としての６台の品質評価装置Ｕを備えた品質計測用設備としての品質評価部ＨＫ２が備えられ、それらの搬送下手側には、前記各評価部ＨＫ１，ＨＫ２の結果に基づいて、各被計測物Ｍを複数の等階級のうちのいずれに対応するかを判定して、該当する等階級毎に別途設けられる搬送ラインに振り分け供給する振り分け装置ＦＷ等が設けられている。又、このように等階級判定の結果に基づいて仕分けられた被計測物Ｍは各等階級別に箱詰めされることになる。
【００４４】
次に、前記品質評価部ＨＫ２の構成について説明する。
前記品質評価部ＨＫ２は、被計測物群が分配供給される複数の計測対象箇所夫々に被計測物の品質を評価する複数の品質評価装置Ｕを備えて構成され、この品質評価装置Ｕは夫々、被計測物に対して光を投射する投光手段と、被計測物からの透過光を分光してその分光した光を受光して分光スペクトルデータを得る分光計測手段と、前記分光スペクトルデータに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求める制御手段とを備えて構成され、前記制御手段が、前記分光スペクトルデータを２次微分して求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータと品質解析用の検量式とに基づいて前記品質評価値を求めるように構成されている。
【００４５】
そして、前記複数の品質評価装置Ｕのうちのいずれか１つのものが基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１として設定され、その基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１以外のものは通常の品質評価装置Ｕ２として設定されている。
【００４６】
前記基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１及びそれ以外の複数の標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２は後述するように制御動作が異なっている他は、機械的な構成や各部の配置は同じであるから、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２を代表として以下その構成について説明する。
図２に示すように、品質評価装置Ｕ２は、被計測物Ｍに光を照射する投光手段としての投光部１と、被計測物Ｍを透過した光を受光し、その受光した光を計測する分光計測手段としての受光部２と、各種の制御処理を実行する制御手段としてのマイクロコンピュータ利用の制御部３等を備えて構成され、被計測物Ｍは、搬送手段としての搬送コンベア４により一列で縦列状に載置搬送される構成となっており、本装置による計測箇所を順次、通過していくように構成されている。そして、計測箇所に位置する被計測物Ｍに対して、投光部１から投射した光が被計測物Ｍを透過した後に受光部２にて受光される状態で、投光部１と受光部２とが、計測個所の左右両側部に、すなわち、搬送コンベア４の搬送横幅方向の両側部に振り分けて配置される構成となっている。
【００４７】
次に、前記投光部１の構成について説明する。
この投光部１は、搬送コンベア４による搬送方向に沿って離間させた２個のハロゲンランプからなる光源５が設けられ、これら２個の光源５の夫々に対応させて次のような光学系が備えられている。つまり、光源５が発光する光を反射させて被計測物Ｍの表面に焦点を合わせるための集光手段としての凹面形状の光反射板６が備えられ、この光反射板６にて集光される光の焦点位置近くに対応するように位置させて、大きめの絞り孔７ａを通過させることで集光された後の光の径方向外方側への広がりを抑制する絞り板７、絞り板７を通過した光を通過させる状態、小さめの絞り孔８ａを通して通過させる状態、及び、光を遮断する状態の夫々に切り換え自在な光量調節板８等が光学系として備えられている。前記各光量調節板８は、投光量調整用モータ１２によって一体的に揺動操作され、前記各状態に切り換え自在に構成されている。
【００４８】
そして、この投光部１は上記したような各部材がケーシング１３に内装されてユニット状に組み立てられた構成となっている。又、計測箇所に位置する被計測物に対して斜め下方に向かう状態で光を照射するように、投光部１が斜め姿勢で備えられており、外形寸法が小さい被計測物であっても受光部２に直接光が入らないようにしている。
【００４９】
次に、受光部２の構成について説明する。
この受光部２は、図６に示すように、被計測物Ｍを透過した光を集光する集光レンズ１４、並行光に変化した光のうち近赤外域である波長領域６８０〜９９０ナノメートル（ｎｍ）の範囲の光だけを上向きに反射し、それ以外の波長の光をそのまま通過させるバンドパスミラー１５、バンドパスミラー１５により上向きに反射された計測対象光を集光させる集光レンズ１６、集光レンズ１６を通過した光をそのまま通過させて受光センサ２３にて受光されることを許容する開放状態と受光されることを阻止する遮蔽状態とに切り換え自在な入射状態切換手段としてのシャッター機構１７、開放状態のシャッター機構１７を通過した光が入射されると、その光を分光して前記分光スペクトルデータを計測する分光器１８等を備えて構成されている。尚、シャッター機構１７の下方側、つまり光入射方向上手側箇所には、分光器に入射される光に対して作用する光量調整用の複数の各種のフィルターや波長校正用フィルターを作用させる状態に切り換えるフィルター切り換え機構Ｅが備えられている。
【００５０】
前記分光器１８は、図８に示すように、受光位置である入光口２０から入射した計測対象光を集光して平行光にする状態で反射する凹面鏡２１ａと、反射された光を複数の波長の光に分光する分光手段としての凹面回折格子２２と、凹面回折格子２２によって分光された光を集光する状態で反射する集光手段としての凹面鏡２１ｂと、反射された光を受光して各波長毎の光量を検出することにより分光スペクトルデータを計測する受光手段としての受光センサ２３とが、外部からの光を遮光する遮光性材料からなる暗箱２４内に配置される構成となっている。前記受光センサ２３は、凹面回折格子２２にて分光されて反射鏡で反射された上記したような特定波長領域の光を同時に各波長毎に受光するとともに波長毎の信号に変換して出力する１０２４個の単位受光部を備えた電荷蓄積型のＣＣＤラインセンサにて構成されている。このラインセンサは、詳述はしないが、各単位受光部毎に光量を電気信号（電荷）に変換する光電変換部と、その光電変換部にて得られた電荷を蓄積する電荷蓄積部、及び、その蓄積電荷を外部に出力させるための駆動回路等が備えた半導体基板上に形成されている。
【００５１】
又、前記シャッター機構１７は、図８、図９に示すように、放射状に複数のスリット２５が形成された円板１７Ａを、パルスモータ１７Ｂによって縦軸芯周りで回転操作される状態で備えて構成され、前記暗箱２４の入光口２０には前記各スリット２５が上下に重なると光を通過させる開放状態となり、スリット２５の位置がずれると光を遮断する遮断状態となるように、スリット２５とほぼ同じ形状の透過孔２７が形成されており、光の漏洩がないように暗箱の入光口２０に対して円板１７Ａを密接状態で摺動する状態で配備して構成されている。すなわち、このシャッター機構１７は入光口２０に近接する状態で設けられている。この受光部２も投光部１と同様にして、上記したような各部材がケーシング２８に内装されてユニット状に組み立てられた構成となっている。
【００５２】
そして、投光部１及び受光部２の夫々が、投光用箇所及び受光用箇所の夫々に対して各別に着脱自在に取り付け可能なユニット状に構成されており、投光部１と受光部２とが着脱自在に取付けられる装置枠体Ｆが、計測箇所における搬送コンベア４の左右両側に相当する箇所を投光用箇所及び受光用箇所とするように、投光部１と受光部２に対する一対の取付部を備える状態で設けられている。
更には、前記装置枠体Ｆには、投光部１及び受光部２を一体的に上下方向に位置調節自在な上下位置調節手段としての上下位置調節機構２９、及び、投光部１及び受光部２の夫々を各別に装置枠体Ｆに対して計測箇所に位置する被計測物に接近並びに離間する方向、すなわち、水平方向であって搬送コンベア４の搬送方向と直交する方向に沿って位置調節自在な水平位置調節手段としての水平位置調節機構３０が備えられている。
【００５３】
次に、前記上下位置調節機構２９について説明する。図２〜図５に示すように、品質評価装置の外周部を囲うように矩形枠状に組み付けられた装置枠体Ｆが備えられ、その装置枠体Ｆの上部側箇所から位置固定状態で４本の固定支持棒３１が垂下される状態で設けられ、これら４本の固定支持棒３１の下端部には後述する品質評価装置校正用の擬似計測体Ａを載置支持するための支持台３２が取り付けられている。そして、この４本の固定支持棒３１に対して４箇所の摺動支持部３３により上下方向にスライド移動自在に昇降台３４が支持されている。又、装置枠体Ｆの上部側箇所から垂下状態に支持された送りネジ３５が電動モータ３６にて回動自在に設けられ、昇降台３４に備えられた雌ネジ部材３７がこの送りネジ３５に螺合しており、送りネジ３５を電動モータ３６にて回動操作することで昇降台３４が任意の位置に上下移動調節可能な構成となっている。尚、送りネジ３５は手動操作ハンドル３８でも回動自在に構成されている。
又、前記昇降台３４には、品質評価装置校正用の擬似計測体Ａが支持台３２に載置支持された状態でも昇降操作可能なように擬似計測体Ａが上下方向に通過することを許容する挿通孔３４ａが形成されている。
【００５４】
次に、水平位置調節機構３０について説明する。
前記昇降台３４には、図４に示すように、投光部１と受光部２との並び方向に沿って延びる２本のガイド棒３９が設けられており、ユニット状に組み付けられた投光部１並びに受光部２の夫々が着脱自在に取付けられる前記一対の取付部としての支持部材４０、４１が各ガイド棒３９にスライド移動自在に支持される構成となっている。前記各ガイド棒３９は長手方向両端側で連結具３９ａにて連結されている。又、前記昇降台３４には、投光部１と受光部２との並び方向に沿って延びる２本の送りネジ４２、４３が夫々電動モータ４４、４５によって回動操作可能に設けられ、各支持部材４０、４１に備えられた雌ネジ部４６、４７が各送りネジ４２、４３に螺合しており、電動モータ４４、４５にて前記各送りネジ４２、４３を各別に正逆回動させることで、前記各支持部材４０、４１が各別に搬送コンベア４の搬送方向と直交する水平方向に沿って位置調節可能な構成となっている。従って、各支持部材４０、４１に夫々各別に取付けられる投光部１及び受光部２は電動モータ４４、４５にて前記各送りネジ４２、４３を各別に正逆回動させることで前記水平方向、すなわち、計測箇所に対して接近並びに離間する方向での相対位置を変更調節することが可能となる。
【００５５】
従って、電動モータ３６にて送りネジ３５を回動操作させると昇降台３４が上下移動調節されるが、それに伴って昇降台３４に支持されている投光部１及び受光部２を一体的に上下移動調節することができ、前記各電動モータ４４、４５を回動操作させることで投光部１及び受光部２が各別に搬送コンベア４の搬送方向と直交する水平方向に沿って位置調節することができる。
【００５６】
前記各支持部材４０、４１に対する投光部１及び受光部２の取付けの構成について説明を加えると、前記各支持部材４０、４１の下端部における取付け用の台座部分４０ａ，４１ａには、水平方向に適宜間隔をあけて横向きに突出する複数の位置決め用突起４０ｂ，４１ｂが形成され、ユニット状に設けられた投光部１及び受光部２に夫々、それらの位置決め用突起４０ｂ，４１ｂに対応する位置決め孔が設けられ、各支持部材４０、４１に対して投光部１及び受光部２を取付けるときは、位置決め用突起４０ｂ，４１ｂを位置決め孔に嵌め合わせて位置決めした状態でその近くの適宜箇所をボルト止めすることで投光部１及び受光部２を取付ける構成となっている。従って、この装置においては、投光部１及び受光部２が夫々取付けられた状態においては、投光部１が位置する投光用箇所、計測箇所、及び、受光部２が位置する受光用箇所の夫々が一直線状に位置する形態で投光部１及び受光部２が配置される状態となる。但し、支持部材４０、４１の下端部における取付け用の台座部分４０ａ，４１ａは、投光部１及び受光部２の上下方向の長さに対応するように左右で少し長さが異なるものを用いるようにしている。又、投光部１の取付け部には、投射方向が少し斜め下方となるように傾斜用の姿勢規制具４０ｃを設けている。
【００５７】
搬送コンベア４における被計測物Ｍの計測箇所の上方側に位置させて、前記支持台３２から下方側に延設した支持アーム４８により支持される状態でリファレンスフィルター４９が設けられている。このリファレンスフィルター４９は、所定の吸光度特性を有する光学フィルターで構成され、具体的にはオパールガラスにて構成されている。
【００５８】
上下位置調節機構２９によって投光部１及び受光部２を一体的に上下移動調節することによって、図２に示すように、投光部１からの光が搬送コンベア４に載置される被計測物Ｍを透過した後に受光部２にて受光される通常計測位置と、図５の仮想線にて示すように、各投光部１からの光が前記リファレンスフィルター４９を透過した後に受光部２にて受光されるリファレンス計測位置、及び、図５の実線にて示すような校正用計測位置の夫々に切り換えることができるように構成されている。
尚、詳述はしないが、この品質評価装置の外周部は、被計測物の搬送に伴う通過箇所を除いて装置枠体Ｆに備えられた壁体によって囲われて外部から光が入り込まないようになっている。
【００５９】
そして、この品質評価装置には、前記支持台３２に被計測物の光透過特性とほぼ同じような特性を有する擬似計測体Ａを取り外し自在に装着できる構成となっている。尚、擬似計測体Ａは支持台３２にそのまま位置決めした状態で載置させる構成であり、容易に着脱可能な構成となっており、校正を行わないときには、擬似計測体Ａを支持台３２から取り外しておくことができる。
【００６０】
この擬似計測体Ａについて簡単に説明すると、図６に示すように、非透光性の部材で構成された略四角柱状の外側ケーシング５２によって外周部が覆われ、この外側ケーシング５２内部の下方側に位置する箇所に基準体としての純水Ｊを封入状態で収納する収納部５１が設けられ、この収納部５１と外側ケーシング５２との間に空気層が形成されている。そして、この空気層の温度が、品質評価装置によって品質が評価されるときの被計測物の温度又はそれに近い温度である設定温度（例えば、３０℃）に維持されるようにペルチェ素子５５を作用させる構成となっている。そして、外側ケーシング５２における収納部５１の左右両側箇所に対応する位置に夫々、光通過部６１と光通過部６２とが形成され、非透光性の部材で構成された外側ケーシング５２の入光側光通過部６１及び出光側光通過部６２に対応する位置に通過孔が形成されるとともに、拡散体としてのオパールガラスＧが気密状態に保持される状態で装着されている。
【００６１】
この擬似計測体Ａを用いて品質評価装置の校正を行う校正方法について説明すると、先ず、後述するように計測対象物に対する計測処理に先立って行われる検量式の作成の時において、擬似計測体Ａにおける品質評価対象を透過した光の分光スペクトルデータと検量式とに基づいて、品質評価対象（純水）の品質に対応する基準検量値を計測しておく。その後、計測対象物に対する計測処理が行われた後に、品質評価装置を校正する装置校正時において、擬似計測体Ａにおける品質評価対象を透過した光の分光スペクトルデータと検量式とに基づいて、品質評価対象の品質に対応する校正用検量値を計測する。そして、品質評価装置によって計測対象物の品質を評価する時に、計測対象物を透過した光の受光情報と前記検量式とに基づいて求められる計測対象物の品質に対応する検量値を、校正用検量値と基準検量値との差に基づいて補正するのである。このような校正用検量値の計測処理は装置の使用時間が所定時間に達する毎に行うようにするとよい。
【００６２】
尚、このような校正処理と合わせて波長校正処理も適宜行われる構成となっている。つまり、フィルター切り換え機構Ｅに備えられる波長校正フィルターを利用して受光センサ２３に対する波長校正処理を行うのである。この波長校正フィルターは、予め波長が判明している２つの波長にピークを有するものであり、投光部１からの光がこの波長校正フィルターを透過するようにフィルター切り換え機構Ｅを切り換えて、波長校正用フィルターを通して受光センサ２３にて受光して分光スペクトルを計測する。そして、その計測結果から複数の単位受光部が本来受光すべき光の波長と合っていなければ、複数の単位受光部とそれらが受光する光の波長との対応関係を適正な状態となるように単位受光部の素子番号と波長との対応関係を修正するのである。
【００６３】
そして、図１０に示すように、前記搬送コンベア４は無端回動帯４ａを電動モータ４ｂによって駆動する構成となっており、その無端回動帯４ａを巻回する回転体４ｃの回転軸の回転状態にて搬送コンベアによる搬送距離を検出するロータリーエンコーダ１９が備えられ、このロータリーエンコーダ１９の検出情報も制御部３に入力される構成となっており、更に、搬送コンベア４による計測箇所の搬送方向上手側箇所には、搬送コンベア４にて搬送される被計測物の搬送方向の先頭位置が計測箇所よりも搬送方向上手側に位置する手前側位置に到達したか否かを検出する被計測物検出手段としての光学式の通過検出センサ５０が備えられている。この通過検出センサ５０は、光を発する発光器５０ａと、その光を受光する受光器５０ｂとが、搬送コンベア４による搬送経路の左右両側部に振り分け配置され、発光器５０ａから発する光が被検出物で遮断されて受光器５０ｂにて受光できなくなると被検出物が存在していると判別することができる構成となっている。
【００６４】
前記制御部３は、後述するような公知技術である分光分析手法を用いて被計測物Ｍの内部品質を解析する演算処理を実行するとともに、受光センサ２３、シャッター機構１７、投光量調整用モータ１２、上下位置調節用モータ３６、水平位置調節用モータ４４、４５の動作の管理等の各部の動作を制御する構成となっている。
【００６５】
次に、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１における制御部３による制御動作について説明する。
制御部３は、投光部１からの光をリファレンスフィルター４９に照射してそのリファレンスフィルター４９からの透過光を受光部２にて分光してその分光した光を基準分光スペクトルデータとして求める補正処理モードの一例としての基準データ計測処理モードと、被計測物としての果菜類に対して投光部１から光を照射して計測分光スペクトルデータを得て、この計測分光スペクトルデータと前記基準分光スペクトルデータとに基づいて、被計測物Ｍの内部品質を求める計測処理モードとに切り換え自在に構成されている。
【００６６】
次に、前記基準データ計測処理モードについて説明する。
この基準データ計測処理モードにおいては、リファレンスフィルター４９からの透過光に基づいて得られた分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量を予め設定された基準受光光量にするための補正情報を、リファレンスフィルター４９の光透過度の特性と基準光透過度との差のデータ、分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量のデータ、及び、前記基準受光光量のデータの夫々に基づいて求めて記憶する補正情報記憶処理を実行するように構成されている。
【００６７】
説明を加えると、この品質評価装置について、リファレンスフィルター４９の光透過度の特性と基準光透過度との差のデータが工場出荷段階で予め計測されて、その差のデータがこの装置の制御部３にて記憶する構成となっている。前記基準光透過度のデータとは、工場から出荷される複数の品質評価装置に対して共通して使用される１個のマスターリファレンスフィルターについて品質計測装置にて計測した分光スペクトルデータと当該装置に装備されるリファレンスフィルター４９について計測した分光スペクトルデータとの間での受光センサ２３の各単位受光部毎の受光光量の差に対応する値、例えば、それらのデータ同士の差分値の情報等である。
【００６８】
そして、この差のデータ、分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量のデータ、及び、基準受光光量のデータの夫々に基づいて、分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量を予め設定された基準受光光量にするための補正情報を求めるのである。
【００６９】
具体的に説明すると、図１２に示すように、投光部１からの光をリファレンスフィルター４９に投射して透過した光が受光センサ２３の各単位受光部にて計測されて分光スペクトルデータが求められ、その分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長毎の光の受光光量の計測値に対して前記差のデータにより修正した値（図１２のＬｘ）が異なる波長毎の光の受光光量の全てが予め設定された所定の基準受光光量にするための補正係数（補正情報の一例）を夫々の単位受光部毎に演算にて求めるのである。つまり、単位受光部の受光光量をＬｘとして基準受光光量をＬｓとすると、補正係数αは、次の数１のようにして求められ、この補正係数αは複数の単位受光部の夫々について求められることになる。言い換えると、この補正係数αは受光センサ２３の単位受光部の素子番号をｎとすると、この素子番号をパラメータとする関数ｆ（ｎ）として与えられる。尚、分光スペクトルデータも同様に素子番号をパラメータとする関数として与えられることになる。
【００７０】
【数１】
α＝Ｌｓ／Ｌｘ
【００７１】
そして、リファレンスフィルター４９からの透過光を、受光部２にて分光してその分光した光を受光して得られた分光スペクトルデータを前記補正係数により補正して基準分光スペクトルデータを演算にて求める。すなわち、下記数２に示すように、受光センサ２３にて計測される異なる波長毎の受光光量Ｌ１の夫々に補正係数を掛けて異なる波長毎の補正光量Ｌ２すなわち基準分光スペクトルデータを求めるのである。
【００７２】
【数２】
Ｌ２＝α・Ｌ１
【００７３】
又、この基準データ計測処理においては、受光部２への光が遮断された無光状態での受光センサ２３の検出値（暗電流データ）も計測される。すなわち、前記受光部２のシャッター機構１７を遮蔽状態に切り換えて、そのときの受光センサ２３の単位画素毎における検出値を暗電流データとして求めるようにしている。
【００７４】
次に、計測処理モードについて説明する。
この計測処理モードにおいては、上下位置調節機構２９、具体的には上下位置調整用電動モータ３６を操作して昇降台３４を通常計測位置に切り換えて、搬送コンベア４による被計測物Ｍの搬送を行う。そして、被計測物が計測箇所に存在しないとき及び被計測物が計測箇所に存在しても後述するような品質評価用の受光情報の取得が終了しているときは、蓄電開始タイミングから蓄電用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に電荷を蓄積させ、その後、放電用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に蓄積された電荷を放出させる電荷蓄積放電処理を繰り返し実行し、且つ、搬送コンベア４にて搬送される被計測物が計測箇所に至ると、そのときから放電用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に蓄積された電荷を放出させ、その後、計測用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に品質評価用の受光情報として用いるための電荷を蓄積させる計測用電荷蓄積処理を実行するように構成されている。
【００７５】
つまり、制御部３は、図１１に示すように、被計測物が計測箇所に存在しないとき及び被計測物が計測箇所に存在しても後述するような品質評価用の受光情報の取得が終了しているときは、常に、蓄電開始タイミングから蓄電用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に電荷を蓄積させ、その後、放電用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に蓄積された電荷を放出させる電荷蓄積放電処理を設定周期Ｔ１毎に繰り返し実行するように受光センサ２３の動作を制御するように構成されている。
【００７６】
そして、制御部３は、通過検出センサ５０の検出情報に基づいて被計測物の先頭位置が手前側位置に到達したことを検出してから、ロータリーエンコーダ１９の検出情報に基づいて被計測物が計測箇所に至ったことを判別するように構成されている。説明を加えると、通過検出センサ５０にて被計測物Ｍの搬送方向先頭位置が通過検出センサ５０の検出位置である手前側箇所に来たことが検出されると、ロータリーエンコーダ１９の検出情報に基づいて、その時点からの被計測物の搬送距離が前記手前側箇所から計測箇所に至るまでの搬送距離になったことを判別すると、被計測物Ｍが計測箇所に至ったものと判別することになる。
【００７７】
このように被計測物Ｍが計測箇所に至ったものと判別すると、前記電荷蓄積放電処理を繰り返し実行するのではなく、その時点から放電用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に蓄積された電荷を放出させ、その後、計測用設定時間が経過するまで受光センサ２３に品質評価用の受光情報として用いるための電荷を蓄積させる計測用電荷蓄積処理を実行することになる。又、制御部３は、このような受光センサ２３の動作切り換えと併行して、被計測物が前記計測箇所に至るとシャッター機構１７を遮蔽状態から開放状態に切り換え、且つ、その開放状態を電荷蓄積を行うための計測用設定時間Ｔ２が経過するまで維持した後に遮蔽状態に戻すようにシャッター機構１７の動作を制御するよう構成されている。このようにして、計測用設定時間Ｔ２が経過するまで投光部１から照射され被計測物を透過した光を受光部２にて分光した光を受光センサ２３にて受光して電荷を蓄積することができる。そして、この計測用設定時間Ｔ２が経過した後に、蓄積された電荷を取り出して異なる波長毎の受光光量を計測して計測分光スペクトルデータを求める。
【００７８】
図９に示すように、前記被計測物としての果菜類の品種を変更する場合、品種の違いに応じていずれの果菜類を計測対象とするかを指定する人為操作式の切換操作具Ｃが設けられ、この切換操作具Ｃを作業員が人為的に操作して制御部における動作条件の変更を設定する構成となっている。制御部３は、この品種の違いによる動作条件の設定が行われると、品種を判別した結果に基づいて計測用設定時間Ｔ２を変更調整する構成となっており、前記電荷蓄積放電処理を繰り返し実行するときの繰り返し周期Ｔ１も合わせて変更調整されることになる。つまり、前記蓄電用設定時間が前記計測用設定時間Ｔ２と同じ時間間隔に合わせるようにしている。
【００７９】
そして、このようにして得られた基準分光スペクトルデータ、暗電流データ及び計測分光スペクトルデータに基づいて公知技術である分光分析手法を用いて被計測物Ｍの内部品質を解析する演算処理を実行するように構成されている。
つまり、計測分光スペクトルデータを基準分光スペクトルデータ、及び、暗電流データを用いて正規化して、分光された各波長毎の吸光度スペクトルデータを得るとともに、その吸光度スペクトルデータを二次微分した検出２次微分スペクトルデータを求める。このように求められた検出２次微分スペクトルデータのうち成分を算出するための特定波長の二次微分値と予め設定されている検量式とにより、被計測物Ｍに含まれる糖度に対応する成分量や酸度に対応する品質評価値としての成分量を算出する品質評価処理を実行するように構成されている。
【００８０】
前記吸光度スペクトルデータｄは、基準分光スペクトルデータをＲｄ、計測分光スペクトルデータをＳｄとし、暗電流データをＤａとすると、
【００８１】
【数３】
ｄ＝ｌｏｇ［（Ｓｄ−Ｄａ）／（Ｒｄ−Ｄａ）］
【００８２】
という演算式にて求められる。そして、このようにして得られた吸光度スペクトルデータｄを二次微分した値のうち特定波長の値と、下記の数５に示されるような検量式とを用いて、被計測物Ｍに含まれる糖度や酸度に対応する成分量を算出するための検量値を求めるのである。前記基準分光スペクトルデータＲｄは、前記補正係数αにて補正された情報となっている。
【００８３】
【数４】
Ｙ＝Ｋ０＋Ｋ１・Ａ（λ１）＋Ｋ２・Ａ（λ２）
【００８４】
但し、
Ｙ；成分量に対応する検量値
Ｋ０，Ｋ１，Ｋ２；係数
Ａ（λ１），Ａ（λ２）；特定波長λにおける吸光度スペクトルの二次微分値
【００８５】
尚、成分量を算出する成分毎に、特定の検量式、特定の係数Ｋ０，Ｋ１，Ｋ２、及び、波長λ１，λ２等が予め設定されて記憶されており、演算手段１００は、この成分毎に特定の検量式を用いて各成分の検量値（成分量）を算出する構成となっている。
【００８６】
次に、検量式を作成する手順について説明する。
検量式は、被計測物に対する計測処理に先立って、予め、計測対象である被計測物と同じ被計測物を実測したデータに基づいて設定されることになる。つまり、前記サンプルとして数十個〜数百個の被計測物を用意して、各サンプルについて基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１を用いて各波長毎の分光スペクトルデータを求める。そして、その検量式作成用の分光スペクトルデータから上記したような吸光度スペクトルデータを求める。このときにおいても、通常の計測の場合と同様に、前記補正係数αによる補正を行うことになる。一方、前記各サンプルについて、例えば破壊分析等に基づいて被計測物の内部品質に対応する化学成分を特別な検査装置によって精度よく検出する実成分量検出処理を実行して被計測物の実成分量を得る。そして、上記したようにして得られた各サンプル毎の吸光度スペクトルデータを用いて、前記実成分量の検出結果と対比させながら、重回帰分析の手法を用いて、吸光度スペクトルデータと特定の成分についての成分量との関係を示す検量式を求めるのである。
【００８７】
次に、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１以外の標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２における制御部３の制御動作について説明する。尚、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２の制御部３と基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１の制御部３とは互いに情報を通信線を介して通信可能に接続されている。
そして、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２は、補正情報算出モードと品質評価値を求める計測処理モードとに切り換え自在に構成され、前記補正情報算出モードにおいて、補正情報取得用の被計測物からの透過光に基づいて得られた検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を、基準計測状態に対応する基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるための補正情報を求める補正情報算出処理を実行するように構成され、前記計測処理モードにおいて、前記補正情報に基づいて、検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせる動作状態補正処理を実行するように構成されている。
【００８８】
前記動作状態補正処理として、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１にて被計測物からの透過光に基づいて得られた検出２次微分スペクトルデータを前記基準計測状態における基準２次微分スペクトルデータとして用いて、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１にて計測が行われた被計測物と同じ被計測物について自己が求めた検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度及び基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度の情報に基づいて補正情報を求めるように構成されている。
【００８９】
説明を加えると、前記動作状態補正処理として、演算処理によって検出２次微分スペクトルデータと基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間の各波長毎のデータの相関関係を判別して、その判別結果に基づいて検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状を基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状に合わせるための補正情報を求めるようになっている。すなわち、分光スペクトルデータの波長の変化に対する移動平均値を平均データ数を異ならせて複数回実行し、且つ、その複数の移動平均値データを２次微分して求めた複数の検出２次微分スペクトルデータのうち、前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間での相関関係を示す一例としての相関係数を求めて、そのうち最も大きい相関係数に対応する平均データ数を補正情報として求めるように構成されている。
【００９０】
標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２がこの補正情報算出処理を実行する前に、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１において、補正情報取得用の被計測物として特定の果菜類を選定して、その特定の果菜類について基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１において分光スペクトルデータを測定しておく。つまり、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１においても補正情報算出モードが設定され、そのモードに操作者が予め設定しておく。
そして、作業者が特定の果菜類を選定して用意して、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２に対する搬送コンベア４の搬送手前個所に手動で載置して搬送させて計測処理を実行する。この特定の果菜類は、後述するように、別の品質評価装置についても使用するので、特定の果菜類についての計測が終了すると搬送コンベア４の搬送を停止させて、作業者はこの特定の果菜類を標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２における搬送コンベア４に手動で移動させる。
【００９１】
特定の果菜類について計測が終了すると、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１における制御部３は次のような処理を実行する。分光スペクトルデータを単位受光部毎のデータ群について片側３０個分の設定窓幅を定めて移動平均値を求めて平滑化して、その平滑化した分光スペクトルデータについて２次微分した検出２次微分スペクトルデータを基準２次微分スペクトルデータとして求める。つまり、１つの単位受光部の受光データを中心として短波長側に３０個分の受光データ、長波長側に３０個分の受光データを取り、合計６０個の受光データの平均値をとり、その平均値を単位受光部の平滑化データとして求めて、そのような処理を全波長範囲にわたって移動平均をとり平滑化した分光スペクトルデータを求める。更に、その平滑化した分光スペクトルデータについて２次微分して検出２次微分スペクトルデータすなわち基準２次微分スペクトルデータを求める。そして、この基準２次微分スペクトルデータを通信線を介して品質評価装置Ｕ２に通信する構成となっている。図１５及び図１６の実線にて本出願人の実験データによる基準２次微分スペクトルデータの例を示している。
【００９２】
次に、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２における補正情報算出処理について具体的に説明する。
先ず、作業者の切り換え指令に基づいて標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２の制御部３が、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２が補正情報算出モードに切り換えられる。そして、制御部３は図１３に示すように制御を実行する。
先ず、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１にて計測したものと同じ前記特定の果菜類について分光スペクトルデータを測定する。このとき、作業者が前記特定の果菜類を、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２に対する搬送コンベア４の搬送手前個所に手動で載置して搬送させて計測処理を実行する。制御部３は前記果菜類についての計測が終了すると搬送コンベア４の搬送を停止させる。作業者はこの特定の果菜類を標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２における搬送コンベア４に手動で移動させる。
【００９３】
次に、この分光スペクトルデータについて窓幅を変更させて設定回数にわたり移動平均値を求める演算処理を実行する。例えば、窓幅として片側３０個から４９個まで２０回変更させて移動平均値を求める演算処理を実行し、夫々の演算結果に対応する分光スペクトルデータについて２次微分して検出２次微分スペクトルデータを演算にて求める。図１７に、本出願人による２０個分の検出２次微分スペクトルデータを示している。
【００９４】
次に、相関係数の演算処理を実行する。つまり、前記２０個の検出２次微分スペクトルデータと図１５に実線に示す基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間での形状や光強度についての相関係数を算出する。例えば、前記各検出２次微分スペクトルデータと基準２次微分スペクトルデータについて複数の波長の夫々のデータについてそれらの全ての波長範囲のデータについて相関係数を演算して求めていき、その全波長範囲についての相関係数の平均値を求める。次に、その求められた相関係数から補正情報として設定するためのものを判別する処理を実行する。つまり、相関係数が最も大きくなる平均データ数を補正情報として設定するのである。図１４に平均データ数としての平均窓幅の変化に対する相関係数の検出値の実験結果を示している。この例では、平均データ数が片側３５個のときが最も相関係数が大きいことを示しており、片側３５個の平均データ数が補正情報として算出されることになる。因みに、図１５には最も相関係数が大きい平均データ数が片側３５個のときの検出２次微分スペクトルデータと基準２次微分スペクトルデータの実測データを示しており、図１６には平均データ数が片側３０個のときの検出２次微分スペクトルデータと基準２次微分スペクトルデータの実測データを示している。
【００９５】
そして、制御部３は、多量の被計測物についての計測を行う場合には、前記計測処理モードに切り換えられる。この計測処理モードにおいては、前記動作状態補正処理として、補正情報に基づいて検出２次微分スペクトルデータを補正する演算処理を実行することにより、検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるように構成されている。説明を加えると、計測処理モードにおける処理動作としては、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１における処理とほぼ同じであるが、計測分光スペクトルデータを前記補正情報としての片側３５個での平均データ数によって移動平均処理をして平滑化処理を行った後に、基準分光スペクトルデータ、及び、暗電流データを用いて正規化して、分光された各波長毎の吸光度スペクトルデータを得るとともに、その吸光度スペクトルデータを二次微分した検出２次微分スペクトルデータを求めて、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１の場合と同様に品質評価値を求めることになる。
【００９６】
上記したような標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２における補正情報算出処理は、複数の標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２の夫々について各別に行われ、全ての品質評価装置Ｕ２に対して同一の特定の果菜類を計測対象として分光スペクトルデータが計測され、相関係数の演算処理や判別処理等が同様にして行われることになる。尚、説明は省略するが、標準の品質評価装置Ｕ２の制御部３は、基準の品質評価装置Ｕ１と同様に前記基準データ計測処理モードにも切り換え自在に構成され、前記補正情報記憶処理や基準分光スペクトルデータの算出、暗電流データの計測も実行することになる。
【００９７】
〔第２実施形態〕
次に、本発明に係る第２実施形態について説明する。
図１８に示すように、第１実施形態における投光部１と同じ構成のユニット状の投光部１が２台備えられ、それら２台の投光部１が計測箇所の左右両側部、すなわち、搬送コンベア４ａの搬送横幅方向の両側部に振り分けて配置され、各投光部１は光の照射方向がほぼ水平方向となるように構成されている。すなわち、前記各支持部材４０、４１と同様な支持部材４０、４１にユニット状の２台の投光部１が夫々取付けられる。但し、支持部材４０、４１の下端部における取付け用の台座部分４０ａ，４１ａは、投光部１の上下長さに対応するように左右で同じものを用いるようにしている。又、各投光部１の光の照射方向がほぼ水平方向となるように、上記品質評価装置にて用いた傾斜用の姿勢規制具４０ｃは使用しない構成となっている。
【００９８】
搬送コンベア４Ａは、被計測物を中央部に挿通孔７０が形成された受皿７１に載置した状態で搬送される構成となっており、この受皿７１は、計測箇所の下方側には、前記投光部１から照射されて被計測物を透過して受皿７１の挿通孔７０を通して下方側に透過する光を受光する光ファイバー７２の受光側端部が配置されている。その光ファイバー７２の他端側には、前記受光部２とほぼ同じ構成のユニット状の受光部２が接続されて光が受光されることになる。この受光部２による受光情報に基づく制御部３での内部品質の解析処理については第１実施形態の場合と同様である。
【００９９】
この品質評価装置においては、計測箇所に位置する被計測物に対して、その左右両側部に位置する各投光部１から光がほぼ水平方向に対向するように投射され、被計測物内部で散乱して下方側に透過して出て来た光を光ファイバー７２にて受光して受光部２に導く構成となっている。
【０１００】
そして、前記搬送コンベア４Ａは、被計測物Ｍを受皿７１上の特定位置に位置させる状態で受皿７１に載置した状態で搬送するように構成されている。つまり、受皿７１はゴム等の軟質材からなり、図１９に示すように、外形形状が平面視で円筒形であり中央部に円形の挿通孔７０が形成され、挿通孔７０の外周側の上面側部分は中心側ほど下方に位置する斜め形状になるように構成され、計測対象となる被計測物Ｍである略球形状の果菜類が、受皿７１上に載置されると自重でその軸芯が平面視で中央部の挿通孔７０とほぼ同じ軸芯上に位置する状態で載置されることになる。つまり、受皿７１上の中心位置が前記特定位置に対応するものとなる。
前記受皿７１は搬送コンベア４Ａの無端回動帯４ａ上に載置されるフリーキャリア式の受皿であり、無端回動帯４ｄに搬送方向に所定間隔をあけて設けられた押し具４ｅにより押し操作しながら搬送するようになっており、搬送横幅方向の両端部は搬送方向に配備された規制具４ｆにより案内される構成となっている。又、無端回動帯４ｄの幅方向中央部の受皿７１の下方側部分は、投光部１から照射されて被計測物Ｍを透過した光を光ファイバー７２の受光側端部にて受光可能なように開放される構成となっている。
【０１０１】
この実施形態では、受皿７１の搬送方向の先頭位置が設定位置に到達したことを検出する受皿検出手段としての光学式の受皿検出センサ７３が設けられている。この受皿検出センサ７３は、第１実施形態の通過検出センサ５０と同様に、光を発する発光器７３ａと、その光を受光する受光器７３ｂとが、搬送コンベア４Ａによる搬送経路の左右両側部に振り分け配置され、発光器７３ａから発する光が被検出物としての受皿７１により遮断されて受光器７３ｂにて受光できなくなると、受皿７１の搬送方向の先頭位置が設定位置に到達したことを検出する構成となっている。
【０１０２】
そして、前記制御部３が、この受皿検出センサ７３の検出情報に基づいて被計測物Ｍが計測箇所に至ったことを判別するように構成されている。すなわち、受皿検出センサ７３が受皿７１の搬送方向の先頭位置が設定位置に到達したことを検出すると、被計測物Ｍが計測箇所に至ったものと判別して、直ちに、上記第１実施形態における計測用電荷蓄積処理と同じ計測用電荷蓄積処理を実行するように構成されている。
【０１０３】
説明を加えると、受皿検出センサ７３にて受皿の搬送方向の先頭位置が設定位置に到達したことが検出されたときには、光ファイバー７２の受光側端部が平面視にて挿通孔７０の搬送方向上手側箇所に位置するように、受皿検出センサ７３と光ファイバー７２の受光側端部との位置関係が予め設定されている。因みに、前記各投光部１は光ファイバー７２の受光側端部に対して搬送横幅方向にほぼ直線状に並ぶように配置させる構成となっている。
受皿検出センサ７３にて受皿の搬送方向の先頭位置が設定位置に到達したことが検出されると、直ちに計測用電荷蓄積処理を実行することで、被計測物からの透過光を光ファイバー７２の受光側端部にて適正に受光することができるのである。
【０１０４】
そして、制御部３は、図２０のタイムチャートに示すように、前記受皿検出センサ７３にて受皿７１の搬送方向の先頭位置が設定位置に到達したことが検出されると、直ちに、前記計測用電荷蓄積処理を実行するとともに、それと併行して、前記シャッター機構１７を遮蔽状態から開放状態に切り換え、且つ、その開放状態を電荷蓄積を行うための計測用設定時間Ｔ４が経過するまで維持した後に遮蔽状態に戻すようにシャッター機構１７の動作を制御する構成となっている。
この構成においては、受皿検出センサ７３にて受皿７１の搬送方向の先頭位置が設定位置に到達したことが検出されると、直ちに、前記計測用電荷蓄積処理を実行する構成であるから、搬送コンベア４Ａの搬送速度の変動等の影響を受けることなく搬送コンベアのスベリや揺らぎに起因した計測誤差を少なくして被計測物が計測箇所に至ったことを精度よく検出できることになる。
尚、制御部３における制御動作は第１実施形態の場合と同様である。
【０１０５】
〔第３実施形態〕
次に、本発明に係る品質評価装置の第３実施形態について説明する。
この実施形態では、前記分光器の構成と制御部の制御動作が異なる他は、第１実施形態と同じであるから、異なる部分について説明し、同じ構成については説明は省略する。
【０１０６】
この実施形態における分光器は、図２１に示すように、前記集光手段としての凹面鏡２１ｂと前記受光手段としての受光センサ２３との間での相対位置関係を変更調整自在な位置調整手段Ｔを備えて構成されている。すなわち、受光センサ２３がケースに固定されている固定部材８０に対して短波長側端部と長波長側端部の夫々において位置調整手段としての一対の圧電素子８１、８１を介して支持される構成となっており、これら一対の圧電素子８１、８１に電圧を印加することで、固定部材８０と受光センサ２３の受光面２３ａとの間、言い換えると、受光センサ２３の受光面２３ａと凹面鏡２１ａとの間での相対位置関係を変更調整することができる構成となっている。
【０１０７】
前記制御部３は、前記補正情報算出モードにおいて第１実施形態における補正情報算出処理と同じ処理を実行するように構成され、被計測物からの透過光に基づいて得られた検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を、基準計測状態に対応する基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるための補正情報を求めることになる。そして、被計測物の品質評価値を求める計測処理モードにおいては、前記動作状態補正処理として、補正情報に基づいて前記各圧電素子８１，８１を作動させる受光位置調節処理を実行することにより、検出２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度を前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータの形状並びに各波長毎の光強度に合わせるように構成されている。
【０１０８】
尚、第１実施形態における相関係数が最も大きくなる平均データ数に対する圧電素子８１、８１による位置調整量との対応関係は工場出荷段階で予め計測して制御部に記憶させることになり、圧電素子８１、８１にて位置調整するときは、この記憶されている対応関係についての情報と補正情報算出処理にて求められた補正情報とに基づいて設定される電圧値を印加することになる。又、この実施形態においては、前記相関係数を求める場合に、短波長側領域と長波長側領域との夫々の領域において各別に相関関係をみて、それらが各別に最も大きい相関関係となるように、左右一対の圧電素子８１、８１を各別に位置調整するような構成としてもよい。
【０１０９】
前記位置調整手段Ｔとしては、圧電素子に限るものではなく微少な範囲での移動操作が可能なものであればよく、例えばモータ駆動式の小型のネジ送り機構等を用いてもよい。
【０１１０】
〔別実施形態〕
以下、別実施形態を列記する。
【０１１１】
（１）上記実施形態では、補正情報取得用の被計測物として、特定の果菜類を用いるようにしたが、上記実施形態にて記載した擬似計測体を用いたり、分光スペクトルに急峻な変化が生じるような光学フィルター等を用いるようにしてもよい。又、上記実施形態では、前記基準計測状態として、複数の品質評価装置が並べて配備される場合にそのうちのいずれか１つのものを基準の装置として定めて、その基準の装置における計測状態を基準計測状態として、その基準の装置にて求められた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータを他の装置に対する基準２次微分スペクトルデータとするものを例示したが、このような構成に代えて、例えば工場での製造段階で特定される１台の基準の品質評価装置を用意しておいて、その装置にて求められた前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータを工場から出荷される装置の夫々に対する基準２次微分スペクトルデータとするような構成としてもよい。
【０１１２】
（２）上記実施形態では、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータと前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間の各波長毎のデータの相関関係を判別するために、相関係数を求めるようにしたが、このような構成に限らず、例えば、前記検出２次微分スペクトルデータと前記基準２次微分スペクトルデータとの間の各波長毎のデータの差の２乗が最も小さくなるようなデータを求めるようにして相関関係が近いものを選択するようにしてもよい。又、移動平均による平滑化処理によって特性を変化させるようにしたが、例えばガウシャンフィルター等を用いる方法等各種の手法を用いて実施してもよい。
【０１１３】
（３）上記実施形態では、リファレンスフィルターからの透過光に基づいて得られた分光スペクトルデータの異なる波長におけるその受光光量を予め設定された基準受光光量にするための補正情報を求めて記憶して、被計測物からの透過光に基づいて得られた分光スペクトルデータを補正情報にて補正して、その補正した分光スペクトルデータに基づいて被計測物の品質評価値を求めるようにしたが、このような処理を実行しない構成としてもよい。
【０１１４】
（４）上記第１実施形態では、投光部と受光部とが計測箇所の左右両側部に振り分けて配置される構成のものを例示したが、このような構成に代えて、投光部と受光部とが計測箇所の上下両側部に振り分けて配置される構成としてもよい。
【０１１５】
（５）上記第２実施形態では、計測箇所の左右両側部に一対の投光部を振り分けて配置し、計測箇所の下側に出てくる光を光ファイバーで受光して受光部に導く構成のものを例示したが、このような構成に代えて、計測箇所の横一側箇所に１つの投光部を配置する構成としてもよく、光ファイバーで受光するものに代えて、計測箇所の下側に受光部を備えて受光部にて透過光を直接受光する構成としてもよい。又、投光部と受光部とを計測箇所の例えば横一側箇所に並べて配置して光投射方向に対してほぼそれを反対方向に出てくる光を受光するようにしてもよい。
【０１１６】
（６）上記実施形態では、投光部の光源としてハロゲンランプを用いたが、これに限らず、水銀灯、Ｎｅ放電管等の各種の光源を用いてもよく、受光部における受光センサは、ＣＣＤ型ラインセンサに限らずＭＯＳ型ラインセンサ等の他の検出手段を用いるようにしてもよい。
【０１１７】
（７）上記各実施形態では、被計測物Ｍの内部品質として、糖度や酸度を例示したが、これに限らず、食味の情報等、それ以外の内部品質を計測してもよい。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】選果設備の概略構成図
【図２】品質評価装置の正面図
【図３】品質評価装置の側面図
【図４】品質評価装置の横断平面図
【図５】品質評価装置の正面図
【図６】品質評価装置の一部切欠正面図
【図７】分光器の構成図
【図８】シャッター機構を示す図
【図９】制御ブロック図
【図１０】設置状態を示す平面図
【図１１】計測作動のタイミングチャート
【図１２】異なる波長毎の受光光量を示す図
【図１３】制御フローチャート
【図１４】相関係数の変化を示す図
【図１５】検出２次微分スペクトルデータを示す図
【図１６】検出２次微分スペクトルデータを示す図
【図１７】検出２次微分スペクトルデータを示す図
【図１８】第２実施形態の品質評価装置の正面図
【図１９】第２実施形態の被計測物の検出状態を示す図
【図２０】第２実施形態の計測作動のタイミングチャート
【図２１】第３実施形態の受光センサの支持構造を示す図
【符号の説明】
１投光手段
３制御手段
２１ｂ集光手段
２２分光手段
２３受光手段
４９リファレンスフィルター
Ｍ被計測物
Ｔ位置調整手段
Ｕ，Ｕ１，Ｕ２品質評価装置[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a light projecting unit that projects light onto an object to be measured, a spectral unit that spectrally separates transmitted light or reflected light from the object to be measured, and receives light spectrally separated by the spectral unit. A light receiving unit that outputs spectrum data; a light collecting unit that collects light separated by the spectral unit on a light receiving surface of the light receiving unit; and control for obtaining a quality evaluation value of the measured object based on the spectral data. Means, and wherein the control means calculates the quality evaluation value based on the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the spectral spectrum data and a calibration equation for quality analysis. The present invention relates to a configured quality evaluation device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The quality evaluation device having the above configuration measures the internal quality of fruits and vegetables such as tangerines and apples as an object to be measured based on the characteristics of transmitted light and reflected light obtained from the object to be measured, for example, the internal quality such as sugar content and acidity. In such a quality evaluation device, as the measurement work on the object to be measured is performed, various factors such as aging of the device and the like cause the measurement of the object to be measured. In some cases, the quality evaluation value deviates from the value that should be originally obtained, causing a measurement error. For example, the amount of light applied to an object to be measured may change, or the light receiving characteristic of a specific wavelength of light to be received may change, and it may not be possible to accurately determine the absorption characteristic of the specific wavelength of light.
[0003]
Therefore, in order to reduce such a measurement error, conventionally, the wavelength calibration of the light receiving unit is performed using an optical filter for wavelength calibration having a pair of specific wavelengths instead of the object to be measured. I have. In other words, the light receiving means includes a plurality of unit light receiving sections for receiving the light of each wavelength that has been split, and the wavelengths of the light to be received by each of the plurality of unit light receiving sections must always be in the same state. If the spectral data cannot be measured properly, the wavelengths received by each of the unit light receiving units may deviate from the wavelengths that should be received due to various factors as the measurement work is performed on the object to be measured. is there. Therefore, based on the light receiving information obtained by irradiating the optical filter with light and receiving light obtained through the optical filter, if the plurality of unit light receiving units do not match the wavelength of the light to be originally received, The wavelength calibration is performed so that the correspondence between the plurality of unit light receiving units and the wavelength of the light received by them is in an appropriate state.
[0004]
Further, similarly to the case of the wavelength shift, the same object to be measured is measured due to various factors such as a change in the amount of light of the light projecting means as the measurement work on the object to be measured is performed. However, the amount of light received by each of the plurality of unit light receiving units may change to a different value and deviate from the amount of light that should be received. Therefore, the ratio between the spectral spectrum data serving as a reference when measuring the reference filter using a reference filter whose transmittance is known in advance and the spectral spectrum data when measuring an object to be measured is calculated. As a result, the measurement data is normalized to reduce the error due to the light amount change as described above, and the quality evaluation value is accurately measured (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-20042 (pages 3-4, FIGS. 1, 3, and 4)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional configuration described above, the wavelength calibration process is performed using an optical filter for wavelength calibration, and the reference light amount is measured using a reference filter, and the spectral spectrum obtained when the object is measured is measured. Since the quality evaluation value can be accurately measured by normalizing the data, measurement errors caused by fluctuations in the amount of light in the light projecting means due to the use of the device, and detection errors in the spectral spectrum data in the light receiving means Although it is possible to correct a measurement error or the like due to a deviation between the wavelength corresponding to the obtained data and the actual wavelength, there is still room for improvement in the following points.
[0007]
In other words, the light receiving unit is a photoelectric conversion device including a plurality of unit light receiving units for converting the light amount into electric amount information such as a charge amount in order to separately detect the light amount of the light of each of the different wavelengths. It is configured to include optical components and the like, but to such a light receiving means, the light from the object to be measured is guided using a light collecting device such as an optical lens or a concave mirror to guide the light. It has become. In other words, the measurement is performed in a state where the light is condensed and focused on the light receiving surface of the light receiving means. However, due to an assembly error when such a light receiving means is assembled, a plurality of quality evaluations are performed. When the device is manufactured, the position of the light receiving means with respect to the focal position of each device is slightly displaced little by little, and even when the same object is measured, the measured quality evaluation values are different. It may be.
[0008]
When a plurality of quality evaluation devices are produced, the above-described reference filters are provided in each of the quality evaluation devices. However, even in this reference filter, there is an individual difference in the light transmittance characteristics, and the reference filters vary. Is what exists. As a result, due to the difference in light transmittance of the reference filter, even when each of the plurality of quality evaluation devices measures the same object to be measured, the measured quality evaluation value may be different. is there.
[0009]
By the way, such a quality evaluation device is provided, for example, in a fruit sorting facility or the like to measure the quality of fruit and vegetables brought in by a farmer's producer or the like and sort the result according to the grade according to the measurement result. It may be used as an object to be measured, for example, to efficiently sort a large number of fruits and vegetables corresponding to one cargo port. In such a case, a quality evaluation device is provided at each of a plurality of measurement locations to which the group of objects to be measured is distributed and supplied, so that the measurement processing can be performed in parallel by the plurality of quality evaluation devices. It is common practice to efficiently perform measurement processing on a large number of fruits and vegetables brought in by producers and the like.
[0010]
However, as described above, in a plurality of quality evaluation devices, there is a possibility that an error due to a positional shift of the light receiving unit with respect to the focus position or an error due to an individual difference of the reference filter may occur, as described above. In the case where multiple quality evaluation devices are used side by side, such as in a fruit sorting facility, the quality evaluation value for each device may be different even when the same object is measured. In addition, the above-mentioned calibration formulas need to be created separately for each quality evaluation device using the information on the amount of light received by the light receiving means of the quality evaluation device. was there.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and its purpose is to evaluate the quality of each device when the same object is measured even when a plurality of quality evaluation devices are used. It is an object of the present invention to provide a fruit and vegetable quality evaluation device that can reduce the value deviation and can also reduce the labor for creating a calibration formula.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein: a light projecting unit that projects light onto the object to be measured; a spectral unit that splits transmitted light or reflected light from the object to be measured; Receiving means for receiving the light and outputting spectrum data, condensing means for condensing the light separated by the spectroscopic means on a light receiving surface of the light receiving means, and an object to be measured based on the spectral data. Control means for obtaining a quality evaluation value of
The control means is configured to obtain the quality evaluation value based on the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the spectral spectrum data and a calibration equation for quality analysis. ,
The control means,
It is configured to be freely switchable between a correction information calculation mode and a measurement processing mode for obtaining the quality evaluation value,
In the correction information calculation mode, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or reflected light from the measurement object for correction information acquisition and the light intensity for each wavelength are set to the reference measurement state. Configured to execute correction information calculation processing for obtaining correction information for adjusting to the shape of the corresponding reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength,
In the measurement processing mode, based on the correction information, an operation state in which the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are adjusted to the shape of the reference secondary differential spectral data and the light intensity for each wavelength. It is characterized in that it is configured to execute a correction process.
[0013]
That is, when the control unit is switched to the correction information calculation mode, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or the reflected light from the object for correction information acquisition and the light for each wavelength The correction information calculation process is performed to obtain correction information for adjusting the intensity to the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data corresponding to the reference measurement state and the light intensity for each wavelength.
[0014]
Here, as the object to be measured for acquiring the correction information, it is possible to obtain measurement light such as transmitted light or reflected light when light is irradiated by one specified object to be measured or light projecting means. There is one possible pseudo-measurement body, such as an optical filter.
[0015]
Further, as the reference measurement state, for example, when a plurality of quality evaluation devices are arranged side by side, any one of them is determined as a reference device, and the measurement state in the reference device is set as a reference. There are cases where the measurement state is set. That is, the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by the reference device is used as reference second derivative spectrum data for another device. Further, instead of such a configuration, for example, one reference quality evaluation device specified at a manufacturing stage in a factory is prepared, and the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by the device is used in the factory. There is also a configuration in which reference second-order differential spectrum data is set for each of the devices shipped from.
[0016]
That is, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data based on the spectral spectrum data measured by the quality evaluation device and the light intensity for each wavelength are determined by the shape of the detected secondary differential spectral data and the wavelength for each wavelength in the reference measurement state. By obtaining correction information for adjusting to the light intensity and correcting the detected second derivative spectrum data using the correction information, a measurement result similar to the state measured in the reference measurement state can be obtained.
[0017]
As a result, by adjusting the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength to the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength in the reference measurement state, the position of the light receiving means is shifted. It is possible to reduce the error caused by the above.
[0018]
Then, when the control unit is switched to the measurement processing mode, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are changed based on the correction information, and the shape of the reference secondary differential spectral data and the light intensity for each wavelength An operation state correction process according to the intensity is performed. Then, the quality evaluation value of the object to be measured is obtained based on the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data, the detected secondary differential spectrum data adjusted to the light intensity of each wavelength, and the calibration equation for quality analysis. Will be.
[0019]
Therefore, even when a plurality of quality evaluation devices are used, each device when the same object is measured is measured by reducing the error caused by the positional shift of the light receiving unit in each quality evaluation device. It is possible to reduce the deviation of the quality evaluation value for each, and it is possible to use the same calibration formula for a plurality of quality evaluation devices, and it is necessary to create a calibration formula for each of the plurality of quality evaluation devices. Therefore, it is possible to provide a fruit and vegetable quality evaluation device that can reduce the time and effort of creating a calibration formula.
[0020]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the quality evaluation device according to the first aspect, the control unit executes, as the operation state correction process, an arithmetic process of correcting the detected second differential spectrum data based on the correction information. Thus, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are adapted to the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength.
[0021]
That is, the control means executes the arithmetic processing as the operation state correction processing, and thereby determines the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength by the shape of the reference secondary differential spectral data and the light intensity for each wavelength. Because it is adjusted to the intensity, for example, compared to a configuration that mechanically adjusts the position of the light receiving means to the focal position, there is no operation of mechanical members, and the processing is performed faster accordingly. And the control configuration can be simplified because only arithmetic processing can be performed.
[0022]
The quality evaluation device according to claim 3, wherein the spectroscopic measurement unit includes a position adjustment unit capable of changing and adjusting a relative positional relationship between the light collection unit and the light reception unit, and the control unit includes: By executing light receiving position adjustment processing for operating the position adjustment means based on the correction information as the operation state correction processing, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are determined by the reference. It is characterized in that it is configured to match the shape of the second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength.
[0023]
That is, the control means performs, as the operation state correction processing, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity of each wavelength based on the correction information, the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity of each wavelength. Thus, the light receiving position adjustment processing for operating the position adjusting means capable of changing and adjusting the relative positional relationship between the light condensing means and the light receiving means is executed so as to adjust the position. Specifically, the relative position is mechanically adjusted so that the light receiving surface of the light receiving unit is positioned at an appropriate position with respect to the focal position where the light separated by the light separating unit is collected by the light collecting unit. Change is adjust. In other words, even if the position of the light receiving unit with respect to the focal position is misaligned due to an assembling error when assembling the light receiving unit, or may be misaligned due to aging with long-term use, Since the position is adjusted so as to forcibly correct such a position shift, it is possible to reduce errors caused by the position shift of the light receiving unit. Therefore, since the position of the light receiving means is mechanically adjusted and forcibly corrected, it is possible to surely reduce the error caused by the positional deviation of the light receiving means.
[0024]
The quality evaluation device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit performs the correction information calculation process between the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectral data. And determining the correction information based on the result of the determination.
[0025]
That is, the correlation of the data for each wavelength between the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectral data is determined, and the shape of the detected secondary differential spectral data and Correction information for matching the light intensity for each wavelength to the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength is obtained. In other words, the one having the closest correlation as the correlation by the calculation processing of the measured data is selected, for example, the one having the largest correlation coefficient is selected using the correlation coefficient as an example of the correlation, or the difference between the data is selected. Information representing data having a correlation that minimizes the squared value is obtained as correction information.
[0026]
By determining the correlation between the detected second derivative spectrum data and the reference second derivative spectrum data for each wavelength in this manner, the shape of the detected second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are determined. Is adjusted to the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity of each wavelength, so that correction information can be appropriately obtained.
[0027]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the quality evaluation device according to the fourth aspect, the control unit performs a process of obtaining a moving average value with respect to a change in the wavelength of the spectral data as the correction information calculation process by changing the number of average data. A correlation coefficient as the correlation between the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained by executing the multiple times and secondary differential of the plurality of moving average value data and the reference secondary differential spectral data is calculated. And calculating the average number of data corresponding to the largest correlation coefficient as the correction information.
[0028]
That is, the control unit executes the moving average value for the change in the wavelength of the spectral spectrum data a plurality of times as the correction information calculation process while changing the number of average data. The reason why the moving average value is obtained by changing the average data number in this manner is that if the average data number is changed, the degree of bending at the bent portion of the curve indicating the detected secondary differential spectrum data becomes smooth or steep. This is because a change similar to a change caused by the magnitude of an error caused by a positional shift of the light receiving unit with respect to the focal position.
Then, among a plurality of detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the plurality of moving average value data, a correlation coefficient as the correlation with the reference second derivative spectrum data is obtained. By determining the average number of data corresponding to the largest correlation coefficient among them as the correction information, it is possible to specify the data corresponding to the one with the smallest error caused by the positional shift of the light receiving means with respect to the focal position. Become.
[0029]
In addition, the shape of the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or the reflected light from the object to be measured and the light intensity at each wavelength are, for example, as shown in FIG. Can be represented as a curve that changes while bending smoothly. The horizontal axis of this figure indicates the change in wavelength, and the vertical axis indicates the calculated second derivative for each of the two wavelengths. Then, based on the actual measurement data, the present applicant examines the correlation between the magnitude of the error caused by the displacement of the light receiving means with respect to the focal position as described above and the curve indicating the detected second derivative spectrum data. However, the inventors have found through experiments that there is a change in the degree of bending at the bent portion, such as gradual or steep, depending on the magnitude of the error caused by the displacement of the light receiving means. For example, each line in FIG. 17 is the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained by moving average the spectrum data obtained by measuring the same object by different quality measuring devices with different average data numbers. However, even when the error due to the displacement of the light receiving means is large, the degree of bending at the bent portion changes similarly.
[0030]
Therefore, spectral spectrum data in which the number of data of the moving average value is different is obtained, and the average number of data corresponding to the largest correlation coefficient is obtained for a plurality of detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the spectral data. Correction information can be obtained by a simple process of obtaining it as correction information, and can be handled by a simple control configuration.
[0031]
The quality measuring equipment according to claim 6, wherein the light projecting means for projecting light onto the object to be measured, the spectral means for spectrally transmitting or reflecting light from the object to be measured, and the spectral means Receiving means for receiving the light and outputting spectrum data, condensing means for condensing the light separated by the spectroscopic means on a light receiving surface of the light receiving means, and an object to be measured based on the spectral data. Control means for obtaining a quality evaluation value of
The control means is configured to obtain the quality evaluation value based on the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the spectral spectrum data and a calibration equation for quality analysis. ,
The light from the light projecting means is configured to be switchable to a state of irradiating a reference filter having a predetermined absorbance characteristic in place of the object to be measured,
The control means,
It is configured to be freely switchable between a correction processing mode and a measurement processing mode for obtaining the quality evaluation value,
In the correction processing mode, correction information for setting the amount of received light at a different wavelength of spectral spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or reflected light from the reference filter to a predetermined reference received light amount is referred to as the reference information. Data on the difference between the light transmittance characteristic of the filter and the reference light transmittance, data on the amount of light received at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data, and correction information obtained and stored based on the data on the reference light amount received, respectively. Configured to perform a storage process,
In the measurement processing mode, the spectral information obtained based on transmitted light or reflected light from irradiating the object with light from the light projecting unit is corrected by the correction information, and the correction is performed. It is characterized in that it is configured to obtain a quality evaluation value of an object to be measured based on the obtained spectral data.
[0032]
That is, in the correction processing mode, the control means determines the amount of received light at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or the reflected light from the reference filter having a predetermined absorbance characteristic, at a predetermined reference light receiving amount. The correction information for obtaining the light amount is defined as the data of the difference between the light transmittance characteristic of the reference filter and the reference light transmittance, the data of the received light amount at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data, and the data of the reference received light amount. And the correction information is stored. In the measurement processing mode, the control unit irradiates the object with the light from the light projecting unit and converts the spectral data obtained based on the transmitted light or the reflected light from the object into correction information. Then, the quality evaluation value of the object to be measured is obtained based on the corrected spectrum data.
[0033]
Therefore, correction information for setting the received light amount at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data obtained by the reference filter to a predetermined reference received light amount is obtained, and the quality evaluation value of the measured object is obtained using the corrected information. Therefore, even if the spectral spectrum data obtained by the reference filter may change due to aging or the like, the spectral spectrum data obtained by the measurement object is made to correspond to the reference received light amount. The spectral data will be corrected.
[0034]
Therefore, even when a plurality of quality evaluation devices are used, by reducing errors caused by individual differences of reference filters in the individual quality evaluation devices, each device when the same object is measured is reduced. It is possible to reduce the deviation of the quality evaluation value for each, and it is possible to use the same calibration formula for a plurality of quality evaluation devices, and it is necessary to create a calibration formula for each of the plurality of quality evaluation devices. Therefore, it is possible to provide a fruit and vegetable quality evaluation device that can reduce the time and effort of creating a calibration formula.
[0035]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a quality measuring device, wherein the quality evaluation device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects is provided at each of a plurality of measurement locations to which the measured object is distributed and supplied,
Any one of the plurality of quality evaluation devices is set as a reference quality evaluation device,
Other quality evaluation devices other than the standard quality evaluation device,
As the correction information calculation process,
Using the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or reflected light from the object to be measured by the reference quality evaluation device as reference secondary differential spectrum data in the reference measurement state, The shape of the detected second derivative spectrum data, the light intensity for each wavelength, and the shape of the reference second derivative spectrum data obtained by the subject itself, which is the same as the measured object measured by the quality evaluation device. And the correction information is obtained based on the information of the light intensity for each wavelength.
[0036]
That is, a quality evaluation device is provided at each of a plurality of measurement locations to which the measurement object is distributed and supplied, and any one of the plurality of quality evaluation devices is set as a reference quality evaluation device. Then, a quality evaluation device other than the reference quality evaluation device compares the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or the reflected light from the measured object by the reference quality evaluation device with the reference measurement state. The correction information calculation process is executed using the reference second-order differential spectrum data in.
[0037]
In other words, the reference quality evaluation device and the other quality evaluation devices each perform measurement on the same object to obtain the detected second derivative spectrum data, and the other quality evaluation devices other than the reference quality evaluation device perform the measurement. Using the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained by the reference quality evaluation device as the reference secondary differential spectrum data, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectral data obtained by itself and the light intensity for each wavelength are determined by the reference 2 Correction information for adjusting to the shape of the second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength is obtained.
[0038]
Therefore, by processing the detected secondary differential spectrum data of each of the reference quality evaluation device and the other quality evaluation devices so as to match the reference secondary differential spectrum data, the light reception in each of the quality evaluation devices is performed. By reducing the error caused by the displacement of the means, it is possible to reduce the deviation of the quality evaluation value of each device when measuring the same object to be measured, and the same calibration is performed for a plurality of quality evaluation devices. Expressions can be used.
[0039]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0040]
[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, regarding the first embodiment of the quality evaluation device and the quality measurement equipment according to the present invention, for example, the sugar content and the acidity are evaluated as an example of the quality of the fruit and vegetables by a fruit sorting facility that sorts and sorts fruit and vegetables such as tangerine. A case in which the present invention is applied to the configuration will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0041]
The fruit sorting equipment is configured such that fruits and vegetables such as tangerines are carried in the container CO as objects to be measured, respectively, and the object M is discharged from the container CO and transported from the middle of the transport path. Then, each object to be measured M is imaged one by one, and the appearance of a flaw or the like is determined from the size and color information by image processing, and the sugar content and acidity of the object to be measured M, which is an example of quality, are evaluated. Then, a sorting process for sorting the objects to be measured M into equal classes as a plurality of quality ranks is performed based on the information.
[0042]
FIG. 1 shows a fruit sorting facility as a quality measuring facility according to the present invention. The fruit sorting facility is loaded in a receiving unit (not shown) by a transport vehicle or the like and stored in a container CO. The measurement object M is carried in. Then, after being conveyed by the first conveyance device B1 while being stored in the container CO and performing weight measurement and the like, a wide second conveyance device B2 provided along a direction intersecting with the conveyance direction of the container CO. Is provided on the loading / transporting surface of the container CO. The damper device B3 for releasing the object M stored in the container CO is provided. The object M in the container CO is released by the damper device B3 without stacking. After the measurement, the object to be measured M is configured to be mounted and conveyed by the wide second conveying device B2. Note that the empty container CO is separately collected.
[0043]
The object to be measured M that is placed and transported by the second transport device B2 passes through a cleaning processing unit SJ that performs a cleaning process, a wax process, and a drying process associated therewith. In the state where the objects to be measured M placed and conveyed in the state of (1) are lined up in a line along the conveying direction by the channelizer CH and are branched to a plurality of lines (six lines) of the conveyers 4, the set intervals are set. The state is switched to the state where the sheet is placed and transported. Then, with respect to the objects to be measured M conveyed in a tandem state in each of the six lines of convey lines, an image is taken one by one by an image pickup means such as a CCD camera, and the size and color information is obtained by image processing. And six image quality evaluation units HK1 for evaluating outer shape information such as scratches and the like, and six quality evaluation devices for evaluating the quality such as the sugar content and the acid content of the measured object M one by one by spectral analysis as described later. A quality evaluation unit HK2 as a quality measuring facility equipped with an evaluation device U is provided, and a plurality of objects to be measured M are provided on the lower side of the transport based on the results of the evaluation units HK1 and HK2. A sorting device FW or the like is provided which determines which of the classes corresponds, and sorts and supplies to a separately provided transport line for each of the corresponding classes. In addition, the objects to be measured M sorted on the basis of the result of the rank determination are packed in boxes for each rank.
[0044]
Next, the configuration of the quality evaluation unit HK2 will be described.
The quality evaluation unit HK2 is configured to include a plurality of quality evaluation devices U for evaluating the quality of the measured object at each of a plurality of measurement target locations to which the group of measured objects is distributed and supplied. A light projecting means for projecting light to the object to be measured, a spectrum measuring means for spectrally transmitting light from the object to be measured, receiving the separated light and obtaining spectral spectrum data, and Control means for obtaining a quality evaluation value of the measured object based on the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the spectral spectrum data and a calibration equation for quality analysis. And the quality evaluation value is obtained based on the above.
[0045]
Then, any one of the plurality of quality evaluation devices U is set as a reference quality evaluation device U1, and those other than the reference quality evaluation device U1 are set as a normal quality evaluation device U2. .
[0046]
The standard quality evaluation device U1 and a plurality of other standard quality evaluation devices U2 have the same mechanical configuration and arrangement of each part except for the control operation as described later. The configuration will be described below with the evaluation device U2 as a representative.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the quality evaluation device U2 includes a light projecting unit 1 as a light projecting unit that irradiates the object M with light, receives light transmitted through the object M, and receives the received light. The apparatus includes a light receiving unit 2 as a spectroscopic measurement unit for performing measurement, a control unit 3 using a microcomputer as a control unit for executing various control processes, and the like. , And are arranged and conveyed in a line in a single row, and are configured to sequentially pass through measurement points by the present apparatus. Then, in a state where the light projected from the light projecting unit 1 passes through the object M and is received by the light receiving unit 2 with respect to the object M located at the measurement location, the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 are arranged on the left and right sides of the measurement location, that is, on both sides in the transport width direction of the transport conveyor 4.
[0047]
Next, the configuration of the light emitting unit 1 will be described.
The light projecting unit 1 is provided with a light source 5 composed of two halogen lamps separated in the direction of conveyance by the conveyance conveyor 4, and the following optical system is provided corresponding to each of these two light sources 5. Is provided. In other words, a concave light reflector 6 is provided as a light collecting means for reflecting light emitted from the light source 5 to focus on the surface of the object M to be measured. Plate 7, which is positioned so as to correspond to the vicinity of the focal position of the light, and suppresses the spread of the condensed light to the radially outward side by passing through a large stop hole 7 a. An optical system includes a light amount adjusting plate 8 and the like which can be switched between a state in which light passing through 7 passes, a state in which light passes through a small aperture 8a, and a state in which light is blocked. Each of the light amount adjusting plates 8 is integrally rocked by a projection light amount adjusting motor 12, and is configured to be freely switchable to each of the above states.
[0048]
The light projecting unit 1 has a configuration in which the above-described members are housed in a casing 13 and assembled into a unit. Further, the light projecting unit 1 is provided in an oblique posture so as to irradiate light to an object to be measured located at a measurement location in an obliquely downward direction, and even if the object to be measured has a small external dimension. Light is prevented from directly entering the light receiving section 2.
[0049]
Next, the configuration of the light receiving section 2 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6, the light receiving unit 2 includes a condenser lens 14 for condensing light transmitted through the measurement object M, and a wavelength region 680 to 990 nanometers in the near infrared region of light converted into parallel light. A bandpass mirror 15 that reflects only light in the range of (nm) upward and allows light of other wavelengths to pass through as it is, and a condenser lens 16 that collects measurement target light reflected upward by the bandpass mirror 15. A shutter as an incident state switching means capable of switching between an open state in which light passing through the condenser lens 16 is passed as it is and received by the light receiving sensor 23 and a shielded state in which light is prevented from being received; The mechanism 17 includes a spectroscope 18 and the like that, when light that has passed through the shutter mechanism 17 in the open state is incident, disperses the light and measures the spectral data. . In addition, on the lower side of the shutter mechanism 17, that is, on the upper side in the light incident direction, a plurality of various filters for adjusting the amount of light acting on the light incident on the spectroscope and filters for wavelength calibration are operated. A filter switching mechanism E for switching is provided.
[0050]
As shown in FIG. 8, the spectroscope 18 includes a concave mirror 21 a that converges the measurement target light incident from the light entrance 20, which is the light receiving position, and converts the light into parallel light, and a plurality of reflected lights. A concave diffraction grating 22 as spectroscopic means for dispersing the light having the wavelength of, a concave mirror 21b as a condensing means for reflecting the light dispersed by the concave diffraction grating 22 in a condensed state, and receiving the reflected light. The light receiving sensor 23 as light receiving means for measuring the spectral spectrum data by detecting the amount of light at each wavelength by means of the light receiving device 23 is disposed in a dark box 24 made of a light shielding material for shielding external light. I have. The light receiving sensor 23 simultaneously receives the light of the above-mentioned specific wavelength region, which is separated by the concave diffraction grating 22 and reflected by the reflecting mirror, for each wavelength, and converts it into a signal for each wavelength and outputs it 1024. It is composed of a charge accumulation type CCD line sensor having a plurality of unit light receiving sections. Although not described in detail, the line sensor includes a photoelectric conversion unit that converts a light amount into an electric signal (electric charge) for each unit light receiving unit, a charge accumulation unit that accumulates electric charge obtained by the photoelectric conversion unit, and Are formed on a semiconductor substrate provided with a drive circuit and the like for outputting the accumulated charges to the outside.
[0051]
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the shutter mechanism 17 includes a disk 17A having a plurality of radially formed slits 25 in a state of being rotated around a vertical axis by a pulse motor 17B. The slits 25 are formed in the light entrance 20 of the dark box 24 such that the slits 25 are in an open state in which light passes when the slits 25 are vertically overlapped, and in a blocking state in which the light is blocked when the position of the slits 25 is shifted. A transmission hole 27 having substantially the same shape as that of FIG. 1 is formed, and the disk 17A is arranged so as to slide in close contact with the light entrance 20 of the dark box so as not to leak light. That is, the shutter mechanism 17 is provided so as to be close to the light entrance 20. Similarly to the light projecting section 1, the light receiving section 2 has a configuration in which the above-described members are housed in the casing 28 and assembled into a unit.
[0052]
Each of the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 is configured as a unit that can be detachably attached to each of the light projecting location and the light receiving location, respectively. The device frame F to which the light-receiving unit 2 is detachably attached to the light-transmitting unit 1 and the light-receiving unit 2 such that the positions corresponding to the left and right sides of the conveyor 4 at the measurement position are the light-transmitting and light-receiving positions. It is provided with a pair of mounting portions.
Further, the device frame F is provided with an up / down position adjusting mechanism 29 as up / down position adjusting means capable of vertically adjusting the position of the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 integrally, and the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit. Each of the parts 2 is separately moved toward and away from the object to be measured located at the measurement point with respect to the apparatus frame F, that is, in a horizontal direction and a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport conveyor 4. A horizontal position adjusting mechanism 30 as adjustable horizontal position adjusting means is provided.
[0053]
Next, the vertical position adjusting mechanism 29 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a device frame F assembled in a rectangular frame shape so as to surround the outer peripheral portion of the quality evaluation device is provided. The fixed support rods 31 are provided in a suspended state, and the lower ends of the four fixed support rods 31 are provided with support stands 32 for placing and supporting a pseudo-measurement body A for calibrating a quality evaluation device described later. Is attached. An elevating table 34 is slidably supported in the up and down direction by four sliding support portions 33 with respect to the four fixed support bars 31. Further, a feed screw 35 supported in a hanging state from an upper side portion of the apparatus frame F is rotatably provided by an electric motor 36, and a female screw member 37 provided on an elevating table 34 is attached to the feed screw 35. The lifting table 34 can be vertically moved to an arbitrary position by rotating the feed screw 35 with an electric motor 36. Note that the feed screw 35 is also configured to be rotatable with a manual operation handle 38.
In addition, the elevation table 34 allows the pseudo measurement body A to pass in the vertical direction so that the pseudo measurement body A for calibration of the quality evaluation device can be moved up and down even when the pseudo measurement body A is placed and supported on the support table 32. Insertion hole 34a is formed.
[0054]
Next, the horizontal position adjustment mechanism 30 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4, the elevating table 34 is provided with two guide bars 39 extending along the direction in which the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 are arranged. The support members 40 and 41 as the pair of attachment portions to which the portion 1 and the light receiving portion 2 are detachably attached are supported by the guide bars 39 so as to be slidable. The guide bars 39 are connected at both ends in the longitudinal direction by connecting members 39a. In addition, two feed screws 42 and 43 extending along the direction in which the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 are arranged are provided on the elevating table 34 so as to be rotatable by electric motors 44 and 45, respectively. Female screw portions 46 and 47 provided on the support members 40 and 41 are screwed into the respective feed screws 42 and 43, and the respective feed screws 42 and 43 are respectively rotated forward and reverse by the electric motors 44 and 45. By doing so, each of the support members 40 and 41 can be separately adjusted in position in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport conveyor 4. Therefore, the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 respectively attached to the support members 40 and 41 are respectively rotated by the electric motors 44 and 45 by rotating the feed screws 42 and 43 forward and backward respectively. That is, it is possible to change and adjust the relative position in the direction of approaching and separating from the measurement location.
[0055]
Therefore, when the feed screw 35 is rotated by the electric motor 36, the elevating table 34 is vertically moved and adjusted, and accordingly, the light emitting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 supported by the elevating table 34 are integrated. Up and down movement can be adjusted, and by turning each of the electric motors 44 and 45, the light emitting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 are individually adjusted in position in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport conveyor 4. be able to.
[0056]
In addition to the description of the configuration of attaching the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 to the support members 40 and 41, the mounting pedestal portions 40a and 41a at the lower ends of the support members 40 and 41 have horizontal directions. Are formed with a plurality of positioning projections 40b and 41b projecting laterally at appropriate intervals, and correspond to the projections 40b and 41b, respectively, of the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 provided in a unit shape. A positioning hole is provided, and when attaching the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 to each of the support members 40, 41, the positioning projections 40b, 41b are fitted into the positioning holes and positioned in appropriate positions near the positioning holes. Are bolted to attach the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2. Therefore, in this device, when the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 are respectively attached, the light projecting position where the light projecting unit 1 is located, the measurement position, and the light receiving position where the light receiving unit 2 is located Are in a state where the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 are arranged in a form where each of them is located in a straight line. However, the mounting pedestal portions 40a, 41a at the lower end portions of the support members 40, 41 have slightly different lengths on the left and right so as to correspond to the vertical lengths of the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2. Like that. The mounting portion of the light projecting unit 1 is provided with a tilting posture restricting tool 40c so that the projection direction is slightly obliquely downward.
[0057]
A reference filter 49 is provided above the measurement location of the object M on the conveyor 4 and supported by a support arm 48 extending downward from the support table 32. The reference filter 49 is formed of an optical filter having a predetermined absorbance characteristic, and is specifically formed of opal glass.
[0058]
By vertically moving and adjusting the light projecting unit 1 and the light receiving unit 2 by the vertical position adjusting mechanism 29, the light from the light projecting unit 1 is measured on the transport conveyor 4 as shown in FIG. The normal measurement position received by the light receiving unit 2 after passing through the object M and the light from each light emitting unit 1 passing through the reference filter 49 as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 5 and a calibration measurement position as indicated by a solid line in FIG. 5.
Although not described in detail, the outer peripheral portion of the quality evaluation device is surrounded by a wall provided on the device frame F except for a passing portion accompanying the transport of the measured object so that light does not enter from the outside. It has become.
[0059]
The quality evaluation device is configured such that a pseudo measurement object A having substantially the same characteristics as the light transmission characteristics of the object to be measured can be detachably mounted on the support table 32. The pseudo measurement body A is configured to be mounted on the support table 32 as it is, and can be easily attached and detached. When calibration is not performed, the pseudo measurement body A is detached from the support table 32. Can be kept.
[0060]
The pseudo measurement body A will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 6, the outer peripheral portion is covered by a substantially quadrangular prism-shaped outer casing 52 formed of a non-translucent member. Is provided with a storage section 51 for storing pure water J as a reference body in a sealed state, and an air space is formed between the storage section 51 and the outer casing 52. The Peltier device 55 is operated so that the temperature of the air layer is maintained at a set temperature (for example, 30 ° C.) which is a temperature of the object to be measured when the quality is evaluated by the quality evaluation device or a temperature close thereto. It is a configuration to make it. A light-passing portion 61 and a light-passing portion 62 are formed at positions corresponding to the left and right sides of the storage portion 51 in the outer casing 52, respectively, so that light can enter the outer casing 52 made of a non-translucent member. A passage hole is formed at a position corresponding to the side light passage portion 61 and the light exit side light passage portion 62, and an opal glass G as a diffuser is mounted in a state of being kept in an airtight state.
[0061]
A calibration method for calibrating the quality evaluation device using the pseudo measurement object A will be described. First, as described later, the pseudo measurement object A is used when a calibration equation is created prior to the measurement processing on the measurement target. A reference calibration value corresponding to the quality of the quality evaluation target (pure water) is measured based on the spectral spectrum data of the light transmitted through the quality evaluation target and the calibration equation. Thereafter, after the measurement process for the measurement target is performed, at the time of device calibration for calibrating the quality evaluation device, the quality is measured based on the spectral expression data of the light transmitted through the quality evaluation target in the pseudo measurement object A and the calibration equation. Measure the calibration calibration value corresponding to the quality of the evaluation target. Then, when the quality of the measurement object is evaluated by the quality evaluation device, a calibration value corresponding to the quality of the measurement object obtained based on the received light information of the light transmitted through the measurement object and the calibration formula is used for calibration. The correction is made based on the difference between the calibration value and the reference calibration value. It is preferable to perform such measurement processing of the calibration calibration value every time the use time of the apparatus reaches a predetermined time.
[0062]
It is to be noted that the wavelength calibration processing is appropriately performed together with such a calibration processing. That is, the wavelength calibration process for the light receiving sensor 23 is performed using the wavelength calibration filter provided in the filter switching mechanism E. This wavelength calibration filter has peaks at two wavelengths whose wavelengths are known in advance, and switches the filter switching mechanism E so that light from the light projecting unit 1 passes through the wavelength calibration filter. The light is received by the light receiving sensor 23 through the calibration filter, and the spectrum is measured. If the measurement results show that the plurality of unit light receiving units do not match the wavelength of the light to be originally received, the correspondence between the plurality of unit light receiving units and the wavelength of the light received by the plurality of unit light receiving units is set to an appropriate state. The correspondence between the element number of the unit light receiving section and the wavelength is corrected.
[0063]
As shown in FIG. 10, the conveyor 4 has a configuration in which an endless rotating band 4a is driven by an electric motor 4b, and the rotation of a rotating shaft of a rotating body 4c that winds the endless rotating band 4a. A rotary encoder 19 for detecting a transport distance by the transport conveyor in the state is provided, and information detected by the rotary encoder 19 is also input to the control unit 3. The object to be measured detects whether or not the leading position in the transport direction of the object to be transported by the transport conveyor 4 has reached the near side position located on the upstream side in the transport direction from the measurement location at the upstream side location. An optical passage detection sensor 50 is provided as detection means. In the passage detection sensor 50, a light emitting device 50a that emits light and a light receiving device 50b that receives the light are arranged on both right and left sides of a transport path by the transport conveyor 4, and light emitted from the light emitting device 50a is detected. When the light is blocked by the object and cannot be received by the light receiving device 50b, it can be determined that the object to be detected exists.
[0064]
The control unit 3 executes a calculation process for analyzing the internal quality of the object M by using a spectroscopic analysis technique, which is a known technique as described later, and performs a light receiving sensor 23, a shutter mechanism 17, and a motor for adjusting a projection light amount. 12, the operation of each part such as the management of the operation of the vertical position adjusting motor 36 and the horizontal position adjusting motors 44 and 45 is controlled.
[0065]
Next, a control operation by the control unit 3 in the reference quality evaluation device U1 will be described.
The control unit 3 irradiates the light from the light projecting unit 1 to the reference filter 49, disperses the transmitted light from the reference filter 49 in the light receiving unit 2, and obtains the separated light as reference spectral data. A reference data measurement processing mode as an example of a mode, and irradiating light from the light projecting unit 1 to fruits and vegetables as an object to be measured to obtain measurement spectrum data, and the measurement spectrum data and the reference spectrum spectrum are obtained. It is configured to be freely switchable to a measurement processing mode for obtaining the internal quality of the object M based on the data.
[0066]
Next, the reference data measurement processing mode will be described.
In this reference data measurement processing mode, correction information for changing the amount of received light at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light from the reference filter 49 to a preset reference amount of received light is transmitted to the reference filter 49. Data of the difference between the light transmittance characteristics of 49 and the reference light transmittance, data of the amount of received light at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data, and correction information obtained and stored based on the data of the reference amount of received light, respectively. It is configured to execute a storage process.
[0067]
In addition, regarding this quality evaluation device, data of the difference between the light transmittance characteristic of the reference filter 49 and the reference light transmittance is measured in advance at the factory shipment stage, and the difference data is stored in the control unit of the device. 3 is stored. The data of the reference light transmittance is the spectral spectrum data measured by the quality measurement device for one master reference filter commonly used for a plurality of quality evaluation devices shipped from the factory and the device. A value corresponding to the difference in the amount of received light of each unit light receiving unit of the light receiving sensor 23 with the spectral spectrum data measured for the provided reference filter 49, for example, information on a difference value between the data. .
[0068]
Then, based on each of the difference data, the data of the amount of received light at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data, and the data of the reference amount of received light, the amount of received light at the different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data is set to a preset reference light receiving amount. The correction information for obtaining the light amount is obtained.
[0069]
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 12, the light from the light projecting unit 1 is projected onto the reference filter 49, and the transmitted light is measured by each unit light receiving unit of the light receiving sensor 23 to obtain spectral spectrum data. All of the received light amounts of light of different wavelengths whose values (Lx in FIG. 12) corrected by the difference data with respect to the measured values of the received light amount of light of different wavelengths in the spectral spectrum data are set in advance. A correction coefficient (an example of correction information) for obtaining the predetermined reference received light amount is obtained by calculation for each unit light receiving unit. That is, assuming that the received light amount of the unit light receiving unit is Lx and the reference received light amount is Ls, the correction coefficient α is obtained as in the following equation 1, and the correction coefficient α is obtained for each of the plurality of unit light receiving units. Will be. In other words, the correction coefficient α is given as a function f (n) using the element number as a parameter, where n is the element number of the unit light receiving section of the light receiving sensor 23. The spectral data is also given as a function using the element number as a parameter.
[0070]
(Equation 1)
α = Ls / Lx
[0071]
Then, the transmitted light from the reference filter 49 is separated by the light receiving unit 2 and the spectral light data obtained by receiving the separated light is corrected by the correction coefficient to obtain the reference spectral data by calculation. . That is, as shown in the following Expression 2, the correction light amount L2 for each different wavelength, that is, the reference spectral data is obtained by multiplying each of the light reception amounts L1 for each different wavelength measured by the light receiving sensor 23 by the correction coefficient.
[0072]
(Equation 2)
L2 = α · L1
[0073]
In the reference data measurement process, a detection value (dark current data) of the light receiving sensor 23 in a non-light state in which light to the light receiving unit 2 is blocked is also measured. That is, the shutter mechanism 17 of the light receiving unit 2 is switched to the shielded state, and the detection value of each unit pixel of the light receiving sensor 23 at that time is obtained as dark current data.
[0074]
Next, the measurement processing mode will be described.
In this measurement processing mode, the vertical position adjusting mechanism 29, specifically, the vertical position adjusting electric motor 36 is operated to switch the elevating table 34 to the normal measurement position, and the transport of the workpiece M by the transport conveyor 4 is performed. Do. When the object to be measured does not exist at the measurement location and when the acquisition of the light reception information for quality evaluation as described later is completed even when the object to measure The electric charge is accumulated in the light receiving sensor 23 until the set time elapses, and thereafter, the charge accumulation and discharge processing for discharging the electric charge accumulated in the light receiving sensor 23 until the set time for discharge elapses is repeatedly executed. When the object to be measured reaches the measuring point, the electric charge accumulated in the light receiving sensor 23 is released until the set time for discharge has elapsed from that time. 23 is configured to execute measurement charge accumulation processing for accumulating charges to be used as light reception information for quality evaluation.
[0075]
That is, as shown in FIG. 11, the control unit 3 ends the acquisition of the light-receiving information for quality evaluation, which will be described later, when the object to be measured does not exist at the measurement location and even when the object to measure is present at the measurement location. In this case, the charge is always stored in the light receiving sensor 23 until the set time for power storage elapses from the power storage start timing, and thereafter, the charge stored in the light receiving sensor 23 is released until the set time for discharge elapses. The operation of the light receiving sensor 23 is controlled so as to repeatedly execute the charge accumulation and discharge processing at every set period T1.
[0076]
Then, the control unit 3 detects that the head position of the measurement object has reached the near side position based on the detection information of the passage detection sensor 50, and then detects the measurement object based on the detection information of the rotary encoder 19. It is configured to determine that the measurement point has been reached. In addition, when the passage detection sensor 50 detects that the leading position of the measured object M in the transport direction has come to a position on the near side that is the detection position of the passage detection sensor 50, the detection information of the rotary encoder 19 Based on this, when it is determined that the transport distance of the object to be measured from that point is the transport distance from the near side location to the measurement location, it is determined that the workpiece M has reached the measurement location. become.
[0077]
When it is determined that the object to be measured M has reached the measurement location in this manner, the charge accumulation and discharge processing is not repeated, but the charge accumulated in the light receiving sensor 23 until the set time for discharge has elapsed from that time. Is discharged, and thereafter, a charge accumulation process for measurement is performed to cause the light receiving sensor 23 to accumulate charges for use as light reception information for quality evaluation until the set time for measurement elapses. The control unit 3 switches the shutter mechanism 17 from the closed state to the open state when the object reaches the measurement location in parallel with the operation switching of the light receiving sensor 23, and changes the open state to the electric charge. The operation of the shutter mechanism 17 is configured to be maintained until the measurement set time T2 for performing accumulation has elapsed and then to return to the shielded state. In this manner, the light emitted from the light projecting unit 1 and transmitted through the object to be measured is split by the light receiving unit 2 and received by the light receiving sensor 23 to accumulate charges until the measurement set time T2 elapses. be able to. Then, after the measurement set time T2 has elapsed, the accumulated electric charge is taken out and the amount of received light at each different wavelength is measured to obtain measured spectral data.
[0078]
As shown in FIG. 9, when changing the variety of fruits and vegetables as the object to be measured, a manually operated switching operation tool C for designating which fruits and vegetables are to be measured according to the type of the variety is provided. The switching operation tool C is provided so that an operator can manually operate the switching operation tool C to set a change in operating conditions in the control unit. When the setting of the operation condition according to the type is performed, the control unit 3 changes and adjusts the measurement set time T2 based on the result of the type determination, and repeatedly executes the charge accumulation / discharge processing. The repetition period T1 is also adjusted and adjusted accordingly. That is, the set time for power storage is set to the same time interval as the set time for measurement T2.
[0079]
Then, based on the thus obtained reference spectral data, dark current data and measured spectral data, a calculation process for analyzing the internal quality of the measurement object M is performed by using a known spectral analysis method. It is configured as follows.
That is, the measured spectral data is normalized using the reference spectral data and the dark current data to obtain the absorbance spectral data for each of the wavelengths that have been separated, and the secondary differential of the absorbance spectral data is used for detection. Obtain differential spectrum data. A component corresponding to the sugar content contained in the measurement object M is obtained from the second derivative value of the specific wavelength for calculating the component in the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained in this manner and the calibration formula set in advance. It is configured to execute a quality evaluation process of calculating a component amount as a quality evaluation value corresponding to the amount or the acidity.
[0080]
When the absorbance spectrum data d is Rd for the reference spectral data, Sd for the measured spectral data, and Da for the dark current data,
[0081]
[Equation 3]
d = log [(Sd-Da) / (Rd-Da)]
[0082]
It is calculated by the following arithmetic expression. Then, the absorbance spectrum data d obtained in this manner is included in the measurement object M using the value of the specific wavelength among the values obtained by secondarily differentiating the value and the calibration formula as shown in the following Expression 5. The calibration value for calculating the component amount corresponding to the sugar content or acidity is determined. The reference spectral data Rd is information corrected by the correction coefficient α.
[0083]
(Equation 4)
Y = K0 + K1 · A (λ1) + K2 · A (λ2)
[0084]
However,
Y: Calibration value corresponding to component amount
K0, K1, K2; coefficient
A (λ1), A (λ2); second derivative of absorbance spectrum at specific wavelength λ
[0085]
Note that a specific calibration equation, specific coefficients K0, K1, K2, wavelengths λ1, λ2, and the like are preset and stored for each component for which the component amount is calculated. The calibration value (component amount) of each component is calculated using a specific calibration formula.
[0086]
Next, a procedure for creating a calibration equation will be described.
The calibration formula is set based on data obtained by actually measuring the same measurement target as the measurement target prior to the measurement processing on the measurement target. That is, tens to hundreds of objects to be measured are prepared as the samples, and spectral spectrum data for each wavelength is obtained for each sample using the reference quality evaluation device U1. Then, absorbance spectrum data as described above is obtained from the spectral spectrum data for preparing the calibration equation. Also at this time, the correction by the correction coefficient α is performed as in the case of the normal measurement. On the other hand, for each of the samples, a real component amount detection process for accurately detecting a chemical component corresponding to the internal quality of the measured object by a special inspection device based on, for example, destructive analysis or the like is performed, and the Get the quantity. Then, using the absorbance spectrum data of each sample obtained as described above, while comparing with the detection result of the actual component amount, using a method of multiple regression analysis, for the absorbance spectrum data and specific components A calibration equation indicating the relationship with the component amount is obtained.
[0087]
Next, the control operation of the control unit 3 in the standard quality evaluation device U2 other than the reference quality evaluation device U1 will be described. The control unit 3 of the standard quality evaluation device U2 and the control unit 3 of the reference quality evaluation device U1 are communicably connected to each other via a communication line.
The standard quality evaluation device U2 is configured to be freely switchable between a correction information calculation mode and a measurement processing mode for obtaining a quality evaluation value. In the correction information calculation mode, the transmitted light from the measurement object for correction information acquisition is used. Correction information for adjusting the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength obtained based on the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength corresponding to the reference measurement state In the measurement processing mode, the shape of detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are calculated based on the correction information in the measurement processing mode. It is configured to execute an operation state correction process to match the shape and the light intensity for each wavelength.
[0088]
As the operation state correction processing, using the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light from the measured object in the reference quality evaluation device U1 as the reference secondary differential spectrum data in the reference measurement state, The shape of the detected second derivative spectrum data, the light intensity for each wavelength, and the shape of the reference second derivative spectrum data obtained by the subject itself which is the same as the measured object measured by the reference quality evaluation device U1. The correction information is obtained based on the light intensity information for each wavelength.
[0089]
In addition, as the operation state correction processing, the correlation of the data for each wavelength between the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectral data is determined by arithmetic processing, and based on the determination result. Thus, correction information for matching the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data with the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data is obtained. That is, a plurality of detected secondary differential spectra obtained by executing a moving average value for a change in the wavelength of spectral spectrum data a plurality of times with different numbers of average data and secondarily differentiating the plurality of moving average value data. Among the data, a correlation coefficient as an example showing a correlation with the reference secondary differential spectrum data is obtained, and an average number of data corresponding to the largest correlation coefficient is obtained as correction information. Have been.
[0090]
Before the standard quality evaluation device U2 executes this correction information calculation process, the reference quality evaluation device U1 selects a specific fruit and vegetable as an object to be measured for obtaining correction information, and the specific fruit and vegetable is selected. Spectral spectrum data is measured in the reference quality evaluation device U1. That is, the correction information calculation mode is also set in the reference quality evaluation device U1, and the operator sets the correction information calculation mode in advance.
Then, the operator selects and prepares a specific fruit and vegetable, manually places it at a location before the transport of the transport conveyor 4 with respect to the standard quality evaluation device U2, transports the same, and executes a measurement process. As will be described later, this specific fruit and vegetable is also used for another quality evaluation device. Therefore, when the measurement of the specific fruit and vegetable is completed, the conveyance of the transport conveyor 4 is stopped, and the operator can use the specific fruit and vegetable. Are manually moved to the conveyor 4 in the standard quality evaluation device U2.
[0091]
When the measurement is completed for a specific fruit and vegetable, the control unit 3 in the reference quality evaluation device U1 executes the following processing. Detected secondary differential spectrum obtained by subjecting spectral data to a data group for each unit light receiving unit, defining a setting window width for one side of 30 units, obtaining a moving average value, smoothing, and secondarily differentiating the smoothed spectral data. The data is obtained as reference second derivative spectrum data. In other words, 30 light reception data on the short wavelength side and 30 light reception data on the long wavelength side are taken around the light reception data of one unit light receiving unit, and the average value of a total of 60 light reception data is taken. The average value is obtained as smoothed data of the unit light receiving unit, and such processing is performed by moving average over the entire wavelength range and smoothed spectral data is obtained. Further, the smoothed spectral spectrum data is secondarily differentiated to obtain detected second-order differential spectrum data, that is, reference second-order differential spectrum data. The reference secondary differential spectrum data is communicated to the quality evaluation device U2 via a communication line. The solid line in FIGS. 15 and 16 shows an example of reference second derivative spectrum data based on experimental data of the present applicant.
[0092]
Next, the correction information calculation process in the standard quality evaluation device U2 will be specifically described.
First, the control unit 3 of the standard quality evaluation device U2 switches the standard quality evaluation device U2 to the correction information calculation mode based on an operator's switching command. And the control part 3 performs control as shown in FIG.
First, spectral spectrum data is measured for the specific fruit and vegetables same as those measured by the reference quality evaluation device U1. At this time, the operator manually places and transports the specific fruits and vegetables at a location just before the transport of the transport conveyor 4 with respect to the standard quality evaluation device U2, and executes the measurement process. When the measurement of the fruits and vegetables is completed, the control unit 3 stops the conveyance of the conveyor 4. The operator manually moves the specific fruits and vegetables to the conveyor 4 in the standard quality evaluation device U2.
[0093]
Next, a calculation process of calculating a moving average value over a set number of times by changing the window width of the spectral data is executed. For example, a calculation process of obtaining a moving average value by changing the window width from 30 to 49 on one side 20 times is performed, and the spectral differential data corresponding to each calculation result is secondarily differentiated, and the detected second differential spectral data is detected. Is calculated. FIG. 17 shows the detected second derivative spectrum data for 20 pieces by the present applicant.
[0094]
Next, a calculation process of the correlation coefficient is executed. That is, a correlation coefficient regarding the shape and light intensity between the 20 pieces of detected second derivative spectrum data and the reference second derivative spectrum data indicated by the solid line in FIG. 15 is calculated. For example, for each of the detected second derivative spectrum data and the reference second derivative spectrum data, for each data of a plurality of wavelengths, the correlation coefficient is calculated for the data in all of the wavelength ranges, and the correlation coefficient is obtained. The average value of the correlation coefficient for is calculated. Next, a process of determining what to set as correction information from the obtained correlation coefficient is executed. That is, the average number of data with the largest correlation coefficient is set as the correction information. FIG. 14 shows an experimental result of the detected value of the correlation coefficient with respect to the change of the average window width as the average data number. In this example, when the number of average data is 35 on one side, the correlation coefficient is the largest, and the average number of data on 35 sides is calculated as correction information. Incidentally, FIG. 15 shows the measured secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectrum data when the average data number having the largest correlation coefficient is 35 on one side, and FIG. 16 shows the average data number. Shows the measured secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectrum data when there are 30 pieces on one side.
[0095]
Then, when measuring a large number of objects to be measured, the control unit 3 is switched to the measurement processing mode. In this measurement processing mode, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light for each wavelength are executed by executing, as the operation state correction processing, an arithmetic processing for correcting the detected secondary differential spectral data based on the correction information. The intensity is adjusted to the shape of the reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength. In addition, the processing operation in the measurement processing mode is almost the same as the processing in the reference quality evaluation device U1, but the measured spectral data is obtained by moving average by the average number of data of 35 pieces on one side as the correction information. After performing the processing and performing the smoothing processing, normalization is performed using the reference spectral spectrum data and the dark current data to obtain the absorbance spectrum data for each wavelength that has been spectrally separated, and the absorbance spectrum data is secondarily obtained. The differentiated detected second derivative spectrum data is obtained, and the quality evaluation value is obtained as in the case of the reference quality evaluation device U1.
[0096]
The correction information calculation process in the standard quality evaluation device U2 as described above is performed separately for each of the plurality of standard quality evaluation devices U2, and the same specific fruit and vegetables are measured for all the quality evaluation devices U2. Spectral spectrum data is measured as a target, and calculation processing and determination processing of the correlation coefficient are performed in the same manner. Although the description is omitted, the control unit 3 of the standard quality evaluation device U2 is configured to be freely switchable to the reference data measurement processing mode similarly to the reference quality evaluation device U1. The calculation of the spectrum data and the measurement of the dark current data are also executed.
[0097]
[Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIG. 18, two unit-shaped light projecting units 1 having the same configuration as the light projecting unit 1 in the first embodiment are provided, and these two light projecting units 1 are located on both left and right sides of the measurement location, that is, The light projecting units 1 are arranged so that the light irradiation direction is substantially horizontal. That is, two unit-shaped light projecting units 1 are respectively attached to the support members 40 and 41 similar to the support members 40 and 41, respectively. However, the mounting base portions 40a, 41a at the lower ends of the support members 40, 41 are the same on the left and right so as to correspond to the vertical length of the light projecting portion 1. Further, the inclination restricting tool 40c used in the above-described quality evaluation device is not used so that the light irradiation direction of each light projecting unit 1 is substantially horizontal.
[0098]
The transport conveyor 4A is configured to be transported in a state where an object to be measured is placed on a tray 71 having an insertion hole 70 formed in the center thereof. A light receiving side end of an optical fiber 72 that receives light emitted from the light projecting unit 1 and transmitted through the object to be measured and transmitted downward through the insertion hole 70 of the tray 71 is arranged. The other end of the optical fiber 72 is connected to a unit-shaped light receiving section 2 having substantially the same configuration as the light receiving section 2, and receives light. The process of analyzing the internal quality in the control unit 3 based on the light receiving information by the light receiving unit 2 is the same as in the first embodiment.
[0099]
In this quality evaluation device, light is projected from each of the light projecting units 1 located on both left and right sides of the measured object located at the measurement location so as to substantially horizontally oppose each other, and inside the measured object. The light scattered and transmitted downward is received by the optical fiber 72 and guided to the light receiving unit 2.
[0100]
The transport conveyor 4 </ b> A is configured to transport the object to be measured M placed on the tray 71 in a state of being positioned at a specific position on the tray 71. That is, the receiving tray 71 is made of a soft material such as rubber, and as shown in FIG. 19, the outer shape is a cylindrical shape in a plan view, and a circular insertion hole 70 is formed in the center, and the upper surface on the outer peripheral side of the insertion hole 70 is formed. The side portion is configured so as to have an oblique shape that is positioned lower toward the center, and when a substantially spherical fruit or vegetable, which is the object M to be measured, is placed on the tray 71, its own weight causes its axis to change. The core is placed in a state where the core is positioned on the same axis as the insertion hole 70 at the center in plan view. That is, the center position on the receiving tray 71 corresponds to the specific position.
The receiving tray 71 is a free carrier type receiving tray mounted on the endless rotating belt 4a of the conveyor 4A, and is pushed by a pusher 4e provided at a predetermined interval in the transport direction on the endless rotating belt 4d. In this case, both ends in the width direction of the conveyance are guided by the regulating tools 4f arranged in the conveyance direction. The lower part of the receiving tray 71 at the center in the width direction of the endless rotating band 4d can receive the light emitted from the light projecting unit 1 and transmitted through the object M at the light receiving side end of the optical fiber 72. Open.
[0101]
In this embodiment, an optical tray detection sensor 73 is provided as tray detection means for detecting that the leading position of the tray 71 in the transport direction has reached the set position. As with the passage detection sensor 50 of the first embodiment, the tray detection sensor 73 includes a light emitter 73a that emits light and a light receiver 73b that receives the light on both left and right sides of the transport path by the transport conveyor 4A. When the light emitted from the light emitter 73a is distributed and arranged and is blocked by the tray 71 as an object to be detected and cannot be received by the light receiver 73b, it is detected that the leading position of the tray 71 in the transport direction has reached the set position. It has a configuration.
[0102]
The control unit 3 is configured to determine that the measurement target M has reached the measurement location based on the detection information of the tray detection sensor 73. That is, when the tray detection sensor 73 detects that the leading position of the tray 71 in the transport direction has reached the set position, it is determined that the object to be measured M has reached the measurement location, and immediately, in the first embodiment, It is configured to execute the same measurement charge accumulation process as the measurement charge accumulation process.
[0103]
In addition, when the tray detection sensor 73 detects that the leading position of the tray in the transport direction has reached the set position, the light receiving side end of the optical fiber 72 is positioned in the transport direction of the insertion hole 70 in the transport direction in plan view. The positional relationship between the tray detection sensor 73 and the light receiving side end of the optical fiber 72 is set in advance so as to be located at the side position. Incidentally, each of the light projecting units 1 is arranged so as to be substantially linearly arranged in the conveying width direction with respect to the light receiving side end of the optical fiber 72.
As soon as the tray detection sensor 73 detects that the leading position of the tray in the transport direction has reached the set position, the electric charge for processing is immediately executed, and the transmitted light from the object is received by the optical fiber 72. The light can be appropriately received at the side end.
[0104]
Then, as shown in the time chart of FIG. 20, when the tray detection sensor 73 detects that the leading position of the tray 71 in the transport direction has reached the set position, the control unit 3 immediately performs the measurement. After executing the charge storage process and switching the shutter mechanism 17 from the shielded state to the open state in parallel with the charge storage processing and maintaining the open state until the measurement set time T4 for performing the charge storage has elapsed. The operation of the shutter mechanism 17 is controlled so as to return to the blocking state.
In this configuration, as soon as the tray detection sensor 73 detects that the leading position of the tray 71 in the transport direction has reached the set position, the measurement charge accumulation process is executed immediately. The measurement error caused by the sliding or fluctuation of the conveyor can be reduced without being affected by the fluctuation of the conveyance speed of 4A, and it is possible to accurately detect that the object to be measured has reached the measurement location.
Note that the control operation in the control unit 3 is the same as in the first embodiment.
[0105]
[Third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the quality evaluation device according to the present invention will be described.
This embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that the configuration of the spectroscope and the control operation of the control unit are different. Therefore, only different parts will be described, and description of the same configuration will be omitted.
[0106]
As shown in FIG. 21, the spectroscope in this embodiment includes a position adjusting unit T capable of changing and adjusting the relative positional relationship between the concave mirror 21b as the light collecting unit and the light receiving sensor 23 as the light receiving unit. It is provided with. That is, the light receiving sensor 23 is supported on the fixing member 80 fixed to the case via the pair of piezoelectric elements 81, 81 as position adjusting means at the short wavelength side end and the long wavelength side end, respectively. By applying a voltage to the pair of piezoelectric elements 81, 81, a voltage is applied between the fixing member 80 and the light receiving surface 23a of the light receiving sensor 23, in other words, the light receiving surface 23a of the light receiving sensor 23 and the concave mirror 21a. And the relative positional relationship between them can be changed and adjusted.
[0107]
The control unit 3 is configured to execute the same processing as the correction information calculation processing in the first embodiment in the correction information calculation mode, and detects the detected secondary differential spectrum obtained based on the transmitted light from the measured object. Correction information for matching the shape of the data and the light intensity for each wavelength to the shape of the reference second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength corresponding to the reference measurement state is obtained. In the measurement processing mode for obtaining the quality evaluation value of the object to be measured, the light receiving position adjustment processing for operating the piezoelectric elements 81, 81 based on the correction information is executed as the operation state correction processing. The shape of the second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are adapted to the shape of the reference second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength.
[0108]
In the first embodiment, the correspondence between the average number of data having the largest correlation coefficient and the position adjustment amount by the piezoelectric elements 81, 81 is measured in advance at the factory shipment and stored in the control unit. When the position is adjusted by the elements 81, 81, a voltage value set based on the stored information on the correspondence and the correction information obtained in the correction information calculation processing is applied. Further, in this embodiment, when the correlation coefficient is obtained, the correlation is individually observed in each of the short wavelength side region and the long wavelength side region so that they have the largest correlation. Alternatively, the position of the pair of left and right piezoelectric elements 81 may be adjusted separately.
[0109]
The position adjusting means T is not limited to a piezoelectric element, but may be any element capable of performing a moving operation in a minute range. For example, a small motor-driven screw feed mechanism may be used.
[0110]
[Another embodiment]
Hereinafter, other embodiments will be listed.
[0111]
(1) In the above embodiment, a specific fruit or vegetable is used as the measurement object for acquiring correction information. However, the pseudo measurement body described in the above embodiment may be used, or a sharp change in the spectrum may occur. An optical filter or the like that may be used may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, when a plurality of quality evaluation devices are arranged side by side as the reference measurement state, any one of them is determined as a reference device, and the measurement state in the reference device is used as the reference measurement condition. The state in which the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained by the reference apparatus is used as the reference secondary differential spectrum data for another apparatus has been described as an example of the state. One reference quality evaluation device specified in the manufacturing stage is prepared, and the detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by the device is used as the reference second derivative spectrum for each of the devices shipped from the factory. It may be configured to be data.
[0112]
(2) In the above embodiment, the correlation coefficient is obtained in order to determine the correlation between the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectral data for each wavelength. The present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, data may be obtained such that the square of the difference between the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectral data for each wavelength is the smallest. Alternatively, the one having a close correlation may be selected. Further, the characteristics are changed by the smoothing processing by the moving average, but may be performed by using various methods such as a method using a Gaussian filter or the like.
[0113]
(3) In the above embodiment, correction information for setting the amount of received light at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light from the reference filter to a predetermined reference amount of received light is obtained and stored. The spectral spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light from the measured object is corrected with the correction information, and the quality evaluation value of the measured object is determined based on the corrected spectral spectrum data. Such a process may not be performed.
[0114]
(4) In the above-described first embodiment, a configuration in which the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are arranged separately on the left and right sides of the measurement location has been exemplified. A configuration in which the light receiving unit and the light receiving unit are separately arranged on both upper and lower sides of the measurement location may be adopted.
[0115]
(5) In the second embodiment, a pair of light projecting units are distributed and arranged on both left and right sides of the measurement location, and light coming out below the measurement location is received by the optical fiber and guided to the light receiving unit. However, instead of such a configuration, a configuration may be adopted in which one light projecting unit is arranged at one lateral side of the measurement location. A configuration may be adopted in which a light receiving unit is provided and the transmitted light is directly received by the light receiving unit. Further, the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit may be arranged side by side, for example, at one side of the measurement location, and may receive light that exits almost in the opposite direction to the light projection direction.
[0116]
(6) In the above embodiment, a halogen lamp was used as the light source of the light projecting unit. However, the light source is not limited to this, and various light sources such as a mercury lamp and a Ne discharge tube may be used. Not only the type line sensor but also other detection means such as a MOS type line sensor may be used.
[0117]
(7) In each of the above embodiments, the sugar content and the acidity are exemplified as the internal quality of the measured object M. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other internal quality such as taste information may be measured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fruit sorting facility.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the quality evaluation device.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the quality evaluation device.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the quality evaluation device.
FIG. 5 is a front view of the quality evaluation device.
FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway front view of the quality evaluation device.
FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a spectroscope.
FIG. 8 shows a shutter mechanism.
FIG. 9 is a control block diagram.
FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an installation state.
FIG. 11 is a timing chart of a measurement operation.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the amount of received light for each different wavelength.
FIG. 13 is a control flowchart.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a change in a correlation coefficient.
FIG. 15 is a diagram showing detected second derivative spectrum data.
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing detected second derivative spectrum data.
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing detected second derivative spectrum data.
FIG. 18 is a front view of the quality evaluation device of the second embodiment.
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a detection state of an object to be measured according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 20 is a timing chart of a measurement operation according to the second embodiment.
FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a support structure of a light receiving sensor according to a third embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Light emitting means
3 control means
21b Condensing means
22 Spectroscopic means
23 Light receiving means
49 Reference Filter
M object to be measured
T position adjusting means
U, U1, U2 Quality evaluation device

Claims

Light projecting means for projecting light onto the object to be measured, spectral means for spectrally separating transmitted light or reflected light from the object to be measured, and receiving light spectrally separated by the spectral means and outputting spectral data Light receiving means, light condensing means for condensing light separated by the light separating means on a light receiving surface of the light receiving means, and control means for obtaining a quality evaluation value of the measured object based on the spectral data. Composed of
A quality evaluation device, wherein the control means is configured to obtain the quality evaluation value based on detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the spectral spectrum data and a calibration equation for quality analysis. So,
The control means,
It is configured to be freely switchable between a correction information calculation mode and a measurement processing mode for obtaining the quality evaluation value,
In the correction information calculation mode, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or reflected light from the measurement object for correction information acquisition and the light intensity for each wavelength are set to the reference measurement state. Configured to execute correction information calculation processing for obtaining correction information for adjusting to the shape of the corresponding reference secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength,
In the measurement processing mode, based on the correction information, an operation state in which the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are adjusted to the shape of the reference secondary differential spectral data and the light intensity for each wavelength. A quality evaluation device configured to execute a correction process.

The control means,
As the operation state correction processing, by executing an arithmetic processing for correcting the detected secondary differential spectrum data based on the correction information, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are determined by the reference. 2. The quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the quality evaluation device is configured to match the shape of the second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength.

It is configured to include a position adjusting unit capable of changing and adjusting a relative positional relationship between the light collecting unit and the light receiving unit,
The control means,
By executing a light receiving position adjusting process for operating the position adjusting means based on the correction information as the operation state correcting process, the shape of the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength are determined by the reference 2. 2. The quality evaluation device according to claim 1, wherein the quality evaluation device is configured to match the shape of the second derivative spectrum data and the light intensity for each wavelength.

The control means,
In the correction information calculation process, a correlation between data for each wavelength between the detected secondary differential spectrum data and the reference secondary differential spectrum data is determined, and the correction information is obtained based on the determination result. The quality evaluation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is configured as described above.

The control means,
As the correction information calculation process, a process of obtaining a moving average value for a change in the wavelength of the spectral spectrum data is performed a plurality of times with different average data numbers, and the plurality of moving average value data are secondarily differentiated. A correlation coefficient as the correlation between the obtained detected second-order differential spectrum data and the reference second-order differential spectrum data is obtained, and the average number of data corresponding to the largest correlation coefficient is used as the correction information. 5. The quality evaluation device according to claim 4, wherein the quality evaluation device is configured to determine the quality.

Light projecting means for projecting light onto the object to be measured, spectral means for spectrally separating transmitted light or reflected light from the object to be measured, and receiving light spectrally separated by the spectral means and outputting spectral data Light receiving means, light condensing means for condensing light separated by the light separating means on a light receiving surface of the light receiving means, and control means for obtaining a quality evaluation value of the measured object based on the spectral data. Composed of
A quality evaluation device, wherein the control means is configured to obtain the quality evaluation value based on detected second derivative spectrum data obtained by secondarily differentiating the spectral spectrum data and a calibration equation for quality analysis. So,
The light from the light projecting means is configured to be switchable to a state of irradiating a reference filter having a predetermined absorbance characteristic in place of the object to be measured,
The control means,
It is configured to be freely switchable between a correction processing mode and a measurement processing mode for obtaining the quality evaluation value,
In the correction processing mode, correction information for setting the amount of received light at a different wavelength of spectral spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or reflected light from the reference filter to a predetermined reference received light amount is referred to as the reference information. Data on the difference between the light transmittance characteristic of the filter and the reference light transmittance, data on the amount of light received at different wavelengths of the spectral spectrum data, and correction information obtained and stored based on the data on the reference light amount received, respectively. Configured to perform a storage process,
In the measurement processing mode, the light from the light projecting unit is irradiated on the object to be measured, and spectral spectrum data obtained based on transmitted light or reflected light from the object is corrected by the correction information. A quality evaluation device configured to obtain a quality evaluation value of the measured object based on the corrected spectrum data.

The quality evaluation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, is a quality measurement facility provided at each of a plurality of measurement locations to which the measured object is distributed and supplied,
Any one of the plurality of quality evaluation devices is set as a reference quality evaluation device,
Other quality evaluation devices other than the standard quality evaluation device,
As the correction information calculation process,
Using the detected secondary differential spectrum data obtained based on the transmitted light or reflected light from the object to be measured by the reference quality evaluation device as reference secondary differential spectrum data in the reference measurement state, The shape of the detected second derivative spectrum data, the light intensity for each wavelength, and the shape of the reference second derivative spectrum data obtained by the subject itself, which is the same as the measured object measured by the quality evaluation device. And a quality measuring facility configured to determine the correction information based on information on light intensity for each wavelength.