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EP0954388A1 - Controle et surveillance de la qualite des fruits - Google Patents

Controle et surveillance de la qualite des fruits

Info

Publication number
EP0954388A1
EP0954388A1 EP97900405A EP97900405A EP0954388A1 EP 0954388 A1 EP0954388 A1 EP 0954388A1 EP 97900405 A EP97900405 A EP 97900405A EP 97900405 A EP97900405 A EP 97900405A EP 0954388 A1 EP0954388 A1 EP 0954388A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fruit
resilient pad
storage room
piezoelectric film
transducer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97900405A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0954388A4 (fr
Inventor
Yoash Carmi
Omri Raz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ESHET EILON
Original Assignee
ESHET EILON
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ESHET EILON filed Critical ESHET EILON
Publication of EP0954388A1 publication Critical patent/EP0954388A1/fr
Publication of EP0954388A4 publication Critical patent/EP0954388A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N3/00—Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress
    • G01N3/40—Investigating hardness or rebound hardness
    • G01N3/48—Investigating hardness or rebound hardness by performing impressions under impulsive load by indentors, e.g. falling ball
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01H—MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
    • G01H1/00—Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/02—Food
    • G01N33/025—Fruits or vegetables
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2203/00—Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress
    • G01N2203/02—Details not specific for a particular testing method
    • G01N2203/06—Indicating or recording means; Sensing means
    • G01N2203/0617—Electrical or magnetic indicating, recording or sensing means
    • G01N2203/0623—Electrical or magnetic indicating, recording or sensing means using piezoelectric gauges

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing the quality of fruit.
  • the invention also relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring changes in the condition of fruit, e.g., while in a storage room, such as its ripening progress, loss of water, ageing or other quality degradation of the fruit.
  • fruit is used herein in its broader aspect, as referring to a plant crop or product, to include not only conventional fruits, but also products normally called vegetables, such as tomatoes, potatoes, etc.
  • High-value fresh agricultural products particularly those intended for export, must be carefully handled and sorted in order to meet high quality standards.
  • Many methods are available for testing the quality of fruit and for sorting according to external fruit properties, such as size, shape, color and external appearance.
  • External fruit properties such as size, shape, color and external appearance.
  • Internal properties such as ripeness, taste, flavor and internal damage, are generally determined indirectly, by linking the property to one or more external fruit properties, or are measured directly through destructive tests.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide an improvement in the method and apparatus for testing the quality of fruit described in WO/94/29715.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for monitoring changes in the condition of fruit, e.g., while in a storage room.
  • a method of testing the quality of fruit comprising: applying a dynamic force to the fruit; detecting the mechanical response of the fruit to the dynamic force via a piezoelectric film transducer supported on a displaceable supporting member such that the film transducer is bent to induce a strain therein by the dynamic force and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the induced strain in the film transducer caused by the dynamic force; and analyzing the electrical signal to indicate the quality of the fruit; characterized in that the displaceable supporting member includes: a resilient pad having an outer surface of relatively large surface area carrying, on its outer surface, the piezoelectric film transducer, which is also of relatively large surface area; and a floating spring mounting for the resilient pad effective to yield when the piezoelectric film transducer contacts a fruit to cause the piezoelectric film transducer to engage and conform to the outer surface of fruit of a large range of sizes and shapes.
  • a method of monitoring changes in the condition of fruit in a storage room comprising: placing a sample of the fruit in a holder in the storage room, which holder includes a dynamic force applicator for applying a dynamic force to the fruit sample, and a transducer which outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the mechanical response of the fruit sample to the dynamic force applied thereto; at successive intervals, remotely actuating the dynamic force applicator from a location externally of the storage room to output an electrical signal corresponding to the condition of the fruit sample within the storage room; feeding the output electrical signal to a location externally of the storage room; and analyzing the electrical signal externally of the storage room to indicate the condition of the fruit sample.
  • Such a method is particularly useful in storage rooms involving a controlled (e.g., cooled and/or gaseous) atmosphere since it enables the condition, e.g., ripening progress, of the fruit within the storage room to be continuously monitored without causing any interference with the controlled atmosphere which would result by entering and leaving the storage room in order to monitor the ripening progress of the fruit.
  • the invention also provides apparatus for practicing the invention in accordance with the above methods .
  • Fig. 1 is a side elevational view diagrammatically illustrating one form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention
  • Fig. 2 is a top plan view illustrating the apparatus of Fig. 1 ;
  • Fig. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating another form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 are side and plan views, respectively, illustrating a further form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention
  • Figs. 6 and 7 are side and plan views, respectively, illustrating a further form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • Fig. 8 is a side elevational view illustrating a still further form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.
  • Fig. 9 diagrammatically illustrates a method of monitoring the ripening progress of fruit within a storage room in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention
  • Figs. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate three arrangements that may be used for holding and testing a fruit sample in the monitoring method of Fig. 9.
  • the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a holder or bed, schematically indicated at 2, for receiving the fruit F, such as an apple, to be tested.
  • the holder further includes dynamic force applying means for applying a dynamic force to the fruit F in holder 2, and detector means for detecting the mechanical response of the fruit to such a dynamic force.
  • the dynamic force applying means includes three pivotally ⁇ nounted levers 3, 4, 5, equallly spaced around the circumference of the fruit F and each pivotal to impact the fruit; and the mechanical response detectors are constituted by three detectors 8, 9, 10, also equally spaced around the circumference of the fruit for detecting the mechanical response of the fruit to the applied dynamic force.
  • each of the three detectors 8, 9, 10 includes a resilient pad 11 having an outer surface of relatively large surface area carrying, on its outer surface, a piezoelectric film transducer 12 which is also of relatively large surface area.
  • the opposite face of resilient pad 11 is fixed (e.g., by adhesive or a clamp) to a base member 13, which is pivotally mounted at its center at one end 14a of a lever 14.
  • the opposite end 14b of lever 14 is pivotally mounted to a fixed supporting member 15.
  • Lever 16 is urged by spring 16 towards holder 2 to bring the piezeoelectric film transducer 12 into firm contact with the outer surface of the fruit F in the holder.
  • the piezeoelectric film transducer 12, and also the resilient pad 11 on which it is mounted may be of the structure as described in WO/94/29715, but is preferably of substantially larger surface area.
  • the transducer may be of polyvinylidine flouride piezoelectric film coated on opposite sides with a conductive coating, such as silver; and the resilient pad 11 may be of a suitable elastomeric material, such as expanded natural or synthetic rubber, or expanded polyurethane.
  • lever 14 including its pivotal mountings at its opposite ends and spring 16, provides a floating spring mounting for resilient pad 11 effective to yield, when the piezeoelectric film transducer 12 contacts a fruit, to cause the piezoelectric film transducer to engage and conform to the outer surface of fruit of a large range of sizes and shapes.
  • the electrical signals outputted by the piezeoelectric film transducer 12 more accurately reflect the quality condition of the fruit being tested irrespective of the curvature or size of the fruit.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates a modification in the floating spring mounting for the base member 13 carrying the resilient pad 11 and the piezoelectric film transducer 12 on its outer face.
  • the floating spring mounting includes a leaf spring 18 pivotally mounted at one end 18a to the base member 13, and at the opposite end 18b to the fixed supporting member 15.
  • the base member 13, its resilient pad 11, and piezeoelectric film transducer 12 are urged by the inherent elasticity of leaf spring 18 towards the fruit such as to cause the piezeoelectric film transducer to engage and conform to the outer surface of fruit of a large range of sizes and shapes, thereby making the electrical signal outputted by the transducer less sensitive to fruit of different shapes and sizes.
  • Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate an arrangement similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2, except that there is only one impact element 3, which is located between two of the detectors 8-10.
  • the three detectors 8-10 are not uniformly spaced around the circumference of the fruit F holder; rather, two detectors 8, 9 are located on one side of the fruit holder 2 equally spaced from the transverse axis TA of the holder, and the third detector 10 is located on the opposite side of the holder along the transverse axis TA.
  • the impact element 3 is located between the two detectors 8, 9 on the transverse axis TA.
  • Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a slightly different arrangement, also including an impact element 3 located on the transverse axis TA of the fruit holder 2.
  • the mechanical response detector generally designated 20, includes a resilient pad divided into two sections 21a, 21b each carrying on its outer face a piezeoelectric film transducer 22a, 22b, and each being fixed, on its inner face, to a base member 23a, 23b.
  • the two base members 23a, 23b are pivotally mounted to the opposite ends of a bridge 24, and the bridge is in turn pivotally mounted at its center to a mounting member 25.
  • a coiled spring 26 interposed between mounting member 25 and a fixed element 27 produces, with the foregoing elements, a floating spring mounting effective to cause the two setions of the piezeoelectric film transducers 22a, 22b to engage and conform to the outer surface of the fruit F on holder 2 irrespective of the size or shape of the fruit under test, thereby outputting an electrical signal which is relatively insensitive to the size or shape of the fruit under test.
  • the holder 2 on the opposite side of the fruit under test is preferably provided with static shoulders 28, 29, rather than detector elements corresponding to detector 20, for engaging the opposite side of the fruit under test.
  • the static shoulders 28, 29 are equally spaced on opposite sides of the transverse axis TA, as in Figs. 4 and 5.
  • transducer detector elements corresponding to detector 20 could also be used for each of the static shoulders, corresponding to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5; alternatively, in the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the transducer detectors 8 and 9 could be replaced by static shoulders corresponding to members 28 and 29 in Figs. 6 and 7.
  • Fig. 8 illustrates a still further floating spring mounting, generally designated 30, for the resilient pad 31 and piezoelectric film transducer 32 urged into yielding contact with the fruit under test.
  • the resilient pad 31 is carried by a base member 33 which is urged towards the fruit under test by a pair of springs 34, 35 interposed between the opposite ends of the base member and an intermediate member 36.
  • Member 36 is in turn urged towards the fruit under test by a spring 37 interposed between the center of member 36 and a fixed supporting member 38 of the fruit holder.
  • the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 8 thus also provides a floating spring mounting for the piezoelectric film transducer 32, causing it to engage and conform to the outer surface of fruit of a large range of sizes and shapes.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates a system for monitoring the condition, e.g., the ripening progress (or water ageing, or other quality degradation) of fruit within a plurality of storage rooms 40a-40n.
  • Each storage room 40a-40n includes a holder 41a-41n for receiving a sample of the fruit stored therein; a dynamic force applicator, schematically indicated at 42a-42n, for applying a dynamic force to the fruit sample in the respective holder; and a piezoelectric transducer 43a-43n to be engaged by the fruit in the holder for outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the response of the fruit sample to the dynamic force applied by the applicator.
  • the applicators are all controlled from externally of the storage room by a control, generally designated 44.
  • Such control may include a switching box that sequentially switches the applicators in the various storage rooms, and amplifiers which receive the outputs of the piezoelectric transducers 43a-43n in the storage rooms, and amplify these electrical signals before being inputted into a computer 45.
  • the computer analyzes the electrical output signals to indicate the quality, particularly the stage in the ripening process, of each of the fruit samples in the holders 41a-41n. This information is outputted to a monitor 46, a printer 47, and/or a database 48, for displaying, recording, and/or further processing of this information.
  • Figs. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate three examples of arrangements that may be used for holding and testing a fruit sample in the monitoring method of Fig. 9.
  • the holder for the fruit sample F includes a resilient pad 50 receiving the fruit sample between it and the transducer 51.
  • the resilient pad 50 is formed with an opening 52 in alignment with the transducer 51.
  • the dynamic force applicator includes an impact member 53 movable within a barrel 54 and driven through opening 52 to impact the fruit sample F.
  • the drive in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 10, is an electromagnet 55 having a plunger 56 aligned with the impact member 53 to drive it against the fruit with each energization of the electromagnet.
  • Fig. 11 illustrates an arrangement wherein the plunger 56 driven by the electromagnet 55 is coupled to a lever arm 67, having one end 67a pivotally mounted to a fixed support, with the opposite end 67b engageable with the impact member 53 for driving it through opening 52 of the resilient pad 50 to impact the fruit sample F.
  • Fig. 12 illustrates a further arrangement wherein the impact member 53 is driven through the opening 52 in the resilient pad 50 by a spring 60, which spring is periodically loaded and released by a rotating cam 61.
  • the transducer 51 in Figs. 10-12 is preferably the piezoelectric film transducer included in the earlier- described embodiments, but may be other type of transducer.
  • the storage rooms 40a-40n which may involve a controlled atmosphere such as a cooled and/or gaseous atmosphere (a storage room having a gaseous atmosphere for accelerating or otherwise controlling the ripening process being sometimes called a ripening room) , need not be opened in order to monitor the progress of the ripening of the fruit within the storage room, but rather the progress can be monitored from a remote location externally of the storage rooms.
  • a controlled atmosphere such as a cooled and/or gaseous atmosphere (a storage room having a gaseous atmosphere for accelerating or otherwise controlling the ripening process being sometimes called a ripening room)
  • a controlled atmosphere such as a cooled and/or gaseous atmosphere (a storage room having a gaseous atmosphere for accelerating or otherwise controlling the ripening process being sometimes called a ripening room)
  • a controlled atmosphere such as a cooled and/or gaseous atmosphere (a storage room having a gaseous atmosphere for accelerating or otherwise controlling the ripening process

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  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Investigating Strength Of Materials By Application Of Mechanical Stress (AREA)
  • Investigating Materials By The Use Of Optical Means Adapted For Particular Applications (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé et un appareil pour contrôler la qualité d'un fruit en lui appliquant un effort dynamique, et en détectant la réaction mécanique par l'intermédiaire d'un transducteur comprenant un tampon élastique (11) portant un transducteur (12) à couche piézoélectrique, ainsi qu'une suspension à ressort mobile (13, 14, 15, 16) permettant au tampon élastique de se déformer lorsque le transducteur à couche piézoélectrique (12) vient en contact avec un fruit, le transducteur à film piézoélectrique (12) s'appliquant alors à la surface extérieure du fruit dont il épouse la forme. L'invention concerne d'autre part un procédé et un appareil pour surveiller les variations de l'état du fruit dans un local de stockage en plaçant un échantillon du fruit dans un récipient se trouvant dans le local de stockage, et en actionnant à distance et à intervalles successifs un système d'application d'efforts dynamiques (3, 4, 5), situé dans le local de stockage, pour produire un signal électrique correspondant à l'état de l'échantillon du fruit au sein du local de stockage.
EP97900405A 1996-01-22 1997-01-15 Controle et surveillance de la qualite des fruits Withdrawn EP0954388A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL11685796A IL116857A (en) 1996-01-22 1996-01-22 Method and apparatus for testing the quality of fruit and for monitoring changes in its condition
IL11685796 1996-01-22
PCT/IL1997/000021 WO1997027006A1 (fr) 1996-01-22 1997-01-15 Controle et surveillance de la qualite des fruits

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0954388A1 true EP0954388A1 (fr) 1999-11-10
EP0954388A4 EP0954388A4 (fr) 2002-02-27

Family

ID=11068467

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97900405A Withdrawn EP0954388A4 (fr) 1996-01-22 1997-01-15 Controle et surveillance de la qualite des fruits

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0954388A4 (fr)
AU (1) AU1396997A (fr)
IL (1) IL116857A (fr)
NZ (1) NZ332943A (fr)
WO (1) WO1997027006A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB0205667D0 (en) * 2002-03-12 2002-04-24 Sinclair Int Ltd Improvements in or relating to apparatus for the assesment of the condition of fruit and vegetables
ITPN20110022A1 (it) 2011-04-05 2012-10-06 Unitec Spa Procedimento ed apparato per la valutazione della durazza e per la selezione di prodotti orto-frutticoli
CN109632543B (zh) * 2019-01-02 2024-01-09 浙江大学 便携式水果硬度检测仪器
RU2715635C1 (ru) * 2019-04-01 2020-03-02 Мария Ивановна Иванова Способ прогнозирования сроков хранения плодов яблони
CN110296934A (zh) * 2019-06-28 2019-10-01 广州市农业科学研究院 一种菜心茎部质构特性的检测方法

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0267737A2 (fr) * 1986-11-08 1988-05-18 Pennwalt Piezo Film Limited Appareil pour mesurer la fermeté
WO1994029715A1 (fr) * 1993-06-13 1994-12-22 Barish, Benjamin Procede et appareil pour le controle de la qualite des fruits

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2277037A (en) * 1940-01-16 1942-03-24 Gen Electric Fruit ripeness tester
IL82037A0 (en) * 1987-03-29 1987-10-20 Kalman Peleg Method and apparatus for automatically inspecting and classifying different objects
US5152401A (en) * 1989-10-13 1992-10-06 The United States Of America As Representd By The Secretary Of Agriculture Agricultural commodity condition measurement

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0267737A2 (fr) * 1986-11-08 1988-05-18 Pennwalt Piezo Film Limited Appareil pour mesurer la fermeté
WO1994029715A1 (fr) * 1993-06-13 1994-12-22 Barish, Benjamin Procede et appareil pour le controle de la qualite des fruits

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO9727006A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0954388A4 (fr) 2002-02-27
AU1396997A (en) 1997-08-20
IL116857A0 (en) 1996-07-23
WO1997027006A1 (fr) 1997-07-31
IL116857A (en) 1999-10-28
NZ332943A (en) 2001-10-26

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