Real-time on-line analysis of organic and non-organic compounds for food, fertilizers, and pharmaceutical products

• US 5,900,634 A
• Filed: 04/22/1996
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sabrie Soloman
• Original Assignee: Sabrie Soloman
• Inventors: Soloman, Sabrie
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bruce, David Vernon
• Application Number:
  US08/635,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 250/339.11, 356/346, 395/25, 364/498
• US Class Current: 250/339.11
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/342 according to optical properties, e.g. colour according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3563 for analysing solids; Preparation of samples therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/359 using near infrared light

Abstract

The device is an apparatus for infrared spectroscopy. A succession of collimated light beams throughout the middle and near infrared spectrum are impinged against a sample or samples and the diffuse component of the reflected light is measured throughout the spectrum. This diffuse component is analyzed by a neural network to determine such characteristics as content of the sample.

Claims

1. An infrared spectroscopy apparatus including:

means for generating a succession of collimated light beams throughout a frequency spectrum in the near and middle infrared range;

a plurality of probes associated with a respective plurality of samples, said plurality of probes for impinging said succession of collimated light beams against the respective plurality of samples;

a delivery and sorting means for transporting the plurality of samples;

means for measuring reflected light from the plurality of samples in response to said succession of collimate light beams thereby generating a reflected spectrum; and

a neural network means for analyzing said reflected spectrum thereby determining contents of the plurality of samples.

2. The infrared spectroscopy apparatus of claim 1 wherein said collimated light beams are communicated to said plurality of probes via a fiber optic means.

3. The infrared spectroscopy apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plurality of probes are of indium-arsenate construction.

4. The infrared spectroscopy apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for measuring reflected light includes means for rejecting specular reflected light.

5. The infrared spectroscopy apparatus of claim 2 wherein said delivery and sorting means is associated with a production line.

6. The infrared spectroscopy apparatus of claim 5 wherein said delivery and sorting means includes means for rejecting samples responsive to said neural network means.