Apparatus for determining the quality of cereals

Abstract

An apparatus for assessing the quality of cereals includes a mixing device for preparing a dough by mixing a cereal type whose quality is to be assessed and for deforming the dough by mixing so that stress arises in the dough. A device for registering the stress in the dough is also included. In addition, a calculation unit is adapted to assess the quality of the cereal type with the aid of the stress in the dough which has been registered during the relaxation of the dough subsequent to the deformation of the same. The apparatus includes a container in which both the mixing and the relaxing are carried out.

1 . An apparatus for assessing the quality of cereals, comprising mixing means for preparing a dough by mixing a cereal type whose quality is to be assessed and for deforming the dough by mixing so that stress arises in the dough, and means for registering the stress in the dough, characterized by a calculation unit which is adapted to assess the quality of said cereal type with the aid of the stress in the dough which has been registered during the relaxation of the dough subsequent to the deformation of the same, the apparatus comprising a container in which both the mixing and the relaxing are carried out.  
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the calculation unit is adapted to determine a relaxing parameter on the basis of the stress registered during the relaxing and to use this relaxing parameter in a predetermined calculation model for assessing the quality.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixing means comprises said container and a plurality of deformation members arranged in the container, of which some are fixedly arranged and some are movable, for simultaneous deformation of different parts of the dough in different directions.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to any one of claims  1 , wherein the means for registering stress comprise means for measuring the torque exerted upon the container in the deforming of the dough, which in turn comprise an inductive transducer which is connected to the calculation unit.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to any one of claims  2 , wherein the predetermined calculation model consists of a neural network which has been trained to carry out a quality assessment of said cereal type.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to any one of claims  1 , wherein the calculation unit is adapted to assess the quality of said cereal type on the basis of stress in the dough which has been registered during the deformation as well as during the relaxation.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for assessing the quality of cereals, comprising means for preparing a dough from liquid and the cereal whose quality is to be assessed and for deforming this dough so that stress arises in the dough, as well as means for registering the stress in the dough during the preparing of the dough and during the deforming, characterized by a calculation unit which is adapted to determine a mixing parameter by determining the difference between the maximum for the stress in the dough during mixing and the stress in the dough at the time when all the liquid has been absorbed; and by using this mixing parameter for assessing the quality of said cereal type.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the means for preparing the dough and the deforming of the same comprise a container and a plurality of deformation members arranged in the container, of which some are fixedly arranged and some are movable, for simultaneous deformation of different parts of the dough in different directions.