Sorting system for sorting a mixed material stream, sorting device, depositor and assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a sorting system for sorting, at least on the basis of material type, a mixed material stream, e.g. a waste stream, comprising a sorting device, comprising at least one transport device, at least two containers, at least one sensor, a controller arranged to receive the sensor data, to determine the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device based on the sensor data, and to control at least one displacement device to place a material part in the first container if that material part is of the first material type, and the at least one displacement device, and the system further comprising a depositor arranged to receive the mixed material stream and to place material parts from the mixed material stream on the at least one transport device with a chosen mutual distance between the material parts.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a sorting system for sorting, at least on the basis of material type, a mixed material stream, e.g. a waste stream.

[0002] Such sorting systems are known per se. It is an object of the invention to provide an improved sorting system.

[0003] In accordance with the invention this object is achieved by providing a sorting system of the type described in the preamble, wherein in accordance with the invention the sorting system comprises: a sorting device, comprising: at least one transport device arranged to transport material parts from the mixed material stream in a transport direction in the direction of at least two containers; said at least two containers, wherein a first container is arranged to receive material parts of a first material type and wherein the second container is arranged to receive material parts of a second material type, wherein the first and second material types are different; at least one sensor, which sensor is arranged to sense material parts on the transport device and to provide sensor data comprising information about the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device, a controller arranged to receive the sensor data, to determine the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device based on the sensor data, and to control at least one displacement device to place a material part in the first container if that material part is of the first material type; the at least one displacement device, and a depositor arranged to receive the mixed material stream and to place material parts from the mixed material stream on the at least one transport device with a chosen mutual distance between the material parts.

[0004] An advantage of placing the material parts on the at least one transport device with a chosen mutual distance therebetween, i.e. spacing the material parts, is that the at least one displacement device is able to place an individual material part in the first container if that material part is of the first material type without simultaneously and / or accidentally displacing any other material part, which could occur if the material parts are located too close to each other on the transport device.

[0005] The spacing or chosen mutual distance may be the center-to-center distance between material parts.

[0006] It will be clear for the skilled person that any suitable number of transport devices and / or containers and / or sensors and / or controllers and / or displacement devices may be provided, for example one, two, three, four, five, six, etc.. Therefore, any reference to terms such as 'first', 'one', 'second', or 'other' throughout this document is intended solely for the purpose of identifying elements and does not imply any limitation to a specific number or sequence. For example, the "first container" may be any further container into which a said displacement device places a material part of any material type.

[0007] It will be clear for the skilled person that the transport device and / or container and / or sensor and / or controller and / or displacement device may be embodied in any suitable way.

[0008] For example, the transport device may be a conveyor, in particular for example a belt conveyor.

[0009] For example, the sensor may be a camera for visually detecting material parts on the transport device. In case the sensor is a camera, the controller may be arranged to use suitable image processing techniques to determine the material type and position of material parts.

[0010] It is noted that the number of displacement devices may be equal to the number of containers, but preferably the number of displacement devices is one less than the number of containers, such material parts not displaced in any container by any displacement device may enter, for example by falling, into this additional container that is for this purpose positioned at the end of the transport device as seen in the transport direction, for example the return end of a conveyor belt. Such container positioned at the end of the transport device may for example be arranged for collecting material parts that are determined not to be of a particular material type, for example because the material part is composed of different types of waste, and / or for material parts that could not be identified or for false material.

[0011] The depositor may be any suitable depositor suitable for placing material parts on the transport device with a chosen spacing, i.e. the chosen mutual distance, between neighbouring material parts.

[0012] The depositor is preferably positioned at or near the starting point of the transport device, for example at or near the other return end of the conveyor belt with respect to the return end at which the container may be positioned, such that the material parts are placed on the transport device at or near the start of the transport device as seen in the transport direction.

[0013] Preferably the depositor is positioned above the transport device, in particular above the conveyor belt, such that the material parts may easily be placed on the transport device by means of gravity.

[0014] The sensor may preferably be located between the depositor and the displacement device and / or preferably directly after the depositor as seen in the transport direction of the transport device. In such an arrangement the sensor may detect the material parts after these have been placed on the transport device by means of the depositor.

[0015] In an embodiment of the sorting system according to the invention the chosen mutual distance is oriented in at least the transport direction of the at least one transport device.

[0016] Spacing the material parts in at least the transport direction may improve the accuracy of the at least one displacement device to individually place material parts in the first or any other container. This may in particular be the case if the at least one displacement device comprises a push element as described below.

[0017] In an embodiment of the sorting system according to the invention the at least one displacement device comprises a push element, which push element is arranged to move material parts into the first container by pushing those material parts.

[0018] Pushing material parts into the first or any other container may be a quick and / or simple way of placing material parts into the first container. A push element may be a relatively simple and / or cheap element.

[0019] Alternatively or additionally the at least one displacement device may comprise a pick-up tool for picking-up material parts and placing such material parts in the correct container. In case the at least one displacement device comprises a pick-up tool, the spacing between material parts may be in any direction.

[0020] In an embodiment of the sorting system according to the invention the depositor comprises a drum screen with multiple openings, the openings being spread over the drum screen with a certain mutual distance therebetween, which certain mutual distance determines the chosen mutual distance between the material parts of the material stream on the at least one transport device.

[0021] In other words, the spacing between the openings in the drum screen determines the spacing between the material parts on the transport device.

[0022] The openings are preferably spread at least along the circumference of the drum screen, i.e. in the circumferential direction of the drum screen, such that the material parts are spaced in at least the transport direction as described above. The certain mutual distance or spacing may thus in particular be defined in the circumferential direction of the drum screen.

[0023] The certain mutual distance preferably comprises at least two times the size of the openings. This results in a spacing or distance between neighbouring material parts that is at least two times the size of the material parts. Such spacing or distance may provide sufficient distance between neighbouring material parts for accurately displacing individual material parts into a container. In particular, the certain mutual distance may for example be two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, nineteen, twenty, or even more times the size of the openings.

[0024] The openings may have any suitable shape. For example the openings may be round and the size is the diameter. Alternatively, the openings may be square and the size is the length of the sides of the openings.

[0025] The spacing or certain mutual distance may be the center-to-center distance between neighbouring openings.

[0026] In an embodiment of the sorting system according to the invention the sorting device comprises at least two said transport devices with, respectively, at least two said containers, wherein the depositor is arranged to place material parts having a size less than or equal to a first maximum size on a first transport device and material parts having a size greater than the first maximum size on the other transport device, such that the sorting system is further arranged to sort the mixed material stream based on size.

[0027] It will be clear for the skilled person that even further transport devices with respect containers may be provided, wherein material parts are sorted on the transport devices based on the size thereof.

[0028] If said depositor comprises said drum screen, said drum screen preferably comprises at least two groups of openings, wherein the openings of the first group have a first size equal to the first maximum size and wherein the openings of the second group have a second size larger than the first size, wherein the second group of openings is positioned downstream of the first group of openings in a flow direction of the material stream within the drum screen, and wherein the first group of openings is aligned with said first transport device and the second group of openings is aligned with the other transport device.

[0029] By locating the first group of openings upstream of the second group of openings, material parts having a first, smaller size will drop onto the first transport device and material parts having a size larger than the first size and up to the second size will drop on the second transport device.

[0030] It will be clear that further groups of openings may be provided, wherein the size of the openings of the groups increases as seen in the flow direction of the material stream within the drum screen.

[0031] Preferably the drum screen comprises conveyance means for transporting the material stream in the drum screen in a or said flow direction, wherein the conveyance means for example comprise an upstanding edge extending from the inner wall of the drum screen, which edge is arranged in a spiral manner in the drum screen.

[0032] As a result of such conveyance means the material stream is transported in the drum screen in the flow direction. The flow direction is in particular parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum screen. This is in particular advantageous if openings, in particular groups of openings, are spread in the length direction of the drum screen. The smallest material parts will exit the drum screen via the smallest openings located near the starting point thereof and as the material stream is transported through the drum screen by means of said conveyance means the larger material parts will exit the drum screen via suitable openings, i.e. openings having a suitable size for the material parts to pass through.

[0033] In an preferred embodiment, as seen in the flow direction or length direction of the drum screen, maximally one opening is located next to a or the upstanding edge and / or between neighbouring parts of the upstanding edge.

[0034] This allows the material parts to be accurately spaced on the transport device.

[0035] In such an embodiment it may be advantageous if the pitch of the upstanding edge is substantially equal to the width of the transport device or a guide, which guide will be explained below.

[0036] In an embodiment of the sorting system according to the invention comprises at least one guide, e.g. a funnel, which guide is arranged to guide material parts coming from the depositor towards the at least one transport device at least in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the at least one transport device.

[0037] The direction orthogonal is in particular defined in the plane of a transport surface of the transport device. In other words, the material parts are guided in the width direction of the transport device. Preferably the guide is arranged to guide the material parts substantially towards a middle zone of the transport device. This may for example be achieved by the guide, in particular the funnel, having an outlet opening that is substantially aligned with the middle zone of the transport means, middle being defined in the width direction. An inlet opening of the guide, in particular of the funnel, may have a size that is adapted to the drum screen, and may in particular have a width that is substantially equal to a pitch of the upstanding edge and / or a width and / or length that are chosen such that all openings of a certain group are located above the guide.

[0038] The invention also relates to a sorting device for sorting, at least on the basis of material type, a mixed material stream, e.g. a waste stream, comprising: at least one transport device arranged to transport material parts from the mixed material stream in a transport direction in the direction of at least two containers; said at least two containers, wherein a first container is arranged to receive material parts of a first material type and wherein the second container is arranged to receive material parts of a second material type, wherein the first and second material types are different; at least one sensor, which sensor is arranged to sense material parts on the transport device and to provide sensor data comprising information about the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device, a controller arranged to receive the sensor data, to determine the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device based on the sensor data, and to control at least one displacement device to place a material part in the first container if that material part is of the first material type the at least one displacement device.

[0039] The sorting device may have or provide any of the above described features, elements or advantages, alone or in any suitable combination. The description provided above relating to the sorting system comprising such sorting device applies, where applicable, to the sorting device as well and won't be repeated here.

[0040] The invention also relates to a depositor, which is arranged to receive a mixed material stream and to place material parts from the mixed material stream on at least one transport device with a chosen mutual distance between the material parts.

[0041] The depositor may have or provide any of the above described features, elements or advantages, alone or in any suitable combination. The description provided above relating to the sorting system comprising such depositor applies, where applicable, to the depositor as well and won't be repeated here.

[0042] The invention also relates to an assembly of a depositor and at least one guide, e.g. a funnel, which guide is arranged to guide material parts coming from the depositor towards the at least one transport device at least in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the at least one transport device.

[0043] The assembly of the depositor and the at least one guide may have or provide any of the above described features, elements or advantages, alone or in any suitable combination. The description provided above relating to the sorting system comprising such depositor and guide applies, where applicable, to the assembly of the depositor and guide as well and won't be repeated here.

[0044] The invention also relates to the use of the system for sorting, at least on the basis of material type, a mixed material stream, e.g. a waste stream, comprising the steps of: a) providing a sorting system as described in any of the claims or above or below, having any of the described features or elements, alone or in any suitable combination, b) feeding a mixed material stream to the depositor; c) placing, by the depositor, material parts from the mixed material stream on the at least one transport device with a chosen mutual distance between the material parts; d) placing, by the at least one displacement device, material parts in the at least one container based on material type.

[0045] The invention will be further explained by means of drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 schematically shows a sorting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention in a perspective view; Fig. 2 schematically shows the depositor of fig. 1 in more detail in a semi-transparent perspective view.

[0046] In the figures, equal reference numbers are used for equal parts.

[0047] Figs. 1 and 2 show a sorting system 1 for sorting a mixed material stream, e.g. a waste stream. A waste stream may be composed of all different kinds of waste. In order to be able to process and / or recycle the various waste in the waste stream, it is advantageous to sort the waste stream based on material type.

[0048] In the exemplary embodiment of figures 1 and 2 the sorting system 1 comprises a sorting device 10, a depositor 20, and guides 30, which will be explained in further detail below. It will be clear for the skilled person that although the sorting device 10, the depositor 20, and guides 30 are described with respect to the exemplary embodiment as shown in figures 1 and 2, those elements could be embodied differently, in any suitable way.

[0049] The sorting device 10 as shown in the exemplary embodiment of figure 1 comprises three belt conveyors 11 for transporting material parts from a mixed material stream in a transport direction T. The transport direction T is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the belt conveyors 11. Three respective containers 12 are positioned at the side of each belt of the belt conveyors 11 and one respective container 12 is positioned at the return end thereof. A camera 13 is positioned above the belt conveyors 11 and arranged to detect material parts on the belt conveyors 11. The camera 13 provides sensor data comprising information about the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the conveyor belts 11. A controller (not shown) is arranged to receive the sensor data, to determine the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the conveyor belts 11 based on the sensor data and to control in this case nine push elements 14 to push material parts into a respective container 12 positioned at the side of the belt. Three push elements 14 are provided at each belt conveyor 1, wherein each push element 14 is arranged to push material parts into its respective container 12. Material parts not pushed by the push elements 14 will end up falling in the container 12 positioned at the return end. This way, each belt conveyor 11 with respective push elements 14 is able to sort the material parts in four different types of materials. Those types of materials may for example be chosen from concrete, gypsum, wood, metal, plastic. If all five material kinds are to be sorted, each conveyor belt 11 may be provided with four push elements 14 and in total five containers 12. It will be clear for the skilled person that the total number of containers 12 is for example equal to the number of different material types, and the number of push elements 14 is equal to the number of containers located at the side of the conveyor belts, i.e. equal to the total number of containers minus one. It is also possible that some material parts are composed of multiple material types and / or that certain material parts could not be identified and / or are determined to be for false material parts. In such case a further container and further push element may be provided, wherein the container for receiving such composite material parts and / or unidentified material parts and / or false material parts may be positioned at the return end and may collect the material parts that are not pushed into any of the containers at the side.

[0050] At the upstream end of the conveyor belts 11 a depositor 20 is positioned. In this exemplary embodiment the depositor 20 comprises a drum screen 20 with multiple openings 21. In use of the sorting system 1, the waste stream is fed into the drum screen 20 and while the drum screen 20 rotates material parts will exit the drum screen 20 via openings 21 of a suitable size, i.e. material parts having a size that is smaller than or equal to the size of a certain opening 21 will exit the drum screen 20 via that opening. As is shown in figs. 1 and 2, there are in this case three groups of openings 21; a first group having the smallest size, a second group having an intermediate size, and a third group having the largest size. An upstanding edge 22 is provided that extends from the inner wall of the drum screen 20, which edge 22 is arranged in a spiral manner in the drum screen 20. The edge 22 transports the waste stream in a flow direction F, which flow direction F is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drum screen 20. The size of the openings 21 increases in the flow direction F. The waste stream thus first passes the first group of openings 21 and any material parts having a size smaller than or equal to the size of the openings of the first group will exit the drum screen 20 via the openings 21 of the first group. The waste stream then passes the second group of openings 21 and any material parts having a size smaller than or equal to the size of the openings 21 of the second group will exit the drum screen 20 via the openings of the second group. The waste stream then passes the third group of openings 21 and any material parts having a size smaller than or equal to the size of the openings 21 of the third group will exit the drum screen 20 via the openings 21 of the third group. The waste stream may be a preselected waste stream having no material parts larger than the size of the openings 21 of the third group, such that all material parts will exit the drum screen 20 via suitable openings. Alternatively any large material parts may exit the drum screen at the end of the drum screen and may be collected there, but this is not preferred. The pitch P of the edge 22 is substantially equal to the width of the conveyor belts 11 and the openings 21 of a certain group are aligned with the pitch P. This way, the openings 21 of a certain group align with one of the conveyor belts 11, such that only particles having a size within the range of the size of that group of openings 21 will fall onto that belt conveyor 11. In addition, as seen in the flow direction F, maximally one opening is located next to the upstanding edge 22 and / or between neighbouring parts of the upstanding edge 22, i.e. in the flow direction only one opening is located in the pitch P of the edge 22. This way, only one material part will exit the opening 21 of a certain group at a certain time. The openings 21 are spread over the drum screen 20 with a certain mutual distance or spacing s therebetween, said spacing s being substantially oriented in the circumferential direction of the drum screen and slightly offset in the circumferential direction because of the spiral shape of the edge to which the openings 21 align. The certain mutual distance or spacing s determines a chosen mutual distance or spacing between the material parts of the material stream on the belt conveyors 11 in the transport direction T. As a result, the material parts are distributed or spread on the conveyor belts 11 in the transport direction T thereof. This allows the material parts to be accurately pushed into a selected container 12 based on the material type without accidentally simultaneously pushing any other material part.

[0051] As is further shown in fig. 1, a respective guide or funnel 30 is located between the drum screen 20 and the conveyor belt 11, and in particular below the drum screen 20. Each funnel 30 aligns with the openings 21 of one group and thus with the pitch of the edge 22. This results in the material parts passing through an opening 21 of a certain group entering a respective funnel 30 located below that opening 21 and being guided onto the below positioned conveyor belt 11. The material parts are in particular guided substantially towards the middle zone of the belt. The funnels 30 thus guide the material parts in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction T, said direction orthogonal being defined in the plane of the belt of the belt conveyor 11. The funnel 30 has an inlet opening having a size that is substantially adapted to the diameter of the drum screen 20 and to the pitch of the edge 22, and an outlet opening that is aligned with the middle of the respective belt conveyor 11. The size of the outlet opening is sufficiently small to be able to guide the material part and at least larger than the size of the (respective) openings 21, such that the material parts can easily exit the funnel 30.

[0052] It will be clear for the skilled person that the depositor 20, optionally in combination with the guides 30, might be suitably applied in combination with other sorting devices, for example sorting devices using grippers. In particular, the depositor 20, optionally in combination with the guides 30, may be advantageously applied in any system that benefits from material parts being placed on the sorting device with a chosen spacing.

[0053] It will be clear for the skilled person that the sorting device 20 might be suitably applied in combination with any other type of depositor, preferably wherein the material parts are placed or deposited on the transport device with a chosen spacing.

[0054] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown, but also extends to other embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Sorting system for sorting, at least on the basis of material type, a mixed material stream, e.g. a waste stream, comprising: - a sorting device, comprising: - at least one transport device arranged to transport material parts from the mixed material stream in a transport direction in the direction of at least two containers; - said at least two containers, wherein a first container is arranged to receive material parts of a first material type and wherein the second container is arranged to receive material parts of a second material type, wherein the first and second material types are different; - at least one sensor, which sensor is arranged to sense material parts on the transport device and to provide sensor data comprising information about the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device, - a controller arranged to receive the sensor data, to determine the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device based on the sensor data, and to control at least one displacement device to place a material part in the first container if that material part is of the first material type, - the at least one displacement device, and - a depositor arranged to receive the mixed material stream and to place material parts from the mixed material stream on the at least one transport device with a chosen mutual distance between the material parts, optionally wherein the chosen mutual distance is oriented in at least the transport direction of the at least one transport device.

2. Sorting system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one displacement device comprises a push element, which push element is arranged to move material parts into the first container by pushing those material parts.

3. Sorting system according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the depositor comprises a drum screen with multiple openings, the openings being spread over the drum screen with a certain mutual distance therebetween, which certain mutual distance determines the chosen mutual distance between the material parts of the material stream on the at least one transport device, for example wherein the openings are spread in at least the circumferential direction.

4. Sorting system according to claim 3, wherein the certain mutual distance comprises at least two times the size of the openings.

5. Sorting system according to any one of the foregoing conclusions, wherein the sorting device comprises at least two said transport devices with, respectively, at least two said containers, wherein the depositor is arranged to place material parts having a size less than or equal to a first maximum size on one transport device and material parts having a size greater than the first maximum size on the other transport device, such that the sorting system is further arranged to sort the mixed material stream based on size.

6. Sorting system according to at least claims 3 and 5, wherein the drum screen comprises at least two groups of openings, wherein the openings of the first group have a first size equal to the first maximum size and wherein the openings of the second group have a second size larger than the first size, wherein the second group of openings is positioned downstream of the first group of openings in a flow direction of the material stream within the drum screen, and wherein the first group of openings is aligned with said first transport device and the second group of openings is aligned with the other transport device.

7. Sorting system according to any of the preceding claims and at least claim 3, wherein the drum screen comprises conveyance means for transporting the material stream in the drum screen in a or said flow direction, wherein the conveyance means for example comprise an upstanding edge extending from the inner wall of the drum screen, which edge is arranged in a spiral manner in the drum screen, optionally wherein, as seen in the flow direction, maximally one opening is located next to the upstanding edge and / or between neighbouring parts of the upstanding edge.

8. Sorting system according to any one of the foregoing claims, comprising at least one guide, e.g. a funnel, which guide is arranged to guide material parts coming from the depositor towards the at least one transport device at least in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the at least one transport device.

9. Sorting device for sorting, at least on the basis of material type, a mixed material stream, e.g. a waste stream, comprising: - at least one transport device arranged to transport material parts from the mixed material stream in a transport direction in the direction of at least two containers; - said at least two containers, wherein a first container is arranged to receive material parts of a first material type and wherein the second container is arranged to receive material parts of a second material type, wherein the first and second material types are different; - at least one sensor, which sensor is arranged to sense material parts on the transport device and to provide sensor data comprising information about the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device, - a controller arranged to receive the sensor data, to determine the type of material of material parts and the position thereof on the at least one transport device based on the sensor data, and to control at least one displacement device to place a material part in the first container if that material part is of the first material type - the at least one displacement device, optionally wherein the at least one displacement device comprises a push element, which push element is arranged to move material parts into the first container by pushing those material parts.

10. Depositor, which is arranged to receive a mixed material stream and to place material parts from the mixed material stream on at least one transport device with a chosen mutual distance between the material parts, optionally wherein the chosen mutual distance is oriented in at least a transport direction of the at least one transport device.

11. Depositor according to claim 10, wherein the depositor comprises a drum screen with multiple openings, the openings being spread over the drum screen with a certain mutual distance therebetween, which certain mutual distance determines the chosen mutual distance between the material parts of the material stream on the at least one transport device, optionally wherein the openings are spread in at least the circumferential direction, optionally wherein the certain mutual distance comprises at least two times the size of the openings.

12. Depositor according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the depositor is arranged to place material parts having a size less than or equal to a first maximum size on a first transport device and material parts having a size greater than the first maximum size on another transport device, such that the depositor is arranged to sort the mixed material stream based on size.

13. Depositor according to at least claims 11 and 12, wherein the drum screen comprises at least two groups of openings, wherein the openings of the first group have a first size equal to the first maximum size and wherein the openings of the second group have a second size larger than the first size, wherein the second group of openings is positioned downstream of the first group of openings in a flow direction of the material stream within the drum screen, and wherein the first group of openings is aligned with the first transport device and the second group of openings is aligned with the other transport device.

14. Depositor according to any of the preceding claims 10 - 13 and at least claim 11, wherein the drum screen comprises conveyance means for transporting the material stream in the drum screen in a or said flow direction, wherein the conveyance means for example comprise an upstanding edge extending from the inner wall of the drum screen, which edge is arranged in a spiral manner in the drum screen, optionally wherein, as seen in the flow direction, maximally one opening is located next to a or the upstanding edge and / or between neighbouring parts of the upstanding edge.

15. Assembly of a depositor according to any one of the preceding claims 10 - 14 and at least one guide, e.g. a funnel, which guide is arranged to guide material parts coming from the depositor towards the at least one transport device at least in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the at least one transport device.

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