System for conveying and / or sorting objects

Abstract

To improve an object conveying system.SOLUTION: An object conveying system comprises a guide plate (10) having at least one channel (11) for conveying an object (O) between a first end (11a) and a second end (11b) of the corresponding channel (11). Each channel (11) comprises a first aperture (121) provided at a first longitudinal position thereof (P1). The system further comprises an object measurement unit (13) for conducting an optical measurement associated with a property of the object via the first aperture (121) when the object passes the first aperture (121) towards the second end (11b). At least one ejector unit (14) is arranged to eject the object conveyed on the corresponding channel when the object reaches a second longitudinal position (P2, P2') located downstream of the first aperture (121) based on the measured property of the object and a timing signal associated with a conveying velocity of the object being conveyed along the channel (11).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for transporting and ejecting specific objects from a mass of objects. More particularly, the present invention relates to a guide plate having at least one channel for transporting each object, each channel having a first aperture utilized to measure a characteristic of the object being transported in the channel. At least one ejector unit is arranged to eject the object transported on the corresponding channel upon reaching a position disposed downstream of the first aperture based on the measured characteristic of the object and a timing signal corresponding to the transport speed of the object being transported along the channel. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known to sort bulk materials, such as grain, using a rotating cylinder or drum having pockets therein. The cylinder rotates about a horizontal axis with its central longitudinal axis aligned substantially with the horizontal axis. Granules, such as granules, are fed into one end of the cylinder, and as the cylinder rotates, the granules are lifted by being trapped in each pocket. The pockets are adapted in size and dimensions to receive a single object. For example, an opening is provided at the bottom of each pocket to the outer surface of the drum so that light can be transmitted from the outside of the drum through the opening to the object and detected inside the drum or reflected and detected outside the drum, or vice versa. In this manner, the objects in each pocket can be illuminated with light, and a reflection or transmission spectrum can be obtained. From this spectrum, properties of the objects can be obtained and used to sort or separate the bulk materials based on the properties. One or several collectors can then be placed adjacent to the drum to receive specific fractions based on the impulses from the detector after characterization. A drum of this kind and a machine equipped with such a drum are disclosed in patent document WO 2004 / 060585. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2004 / 060585 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A problem with such drums is that if an object received in the opening becomes lodged in the opening, the opening can become blocked. The pocket then becomes useless for the remainder of the sorting process because the object is not released into its corresponding trough and new objects cannot enter the pocket during the next rotation of the drum. Another problem is that only a limited amount of information can be obtained from the object because the amount of information is governed by the size of the opening. A third problem is that the drum must be adapted to the size of the object because the size of the pocket must be adapted in three dimensions to the size of the object. Fourth, the drum requires active release of each object individually.

[0005] Another known sorting solution involves allowing a large stream of objects to fall over a shelf, similar to a waterfall. As the objects fall, a camera or array of cameras detects the characteristics of each object, and an ejector unit is positioned to eject objects with certain characteristics detected in the falling object. In this way, the ejected objects are separated from the original large stream of objects. A weakness of this solution is that even with an optimized fluid jet, it is quite inaccurate because with each ejection, several nearby objects—for example, as many as 8 to 12 at full force—are also ejected along with the object with the certain characteristics. Therefore, a large portion of the ejected objects may not have the certain characteristics that triggered the ejection, resulting in a group of ejected objects with mixed characteristics. At the same time, this method ejects many objects that should not be ejected. This has an adverse effect on the system's throughput and the ability and degree to accurately sort objects with different characteristics, for example, because only one type of fraction can be separated.

[0006] Therefore, a better system for sorting objects would be useful. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Accordingly, the invention preferably seeks to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks and disadvantages in the art singly or in any combination, and provides: a guide plate having at least one channel for conveying an object between a first end and a second end of a corresponding channel, the at least one channel having a first aperture disposed at a first longitudinal position thereof; an object measurement unit that performs optical measurements related to properties of the object through the first aperture as the object passes through the first aperture toward the second end; at least one ejector unit arranged to eject the object being conveyed on the corresponding channel when the object reaches a second longitudinal position located downstream of the first aperture based on a measured characteristic of the object and a timing signal related to a conveying speed of the object being conveyed along the channel; By providing an object transport system comprising: At the very least, it solves the problems mentioned above.

[0008] Preferred embodiments are contemplated in the following dependent claims.

[0009] These and other aspects, features and advantages which the present invention can achieve will become apparent and clear from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an object transport system. [Figure 2] 2 is a plan view of the object transport system of FIG. 1 with a second aperture. [Figure 3] 3 is a perspective view of a channel of the object transport system of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is a perspective view of the object transport system of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, in which the guide plate includes a number of adjacently extending channels. [Figure 5]3 is a perspective view of the object transport system of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, in which the guide plate includes a number of adjacently extending channels, each having a different length, and a discharge position is located downstream of the end of each channel. [Figure 6] 3 is a perspective view of the object transport system of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, in which the guide plate includes a number of adjacently extending channels, each having a different length, and the discharge position for each channel is located upstream of the end of each channel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The following description is provided for an object transport system used to sort objects having certain measured characteristics from a large number of objects. Such characteristics may be, for example, the structure, purity, genomic, and epigenetic characteristics of organic granules. Such objects may be organic or inorganic, such as, for example, grains, granules, lentils, nuts, nuts, legumes, recyclables, minerals, metals, plastics, etc.

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an object transport system 100. The object transport system 100 includes a guide plate 10 having a longitudinal extension. The guide plate 10 includes at least one channel 11, as indicated by the black arrow, for transporting an object O between a first end 11a and a second end 11b of the corresponding channel 11. For simplicity, FIG. 1 shows only one channel. However, it should be understood that any number of adjacently arranged channels may be used. Thus, in one embodiment, the guide plate 10 includes multiple channels 11. Each channel 11 includes a first aperture 121 disposed at its first longitudinal position P1. An object measurement unit 13 is provided to perform optical measurements related to properties of the object through the first aperture 121 as the object passes through the first aperture 121 toward the second end 11b. The first apertures 121 are not necessarily adapted in size to the size of the object, but may optionally comprise a mesh, a grid, or a transparent material such as glass adapted not to interfere with optical measurements on the object O, so as to provide an opportunity to measure the entire length of the object O in the axial plane. Similarly, the first apertures 121 may be arranged to cross the multiple channels and optionally even interfere with each channel 11 over a certain detection interval. The first apertures 121 arranged to cross the multiple channels 11 may be combined with a mesh or grid. At least one emitter unit 14 is arranged to emit an object conveyed on a corresponding channel 11 when it reaches a corresponding second longitudinal position P2, P2' arranged downstream of the first aperture 121 based on the measured property of the object and a timing signal corresponding to the conveying speed of the object O being conveyed along the channel 11, i.e., the relative speed of the object with respect to its movement towards the corresponding emitter unit 14. When more than one fraction is to be separated from a bulk object, each channel 11 may have more than one position P2, such as two, three, four, or five positions P2, each position P2 having its corresponding emitter unit 14 for separating a corresponding fraction based on at least one characteristic of the object O.

[0013] The second longitudinal position P2 can be located within the boundary of each channel, as represented by P2 in Figure 1, or can be located downstream of the second end 11b of the channel. The two second longitudinal positions P2, P2' are shown simultaneously in Figures 1 and 2 using dashed lines, but should be understood as two different alternatives.

[0014] The timing signal can be arranged to activate any one of the corresponding emitter units to emit a corresponding object having the characteristic being measured. To achieve this, it is important to know when the corresponding object passes the second longitudinal position P2, P2' so that the corresponding emitter unit is activated at the correct time to emit the object when it reaches the second longitudinal position P2, P2'. Thus, the timing signal corresponds to the transport speed of the object between the first aperture and the second longitudinal position. The time when an emitter unit should be activated can be calculated in various ways.

[0015] For this purpose, at a third longitudinal position P3, which, according to Fig. 2, is arranged downstream of the first longitudinal position P1 but upstream of the second longitudinal positions P2, P2', at least one second aperture 122 can be provided, which second aperture 122 is operatively coupled to the object measuring unit 13 to allow calculation of the conveying speed. There can be not only one, but several second apertures 122, through which combined information can be used to calculate said speed.

[0016] Here, the object measuring unit 13 may be arranged to optically detect an object O passing through the first aperture 121 at an associated first point in time T1 and an object O passing through the second aperture 122 at an associated second point in time T2. The transport speed of the object may then be calculated by dividing the distance between the first longitudinal position P1 and the third longitudinal position P3 by the time interval between said second point in time and said first point in time.

[0017] Therefore, using the commonly known relationship between velocity, distance and time, s=v×T, v=(P3-P1) / (T2-T1) is.

[0018] Therefore, at the time T when the object passes the second longitudinal position ACT is expressed using the same formula: T=(T ACT -T1)=s / v=(P2-P1) / v =(P2-P1)(T2-T1) / (P3-P1), so T ACT =(P2-P1)(T2-T1) / (P3-P1)+T1 It can be calculated as:

[0019] Therefore, the timing of a timing signal is T relative to its corresponding fraction to be separated. ACT Depends on.

[0020] Alternatively, or in combination, the transport speed can be calculated using measurements from only the first aperture, where the object measuring unit 13 is arranged to optically detect an object O entering the first aperture 121 at an associated first time T1' and an object exiting the first aperture 121 at an associated second time T2'. Similarly, using the formula s = v × T, the transport speed of the object can be calculated using a time interval defined by the difference between the second time T2' and the first time T1' and the known size of the first aperture 121. It should be understood that the object measuring unit can detect a first time T1' when the leading end of the object enters the upstream end of the first aperture, and a second time T2' when the leading end of the object reaches the downstream end of the first aperture. Instead of calculating the velocity and / or acceleration of the object, a camera can be used to continuously track the change in longitudinal position of the object and provide an appropriate signal for its ejection, or in a similar manner to determine the appropriate moment of ejection.

[0021] The third longitudinal position P3 may optionally be the same as the first longitudinal position P1 so that the velocity is calculated through the same aperture as that through which the optical measurements related to the object properties are calculated.

[0022] 3-6, each channel 11 includes a longitudinally extending base 111 and a pair of side walls 112, 113 disposed along each lateral side of the base 111 to restrict lateral movement of the object O as it is conveyed longitudinally along the base 111. This lateral confinement allows T ACT The manner in which the calculation of is significantly improved, and furthermore, each object is aligned with a downstream second longitudinal position from which the object is selectively released.

[0023] As depicted in FIGS. 2-6, a first aperture 121 and / or a second aperture 122 may be disposed through the base 111 .

[0024] To further reduce the risk of accidentally releasing unwanted objects that are near objects to be released because they have measured characteristics, the channels may be provided with different lengths. Thus, as shown with respect to Figures 5 and 6, the first channel 11a of the guide plate 10 may have a first length and the second channel 11b of the guide plate 10 may have a second length that is different from the first length.

[0025] This means that, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the second longitudinal position P2a, P2'a of the first channel 11a of the guide plate 10 can be arranged downstream or upstream of the second longitudinal position P2b, P2'b of the second channel 11b of the guide plate 10.

[0026] At the second longitudinal position P2, P2', a third aperture 123 for receiving the fluid jet can be arranged. The third aperture 123 can be arranged within the boundary of each channel 11, meaning that each channel 11 has a separate third aperture 123. In this way, the fluid jet can be focused on each target O to be discharged. As mentioned above, the second longitudinal position P2' can be arranged downstream of the second end 11b of each channel, as shown in FIG. 5, or it can be arranged upstream of the second end 11b of each channel, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0027] Although not shown, the third apertures 123 may be tapered to form discharge channels having a decreasing cross-sectional area through the base 111 of the guide plate 10 towards the object in use.

[0028] Depending on the circumstances, it may be useful to locate the second longitudinal position as close as possible downstream of the optional second aperture, or as close as possible to the first aperture if no second aperture is provided, upstream of the second end of the channel, since this reduces the risk of the object being exposed to velocity changes after the velocity has been calculated, thereby reducing the time T defining when the object passes the second longitudinal position. ACT This is because the calculation method of

[0029] The timing signal is generated when the injection flow is exactly at time T ACT T ACT , can be adjusted to compensate for selective delays in the emitter units.

[0030] Each channel 11 may have a width sized to receive a single object.

[0031] Although the channels in the figures have a rectangular shape, other shapes are possible. For example, the side walls 112, 113 need not be parallel in order for the object O to self-center within the channel 11. In such cases, at least one of the side walls 112, 113, such as both side walls 112, 113, may be inclined with respect to the vertical or with respect to a general normal to the guide plate 10 during use. For example, each channel may be V-shaped in transverse cross section, with the junction of the side walls 112, 113 at the bottom forming the base 111 and the side walls 112, 113 being inclined. A V-shaped channel improves longitudinal alignment of the object O within the channel 11, reduces the risk of the object becoming jammed within the channel as it is transported, and allows the object to self-center regardless of size. Similarly, each channel may be U-shaped in transverse cross section, for example. In another alternative, each channel has an independent shape, the same or different from the other channels in the guide plate 10. For example, one channel may be V-shaped while the other channels are U-shaped or rectangular. Similarly, the longitudinal extent of the channels 11 may vary in a given direction, such as by including a curvature in the lateral or vertical direction of the channel 11. These variations in a given direction may affect and control the relative velocity of the object O. The variations in a given direction may result in a single or multiple channels O forming an S-shape in the horizontal and / or vertical plane.

[0032] The ejector unit 14 can be a fluid jet unit, an electromagnetically actuated membrane, or a piezoelectric punch / thrust.

[0033] The object transport system 100 may comprise a control unit 20 operatively connected to the emitter unit 14 and / or the object measuring unit 13. The control unit 20 thus determines the time T calculated for each object that is definitively recognized as having the characteristic measured by the object measuring unit 13. ACT, the control unit 20 may be arranged to activate each emitter unit 14 based on a timing signal associated with the object measuring unit 13. Thus, the control unit 20 may be arranged to emit a particular object based on information about that object being obtained from the object measuring unit 13.

[0034] The control unit 20 may further be arranged to receive information from at least one object sensor 21 (not shown) monitoring each object between the first longitudinal position P1 and the second longitudinal position P2, P2', to ensure that objects having certain characteristics to be released are released by the release unit 14 at the second longitudinal position P2, P2'. The sensor 21 may be a camera. Alternatively, said sensor may be arranged to detect the speed of each object being transported along each channel. Thus, the release time T ACT can be calculated by the control unit based on the conveying speed derived from the sensor 21. The present disclosure also includes the following inventions. The first aspect is a guide plate (10) having at least one channel (11) for conveying an object (O) between a first end (11a) and a second end (11b) of the corresponding channel (11), the at least one channel (11) having a first aperture (121) disposed at a first longitudinal position (P1) thereof; an object measuring unit (13) that performs optical measurements related to properties of the object through the first aperture (121) as the object passes through the first aperture (121) toward the second end (11b); and at least one ejector unit (14) arranged to eject the object being conveyed on the corresponding channel when it reaches a second longitudinal position (P2, P2') on the guide plate (10) arranged downstream of the first opening (121) based on measured characteristics of the object and a timing signal related to the conveying speed of the object being conveyed along the channel (11). The second aspect is The object conveying system (100) is an object conveying system (100) in a first aspect, further comprising a second aperture (122) arranged at a third longitudinal position (P3) located downstream of the first longitudinal position (P1), the second aperture (122) being operatively coupled to the object measuring unit (13) to allow calculation of the conveying speed. The third aspect is The object measuring unit (13) optically detects the object (O) passing through the first aperture (121) at a related first time point (T1) and the object (O) passing through the second aperture (122) at a related second time point (T2), thereby determining the time point (T ACT ) by using the time points (T1) and (T2), the distance between the first longitudinal position (P1) and the third longitudinal position (P3), and the distance between the first longitudinal position (P1) and the second longitudinal position (P2). The fourth aspect is The object measuring unit (13) optically detects the object (O) entering the first aperture (121) at a related first time point (T1) and the object exiting the first aperture (121) at a related second time point (T2), thereby determining the time point (T ACT ) using the time points (T1) and (T2), the size of the first aperture, and the distance between the first longitudinal position (P1) and the second longitudinal position (P2). The fifth aspect is The at least one channel (11) is an object transport system (100) in the first or second aspect, comprising a longitudinally extending base (111) and a pair of side walls (112, 113) arranged along each side of the base (111) to restrict lateral movement of the object (O) when transported longitudinally along the base (111). The sixth aspect is The first opening (121) and / or the second opening (122) are disposed through the base (111), in the fifth aspect of the object transport system (100) combined with the second aspect. A seventh aspect is The object transport system (100) is any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the first channel (11a) of the guide plate (10) has a first length, and the second channel (11b) of the guide plate (10) has a second length different from the first length. The eighth aspect is This is an object conveying system (100) in any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the second longitudinal position (P2a, P2'a) of the first channel (11a) of the guide plate (10) is arranged downstream or upstream of the second longitudinal position (P2b, P2'b) of the second channel (11b) of the guide plate (10). A ninth aspect is This is an object transport system (100) according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein a third opening (123) for receiving a fluid jet is disposed at the second position (P2, P2'). A tenth aspect is The second longitudinal position (P2') is an object transport system (100) in any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the second longitudinal position (P2') is positioned downstream of the second end (11b) of the at least one channel (11). An eleventh aspect is Each channel (11) is an object transport system (100) according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, having a width dimensioned to receive a single object. A twelfth aspect is The object transport system (100) according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the emitter unit (14) is a fluid jet unit. A thirteenth aspect is In a ninth aspect of the object transport system (100), the third opening (123) is tapered to form a discharge channel having a cross-sectional area that decreases toward the object in use through the base (111) of the guide plate (10). A fourteenth aspect is The object transport system (100) of any one of the first to thirteenth aspects further comprises a control unit (20) arranged to control the operation of the emitter unit (14) and / or the object measurement unit (13). A fifteenth aspect is The control unit (20) is further configured to release the object based on information of the particular object being acquired from the object measurement unit (13). A sixteenth aspect is The object transport system (100) of the 14th or 15th aspect is further configured such that the control unit (20) receives information from at least one object sensor (21) that monitors each object between the first longitudinal position (P1) and the second longitudinal position (P2, P2') to ensure that objects having certain characteristics to be released are released by the release unit (14) at the second longitudinal position (P2, P2'). A seventeenth aspect is In a sixteenth aspect of the object transport system (100), the sensor (21) is at least one camera.

Claims

1. 1. A method for sorting a plurality of objects, the plurality of objects comprising objects that are one of grains, granules, nuts, or beans, the method comprising: The method comprises: conveying the plurality of objects along a guide plate having at least two channels between first and second ends of corresponding ones of the at least two channels, the at least two channels having first apertures disposed at first longitudinal positions thereof and second apertures disposed at second longitudinal positions on the guide plate downstream of the first apertures; performing optical measurements with an object measuring unit related to a property of an object of the plurality of objects through the first aperture as the object passes through the first aperture toward the second end, the optical measurements comprising detecting the object entering the first aperture at an associated first time point and calculating a time point passing the second longitudinal position using measurements from only the first aperture; and ejecting the object conveyed on the corresponding channel when the object reaches the second longitudinal position using at least one ejector unit based on the measured property of the object and a timing signal related to a conveying speed of the object conveyed along the channel; the at least two channels each comprising a longitudinally extending base and a pair of sidewalls disposed along each side of the longitudinally extending base to limit lateral movement of the object as it is conveyed longitudinally along the longitudinally extending base; The method wherein the second aperture is configured to receive a fluid jet.

2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein each channel of the at least two channels further comprises a third aperture disposed at a third longitudinal position downstream of the first longitudinal position and upstream of the second longitudinal position.

3. performing optical measurements related to properties of the plurality of objects through the first aperture with an object measuring unit as the objects pass through the first aperture toward the second end; optically detecting the object passing through the first aperture at an associated first time point and the object passing through the third aperture at an associated second time point; 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: calculating the time when the object passes the second longitudinal position by using the first time point, the second time point, the distance between the first longitudinal position (P1) and the third longitudinal position (P3), and the distance between the first longitudinal position (P1) and the second longitudinal position (P2).

4. performing optical measurements related to properties of the plurality of objects through the first aperture with an object measuring unit as the objects pass through the first aperture toward the second end; optically detecting the object entering the first aperture at an associated first time point and the object exiting the first aperture at an associated second time point; 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating a time when the object passes the second longitudinal position by using the first time point, the second time point, the size of the first aperture, and the distance between the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first aperture and / or the third aperture are disposed through the longitudinally extending base.

6. the at least two channels include a first channel and a second channel each extending along a longitudinal dimension; 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first channel in the guide plate has a first length along the longitudinal dimension, and the second channel in the guide plate has a second length along the longitudinal dimension that is different from the first length.

7. the at least two channels include a first channel and a second channel each extending along a longitudinal dimension; The method of claim 1 , wherein the second longitudinal position of the first channel of the guide plate is spaced apart along the longitudinal dimension from the second longitudinal position of the second channel of the guide plate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each channel of the at least two channels has a width sized to receive a single object.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emitter unit is a fluid jet unit.

10. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second apertures are tapered to form discharge channels having a decreasing cross-sectional area through the base of the guide plate toward an object in use.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a control unit is arranged to control the operation of the emitter unit and / or the object measuring unit.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is further arranged to release the specific object based on information of the specific object obtained from the object measuring unit.

13. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the control unit is further configured to receive information from at least one object sensor monitoring each object between the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position to ensure that objects having certain characteristics to be emitted are emitted by the emitter unit at the second longitudinal position.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one object sensor comprises at least one camera.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is a grain.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein conveying the plurality of objects along the guide plate comprises guiding each object of the plurality of objects in each channel in a single file by the pair of side walls.

Images