Artificial intelligence waste plastic classification system based on vision-hyperspectral fusion data

Abstract

The present invention relates to an artificial intelligence waste plastic classification system based on vision-hyperspectral fusion data. The system may comprise: a supply unit capable of supplying input waste plastics by size; a first transfer unit capable of receiving and transferring the waste plastics from the supply unit; a reading unit installed in the first transfer unit and capable of reading the contamination and material of the transferred waste plastics; multiple guiding units installed in the first transfer unit and discharging the read waste plastics from the first transfer unit through different transfer paths according to the material; a control unit capable of receiving a signal from the reading unit and controlling the operation of the guiding unit according to the read material of the waste plastics; multiple second transfer units connected to the multiple guiding units, and capable of receiving and transferring the waste plastics discharged from the first transfer unit by the guiding units; and multiple collection units which are disposed in the multiple second transfer units and into which the transferred waste plastics can be introduced.

Description

An AI-based classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2024-0117928, filed August 30, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0003] The present invention relates to an artificial intelligence classification system for waste plastic based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

[0004] Plastics are polymer compounds manufactured by applying heat and pressure to form them. Plastics come in a variety of forms, depending on their intended use and material. Examples include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), used in wire insulation, household goods, packaging, and containers; polypropylene (PP), obtained through catalytic polymerization of propylene and used in bottles, containers, and other products; and polyethylene (PE), used in packaging materials and insulators.

[0005] Plastic items used in homes, industrial settings, and other settings are produced in a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. For effective recycling, these plastic items must be sorted by material.

[0006] Sorting plastic waste by material and size is impossible to fully automate due to the nature of the waste, so it relies on manual sorting. Manual sorting is time-consuming and inefficient. Furthermore, because it relies on the worker's experience, accuracy varies depending on skill level. Even the most skilled workers are unable to accurately sort waste plastic by material.

[0007] Accordingly, a technology for sorting waste plastics using near-infrared light has been proposed. Sorting waste plastics using near-infrared light involves irradiating a sample with an infrared light source, passing the infrared light transmitted through the sample through a slit, and then analyzing the signal detected by a detector after passing through a diffraction grating step using optical glass. However, sorting using near-infrared light has the disadvantage of being slow, difficult to process in real time, and sensitive to external vibrations, making it difficult to accurately identify waste plastics.

[0008] Additionally, multiple air blowers are installed at intervals in the conveyor to sort the sorted waste plastic by material. The air blowers blow air at a preset pressure toward the waste plastic in the conveyor, causing it to fall into the first or second discharge port for sorting.

[0009] However, the structure and operation related to controlling the air blower's air injection direction, angle, height, and pressure according to the weight of the waste plastic were very complex.

[0010] The present invention provides a technology for increasing the recycling of waste plastic by quickly and accurately classifying waste plastic by size and material.

[0011] The present invention provides a technology for supplying waste plastic by classifying it by size using a rotating feeder technology.

[0012] The present invention provides a technology for supplying waste plastic of various sizes to a reading unit by size by controlling the width dimension of a track along which waste plastic moves using a size control unit.

[0013] The present invention provides a technology for reading the degree of contamination of waste plastic supplied by size using a vision system.

[0014] The present invention provides a technology for reading the material of waste plastic supplied by size using a hyperspectral sensor.

[0015] The present invention provides a technology for classifying waste plastic having an irregular shape by material by overlapping an image of a vision system and an image of a hyperspectral sensor.

[0016] The present invention provides a technology for collecting waste plastic by changing the transport path of waste plastic whose material has been read, and storing the waste plastic by material.

[0017] The present invention provides a technology for stably transporting waste plastic supplied by size without it being separated from the transport section when transported for contamination and material reading, and when transported for classification after contamination and material reading.

[0018] The present invention provides a technology for stably transporting waste plastic to be classified from a first transport section to a second transport section without being restricted by shape, size, weight, etc.

[0019] A vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic AI classification system according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a supply unit capable of supplying input waste plastic by size, a first transfer unit capable of receiving and transferring the waste plastic from the supply unit, a reading unit installed in the first transfer unit and capable of reading contamination and material of the waste plastic being transferred, a plurality of induction units installed in the first transfer unit and discharging the read waste plastic from the first transfer unit through different transfer paths according to material, a control unit capable of receiving a signal from the reading unit and controlling the operation of the induction unit according to the read material of the waste plastic, a plurality of second transfer units each connected to the plurality of induction units and capable of receiving and transferring the waste plastic discharged by the induction unit from the first transfer unit, and a plurality of collection units arranged in each of the plurality of second transfer units and into which the transferred waste plastic can be introduced.

[0020] The above-mentioned reading unit may include a contamination reading unit capable of reading the contamination level of the waste plastic, a material reading unit capable of reading the material of the waste plastic whose contamination level has been read, and a reading confirmation unit that overlaps the reading image of the contamination reading unit with the reading image of the material reading unit to determine the contamination level and material of the waste plastic.

[0021] The first transport unit and the second transport unit may each include a transport body capable of transporting the waste plastic, and a barrier installed on both sides of the transport body in the width direction to prevent the transported waste plastic from being separated.

[0022] The above-mentioned induction unit is installed at a connecting portion of the first transfer unit and the second transfer unit, and an opening may be formed at a blocking wall portion of the first transfer unit to which the second transfer unit is connected.

[0023] The above-mentioned induction unit may include an induction plate installed in the opening unit and capable of opening and closing the opening unit, and capable of guiding waste plastics transported from the first transport unit to the opening unit and sending them to the second transport unit, and an induction driving unit connected to the induction plate and operating the induction plate.

[0024] The upper surface of the transport body of the second transport unit may be lower in height than the upper surface of the transport body of the first transport unit based on the installation surface.

[0025] The above-mentioned induction unit may be installed in the above-mentioned opening and may further include a slope connecting the upper surface of the transfer body of the first transfer unit and the upper surface of the transfer body of the second transfer unit.

[0026] The above supply unit may include a supply support unit, a supply main body that is installed to be rotatable on the supply support unit and has a receiving space with an inclined bottom and a track formed on an upper edge, a discharge guide that is installed along the edge of the track and has an outlet connected to the first transfer unit, and a size control unit that is installed on the discharge guide and can adjust the width of the track.

[0027] Waste plastics of different sizes and materials can be fed into the above-mentioned receiving space, and by the rotation of the supply main body, the waste plastics in the receiving space are fed into the track and discharged to the outlet along the discharge guide, and the size of the waste plastics discharged to the outlet can be determined according to the width of the track.

[0028] The above size control unit may include an adjustment plate arranged on the track, one end of which is connected to the discharge guide and movable on the track, and an actuator installed on the supply support unit and connected to the other end of the adjustment plate.

[0029] The above discharge guide can form a spiral structure.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, waste plastic is supplied by size from a supply unit without using manpower, and when the contamination and material of the waste plastic being transported are read by a reading unit, the induction unit classifies and discharges the waste plastic by material, so it is economical because it classifies by size and material without using manpower, and the classification work is performed quickly, so that the efficiency of sorting waste plastic is improved.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since contamination of waste plastics being transported from a reading unit is read, the risk of exposure to contaminants can be eliminated, thereby improving safety due to contaminants.

[0032]

[0033] *According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the contamination reading image and the material reading image are overlapped and read in the reading unit, the reading of the material is performed precisely, thereby improving reliability.

[0034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the material of waste plastic is classified using a hyperspectral sensor, and the material is classified by overlapping the image of a vision camera and the image of the hyperspectral sensor, thereby achieving the effect of being able to precisely classify various waste plastics of irregular shape by material.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since contamination and material are read using a vision camera and a hyperspectral sensor, a separate preprocessing process is not required for waste plastic generated during classification using near-infrared light, thereby achieving the effect of rapid processing speed.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a barrier wall is installed along the longitudinal direction on both sides of the transport body of the first transport section and the second transport section, so that the waste plastic being transported does not escape from the transport body, thereby improving the transport efficiency of the waste plastic.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an opening is formed in the barrier wall of the first transport section, and waste plastic is sent to the second transport section only through the opening, thereby improving the transport accuracy of waste plastic.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a guide portion is installed in an opening portion, and when the guide portion opens the opening portion, waste plastic from a first conveying portion is sent to a second conveying portion through the opening portion, so that there is no restriction on the weight of the waste plastic, thereby improving the accuracy of conveying the waste plastic.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the waste plastic of the first conveying section is sent to the second conveying section through the opening by the operation of the induction plate, the structure is simple, and there are no restrictions on the size, shape, or position of the waste plastic in the first conveying section, thereby improving the accuracy of sorting and conveying the waste plastic.

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper surface of the transport body of the second transport section is lower than the upper surface of the transport body of the first transport section based on the installation surface. Since the upper surfaces of the first and second transport sections are connected by a slope, waste plastic from the first transport section can be naturally transferred to the second transport section. This has the effect of improving the sorting and transport efficiency of waste plastic.

[0041] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a size control unit for determining the size of waste plastic is positioned on a track of a supply main body, and the size of the supplied waste plastic is determined by adjusting the width of the track. Waste plastic passing through the size control unit on the track is transported to the first transport unit, and waste plastic caught by the size control unit falls from the track into a receiving space. This has the effect of improving the sorting efficiency according to the size of waste plastic.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when classifying waste plastic by size, the adjustment plate of the track is operated by the actuator to adjust the width of the track, thereby simplifying the configuration of the guide section and achieving the effect of being able to precisely classify waste plastic by size.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the discharge guide installed along the track of the supply main body has a spiral structure, so that waste plastics raised from the receiving space to the track move in contact with the discharge guide, thereby improving the supply efficiency of waste plastics.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic artificial intelligence classification system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

[0046] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the supply unit of Figure 1.

[0047] Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the supply section of Fig. 1.

[0048] Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing the derivation of Figure 4.

[0049] Figure 6 is an enlarged view showing the first transfer section and multiple second transfer sections of Figure 1.

[0050] Fig. 7 is an enlarged view showing the induction section of Fig. 6.

[0051] Figure 8 is a plan view of Figure 7.

[0052] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the specification.

[0053] Then, a vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic artificial intelligence classification system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0054] First, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic AI classification system (1) according to the present embodiment includes a supply unit (10), a reading unit (20), a first transport unit (30), a second transport unit (40), an induction unit (50), a control unit (60), and a collection unit (70), and quickly and accurately classifies waste plastic by size and material to increase recycling of waste plastic.

[0055] The supply unit (10) can receive waste plastics of various sizes and materials. The supply unit (10) can discharge waste plastics by size and supply them to the reading unit (20). The reading unit (20) can read the contamination, material, etc. of the supplied waste plastics. The first transport unit (30) can connect the supply unit (10) and the reading unit (20) to form a transport path for waste plastics. The second transport unit (40) is composed of a plurality of units and is connected to the first transport unit (30) to form a transport path for waste plastics. The guidance unit (50) is arranged at a connection portion between the first transport unit (30) and the second transport unit (40) and can guide waste plastics transported from the first transport unit (30) to the second transport unit (40) by contamination level and material. The control unit (60) can operate the induction unit (50) based on the reading result of the reading unit (20) to guide the waste plastic to the second transport unit (40) by material. The collection unit (70) is installed in each second transport unit (40) to collect waste plastic by material.

[0056] Referring further to drawings 3 to 5, the supply unit (10) includes a supply support unit (111), a supply main body (12), a discharge guide (14), and a size control unit (15). The supply unit (10) can supply waste plastics of various shapes and sizes.

[0057] The supply support member (111) is composed of a composite vertical frame and a horizontal frame. An installation space (not shown) is formed inside the supply support member (111). The upper surface of the supply support member (111) is formed as a flat surface, and casters are installed on the lower surface.

[0058] The supply main body (12) is rotatably installed on the upper surface of the supply support member (111). A receiving space (121) is formed inside the supply main body (12). The receiving space (121) is open to the upper surface of the supply main body (12). A track (122) having a preset width along the circumferential direction is formed on the edge of the upper surface of the receiving space (121). The track (122) is formed in a flat shape.

[0059] A receiving space (121) is formed by slanting a plate (13). The plate (13) forms the floor of the receiving space (121). The top dead center portion (131) of the slanted plate (13) is connected to the track (122).

[0060] The plate (13) can rotate together with the supply body (12). The rotation speed of the plate (13) is faster than the rotation speed of the supply body (12). The supply body (12) and the plate (13) can rotate by being connected to a driving unit placed in the installation space of the supply support unit (111).

[0061] Waste plastics to be sorted can be fed into the receiving space (121). The waste plastics may vary in shape, size, material, etc. The waste plastics move in the receiving space (121) by the rotation of the supply main body (12), and at this time, they can be placed on the track (122) at the top dead center portion (131).

[0062] The discharge guide (14) is arranged along the track (122) from the upper portion of the track (122). The lower surface of the discharge guide (14) is separated from the surface of the track (122). The discharge guide (14) has a spiral structure, one side (14a) is positioned on the inner side (121a) of the track (122), and the other side (14b) is positioned on the outer side (121b) of the track (122). The discharge guide (14) has an outlet (141).

[0063] A bulkhead (142) is installed on the outside of the discharge guide (14). The bulkhead (142) is connected to a support installed in the supply support member (111) and supports the discharge guide (14).

[0064] The waste plastic of the track (122) can be moved toward the outlet (141) by being pressed against the discharge guide (14) by the rotating supply body (12).

[0065] The size control unit (15) includes an adjustment plate (151) and an actuator (152) and can adjust the width (W) of the track (122).

[0066] The adjustment plate (151) is coupled to the inner surface of the discharge guide (14) at a preset position of the track (122). One end of the adjustment plate (151) is coupled to the inner surface of the discharge guide (14) and the other end is separated from the discharge guide (14). The other end of the adjustment plate (151) can move based on one end.

[0067] As the other end of the adjustment plate (151) moves away from the discharge guide (14) and closer to the inner side (121a) of the track (122), the width (W) of the track (122) may become narrower. The width (W) of the track (122) (between the other end of the adjustment plate (151) and the inner side (121a) of the track (122)) may vary depending on the size of the waste plastic to be discharged. Waste plastic having a diameter that exceeds the width (W) may be caught by the other end of the adjustment plate (151) and may fall from the track (122) into the receiving space (121). However, waste plastic having a diameter within the width (W) may not be caught by the other end of the adjustment plate (151) and may be moved toward the outlet (141). Accordingly, the size of the waste plastic to be supplied can be determined by adjusting the width (W) using the adjustment plate (151). That is, when the other end of the adjustment plate (151) moves away from the discharge guide (14), the width dimension of the track (122) becomes smaller, and thus, smaller-sized waste plastics can be supplied. However, when the other end of the adjustment plate (151) moves closer to the discharge guide (14), and thus, the width (W) dimension of the track (122) becomes larger, larger-sized waste plastics can be supplied from the receiving space (121).

[0068] The actuator (152) is installed on the bulkhead (142) and connected to the other end of the adjustment plate (151). By operating the load of the actuator (152), the adjustment plate (151) can move about one end.

[0069] The width (W) dimension adjustment is not limited to the adjustment plate (151) and the actuator (152). Any configuration that can adjust the width (W) dimension can be applied in various ways.

[0070] In addition, the size control unit (15) is installed at the outlet (141) and can determine the size of the supplied waste plastic by adjusting the width dimension of the outlet (141).

[0071] The first transfer unit (30) includes a transfer body (31) and a barrier (32). One end of the first transfer unit (30) is connected to the supply unit (10) and is positioned adjacent to the outlet (141). Waste plastic from the outlet (141) flows into the first transfer unit (30). The first transfer unit (30) forms a transfer path that transfers the introduced waste plastic to the reading unit (20).

[0072] The transport body (31) has a conveyor system structure. The conveyor system may be a belt conveyor. One end of the transport body (31) is adjacent to the outlet (141), and the other end passes through the reading unit (20). The transport body (31) can transport waste plastics flowing in from the outlet (141) at a preset speed.

[0073] The barrier wall (32) protrudes upward from both edges of the transport body (31) and is installed along the length direction. The barrier wall (32) can prevent waste plastics transported from the transport body (31) from escaping.

[0074] An opening (321) is formed at a preset position of the barrier wall (32). The opening (321) is formed by opening a portion of the barrier wall (32) at a preset position between the reading unit (20) and the other end.

[0075] In the drawing, FIG. 6, one opening (321) is formed in each of the one-side and the other-side barrier walls, but multiple openings (321) may be formed at intervals along the length of the barrier wall (32). The number of openings (321) may vary depending on the number of materials to be classified in the waste plastic. The waste plastic of the first conveying section (30) may be separated through the openings (321).

[0076] The reading unit (20) includes a contamination reading unit (22), a material reading unit (23), and a reading confirmation unit (24), and is installed on the first transport unit (30) to read the contamination and material of waste plastic.

[0077] That is, the reading unit (20) can recognize waste plastic materials, foreign substances, and impurities using an image recognition (vision data, hyperspectral data fusion) artificial intelligence algorithm, and form an algorithm for optimal selection by fusion of vision data and hyperspectral data.

[0078] The contamination reading unit (22), material reading unit (23), and reading confirmation unit (24) are installed inside the reading body (21). The contamination reading unit (22), material reading unit (23), and reading confirmation unit (24) are connected to an input unit installed on the side of the reading body (21).

[0079] The reading body (21) is placed in the transport path of the first transport unit (30). The contamination reading unit (22) and the material reading unit (23) are directed from the reading body (21) toward the first transport unit (30).

[0080] The contamination reading unit (22) uses a vision camera installed in the reading body (21) to capture images of the waste plastic being transported. The vision unit analyzes the acquired images to determine the degree of contamination of the waste plastic (whether there are contents remaining inside the waste plastic, whether there are labels, foreign substances, etc. on the surface, etc.), thereby obtaining data on the contamination of the waste plastic. In other words, the vision camera can be used to primarily read foreign substances, impurities, the degree of contamination of the waste plastic, and overlapping areas.

[0081] The material reading unit (23) can obtain data on the material of the waste plastic by obtaining an image of the waste plastic through a hyperspectral sensor and analyzing the image to read the material of the waste plastic (ABS, PP, PE, SAN, PS, PVC, etc.). Accordingly, if the reading unit (20) can read six materials of the waste plastic, six openings (321) can be formed in the partition wall (142). The number of openings (321) is not limited to six. The number of openings (321) can vary depending on the number of materials of the waste plastic that the reading unit (20) can read. The waste plastic can be secondary identified through such a hyperspectral sensor.

[0082] Hyperspectral technology combines spatial information and spectral technology to create three-dimensional data by segmenting and capturing each wavelength band. Hyperspectral technology organizes dense, continuous spectral information for each image pixel into a hyperspectral cube. Through the data stored in the hyperspectral cube, the state, composition, characteristics, and variations of the target can be derived, making it easy to identify materials and measure the degree of product defects.

[0083] The reading confirmation unit (24) overlaps the image obtained through the vision camera of the contamination reading unit (22) with the image obtained through the hyperspectral sensor of the material reading unit (23) for the same waste to specify the target object for material reading. The reading confirmation unit (24) determines the analysis area of ​​the target object by excluding the part where the target object overlaps with another object, and removes noise in the hyperspectral data to read the final material of the target object. In other words, the analysis of waste plastic can be confirmed by overlapping the vision image and the hyperspectral image.

[0084] By using a hyperspectral sensor to classify the material of waste plastic and overlapping the image of the vision camera and the image of the hyperspectral sensor to classify the material, it is possible to precisely classify various waste plastics with irregular shapes by material.

[0085] This reading unit (20) learns image categories, styles, etc. based on the established waste classification system and generates constraints for each classification and sub-classification through textual inversion. When generating images similar to images of a specific category, image sub-classifications can be searched based on a label-based weighted calculation method to improve the accuracy of DB search. By converting image vectors into optimized matrices, computing processing speed can be maximized, and by capturing objects and situations that actually exist, processing can be done based on conditions that determine the appearance of objects and situations that actually exist.

[0086] The detailed structures of the contamination reading unit (22), material reading unit (23), and reading confirmation unit (24) of the reading unit (20) can be applied to configurations such as a widely known vision-based contamination reading system, a hyperspectral image-based waste material reading system, etc., and therefore, a description of the detailed structures is omitted.

[0087] The waste plastic read in the reading unit (20) can be transferred to the other end through the first transfer unit (30).

[0088] Referring to drawings 6 to 8, the induction unit (50) includes an induction plate (51) and an induction driving unit (52), and is arranged at each opening (321) to open and close the opening (321). The induction unit (50) may further include a slope (53). When the opening (321) is opened, the waste plastic transferred from the first transfer unit (30) is guided to the second transfer unit (40) through the slope (53), and when the opening (321) is closed, the waste plastic can be transferred along the first transfer unit (30).

[0089] The guide plate (51) is placed in the opening (321) and one end (51a) is hinge-connected to one side of the opening (321). The guide plate (51) can rotate based on the hinge. The guide plate (51), which is positioned on the same line as the bulkhead (142), keeps the opening (321) closed. At this time, the waste plastic conveyed from the first conveying unit (30) cannot escape through the opening (321) and is conveyed along the first conveying unit (30).

[0090] However, when the guide plate (51) rotates around the hinge so that the other end (51b) comes into contact with the partition wall facing away from the other side of the opening (321), the opening (321) becomes open. At this time, the guide plate (51) is positioned diagonally from the first transfer unit (30). The waste plastic of the first transfer unit (30) comes into contact with the guide plate (51) and moves along the guide plate (51) and can be separated from the first transfer unit (30) through the opening (321).

[0091] The induction drive unit (52) includes an actuator that uses compressed air as a working fluid. One end of the housing of the actuator (152) is hinge-connected to the partition wall (142). A rod protrudes from the other end of the housing of the actuator (152) and is hinge-connected to one end of an induction plate (51). When the rod is pulled out from the housing, the induction plate (51) that was closing the opening (321) rotates around the hinge so that the other end (51b) separates from the partition wall, thereby opening the opening (321). However, when the rod is pulled into the housing, the induction plate (51) that was opening the opening (321) closes the opening (321).

[0092] Although the induction drive unit (52) is described as an actuator (152), various configurations can be applied to the configuration of the induction drive unit (52) as long as it is a configuration that rotates the induction plate (51).

[0093] The slope (53) is located at the opening (321) and connects the upper surface of the first transfer section (30) and the upper surface of the second transfer section (40). The slope (53) guides waste plastics that have escaped from the first transfer section (30) through the opening (321) to flow into the second transfer section (40).

[0094] The second transfer unit (40) includes a transfer body (41) and a barrier wall (42). The transfer body (41) and the barrier wall (42) of the second transfer unit (40) are identical to the transfer body and the barrier wall of the first transfer unit (30), so a duplicate description will be omitted.

[0095] The second transfer unit (40) is formed in plurality and is arranged on both sides in the width direction of the first transfer unit (30). In the drawing, FIG. 2, the second transfer unit (40) is illustrated as being arranged one on each side of the first transfer unit (30), but the number of second transfer units (40) may vary depending on the number of materials to be classified in the waste plastic. For example, if the reading unit (20) can read six materials of the waste plastic, six second transfer units (40) may be arranged. The plurality of second transfer units (40) may be arranged along the length direction of the first transfer unit (30). The second transfer unit (40) may be expanded depending on the material of the waste plastic.

[0096] One end of the second transfer unit (40) is positioned adjacent to the opening (321) of the first transfer unit (30). The upper surface of the second transfer unit (40) is lower in height than the upper surface of the first transfer unit (30) based on the ground on which the vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic artificial intelligence classification system (1) is installed. Waste plastic that has fallen from the opening (321) can fall to the second transfer unit (40) through the slope (53). The difference in the upper surface heights of the first transfer unit (30) and the second transfer unit (40) facilitates the transfer of waste plastic. The second transfer unit (40) transfers the waste plastic to the other end.

[0097] The collection unit (70) may be formed of a cylinder, a square cylinder, a fiber bag (ton bag), etc. made of plastic with an open top. The collection unit (70) is arranged adjacent to the other end of the second transfer unit (40). Waste plastic transferred from the second transfer unit (40) can be collected by flowing into the collection unit (70).

[0098] The control unit (60) is connected to the supply unit (10), the reading unit (20), the induction unit (50), the first transfer unit (30), and the second transfer unit (40) and can control their operations. The control unit (60) can receive the reading information of the reading unit (20) and drive the induction unit (50) to open and close the opening unit (321).

[0099] The control unit (60) automatically controls the supply of waste plastics of various sizes and can control the first transport unit (30) and the reading unit (20) by considering the supply speed of the supply unit (10).

[0100] The control unit (60) controls the induction unit for discharging waste plastic of various sizes and the smooth transport process of the first and second transport units, and can control real-time information and working status of the additionally installable supply unit and transport unit, and can control speed and transmit commands.

[0101] The following describes the operation of the artificial intelligence classification system for waste plastic based on the vision hyperspectral fusion data described above.

[0102] Waste plastics of different sizes and materials are fed into the receiving space (121). The adjusting plate (151) sets the width (W) of the track (122) to determine the size of the waste plastics to be supplied. The size control unit (15) ensures that the waste plastics in the receiving space (121) are supplied starting with the first size, which is the smallest size. Afterwards, when all of the waste plastics of the first size are supplied, the position of the adjusting plate (151) is set so that the waste plastics of the second size are supplied.

[0103] When the supply body (12) and the plate (13) are rotated, the waste plastic can move in the direction of rotation of the supply body (12) and the plate (13) in the receiving space (121). At this time, the waste plastic is placed on the track (122) at the top dead center portion (131) of the plate (13). As the supply body (12) rotates, the waste plastic is pressed against the discharge guide (14) by centrifugal force and moves toward the outlet (141).

[0104] Waste plastic moving toward the exit (141) comes into contact with the control plate (151), and waste plastic larger than the width (W) dimension (between the other end of the control plate (151) and the inner side (121a) of the track (122)) gets caught on the other end of the control plate (151) and falls off the track (122) and falls from the track (122) into the receiving space (121). However, waste plastic smaller than the width (W) dimension or having the same size as the width (W) dimension can pass through the other end of the control plate (151) and be supplied to the first transport section (30) through the exit (141).

[0105] The first transport unit (30) transports waste plastic. The reading unit (20) reads the contamination and material of the waste plastic. Based on the reading results, the induction unit (50) operates to send the waste plastic from the first transport unit (30) to the second transport unit (40).

[0106] For example, if the waste plastic is severely contaminated, the induction unit (50) does not open the opening unit (321). Accordingly, the severely contaminated waste plastic is not sent to the second transfer unit (40) but is collected in the collection unit connected to the first transfer unit (30).

[0107] If the reading result of the reading unit (20) indicates that the waste plastic is of the first material, the control unit (60) operates the induction unit (50) installed in the first opening to open the first opening. The waste plastic of the first material is guided through the induction plate (51) and transferred to the first second transfer unit (40) through the first opening. The waste plastic of the first material is collected in the collection unit connected to the first second transfer unit (40).

[0108] If the reading result of the reading unit (20) indicates that the waste plastic is of the second material, the control unit (60) closes the first opening by the induction unit (50) installed in the first opening and operates the induction unit (50) installed in the second opening to open the second opening. The waste plastic of the second material is guided through the induction plate (51) and transferred to the second second transport unit (40) through the second opening. The waste plastic of the second material is collected in the collection unit connected to the second second transport unit (40).

[0109] Meanwhile, the reading unit (20) may not read the material of the waste plastic. In this case, when the first size of waste plastic is supplied from the supply unit (10), the guide unit installed in the first opening unit is opened so that the first size of waste plastic is transferred to the first second transfer unit (40) for collection. In other words, the vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic AI classification system can classify waste plastic by size.

[0110] In addition, the guide plate (51) can maximize the width dimension of the track (122) so that waste plastics of different sizes can be mixed and supplied. The reading unit (20) can read the material of the waste plastics and classify the waste plastics by material.

[0111] Accordingly, the AI ​​classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data can classify waste plastics by material after supplying them by size, classify only by size without classifying by material, or classify only by material without classifying by size.

[0112] According to this embodiment, since no manpower is used when sorting waste plastic by size and material, economy is improved, and the sorting work is done quickly, which has the effect of improving the sorting efficiency of waste plastic.

[0113] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0114] The vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic AI classification system according to the present embodiment is an artificial intelligence (AI) automatic classification device for waste plastic using hyperspectral, and includes a supply unit, a reading unit, and a transfer classification unit.

[0115] The supply unit can sort waste plastic by size and supply it. The reading unit can read the material of waste plastic transported through the supply unit. The transport sorting unit can transport waste plastic and then classify it into multiple types based on the reading results from the reading unit.

[0116] The supply section includes a feeder control section and a feeder rotation section. The supply section may further include a feeder speed control section.

[0117] The feeder control unit adjusts the size of the discharge unit so that waste plastics of gradually larger sizes are discharged from smaller ones.

[0118] The feeder rotation section includes a speed control section, an inner ring, and an outer ring, and can supply waste plastic through the rotation of the inner and outer rings. The feeder rotation section may further include a bearing section, a speed control section, and a gap control section. The feeder rotation section can enhance durability by ensuring stable transport of waste plastic and preventing wear and damage.

[0119] The speed control unit can individually control the rotation speed of the inner and outer rings according to the shape and size of the waste plastic.

[0120] The inner and outer rings can be coated to reduce friction during rotation and enable smooth transport.

[0121] The bearing section can transport waste plastic by arranging a plurality of balls between the inner and outer rings.

[0122] The speed control unit can independently control the rotation speed of the inner and outer rings to achieve an optimal feed speed.

[0123] The gap adjustment unit can prevent foreign matter from getting caught by adjusting the gap between the inner and outer rings according to the type and size of the waste plastic.

[0124] The feeder speed control unit can detect the amount of waste plastic being fed and automatically adjust the speed.

[0125] The reading unit includes a vision camera and a hyperspectral camera. The reading unit may further include an image preprocessing module, an image alignment module, and a data analysis module. The reading unit can analyze data from the vision camera and hyperspectral camera to identify the material of the waste plastic.

[0126] Vision cameras can detect foreign substances other than waste plastic.

[0127] Hyperspectral cameras can analyze the material of waste plastic by spectral wavelength.

[0128] The image preprocessing module can remove noise from image data captured by a hyperspectral camera.

[0129] Artificial intelligence can learn using convolutional neural networks or support vector machines.

[0130] The image alignment module can align RGB image data of waste plastic acquired from a vision camera and hyperspectral image data acquired from a hyperspectral camera on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

[0131] The data analysis module can extract morphological and spectral information of waste plastic from the aligned image data to determine the plastic material.

[0132] The reading unit may further include a preprocessing unit, an extraction unit, a classification unit, and an output unit.

[0133] The preprocessing unit can perform preprocessing processes such as noise removal and correction for each pixel spectrum of hyperspectral image data.

[0134] The extraction unit can extract characteristic wavelength bands or reduce the dimensionality of preprocessed spectrum data.

[0135] The classification unit can determine the material of waste plastic by using a deep learning-based classification algorithm that classifies the material of waste plastic based on the extracted features.

[0136] The output section can visually display the classification results or transmit them to an external linkage system.

[0137] Hyperspectral spectral data has a wavelength range that includes the visible light region (400 nm to 700 nm) and the near-infrared region (700 nm to 1000 nm), high wavelength resolution to distinguish fine spectral features of each waste plastic material, and continuous wavelength sampling that enables precise analysis of the chemical composition of waste plastic through finely sampled spectral information in a continuous wavelength range.

[0138] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0139] The vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic AI classification system according to the present embodiment is an artificial intelligence (AI) automatic classification device for waste plastic using hyperspectral, and includes a supply unit that supplies waste plastic by classifying it by size, a reading unit that reads the material of waste plastic transported through the supply unit, and a transport classification unit that transports waste plastic and then classifies it into a plurality of types based on the reading results of the reading unit. The vision hyperspectral fusion data-based waste plastic AI classification system may further include a plurality of storage units that store the classified waste plastic.

[0140] The conveyor sorting section includes a guide rod and a conveyor belt.

[0141] The guide rod can change the direction of travel of the waste plastic.

[0142] The conveyor belt may have multiple branch points or may form N intermediate branch points on the conveying line.

[0143] The conveyor belt can classify waste plastic by controlling the guide rod by driving the motor installed at each branch point according to the plastic material analyzed in the reading section.

[0144] The conveyor belt may have an adjustable angle or speed depending on the size or weight of the waste plastic.

[0145] The conveyor belt includes a main conveyor belt, a guide rail, a guide rod, and a control unit.

[0146] Guide rails are installed in multiple places on the side of the main conveyor belt.

[0147] The guide rod moves along the guide rail and can guide waste plastic to different discharge outlets.

[0148] The control unit can control the position of the guide rod based on the reading result of the reading unit.

[0149] The conveyor sorting unit may include a conveyor belt, a drive unit, a guide rod, and a vibration damping device.

[0150] The conveyor belt may have multiple outlets for sorting waste plastic by type.

[0151] The driving unit can control the moving speed of the waste plastic by adjusting the speed of the conveyor belt.

[0152] The guide rod is installed on the conveyor belt and can be moved to different positions depending on the type of waste plastic.

[0153] The vibration damping device minimizes the vibration of the conveyor belt, preventing the detachment of waste plastic and helping to ensure stable transport.

[0154] The conveying sorting unit may include a motor and a reducer that drive the conveyor belt, a drive pulley and a tail pulley that transmit the rotational force of the motor to the conveyor belt, a tension adjusting device that adjusts the tension of the conveyor belt, a bearing and a support that stably maintain the movement of the conveyor belt, and a connecting combination that can change the movement and branching method of the conveyor belt depending on the type of waste plastic.

[0155] The reading section classifies the material of waste plastic into PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), PP (Polypropylene), PS (Polystyrene), and can further be classified into HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene), PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene), and OTHER.

[0156] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A supply section that can supply the input waste plastic by size. A first transport section capable of receiving and transporting the waste plastic from the supply section; A reading unit installed in the first transport unit and capable of reading the contamination and material of the waste plastic being transported; A plurality of induction units installed in the first transfer unit and discharging the read waste plastic from the first transfer unit through different transfer paths depending on the material; A control unit capable of receiving a signal from the above-mentioned reading unit and controlling the operation of the induction unit according to the reading material of the waste plastic; A plurality of second transfer units each connected to the plurality of induction units and capable of receiving and transferring the waste plastic discharged from the induction unit to the first transfer unit, and A plurality of collection units arranged in each of the plurality of second transport units and into which the transported waste plastic can be introduced, An artificial intelligence classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data including .

2. In paragraph 1, The above reading section A contamination reading unit that can read the contamination level of the above waste plastic using a vision camera, A material reading unit capable of reading the material of waste plastic whose contamination level has been read using a hyperspectral sensor, and A reading confirmation unit that overlaps the reading image of the contamination reading unit with the reading image of the material reading unit to determine the contamination level and material of the waste plastic. Including An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

3. In paragraph 1, The first transfer unit and the second transfer unit are respectively A transport body capable of transporting the above waste plastic, and A barrier installed on both sides of the width direction of the above transport body to prevent the waste plastic being transported from coming off. Including An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

4. In paragraph 3, The above-mentioned induction unit is installed at the connection portion of the first transfer unit and the second transfer unit, and an opening is formed at the blocking wall portion of the first transfer unit to which the second transfer unit is connected. An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

5. In paragraph 4, The above induction part An induction plate installed in the above opening section, which can open and close the opening section, and can guide waste plastics transported from the first transport section to the opening section and send them to the second transport section, and An induction driving unit connected to the above induction plate and operating the above induction plate Including An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

6. In paragraph 5, The upper surface of the transport body of the second transport unit is lower in height than the upper surface of the transport body of the first transport unit based on the installation surface, The above induction part A slope installed in the above opening and connecting the upper surface of the transport body of the first transport unit and the upper surface of the transport body of the second transport unit Including more An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

7. In paragraph 1, The above supply unit Supply Support Department, A supply main body that is installed so as to be rotatable on the above supply support member and has a receiving space with an inclined floor and a track formed on the upper edge, An exhaust guide installed along the edge of the above track and having an outlet connected to the first conveying section; and A size control unit installed in the above discharge guide and capable of adjusting the width of the track Including An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

8. In paragraph 7, Waste plastics of different sizes and materials can be fed into the above-mentioned receiving space, and by the rotation of the supply body, the waste plastics in the receiving space are fed into the track and discharged to the outlet along the discharge guide, and the size of the waste plastic discharged to the outlet is determined according to the width of the track. An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

9. In paragraph 7, The above size control unit An adjustment plate arranged on the above track, one end of which is connected to the above discharge guide and is movable on the above track, and An actuator installed in the above supply support and connected to the other end of the above adjustment plate Including An AI classification system for waste plastics based on vision hyperspectral fusion data.

10. In paragraph 7, The above discharge guide is an artificial intelligence classification system for waste plastic based on vision hyperspectral fusion data forming a spiral structure.

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