Waste Gypsum Board Sorting After Air Removal of Gypsum Powder

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to distinguish and remove foreign matters from crushed waste gypsum boards due to their similarity in shape and color with gypsum board pieces, especially when covered in gypsum powder, making visual and image recognition difficult.

Innovation Solution

A method involving crushing, air showering to scatter gypsum powder, and image recognition using an AI-equipped robot to sort foreign matters from gypsum board pieces, facilitated by shear-type crushing and sieving to reduce foreign matter weight and enhance distinguishability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If foreign matters are covered by gypsum powder, then they become similar in color and shape to gypsum board pieces, but this makes visual recognition and image recognition difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecognition accuracyVSAvoidvisual recognition difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by using air showering to remove gypsum powder from foreign matters before the recognition and sorting processes. This preliminary cleaning step ensures that foreign matters are visible and recognizable before they enter the image recognition and sorting stages, thereby improving recognition accuracy without interfering with subsequent processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the gypsum powder covering foreign matters through air showering before recognition. By removing the obscuring gypsum powder layer, the foreign matters become visually distinct from gypsum board pieces, enabling accurate differentiation and sorting while maintaining process efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Measurement precision

If manual sorting is used to distinguish foreign matters from gypsum board pieces, then recognition is possible to some extent, but labor intensity is high and efficiency is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesorting accuracyVSAvoidsorting efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical sorting system with an automated system combining air showering, image recognition, and robotic sorting. This substitution eliminates manual labor while maintaining high sorting accuracy through optical recognition, thereby dramatically improving productivity and efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces image recognition technology as an intermediary between the crushed material and the sorting action. This intermediary system captures images, processes them to identify foreign matters, and guides the robotic sorting mechanism, enabling accurate and efficient automated sorting without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Extent of automation

If image recognition devices are used to sort foreign matters, then automation is improved, but recognition is difficult due to gypsum powder coverage and similarity in appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesorting automationVSAvoidimage recognition difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by using air showering to remove gypsum powder from foreign matters before they reach the image recognition device. This ensures that the recognition device receives clear, unobscured images of foreign matters, enabling accurate automated recognition and sorting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes color changes as a recognition criterion after air showering. Once gypsum powder is removed, foreign matters exhibit different colors and surface characteristics compared to gypsum board pieces, allowing image recognition devices to easily distinguish and sort them automatically

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables easy and automated separation of foreign matters from gypsum board pieces, reducing manual labor and improving the efficiency of subsequent processing steps by enhancing the visibility and recognizability of foreign matters.

Implementation Method 1

an air showering step for blowing an air stream onto the mixture of gypsum board pieces and foreign matters to scatter gypsum powder from gypsum board pieces and foreign matters

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir stream: Fluid Spray

Data Source

PatentEP4699718A1Method for sorting foreign matter from waste gypsum board
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 TOKUYAMA CORP
  • EP4699718A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4699718A1 patent drawingFigure 2-(A)~2-(C)
  • EP4699718A1 patent drawingFigure 3-(A)~3-(C)

AI summary

Waste gypsum board pieces and foreign matters resultant from crushing waste gypsum boards are made easily distinguishable. Waste gypsum boards are crushed and made into a mixture of gypsum board pieces and foreign matters; an air stream is blown onto the mixture of gypsum board pieces and foreign matters to scatter gypsum powder from gypsum board pieces and foreign matters. The foreign matters are sorted from gypsum board pieces after gypsum powder being scattered.