Integrated Optical Unit for Sorter Assembly Simplification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical sorters require cumbersome assembling and installing processes due to the lack of integration of optical detection, ejector, and signal processing components within a unified housing, necessitating separate incorporation and coordination of circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
An optical unit integrating optical detection, ejector, discrimination, and ejector driving means within a single housing, allowing for unified adjustment and operation as an optical section, simplifying assembly and installation by eliminating the need for separate component integration and adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If components of the optical section (air switching valve, manifold, circuit boards) are incorporated separately into the box body, then the optical sorter can be assembled with individual components, but the assembling work and installing work become cumbersome and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air switching valve, manifold, signal processing circuit, ejector driving circuit, and box body into a single integrated optical section. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate incorporation and coordination of multiple components, directly resolving the technical contradiction by reducing assembling complexity while maintaining functional completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated optical section serves multiple functions simultaneously: optical detection, signal processing, quality discrimination, and ejector control. By designing the optical section as a multi-functional unit, the patent eliminates the need for separate components and their respective installations, thereby simplifying the overall assembling process while maintaining all necessary operations.
2Device complexity
If the optical section components are not provided integrally with the box body, then the box body structure remains simple, but separate incorporation of valves, manifold, and circuit boards is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the box body with the optical section components (valves, manifold, circuit boards) into a single integrated unit. This merging approach maintains structural simplicity while eliminating the need for separate component incorporation, directly addressing the technical contradiction by making the box body part of the integrated optical section rather than a separate housing.
3Ease of manufacture
If optical detection device, ejector device, and control circuits are separate units, then each component can be manufactured independently, but the coordination operation and installation become cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the optical detection device, ejector device, signal processing circuit, and ejector driving circuit into a single optical section that is integrally provided with the box body. This integration maintains the independence of each component's manufacturing process while eliminating the cumbersome coordination and installation operations, as the integrated optical section is installed as a single unit rather than multiple separate components.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the optical section is not integrated into one unit, then flexibility in component placement is maintained, but the adjustment and operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines all optical section components into a single integrated unit that is provided with the box body. This integration maintains design flexibility in the overall system layout while eliminating the complexity of adjusting and coordinating multiple separate components, as the integrated optical section functions as a unified unit with pre-coordinated internal component relationships.
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
This integration simplifies the assembly and installation of optical sorters by enabling the optical unit to function as a self-contained optical section, facilitating immediate quality discrimination and sorting with reduced operational complexity and weight, while allowing for compact and lightweight configurations.
Implementation Method 1
an optical detection device for detecting particulate matter and the like
Implementation Method 2
light receiving means for receiving light from the illumination means
Data Source
AI summary
An optical unit for an optical sorter can simplify the assembling operation and the installing operation of the optical sorter through unifying components of an optical section of the optical sorter for sorting objects to be sorted such as a granular object or a sheet object. The optical unit includes an optical detection means for detecting the object to be sorted, an ejector means for ejecting the object to be sorted, a discrimination means for processing detection signal from the optical detection means to make a quality discrimination of the sorted objects, and an ejector driving means for driving the ejector means based on the quality discrimination of the discrimination means. The optical detection means, the ejector means, the discrimination means, and the ejector driving means are integrated into a housing to unify them to provide the optical unit.