Perforated Belt Sorting Apparatus with Vacuum Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for sorting granular materials into quality classes are inefficient, lack flexibility, and struggle with synchronizing measurement and sorting processes, often resulting in missed particles or incorrect sorting, and are limited to sorting into only two quality classes.
Innovation Solution
A sorting apparatus featuring a transport device with perforations and a pump for aspirating particles, combined with a measurement device for analyzing analytical properties, allowing for rapid and reliable sorting into multiple quality classes with adjustable throughput and measuring parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If particles are transported on an inclined chute or conveyor belt to a measurement region, then particles can be moved past the measuring setup, but the process of handling particles during sorting is not controlled, making it difficult to synchronize measurement and sorting steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a perforated conveyor belt with a pump system that applies vacuum through the perforations to hold and transport particles. This pneumatic system provides precise control over particle movement and positioning, enabling reliable synchronization between measurement and sorting operations while maintaining a relatively simple device structure.
2Measurement precision
If a rotating drum with pockets is used to transport particles, then particles can be held singularly during measurement, but the range of possible rotational speeds is very limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rotating drum mechanism with a perforated conveyor belt system controlled by a pump. This pneumatic system can operate across a wide range of speeds by adjusting pump performance, while still maintaining precise particle positioning through vacuum application to the perforations, thus achieving both measurement precision and speed adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor belt system allows dynamic adjustment of transport speed independent of particle holding mechanism. The pump can maintain vacuum control across varying speeds, enabling the system to adapt to different measurement requirements without compromising particle positioning accuracy.
3Productivity
If compressed-air nozzles are used to deflect particles, then particles can be sorted into separate containers, but particles that should be deflected may be missed or wrong particles may be deflected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a perforated conveyor belt with selectively activatable pump zones to control particle transport and release. By applying vacuum to specific regions, the system can precisely control which particles are held and which are released into collection containers, significantly improving sorting accuracy while maintaining high productivity through rapid vacuum cycling.
4Measurement precision
If a fixed setup is chosen for particle transport, then the speed of particles traversing the measurement region is determined, but this limits flexibility with respect to measurement conditions and integration time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable conveyor belt system where transport speed can be independently controlled from particle holding mechanism. This allows optimization of belt speed for different measurement requirements (affecting integration time) while maintaining precise particle positioning through vacuum control, providing flexibility for various measurement conditions.
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 efficient, rapid, and precise sorting of individual particles into quality classes, increasing flexibility in handling various analytical properties and particle throughput, while minimizing errors and allowing for sorting into more than two quality classes.
Implementation Method 1
a pump for applying a pressure differential to said perforations to cause particles fed to said transport device to be aspirated to said perforations and to be transported on said transport surface
Implementation Method 2
measures spectral properties of the particles in the IR, visible or UV regions of the electromagnetic spectrum
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and a method for sorting particles into quality classes are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a measurement device (400) for determining at least one analytical property of said particles. A transport device (300) transports the particles past the measurement device. A sorting device (500) is operatively coupled to the measurement device and sorts the particles into at least two quality classes based on the analytical property. To achieve rapid and reliable transport, the transport device comprises a transport surface (310) configured to move in a transport direction. The transport surface has a plurality of perforations. The transport device further comprises a pump (130) for applying a pressure differential to these perforations, to cause particles fed to the transport device to be aspirated to the perforations and to be transported on the transport surface past the measurement device to the sorting device. In preferred embodiments, the transport surface is implemented as an endless transport belt or as a transport drum.