Vision-Guided Waste Sorting with Dual-Door Collection Cradle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current recycling systems are bulky and prone to human error, leading to incorrect waste placement and reduced material value, necessitating a more compact and accurate automated sorting solution.
Innovation Solution
An automated sorting device with a camera and artificial vision unit to identify waste objects, coupled with movable doors and actuators to direct objects into specific collection areas, optimizing space and reducing errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conveyor belts are used for waste transport and sorting, then waste objects can be moved and sorted, but the system becomes very bulky and unsuitable for compact spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the waste transport function from the sorting system by eliminating conveyor belts. Instead, users manually place waste objects into the collection compartment, which is a compact space. This separation of transport and sorting functions allows the sorting device to be compact while still providing automated sorting capabilities through the vision system and door actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The system requires user intervention for waste insertion but automates the identification and sorting decision-making process. The vision system automatically identifies waste objects, determines their material type, and controls the door actuators to sort them appropriately, reducing the need for continuous human operation while maintaining compact dimensions.
2Reliability
If manual waste separation is performed, then users can control waste placement, but human errors increase leading to incorrect waste placement and reduced material value
Solution Approach 1:
The vision system provides automatic feedback on waste object identification and material type determination. The system captures images, processes them to identify material types, and uses this information to control the sorting doors. This closed-loop feedback mechanism eliminates human error in waste classification while maintaining high separation accuracy through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical sorting with an automated vision-based identification system. Instead of relying on human visual inspection and manual placement, the system uses cameras and image processing algorithms to identify waste objects and material types, then automatically controls door actuators for sorting. This substitution of mechanical human operation with automated sensing and actuation significantly improves separation reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple collection areas are provided for different waste types, then sorting quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collection compartment is segmented into multiple collection areas, each accessible through separate doors. This segmentation allows different types of waste to be sorted into distinct compartments, improving sorting precision. Each door can be independently controlled by actuators based on the vision system's identification of the waste object type, enabling precise sorting without requiring a single complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The vision system and door control mechanism serve multiple functions: identifying waste objects, determining material types, and controlling multiple doors for different sorting categories. This multi-functionality allows the system to handle various waste types with a unified control architecture, managing device complexity while providing precise sorting capabilities across multiple collection areas.
Data Source
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AI summary
Automatic selection and sorting device for waste objects intended for recycling, comprising at least one inlet, a classification station, and at least one outlet to at least two different collection areas (40, 41, 42). The classification station comprises a collection compartment (1) for said object, which collection compartment (1) is provided with an insertion opening (15) for the object, which insertion opening (15) constitutes said inlet, and at the bottom with at least one discharge opening (16) for the object, which discharge opening (16) constitutes said outlet. The discharge opening (16) can be closed by at least two doors (2, 3) that can be moved by means of actuators from a closed position, in which they form a support cradle for the object, to an open position. At least one camera is provided in the collection compartment (1), with an artificial vision unit connected to the camera and configured to identify the object and consequently control the said actuators to open one or both of the said doors (2, 3) to allow the object to fall into one of the said at least two different collection areas (40, 41, 42).