| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 209587000 | Reflected from item | 21 |
| 20090032445 | Multi-Grade Object Sorting System And Method - A paper sorting system allows the high speed determination of the presence of printed matter for individual sheets of paper in a stream of waste paper. Sorting criteria may be selected by a user from a plurality of predefined options to sort the paper stream. The selected category of paper to be sorted may include newspaper or magazines. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090159510 | Rare Earth Downconverting Phosphor Compositions for Optically Encoding Objects and Methods and Apparatus Relating to Same - Rare Earth downconverting compositions for optical encoding objects and related methods and apparatuses. The rare earth (RE) downconverting phosphor compositions are capable of generating a unique optical spectrum or unique optical signature from which an optical code or barcode can be derived. In one exemplary embodiment, the RE downconverting phosphor composition may contain two or more lanthanide materials each having a host and at least one downconverting emitter. Each lanthanide material emits a detectable electromagnetic radiation emission peak at an intensity, which is proportional to the amount of emitter present, upon excitation with an absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the emitted radiation comprising a lower energy, i.e., a longer wavelength than the absorbable radiation. One or more ratios of the intensities of the emitted detectable electromagnetic radiation may be used to uniquely identify the composition. In another exemplary embodiment, the RE downconverting phosphor composition may contain a lanthanide material having a host and at least two emitters. The lanthanide material emits at least two different detectable electromagnetic radiation emission peaks each at intensity upon excitation with an absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the emitted radiation comprising a lower energy, i.e., a longer wavelength than the absorbable radiation. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20110089090 | PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYSING AND SEPARATING GRAIN - A process and apparatus for analysing quantities of grain in-line and separating the grain into batches on the basis of one or more grain parameter values is disclosed. The grain is separated in-line on the basis of the grain parameter value thus allowing the grain to be separated into homogeneous batches. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110094946 | REMOVAL OF FUSARIUM INFECTED KERNELS FOR GRAIN - infected grain is separated by comparing reflected and transmitted light at two wavelengths, one at which the light is substantially reflected and scattered the same by healthy and infected kernels, the other at which the light is reflected and scattered to a significantly greater degree by infected than healthy kernels. An apparatus having a rotating apertured cylinder, with a low internal vacuum, allows comparison of individual kernels. When comparison indicates that a kernel is infected, a lever dislodges it from the cylinder allowing it to fall into a receptacle for infected kernels. Kernels remaining on the cylinder are scraped off to fall into a receptacle for healthy kernels. Although results vary, to some extent depending on the degree of infection, approximately 90% of healthy kernels and 5% of infected kernels are deemed “healthy”, while approximately 10% of healthy kernels and 95% of infected kernels are deemed “infected,” reducing the level of infected kernels. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20120074047 | SORTING METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method of and apparatus for sorting foreign matter from a flow, the method comprising the steps of: identifying objects within a flow; for each identified object, determining reflectance intensities at at least two different wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths; and for each identified object, comparing the reflectance intensities at the at least two different wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths to a reference intensity profile, wherein the identified object is characterized as foreign matter when the reflectance intensities at the at least two different wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths fall within a predetermined region of the reference intensity profile. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120097583 | METHOD FOR DISCERNING AND SORTING PRODUCTS WHEREBY THE CONCENTRATION OF A COMPONENT OF THESE PRODUCTS IS DETERMINED - The invention concerns a method for discerning and sorting suitable products in a product flow having a certain concentration of a component versus anomalous products having this component in an anomalous concentration, whereby a beam of light strikes these products, and the absorption of this beam of light by said component in the products is detected by measuring the intensity of the light reflected by the products at least at a wavelength or in at least a wavelength band which is situated between 900 nm and 2500 nm in order to generate a detection signal on the basis of said absorption, whereby a product will be identified as an anomalous product if said detection signal exceeds a threshold value. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120228199 | SEED SORTER - Systems and methods are provided for evaluating and sorting seeds based on characteristics of the seeds. One system includes an imaging and analysis subsystem that collects image data from the seeds and analyzes the collected image data for characteristics of the seeds. This subsystem can include an imaging theater having minors that reflect image data from the seeds to an imaging device for collection. The system can also include an off-loading and sorting subsystem configured to sort the seeds based on their characteristics. And, one method includes illuminating the seeds and collecting image data from the seeds for determining their characteristics. The image data can be collected from at least three portions of the seeds at each of a plurality of sequentially changing spectral wavelengths. In addition (or alternatively), the image data can be collected from top and bottom portions of the seeds using a single imaging device. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20120305456 | BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANT DETERMINING METHOD, BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANT DETERMINING APPARATUS, RECYCLING METHOD, AND RECYCLING APPARATUS - The present invention provides a brominated flame retardant determining method that determines whether or not a brominated flame retardant is contained in a determination target object by emitting light to the determination target object composed of resin, receiving reflected light from the determination target object emitted with the light, calculating an absorption spectrum of the determination target object based on the reflected light, and determining whether or not a brominated flame retardant is contained in the determination target object in the absorption spectrum, based on an absorption spectrum in a wavelength band of 1.40 μm or more and 2.50 μm or less. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20130056398 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSPECTING AND SORTING A STREAM OF PRODUCTS - The invention concerns an apparatus for sorting a stream of products, comprising a supply system for supplying the stream of products to a scanning zone, a background element positioned behind the scanning zone, at least one inspection unit comprising a scanning unit for illuminating the product stream along the entire width W of the stream of products, and a detection unit for capturing a zone of light returned by the products, the apparatus further comprising a reject system, the apparatus being characterized in that said background element comprises means to capture incident light and to direct it to detector means that is configured to convert said light into an electric signal. The invention equally concerns a method for sorting a stream of products. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130168301 | SORTING APPARATUS - An apparatus and a method for sorting particles into quality classes are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a measurement device ( | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130277284 | Sorting Apparatus - A sorting apparatus is described, and which includes a conveyor which transports a produce stream for inspection. The conveyor has various regions formed in part of ridges, troughs and apertures which reduce the weight of the produce stream, as well as reduces the vertical and horizontal components of motion of the produce stream, as the produce stream progresses from one end to the other. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20140054204 | Device and Method for Sorting Polymeric Material - A device for obtaining a material from a mixed fraction (including particles of a desired material and particles of another material with different optical properties) has a first sorting apparatus and at least two further sorting apparatuses below the first sorting apparatus. From the first sorting apparatus, a major fraction is introduced into a first further sorting apparatus and purified further there, while a minor fraction is passed into a second further sorting apparatus and processed further there. | 02-27-2014 |
| 20140284255 | SORTING AND INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD WITH DETERMINATION OF PRODUCT VELOCITY - A sorting and inspection apparatus comprising a feed system for delivering a product stream sequentially through an imaging zone and a sorting zone, at least one tight source for illuminating a product at the imaging zone, at least one optical sensor and detector circuit for viewing at least a portion of the illuminated product at the imaging zone, for collecting viewed data, for determining a condition of that at least portion of the illuminated product from the viewed data and then for outputting a signal dependent upon the determined condition of that at least portion of the illuminated product, and at least one ejector for ejecting product at the sorting zone dependent upon the output signal. The imaging zone comprises at least two sensor zones, sequentially arranged one after another in a direction of the product stream. The data collected from the at least two sensor zones is temporally delayed between an earlier one of the sensor zones and a subsequent sensor zone, with the temporal delay being set at a time that would match a sensor output for the said earlier one of the sensor zones with a sensor output for the said subsequent sensor zone for a hypothetical product travelling through the viewing zone at a fixed, predetermined velocity. The apparatus additionally determines the velocity of each product that passes through the sensor zones. The determined velocity, or its difference from the predetermined velocity, used in a determination of a shortened but non-clipped sector of each sensor zone from which to use collected data for basing its defect determination. | 09-25-2014 |
| 20140299523 | Method to Improve Detection of Thin Walled Polyethylene Terephthalate Containers for Recycling Including Those Containing Liquids - Disclosed herein are methods to improve detection of PET polymer materials within a waste material to be sorted. The methods disclosed allow for municipal solid waste to be separated so that PET polymer materials, including those containing liquids, are separated for recycling, or other purposes. PET polymer materials, such as water bottles which have been disposed of while still containing liquid may now be separated by the enhanced methods disclosed herein. | 10-09-2014 |
| 20140299524 | Method to Improve Detection of Thin Walled Polyethylene Terephthalate Containers for Recycling Including Those Containing Liquids - Disclosed herein are methods to improve detection of PET polymer materials within a waste material to be sorted. The methods disclosed allow for municipal solid waste to be separated so that PET polymer materials, including those containing liquids, are separated for recycling, or other purposes. PET polymer materials, such as water bottles which have been disposed of while still containing liquid may now be separated by the enhanced methods disclosed herein. | 10-09-2014 |
| 20140346097 | HIGH SPEED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INSPECTING A STREAM OF PARTS - A high-speed method and system for inspecting a stream of parts using at least one transparent traveling carrier of a conveyor subsystem are provided. The subsystem has a forward reach and a return reach. The method includes controllably receiving a stream of parts in rapid succession on the at least one traveling carrier and utilizing the subsystem to transfer the stream of parts in rapid succession to a part inspection station. The bottom surface of each part is illuminated through its traveling carrier with radiant energy when the part is located at the inspection station to generate reflected radiation signals which travel through its traveling carrier. A bottom image of each illuminated bottom surface is formed from the reflected radiation signals at an imaging location between the forward and return reaches at the inspection station. The bottom images are detected at the imaging location. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20150290683 | HIGH SPEED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INSPECTING A STREAM OF PARTS AT A PAIR OF INSPECTION STATIONS - A high-speed method and system for inspecting a stream of parts at a pair of inspection stations and sorting the inspected parts is provided. The method includes directing a first array of angularly-spaced beams of collimated radiation at an outer peripheral surface of the part from a first side of a travel path when the part is located at a first inspection station to create a corresponding first array of unobstructed portions of the beams passing by and not blocked by the part. The method also includes directing a second array of angularly-spaced beams of collimated radiation at the outer peripheral surface of the part from a second side of the path when the part is located at a second inspection station to create a corresponding second array of unobstructed portions of the beams passing by and not blocked by the part. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150290684 | ON-LINE OIL AND FOREIGN MATTER DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system for detecting oil contaminated product and foreign matter within a product stream is provided. The system includes a first conveying means for delivering a product stream; a first detection apparatus for detecting oil contaminated product, the first detection apparatus positioned proximate the product stream, the first detection apparatus including a high intensity infrared light source directed at the product stream; and a high speed NIR spectrometer sensor tuned to detect a reflected signal from a taggant disposed in the oil of the oil contaminated product; a second detection apparatus for detecting foreign matter within a product stream, the second detection apparatus positioned proximate the product stream, the second detection apparatus including a light source for illuminating the product stream and a detector for detecting light reflected from the product stream; and a controller for determining whether the product stream contains oil contaminated product or foreign matter by monitoring signals obtained from the first detection apparatus and the second detection apparatus. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20160129479 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING - A method and apparatus for sorting objects is described, and which provides high-speed image data acquisition to fuse multiple data streams in real-time, while avoiding destructive interference when individual sensors or detectors are utilized in providing data regarding features of a product to be inspected. | 05-12-2016 |
| 20160136693 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SORTING - A method and apparatus for sorting objects is described, and which provides high-speed image data acquisition to fuse multiple data streams in real-time, while avoiding destructive interference when individual sensors or detectors are utilized in providing data regarding features of a product to be inspected. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160250665 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SORTING BULK MATERIAL | 09-01-2016 |
