Patent · US Active

Material sorting system

US10207296B2 · kind B2 · utility

53Cited by
68References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 18, 2016
Grant dateFeb 19, 2019
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 18, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2223/643
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A material sorting system sorts materials, such as scrap pieces composed of unknown metal alloys, as a function of their detected x-ray fluorescence. The x-ray fluorescence may be converted into an elemental composition signature that is then compared to an elemental composition signature of a reference material in order to identify and/or classify each of the materials, which are then sorted into separate groups based on such an identification/classification. The material sorting system may include an in-line x-ray tube having a plurality of separate x-ray sources, each of which can irradiate a separate stream of materials to be sorted.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.