Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for sorting particles

US4756427A · kind A · utility

190Cited by
4References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 14, 1987
Grant dateJul 12, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 14, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S209/906
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A sorting method is disclosed in which particles suspended in a fluid are conducted in a closed duct and pass a measurement location in which particles to be selected trigger a signal by a sensing device. At a downstream fork, a pressure wave generated in response to the signal diverts the stream containing the particles from one branch to the other. An apparatus for carrying out this method is disclosed and includes a supply duct for the particle stream, a measurement duct, a measurement position in the measurement duct, a fork downstream of the measurement duct leading to a sorting branch duct and waste branch duct, and a pressure wave generator which is disposed in one of the ducts leading away from the fork.

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