Patent · US Expired

Multi-band spectral sorting system for light-weight articles

US6646218B1 · kind B1 · utility

73Cited by
30References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 2001
Grant dateNov 11, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2021

Classification

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

Abstract

An article sorting apparatus and method is disclosed and which conveys a mixture of articles on a conveyor belt and through an inspection zone, and which includes at least one illumination source emitting red, green, and infrared radiation for illuminating the articles in the inspection zone; a detector system for sensing the red, green, and infrared radiation reflected from the articles in the inspection zone, and which generates red data, green data, and infrared data; a processor receiving the red data, green data, and infrared data and which generates article sorting data; and a sorter responsive to the sorting data for separating the articles into acceptable articles and unacceptable articles.

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