Patent · US Expired

Detection system for use in a sorting apparatus, a method for determining drift in the detection system and a sorting apparatus comprising such detection system

US7557922B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
13References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 16, 2006
Grant dateJul 7, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 16, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/274
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The present invention is related to a detection system for inspecting a continuous stream of products comprising means for determining the detection system induced variations in its output signal. The detection system comprises a reference element and an intermediate optical element, means for scanning a light beam over the product stream and, via the intermediate optical element, over the reference element and means for converting the light beams re-emitted by the product stream and by the reference element into an electrical signal. The intermediate optical element is positioned such that the light beam successively scans the product stream and at least one region of the reference element, in whatever order. Such detection system and method are of particular use in an apparatus for sorting products, where it is used to inspect products provided to the detection system in a continuous stream.

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