초록 ▼

A system for sorting a mixed stream of different colored cullet into separate groups of same colored cullet comprises a light emitting source for transmitting light, such as white light, through a cullet, and a camera having a plurality of pixels for receiving light transmitted through the cullet or

A system for sorting a mixed stream of different colored cullet into separate groups of same colored cullet comprises a light emitting source for transmitting light, such as white light, through a cullet, and a camera having a plurality of pixels for receiving light transmitted through the cullet or detecting the absence of light blocked by an opaque contaminant, the camera providing at least one value from the light received, wherein the cullet moves along a designated path based on the at least one value. The camera collects the received light at a desired sampling interval and a circuit converts the values into digital representation values. The circuit calculates a non-linear function from the digital representation values. An electrostatic or fluid driving actuator directs the cullet along a deflected path based on a value of the non-linear function. A vibratory feeder provides the cullet onto a conveyer belt having an exit roller of a desired diameter.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A system for sorting a mixed stream of different colored glass cullet into separate groups of same colored glass cullet comprising: a. a plurality of first stage sorting devices each for receiving an input feed of different colored objects and sorting the different colored ob

What is claimed is: 1. A system for sorting a mixed stream of different colored glass cullet into separate groups of same colored glass cullet comprising: a. a plurality of first stage sorting devices each for receiving an input feed of different colored objects and sorting the different colored objects into a plurality of first stage output feeds, wherein the plurality of first stage sorting devices operate simultaneously, and further wherein at least one of the plurality of sorting devices sorts the different colored objects into more than two output feeds; b. a second stage sorting device configured to receive at least one of the first stage output feeds, thereby forming a second stage output feed; and c. a third stage sorting device configured to directly receive at least one of the first stage output feeds which bypass the second stage sorting device, and the second stage output feed, thereby forming a third stage output feed; each of the stages comprising: i. at least one light emitting source for transmitting at least one light of predetermined frequency through a glass cullet; ii. at least one camera having a plurality of pixels for receiving light transmitted through the glass cullet, the camera providing at least one value from the light received from at least one of the plurality of pixels, wherein the cullet moves along a designated path based on the at least one value; and iii. a processing module coupled to receive the at least one value from the camera, wherein the processing module determines a color of the glass cullet based on the at least one value which is used to determine the designated path on which the cullet is moved. 2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one camera collects the received light at a desired sampling interval. 3. The system according to claim 2 further comprising a circuit for converting the at least one value into a digital representation value. 4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the circuit calculates a non-linear function from at least one digital representation value. 5. The system according to claim 4 further comprising at least one actuator for directing the cullet along one or more deflected paths based on a value of the non-linear function. 6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the at least one actuator includes an air jet. 7. The system according to claim 5 wherein the at least one actuator is an electrostatic actuator. 8. The system according to claim 5 wherein the at least one actuator projects a substantially incompressible fluid toward the cullet to deflect the cullet. 9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting source includes a white light source. 10. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a conveyer belt for transporting cullet to a light sensing region, the conveyer belt coupled to a rotating mechanism for driving the conveyer belt at a desired speed. 11. The system according to claim 10 further comprising a feeding mechanism configured to deliver a constant flow of cullet to the conveyer belt. 12. The system according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting source includes one or more of a red light emitting diode, a green light emitting diode, a blue light emitting diode and an infrared light source. 13. The system according to claim 1 wherein the third stage sorting device sorts the at least one of the first stage output feeds and the second stage output feed into a plurality of third stage output feeds, at least one of the third stage output feeds contain objects of a desired color. 14. The system according to claim 13 wherein at least one of the third stage output feeds contains undesired objects, wherein the undesired objects are directed to a rejection bin. 15. The system according to claim 13 wherein at least one of the third stage output feeds contains flint objects. 16. The system according to claim 13 wherein the third stage sorting device directs each of the plurality of third stage output feeds into a plurality of corresponding storage bins. 17. The system according to claim 1 wherein the processing module further comprises a frame grabber device that receives the at least one value from the camera, wherein the at least one value is an analog value representative of color intensity information and further wherein the frame grabber device converts the color intensity information into a digital representation that is utilized by the processing module to determine the color. 18. The system according to claim 1 wherein the light emitting source includes one or more of a red light source, a green light source, a blue light source and an infrared light source. 19. The system according to claim 1 wherein the processing module further comprises a frame grabber device that receives the at least one value from the camera, wherein the at least one value is a digital value representative of color intensity information. 20. A method of effectively sorting a group of different colored objects into separate groups of similar colored objects comprising: a. receiving an input feed having a plurality of objects; b. sorting the input feed at a plurality of first stage sorting devices into a plurality of first stage output feeds, wherein sorting occurs simultaneously for the input feeds; c. sorting at least one of the first stage output feeds at a second stage sorting device thereby forming a second output feed; d. sorting at least one of the first stage output feeds received directly from a corresponding one of the first stage sorting devices, and the second stage output feed, at a third stage sorting device, thereby forming a third stage output feed; e. transmitting at least one light through at least one object in a light sensing region; f. receiving the transmitted light utilizing a camera having a plurality of pixels; g. determining at least one light intensity value from the transmitted light in the light sensing region; h. generating a digital representation of the at least one light intensity value; and i. calculating a color value from the light intensity value. 21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising directing the at least one object to a path corresponding with the color value. 22. The method according to claim 20 further comprising providing the at least one object to the light sensing region. 23. The method according to claim 21 wherein the path deposits the at least one object into a corresponding container. 24. The method according to claim 20 wherein the at least one light includes a white light source. 25. The method according to claim 20 wherein the at least one light includes one or more of a red light emitting diode, a green light emitting diode, a blue light emitting diode and an infrared light source. 26. The method according to claim 20 further comprising receiving the light transmitted through the at least one object. 27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the received light is collected at a desired sampling interval. 28. The method according to claim 27 further comprising converting the at least one value into a digital representation value. 29. The method according to claim 28 further comprising calculating a non-linear function from at least one digital representation value. 30. The method according to claim 20 wherein the at least one light includes one or more of a red light source, a green light source, a blue light source and an infrared light source. 31. A multi-level sorting system for separating different colored cullet into cullet having substantially similar color characteristics comprising: a. a first means for sorting the cullets, wherein the first means for sorting directs the sorted cullets into more than two first output paths; b. a second means for further sorting at least one received first output path, wherein the second means for sorting directs the further sorted cullets into more than two second output paths; c. a third means for subsequently sorting at least one received first output path received directly from the first means for sorting, and at least one received second output path, wherein the third means for sorting directs the subsequently sorted cullets into more than two output paths, wherein the first means, the second means and the third means for sorting sort cullets simultaneously; d. means for transmitting at least one light through at least one cullet in a light sensing region; e. means for receiving the transmitted light, the means for receiving comprising a camera having a plurality of pixels positioned to receive the transmitted light transmitted from the means for transmitting; f. means for determining at least one light intensity value from the transmitted light in the light sensing region; g. means for calculating a color value from the at least one light intensity value; and h. means for directing the at least one cullet to a desired path based on the color value. 32. The system according to claim 31 wherein the means for calculating comprises a processing module that receives the at least one light intensity value, converts the at least one light intensity value to a digital representation that is used to calculate the color value.