IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0802497
(2007-05-23)
|
등록번호 |
US-8459466
(2013-06-11)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Duffy, Sean P.
- Stevens, S. Graham
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
102 |
초록
▼
Systems and methods for sorting a plurality of recyclable items in a single-stream materials recovery facility (SSMRF) are provided. In some embodiments, a system includes an infeed conveying system, a fiber transfer conveyor, a container transfer conveyor, and a glass sorting and conveying system.
Systems and methods for sorting a plurality of recyclable items in a single-stream materials recovery facility (SSMRF) are provided. In some embodiments, a system includes an infeed conveying system, a fiber transfer conveyor, a container transfer conveyor, and a glass sorting and conveying system. The system further includes a controller configured to obtain total weight and volume of recyclable items at the infeed conveying system. The controller estimates a percent weight of fiber items and a percent weight of non-fiber items relative to the total weight. Based on the estimates, the controller controls speed of at least one of the infeed conveying system, the fiber transfer conveyor, the container transfer conveyor, and the glass sorting and conveying system.
대표청구항
▼
1. A system for sorting a plurality of recyclable items, comprising: an infeed conveying system configured to receive and transport the plurality of recyclable items;at least one screen configured to receive the plurality of recyclable items from the infeed conveying system and remove at least a por
1. A system for sorting a plurality of recyclable items, comprising: an infeed conveying system configured to receive and transport the plurality of recyclable items;at least one screen configured to receive the plurality of recyclable items from the infeed conveying system and remove at least a portion of fiber items from the plurality of recyclable items;a fiber transfer conveyor configured to receive items from the at least one screen and facilitate removal of remaining fiber items;a container transfer conveyor configured to receive and move non-fiber items from the at least one screen;a ferrous sorting and conveying system configured to receive the non-fiber items from the container transfer conveyor and remove ferrous container items from the non-fiber items;a glass sorting and conveying system configured to receive non-ferrous items from the ferrous sorting and conveying system and remove glass container items from the non-ferrous items;at least one plastic sorting and conveying system configured to receive non-glass items from the glass sorting and conveying system and remove plastic items from the non-glass items;at least one surge hopper configured to temporarily store recyclable items from at least one of: i) the fiber transfer conveyor, ii) the container transfer conveyor, and iii) the glass sorting and conveying system;a detector for measuring an average depth of the plurality of recyclable items on the infeed conveying system;a scale for measuring the total weight of the plurality of recyclable items on the infeed conveying system; anda controller configured to (a) estimate a weight per unit volume for the plurality of recyclable items being transported on the infeed conveying system, (b) use the estimated weight per unit volume to estimate a percent weight of fiber items and a percent weight of non-fiber items, and (c) adjust, based on the estimated percent weights of fiber and non-fiber items, at least one of: i) a speed of the infeed conveying system, ii) a speed of the fiber transfer conveyor, iii) a speed of the container transfer conveyor, and iv) a speed of the glass sorting and conveying system,the controller being configured to prevent the speed of the at least one of the infeed conveying system, the fiber transfer conveyor, the container transfer conveyor, or the glass sorting and conveying system from being adjusted to a speed slower than a minimum threshold speed, the minimum threshold speed being required to substantially finish transporting and processing the plurality of recyclable items within a predetermined period of time. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller decreases the speed of the infeed conveying system and the speed of the fiber transfer conveyor when the estimated percent weight of fiber items exceeds a predetermined threshold. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the controller increases the speed of the container transfer conveyor and the speed of the glass sorting and conveying system when the estimated percent weight of fiber items exceeds the predetermined threshold. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller increases the speed of the infeed conveying system and the speed of the fiber transfer conveyor when the estimated percent weight of non-fiber items exceeds a predetermined threshold. 5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the controller decreases the speed of the container transfer conveyor and the speed of the glass sorting and conveying system when the estimated percent weight of non-fiber items exceeds the predetermined threshold. 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the infeed conveying system comprises i) a substantially horizontal infeed conveyor, ii) an angled and upfeed conveyor that receives input from the substantially horizontal infeed conveyor, and iii) a substantially horizontal manual pre-sort conveyor that receives an input from the angled and upfeed conveyor, and facilitates manual sorting of the plurality of recyclable items. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller decreases the speed of the infeed conveying system and the speed of the fiber transfer conveyor when the estimated percent weight of fiber items increases from a previous estimate. 8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the controller increases the speed of the container transfer conveyor and the speed of the glass sorting and conveying system when the estimated percent weight of fiber items increases from a previous estimate. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller decreases the speed of the container transfer conveyor and the speed of the glass sorting and conveying system when the estimated percent weight of non-fiber items increases from a previous estimate. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the controller increases the speed of the infeed conveying system and the speed of the fiber transfer conveyor when the estimated percent weight of non-fiber items increases from a previous estimate. 11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one second measuring device configured to measure at least one material level of the at least one surge hopper and send the measured at least one material level to the controller. 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control, based on the measured at least one material level, at least one of: i) a speed of the infeed conveying system, ii) a speed of the fiber transfer conveyor, iii) a speed of the container transfer conveyor, and iv) a speed of the glass sorting and conveying system. 13. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a non-ferrous metal sorting and conveying system configured to receive an output from the at least one plastic sorting and conveying system and remove non-ferrous metal container items. 14. A system for sorting a plurality of recyclable, comprising: a fiber transfer conveyor configured to receive recyclable items comprising fiber items from at least one screen and facilitate manual removal of the fiber items;a ferrous sorting and conveying system configured to receive non-fiber items from the at least one screen and remove ferrous container items from the non-fiber items;a glass sorting and conveying system configured to receive non-ferrous items from the ferrous sorting and conveying system and remove glass container items from the nonferrous items;a detector for measuring an average depth of the plurality of recyclable items;a scale for measuring the total weight of the plurality of recyclable items; anda controller configured to (a) estimate, prior to the at least one screen receiving the recyclable items, a weight per unit volume for the plurality of recyclable items, (b) use the estimated weight per unit volume to estimate a percent weight of fiber items and a percent weight of non-fiber items, and (c) adjust, based on the estimated percent weights of fiber and non-fiber items, at least one of: i) a speed of the fiber transfer conveyor, or ii) a speed of the glass sorting and conveying system,the controller being configured to prevent the speed of the at least one of the fiber transfer conveyor and the glass sorting and conveying system from being adjusted to a speed slower than a minimum threshold speed, the minimum threshold speed being required to substantially finish transporting and processing the plurality of recyclable items within a predetermined period of time. 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a container transfer conveyor configured to receive and transport non-fiber items from the at least one screen to the ferrous sorting and conveying system. 16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to control, based on the estimate, a speed of the container transfer conveyor. 17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller estimates a percent weight of fiber items and a percent weight of non-fiber items by using at least a first weight, a second weight, a first volume, and a second volume. 18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the first weight and the first volume are measured at substantially the same time. 19. A system for controlling the processing of a plurality of recyclable items through a machine including a fiber transfer conveyer that conveys fiber in the machine, a container transfer conveyor that conveys containers in the machine and a glass transfer conveyor that transfers glass in the machine, the system comprising: an infeed conveying system configured to receive and transport the plurality of recyclable items including fiber, containers and glass items;a detector for measuring an average depth of the plurality of recyclable items on the infeed conveying system;a scale for measuring the total weight of the plurality of recyclable items on the infeed conveying system; anda controller configured to (a) estimate a weight per unit volume for the plurality of recyclable items being transported on the infeed conveying system, (b) use the estimated weight per unit volume to estimate the composition of the recyclable items, (c) send information to an operator, and (d) adjust, based on the estimated composition, at least one of: i) a speed of the infeed conveying system, ii) a speed of the fiber transfer conveyor, iii) a speed of the container transfer conveyor, and iv) a speed of the glass sorting and conveying system,the controller being configured to prevent the speed of the at least one of the infeed conveying system, the fiber transfer conveyor, the container transfer conveyor, or the glass sorting and conveying system from being adjusted to a speed slower than a minimum threshold speed, the minimum threshold speed being required to substantially finish transporting and processing the plurality of recyclable items within a predetermined period of time. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein the controller is configured to estimate the composition by estimating a percent weight of fiber items and a percent weight of non-fiber items. 21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the controller decreases the speed of the infeed conveying system and the speed of the fiber transfer conveyor when the estimated percent weight of fiber items exceeds a predetermined threshold. 22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the controller increases the speed of the container transfer conveyor and the speed of the glass sorting and conveying system when the estimated percent weight of fiber items exceeds the predetermined threshold. 23. The system according to claim 20, wherein the controller increases the speed of the infeed conveying system and the speed of the fiber transfer conveyor when the estimated percent weight of non-fiber items exceeds a predetermined threshold. 24. The system according to claim 20, wherein the controller decreases the speed of the container transfer conveyor and the speed of the glass sorting and conveying system when the estimated percent weight of non-fiber items exceeds the predetermined threshold. 25. The system according to claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to estimate a weight per unit volume for the plurality of recyclable items. 26. The system according to claim 25, further comprising a scale for measuring the total weight of the plurality of recyclable items on the infeed conveying system.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.