Check-actuated control mechanisms – Control mechanism actuated by check – other than coin – which... – Having means to test physical characteristic of check
Patent
1992-02-26
1994-06-21
Huppert, Michael S.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Control mechanism actuated by check, other than coin , which...
Having means to test physical characteristic of check
198372, 198438, 209525, 209552, G07F 706
Patent
active
053221524
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and a device for sorting returnables and the like.
Sorting solutions are known in prior art, in which a returnable bottle or the like is led from a belt conveyor via different gates to a storage station determined by a sorter. In solutions according to the prior art, the limited nature of the sorting can be regarded as a disadvantage. For example, the received packages may be only bottles or only cans or only plastic bottles. Different finishing devices and sorters are thus needed for different packages. This means that the investment costs are high when all types of returnables are to be collected at one location. The invention tries to find a solution to the above-mentioned problem. The applicants have discovered that equipment which is capable of sorting all types of returnable bottles, cans, plastic bottles and other packages would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the inventive method, the package is placed on a conveyor, which transfers the product to an identification system, which can be a conventional identifier operating according to a line camera principle and known e.g. of the applicant's earlier FI patent application 870904 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,461, issued Dec. 5, 1989.
According to the invention, different stations are provided along the conveyor extending from the identification device to which a specified product is transferred.
In accordance with the invention, it is advantageous to use air jets in the transferring process. However, when a heavy bottle travels along the conveyor, an air jet cannot transfer the bottle away from the conveyor by means of the air flow. Therefore, the bottle travels to the end of the passage and transfers to its own storage station via a transfer pipe located at this end. If returnables such as a can travel along the conveyor, it is transferred by the air jet away from the conveyor to a storage station located opposite the air jet.
In the first step, the identification device identifies the profile of the returnable. On the basis of this profile, the type of the returnable is determined by comparing the identified profile with those stored in the central unit of the identification device. If the profile is identified e.g. as a bottle, the bottle is transferred directly along the conveyor toward the end station.
If a returnable of a certain profile is identified, sorting occurs on the basis of this profile. After this identification process, a pusher, such as a solenoid, transfers the returnable away from the conveyor.
Similarly, an identification of the material of a returnable can be performed at the identification point. According to the invention, an inductive sensor can be used which can sense whether a can is one of steel or aluminum. The desired air nozzle is then activated, whereby the identified can may be transferred to its own storage station by the air nozzle. Each air nozzle corresponds to a respective sorting station. It is essential that the returnable is sorted at the identification device and that on the basis of the identification data, the appropriate air nozzle is activated.
According to the invention, the first storage station is a reject station. A returnable is transferred to the reject station when the profile and material of the returnable has been identified, compared with the profiles and materials stored in the memory register, and the weight or profile does not sufficiently correspond to a stored profile or weight. The first pusher then transfers the product from the conveyor to the reject station or returns it back to the starting point of the conveyor. A line code identification is used, if so desired, along with the shape identification, whereby the returnable concerned must also have the right line code in addition to the right shape.
The inventive method for identifying and sorting returnables is mainly characterized in that the returnable is transferred to an identification device where a signal corresponding to the profile and material of
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Lehtola Raimo O.
Tommila Eero
Halton Oy
Huppert Michael S.
Lowe Scott L.
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