Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Condition responsive means controls separating means
Patent
1993-08-10
1995-08-22
Terrell, William E.
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Condition responsive means controls separating means
209587, 209588, 209644, 209938, 356240, 356445, 250223B, 1988361, B07C 500, G01N 2100
Patent
active
054431646
ABSTRACT:
A plastic container sorter (10) moves labeled plastic containers (14, 20, 48, 54, 58) of various colors and transparencies through an inspection zone (18). A pair of line-scanning color cameras (22, 24) capture respective transmittance and reflectance images of the containers and generate raw transmittance and reflectance image data. The raw container data are digitized, normalized, and binarized to provide accurate transmittance and reflectance container RGB image data and binarized image data for differentiating container image data from background data. Container sorting entails eroding (120) the binarized transmittance image and merging (122) the eroded image with the transmittance image data to yield a transmittance image. The eroded transmittance image is analyzed (124, 126) to determine whether the container is opaque. If the container is opaque, color analysis proceeds by analyzing the reflectance image data. If, however, the container is not opaque, transmittance image data are used to classify the container as green transparent (140), translucent (142), or clear transparent (142). Classified containers are transferred to an ejection conveyor (46). Side discharge of a classified container is effected by an air ejector (64) blast that is timed in response to sensing a particular container adjacent to an appropriate side discharge station (60).
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Drummond William S.
Hoffman Philip L.
Squyres H. Parks
Walsh Casey P.
Nguyen Tuan N.
Simco/Ramic Corporation
Terrell William E.
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