Multiple Zone and Multiple Materials Sorting

• US 20080257795A1
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eriez Manufacturing Co.
• Original Assignee: Eriez Manufacturing Co.
• Inventors: Shuttleworth, Tim
• Application Number:
  US12/105,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20080257795A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/576
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/36 Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/361 Processing or control devices therefor, e.g. escort memory
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/362 Separating or distributor mechanisms switches for postal sorting B07C3/065; particular discharging devices for B65G47/74

Abstract

A method and system of sorting materials from a material stream on a sorter is provided. The material stream includes a plurality of components and the sorter is able to detect and sort at least one component in the material stream. The sorter includes a first detection zone and an adjacent second detection zone on the sorter. Each detection zone sorts at least one component from the material stream. The material stream is introduced to the first detection zone of the sorter. The sorter substantially sorts at least one component from the material stream in the first detection zone by removing at least one component of the material stream from the sorter. The remaining material stream is returned to the second detection zone of the sorter where it is substantially sorted by removing at least one component of the remaining material stream from the sorter.

Claims

1. A method of sorting materials from a material stream on a sorter, the material stream includes a plurality of components, the sorter able to detect and sort at least one component of the material stream, the method comprising:

defining a first detection zone and an adjacent second detection zone on the sorter;

introducing the material stream to the first detection zone of the sorter;

substantially sorting at least one component from the material stream in the first detection zone;

removing at least one component from the material stream from the first detection zone;

returning the remaining material stream to the second detection zone;

substantially sorting at least one component from the remaining material stream in the second detection zone; and

removing at least one component from the remaining material stream from the second detection zone.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining a third detection zone on the sorter adjacent the first and second detection zones;

returning the remaining material stream from the second detection zone to the third detection zone;

substantially sorting at least one component from the remaining material stream in the third detection zone;

removing at least one component from the remaining material stream from the third detection zone.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

substantially sorting at least two components from the material stream in the first detection zone; and

removing at least two components from the material stream from the first detection zone.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

substantially sorting at least two components from the material stream in the second detection zone; and

removing at least two components from the remaining material stream from the second detection zone.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising manually returning the remaining material stream to the second detection zone of the sorter.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising returning the remaining material stream to the second detection zone of the sorter with a series of conveyor belts.

8. The method of claim 1 in which each detection zone sorts the same component in the material stream.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the first detection zone sorts a different component in the material stream from the second detection zone.

10. The method of claim 1 for sorting a type of material from the material stream from the group consisting of metal, plastics, glass, size, or color.

3. The method of 1 further comprising:

defining more than two adjacent detection zones on the sorter;

substantially sorting at least one component from the remaining material stream in each detection zone;

removing at least one component from the material stream from each detection zone; and

returning the remaining material stream to the next detection zone if required.

11. A sorter for sorting materials from a material stream, the material stream including a plurality of components, the sorter comprising:

a material introduction system, a material handling system, a material detector system capable of detecting at least one component in the material stream, a sorting system, a material return system, and a first detection zone and an adjacent second detection zone;

said material introduction system to deposit the material stream onto said material handling system substantially within said first detection zone,

said sorting system for substantially sorting a component in the material stream in said first detection zone based on the readings of said material detector system in said first detection zone by removing at least one component from the material stream and said sorting system to substantially sort a component in the material stream in said second detection zone based on the readings of said material detector system in said second detection zone; and

said first material return system to return the remaining material stream from said first detection zone to said second detection zone.

12. The sorter of claim 11 further comprising:

a third detection zone adjacent to said first detection zone and said second detection zone;

a second material return system to transfer the remaining material stream from said second detection zone to said third detection zone; and

said sorting system to substantially sort the component of the material stream in the said third detection zone based on the readings of said material detector system in said third detection zone by removing at least one component from the material stream.

14. The sorter of claim 11 further comprising:

substantially sorting at least two components from the material stream in the first detection zone; and

removing at least two components from the material stream from said first detection zone.

15. The sorter of claim 11 further comprising:

substantially sorting at least two components from the material stream in the second detection zone; and

removing at least two components from the remaining material stream from said second detection zone.

27. The sorter of claim 11 further comprising physical dividers to separate each said detection zone.

13. The sorter of 11 further comprising:

more than two adjacent said detection zones, each said detection zone for sorting a component of the material stream, each said detection zone having a material return system if required to transfer the remaining material stream onto said material handling system substantially within the next said detection zone; and

said sorting system to substantially sort the component of the material stream in the corresponding said detection zone based on the readings of said material detector system in the corresponding said detection zone by removing at least one component from the material stream.

16. The sorter of 11 in which said first detection zone and said second detection zone are configured to detect different components of the material stream.

17. The sorter of 11 in which said first detection zone and said second detection zone are configured to detect the same component of the material stream.

18. The sorter of 11 in which said material return system comprises a series of conveyor belts.

19. The sorter of 11 in which said material return system comprises a manual collection system.

20. The sorter of 11 in which said sorting system comprises a series of motorized paddles actuated based on the reading of said material detector.

21. The sorter of 11 in which said sorting system is a series of air nozzles actuated based on the reading of said material detector.

22. The sorter of 11 in which said material detector system comprises a series of sensors across the width of the material handling system.

23. The sorter of 11 in which said material detector system comprises a series of modules of sensors across the width of the material handling system.

24. The sorter of 11 in which said material detector system is an induction system, an X-Ray Fluorescence system, an optical detection system, or a near-infrared detection system.

25. The sorter of 11 in which said material detector system comprises more than one kind of detection technology.

26. The sorter of 11 in which said material detector system detects from the group consisting of metal, plastics, glass, size, or color.

28. A sorter for sorting materials from a material stream, the material stream including a plurality of components, the sorter comprising:

a first detection zone and an adjacent second detection zone;

a material detector means for detecting at least one component in the material stream

a material introduction means for depositing the material stream onto said material handling means substantially within said first detection zone,

a sorting means for substantially sorting a component in the material stream in said first detection zone based on the readings of said material detector system in said first detection zone and said sorting means for substantially sorting a component in the material stream in said second detection zone based on the readings of said material detector system in said second detection zone; and

a first material return means for returning the remaining material stream from said first detection zone to said second detection zone.

29. The sorter of claim 28 further comprising:

a third detection zone adjacent to said first detection zone and said second detection zone;

a second material return means for transferring the remaining material stream from said second detection zone to said third detection zone; and

said sorting means for substantially sorting the component of the material stream in the said third detection zone in said third detection zone.