Tag for identifying recyclable materials and method and apparatus for same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for identifying a type of recyclable material from different types of recyclable materials, comprising:
- a. a recyclable material;
b. an element attached to the recyclable material, the element subjected to a plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials and responding to only a selected interrogation signal from among the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials, said element providing a predetermined detectable signal associated with a particular type of recyclable material based upon the selected interrogation signal in order to identify the particular type of recyclable material to which the element is attached; and
c. recycling means comprising means for generating the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials including the selected interrogation signal, means for detecting the predetermined detectable signal generated by said element of the tag and means for accepting the particular type of recyclable material when said predetermined detectable signal generated by said element is detected.
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Abstract
A responsive tag and a method, apparatus and system for identifying a type of recyclable material. The tag includes an element attached to the recyclable material. The element responds to a selected interrogation signal of a recycling machine to provide a predetermined detectable signal associated with the type of recyclable material. The detectable signal is detected by a component in the recycling machine which then accepts the material for recycling.
95 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system for identifying a type of recyclable material from different types of recyclable materials, comprising:
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a. a recyclable material; b. an element attached to the recyclable material, the element subjected to a plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials and responding to only a selected interrogation signal from among the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials, said element providing a predetermined detectable signal associated with a particular type of recyclable material based upon the selected interrogation signal in order to identify the particular type of recyclable material to which the element is attached; and c. recycling means comprising means for generating the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials including the selected interrogation signal, means for detecting the predetermined detectable signal generated by said element of the tag and means for accepting the particular type of recyclable material when said predetermined detectable signal generated by said element is detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for identifying a type of recyclable material from different types of recyclable materials, comprising:
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a. a recyclable material having a body portion; b. a tag attached to said body portion for identifying a particular type of recyclable material from the different types of recyclable materials, the tag comprising an element, said element subjected to a plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials and responding to only a selected interrogation signal from among the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials to provide a predetermined detectable signal associated with the particular type of recyclable material based upon the selected interrogation signal in order to identify the particular type of recyclable material to which the tag is attached; and c. recycling means comprising means for generating the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials including the selected interrogation signal, means for detecting the predetermined detectable signal generated by said element of the tag and means for accepting the particular type of recyclable material when said predetermined detectable signal generated by said element is detected. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of identifying a type of recyclable material from different types of recyclable materials, comprising the steps of:
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a. attaching a responsive tag to a particular type of recyclable material, said responsive tag comprising an element, said element subjected to a plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials and responding to only a selected interrogation signal from among the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials to provide a predetermined detectable signal associated with the particular type of recyclable material based upon the selected interrogation signal for identifying the particular type of recyclable material to which the tag is attached; b. placing the recyclable material with said tag attached thereto into an apparatus for identifying said recyclable material; c. generating the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials including the selected interrogation signal; d. detecting the predetermined detectable signal generated by said tag when subjected to said selected interrogation signal; and e. accepting said recyclable material when said predetermined detectable signal corresponds to the predetermined detectable signal associated with said particular type of recyclable material. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for identifying a type of recyclable material from different types of recyclable materials, comprising:
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a. a recyclable material; b. a responsive tag attached to said recyclable material, the tag comprising an element, said element subjected to a plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials and responding to only a selected interrogation signal from among the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials to provide a predetermined detectable signal associated with a particular type of recyclable material based upon the selected interrogation signal in order to identify the particular type of recyclable material to which the tag is attached; and c. recycling means comprising means for generating the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials including the selected interrogation signal, means for detecting the predetermined detectable signal generated by said element of the tag and means for accepting the particular type of recyclable material when said predetermined detectable signal generated by said element is detected. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for identifying a type of recyclable material from different types of recyclable materials, comprising:
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a. a recyclable material; b. an element attached to a recyclable material, the element subjected to a selected interrogation signal comprising a plurality of different frequencies associated with the different types of recyclable materials and responding to only one frequency from among the plurality of different frequencies associated with the different types of recyclable materials to provide a predetermined detectable signal associated with a particular type of recyclable material based upon said one frequency from the selected interrogation signal in order to identify the particular type of recyclable material to which the element is attached; and c. recycling means comprising means for generating the plurality of different interrogation signals associated with the different types of recyclable materials including the selected interrogation signal, means for detecting the predetermined detectable signal generated by said element of the tag and means for accepting the particular type of recyclable material when said detectable signal generated by said element is detected.
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Specification