A bidirectional air conveyor device is disclosed, including: a housing that includes an intake port and an outlet port; a first air input port; a first airflow generator defined within the housing, wherein the first airflow generator is coupled to the first air input port; a second air input port; a second airflow generator defined within the housing, wherein the second airflow generator is coupled to the second air input port; wherein the first airflow generator is configured to cause a first airflow to enter the intake port and exit the outlet port in response to a first supply of air to the first air input port; and wherein the second airflow generator is configured to cause a second airflow to enter the outlet port and exit the intake port in response to a second supply of air to the second air input port.

A device for discharging bad products from a product stream, including a detection unit for detecting the product stream and a computer unit for receiving property data of the product stream from the detection unit and for identifying bad products in the product stream. The device includes a compressed air discharge unit controlled by the computer unit and a deflection element discharge unit for the passive discharge of bad products from the product stream. The computer unit divides the identified bad products into first-order and second-order bad products and controls the compressed air discharge unit so that it will actively discharge the first-order bad products, and also controls the deflection element discharge unit so that it will passively discharge the second-order bad products.

Systems and methods for sorting recyclable items and other materials are provided. In one embodiment, a system for sorting objects comprises: at least one imaging sensor; a controller comprising a processor and memory storage, wherein the controller receives image data captured by the image sensor; and at least one pusher device coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one pusher device is configured to receive an actuation signal from the controller. The processor is configured to detect objects travelling on a conveyor device and recognize at least one target item traveling on a conveyor device by processing the image data and to determine an expected time when the at least one target item will be located within a diversion path of the pusher device. The controller selectively generates the actuation signal based on whether a sensed object detected in the image data comprise the at least one target item.

A sorting device includes a transport unit, an identification unit, and a plurality of nozzles. Each of the plurality of nozzles has a valve that adjusts a flow amount of pulse air, a pulse air flow path that is connected to the valve, and a pulse air blowing port that is arranged at a tip end of the pulse air flow path. The pulse air flow path has at least one bent portion. An adjustment flow path is connected to the bent portion of the pulse air flow path. An adjustment member capable of increasing and decreasing a volume of the adjustment flow path is provided in the adjustment flow path.

An identification apparatus includes: a plurality of light capturing units including light-capturing optical systems configured to capture a plurality of Raman scattered light fluxes from a sample, an optical fiber unit configured to include a plurality of optical fibers configured to respectively guide the captured Raman scattered light fluxes and in which the optical fibers are bundled at emission end portions thereof; a spectral element configured to disperse the guided Raman scattered light fluxes; an imaging unit configured to receive the dispersed Raman scattered light fluxes; and a data processor configured to acquire spectral data of the Raman scattered light fluxes from the imaging unit and configured to perform an identification process. The Raman scattered light fluxes dispersed by the spectral element are projected so that a spectral image formed on a light-receiving surface of the imaging unit extends along a main scanning direction of the imaging unit.

A food article defect removal apparatus includes a manifold that defines one or more chambers for holding pressurized fluid. First channels extend from a first side of the manifold into fluid communication with the chambers. Second channels extend from the first side of the manifold to a second side of the manifold. Valves selectively connect corresponding first channels and second channels together to dispense the pressurized fluid from the manifold. The manifold can have an exterior wall that at least partially defines a first chamber and a second chamber, with an interior wall disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber. The interior wall can define the second channels. The valves can be included with a valve assembly, which includes a driver operably coupled with the valves. The valves can be pluggably coupled with the driver.

An optical unit for an optical sorter can simplify the assembling operation and the installing operation of the optical sorter through unifying components of an optical section of the optical sorter for sorting objects to be sorted such as a granular object or a sheet object. The optical unit includes an optical detection means for detecting the object to be sorted, an ejector means for ejecting the object to be sorted, a discrimination means for processing detection signal from the optical detection means to make a quality discrimination of the sorted objects, and an ejector driving means for driving the ejector means based on the quality discrimination of the discrimination means. The optical detection means, the ejector means, the discrimination means, and the ejector driving means are integrated into a housing to unify them to provide the optical unit.

A material sorting system sorts materials utilizing a vision system that implements a machine learning system in order to identify or classify each of the materials, which are then sorted into separate groups based on such an identification or classification. The material sorting system may include an x-ray fluorescence system to perform a classification of the materials in combination with the vision system, whereby the classification efforts of the vision system and x-ray fluorescence system are combined in order to classify and sort the materials.

An item sorting system (1) includes a moving belt (1a) and one or more sorting units (2). The sorting unit (2) has an enclosure (3) with a work aperture (4), a suction unit (5) with a suction head (6), and a robot arm unit (7) mounted in the enclosure (3) for moving the suction head (6) within a predetermined operating space within the enclosure (3). The enclosure (3) has one or more shell sections (3a) forming a side wall (3b) of the enclosure (3). In a further aspect, the suction unit (5) has a suction head (6) connected to a suction head channel (11), a low pressure source (12a) connected to the suction head channel (11) via a first valve (13), and a control unit (15) connected to the first valve (13) and arranged to actuate the first valve (13) between a suction position and a release position.

A sorter for agricultural items comprising a main frame with a circular horizontal plate having an outer edge cam surface. A circular sub-frame is mounted for rotation about the plate's vertical axis, in parallel relation to the plate. The sub-frame includes plural item cups pivotally mounted on its periphery. The cam surface tilts the cups from a raised loading position, to a horizontal viewing position, to a lowered ejection position. A loading zone includes means for loading an individual item into a respective cup. A viewing zone has camera means for optically viewing individual items as each rolls through the cup, producing an output signal corresponding to reflectivity characteristics. Computer means compares the output signal to predetermined values and produces a corresponding ejection signal. A re-direction zone includes plural ejectors, whereby a selected one of the ejectors ejects the item out its cup in response to an ejection signal.