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.

At a conveyor forefront portion, velocity distribution of an airflow is provided. The velocity distribution is wind velocity distribution in a vertical direction of an airflow from a surface of an upper rectifying plate to a surface of a conveyor at the conveyor forefront portion, and has a maximum value in a range of less than 10 mm downward of the vertical direction from the rectifying plate surface. Moreover, a ratio obtained by dividing the maximum value by a wind velocity in the vicinity of the surface of the conveyor is 4 or more, and 12 or less. In a range other than the range of less than 10 mm, the airflow has a wind velocity equal to the wind velocity in the vicinity of the surface of the conveyor.

An ejector for a granular matter color sorter reducing burdens such as cleaning and maintenance in particular associated with a nozzle unit is to be provided. The ejector 10 comprises a nozzle unit 15, a solenoid valve unit 13, and a manifold unit 14. The nozzle unit 15 is constituted by a plurality of nozzle devices 16 that are independent from each other. The solenoid valve unit 13 is constituted by a plurality of solenoid valve devices 19. The respective nozzle devices 16 and the respective solenoid valve devices 19 correspond to each other on a one-on-one basis so that air flow passages of them are connected by an air flow passage of a manifold. The nozzle device 16 and the manifold 29 are detachably connected and made integral in a state where a surface of the nozzle device 16 in which the air flow passage opens and a surface of the manifold 29 in which the air flow passage opens are brought into abutment with each other.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Selector machine comprising an optical detection system provided with an emitter device and with an optical sensor adapted to detect a product to be selected. The emitter device comprises three IR sources, each of which emits electromagnetic radiations in a corresponding spectral band in the infrared spectrum. An electronic control unit alternately turns on the IR sources in corresponding separate time intervals, and the optical sensor detects, in each time interval, corresponding reflected radiations coming from the product. In addition, the electronic control unit comprises a processing module, which is provided with three chromatic channels of a RGB color space in order to associate the measurement signals corresponding to each IR source with a corresponding chromatic channel so as to compose a false color synthesis image of the product.

A system and a method of sorting scrap particles includes imaging a moving conveyor containing scrap particles using a vision system to create an image. A computer analyzes the image as a matrix of cells, identifies cells in the matrix containing a particle, and calculates a color input for the particle from a color model by determining color components for each cell associated with the particle. A light beam is directed to the particle on the conveyor downstream of the vision system, and at least one emitted band of light from the particle is isolated and detected at a selected frequency band to provide spectral data for the particle. The computer generates a vector for the particle containing the color input and the spectral data, and classifies the particle into one of at least two classifications of a material as a function of the vector.