Sorting device

Abstract

Sorting device and method for sorting objects. The device includes a chute on which objects are movable in a conveying direction by an acting gravitational force. The chute has a cutout measuring area and a LIBS laser is positioned adjacent the cutout for spectroscopic measurement of objects moving through the cutout. A discharger for sorting out a first fraction of objects is provided along a discharge direction and below the chute and/or an imaginary extension of the chute. A control device is provided for controlling the discharger depending on measurement results of the LIBS laser. A further discharger is provided for sorting out a second fraction of objects along a further discharge direction. The further discharger is arranged above the chute and/or the imaginary extension of the chute and the control device controls the further discharger depending on the measurement results of the LIBS laser.

Claims

1. A sorting device for sorting objects, comprising: a chute on which the objects are movable in a conveying direction by an acting gravitational force, wherein the chute has a cutout comprising a measuring area; a LIBS laser device positioned adjacent to the cutout of the chute to perform a spectroscopic measurement of the objects moving along the chute through the cutout; a blow-out element in the form of one or more discharge nozzles, from which at least one fluid stream emerges, for sorting out a first fraction of the objects along a discharge direction, wherein the blow-out element is arranged below the chute and/or below an imaginary extension of the chute; and a controller for controlling the blow-out element depending on the measurement results of the LIBS laser device; wherein the sorting device comprises a further blow-out element in the form of one or more discharge nozzles, from which at least one fluid stream emerges, for sorting out a second fraction of the objects along a discharge direction, which further blow-out element is arranged above the chute and/or above the imaginary extension of the chute, wherein the controller is configured to control the further blow-out element depending on the measurement results of the LIBS laser device; and wherein an angle (?) between the discharge direction of the blow-out element and the conveying direction and/or an angle (?) between the discharge direction of the further blow-out element and the conveying direction is adjustable.

2. The sorting device according to claim 1, wherein: the blow-out element and/or the further blow-out element is displaceable parallel to the conveying direction.

3. The sorting device according to claim 1, wherein: a shortest distance between the blow-out element and the chute and/or the imaginary extension of the chute and/or a shortest distance between the further blow-out element and the chute and/or the imaginary extension of the chute is adjustable.

4. The sorting device according to claim 1, wherein: as viewed in the conveying direction, a separator comprising three regions is arranged downstream of the chute.

5. The sorting device according to claim 4, wherein: a first region of the separator is arranged in sections on a trajectory of the objects, along which trajectory the objects are movable by means of gravitational force when leaving the chute; the first fraction of the objects can be discharged into a second region of separator by means of the blow-out element; and the second fraction of the objects can be discharged into a third region of the separator by means of the further blow-out element; wherein the majority of the objects of the first fraction have a greater density than the majority of the objects of the second fraction.

6. The sorting device according to claim 4, wherein: a first region of the separator is arranged on a trajectory of the Objects, along which trajectory the objects are movable by means of gravitational force when leaving the chute; the first fraction of the objects can be discharged into a second region of the separator by means of the blow-out element; and the second fraction of the objects can be discharged into a third region of the separator by means of the further blow-out element; wherein the majority of the objects of the first fraction have a greater density than the majority of the objects of the second fraction.

7. The sorting device according to claim 1, wherein: the chute comprises at least two sections, wherein the first section, through which the objects can be moved first, is formed such that the objects moving along the first section are centered by means of gravitational force normal to the conveying direction, and the second section of the chute is formed planar, wherein the cutout comprising the measuring area is arranged in the second section of the chute.

8. A sorting device assembly, wherein at least two sorting devices according to claim 1 are arranged in parallel next to each other at least in sections.

9. The sorting device assembly according to claim 8, wherein: the at least two sorting devices comprises a common controller.

10. The sorting device assembly according to claim 8, wherein: both by means of via the first of the at least two sorting devices, as well as by means of via the second of the at least two sorting devices; and the first fraction of the objects and the second fraction of the objects are configured to be discharged.

11. The sorting device assembly according to claim 8, wherein both by means of via the blow-out element and the further blow-out element of the first sorting device, as well as by means of via the blow-out element and the further blow-out element of the second sorting device; the first fraction of the objects and the second fraction of the objects are configured to be discharged.

12. The sorting device assembly according to claim 8, wherein: by means of via the first of the at least two sorting devices, the first fraction of the objects and the second fraction of the objects can be discharged, as well as the following: by means of via the second of the at least two sorting devices, a third fraction of the objects and a fourth fraction of the objects can be discharged.

13. The sorting device assembly according to claim 8, wherein: by means of via the blow-out element and the further blow-out element of the first sorting device, the first fraction of the objects and the second fraction of the objects can be discharged, as well as the following: by means of via the blow-out element and the further blow-out element of the second sorting device, a third fraction of the objects and a fourth fraction of the objects can be discharged.

14. The sorting device assembly according to claim 8, wherein: the sorting device assembly comprises a returner for returning objects from the first sorting device to a return region of the second of the at least two sorting devices, wherein the return region is located upstream of the cutout of the second of the at least two sorting devices, as viewed in the conveying direction.

15. The sorting device assembly according to claim 14, wherein: the returner is in transport connection with one of the regions of the separator.

16. The sorting device assembly according to claim 8, wherein: the at least two sorting devices comprise a common controller, which controller is configured in order to control the blow-out element and the further blow-out element of the first of the at least two sorting devices depending on the measurement results of the LIBS laser device of the first of the at least two sorting devices; and to control the blow-out element and the further blow-out element of the second of the at least two sorting devices depending on the measurement results of the LIBS laser device of the second of the at least two sorting devices.

17. A method for sorting objects with a sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following: arranging the objects on a chute to move the objects by means of gravitational force; spectroscopic measuring of the objects using a LIBS laser device; sorting the following: a first fraction of the objects by means of a blow-out element in the form of one or more discharge nozzles, from which at least one fluid stream emerges, arranged above the chute and/or above an imaginary extension of the chute; and a second fraction of the objects by means of a further blow-out element in the form of one or more discharge nozzles, from which at least one fluid stream emerges, arranged below the chute and/or below the imaginary extension of the chute; and adjusting at least one of the angle between the discharge direction of the blow-out element and the conveying direction or the angle (?) between the discharge direction of the further blow-out element and the conveying direction.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein: the objects not sorted out fall into a first region of a separator, which first region is arranged in sections on a trajectory of the objects, along which trajectory the objects re movable by means of gravitational force when leaving the chute: the first fraction of the objects is discharged into a second region of the separator; and the second fraction of the objects are discharged into a third region of the separator; wherein the majority of the objects of the first fraction have a greater density than the majority of the objects of the second fraction.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein: the objects not sorted out fall into a first region of a separator, which first region is arranged on a trajectory of the Objects, along Which trajectory the objects are movable by means of gravitational force when leaving the chute; the first fraction of the objects is discharged into a second region of the separator; and the second fraction of the objects are discharged into a third region of the separator; wherein the majority of the objects of the first fraction have a greater density than the majority of the objects of the second fraction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments. The drawings are exemplary and are intended to illustrate the idea of the invention, but in no way to restrict it or even to reproduce it conclusively.

(2) The drawings show as follows:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of an embodiment of a sorting device according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a schematic axonometric view of an embodiment of a sorting device assembly according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the sorting device according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the sorting device according to the invention in FIG. 3, wherein one discharge means and a further discharge means are in a different position;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the sorting device according to the invention from FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, respectively, wherein the discharge means and the further discharge means are in a different position;

(8) FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the sorting device according to the invention from FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, respectively, wherein the positions of the discharge means and the further discharge means from FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are opposite each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of an embodiment of a sorting device 1 according to the invention, wherein the sorting device 1 comprises a chute 3 on which objects 2 are movable by the gravitational force in a conveying direction 22, an (optional) object recognition device 20, an (optional) distance measuring device 28, a LIBS laser device 6, an (optional) second laser device 29, a control device 8 and a discharge means 7 and a further discharge means 13.

(10) The sorting device 1 may further comprise a device for individualizing 19 the objects 2, in this case a vibrating chute 19, which may generate a linear arrangement of individual objects 2 from a stream of objects, such that LIBS measurement of the objects 2 may be performed substantially sequentially.

(11) The chute 3 is divided into a first section 9 and a second section 10, wherein the objects 2 are first movable through the first section 9 and only then enter the second section 10 of the chute 3. The first section 9 is formed such that the objects 2 moving along the first section 9 are centered by means of gravitational force normal to the conveying direction 22, and the second section 10 of the chute 3 is then formed flat. The second section 10 of the chute 3 has a cutout 4 comprising a measuring area 23, under which cutout 4 the LIBS laser device 6 is arranged at a distance for performing a LIBS measurement through the cutout 4. The LIBS laser device 6 comprises at least one element for generating a laser beam and a detector.

(12) The objects 2 are thus individualized with the aid of the device for individualizing 19 and then arrive one after the other on the first section 9 of the chute 3. Each object 2 is first illuminated by the illumination 27 and thereby recognized by the object recognition device 20 or the position of the object 2 is determined and the corresponding data is transmitted to the control device 8, or controller. By means of this data, the control device 8 can calculate when the respective object 2 will be at the LIBS laser device 6 and at the discharge means 7 or at the further discharge means 13. In principle, it would also be possible for the object recognition device 20 to acquire further data of the object 2 and to provide the control device 8 with additional data about the shape, size or height of the object 2. This means that the object recognition device 20 can either create a two-dimensional image if only the position or shape of the object 2 is of interest, or create a three-dimensional image if, for example, the height of the object 2 is also relevant. The data from the object recognition device 20 can also be used to determine how long the object 2 covers the measuring area 23, i.e. how many LIBS measurements should be made of this object 2, and where the discharge means 7 or the further discharge means 13 should act on the object 2, i.e. for example which discharge nozzles of a discharge nozzle array are actuated. For example, several discharge nozzles could be actuated transversely to the conveying direction 22 if the object 2 lies transversely.

(13) If no continuous laser radiation is emitted, it can be provided, on the one hand, that the control device 8 then gives a signal to the LIBS laser device 6 to perform a LIBS measurement as soon as the object 2 passes the cutout 4 behind or under which the LIBS laser device 6 is located, or pulsed laser radiation is emitted continuously so that the measurement is performed independently of a signal from the object recognition device 20.

(14) As mentioned at the beginning, a second laser device 29 could be provided upstream of the LIBS laser device 6 in order to remove any contamination from the respective object 2 at least at the measuring areas on the object 2 before the LIBS measurement by the LIBS laser device 6. The LIBS laser device 6 carries out a LIBS measurement, wherein the result, i.e. the determined measurement data, is sent to the control device 8, which now in turn evaluates the measurement data and, optionally, sends a signal to the discharge means 7 or to the further discharge means 13, so that the object 2 is sorted out if it has previously defined parameters. The measurement data can be used to control or regulate the discharge means 7 or the further discharge means 13, for example adapted with regard to the shape, position or size of the respective object 2.

(15) By means of the discharge means 7, a first fraction 11 of the objects 2 is sorted out along a discharge direction 25, and by means of the further discharge means 13, a second fraction 12 of the objects 2 is sorted out along a discharge direction 26, wherein the discharge means 7 is arranged below an imaginary extension of the chute 3 and the further discharge means 13 is arranged above an imaginary extension of the chute 3. Those objects 2 that are not sorted out by means of the discharge means 7 or the further discharge means 13 are referred to as unsorted objects 34.

(16) In this exemplary embodiment, the objects 2 of the first fraction 11 and the second fraction 12 are each value objects 2. The objects 2 of the first and second fractions 11, 12 each contain an aluminum alloy of somewhat different alloy composition, with the majority of the objects 2 of the first fraction 11 having a greater density than the majority of the objects 2 of the second fraction 12.

(17) The fact that the first fraction 11 of the objects 2 is sorted out by means of the discharge means 7 is advantageous in that the discharge means 7 is placed directly under an imaginary extension of the chute 3, as a result of which less energy is required for discharge in comparison with the further discharge means 13 spaced further away from the imaginary extension of the chute 3, since the objects 2 are always at essentially the same distance from the discharge means 7, irrespective of their size. When discharging objects 2 with greater density compared to discharging objects 2 with lower density, more energy is required in principle, but this energy can be easily adjusted and reduced to a minimum if the distance between the objects 2 to be discharged and the discharge means 7 remains essentially constant.

(18) As viewed in the conveying direction 22 downstream of the chute 3, a separating means 5, or separator, comprising three regions 16, 17, 18 is arranged, wherein the first region 16 is arranged at a trajectory of the objects 2, along which trajectory the objects 2 can be moved by means of gravitational force when leaving the chute 3. In this exemplary embodiment, the objects 34 that have not been sorted out land in the first region 16. The second region 17 is arranged such that the first fraction 11 of the objects 2 sorted out by means of the discharge means 7 lands therein, while the third region 18 is arranged such that the second fraction 12 of the objects 2 sorted out by means of the further discharge means 13 lands therein. This means that both the first and the second fraction 11, 12 of the objects 2 are deflected from their trajectory by means of the discharge means 7 and the further discharge means 13, respectively, and are conveyed into the second and third regions 17, 18, respectively.

(19) FIG. 2 represents a schematic axonometric view of an embodiment of a sorting device assembly according to the invention, which sorting device assembly comprises three similar sorting devices 1. Each of these sorting devices 1 has a chute 3 comprising a first section 9 and a second section 10. As viewed in the conveying direction 22, a device for individualizing 19 the objects 2, in the form of a vibrating chute 19 having one chute-shaped guide element 30 per chute 3, is arranged in front of the chutes 3, which guide element 30 opens into the first section 9 of a chute 3 in each case. The vibrating chute 19, and thus its guide elements 30, has or have a lower inclination than the chute 3. The vibrating chute comprises a trough to which the new objects 2 (if any) to be sorted out are supplied.

(20) Objects 2 can be discharged simultaneously through the three chutes 3. Each of the chutes 3 according to the embodiment of FIG. 2 comprises a transition section 31, which enables a successive transition of the first section 9 into the second section 10, i.e. continuously transfers the cross-section of the first section 9, here semicircular, into the cross-section of the second section 10, here a flat supporting surface without side walls. Furthermore, the second section 10 of the chute 3 has a cutout 4 comprising a measuring area 23, wherein the LIBS laser device 6 is arranged at a distance from the cutout 4 for performing the measurement from below the chute 3 through the cutout 4.

(21) Furthermore, the embodiment of FIG. 2 further shows one discharge means 7 and one further discharge means 13 per sorting device 1, which serve to discharge fractions of the objects 2. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, each discharge means 7 and each further discharge means 13 is realized by discharge nozzles and a discharge nozzle array, respectively.

(22) By means of the embodiment of FIG. 2, the first sorting device 1 can be used to discharge two fractions 11, 12 of the objects 2 and objects 2 that have not been sorted out.

(23) With the second sorting device 1, either the same two fractions 11, 12 of the objects 2 which are also discharged on the first sorting device 1, and the objects 2 which are not sorted out are discharged, or two fractions of the objects 2 other than those fractions 11, 12 of the objects 2 which are discharged on the first sorting device 1, and the objects 2 which are not sorted out are discharged, or a similar fraction 11, 12 of the objects 2 which is also discharged on the first sorting device 1, and a fraction of the objects 2 other than those fractions 11, 12 of the objects 2 which are discharged on the first sorting device 1, and the objects 2 which are not sorted out are discharged.

(24) With the third sorting device 1, either the same two fractions 11, 12 of the objects 2 which are also discharged on the first and the second sorting device 1, and the objects 2 which are not sorted out are discharged, or two fractions of the objects 2 other than those fractions 11, 12 of the objects 2 which are discharged on the first and second sorting devices 1, and the objects 2 which are not sorted out are discharged, or a similar fraction 11, 12 of the objects 2 which is also discharged on the first or the second sorting device 1, and a fraction of the objects 2 other than those fractions 11, 12 of the objects 2 which are discharged on the first and second sorting devices 1, and the unsorted objects 2 are discharged.

(25) As viewed in the conveying direction 22 downstream of the chutes 3, a separating means 5 comprising two baffles 32 is also arranged in this embodiment, wherein the three regions 16, 17, 18 are formed by means of the baffles 32. Side walls 33 may be provided on each of the baffles 32 (merely indicated in FIG. 2 by lines on the surfaces of the baffles 32) to laterally delimit the regions 16, 17, 18 directly downstream of each of the chutes 3, as viewed in the conveying direction 22. The side walls 33 thus ensure, for example, that objects 2 coming from the first chute 3 do not mix with objects 2 coming from the second chute 3 in the separating means 5. In this exemplary embodiment too, the first region 16, in which the unsorted objects 2 of all chutes 3 land, is arranged at a trajectory of the objects 2. The second region 17 is arranged such that the fractions of objects 2 of all chutes 3 sorted out by means of the discharge means 7 land therein, while the third region 18 is arranged such that the fractions of objects 2 sorted out by means of the further discharge means 13 land therein.

(26) In order to be able to discharge further fractions from the objects 2 of the first sorting device 1 that have not been sorted out, it is provided in this exemplary embodiment that the sorting device assembly comprises a return means 21. The return means 21 or returner, is in transport connection with the first region 16 of the first sorting device 1 and returns the objects 2 not sorted out to a return region 24, which in this exemplary embodiment corresponds to the guide element 30 of the second sorting device 2. This means that in the second sorting device, in addition to the objects 2 newly fed into the trough of the vibrating chute 19, the returned objects 2 also pass through the chute 3.

(27) No further return means 21 is provided in this exemplary embodiment; i.e., only newly fed objects 2 pass through the third sorting device 1.

(28) The sorting device assembly shown in FIG. 2 comprises only one common (not shown) control device 8, which is set up to control all discharge means 7 and all further discharge means 13 depending on the measurement results of the LIBS laser devices 6.

(29) The positions of the discharge means 7 and the further discharge means 13 can be adjusted independently of each other with respect to the chute 3 or an imaginary extension of the chute 3. This is clearly visible in FIGS. 3 to 6. FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the sorting device 1 according to the invention, while FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the sorting device 1 according to the invention from FIG. 3, wherein a discharge means 7 and a further discharge means 13 are in a different position. FIG. 5, in turn, shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the sorting device 1 according to the invention from FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, respectively, wherein the discharge means 7 and the further discharge means 13 again are in a different position. In FIG. 6, which shows a schematic side view of the embodiment of the sorting device 1 according to the invention from FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the (different) positions of the discharge means 7 and the further discharge means 13 from FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are then compared with each other.

(30) In this exemplary embodiment, the discharge means 7 can be rotated about a point; i.e., an angle ? between the discharge direction 25 and the conveying direction 22 is adjustable. In this exemplary embodiment, the further discharge means 13 can again be displaced parallel to the conveying direction 22 as well as rotated by one point; i.e., an angle ? between the discharge direction 26 and the conveying direction 22 can also be adjusted here. Furthermore, in the further discharge means 13, a shortest distance 15 between the further discharge means 13 and the imaginary extension of the chute 3 can be adjusted.

(31) The shortest distance 14 between the discharge means 7 and the imaginary extension of the chute 3 cannot be adjusted in this exemplary embodiment and is therefore constant.

(32) For example, in the case of objects 2 with a large mass to be sorted out, the angles ?, ?, in particular the angle ?, are increased in order to be able to discharge the objects 2despite the large massaccordingly into the second or third region 17, 18 of the separating means 5.

(33) In FIG. 3, the angle ? is less than 90? and is advantageous if the objects 2 are rather long when viewed in the conveying direction 22.

(34) In FIG. 4, compared to FIG. 3, the angle ? between the discharge direction 25 and the conveying direction 22 has been increased for the discharge means 7, while for the further discharge means 13, compared to FIG. 3, not only the angle ? has been reduced but the further discharge means 13 has additionally also been displaced in the conveying direction 22 parallel to the conveying direction 22.

(35) In FIG. 5, compared to FIG. 4, the angle ? of the discharge means 7 has been further increased and the angle ? of the further discharge means 13 has been further reduced. The angle ? here is approximately 90? and is advantageous if the objects 2 are rather short when viewed in conveying direction 22. In addition, the further discharge means 13 was moved parallel to the conveying direction 22 and the distance 15 was increased.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(36) 1 Sorting device 2 Objects 3 Chute 4 Cutout 5 Separating means 6 LIES laser device 7 Discharge means 8 Control device 9 First section of the chute 3 10 Second section of the chute 3 11 First fraction of objects 2 12 Second fraction of objects 2 13 Further discharge means 14 Shortest distance between the discharge means 7 and the chute 3 15 Shortest distance between the further discharge means 13 and the chute 3 16 First region of the separating means 5 17 Second region of the separating means 5 18 Third region of the separating means 5 19 Device for individualizing the objects 2 20 Object recognition device 21 Return means 22 Conveying direction 23 Measuring area 24 Return region 25 Discharge direction of the discharge means 7 26 Discharge direction of the further discharge means 13 27 Illumination 28 Distance measuring device 29 Second laser device 30 Guide element 31 Transition section 32 Baffle of separating means 5 33 Side wall of the separating means 5 34 Objects not sorted out ? Angle between the discharge direction 25 of the discharge means 7 and the conveying direction 22 ? Angle between the discharge direction 26 of the further discharge means 13 and the conveying direction 22