Sorting element for a sorting device

Abstract

The invention relates to a sorting element for a sorting device. The sorting element comprises a substrate from which a multitude of fingers project. The fingers are arranged on the substrate along a first helical line.

Claims

1. A sorting element for a sorting device, comprising a substrate from which a multitude of fingers project in the radial direction, wherein the fingers are arranged on the substrate along a first helical line, and wherein the substrate includes on at least one axial side a protrusion that extends from a base body of the substrate in a direction of the substrate axis and which defines a first contact surface and a second contact surface for contacting a first and a second counter-contact surface of a protrusion of an adjacent sorting element, respectively, wherein the second contact surface is at least substantially perpendicular to the first contact surface, and wherein the fingers are provided on the base body and the protrusion extending from the base body.

2. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein the fingers extend on the substrate around a substrate axis.

3. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein adjacent fingers are separated from each other by a cavity.

4. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein the fingers are formed from an elastic material.

5. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein the fingers are embodied to be sickle-shaped and/or a direction of curvature of the fingers is directed oppositely to a rotational direction of the sorting element.

6. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a hole, which is in particular multi-edged or polygonal in cross-section, for coupling to a shaft of a helical roller.

7. The sorting element according to claim 6, wherein an insert for at least partially accommodating the shaft of the helical roller is arranged in the hole.

8. The sorting element according to claim 7, wherein the insert comprises at least two plates which are connected to each other.

9. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a first and/or a second protrusion, wherein the first protrusion and/or the second protrusion protrudes from a side-face of a base body of the substrate in the axial direction of the substrate.

10. The sorting element according to claim 9, wherein the first and second protrusion are arranged on different sides of the substrate in relation to a centre plane of the substrate.

11. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein a transition region between the finger and the substrate is rounded.

12. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein at least one finger comprises a wear-resistant end.

13. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein at least one finger is embodied to be longer than at least one other finger.

14. The sorting element according to claim 1, wherein the sorting element comprises fingers which are arranged along a second helical line on the substrate, wherein the second helical line is arranged offset with respect to the first helical line.

15. A helical roller for a sorting device, comprising at least one sorting element according to claim 1.

16. The helical roller according to claim 15, wherein a shaft of the helical roller is connected to the sorting element integrally and/or a shaft of the helical roller corresponds to the substrate of the sorting element.

17. The helical roller according to claim 16, wherein at least two sorting elements are arranged sequentially on a shaft of the helical roller along an axis of the helical roller.

18. The helical roller according to claim 17, wherein when at least two sorting elements are arranged on the shaft, the first protrusion of one sorting element comes into contact with the second protrusion of an adjacent sorting element.

19. The helical roller according to claim 17, wherein the sorting elements arranged on the helical roller are coupled such that they are rotationally fixed relative to each other.

20. A sorting device, comprising at at least one helical roller according to claim 15.

21. The sorting device according to claim 20, including at least two helical rollers, each of which rotates about a rotary axis of its own and which exhibit the same direction of rotation and/or wherein the helical roller is mounted exclusively at one end.

22. The sorting device according to claim 20, wherein at least two helical rollers form a sorting surface, and a resting zone for the material to be sorted is on the sorting surface, wherein the resting zone extends transverse to an axis of the helical roller.

23. The sorting device according to claim 20, wherein a distance of two helical rollers relative to each other can be set.

24. The sorting device according to claim 20, wherein two helical rollers can be rotated relative to each other.

25. The sorting device according to claim 20, wherein the sorting elements of two adjacent helical rollers interlock.

26. The sorting device according to claim 20, wherein a finger of a sorting element of a first helical roller extends as far as a substrate of a sorting element of a second helical roller.

27. The sorting device according to claim 17, wherein a first main axis (H1) of a first elliptical helical roller is rotated by a predetermined angle with respect to a second main axis (H2) of a second elliptical helical roller which is adjacent to the first helical roller.

28. The sorting device according to claim 1 wherein flanks of the fingers are not parallel to each other but are shifted perpendicular to the radial direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other aims, advantages and possible applications of the present invention may be gathered from the following description of an example embodiment on the basis of the drawings.

(2) There is shown:

(3) FIG. 1 a perspective representation of the sorting device in accordance with the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 a plan view onto the sorting device in accordance with the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 a lateral view of the helical roller in accordance with the invention, in accordance with a first embodiment;

(6) FIG. 4 a sectional view of the helical roller in accordance with the first embodiment, along the line D-D shown in FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 5 a perspective representation of an insert in accordance with the invention, in accordance with a first embodiment;

(8) FIG. 6 a perspective representation of an insert in accordance with the invention, in accordance with a second embodiment;

(9) FIG. 7 a perspective representation of a sorting element in accordance with the invention;

(10) FIG. 8 a lateral view of a sorting element in accordance with the invention;

(11) FIG. 9 a perspective representation of a sorting element in accordance with the invention, arranged at the start of the helical roller;

(12) FIG. 10 a front view of a sorting element in accordance with the invention, arranged at the start of the helical roller;

(13) FIG. 11 a perspective representation of a sorting element in accordance with the invention, arranged at the end of the helical roller;

(14) FIG. 12 a front view of a sorting element in accordance with the invention, arranged at the end of the helical roller;

(15) FIG. 13 a lateral view of three helical rollers in accordance with a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(16) The sorting device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a housing 10 and a multitude of helical rollers 2, 2 in accordance with a first embodiment. The helical rollers 2, 2 are arranged parallel to each other and are mounted in the housing 10 exclusively at one end. A drive device (not shown) is arranged within the housing 10 and ensures that the helical rollers 2, 2 rotate about their respective rotary axis, wherein all the helical rollers 2, 2 have the same direction of rotation.

(17) As can be seen from FIG. 2, the individual helical rollers 2, 2 each comprise a multitude of sorting elements 3, 3 which are arranged sequentially along an axis of the helical roller and are coupled to each other. The sorting elements 3, 3 each comprise a multitude of fingers 30, 30. The fingers 30, 30 extend, in particular in the radial direction, from a substrate 31, 31 of the sorting element 3, 3. The individual sorting elements 3, 3 are embodied such that the fingers 30, 30 extend along a helical line around the axis of the helical roller. The fingers 30, 30 are arranged such that a clockwise winding is established.

(18) The sorting elements 3, 3 of two adjacent helical rollers 2, 2 interlock. The fingers 30 of a sorting element 3 on a first helical roller 2 are embodied such that they extend as far as a substrate 31 of a sorting element 3 arranged on a second helical roller 2 which is adjacent to the first helical roller 2. The helical rollers 2, 2 can be moved relative to each other such that a distance between the fingers 30 of the first helical roller 2 and the correspondingly opposite fingers 30 of the second helical roller 2 can be varied. The helical rollers 2, 2 can in particular be rotated relative to each other and/or moved axially in a direction along the axis of the helical roller, in order to vary the aforesaid distance.

(19) As can be seen from FIG. 3, the helical roller 2 consists of a shaft 20 which can be coupled to the sorting elements 3. The shaft 20 is mounted at one end in the housing 10 shown in FIG. 1. The shaft 20 is a multi-edged figure, in particular a quadrilateral, in cross-section. The embodiment of the shaft is not of course limited to that of a quadrilateral. The shaft 20 can for instance alternatively be a hexagon, octagon, toothed shaft or other polygonal shaft.

(20) As can be seen from FIG. 4, a hole 32 is provided in the substrate 31. The hole 32 is shaped so as to complement the shaft 20, such that when the shaft 20 is inserted into it, there is a positive-fit connection between the shaft 20 and the sorting element 3. An insert 4 is arranged within the hole 32, wherein the insert 4 abuts only a part of a wall of the hole. It can also be seen from FIG. 4 that the fingers 30 which are adjacent in the circumferential direction are separated from each other by a cavity 34.

(21) FIG. 5 shows an insert 4 in accordance with a first embodiment. The insert 4 comprises two plates 40, 41 which are in particular rectangular and which are connected to each other on one side each in a connecting region 42. The two plates 40, 41 are arranged such that they are offset with respect to each other in the direction of the axis of the helical roller. This means that both the first and second plate 40, 41 comprise a portion which is adjacent to the connecting region 42 in the direction of the axis of the helical roller and not connected to the other plate.

(22) FIG. 6 shows an insert 4 in accordance with a second embodiment, wherein components of the insert shown in FIG. 6 which correspond to components of the insert shown in FIG. 5 are provided with the same reference signs. A plurality of recesses 43 are provided in each of the first and second plate 40, 41. When the insert 4 is incorporated into the hole 32 of the substrate 31, substrate material can penetrate in through these recesses 43 and therefore fix the position of the insert 4 within the substrate 31. A bend 44 is provided at the end of each of the first and second plate 40, 41 which is at a distance from the connecting region 42. When incorporated into the substrate 31, the bend 44 penetrates into the substrate 31, as can be seen from FIG. 4, and additionally serves to fix the insert 4 in the substrate 31.

(23) FIGS. 7 and 8 show a sorting element 3 which is coupled on each of its two side-faces to another sorting element which is adjacent in the axial direction of the helical roller. The fingers 30 of the sorting element 3 protrude from the substrate 31 in the radial direction and are arranged on it along a helical line. The helical line extends around a substrate axis which is coaxial with the axis of the helical roller when the sorting element 3 is connected to the shaft 20 of the helical roller 2. The fingers 30 are also embodied to be sickle-shaped, wherein the direction of curvature of the fingers 30 is opposite to a rotational direction of the helical roller. A transition region in which the fingers 30 are connected to the substrate 31 is rounded.

(24) The substrate 31 comprises a first protrusion 311 on one side-face and a second protrusion 312 on another side-face, wherein the protrusions each extend from a base body 310 of the substrate 31 in the direction of the substrate axis, and the first protrusion 311 and the second protrusion 312 extend in opposite directions from the base body 310. The first and second protrusion 311, 312 are arranged on different sides of the substrate 31 in relation to a centre plane which contains the substrate axis.

(25) Fingers 30 are provided on each of the first protrusion 311, the base body 310 and the second protrusion 312 and extend from them in the radial direction. The first protrusion 311 comprises two contact surfaces 311a, 311b. When two adjacent sorting elements 3 are coupled, the first protrusion 311 of one sorting element is placed, via a first contact surface 311a, onto a contact surface of a second protrusion of the adjacent sorting element. The sorting element also comes into contact, via a second contact surface 311b, with the base body 310 of the other sorting element 3.

(26) FIGS. 9 and 10 show a sorting element 3a which is coupled on one side-face to another, adjacent sorting element 3, wherein the other sorting element 3 is the one shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The sorting element 3a is a start piece of the helical roller 2 and is arranged closest of all the sorting elements 3 to the housing 10 of the sorting device. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 in that only a first protrusion 311 protrudes from the base body 310 in the direction of the substrate axis. The first protrusion 311 in particular protrudes from the base body 310 in a direction away from the housing 10. The end of the sorting element 3a which faces the housing 10 is embodied to be level.

(27) FIGS. 11 and 12 show a sorting element 3e which, like the sorting element 3a shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, is coupled on one side-face to another, adjacent sorting element 3a, wherein the other sorting element 3 is the one shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The difference with respect to the sorting element 3a shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is that the sorting element 3e is an end piece of the helical roller 2 and is attached to the end of the helical roller 2 which faces away from the housing 10. In the sorting element 3e, only one first protrusion 311 extends from the base body 310 of the substrate. The first protrusion 311 does however extend from the base body 310 towards the housing 10.

(28) FIG. 13 shows a lateral view of three helical rollers 200a, 200b in accordance with a second embodiment. A first and second helical roller 200a, 200b are arranged adjacently to each other on a sorting device (not shown) and rotated in the rotational direction D, wherein the sorting elements 300a, 300b of the two adjacent helical rollers 200a, 200b interlock.

(29) The helical rollers 200a, 200b are also embodied to be elliptical in cross-section, wherein a first and second sorting element 300a, 300b, in particular a first and second substrate 31a, 31b of the respective sorting element 300a, 300b, is connected to the respectively assigned first and second shaft 20a, 20b, in particular in a positive fit. The shaft 20a, 20b is embodied to be circular, while the substrate 31a, 31b is embodied to be elliptical. The first and second fingers 30a, 30b which are connected to the respective substrate 31a, 31b are embodied to be equally long in relation to the substrate 31a, 31b.

(30) A first main axis H1 of the first helical roller 200a is arranged such that it is offset by 90 with respect to a second main axis H2 of the second helical roller 200b.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(31) 1 sorting device 2 first helical roller 2 second helical roller 3 sorting element which is attached on the first helical roller 3 sorting element which is attached on the second helical roller 3a start piece of the sorting elements 3e end piece of the sorting elements 4 insert 10 housing 20 shaft 30 finger of the sorting element which is attached on the first helical roller 30 finger of the sorting element which is attached on the second helical roller 31 substrate of the sorting element which is attached on the first helical roller 31 substrate of the sorting element which is attached on the second helical roller 32 hole 33 transition region 34 cavity 40 first plate 41 second plate 42 connecting region 43 recess 44 bend 310 base body 311 first protrusion 311a first contact surface 311b second contact surface 312 second protrusion 200a first helical roller in accordance with the second embodiment 200b second helical roller in accordance with the second embodiment 300a first sorting element 300b second sorting element 20a shaft of the first helical roller 20b shaft of the second helical roller 31a first substrate 31b second substrate 30a finger of the first substrate 30b finger of the second substrate D rotational direction H1 main axis of the first helical roller H2 main axis of the second helical roller