Removing airbag modules from automotive scrap
AssigneeSortera Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNalin Kumar, Manuel Gerardo Garcia, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system classifies materials utilizing a vision system that implements an artificial intelligence system in order to identify or classify and then remove automotive airbag modules from a scrap stream, which may have been produced from a shredding of end-of-life vehicles. The sorting process may be designed so that live airbag modules are not activated, which may cause damage to equipment or persons.
Claims20
A method of sorting live airbag modules from a moving stream of automotive scrap pieces, comprising:
- conveying automotive scrap pieces past a vision system, wherein the automotive scrap pieces include a live airbag module;
- capturing visual images of the automotive scrap pieces;
- processing the captured visual images of the automotive scrap pieces through an artificial intelligence system in order to distinguish the live airbag module from the other automotive scrap pieces;
- and
- sorting the live airbag module from the moving stream of automotive scrap pieces.
A system for sorting live airbag modules from a moving stream of automotive scrap pieces, comprising:
- a conveyor system for conveying automotive scrap pieces past a vision system, wherein the automotive scrap pieces include a live airbag module;
- the vision system configured to capture visual images of the automotive scrap pieces;
- a data processing system configured with an artificial intelligence system configured to process the captured visual images of the automotive scrap pieces through the artificial intelligence system in order to distinguish the live airbag module from the other automotive scrap pieces;
- and
- a sorting device for sorting the live airbag module from the moving stream of automotive scrap pieces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.