Back to results
US 2025/0146937 A1Published application
Material identification apparatus and method
AssigneeTomra Sorting GmbH
InventorDirk BALTHASAR
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an apparatus for classification of matter comprising: a scanning element is configured to redirect the at least one illumination beam and to shift a plurality of inspection zones and an irradiated area relative said matter in the first direction. A processing circuitry configured to execute: a second zone collection function configured to collect second zone data based which pertains to said optical radiation emitted by said matter in the second inspection zone, a third zone collection function configured to collect third zone data based which pertains to optical radiation emitted by said matter in the third inspection zone, a classification function configured to classify said matter based on the second zone data and the third zone data.
Claims23
An apparatus for classification of matter in one of at least a first and a second class, the apparatus comprising:
- an irradiation arrangement,
- a scanning element,
- a spectroscopy system, and
- a conveyor for transporting said matter, or a chute, optionally including a vibration feeder, for sliding or freefalling of the matter,
- wherein the irradiation arrangement is adapted to emit at least one illumination beam comprising optical radiation, which illumination beam is configured to cause a photoexcitation event in a photo responsive portion of said matter upon irradiation of said photo responsive portion of said matter with said at least one illumination beam,
- wherein the irradiation arrangement further comprises a first optical arrangement adapted to direct and optionally converge the at least one illumination beam towards the scanning element during at least a first period of time,
- wherein the scanning element is configured to redirect the at least one illumination beam along an illumination direction towards an object passing zone, such that said matter, when being transported by said conveyor at a speed of between 0.4 m/s to 20 m/s or being slid by said chute or in free fall through said object passing zone, is irradiated at least during a first time period by said at least one illumination beam in an irradiated area,
- wherein the spectroscopy system comprises a sensor arrangement comprising one or more sensors which sensor arrangement is adapted to receive and analyse optical radiation which is reflected, scattered and/or emitted by said matter in at least one of a plurality of inspection zones arranged sequentially in a first direction,
- wherein a first inspection zone of the plurality of inspection zones substantially coincides with the irradiated area during said first period of time,
- a second inspection zone of the plurality of inspection zones is arranged subsequent to the first inspection zone with respect to the first direction, and
- a third inspection zone of the plurality of inspection zones is arranged subsequent to the second inspection zone with respect to the first direction,
- and
- wherein the scanning element is further adapted to shift said plurality of inspection zones and said illumination direction relative said matter in the first direction, such that the second inspection zone during a second period of time after said first period of time, substantially coincides with the first inspection zone previous to said shift, and
- wherein the scanning element is further adapted to shift said plurality of inspection zones and said irradiated area relative said matter in the first direction, such that the third inspection zone during a third period of time after said second period of time, substantially coincides with the second inspection zone previous to said shift,
- wherein said spectroscopy system further comprises optical elements, which optical elements are configured to receive, via said scanning element:
- during said second period of time optical radiation being emitted by said matter in the second inspection zone, which optical radiation pertains to a phosphorescence event resulting from the photoexcitation event in the first inspection zone during said first period of time,
- during said third period of time optical radiation being emitted by said matter in the third inspection zone, which optical radiation pertains to a phosphorescence event resulting from the photoexcitation event in the first inspection zone during said first period of time, and are configured to redirect said received optical radiation to at least one of said one or more sensors,
- wherein the sensor arrangement further comprises a processing circuitry configured to execute:
- a second zone collection function configured to collect second zone data based on at least one sensor signal from said one or more sensors, which at least one sensor signal pertains to said optical radiation emitted by said matter in the second inspection zone,
- a third zone collection function configured to collect third zone data based on at least one sensor signal from said one or more sensors, which at least one sensor signal pertains to said optical radiation emitted by said matter in the third inspection zone,
- a classification function configured to classify said matter based on the second zone data and the third zone data,
- an output function configured to output a classification signal assigning said one of at least a first and a second class to said matter based on the output of said classification function.
19 more elements
A method for classification of matter in one of at least a first and a second class, said matter transported in bulk, the method comprising:
- emitting and directing at least one illumination beam comprising optical radiation towards an object passing zone,
- irradiating an irradiated area of said matter with said at least one illumination beam at an a least first instance in time and during at least a first time period, said matter being transported by a conveyor at a speed of between 0.4 m/s-20 m/s or in free fall in the object passing zone, thereby causing a photoexcitation event in a photo responsive portion of said matter,
- directing optical radiation via a scanning element towards one or more sensors of a sensor arrangement, which optical radiation is scattered and/or emitted by said matter in at least one of a plurality of inspection zones, which inspection zones are arranged sequentially in a first direction, wherein a first inspection zone of the plurality of inspection zones substantially coincides with the irradiated area, and wherein a second inspection zone of the plurality of inspection zones is arranged subsequent to the first inspection zone with respect to the first direction,
- shifting, by said scanning element, said plurality of inspection zones and said irradiated area relative said matter in the first direction, such that the second inspection zone at a second instance in time after said first period of time substantially coincides with the first inspection zone at said first instance in time,
- thereafter receiving, by the sensor arrangement, optical radiation emitted by said matter in the second inspection zone during a second period of time, said optical radiation emitted by said matter in the second inspection zone pertaining to a phosphorescence event resulting from the photoexcitation event,
- collecting first phosphorescence data associated with the received light emitted by said matter in the second inspection zone during said second period of time,
- shifting, by said scanning element, said plurality of inspection zones and said irradiated area relative said matter in the first direction, such that the third inspection zone at a third instance in time after said second time period substantially coincides with the second inspection zone at said second instance in time,
- thereafter receiving, by the sensor arrangement, optical radiation emitted by said matter in the third inspection zone during a third period of time, said optical radiation emitted by said matter in the third inspection zone pertaining to a phosphorescence event resulting from the photoexcitation event,
- collecting second phosphorescence data associated with the received light emitted by said matter in the third inspection zone during said third period of time,
- classifying, by a processing circuitry, said matter based on the second zone data and the third zone data,
- outputting, by the processing circuitry, a classification signal assigning one of said at least a first and a second class to said matter based on the result of said classifying.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.