Viewer for a sorting machine

A viewer apparatus for an object sorter, the apparatus comprising

• a housing,
• viewing means mounted in the housing for viewing objects to be sorted,
• a viewing channel through the housing having an opening therethrough through which the objects pass for viewing by the viewing means,
• a light source mounted in the housing for providing light for indirectly illuminating a first portion of an object to be viewed by the viewing means, and
• reflector means mounted in the housing for reflecting light from the light source to a second portion of the object apart from the first portion to facilitate viewing of the second portion of the object,
• the reflector means comprising a top mirror disposed above the light source and a bottom mirror disposed below the light source so that strength of light rays reflected from the top mirror onto the object is similar to strength of light rays reflected from the bottom mirror onto the object,
• shade means disposed between the light source and the object so that only indirect light from the light source illuminates the object, the shade means disposed to prevent light from the light source from directly entering the viewing means.

An illumination system for a viewer apparatus for a sorting machine, the machine for sorting objects passed through it and the viewer apparatus having a housing and an object viewing device disposed in the housing for viewing objects passing through a viewing channel in the housing, the illumination system comprising

• a light source mounted in the housing for illuminating a first portion of an object to be viewed by the viewing device,
• reflector means mounted in the housing for reflecting light from the light source to a second portion of the object apart from the first portion to facilitate viewing of the second portion of the object;
• and
• shade means disposed between the light source and the object so that only indirect light from the light source illuminates the object before the viewing device.

An illumination system for a viewer apparatus for a sorting machine, the machine for sorting objects passed through it and the viewer apparatus having a housing and an at least one object viewing device disposed in the housing for viewing objects passing through a viewing channel in the housing, the illumination system comprising

• a light source mounted in the housing for providing light for indirectly illuminating a first portion of an object to be viewed by the viewing device, and
• reflector means mounted in the housing for reflecting light from the light source to a second portion of the object apart from the first portion to facilitate viewing of the second portion of the object,
• the reflector means comprising a top mirror disposed above the light source and a bottom mirror disposed below the light source to that strength of light rays reflected from the top mirror onto the object is similar to strength of light rays reflected from the bottom mirror onto the object, and
• shade means disposed between the light source and the object so that only indirect light from the light source illuminates the object, the shade means disposed to prevent light from the light source from directly entering the at least one object viewing device.