Visys Nv

Key Technology Corporation

Bert Dirix

Dirk Adams

Bert Peelaers

Raf Peeters

Johan Calcoen

Gerald Ray Richert

Timothy Justice

Joachim Van Der Perre

Pieter Op De Beeck

A method and apparatus for sorting is described, and which includes an arrangement for controllably and operably coupling to a controller, and then selectively energizing each of a background element; laser scanner; first and second electromagnetic radiation detectors; line scan imaging assembly; and selectively energizable radiators, so as to improve the detection of individual products and/or other objects of interest forming a product stream by increasing the contrast of the respective products or specific characteristics thereof, and/or objects of interest in a multiplicity of electrical signals which are received, and then processed by the controller, as the product stream passes through an inspection station.

Method and apparatus for sorting having a background element with a multiplicity of selective energizable electromagnetic emitters

The present invention is related to an apparatus for sorting products, in particular granular products such as raisins, blueberries but also pellets e.g. plastic pellets. The sorting apparatus comprises a supply system, a detecting system, a selecting system and a chute. The chute comprises a first guiding element having an upwardly-curved surface for guiding the stream of product moving under influence of gravity towards the detecting system and the selecting system. Optionally the chute comprises a second guiding element having a surface which is downward-curved at least over a certain distance along the movement of the stream of products, such that products which are propelled by the first guiding element and received by the second guiding element are redirected in an essentially vertical downward direction. The detection system will inspect the products when moving in a substantially vertical direction.

Method for sorting products moving in a continuous stream on a chute

The invention concerns an apparatus for inspection of products (), provided with a transport mechanism () configured to transport a continuous stream of products () so that, on leaving the transport mechanism, the product stream () follows a free-fall path along which it is fed in a single product layer through an inspection zone (), which has a length (L) that at least corresponds to the width of the aforementioned single product layer, a light source (') configured to illuminate said inspection zone (), a detection unit (), configured to optically scan the illuminated inspection zone (), an analysis unit () and possibly a removal unit () and also a background element (&#x2032;), which is situated behind the falling product stream, seen from the position of the detection unit, positioned so that:&#x2014;light beams from the light source impinge on an illumination zone () of the background element when these beams do not impinge on a product from the product stream (),&#x2014;the detection unit can only receive an image of a detection zone () of the background element, characterized in that the background element is mounted so that the illumination zone () and the detection zone () are separated from each other.

Optical inspection apparatus and optical sorting apparatus

This application describes a guide plate for collecting and discharging bulk products (), comprising a first segment (), said first segment () comprising damping means (), which, during use, dissipate the collision energy of each product () to be collected essentially individually. Further, this application describes a sorting machine for the sorting of a continuous single layer stream of products, in which said sorting machine contains a feeding unit, an analysis unit, a removal unit and transport unit, where said transport unit contains such a guide plate in order to collect the products coming from the feeding unit.

Guide plate for guiding bulk products and sorting machine with such a guide plate

Disclosed is a method and system for inspecting and sorting unsuitable or irregular objects in a stream of products, the system includes means for scanning the stream of products along a scan line. The scan line is formed by means of at least one light source directing light along the scan line, and means for detecting light beams reemitted by the product stream upon scanning. The scanning means includes a focusing means for concentrating the light in at least one dimension. The detecting means includes a focusing means for forming an image in an image plane. The detecting means is oriented towards the scan line such that points on the scan line form a projected scan line in the image plane and the image substantially located in the image plane is substantially focused in at least one dimension by the focusing means. The detecting means also includes a spatial filtering means that filters the image in substantially the direction perpendicular to the direction of the projected scan line.

Method and system for use in inspecting and/or removing unsuitable objects from a stream of products and a sorting apparatus implementing the same

The present invention is related to a detection system for inspecting a continuous stream of products comprising means for determining the detection system induced variations in its output signal. The detection system comprises a reference element and an intermediate optical element, means for scanning a light beam over the product stream and, via the intermediate optical element, over the reference element and means for converting the light beams re-emitted by the product stream and by the reference element into an electrical signal. The intermediate optical element is positioned such that the light beam successively scans the product stream and at least one region of the reference element, in whatever order. Such detection system and method are of particular use in an apparatus for sorting products, where it is used to inspect products provided to the detection system in a continuous stream.

Detection system for use in a sorting apparatus, a method for determining drift in the detection system and a sorting apparatus comprising such detection system

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Linter, Belgium

Bert Dirix