The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 12, 2008
Filed:
Jun. 22, 2004
Richard K. Chang, Hamdin, CT (US);
Yongle Pan, Cheshire, CT (US);
Steven Clyde Hill, Silver Spring, MD (US);
Richard K. Chang, Hamdin, CT (US);
Yongle Pan, Cheshire, CT (US);
Steven Clyde Hill, Silver Spring, MD (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
Methods and systems for sorting particles entrained in a gaseous stream are disclosed. A representative system, among others, includes a particle scanner, a sorter, which is in pneumatic communication with the particle scanner, and a controller, which is in electrical communication with the particle scanner and sorter. The particle scanner is adapted to receive a gaseous stream and measure a characteristic of a particle entrained in the gaseous stream. The controller is adapted to classify the scanned particle according to the measured characteristic of the particle. The sorter includes an electrically controlled valve. Responsive to the particle being classified as belonging to a first category, the controller signals the valve to deflect the trajectory of the particle. A representative method, among others, for sorting particles entrained in a gaseous stream can be broadly summarized by the following steps: receiving particles in a gaseous stream; classifying a particle from the received stream of particles according to a property of the particle, wherein the particle is classified as belong to one category of a plurality of categories, and wherein the received particle has an initial trajectory; and responsive to the particle being classified as belonging to a first category of the plurality of categories, altering the trajectory of the particle.