Patent US5518124A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5518124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for the separation of materials using penetrating electromagnetic radiation
Assignee: National Recovery Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1994-08-22
•
Granted: 1996-05-21
•
Expires: 2014-08-22
Abstract
Abstract An automated interrupt driven system which employs a circular buffer is used to sort materials based on differing electromagnetic radiation absorption and penetration characteristics. The system has a conveyor and a source of electromagnetic radiation which radiates materials travelling along the conveyor. A controller samples detector outputs at various times to evaluate the absorption and penetration characteristics of the materials to be sorted, based on a plurality of samples. Portions of the materials are ignored to obtain accurate readings from the detectors. Based on the detected penetration and absorption characteristics, the controller activates ejection mechanisms causing materials of different compositions to be deposited into different bins. The controller executes interrupts to cause detection, ejection, testing, and system history maintenance at required times. The circular buffer contains indices which point to various locations which are programmed in memory to trigger and perform specific events. The location of the indices in the circular buffer is used to control event timing, such as activating and deactivating the ejection mechanisms. This configuration allows several events to be executed simultaneously by moving to the next location in the circular buffer while the event indicated by the index in the previous location continues in progress.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward J. Sommer, Jr.
- 👤 Michael A. Kittel
- 👤 James R. Peatman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 11:09
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/36; B07C5/363; B07C5/367; B07C5/368; B07C5/34; B07C5/3416; B07C5/344; B07C2501/00; B07C2501/0036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of determining characteristics of materials, comprising steps of: (a) conveying a plurality of objects formed of different ones of said materials along an elongated feed path; (b) irradiating said plurality of objects with electromagnetic radiation; (c) measuring the amount of radiation absorbed when passing through different portions of each of said objects to generate process signals; (d) selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through regular portions of the objects and not selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through irregular portions in the objects; and (e) characterizing the material of said objects based on the selected process signals.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of determining characteristics of materials, comprising steps of: (a) conveying a plurality of objects formed of different ones of said materials along an elongated feed path; (b) irradiating said plurality of objects with electromagnetic radiation; (c) measuring the amount of radiation absorbed when passing through different portions of each of said objects to generate process signals; (d) selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through regular portions of the objects and not selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through irregular portions in the objects; and (e) characterizing the material of said objects based on the selected process signals.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
208 words
An apparatus for distinguishing materials of items having different levels of absorption of penetrating electromagnetic radiation, comprising: (a) a pathway for conveying a plurality of items in a longitudinal feed direction from a trailing portion to a leading edge, (b) an irradiation zone extending transversely over said pathway, and having a predetermined transverse dimension, (c) irradiating means spaced from said irradiation zone for continuously transmitting electromagnetic radiation into said irradiation zone throughout said predetermined transverse dimension and through any of said items conveyed through said irradiation zone, (d) radiation detectors positioned in said pathway for receiving radiation from said irradiation zone after said radiation has been transmitted through said items in said irradiation zone, (e) a signal analyzer in electrical communication with each of said detectors for converting said radiation into electronic process signals, each process signal being commensurate with the amount of penetrating electromagnetic radiation absorbed when passing through a portion of an item which is different from any other portion of said item, said signal analyzer selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through regular portions in the bodies of said items and not selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through irregular portions in the bodies of said items.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
208 words
An apparatus for distinguishing materials of items having different levels of absorption of penetrating electromagnetic radiation, comprising: (a) a pathway for conveying a plurality of items in a longitudinal feed direction from a trailing portion to a leading edge, (b) an irradiation zone extending transversely over said pathway, and having a predetermined transverse dimension, (c) irradiating means spaced from said irradiation zone for continuously transmitting electromagnetic radiation into said irradiation zone throughout said predetermined transverse dimension and through any of said items conveyed through said irradiation zone, (d) radiation detectors positioned in said pathway for receiving radiation from said irradiation zone after said radiation has been transmitted through said items in said irradiation zone, (e) a signal analyzer in electrical communication with each of said detectors for converting said radiation into electronic process signals, each process signal being commensurate with the amount of penetrating electromagnetic radiation absorbed when passing through a portion of an item which is different from any other portion of said item, said signal analyzer selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through regular portions in the bodies of said items and not selecting for processing those of said process signals which pass through irregular portions in the bodies of said items.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of distinguishing material items having different levels of absorption of penetrating electromagnetic radiation, comprising: (a) conveying a plurality of said material items along an elongated feed path; (b) establishing a transverse region across said feed path irradiated by a sheet of penetrating electromagnetic radiation; (c) irradiating said plurality of material items in said transverse region with said penetrating electromagnetic radiation; (d) measuring the amount of penetrating electromagnetic radiation absorbed when passing through each material item; (e) obtaining a plurality of electromagnetic radiation penetration measurements through different portions of each of said material items; (g) characterizing the material of each material item based on said measurements; and (h) producing signals indicative of the characterization and location of the material items.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of distinguishing material items having different levels of absorption of penetrating electromagnetic radiation, comprising: (a) conveying a plurality of said material items along an elongated feed path; (b) establishing a transverse region across said feed path irradiated by a sheet of penetrating electromagnetic radiation; (c) irradiating said plurality of material items in said transverse region with said penetrating electromagnetic radiation; (d) measuring the amount of penetrating electromagnetic radiation absorbed when passing through each material item; (e) obtaining a plurality of electromagnetic radiation penetration measurements through different portions of each of said material items; (g) characterizing the material of each material item based on said measurements; and (h) producing signals indicative of the characterization and location of the material items.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB1135232A
Cited
US3435950A
Cited
US3545610A
Cited
US3655964A
Cited
US3980180A
Cited
US4212397A
Cited
US4462495A
Cited
EP0064842A1
Cited
US4623997A
Cited
US4657144A
Cited
GB2188727A
Cited
US4909930A
Cited
GB2198242A
Cited
EP0291959A2
Cited
JPH01119838A
Cited
US4884386A
Cited
EP0325558A1
Cited
EP0353457A2
Cited
JPH02228742A
Cited
US5101101A
Cited
US5141110A
Cited
US5260576A
Cited
US5339962A
Cited
US5134291A
Cited
US5314072A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-05-21 | 1999-11-20 | 2000-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-05-21 | 2003-11-20 | 2004-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-05-21 | 2007-11-20 | 2008-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |