EP3808461B1 - Machine for automatically sorting or inspecting moving objects, provided with a device for cleaning - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of automatic sorting or inspection machines for moving objects in substantially single-layer flow, and more particularly pneumatic ejection devices or detection devices, that is to say emission and for receiving inspection radiation, such machines.

The subject of the invention is more particularly an automatic machine for sorting or inspecting moving objects, equipped with a device for cleaning such an ejection or detection device.

Machines for automatic sorting of objects scrolling in flux on a conveyor, of the conveyor belt type for example, typically carry out an on-the-fly analysis of said objects and then, depending on the results of the analysis, discriminate them by actively directing them and /or passively (by gravity for example) in different containers or on other conveyors. The displacement (by controlled positive action) of the discriminated objects at the end of their displacement on the conveyor is carried out by localized and directional jets of pressurized air produced by at least one ejection device forming part of said machine.

The figure 1 partially and schematically illustrates, by way of non-limiting example, a typical construction of such an automatic selective sorting machine.

Such a machine 2 is capable of automatically sorting individual objects 3, arranged in a substantially single-layer fashion and scrolling in flow F on a conveyor 4. More specifically, this machine 2 is generally capable and intended to perform a discrimination of objects 3 according to physico-chemical criteria, for example their chemical composition and/or their colour. To this end, the machine 2 comprises at least one lighting or radiation application station 18 and at least one detection station 18' under which the flow F to be inspected passes. Machine 2 also includes a management and control unit (for example an industrial computer 17) which processes the detection signals coming from the station(s) 18', and controls at least one ejection system or device 1 according to the conclusions of the computer 17 (definition of the category of each object).

The ejection device 1, located at the end of the conveyor 4 and perpendicular to the scrolling flow F, comprises a ramp or bar 5 which contains a plurality of solenoid valves 16, regularly spaced along the bar and each connected to a circuit of pressurized air leading to an ejection nozzle 6. These solenoid valves 16 can be controlled at any time individually and independently of their neighbors, so that the machine 2 can precisely eject each object 3 recognized according to its specific shape, without affecting the objects neighbours, depending on the results of its prior inspection.

Automatic sorting machines of this type have been marketed for many years by the applicant (for example under the name "Mistral" - registered trademark) and are in particular described and represented in the documents EP 1 243 350 , EP 1 965 929 and WO 2018/211023 .

As seen on the figure 1 , the physical nature of the objects and/or their condition of preparation before the ejection step can lead to deposits 12 of objects or fragments of objects, or even deposits by aggregation of particles, debris or the like, on the surfaces located close to the ejection zone and more particularly on the outer surface(s) of the bar 5 located opposite the natural path of the flow leaving the conveyor 4 (in particular the surface strip 7 with the outlets of the nozzles 6) as well as on the surfaces 7' located on the ejection system facing the conveying system.

In particular, damp and/or sticky objects (paper and cardboard, food scraps, plastic film, etc.) easily accumulate on this type of surface.

In the absence of regular cleaning, these surfaces can be covered with more or less thick deposits that can alter the ejection trajectory of the objects and/or the natural fall trajectory of the objects leaving the conveying system.

Regular cleaning is therefore necessary, and it is desirable that it be carried out without stopping the operation of the sorting machine, and while minimizing the disturbances of the moving flow.

A possible solution to avoid such deposits and to overcome repeated cleaning operations consists in ejecting the objects downwards by means of a bar located at the top. We know that a high bar does not accumulate impurities by gravity. However, the sorting quality in this case is lower, because the ejection nozzles are typically at a distance of 20 cm from the objects instead of 5 cm for a low bar, and therefore act on a widened and less precise cone.

With a low nozzle bar (more precise but subject to the deposits mentioned), the simplest solution implemented to date consists of bringing in an operator with a squeegee at regular intervals to clean the surfaces concerned. These interventions can be fairly frequent, up to several times per hour, and must take place without stopping the machine, so as not to burden the sorting process. At each intervention during operation of the machine, there are real risks of being caught, of objects being thrown and more generally of accidents due to moving parts, the risks of being caught being particularly high for the surfaces 7'.

A problem similar to that set out above also arises for machines for inspection by radiation of objects moving in flux on a conveyor, a non-limiting example of which is partially and schematically illustrated in the figure 6 .

Compared to a sorting machine, an inspection machine includes similar measurement/processing devices (radiation application device, radiation detection/reception device, management/control/processing unit), but does not have ejection device.

The role of such an inspection machine is to accumulate in the processing unit the conclusions on the nature of the various objects passing through the machine, to process them statistically and to transmit the information collected, generally for further action or processing. (e).

In the case of an inspection machine 2 like the one shown figure 6 , a frequent configuration is detection in transmission: the detection is based on a device or a transmitter side 18, for example with a bar or lighting ramp 5, and a device or receiver side 18', for example a camera, these two devices being located on either side of the flow of scrolling objects 3. For example, the camera 18' can be located above the flow F and the lighting bar 5 below, and beyond the end of the conveyor 4, as illustrated in the figure 6 . The reverse configuration also exists, with lighting above and a detector below. In the two aforementioned configurations, a surface strip 7 of a lower optical bar 5 (working in transmission or in reception) is placed under the flow of waste or objects 3, and it is therefore subject to deposits 12 and liable to become clogged in the same way as the surface strip 7 mentioned above for the sorting machine.

In the case of the inspection machine 2, the surface strip 7 to be cleaned may correspond to the surface of a covering cap, of a window or of a similar covering transparent to the radiation used for the inspection, or to the least to a part of such a surface actually traversed by the radiation entering or leaving the lower optical bar.

In both types of processing machines mentioned above, it is desirable to automate this cleaning operation.

In the state of the art, purely mechanical systems of the windshield wiper type are already known for cleaning, by scraping, the lighting elements located under the moving stream. They use a controlled movement to make the squeegee or brush perform a complete sweep of the surface to be cleaned. Their effectiveness is not guaranteed in particular with certain flows, in particular because of the rapid clogging of the squeegee or brush and because accumulations at the two lateral ends can remain on the surface, and block the system.

Furthermore, it is easy to understand that any cleaning systems with air blowing only and without mechanical action would only be effective on dry and non-sticky products.

Finally, cleaning systems with spraying of water or cleaning liquids, possibly associated with mechanical cleaning means, cannot be suitable for implementation with a nozzle bar (flooding of the solenoid valves) and also require a fluid, or even a consumable additive, additional. Similarly, the use of a fluid poses problems on the upper surface of a lighting or detection system, with the risk of leakage and short-circuiting of the equipment located below.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an automatic, dry cleaning solution that can operate without stopping the operation of the processing machine (even if the latter is running empty) and that does not disturb the flow of objects in scrolling, nor their ejection, due to the presence of said solution. In addition, this solution should advantageously use resources already present on the sorting or inspection machine and be able to be integrated into the ejection or detection device, to preferably form with it a modular unit.

To achieve this object, the subject of the invention is an automatic machine for processing, in particular for sorting or inspecting, objects moving in flux on a conveyor, this machine comprising either a selective ejection device with at least one bar or pneumatic ramp with nozzles, or a device for emitting and receiving radiation with at least one optical bar, this bar being arranged transversely to the direction of said flow, after the outlet or discharge end of said conveyor, and having a active surface band corresponding to the zone in which the exit openings of the nozzles of the pneumatic bar are installed or to a zone of coverage or covering of the means for emitting or receiving radiation from the optical bar, this surface band being located under the conveying plane of the conveyor, machine characterized in that it also comprises a device for cleaning said surface strip at least, this cleaning device pre feeling at least one cleaning head movable in translation along the longitudinal axis of the bar and at least over the entire extent of the implantation or covering zone, said or each cleaning head comprising at least one scraping member moving bearing on said surface strip at the least and at least one air blowing nozzle whose pressurized jet is directed towards said surface strip and precedes the scraping member during movement of the mobile cleaning head to carry out the treatment at least of said surface strip in view the removal of deposits present on the latter.

• [Fig. 1] est une vue schématique partielle en perspective d'une machine de tri telle qu'évoquée précédemment équipée d'un dispositif d'éjection avec un dispositif de nettoyage selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• [Fig. 2] est une vue partielle en perspective du dispositif de nettoyage représenté figure 1 et de la bande surfacique nettoyée par ce dispositif ;
• [Fig. 3] est une vue en coupe selon un plan perpendiculaire à la bande surfacique et parallèle à la direction de déplacement de la tête de nettoyage du dispositif de nettoyage représenté partiellement figure 2 ;
• [Fig. 4] est une vue en coupe selon B-B de l'objet représenté figure 3 ;
• [Fig. 5] est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 2, illustrant un autre mode de réalisation du dispositif de nettoyage selon l'invention, et
• [Fig. 6] est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 1 illustrant une machine d'inspection fonctionnant en transmission et équipée d'un dispositif de détection avec dispositif de nettoyage associé selon un second mode de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood, thanks to the description below, which relates to preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limiting examples, and explained with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings, in which:

• [ Fig. 1 ] is a partial diagrammatic perspective view of a sorting machine as mentioned above equipped with an ejection device with a cleaning device according to a first embodiment of the invention;
• [ Fig. 2 ] is a partial perspective view of the cleaning device shown figure 1 and the surface strip cleaned by this device;
• [ Fig. 3 ] is a sectional view along a plane perpendicular to the surface strip and parallel to the direction of movement of the cleaning head of the cleaning device shown partially figure 2 ;
• [ Fig. 4 ] is a sectional view according to BB of the object represented picture 3 ;
• [ Fig. 5 ] is a view similar to that of the figure 2 , illustrating another embodiment of the cleaning device according to the invention, and
• [ Fig. 6 ] is a view similar to that of the figure 1 illustrating an inspection machine operating in transmission and equipped with a detection device with associated cleaning device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

The figure 1 and 6 partially illustrate a machine 2 for processing objects 3, in particular waste, namely respectively a machine 2 for sorting ( figure 1 ) and an inspection machine ( figure 6 ).

The objects 3 to be sorted or inspected pass in a substantially planar flow F on a belt conveyor 4.

As shown by the figure 1 and 6 , such a machine 2 comprises, depending on its type (sorting or inspection), either a selective ejection device 1 with at least one pneumatic bar 5 with nozzles 6, or a device 1 emitting and receiving radiation (detection device comprising emitter 18 and receiver 18' means) with at least one optical bar 5, this bar 5 being arranged transversely to the direction of said flux F, after the exit end or discharge of said conveyor 4. This lower bar 5 has an active surface strip 7 corresponding to the zone of implantation of the outlet openings 6' of the nozzles 6 of the pneumatic bar 5 or to a zone of coverage or covering of the means 18, 18' for transmitting or receiving radiation from the optical bar 5, this surface strip 7 being located under the conveying plane 4" of the conveyor 4.

According to the invention, the ejection device 1 also comprises a device 8 for cleaning said surface strip 7 at least, this cleaning device 8 having at least one cleaning head 9 movable in translation along the longitudinal axis AL of the bar 5 and at least over the entire extent of the implantation or covering zone, said or each cleaning head 9 comprising at least one scraping member 10 moving in support on said surface strip 7 at least and at least an air blowing nozzle 11 whose pressurized jet 11' is directed towards said surface strip 7 and precedes the scraper member 10 during the movement of the mobile cleaning head 9 to carry out the treatment at least of said surface strip 7 for the removal of deposits 12 present on the latter.

By implementing in the same device 8, simultaneously two means of dry cleaning of different natures and whose actions combine to remove the deposits 12, the invention allows automatic and effective cleaning of the exposed and sensitive region of the bar. 5, without interfering with the operation of the machine 2 and without risk to the operator. In addition, the invention does not require any consumables, advantageously uses a resource (compressed air) already present at the level of the machine 2 (in the case of a sorting machine at least) and has a simple, compact and easy-to-maintain structure. easy.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the cleaning device 8 comprises a means 13 for guiding and driving said at least one cleaning head 9 able and intended to ensure a movement of the latter above and parallel along of the surface strip 7, said cleaning head 9 comprising several blowing nozzles 11 aligned transversely with respect to its direction of movement, in at least one row, and the scraping member 10 consisting of a flexible, elastically deformable blade.

Thus, apart from the simple translational movement of the cleaning head 9, no other movement is required to clear and declog at least the surface strip 7.

In accordance with a preferred construction of the invention, emerging in particular from the figure 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 and 6 , provision may be made for the means 13 for guiding and driving the cleaning head 9 to form or be integrated into a gantry or a ramp extending above the bar 5 (and parallel to the latter) and in being arranged in a non-interfering manner with the moving and ejected objects 3, that the scraping member 10 in the form of a flexible and flexible blade is arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction AL of the bar 5 and has an edge 10' the profile of which matches (by cutting and/or by deformation) the transverse profile of the surface strip 7 at least, and that the blowing nozzles 11 are mounted in a support body 9' of the cleaning head 9 carrying the said scraping member 10. The gantry 13 may contain the drive means in translation of the cleaning head 9 (rack, chain, etc.), as well as the supply circuit for the blowing nozzles 11 (not shown).

In accordance with a first variant embodiment of the invention, shown in the figures 1 to 4 and 6 attached and designed to provide unidirectional treatment, the jets 11' of the blowing nozzles 11 are oriented and configured in such a way that the expelled air simultaneously impacts the surface strip 7 and at least one of the faces 10" of the organ scraper 10 in the form of a blade, being directed towards the edge 10' of the latter, the treatment by cleaning of the surface strip 7 with a view to removing the deposits 12 present on the latter being carried out only in the one of the two opposite directions of movement of the cleaning head 9 (direction in which the jets 11' precede the scraper member 10 during movement).

According to a second alternative embodiment of the invention, shown in the figure 5 appended, and designed for bidirectional treatment, the cleaning head 9 comprises blowing nozzles 11 on either side of the scraping member 10, the pressurized air jets 11' issuing from a row of nozzles 11 impacting one of the two opposite faces 10" of the scraper member 10 in the form of a blade, the treatment by cleaning the surface strip 7 with a view to removing the deposits 12 present on the latter being carried out in the two directions of movement of the cleaning head 9.

This second constructive variant is preferred because it is more effective and not dependent on a direction of movement of the head 9. In this case, an unloading of the deposits 12 driven by the member 10 is carried out at each end of travel at the two opposite ends band 7 and bar 5.

When one or more outer surface(s) of the bar 5 other than the surface strip 7 is (are) subject to deposits 12, for example a surface 7' located facing the end outlet 4' of the conveyor 4, the cleaning head 9 advantageously comprises one or more scraper member(s) 10 and a plurality of blower nozzles 11 which are arranged, dimensioned and configured to treat all of the exterior surfaces 7, 7' of the pneumatic or optical bar 5 which are subject to the deposit of objects 3 (or the like) falling from the conveyor 4, these surfaces including the surface strip 7.

In accordance with a very beneficial feature of the invention, the outer surface(s) of the bar 5 treated by the cleaning head 9 during its movement above it and along its longitudinal axis AL, that is to say at least the surface strip 7, extends (s) continuously, at least at one of the longitudinal ends of said bar 5, by an additional surface 14 forming a discharge zone for the deposits 12 removed from the surface strip 7 at least and driven by the scraping member 10 during a stroke of the cleaning head 9, this or each discharge zone 14 being advantageously provided with means 15 for evacuating the deposits 12 brought by the scraper member 10, which can move as far as this or these discharge zone(s) 14 (and preferentially enter it).

Preferably, the means 15 for evacuating the or each discharge zone 14 are pneumatic in nature. They can advantageously consist of at least one, preferably several, blowing nozzle(s) the outlets of which open out at the level of the or each additional surface 14, and emitting jets 15' of pressurized air permanently, cyclically or controlled according to the movement of the cleaning head 9. The or each discharge zone 14 may or may not form part of the bar 5 and its blow nozzles 15 may be supplied by the same compressed air supply circuit as the nozzles. ejection 6, or not.

The surface strip 7 can be planar and flat (as shown figure 1 ) or be curved, even domed (as represented figure 6 ), in a plane containing the longitudinal axis AL of the bar 5 or perpendicular to this plane. In both cases, the edge profile of blade 10 has a corresponding shape (straight/curved).

The angle A of the jets 11' of the blowing nozzles 11 with the surface strip 7 is advantageously less than or equal to 90°. At each end of this surface strip 7, at the level of the discharge zone(s) 14, the cleaning head 9 marks a determined stoppage time so that the scraped and accumulated deposits 12 are not too voluminous and can be evacuated.

The cleaning operation is advantageously carried out during an operating phase with interruption of the flow F.

Of course, the ejection or inspection device 1 (with the cleaning device 8) can be completely integrated into the structure of the machine 2.

Alternatively, however, it can also be provided that it is in the form of a unit of a modular nature, structurally and functionally, integrated into a machine 2 for automatic sorting of objects, in particular waste.

When the machine 2 is a sorting machine, the solenoid valves 10 controlling the air jets 6", 11'15' are all controlled by a management and control unit 17 of said machine 2, a single production unit of pressurized air (not shown) advantageously supplying all of said ejection and blowing nozzles 6, 11, 15. In the case of the machine inspection of the figure 6 , the nozzles 11 and 15 are controlled by the unit 17 and fed, if necessary, by a particular pressurized air source.

A person skilled in the art understands, by comparing the figure 1 and 6 , that the sorting machine of the figure 1 comprises a reflection detection device whose components (lighting 18 and camera 18') are located above the flow and before the outlet end 4' of the conveyor 4, whereas the inspection machine by transmission of the figure 6 comprises a detection device 1 by transmission of which one of the components (lighting bar 18) is located under the flow F and beyond the outlet end 4' of the conveyor 4 and of which the other component (camera 18') is located opposite and above flow F.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the appended drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. Automatic machine (2) for processing, in particular sorting or inspecting, objects (3) passing in a flow (F) on a conveyor (4), this machine (2) having either a selective ejection device (1) with at least one pneumatic bar or rail (5) with nozzles (6), or a radiation emitting and receiving device (1) with at least one optical bar (5), this bar (5) being disposed transverse to the direction of said flow (F), after the outlet or tipping end of said conveyor (4), and having an active surface strip (7) that corresponds to the installation region of the outlet openings (6') of the nozzles (6) of the pneumatic bar (5) or to a coverage or overlap region of the radiation emitting or receiving means of the optical bar (5), this surface strip (7) being situated beneath the conveying plane (4") of the conveyor (4),
   which machine (2) is characterized in that it also comprises a device (8) for cleaning at least said surface strip (7), this cleaning device (8) having at least one cleaning head (9) that is able to move in translation along the longitudinal axis (AL) of the bar (5) and at least over the entire extent of the installation or overlap region, said or each cleaning head (9) comprising at least one scraping member (10), which moves in contact with at least said surface strip (7), and at least one nozzle (11) for blowing air of which the pressurized jet (11') is directed toward said surface strip (7) and precedes the scraping member (10) during the movement of the mobile cleaning head (9) so as to process at least said surface strip (7) in order to remove deposits (12) present on the latter.
2. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning device (8) comprises a means (13) for guiding and driving said at least one cleaning head (9), this guiding and driving means being able and intended to move the latter above and in parallel along the surface strip (7), said cleaning head (9) having a plurality of blowing nozzles (11) that are aligned transversely relative to its direction of movement, in at least one row, and the scraping member (10) consisting of a flexible and elastically deformable blade.
3. Machine according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the means (13) for guiding and driving the cleaning head (9) forms or is integrated into a gantry or a rail that extends above the bar (5), and is arranged so as not to interfere with the passing and ejected objects (3), in that the scraping member (10) in the form of a flexible blade is arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (AL) of the bar (5) and has an edge (10') of which the profile matches the transverse profile of at least the surface strip (7), and in that the blowing nozzles (11) are mounted in a support body (9') of the cleaning head (9) that bears said scraping member (10).
4. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the jets (11') from the blowing nozzles (11) are oriented and configured in such a way that the expelled air simultaneously strikes the surface strip (7) and at least one of the faces (10") of the scraping member (10) in the form of a blade, being directed toward the edge (10') of the latter, the processing by cleaning of the surface strip (7) in order to remove the deposits (12) present on the latter being carried out only in one of the two opposite directions of movement of the cleaning head (9).
5. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cleaning head (9) has blowing nozzles (11) on either side of the scraping member (10), the pressurized air jets (11') coming from one row of blowing nozzles (11) striking one of the two opposite faces (10") of the scraping member (10) in the form of a blade, the processing by cleaning of the surface strip (7) in order to remove the deposits (12) present on the latter being carried out in both directions of movement of the cleaning head (9).
6. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cleaning head (9) has one or more scraping member(s) (10) and a plurality of blowing nozzles (11) that are arranged, dimensioned and configured to process all of the outer surfaces of the pneumatic or optical bar (5) that are subject to the deposition of objects (3) or object debris falling from the conveyor (4), these surfaces including the surface strip (7).
7. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer surface(s) of the bar (5) that is/are processed by the cleaning head (9) during its movement above said bar and along its longitudinal axis (AL), i.e. at least the surface strip (7), is/are extended continuously, at least at one of the longitudinal ends of said bar (5), by an additional surface (14) that forms a discharge region for the deposits (12) removed from at least the surface strip (7) and driven by the scraping member (10) during travel of the cleaning head (9) along said bar (5), this or each discharge region (14) being advantageously provided with means (15) for evacuating the deposits (12) brought by the scraping member (10), which can move as far as this or these discharge region(s) (14).
8. Machine according to Claim 7, characterized in that the evacuation means (15) of the or each discharge region (14) are pneumatic and advantageously consist of at least one, preferably a plurality of, blowing nozzle(s) of which the outlets open at the or each additional surface (14), and that emit jets (15') of pressurized air in a manner that is permanent, cyclic or controlled depending on the movement of the cleaning head (9).
9. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cleaning device (1) forms with the pneumatic bar or the optical bar (5) a unit that is modular, structurally and functionally, integrated into said machine (2) for automatically sorting or inspecting objects, in particular waste.

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