WO2001064359A1 - Separating device for solid particles - Google Patents

Separating device for solid particles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001064359A1
WO2001064359A1 PCT/NL2001/000118 NL0100118W WO0164359A1 WO 2001064359 A1 WO2001064359 A1 WO 2001064359A1 NL 0100118 W NL0100118 W NL 0100118W WO 0164359 A1 WO0164359 A1 WO 0164359A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
belt
fragments
organ
separating device
ejector
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2001/000118
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Tako Pieter Rinze De Jong
Holger Ulrich Reinhold Kattentidt
Edwin Albert Schokker
Original Assignee
Technische Universiteit Delft
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Technische Universiteit Delft filed Critical Technische Universiteit Delft
Priority to AU2001237815A priority Critical patent/AU2001237815A1/en
Publication of WO2001064359A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001064359A1/en

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07CPOSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/36Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • B07C5/361Processing or control devices therefor, e.g. escort memory
    • B07C5/362Separating or distributor mechanisms
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07CPOSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/36Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • B07C5/363Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution by means of air
    • B07C5/365Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution by means of air using a single separation means
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G31/00Mechanical throwing machines for articles or solid materials

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a separating device for solid fragments, comprising a conveyor belt for supplying the fragments, at least one sensor for detecting the fragments, and an ejector for dislodging the fragments from the belt.
  • Such a separating device is used in practice for the recovery or for recycling fragments of material.
  • mixtures of material have to be separated into pure fractions before reuse is possible.
  • sorting is currently often still carried out manually.
  • the separating device is characterized in that the ejector is em- bodied as mechanical impulse-transmitting organ operating in dependence on the sensor.
  • the number of sensor-ejector combinations may optionally be chosen to conform to the desired number of different fragments to be separated.
  • a very suitable embodiment of the separating de- vice that may be realized at low cost and very simply, is characterized in that the mechanic impulse-transmitting organ is a jolting rod located under the belt, and that a receiving organ is provided above the belt for catching the fragment that has been knocked off the belt by the jolting rod.
  • the bottom side of the receiving organ is positioned at a distance above the belt to allow fragments to pass unimpeded underneath.
  • an organ is provided for locally producing an underpressure under the belt to limit the vertical divergence of the belt after activation of the impulse-transmitting organ.
  • the fragments can be supplied via the belt at a greater density, i.e. at smaller mutual distances, without compromising the effectiveness of the device.
  • the invention is also embodied in an ejector suitable for use in a separating device as described in the above, and which is embodied to comprise a blow nozzle formed by an outlet pipe for compressed air.
  • Such an outlet pipe with blow nozzle is already in general use in the prior art and acts as air distributor.
  • said ejector is embodied such that a jolting body is provided on the blow nozzle of the outlet pipe, which jolting body comprises a sleeve- like organ that is provided with openings for the escape of air, and in which sleeve-like organ the outlet pipe is at least partially and movably accommodated.
  • Figure 5 shows 25 different fragments that have been processed in the separating device according to the invention. Identical reference numbers used in the figures refer to similar parts.
  • a separating device 1 comprising a conveyor belt 2, a sensor 3 (not shown in Figure 4) , and an ejector 4.
  • the ejector 4 is shown in more detail in Figure 1.
  • This ejector 4 is preferably pneumatic, having a valve 5 for compressed air to which an outlet pipe 6 is connected which is provided with a blow nozzle 7.
  • a jolting body 8 is provided, which comprises a sleeve- like organ 9 that is provided with openings 10 for the escape of air.
  • the sleeve-like organ 9 surrounds the outlet pipe 6 in such a manner that, when due to activation of the valve 5 compressed air leaves the outlet pipe 6, this is able to escape by lifting the jolting body 8 such that the escape openings 10 successively come free from the outlet pipe 6, thereby cancelling the driving force of the compressed air and subsequently allowing the jolting body 8 to return to its starting position as shown in the figure .
  • the ejector 4 is preferably designed as a mechanical impulse- transmitting organ, as explained just now with reference to Figure 1, which is located under the belt 2. Above the belt, a receptacle 11 is provided for catching and removing the fragment that has been knocked off the belt by the ejector 4.
  • the working of the separating device 1 is illustrated in Figure 2, showing the various consecutive stages involved in the removal of a specific fragment 12 from the belt 2.
  • the removal process begins with the situation shown in the left-hand section of Figure 2.
  • the fragment 12 supplied by the conveyor belt 2 is detected by the sensor 3.
  • the sensor 3 is coupled with the tappet 4, such that when the fragment has arrived more or less at the location of the tappet 4, the same is activated (see the middle section of Figure 2), delivering an upwards directed impulse to the fragment 12.
  • This together with the velocity of the fragment 12 in the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 2, results in the fragment 12 being knocked off the conveyor belt 2 and landing in the receptacle 11, thereby effectuating a separation from the remaining fragments on the conveyor belt .
  • This latter situation is shown in the right-hand section of Figure 2.
  • How the above-discussed separating device 1 may be supplemented by additional sensor-percussion-organ combinations in order to realize multiple separation of fragments, is obvious to the person skilled in the art.
  • the experiment shows that an impulse on a particular fragment affects the neighbouring fragments. Therefore there has to be sufficient distance between the fragments, in the longitudinal direction of the belt this distance has to be greater for heavier fragments than for lighter fragments, whereas widthwise this is of little consequence.
  • the minimum distance mentioned in the table from one fragment to neighbouring fragments is the dis- tance at which an impulse on a fragment does not disturb the neighbouring fragments.
  • Separability is good if after the impulse, the fragments attain sufficient height (minimally 10 cm) .
  • a well-positioned jolt to the fragment provides the lifting fragment with sufficient impetus for landing in a receptacle above the conveyor belt.
  • With heavier tappets than those used in the ex- periment it is possible to apply sufficient impulse also on the heavier fragments to enable them to separate from the stream. In order to improve the separation of larger, heavier fragments, it would also be possible to have a plurality of ejectors applying an impulse.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Combined Means For Separation Of Solids (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a separating device for solid fragments, comprising a conveyor belt for supplying the fragments, at least one sensor for detecting the fragments, and an ejector for dislodging the fragments from the belt. The ejector is embodied as mechanical impulse-transmitting organ operating in dependence on the sensor.

Description

Separating device for solid particles
The invention relates to a separating device for solid fragments, comprising a conveyor belt for supplying the fragments, at least one sensor for detecting the fragments, and an ejector for dislodging the fragments from the belt.
Such a separating device is used in practice for the recovery or for recycling fragments of material. In the recycling technology mixtures of material have to be separated into pure fractions before reuse is possible. As no methods are known for efficiently separating certain kinds of mixtures, sorting is currently often still carried out manually.
There are systems that by means of sensors are capable of detecting fragments on a conveyor belt or a sloping surface, and of subsequently removing them from the fragment stream at the end of said conveyor belt with the aid of an air blast. An example of this is disclosed in US-A-5, 894 , 938. These systems have been developed as alternative for separating the fragments manually. A draw- back of this latter method is that it is labour-intensive and involves high costs. A drawback of the first method is that apart from the fragments to be removed, fragments in the vicinity are also blown away, which causes an impurity in the separation step. A second drawback of this method is that the stream of fragments can only be separated into two fractions.
Other systems are also known wherein fragments are scanned on a conveyor belt and depending on that result, after falling off the belt, during their free fall, are subjected to a separation process by means of an air distributor; see for example, US-A-5 , 305 , 893 and US-A- 5, 908, 117.
It is the object of the invention to provide a separating device by which after detection, the fragments can be selectively removed at a high throughput and in large numbers in various different streams.
To this end the separating device according to the invention is characterized in that the ejector is em- bodied as mechanical impulse-transmitting organ operating in dependence on the sensor. The number of sensor-ejector combinations may optionally be chosen to conform to the desired number of different fragments to be separated.
A very suitable embodiment of the separating de- vice that may be realized at low cost and very simply, is characterized in that the mechanic impulse-transmitting organ is a jolting rod located under the belt, and that a receiving organ is provided above the belt for catching the fragment that has been knocked off the belt by the jolting rod. Advisably, the bottom side of the receiving organ is positioned at a distance above the belt to allow fragments to pass unimpeded underneath.
Preferably an organ is provided for locally producing an underpressure under the belt to limit the vertical divergence of the belt after activation of the impulse-transmitting organ. By this means the fragments can be supplied via the belt at a greater density, i.e. at smaller mutual distances, without compromising the effectiveness of the device. The invention is also embodied in an ejector suitable for use in a separating device as described in the above, and which is embodied to comprise a blow nozzle formed by an outlet pipe for compressed air. Such an outlet pipe with blow nozzle is already in general use in the prior art and acts as air distributor.
In the frame of the invention said ejector is embodied such that a jolting body is provided on the blow nozzle of the outlet pipe, which jolting body comprises a sleeve- like organ that is provided with openings for the escape of air, and in which sleeve-like organ the outlet pipe is at least partially and movably accommodated. The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of a non-limiting exemplary embodiment and with reference to the drawings, which in Figure 1, show an ejector according to the in- vention; in Figure 2, show the working principle of the separating device according to the invention; and in Figures 3, and 4 show a side view and a top view, respectively, of the separating device according to the invention.
Figure 5 shows 25 different fragments that have been processed in the separating device according to the invention. Identical reference numbers used in the figures refer to similar parts.
With reference first to the Figures 3 and 4, a separating device 1 is shown comprising a conveyor belt 2, a sensor 3 (not shown in Figure 4) , and an ejector 4. The ejector 4 is shown in more detail in Figure 1. This ejector 4 is preferably pneumatic, having a valve 5 for compressed air to which an outlet pipe 6 is connected which is provided with a blow nozzle 7. On the outlet pipe 6 a jolting body 8 is provided, which comprises a sleeve- like organ 9 that is provided with openings 10 for the escape of air. The sleeve-like organ 9 surrounds the outlet pipe 6 in such a manner that, when due to activation of the valve 5 compressed air leaves the outlet pipe 6, this is able to escape by lifting the jolting body 8 such that the escape openings 10 successively come free from the outlet pipe 6, thereby cancelling the driving force of the compressed air and subsequently allowing the jolting body 8 to return to its starting position as shown in the figure . As shown both in Figure 3 and Figure 2, the ejector 4 is preferably designed as a mechanical impulse- transmitting organ, as explained just now with reference to Figure 1, which is located under the belt 2. Above the belt, a receptacle 11 is provided for catching and removing the fragment that has been knocked off the belt by the ejector 4. The working of the separating device 1 is illustrated in Figure 2, showing the various consecutive stages involved in the removal of a specific fragment 12 from the belt 2. The removal process begins with the situation shown in the left-hand section of Figure 2. The fragment 12 supplied by the conveyor belt 2, is detected by the sensor 3. The sensor 3 is coupled with the tappet 4, such that when the fragment has arrived more or less at the location of the tappet 4, the same is activated (see the middle section of Figure 2), delivering an upwards directed impulse to the fragment 12. This, together with the velocity of the fragment 12 in the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 2, results in the fragment 12 being knocked off the conveyor belt 2 and landing in the receptacle 11, thereby effectuating a separation from the remaining fragments on the conveyor belt . This latter situation is shown in the right-hand section of Figure 2. How the above-discussed separating device 1 may be supplemented by additional sensor-percussion-organ combinations in order to realize multiple separation of fragments, is obvious to the person skilled in the art.
To further elucidate the effect of the separating device 1 according to the invention, the same was experimentally loaded with an assortment of fragments numbered 1 to 25, as shown in Figure 5. The belt speed was 1 m/s. The results obtained by means of the separating device according to the invention are tabulated in the Table 1 below. The following remarks are relevant.
The experiment shows that an impulse on a particular fragment affects the neighbouring fragments. Therefore there has to be sufficient distance between the fragments, in the longitudinal direction of the belt this distance has to be greater for heavier fragments than for lighter fragments, whereas widthwise this is of little consequence. The minimum distance mentioned in the table from one fragment to neighbouring fragments, is the dis- tance at which an impulse on a fragment does not disturb the neighbouring fragments. By optimizing the type of belt in use, for example, by employing an organ that by means of locally applied underpressure suppresses the vertical movement of the belt, it may be possible to reduce the minimal distance between the fragments. An organ by means of which such a local under-pressure under the belt may be applied, is known to the person skilled in the art and is therefore not illustrated in the figure. Separability is good if after the impulse, the fragments attain sufficient height (minimally 10 cm) . A well-positioned jolt to the fragment provides the lifting fragment with sufficient impetus for landing in a receptacle above the conveyor belt. With heavier tappets than those used in the ex- periment it is possible to apply sufficient impulse also on the heavier fragments to enable them to separate from the stream. In order to improve the separation of larger, heavier fragments, it would also be possible to have a plurality of ejectors applying an impulse.
TABLE 1
Figure imgf000007_0001

Claims

1. A separating device for solid fragments, comprising a conveyor belt for supplying the fragments, at least one sensor for detecting the fragments, and an ejector for dislodging the fragments from the belt, characterized in that the ejector is embodied as mechanical impulse-transmitting organ operating in dependence on the sensor.
2. A separating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanic impulse-transmitting organ is a jolting rod located under the belt, and that a receiving organ is provided above the belt for catching the fragment that has been knocked off the belt by the jolting rod.
3. A separating device according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that an organ is provided for locally producing an underpressure under the belt to limit the vertical divergence of the belt after activation of the impulse-transmitting organ.
4. A separating device according to claim 2, characterized in that the bottom side of the receiving organ is positioned at a distance above the belt to allow fragments to pass unimpeded underneath.
5. An ejector suitable for use in a separating device according to one of the preceding claims, compris- ing a blow nozzle formed by an outlet pipe for compressed air, characterized in that a jolting body is provided on the blow nozzle of the outlet pipe, which jolting body comprises a sleeve-like organ that is provided with openings for the escape of air, and in which sleeve-like organ the outlet pipe is at least partially and movably accommodated.
PCT/NL2001/000118 2000-03-01 2001-02-12 Separating device for solid particles WO2001064359A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001237815A AU2001237815A1 (en) 2000-03-01 2001-02-12 Separating device for solid particles

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1014535A NL1014535C2 (en) 2000-03-01 2000-03-01 Solid particle separator.
NL1014535 2000-03-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001064359A1 true WO2001064359A1 (en) 2001-09-07

Family

ID=19770920

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NL2001/000118 WO2001064359A1 (en) 2000-03-01 2001-02-12 Separating device for solid particles

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2001237815A1 (en)
NL (1) NL1014535C2 (en)
WO (1) WO2001064359A1 (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3773172A (en) * 1972-03-21 1973-11-20 Research Corp Blueberry sorter
US4091931A (en) * 1975-09-17 1978-05-30 Robert L. Button Fruit sorting method and apparatus
US4541290A (en) * 1984-03-28 1985-09-17 Niemann Gary O Apparatus for obtaining a random sample
JPH07195038A (en) * 1993-12-30 1995-08-01 Nippon Kyodo Kikaku Kk Automatic fruit vegetable selector

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3773172A (en) * 1972-03-21 1973-11-20 Research Corp Blueberry sorter
US4091931A (en) * 1975-09-17 1978-05-30 Robert L. Button Fruit sorting method and apparatus
US4541290A (en) * 1984-03-28 1985-09-17 Niemann Gary O Apparatus for obtaining a random sample
JPH07195038A (en) * 1993-12-30 1995-08-01 Nippon Kyodo Kikaku Kk Automatic fruit vegetable selector

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 1995, no. 11 26 December 1995 (1995-12-26) *

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AU2001237815A1 (en) 2001-09-12

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