US 12,246,357 B2
System for sorting materials with vacuum apparatus
Marc Massé, Princeville (CA); Adrien Boucher, Plessisville (CA); and Jean-François Bergeron, Quebec (CA)
Assigned to INDUSTRIES MACHINEX INC., Plessisville (CA)
Appl. No. 17/605,277
Filed by Industries Machinex, Plessisville (CA)
PCT Filed Jul. 29, 2020, PCT No. PCT/CA2020/051036
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 21, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/016707, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/879,880, filed on Jul. 29, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0241823 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. B07C 5/36 (2006.01); B07C 5/34 (2006.01)
CPC B07C 5/365 (2013.01) [B07C 5/3404 (2013.01); B07C 2501/0063 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for sorting materials comprising:
a sorting apparatus comprising a handling tool and a robotized arm for displacing the handling tool over the materials; and
a vacuum apparatus creating a depression and having a tubing extending from a source for the depression to the handling tool where the tubing for the vacuum apparatus is flexible and ends and where it defines a diameter;
wherein the handling tool is adapted to be displaced to a selected item among the materials and perform a contact therewith with the end of the tubing for the vacuum apparatus for, at least one of:
grabbing the selected item if the selected item is larger than the diameter; and
sucking up the selected item if the selected item is smaller than the diameter, wherein sucking up the selected item has the selected item travel through the tubing under the effect of the vacuum apparatus,
wherein the handling tool deforms and contracts on itself as a consequent result of a pressure gradient buildup following the grabbing, to lift an end of the handling tool and the selected item being grabbed altogether at least as high as a height of the selected item for lifting above the conveyor,
the system further comprising an item-receiving decanter, connected to the tubing downstream of the source for the depression, and a purge system operatively connected to the vacuum apparatus, the purge system comprising an injection point for compressed air in the tubing between the decanter and the source for the depression for temporarily reducing vacuum to stop the materials being sucked up,
wherein the purge system comprises a trap door at a bottom of the decanter which is operable to open simultaneously with an operation of the injection point for compressed air to purge the decanter while no materials fall into the decanter.