System and a method for sorting items out of waste material

Abstract

For sorting items out of waste material, a system is provided including a conveyor for transporting waste material, a detector for identifying and locating items of the waste material on the conveyor, at least one depositing area along the conveyor, at least one robot along the conveyor; and a control circuitry communicating with the detector and with the robots. The control circuitry is arranged for controlling the robot or at least one of the robots to pick-up located items of the waste material on the conveyor and to deposit picked-up items at the at least one depositing area. A method for sorting items out of waste material is also disclosed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing is a perspective view of an example of a system according to the invention in which control circuitry is shown schematically.

Claims

1. A system for sorting items out of waste material, comprising: a conveyor for transporting waste material;a detector for identifying and locating items of the waste material on the conveyor;at least one depositing area along the conveyor;at least one robot along the conveyor; anda control circuitry communicating with the detector and with the robots for controlling the robot or at least one of the robots to pick-up located items of the waste material on the conveyor and to deposit picked-up items in the at least one depositing area.

2. A system for sorting items out of waste material, comprising: a conveyor for transporting waste material;a detector for identifying and locating items of the waste material on the conveyor;at least one depositing area along the conveyor;a plurality of the robots along the conveyor, each of the robots comprising a plurality of arms and a plurality of motors for driving the robot arms; anda control circuitry communicating with the detector and with the robots for controlling the robots to pick-up located items of the waste material on the conveyor and to deposit picked-up items in the at least one depositing area,wherein the control circuitry comprises a central control unit communicating with the at least one detector and communicating with the motors of the robots, the central control unit being arranged for determining control signals for the motors of the robots from signals received from the at least one detector.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the central control unit is arranged for determining analog control signals for the motors of the robots.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is arranged for controlling the robot or at least one of the robots for each time depositing a picked-up item at the at least one depositing area by performing a movement having a horizontal directional component from a starting point towards the depositing area and for releasing the picked-up item before the gripper has reached a position above the depositing area.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is arranged for generating a signal indicative of material clinging to the robot in response to resistance encountered during upward movement of a gripper of the at least one robot exceeding a threshold level.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the control circuitry is arranged for generating the signal indicative of material clinging to the robot in response to a current powering any motor of the robot or at least one of the robots exceeding a predetermined maximum amperage associated to the respective motor.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein the control circuitry is arranged for controlling the robot or the one of the robots for performing a shake-off movement in response to the signal indicative of material clinging to the robot.

8. A system according to claim 5, wherein the robot or the one of the robots includes a valve for switching between applying a vacuum to the gripper and blowing air out of at least the gripper, the control circuitry being arranged for controlling the robot or the one of the robots for switching to the blowing air out of at least the gripper in response to the signal indicative of material clinging to the robot.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one robot includes a gripper for engaging items to be picked up, a linear motor for driving displacement of the gripper in at least one direction towards a predetermined gripping position, the control circuitry being arranged for controlling the linear motor to displace the gripper towards the gripping position until either the gripping position is reached or a resistance preventing the gripper from reaching the gripping position is encountered.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the linear motor is arranged for driving at least displacements of the gripper with a vertical directional component.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is arranged for, in response to a current powering the linear motor exceeding a predetermined amperage, controlling the linear motor for stopping the driving of the displacement of the gripper towards the gripping position.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is arranged for, in response to powering the linear motor for driving displacement towards the gripping position exceeding a predetermined duration, controlling the linear motor for stopping the driving of the displacement of the gripper towards the gripping position.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the robots are arranged in at least two rows in longitudinal direction of the conveyor.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the rows of robots are staggered relative to each other.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least two parallel conveyor paths in longitudinal direction of the conveyor track are arranged underneath the conveyor track, and wherein the depositing areas connect to chutes each leading to one of the conveyor paths underneath the conveyor track.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the depositing areas are located on opposite sides of the track, at least one of the depositing areas on each side of the conveyor track connecting to chutes leading to an outer one of the conveyor paths, the control unit, the chutes and the robots being arranged for depositing items of the same category onto said outer tracks.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the depositing areas include depositing areas on opposite sides of the track, each one of the conveyor paths being connected to at least one of the depositing areas on each side of the conveyor track.

18. A method for sorting items out of waste material, comprising: providing at least one depositing area along a conveyor track;providing at least one robot along the conveyor track;transporting waste material along the conveyor track;identifying and locating items of the waste material on the conveyor track; andcontrolling the robot or at least one of the robots to pick-up located items of the waste material on the conveyor track and to deposit picked-up items at the at least one depositing area.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the depositing of a picked-up item at the at least one depositing area is performed by movement of the picked-up item having a horizontal directional component from a starting point towards the depositing area and releasing the picked-up item before the gripper has reached a position above the depositing area.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein a signal indicative of material clinging to the robot is generated in response to resistance exceeding a threshold level encountered during upward movement of a gripper of the at least one robot.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the signal indicative of material clinging to the robot is generated in response to a current powering a motor of the robot or at least one of the robots exceeding a predetermined maximum amperage associated to the respective motor.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein the robot or the one of the robots performs a shake-off movement in response to the signal indicative of material clinging to the robot.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein the robot or the one of the robots blows air out of at least the gripper in response to the signal indicative of material clinging to the robot.

24. A method according to claim 18, wherein a gripper of the at least one robot engages items to be picked up, a linear motor drives displacements of the gripper in at least one direction towards a predetermined gripping position, and the linear motor stops the driving of the displacement of the gripper towards the gripping position in response to resistance preventing the gripper from reaching the gripping position.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the linear motor drives at least displacements of the gripper with a vertical directional component.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the linear motor stops the driving of the displacement of the gripper towards the gripping position in response to a current powering the linear motor exceeding a predetermined amperage.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein the linear motor stops the driving of the displacement of the gripper towards the gripping position in response to powering the linear motor for driving displacement towards the gripping position exceeding a predetermined duration.