Object conveying and/or sorting system

Abstract

An object conveying system is provided. The system comprises guide plate ( 10 ) having at least one channel ( 11 ) for conveying an object ( 0 ) between a first end ( 11 a ) and second end ( 11 b ) of the corresponding channel ( 11 ). Each channel ( 11 ) comprises a first aperture ( 121 ) provided at a first longitudinal position thereof (P 1 ).The system further comprises an object measurement unit ( 13 ) for conducting an optical measurement associated with a property of the object via the first aperture ( 121 ) when the object passes the first aperture ( 121 ) towards the second end ( 11 b ). At least one ejector unit ( 14 ) is arranged to eject the object conveyed on the corresponding channel when reaching a second longitudinal position (P 2, P 2 ′) located downstream of the first aperture ( 121 ) based on the measured property of the object and a timing signal associated with a conveying velocity of the object being conveyed along the channel ( 11 ).

1 . An object conveying system comprising;
 a guide plate having at least one channel for conveying an object between a first end and a second end of the corresponding channel, wherein the at least one channel comprises a first aperture provided at a first longitudinal position thereof,   an object measurement unit for conducting an optical measurement associated with a property of the object via the first aperture when the object passes the first aperture towards the second end,   at least one ejector unit arranged to eject the object conveyed on the corresponding channel when reaching a second longitudinal position on the guide plate located downstream of the first aperture based on the measured property of the object and a timing signal associated with a conveying velocity of the object being conveyed along the channel.   
     
     
         2 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second aperture provided at a third longitudinal position arranged downstream the first longitudinal position, wherein said second aperture is operatively coupled to the object measurement unit such as to allow for calculation of the conveying velocity. 
     
     
         3 . The object conveying system according to  claim 2 , wherein the object measurement unit is arranged to optically detect the object passing the first aperture at an associated first time instant, and the object passing the second aperture at an associated second time instant, thereby allowing for calculation of the time at which the associated object will pass the second longitudinal position by utilizing the time instant, and time instant, distance between the first longitudinal position and third longitudinal position and distance between the first longitudinal position and second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         4 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the object measurement unit is arranged to optically detect the object entering the first aperture at an associated first time instant the object exiting the first aperture at an associated second time instant, thereby allowing for calculation of the time at which the associated object will pass the second longitudinal position by utilizing the time instant, and time instant, the size of the first aperture and distance between the first longitudinal position and second longitudinal position. 
     
     
         5 . The object conveying system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel comprises a longitudinally extending base and a pair of sidewalls arranged along either of the base for limiting the movement of the object in a lateral direction when being conveyed longitudinally along the base. 
     
     
         6 . The object conveying system according to  claim 5 , further comprising a second aperture provided at a third longitudinal position arranged downstream the first longitudinal position, wherein said second aperture is operatively coupled to the object measurement unit such as to allow for calculation of the conveying velocity, wherein the first aperture and/or second aperture is provided through the base. 
     
     
         7 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , the previous claims, wherein a first channel of the guide plate has a first length and a second channel of the guide plate has a second length differing from the first length. 
     
     
         8 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second longitudinal position of a first channel of the guide plate is provided downstream or upstream the second longitudinal position of a second channel of the guide plate. 
     
     
         9 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , wherein a third aperture is arranged at the second position for receiving a fluid jet stream. 
     
     
         10 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second longitudinal position is located downstream the second end of the at least one channel. 
     
     
         11 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , any ono of the previous claims, wherein each channel has a width dimensioned to accommodate a single object. 
     
     
         12 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , wherein the ejector unit is a fluid jet stream unit. 
     
     
         13 . The object conveying system of  claim 9 , wherein the third aperture is tapered, thus forming an ejection channel having a cross-section reducing through a base of the guide plate towards the object in use. 
     
     
         14 . The object conveying system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a control unit arranged to control the operation of the ejector unit and/or object measurement unit. 
     
     
         15 . The object conveying system according to  claim 14 , wherein the control unit is further arranged to eject a particular object based on information of said object being obtained from the object measuring unit. 
     
     
         16 . The object conveying system according to  claim 14 , wherein the control unit is further arranged to receive information from at least one object sensor monitoring each object between the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position, thereby assuring that the object having a certain property to be ejected is ejected at the second longitudinal position by means of the ejector unit. 
     
     
         17 . The object conveying system according to  claim 16 , wherein the sensor is at least one camera.