Patent ID: 11969765
Assignee: SATAKE CORPORATION
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An optical sorter comprising:
a chute arranged in an inclined manner to allow sorting targets to flow downward;
optical detection means for detecting the sorting targets at a detection position; and
ejector means for sorting and removing the sorting targets based on a result of detection of the optical detection means,
wherein:
the optical detection means includes
illumination means for illuminating the detection position, and
imaging means for imaging the sorting targets at the detection position,

the chute is provided with an optical detection slit in a direction orthogonal to a flow-down direction of the sorting targets,
a slit width of the optical detection slit is adjustable,
the optical detection means illuminates the sorting targets flowing downward on the chute with the illumination means at a position where the optical detection slit is provided as the detection position, and images the sorting targets illuminated by the illumination means with the imaging means,
the chute includes a first chute portion and a second chute portion located on an upstream side of the first chute portion,
the optical detection slit is formed between the first chute portion and the second chute portion such that a lower slit edge is formed by the first chute portion and an upper slit edge is formed by the second chute portion,
the first chute portion and/or the second chute portion are/is provided such that a vertical position of the first chute portion and/or a vertical position of the second chute portion along the flow-down direction of the sorting targets is adjustable,
the slit width of the optical detection slit is adjustable by adjusting the vertical position of the first chute portion and/or a vertical position of the second chute portion,
the first chute portion is provided with a scale having the lower slit edge as a base point such that the scale extends to an upstream side along the flow-down direction of the sorting targets, and
the slit width of the optical detection slit is adjustable with reference to the scale.