Patent ID: 9731328
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: B07C

Claim:
1. A method for inspecting and sorting a plurality of fasteners, the method comprising: transporting a plurality of fasteners in a product stream, each of the plurality of fasteners being directed through an inspection system; initiating an optical inspection of the plurality of fasteners in the product stream, each of the plurality of fasteners including a measurable fastener parameter; determining, for each of the plurality of fasteners, whether the optical inspection is impeded by an improper fastener orientation within the inspection system as a system fault; determining, for each of the plurality of fasteners having been inspected without a system fault, whether the measurable fastener parameter is within predetermined tolerances; ejecting, into a chute for conforming fasteners, fasteners having a measurable fastener parameter within predetermined tolerances; ejecting, into a chute for re-inspection, fasteners for which the optical inspection included a system fault; and accepting, into a chute for non-conforming fasteners, fasteners that were transported past the chute for conforming fasteners and the chute for re-inspection.