Patent ID: 9669433
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: B07C,G01N

Claim:
1. A pneumatic device for separating particles according to their composition which comprises: a source of pre-crushed particles, wherein each particle has a unique diameter d.sub.p; a base member made of a transparent material and formed with an elongated lumen extending through the base member, wherein the lumen has a first end and a second end, with a cross-section having a characteristic dimension d.sub.L approximately 250 microns, and further wherein d.sub.p is less than d.sub.L (d.sub.p<d.sub.L)), wherein, for a circular cross-section, d.sub.L is a diameter, and for a rectangular shaped channel, d.sub.L is a minimum distance between opposed sides; an injector unit, including a pneumatic venturi pump connected in fluid communication with the first end of the lumen in the base member for pneumatically injecting a plurality of separated particles for single file transit through the lumen, wherein the injector unit comprises: an analyzer positioned with the base member for monitoring the lumen of the base member to determine a size, and a composition for each particle, as the particle transits through the lumen; and a sorter connected in fluid communication with the second end of the lumen in the base member for pneumatically diverting each particle from the lumen and into a predetermined collection bin for separation of the particles according to the composition of the particle.