Patent ID: 6380503
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: B07C,G01B

Abstract:
An apparatus for sizing and sorting an article located within a stream of articles, comprising:a. a scanning station, including first and second groups of laser line beam generators and respective linear arrays of photo detectors arranged in orthogonal relation with respect each other thereby defining an exposure window, said first and second groups of laser line beam generators and respective linear arrays of photo detectors producing output signals corresponding to a height and a width of a portion of an article within said exposure window during a scanning cycle; b. means for passing the article entirely through said exposure window during an article scanning operation; c. means for converting said output signals of said first and second scanning means into digitized numbers; d. means for storing said digitized numbers, generated during said scanning operation; e. means for comparing said stored digitized numbers with predetermined parameters corresponding to a desired size, or weight, or configuration of an article; and, f. means responsive to said comparing means, for segregating the article from the stream of articles, if said digitized numbers meet said predetermined parameters.