Patent ID: 6444936
Filing Date: 2002-09-03
Classification: B07C

Abstract:
A device for sorting products in dependence on a measured criteria comprising:a channel; a first zone receiving products from said channel; a second zone receiving products from said first zone; said second zone having a separating element including circumferentially and equally spaced apart fingers; said fingers having a rigid core body; said core body being enclosed by at least one elastomer cover; a stepper motor for rotating said separating element; a real time image tracking system for determining when a product enters the first zone and at least one parameter relating to volume, speed, profile of pieces, center of mass, defective spots, deflection characteristics and angular momentum; and at least one microprocessor and at least one address array for receiving said at least one parameter from said real time tracking system and for controlling said stepper motor to accelerate a finger of said fingers of said separating element in at least a first direction toward the product to be sorted and then to contact said product with a controlled acceleration to thereby impart to said product a related product acceleration based on the at least one parameter to direct a trajectory of the product into any one of at least two flow paths by motion in the first direction to effect sorting, wherein the finger is capable of effecting movement of the product into either one of the at least two flow paths by movement in a single direction which is the first direction.