Patent Description:
The global textile consumption is growing rapidly. In <NUM>, the global fiber consumption was about <NUM> million tons, which will increase to <NUM> million tons in <NUM>. The European Union requires member states to start special textile recycling from <NUM>. However, there are too many types of fiber materials used in textiles. Blended fibers are often adopted for different functional purposes, and the fabrics have many colors and patterns, which greatly increases the difficulty of fabric recycling and classification.

For spectral sorters currently on the market, charge-coupled device (CCD) sorter, near infrared (NIR) sorter (such as Brisort Co. ), and visible light Raman sorter (such as Recycle Time Co. ) are common separators used in PET recycling. However, there are too many types of fiber materials used in textiles, and blended fibers are often adopted for different functional purposes, which increases the difficulty of fabric recycling. <CIT> discloses an arrangement in a spinning preparation installation for detecting and separating coloured and metallic foreign matter from pneumatically transported fibre material. A transport duct has oppositely mounted optical sensor means, viewing the illuminated duct through transparent sections provided for detecting the colour of the foreign matter, and downstream thereof there is arranged a separating means comprising either piston operated flaps or air jets for separating the foreign matter by directing it into a collector. A metal detector may also be located upstream of the optical sensors. The optical sensor means is connected to the separating means by way of an evaluating device and a control device which times the passage of the foreign matter. <CIT> discloses a system for reading and decoding information on packages in which packages are randomly placed on a conveyor belt, with their labels facing a two-camera subassembly. As the conveyor belt moves, the two-camera subassembly continuously takes images of the belt underneath the overhead camera. The design of the camera permits it to take a high resolution image of a non-singulated, unjustified package flow. A digital image of the packages within the field of view of the camera is then transferred to the processing system for analysis.

The present invention is provided by the appended claims. The disclosure serves a better understanding of the invention and provides a textile detection module, a textile sorting system and a using method thereof, which can greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy of optical detection of a test specimen, thereby improving the sorting efficiency of the test specimen.

The disclosure provides a textile detection module suitable for detecting a test specimen. The textile detection module includes a height sensor, an excitation light source, an optical detector, and a focuser. The height sensor is suitable for measuring a height of the test specimen to generate a height signal. The excitation light source provides an excitation light beam. The optical detector is disposed on a transmission path of the excitation light beam and is suitable for receiving the excitation light beam and emitting the excitation light beam along an optical axis and receiving a detection light beam to generate a detection result. The focuser is disposed on the transmission path of the excitation light beam emitted by the optical detector. The focuser includes a focus lens, which is suitable for converting the excitation light beam into a focused excitation light beam. The focused excitation light beam is transmitted from the focuser to the test specimen to generate the detection light beam. The focuser adjusts a position of the focus lens according to the height signal. The height sensor measures the height of the test specimen at a first position of a conveying path, the optical detector performs optical detection on the test specimen at a second position of the conveying path, and the test specimen moves from the first position to the second position along the conveying path.

The disclosure also provides a textile sorting system, which includes a conveying device, a textile detection module, and at least one sorting module. The conveying device is suitable for moving a test specimen along a conveying path. The textile detection module is the above-mentioned textile detection module, which is disposed at the conveying device. The at least one sorting module is disposed at the conveying device. An optical detector is located between a height sensor and the at least one sorting module. The at least one sorting module sorts the test specimen according to a detection result.

The disclosure also provides a using method of a textile sorting system, which includes the following steps. A test specimen is provided to a conveying device to move along a conveying path. An excitation light beam is provided by an excitation light source. The excitation light beam is received and emitted along an optical axis by an optical detector disposed on a transmission path of the excitation light beam. The excitation light beam is converted into a focused excitation light beam. A height of the test specimen is measured by a height sensor to generate a height signal. A focuser is adjusted according to the height signal. The focused excitation light beam transmitted from the focuser is provided to the test specimen to generate a detection light beam by a focus lens of the focuser. The detection light beam is received to generate a detection result. The test specimen is sorted according to the detection result. The height of the test specimen is measured at a first position of the conveying path, optical detection is performed when the test specimen is at a second position of the conveying path, and the test specimen moves from the first position to the second position along the conveying path.

<FIG> is a schematic view of a textile sorting system according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Please refer to <FIG>. The embodiment provides a textile sorting system <NUM>, which is suitable for sorting a test specimen <NUM>. The textile sorting system <NUM> includes a conveying device <NUM>, a textile detection module <NUM>, and at least one sorting module <NUM>. The textile sorting system <NUM> is suitable for analyzing and classifying the test specimen <NUM> to facilitate the recycling and reuse of textiles. The test specimen <NUM> is, for example, a mixed-material textile, such as clothing, cloth, and a cloth object.

The conveying device <NUM> is, for example, an equipment including a conveyor belt, which is suitable for uninterruptedly and continuously conveying the test specimen <NUM> along a conveying path A. In detail, each station device of the conveying device <NUM> is configured with multiple position detectors, which are suitable for detecting the test specimen <NUM> to feedback a specific position of the test specimen <NUM>, so that each station device may work on the test specimen <NUM>. The disclosure does not limit the number and type of the position detectors.

The textile detection module <NUM> is disposed at the conveying device <NUM> and is suitable for detecting the material composition of the test specimen <NUM> to generate a detection result to facilitate sorting by the sorting module <NUM>. The textile detection module <NUM> includes a height sensor <NUM>, an excitation light source <NUM>, an optical detector <NUM>, and a focuser <NUM>.

The sorting module <NUM> is disposed at the conveying device <NUM>, and the optical detector <NUM> is located between the height sensor <NUM> and the sorting module <NUM>. For example, the sorting module <NUM>, for example, includes a divider board, which may also be a device capable of sorting, such as an air blowing device or a mechanical arm, and the disclosure is not limited thereto. The sorting module <NUM> sorts the test specimen <NUM> according to the detection result of the textile detection module <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic side view of a height sensor of the textile sorting system of <FIG>. Please refer to <FIG> and <FIG>. The height sensor <NUM> is suitable for measuring the height of the test specimen <NUM> to generate a height signal S1. For example, the height sensor <NUM> includes a laser light source <NUM>, a condenser <NUM>, and a receiving element <NUM>. The laser light source <NUM> is, for example, a laser light source with a wavelength of <NUM> nanometers, which provides a measuring light beam L0 to the test specimen <NUM>. The measuring light beam L0 is reflected back after being incident on the test specimen <NUM> and is received by the receiving element <NUM>. The condenser <NUM> is disposed on a transmission path of the measuring light beam L0 reflected by the test specimen <NUM> to converge the measuring light beam L0. The receiving element <NUM> is suitable for receiving the measuring light beam L0 to generate the height signal S1 with height information of the test specimen <NUM>.

In the embodiment, the height sensor <NUM> measures the height of the test specimen <NUM> at a first position P1 of the conveying path A. In addition, in the embodiment, the time required to measure the height of a single test specimen <NUM> is about <NUM> milliseconds. Compared with the slower moving speed of the conveyor belt of the conveying device <NUM>, when the height sensor <NUM> measures the height of the test specimen <NUM>, the conveying device <NUM> does not need to stop moving the test specimen <NUM>. In other words, during the measurement process, the conveying device <NUM> may continuously and uninterruptedly transport the test specimen <NUM>. Therefore, the efficiency of subsequent detection of the test specimen <NUM> can be improved. Furthermore, since the conveying device <NUM> does not stop moving the test specimen <NUM>, when the height sensor <NUM> measures the height, continuous height information change situation is measured according to the height fluctuation change of the test specimen <NUM> at the corresponding horizontal position of the conveying device <NUM> to generate the height signal S1 for the subsequent focuser <NUM> to adjust a focus position (to be described in detail later) according to the height signal S1.

In an embodiment, when the height sensor <NUM> measures the height of the test specimen <NUM>, a single point measurement is adopted to adjust the focus. In detail, the height sensor <NUM> performs a single height measurement on a single test specimen <NUM>, that is, in a maximum length D1 of the test specimen <NUM> at the horizontal position, a position of a single point is taken to generate the height signal S1, so that the subsequent focuser <NUM> may adjust the focus position according to the height signal S1, that is, in the embodiment, the focuser <NUM> performs a single focus adjustment for the height of the test specimen <NUM>.

However, in another embodiment, when the height sensor <NUM> measures the height of the test specimen <NUM>, a multi-point measurement is adopted to adjust the focus. In detail, the height sensor <NUM> performs multiple height measurements on a single test specimen <NUM>, that is, in the maximum length D1 of the test specimen <NUM> at the horizontal position, positions of multiple points are taken to generate multiple height signals S1, so that the subsequent focuser <NUM> may adjust the focus position according to the height signals S1, that is, in the embodiment, the focuser <NUM> performs multiple focus adjustments for the test specimen <NUM> along with the movement of the conveying device <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic side view of an excitation light source and an optical detector of the textile sorting system of <FIG>. Please refer to <FIG> and <FIG>. The excitation light source <NUM> provides an excitation light beam L1 to the optical detector <NUM>. In the embodiment, the excitation light source <NUM> is an infrared laser light emitting device, and the wavelength of the excitation light beam L1 is greater than <NUM> nanometers. In an embodiment, the wavelength of the excitation light beam L1 is <NUM> nanometers.

The optical detector <NUM> is disposed on a transmission path of the excitation light beam L1 and is suitable for receiving the excitation light beam L1 provided by the excitation light source <NUM> and emitting the excitation light beam L1 along an optical axis I. In addition, the optical detector <NUM> receives a detection light beam L3 with a Raman signal to generate the detection result. Specifically, the optical detector <NUM> includes a Raman optical instrument <NUM> and an infrared spectrometer <NUM>. The Raman optical instrument <NUM> is suitable for receiving the excitation light beam L1 and emitting the excitation light beam L1 to the focuser <NUM>. The infrared spectrometer <NUM> receives the detection light beam L3 with the Raman signal of the test specimen <NUM> from the Raman optical instrument <NUM>, and generates the detection result according to the Raman signal of the detection light beam L3.

Furthermore, the Raman optical instrument <NUM> includes multiple optical elements, such as a dichroic filter <NUM>, a line filter <NUM>, a notch filter <NUM>, and/or an aperture <NUM>. By combining and matching the above-mentioned optical elements, the excitation light beam L1 with a wavelength of <NUM> nanometers may be guided to an opening end O to be emitted along the optical axis I, and the detection light beam L3 with the Raman signal may be received along the optical axis I to be transmitted to the infrared spectrometer <NUM>. In addition, the Raman optical instrument <NUM> may further include an optical guiding element <NUM>, such as an optical fiber, which is suitable for receiving and transmitting the excitation light beam L1, thereby improving the usage efficiency of the excitation light source <NUM>.

<FIG> is a schematic side view of a focuser of the textile sorting system of <FIG>. Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. The focuser <NUM> is disposed on the transmission path of the excitation light beam L1 emitted by the optical detector <NUM>. Specifically, the focuser <NUM> includes a focus lens <NUM>, which is suitable for focusing and converting the excitation light beam L1 into a focused excitation light beam L2. The focused excitation light beam L2 is transmitted from the focuser <NUM> to the test specimen <NUM> to generate the detection light beam L3 with the Raman signal. The focuser <NUM> adjusts the position of the focus lens <NUM> according to the height signal S1.

Specifically, in the embodiment, the focuser <NUM> further includes a carrier <NUM>, a control element <NUM>, and a driving element <NUM>. The carrier <NUM> carries the focus lens <NUM>. The control element <NUM> receives the height signal S1 generated by the height sensor <NUM> measuring the height of the test specimen <NUM>, and generates an adjustment signal S2 according to the height signal S1, thereby providing the adjustment signal S2 to the driving element <NUM>. The driving element <NUM> moves the position of the carrier <NUM> along an adjustment path B according to the adjustment signal S2, thereby moving the focus lens <NUM> to adjust the focus effect of the excitation light beam L1 on the test specimen <NUM>. An extension direction of the adjustment path B is parallel to an extension direction of the optical axis I (as shown in <FIG>).

In the embodiment, the optical detector <NUM> performs optical detection on the test specimen <NUM> at a second position P2 of the conveying path A, and the test specimen <NUM> moves from the first position P1 to the second position P2 along the conveying path A. Since the height of the test specimen <NUM> at the first position P1 has been measured through the height sensor <NUM>, when the test specimen <NUM> moves to the second position P2, the focus lens <NUM> has been adjusted to an appropriate focus position according to the height signal S1. Therefore, when the optical detector <NUM> performs optical detection on the test specimen <NUM>, the conveying device <NUM> also does not need to stop moving the test specimen <NUM>. In other words, during the optical detection process, the conveying device <NUM> may continuously and uninterruptedly transport the test specimen <NUM>. In this way, the efficiency and accuracy of optical detection of the test specimen <NUM> can be greatly improved, thereby improving the sorting efficiency of the test specimen <NUM>.

It is worth mentioning that in different embodiments, the moving speed of the focus lens <NUM> has a relatively great tolerance for the height fluctuation (that is, a maximum height difference D2 shown in <FIG>) of the test specimen <NUM>. For example, if the moving speed of the focus lens <NUM> reaches <NUM> millimeters per second, and the moving position accuracy may be less than or equal to <NUM> microns, the speed of the conveyor belt of the conveying device <NUM> may be greater than <NUM> centimeters per second and less than <NUM> centimeters per second. The relative relationship may be expressed as: <MAT> wherein,.

Alternatively, the relative relationship may also be expressed as: Δd / L < VL / VC, wherein Δd / L may be referred to as the unevenness per unit length of the test specimen <NUM>. In other words, a ratio of the maximum height difference D2 of the test specimen <NUM> to the moving speed of the focus lens <NUM> is less than a ratio of the maximum length D1 of the test specimen <NUM> to the moving speed of the test specimen <NUM>. Therefore, by adjusting a ratio of the moving speed of the focus lens <NUM> to the speed of the conveying device <NUM>, the test specimens <NUM> with different sizes can be further detected and sorted to achieve good efficiency, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

In addition, in an embodiment, the focuser <NUM> and the optical detector <NUM> do not have a linkage relationship. Therefore, when the focuser adjusts the position according to the height signal S1, the optical detector <NUM> does not move along with the focuser. Therefore, the speed of focus adjustment can be improved to achieve the function of fast-moving panning.

<FIG> is a graph of light absorption intensity versus Raman signals excited by light with different wavelengths. Please refer to <FIG> shows fluorescence absorbance results of excitation light beams with different wavelengths for the test specimens <NUM> with different colors but the same material. As shown in <FIG>, it can be seen that when light with a wavelength of less than <NUM> nanometers is used as the excitation light beam, the fluorescence absorbance results of the test specimens <NUM> with different colors but the same material are easily interfered. When light with a wavelength of greater than <NUM> nanometers is used as the excitation light beam, the fluorescence absorbance results of the test specimens <NUM> with different colors but the same material are more consistent. Therefore, in an embodiment, selecting <NUM> nanometers as the wavelength of the excitation light beam L1 has a good effect, which can prevent the excited Raman signal from being interfered by color.

<FIG> is a flowchart of steps of a using method of a textile sorting system according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Please refer to <FIG> and <FIG>. The using method of the textile sorting system of the embodiment may be applied to the textile sorting system <NUM> shown in <FIG>, so the following description takes the textile sorting system <NUM> shown in <FIG> as an example. In the embodiment, firstly, Step S200 is executed to provide the test specimen <NUM> to the conveying device <NUM> to move along the conveying path A. Next, Step S201 is executed to measure the height of the test specimen <NUM> to generate the height signal S1. Specifically, the height sensor <NUM> is used to measure the height of the test specimen <NUM> to generate the height signal S1, and the height signal S1 is provided to the focuser <NUM>.

Then, Step S202 is executed to adjust the focuser <NUM> according to the height signal S1. A method for adjusting the focuser <NUM> according to the height signal S1 further includes: receiving the height signal S1; and moving the carrier <NUM> along the adjustment path B according to the height signal S1. Specifically, the control element <NUM> in the focuser <NUM> is used to receive the height signal S1, and the control element <NUM> is used to control the driving element <NUM>, thereby driving the adjustment of the position of the carrier <NUM>, so that the excitation light beam L1 achieves a good focus effect by the focus lens <NUM>.

Then, Step S203 is executed to provide the focused excitation light beam L2 to the test specimen <NUM> to generate the detection light beam L3. A method for providing the focused excitation light beam L2 to the test specimen <NUM> to generate the detection light beam L3 further includes: providing the excitation light beam L1; receiving the excitation light beam L1 to be converted into the focused excitation light beam L2; and providing the focused excitation light beam L2 to the test specimen <NUM> to generate the detection light beam L3. Specifically, the excitation light source <NUM> is used to provide the excitation light beam L1 to the Raman optical instrument <NUM>, the Raman optical instrument <NUM> is then used to emit and transmit the excitation light beam L1 to the focuser <NUM>, and the focused excitation light beam L2 is formed through the focus lens <NUM>. The focused excitation light beam L2 is transmitted from the focus lens <NUM> to the test specimen <NUM> to generate the detection light beam L3 with the Raman signal.

Then, Step S204 is executed to receive the detection light beam L3 to generate the detection result. Specifically, the Raman optical instrument <NUM> is used to receive the detection light beam L3 transmitted back along the original path, the detection light beam L3 is transmitted to the infrared spectrometer <NUM> for detection, and the detection result of the infrared spectrometer <NUM> is finally used to obtain material information of the test specimen <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A textile detection module (<NUM>), suitable for detecting a test specimen (<NUM>), the textile detection module (<NUM>) comprising:
an excitation light source (<NUM>), providing an excitation light beam (L1); and
an optical detector (<NUM>), disposed on a transmission path of the excitation light beam (L1) and suitable for receiving the excitation light beam (L1) and emitting the excitation light beam (L1) along an optical axis and receiving a detection light beam (L3) to generate a detection result; the textile detection module (<NUM>) being characterized in further comprising:
a height sensor (<NUM>), suitable for measuring a height of the test specimen (<NUM>) to generate a height signal (S1); and
a focuser (<NUM>), disposed on the transmission path of the excitation light beam (L1) emitted by the optical detector (<NUM>), wherein the focuser (<NUM>) comprises a focus lens (<NUM>) suitable for converting the excitation light beam (L1) into a focused excitation light beam (L2), and the focused excitation light beam (L2) is transmitted from the focuser (<NUM>) to the test specimen (<NUM>) to generate the detection light beam (L3), wherein
the focuser (<NUM>) adjusts a position of the focus lens (<NUM>) according to the height signal (S1), the height sensor (<NUM>) measures the height of the test specimen (<NUM>) at a first position (P1) of a conveying path (A), the optical detector (<NUM>) performs optical detection on the test specimen (<NUM>) at a second position (P2) of the conveying path (A), and the test specimen (<NUM>) moves from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2) along the conveying path (A).