Patent ID: 7410063

Claim:
An apparatus for sorting particles entrained in a gaseous stream, the apparatus comprising: a pump operative to provide a gaseous stream and to entrain a particle in the gaseous stream; a particle scanner adapted to receive the gaseous stream and measure a characteristic of the particle entrained therein; a controller in electrical communication with the particle scanner, the controller adapted to classify the particle according to the measured characteristic of the particle, wherein the controller classifies the particle as belonging to one category of a plurality of categories; a first particle receptor positioned to receive a deflected particle such that, if the first particle is classified as belonging to the first category, the trajectory of the particle is generally deflected towards the first particle receptor; a second particle receptor positioned to receive a deflected particle such that, if the first particle is classified as belonging to the first category the trajectory of the particle is generally deflected away from the second particle receptor while being generally deflected toward the first particle receptor; a sorter in pneumatic communication with the particle scanner and electrical communication with the controller, the sorter having an electrically controlled valve, wherein responsive to the particle being classified as belonging to a first category of a plurality of categories, the controller signals the valve to deflect the trajectory of the particle; a first particle receptor valve positioned to provide access to the first particle receptor; and a second particle receptor valve positioned to provide access to the second particle receptor; wherein the first particle receptor valve opens to enable the first particle receptor to receive particles and the second particle receptor valve opens to enable the second particle receptor to receive particles in response to a signal from a valve controller.