US3710099A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical unit for use in a light-sensitive sorting machine
Assignee: Gunsons Sortex Ltd
•
Filing: 1971-01-04
•
Granted: 1973-01-09
•
Expires: 1991-01-04
Abstract
Abstract An optical unit for use in a light-sensitive sorting machine comprising a chamber having a plurality of adjacent vertically extending channels therethrough through which may fall matter to be sorted, a plurality of fluorescent light-producing means for directing visible light onto matter falling through the channels, at least one of the fluorescent light-producing means being arranged to direct the visible light into a plurality of the said channels, and optical viewing means which view the matter falling through each channel.
Inventors
- 👤 T Chapman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:13
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/342; B07C5/3425
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
An optical unit for use in a light-sensitive sorting machine comprising a chamber having a plurality of adjacent vertically extending channels therethrough, through which may fall matter to be sorted, a plurality of fluorescent light-producing means which direct visible light onto matter falling through the channels, at least one of the fluorescent light producing means directing the visible light into a plurality of the said chanNels, and optical viewing means which are disposed adjacent to and which view the matter falling through each channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
An optical unit for use in a light-sensitive sorting machine comprising a chamber having a plurality of adjacent vertically extending channels therethrough, through which may fall matter to be sorted, a plurality of fluorescent light-producing means which direct visible light onto matter falling through the channels, at least one of the fluorescent light producing means directing the visible light into a plurality of the said chanNels, and optical viewing means which are disposed adjacent to and which view the matter falling through each channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 1 in which the said at least one fluorescent light producing means is disposed between two adjacent channels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 1 in which the fluorescent light-producing means comprise vertically extending fluorescent tubes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 1, in which, at each of the opposite sides of each channel, there is provided a sealed, at least partially translucent container which may be readily inserted into and withdrawn from the optical unit, each said container containing fluorescent tubes the light from which may pass through translucent portions of the container.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 4 in which the said container is fabricated wholly from a translucent synthetic resin material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 1 in which each said channel is substantially rectangular in cross section, the sides of the channel which are not provided with the said fluorescent light-producing means being respectively provided with the optical-viewing means and with a background holder member, the background holder member being adapted to hold a background against which the matter falling through the channel may be viewed by the optical viewing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A optical unit as claimed in claim 6 in the position of each background holder member may be adjusted so as to adjust the effective reflectivity thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 6 in which common air supply means are provided for supplying flows of dust-removing air past the optical viewing means of all the channels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 8 in which the said common air supply means also flows of dust-removing air past the background holder members of all the channels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
An optical unit as claimed in claim 8 in which the said flows of air pass from the top to the bottom of each channel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2803756A
Cited
US2849915A
Cited
US3066797A
Cited
US3181415A
Cited
US3396280A
Cited
US3283896A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-09 | 1976-07-10 | 1977-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-09 | 1980-07-10 | 1981-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-09 | 1984-07-10 | 1985-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |