Manual Sorting Patents (Class 209/44.4)
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Patent number: 11278934Abstract: A dedusting apparatus removes dust and debris from particulate material flowing over the surface of a wash deck formed with steps and incorporating an air knife engaging the flow of particulate material as the material drops from one wash deck level to another. An ionizing wire is placed at each step on the wash deck so that the air knife blows negative ions from the ionizing wire into the particulate material falling off the step onto the level of wash deck below the ionizing wire. The wash deck is formed with openings to allow air to blow through the wash deck surface and remove dust and debris from the flow of particulate material. The wash deck can be constructed from modules supported on one another in a manner to present an overhang at each step. The wash deck can be formed from a flat pattern as a unitary bent structure.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Inventor: Heinz Schneider
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Patent number: 10891520Abstract: A machine learning device that creates training data to be used in machine learning includes: an image input unit that inputs an image which was obtained by capturing an inspection target on which a symbol indicating a defect is marked; and a creation unit that creates the training data based on the inputted image, in which the creation unit: creates training data consisting of a training image which is the image as inputted, and a label that retains a value of OK which signifies not having a defect, in a case of there not being the symbol in the image inputted; and creates training data consisting of a training image generated based on the image inputted, and a label that retains a value of NG signifying having a defect, in a case of there being the symbol in the image inputted.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventor: Yuta Namiki
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Patent number: 8522979Abstract: Reprocessable medical devices that have been disposed of in a sharps container are recovered, disinfected or sterilized, sorted, and packed for reprocessing in a generally continuous process. In one embodiment, either a sharps container or at least a portion of its contents is successively and controllably conveyed, either manually or automatically, through a plurality of processing stations that are configured to perform different operations. The operations performed by the processing stations can include, for example, detecting and identifying contents, cleaning and disinfecting, opening the sharps containers, separating and sorting their contents, and disposal of contents that are non-reprocessable. Reprocessable medical devices can be sorted by type as they move along on a conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2011Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Stericycle, Inc.Inventors: Gregg D. Bennett, Michael S. Kovacs
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Patent number: 7984809Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for directing indicator-based sortation of shipments are described. In various embodiments, a control system may be configured to utilize indicators to direct the sortation of items in a materials handling facility, such as an order fulfillment center tasked with fulfilling customer orders for one or more items. For a given unsorted item, the control system may cause an indicator to indicate to which of multiple sorting slots the given item is to be placed, thereby sorting the item to its respective shipment assigned to the sorting slot. In various embodiments, the shipment sorting units may be serviced from a rebin side as well as a pack side. The control system may be configured to prioritize the processing of such shipments by utilizing indicators associated with respective shipment sorting slots on the pack side to indicate a priority for processing a given shipment.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2008Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Patrick W. Ramey, Eugene M. Gard, Eric Young
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Patent number: 7918343Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for obtaining recycled mixed cullet at a beneficiator. The recycled mixed cullet can be used by glass plants to make new glass articles, such as beverage bottles.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2004Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignee: Casella Waste Systems, Inc.Inventors: James W. Bohlig, Sean P. Duffy
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Patent number: 7757863Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for obtaining recycled mixed cullet at a beneficiator and/or a material recovery facility (MRF). The composition of the cullet, or portions thereof, can be certified for use by a party other than the beneficiator and/or the MRF. The recycled mixed cullet can be used, for example, by glass plants to make new glass articles, such as beverage bottles.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2005Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Casella Waste Systems, Inc.Inventors: James W. Bohlig, Sean P. Duffy
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Patent number: 7677395Abstract: Reprocessable medical devices that have been disposed of in a sharps container are recovered, disinfected or sterilized, sorted, and packed for reprocessing in a generally continuous process. In one embodiment, either a sharps container or at least a portion of its contents is successively and controllably conveyed, either manually or automatically, through a plurality of processing stations that are configured to perform different operations. The operations performed by the processing stations can include, for example, detecting and identifying contents, cleaning and disinfecting, opening the sharps containers, separating and sorting their contents, and disposal of contents that are non-reprocessable. Reprocessable medical devices can be sorted by type as they move along on a conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2005Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: ClearMedical, Inc.Inventors: Gregg D. Bennett, Michael S. Kovacs
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Publication number: 20090301940Abstract: An apparatus for grading and batching of articles is proposed. The apparatus consists of an in-feed station for grading of the articles into multiple “quality classes”. The articles of each of the classes are weighted by one of multiple weighing means provided. The ability to attach multiple electronic tags or labels to each of the articles makes it possible to keep track of each of the articles and allocate them according to class and weight tags into the correct batching buffer. A vertically oriented carousel conveyor transfers the articles from the weighing means using plurality of transport buckets which are suspended from the carousel support means using pivoting mechanism such that the transport buckets maintain substantially the same position as they are transported by the carousel to batching buffers located inside the carousel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2006Publication date: December 10, 2009Applicant: Marel HfInventors: Asgeir Elvarsson, Brynjolfur Thorsson, Jon Vidar, Bjarni Andresson, Sveinn Arnar Steinsson, Gunnar Tjorvi Sigurdsson
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Patent number: 7269900Abstract: A production organizing method and a method and apparatus for assembling vehicle body are provided. The production line organizing method comprises the steps of classifying all parts for all types of vehicles to be assembled into groups of main part, synchronous subparts, and non-synchronous subparts, and the manhour for the non-synchronous subparts are assigned to the difference in manhours for assembly of main parts and synchronous subparts. In addition, a vehicle body assembly method and a vehicle body assembly line are also provided, which are capable of reducing a length of a main line and increasing the productivity by classifying all of the parts used for all vehicle types into three groups of main parts and two groups of subparts including non-synchronous main parts and subparts, and by assembling and storing the non-synchronous main parts and subparts in the separate section and supplying the sub-assembled non-synchronous subparts to the main line when necessary.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2005Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumio Moriya, Takehiro Kouno, Kiyoshi Ikumi, Hiroshi Miyashita, Haruji Yoshida, Tatsuaki Son, Kouichi Hosono, Masakazu Kanda, Gengo Kajima, Tomoyoshi Takeuchi, Masanori Yoshida, Jyun Toyoda, Kenji Tatsuda, Yasuo Miyaoka, Michinao Iwami, Ikuo Kanazawa
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Patent number: 7201277Abstract: Movable containers are provided over one part of the section conveyor on which the mail items are filed according to the distribution sequence, said moveable containers circulating in an enclosed transport path and each having several compartments controlled to open downwards for each respective mail item. The compartments can only be emptied if the containers are in the neutral position at a sorting station. Automatic emptying takes place on the sections assigned to the delivery points according to the known destination address of the mail items. After a container has been emptied, it can be driven to a loading station at which the compartments are filled with mail items, the compartments with the mail items being assigned to the delivery points according to the respective destination address and this assignment is transmitted to a device for the controlled opening of the compartments.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2004Date of Patent: April 10, 2007Assignee: Siemens AGInventor: Wolf-Stephan Wilke
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Patent number: 7004329Abstract: A classifying station for classifying a piece of wood in a wood processing plant, the classifying station including an area for an operator, a conveyor for transversely conveying pieces of wood before the area, and a console for entering classification related to a piece of wood to be classified, where the classifying station includes a dynamic classification zone located in front of the area having a predetermined length. The station also includes illumination elements adapted to selectively illuminate a piece of wood to be classified when the piece of wood is in the dynamic classification zone, the illumination elements being adapted to illuminate another piece of wood when the piece of wood has been classified; and control means for controlling the illumination means and operatively associated with the console in order to associate the illuminated piece of wood with information related to classification of the piece of wood entered by the user while the piece of wood is lit.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2003Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: Autolog Inc.Inventor: Sylvain Magnan
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Patent number: 6918168Abstract: A production organizing method and a method and apparatus for assembling vehicle body are provided. The production line organizing method comprises the steps of classifying all parts for all types of vehicles to be assembled into groups of main part, synchronous subparts, and non-synchronous subparts, and the manhour for the non-synchronous subparts are assigned to the difference in manhours for assembly of main parts and synchronous subparts. In addition, a vehicle body assembly method and a vehicle body assembly line are also provided, which are capable of reducing a length of a main line and increasing the productivity by classifying all of the parts used for all vehicle types into three groups of main parts and two groups of subparts including non-synchronous main parts and subparts, and by assembling and storing the non-synchronous main parts and subparts in the separate section and supplying the sub-assembled non-synchronous subparts to the main line when necessary.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2000Date of Patent: July 19, 2005Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Fumio Moriya, Takehiro Kouno, Kiyoshi Ikumi, Hiroshi Miyashita, Haruji Yoshida, Tatsuaki Son, Kouichi Hosono, Masakazu Kanda, Gengo Kajima, Tomoyoshi Takeuchi, Masanori Yoshida, Jyun Toyoda, Kenji Tatsuda, Yasuo Miyaoka, Michinao Iwami, Ikuo Kanazawa
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Patent number: 6917009Abstract: A method and system for reading an address of a mail piece is set out wherein the address face of the mail piece is scanned and decoded to generate an electronically recognizable or readable destination address. If the destination address is not completely decoded, the image of the address face is temporarily stored in a grouping in a database. The grouping is then forwarded to an encoding clerk who has the highest priority and is available for the grouping. The priority of the deck is based on data such as the clerk's measured professional competence. Herein, factors include experience with a particular destination region, success rate, and the like.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2002Date of Patent: July 12, 2005Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Walter Rosenbaum, Hans-Jörg Grundmann
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Publication number: 20030098265Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention comprises a mailpiece sorting apparatus including a voice recognition system performing a method of processing “return to sender” mailpieces using voice recognition. The operator obtains a “return to sender” mailpiece and determines a sender address segment for identification. The sender address segment is spoken by the operator to the recognition system. The voice recognition software interprets the information and communicates it to recipient matching software. The software narrows the potential sender matches in the mailpiece sorting apparatus addressee database. If a match is made, the operator is prompted to place the mailpiece onto mailpiece sorting apparatus which sends the mailpiece to the proper sort bin based on the identification performed by the matching software.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2001Publication date: May 29, 2003Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: John H. Steinmetz, James Giordano, Robert K. Gottlieb, Joseph D. Mallozzi, William E. Ryan, Edward P. Daniels
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Patent number: 6394278Abstract: A system and method for assisting an operator in sorting mail includes a wireless headset equipped with a microphone, and a workstation that includes a processing unit, voice-recognition and voice-synthesis circuitry, and a database. In operation, addressee information spoken into the microphone is transmitted to the workstation where it is used to search the database. Destination information from a matching database record is then output to the operator on one or more of a display terminal, headset speakers, and heads-up display fixed to the headset. The convenience and enhanced capability provided by this system streamlines operator productivity and sorting volume. The emobdiments disclosed herein are primarily directed to a headset that is operated completely remotely from the processing unit, and also to a headset comprising a heads up display having means by which an operator can access the database.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2000Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: Sort-It, IncorporatedInventor: Lance Patrick Reed
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Publication number: 20010042705Abstract: A method for classifying defects includes imaging an inspected object. An image of a defect candidate is extracted from an image obtained by said imaging step. Said extracted defect candidate image is classified into a first category. Said extracted defect candidate image is classified into a second category. Said extracted defect candidate image and information relating to said classification into said first category and information relating to said classification into said second category are displayed on a screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2001Publication date: November 22, 2001Inventors: Ryou Nakagaki, Yuji Takagi, Kenji Obara, Yasuhiko Ozawa, Toshiei Kurosaki, Takehiro Hirai