Patents by Inventor Herbert Fraenkel
Herbert Fraenkel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6078018Abstract: Sorting apparatus has a conveyor belt or equivalent mechanism for moving particles at a speed sufficient to generate a stream of particles in air, which particles can be graded such that selected material can be removed. The grading or sorting is conducted by a primary scanning system for analysing light reflected from particles in the stream in a plurality of wavelength ranges. Ejectors for removing particles from the stream are disposed downstream of the scanning system, and are instructed in response to signals received from the scanning system. An auxiliary scanning system is also included to establish the presence of material in the stream, and in the event that a void is detected in a given region, then the analysis of that region by the primary scanning system and any corresponding activation of the ejectors is inhibited.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1999Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Sortex LimitedInventors: Robert Davis, Herbert Fraenkel, Kenneth Henderson
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Patent number: 5873470Abstract: Sorting apparatus has a conveyor belt or equivalent mechanism for moving particles at a speed sufficient to generate a stream of particles in air, which particles can be graded such that selected material can be removed. The grading or sorting is conducted by a primary scanning system for analysing light reflected from particles in the stream in a plurality of wavelength ranges. Ejectors for removing particles from the stream are disposed downstream of the scanning system, and are instructed in response to signals received from the scanning system.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1996Date of Patent: February 23, 1999Assignee: Sortex LimitedInventors: Robert Davis, Herbert Fraenkel, Kenneth Henderson
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Patent number: 5692621Abstract: Sorting apparatus has a conveyor belt or equivalent mechanism for moving particles at a speed sufficient to generate a stream of particles in air, which particles can be graded such that unacceptable material can be removed. The grading or sorting is conducted by a primary scanning system for analyzing light reflected from particles in the stream in a plurality of wavelength ranges. Ejectors for removing particles from the stream are disposed downstream of the scanning system, and are instructed in response to signals received from the scanning system. An auxiliary scanning system is also included to establish the presence of material in the stream, and in the event that a void is detected in a given region, then the analysis of that region by the primary scanning system and any corresponding activation of the ejectors is inhibited.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1996Date of Patent: December 2, 1997Assignee: Sortex LimitedInventors: Robert Davis, Herbert Fraenkel, Kenneth Henderson
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Patent number: 5538142Abstract: Sorting apparatus has a conveyor belt or equivalent mechanism for moving particles at a speed sufficient to generate a stream of particles in air, which particles can be graded such that unacceptable material can be removed. The grading or sorting is conducted by a primary scanning system for analyzing light reflected from particles in the stream in a plurality of wavelength ranges. Ejectors for removing particles from the stream are disposed downstream of the scanning system, and are instructed in response to signals received from the scanning system. An auxiliary scanning system is also included to establish the presence of material in the stream, and in the event that a void is detected in a given region, then the analysis of that region by the primary scanning system and any corresponding activation of the ejectors is inhibited.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 1994Date of Patent: July 23, 1996Assignee: Sortex LimitedInventors: Robert Davis, Herbert Fraenkel, Kenneth Henderson
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Patent number: 5241171Abstract: A support member for supporting objects undergoing inspection, the support member having an uppermost layer whose color is highly reflective in predetermined wavelengths in the range 580 to 1000 nm, the uppermost layer being in direct contact with a further layer which further layer is disposed below the uppermost layer and which reflects at least 70% of any light falling on it having predetermined wavelengths in the range 360 nm to 870 nm.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1992Date of Patent: August 31, 1993Assignee: Sortex LimitedInventor: Herbert Fraenkel
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Patent number: 5148923Abstract: An apparatus for sorting or otherwise treating objects, wherein the apparatus includes an endless belt which is in contact with a guide by means of which the endless belt is given a curved portion. At least one path between the guide and the curved portion of the belt is provided for the passage of objects therethrough. The path has an inlet portion arranged to receive objects which have traveled thereto along a trajectory which has a substantial horizontal component at the inlet portion, and the path has a vertically disposed outlet portion. A feeder is provided for feeding the objects to the inlet portion of the path. The belt is driven so that objects passing into the path through the inlet portion thereof are centrifugally forced against the belt and carried thereby to the respective outlet portions. The objects are sorted or otherwise treated as they fall under gravity from the outlet portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 1991Date of Patent: September 22, 1992Assignee: Sortex LimitedInventors: Herbert Fraenkel, Stewart J. Mills
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Patent number: 4630736Abstract: A sorting machine comprising a chute for moving a plurality of objects sequentially past a plurality of viewing zones which are spaced apart in the direction of movement of the objects so that the moving objects pass to an object separation zone in which relative separation is effected between desired and undesired objects. Light sources are on opposite sides of the moving object for directing beams of light to the viewing zones. Viewing devices view the objects passing through the viewing zones from opposite sides, respectively, of the moving objects. A discriminator, controlled by the output from the viewing devices, determines whether objects which have been so viewed are desired or undesired. An object separator controlled by the discriminator effects relative separation at the object separation zone between the desired and undesired objects.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 1984Date of Patent: December 23, 1986Assignee: Sortex LimitedInventors: William S. Maughan, Herbert Fraenkel
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Patent number: 4356921Abstract: Inspection apparatus comprising a transparent or translucent tubular member having at least a frusto-conical portion, illuminating elements disposed externally of the tubular member for producing an illuminated zone within the frusto-conical portion, and a viewing arrangement disposed externally of the tubular member and arranged to view objects passing through the illuminated zone in the frusto-conical portion so as to respond to the value of a property of said objects, the tubular member reflecting substantially no light from the illuminated zone onto the viewing arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1980Date of Patent: November 2, 1982Assignee: Gunson's Sortex LimitedInventor: Herbert Fraenkel
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Patent number: 4203522Abstract: A sorting machine for sorting ground nuts affected by a mould which produces aflatoxin comprises detectors for detecting infra-red (or red) and green light respectively reflected from a ground nut being viewed. The infra-red detector produces a first signal indicative of the amount of mould carried by the ground nut. The green detector produces a signal indicative of the extent to which the ground nut is mechanically damaged, and also produces a gating signal. A comparison signal is derived from these first and second signals and is passed by way of a gate and a level detector to an ejector. The gating signal controls the operation of the gate in dependence upon the extent to which the ground nut being viewed is mechanically damaged, so that the ejector is actuated by comparison signals of a predetermined level only when the extent to which the ground nut is mechanically damaged does not exceed a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1978Date of Patent: May 20, 1980Assignee: Sortex North America, Inc.Inventors: Herbert Fraenkel, Patrick B. Gough, William S. Maughan