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EP 1 583 618 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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01.12.2010 Bulletin 2010/48 |
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Date of filing: 03.12.2003 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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International application number: |
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PCT/SE2003/001888 |
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International publication number: |
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WO 2004/050264 (17.06.2004 Gazette 2004/25) |
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METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR THE SORTING OF REFUSE SACKS
VERFAHREN UND ANORDNUNG ZUM SORTIEREN VON MÜLLSÄCKEN
PROCEDE ET DISPOSITIF DE TRI DE SACS DE DECHETS
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
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Priority: |
04.12.2002 SE 0203587
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Date of publication of application: |
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12.10.2005 Bulletin 2005/41 |
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Proprietor: OPTIBAG SYSTEMS AB |
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595 24 Mjölby (SE) |
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Inventors: |
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- ÖJDEMARK, Christer
S-595 44 Mjölby (SE)
- TORÄNG, Christian
S-587 37 Linköping (SE)
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Representative: Bokinge, Ole et al |
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Awapatent AB
Junkersgatan 1 582 35 Linköping 582 35 Linköping (SE) |
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References cited: :
EP-A2- 0 554 207 WO-A1-95/32062 SE-C2- 517 667
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WO-A1-93/06945 WO-A1-96/22512 US-A- 5 423 431
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement for the sorting of refuse
sacks according to the pre-characterising clause of claim 1 and claim 4 respectively.
[0002] A number of different types of refuse occur in present-day communities. Economic
and environmental handling of this refuse requires that it be sorted at source and
thereafter transported to a sorting plant, for example, where the various fractions
of the refuse sorted at source are sorted out for further processing according to
the content of each fraction. It is important that each separated fraction containing
refuse sorted at source be unadulterated. It is therefore essential that the refuse
be correctly sorted at source and that the refuse sorted at source be sorted with
as few errors as possible. Furthermore the investment and operating costs, for example,
of arrangements for the separation of refuse sorted at source must be minimised. For
example, the total energy consumption expended in refuse handling should not exceed
that recovered from the sorted material or saved in a recycling system.
[0003] SE 507 257 (corresponding to
WO-A-96/22512), for example, discloses a method of the aforementioned type. According to the method
each refuse sack is assigned a predetermined means of identification, such as colour
coding, for each refuse fraction, by means of which sacks are sorted. The refuse sacks
are transported along a conveyor and are sorted by successively identifying and separating
each refuse sack having a predetermined means of identification.
SE 517 667 (corresponding to
WO-A-03/039773) discloses a method of sorting for identifying sacks having a means of identification,
but in contrast to the aforementioned method it is refuse sacks not having a predetermined
means of identification that are separated out. In the sorting of refuse sacks provided
with means of identification, there is a general desire to achieve a greater number
of unadulterated fractions of refuse sacks, low energy consumption and low costs.
[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a method that is improved in the
aforementioned respects.
[0005] This object is achieved by the features specified in the characterising part of claim
1.
[0006] A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for performing the
method according to the invention. This is achieved by an arrangement having the characteristics
specified in claim 4.
[0007] The invention affords lower sorting-related costs and lower energy consumption. Furthermore,
the sorting can be performed with few errors, which is important in obtaining unadulterated
fractions, which is in turn important for processable fractions, as in the manufacture
of biogas, composts and in other material recycling.
[0008] The invention will be explained in more detail here with reference to the following
examples and the drawing attached, in which Fig. 1 in a schematic plan view from above
shows an example of an arrangement for carrying out the sorting of two selected fractions
of refuse sacks according to a known method and Fig. 2 similarly shows an example
of an arrangement for carrying out sortings of two selected fractions of refuse sacks
according to the present invention with the same degree of adulteration of the residual
fraction and essentially the same capacity. Like Figs. 1 and 2, Figs. 3 and 4 show
two comparative examples of the sorting of five selected fractions of refuse sacks
according to a known method and according to the present invention, it being possible
here also to carry out the sorting with the same degree of adulteration of the residual
fraction and essentially the same capacity.
[0009] In an example of the sorting of two different colour-coded, randomly distributed
fractions of refuse sacks shown in Fig. 1, these are placed at respective feed inputs
2a, 2b, 2c in a sorting plant, generally denoted by 1, with three sorting channels
working in parallel in order to achieve the required sorting capacity, before then
being transported on conveyors 3a, 3b, 3c arranged in series one after the other with
a certain interval between individual sacks along each conveyor, to be identified
at successively arranged sorting stations 4a-9a, 4b-9b and 4c-9c in order to separate
red (R) and green (G) colour-coded sacks. The sacks provided with red (R) colour coding
are identified and separated at the first three sorting stations 4a-6a, 4b-6b, 4c-6c
and thereafter the sacks provided with green (G) colour coding are identified and
separated at the three succeeding sorting stations 7a-9a, 7b-9b, 7c-9c. Separating
sacks identifiable by the same colour at multiple succeeding sorting stations in this
way naturally increases the capacity but primarily improves the unadulterated nature
of the unseparated residual fraction, that is to say the sacks which have not been
identified at any earlier sorting station. As stated, it is also possible to use multiple
parallel sorting conveyors.
[0010] In the sorting performed according to the invention of two differently colour-coded,
randomly distributed fractions of refuse sacks illustrated in Fig. 2, these are placed
and transported in a similar way to that in the example above. The sacks provided
with red (R) colour coding are identified and separated at the first two sorting stations
4a, 5a, 5b, 4b, 5b, 4c, 5c and thereafter the sacks provided with green (G) colour
coding are identified and separated at the two succeeding sorting stations 7a, 8a,
7b, 8b, 7c, 8c. At a final sorting station both sacks with red (R) and green (G) colour
coding are identified and separated in order to finally transport the separated sacks
back to the feed input for renewed sorting as indicated by the conveyor belt 11. By
sorting in this way a considerable improvement in the degree of adulteration of the
residual fraction is achieved using fewer sorting stations than in the comparative
example described above.
[0011] In order to further explain the advantages of the invention, the sorting of five
differently colour-coded, randomly distributed refuse sacks containing different refuse
fractions according to a known method and according to the method of the invention
will be demonstrated with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. As has been explained in connection
with Fig. 1, the refuse sacks are placed and transported on three parallel sorting
conveyors 3a, 3b, 3c each having the sorting stations 4a-4c, 5a-5c, 7a-7c, 8a-8c,
11a-11c, 12a-12c, 13a-13c. Here the sacks provided with red (R), green (G), blue (B)
orange (O) and grey (GR) colour coding are identified and separated in such a way
that on each sorting conveyor 3a-3c the sacks provided with red (R) colour coding
are separated from the other sacks at the first two sorting stations 4a-4c, 5a-5c,
and sacks provided with green (G) colour coding are then separated at the two succeeding
sorting stations 7a-7c, 8a-8c. Refuse sacks with blue (B), orange (O) or grey (GR)
colour coding are identified and separated at the three succeeding sorting stations
11a-11-c, 12a-12c, 13a-13c. In this example, therefore, 21 sorting stations are needed.
[0012] In a sorting according to the invention of five differently colour-coded, randomly
distributed refuse sacks the refuse sacks are placed and transported as illustrated
in Fig. 4. The first four sorting stations 4a-4c, 5a-5c, 7a-7c, 8a-8c produce a separation
of sacks provided with red (R) and green (G) colour coding. In a final sorting station
(14a-14c) for each conveyor 3a-3c sacks provided with blue (B), orange (O) or grey
(GR) colour coding are simultaneously identified and separated onto yet another sorting
conveyor 15. Along this are three successively arranged sorting stations 16, 17, 18
in which sacks provided with blue (B), orange (O) or grey (GR) colour coding are identified
and separated. The residual fraction from this conveyor is transported back to the
inlet feed (2a, 2b, 2c) for renewed sorting. With this method according to the invention
for sorting the five different fractions, the degree of adulteration achieved corresponds
to that obtained in the example of the prior art, but is achieved with a smaller number
of sorting stations, that is, in this example, 18 stations.
[0013] It will also be appreciated that the person skilled in the art is capable of selecting
variants of sorting stations and combinations thereof, and of selecting the number
and location of sorting conveyors with suitable sorting stations according to requirements.
1. Method of sorting randomly distributed refuse sacks containing different types of
refuse sorted at source, each refuse sack having a means of identification (R, G,
B; O, GR) for each type of refuse sorted at source and the sorting involving transport
of the refuse sacks for them to be identified in successive sorting stations and separated
so that refuse sacks having a predetermined means of identification for each sorting
station are sorted out at the sorting station intended for this purpose, characterised in that in at least one sorting station (10a, 10b,10c; 14a, 14b, 14c) at least two means
of identification (R, G; B, O, GR) predetermined for the sorting station are selectively
identified and the corresponding refuse sacks separated, each of these having any
of the selectively identified means of identification.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterised in that refuse sacks which have been transported and undergone a successive sorting without
being separated, are transported back for renewed sorting.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a predetermined colour is used as means of identification for each type of refuse.
4. Arrangement for the sorting of refuse sacks comprising a transporting arrangement
designed to transport randomly distributed refuse sacks containing different types
of refuse sorted at source, each refuse sack having a means of identification (R,
G; B, O, GR) for the type of refuse in the sack, a number of successively arranged
sorting stations each comprising a sensor selectively sensitive to the respective
means of identification and designed to emit a signal when a refuse sack passes which
has a means of identification predetermined for the sensor and to which the sensor
is sensitive, and separating elements designed, in response to a signal from the sensor,
to undertake separation of the refuse sack in question from the transporting arrangement,
characterised in that the sensing arrangement in at least one sorting station is sensitive to at least
one further predetermined means of identification (R, G, B, O, GR) on refuse sacks
containing another type of refuse.
1. Verfahren zum Sortieren zufällig angeordneter Müllsäcke, die unterschiedliche Arten
von am Ursprung sortierten Mülls enthalten,
wobei jeder Müllsack ein Identifikationsmittel (R, G, B, O, GR) für jede Art von am
Ursprung sortierten Mülls hat und das Sortieren den Transport der Müllsäcke einbezieht,
damit diese in nacheinander angeordneten Sortierstationen erkannt und abgesondert
werden, so dass Müllsäcke mit einem für jede Sortierstation vorgegebenen Identifikationsmittel
an der für diesen Zweck vorgesehenen Sortierstation aussortiert werden,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass in mindestens einer Sortierstation (10a, 10b, 10c; 14a, 14b, 14c) mindestens zwei
für die Sortierstation vorgegebene Identifikationsmittel (R, G, B, O, GR) wahlweise
erkannt und die entsprechenden Müllsäcke abgesondert werden,
wobei jeder von diesen irgendeines der wahlweise erkannten Identifikationsmittel hat.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass Müllsäcke, die transportiert wurden und eine nacheinander erfolgende Sortierung durchliefen,
ohne abgesondert worden zu sein, für ein erneutes Sortieren zurück transportiert werden.
3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass eine vorgegebene Farbe als Identifikationsmittel für jede Art von Müll genutzt wird.
4. Vorrichtung für das Sortieren von Müllsäcken, umfassend:
eine Transportvorrichtung , welche so gestaltet ist, dass zufällig angeordnete Müllsäcke,
die verschiedene Arten von am Ursprung sortierten Mülls enthalten, transportiert werden,
wobei jeder Müllsack über ein Identifikationsmittel (R, G, B, O, GR) für die Art des
Mülls im Sack verfügt,
eine Anzahl von nacheinander angeordneten Sortierstationen, von denen jede einen Sensor
enthält, welcher wahlweise auf das zugehörige Identifikationsmittel reagiert und so
gestaltet ist, dass ein Signal abgegeben wird, wenn ein Müllsack den Sensor passiert,
welcher ein Identifikationsmittel hat, das dem Sensor zugeordnet ist und auf welches
der Sensor reagiert, und
Trennelemente, die so gestaltet sind, dass sie in Erwiderung des Sensorsignals eine
Absonderung des besagten Müllsacks von der Transportvorrichtung vornehmen,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Sensorvorrichtung in mindestens einer Sortierstation auf mindestens ein weiteres
vorgegebenes Identifikationsmittel (R, G, B, O, GR) von Müllsäcken, die eine andere
Art von Müll enthalten, reagiert.
1. Procédé de tri de sacs de déchets distribués aléatoirement contenant différents types
de déchets triés à la source, chaque sac de déchets ayant un moyen d'identification
(R, G, B, O, GR) pour chaque type de déchets triés à la source et le tri impliquant
le transport des sacs de déchets pour qu'ils soient identifiés dans des postes de
tri successifs et séparés de sorte que les sacs de déchets ayant un moyen prédéterminé
d'identification pour chaque poste de tri soient triés au poste de tri destiné à cet
effet, caractérisé en ce que dans au moins un poste de tri (10a, 10b, 10c ; 14a, 14b, 14c) au moins deux moyens
d'identification (R, G, B, O, GR) prédéterminés pour le poste de tri sont sélectivement
identifiés et les sacs de déchets correspondants sont séparés, chacun d'eux ayant
l'un quelconque des moyens sélectivement identifiés d'identification.
2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que les sacs de déchets qui ont été transportés et qui ont subi un tri successif sans
être séparés, sont retournés pour un nouveau tri.
3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce qu'une couleur prédéterminée est utilisée comme moyen d'identification pour chaque type
de déchets.
4. Dispositif de tri de sacs de déchets comprenant un dispositif de transport conçu pour
transporter des sacs de déchets distribués aléatoirement contenant différents types
de déchets triés à la source, chaque sac de déchets ayant un moyen d'identification
(R, G, B, O, GR) pour le type de déchets dans le sac, un certain nombre de postes
de tri agencés successivement, chacun comprenant un capteur sensible sélectivement
au moyen d'identification respectif et conçu pour émettre un signal lorsque passe
un sac de déchets ayant un moyen d'identification prédéterminé pour le capteur et
auquel le capteur est sensible, et des éléments de séparation conçus, en réponse à
un signal du capteur, pour entreprendre la séparation du sac de déchets en question
du dispositif de transport, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de détection dans au moins un poste de tri est sensible à au moins
un autre moyen prédéterminé d'identification (R, G, B, O, GR) sur des sacs de déchets
contenant un autre type de déchets.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description