The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed: Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a waste material grouping, segregating and sorting apparatus used for recycling such waste products and more particularly relates to processes, systems, apparatus and techniques for sorting dissimilar materials such as dry and wet waste materials including plastics, magnetic and non-magnetic conducting and metallic waste materials.
Background and Prior art of the Invention
Economic activities in recent years represented by mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal have been causing global environmental problems such as global warming and depletion of resources.Conventionally, waste generated from the household and industries that are no longer needed are collected and recycled for each material by using magnetism, wind power, vibration, etc. after crushing them at a recycling factory. In particular, by using a specific gravity sorting device or a magnetic sorting device, the metal material is recovered with high purity for each material such as iron, copper, and aluminum, and a high recycling rate is realized.
Recycling of waste materials is highly desirable from many viewpoints, not the least of which is financial and ecological. Properly sorted recyclable materials is difficult to be achieved with the available technology. Many of the more valuable recyclable materials do not biodegrade within a short period, and so their recycling significantly reduces the strain on local landfills.
However, in many instances there has been no cost-effective method for achieving the necessary sorting. This has been particularly true for non-ferrous materials, and particularly for non-metallic material and for high density plastics. For example, one approach to recycling plastics has been to station a number of laborers along a sorting line, each of whom manually sorts through shredded waste and manually selects the desired recyclables from the

sorting line. This approach is not sustainable in most economics since the labor component is too high.
Hence there is a requirement for an efficient apparatus and method to sort out the different categories of materials in the assorted group of waste materials dumped from the domestic and industrial waste.
Summary of the invention
An apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products comprises a stirrer for prior accumulation, removal and releasing the group of clustered and tied up plastic material to each other prior to placing the subject on the conveyor belt and said stirrer segregates and releases the winded up plastic waste materials into loose and transportable waste; an automatic control system including the programmable logic controls and SCADA for the automatic flow of the process in the segregation of the waste material; at least two low rate gear based DC in communication to the said conveyor belt motor for rotating the conveyor belt in the desired direction and at uniform speed; a proximity sensor for detecting the presence of the metallic waste material, plastic, ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic material in the said group of accumulated waste products through the emission of electromagnetic, electrostatic and infrared radiation and its corresponding reflected signal detection; a metal detection system including inductive coils for generating a magnetic field around the flow of the waste material over the conveyor belt to detect the change in the eddy current from the conducting material waste in the group of assorted waste; a solenoid based actuator for detecting, identifying and collecting the metallic waste material and a high pressure air blower to isolate the light weighted dry waste material from the conveyor path.
Object of the invention
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a device that is efficient to sort out the different materials from the assorted group of waste dumped from the domestic and industrial sites.
It is a secondary object of the present invention to provide a device that comprises a stirrer for segregating and loosening up the tied and winded up plastic waste in the said group of waste materials.

It is a tertiary object of the present invention to provide the device with at least two low rate gear based DC motors in communication to the said conveyor belt for rotating the conveyor belt in the desired direction and at uniform speed.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a device including the automatic control system equipped with the programmable logic controls and SCADA for the automatic flow of the process in the segregation of the waste material.
It is a fifth object of the present invention to provide a device including a capacitive and inductive proximity sensor for detecting the presence of the metallic waste material, plastic, ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic material in the said group of accumulated waste products.
It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide a device comprising a metal detection system including inductive coils for generating a magnetic field around the flow of the waste material over the conveyor belt to detect the conducting material waste in the group of assorted waste and receiving the eddy current induced by the conducting material in the said group of waste materials.
It is a seventh object of the present invention to provide a device comprising asolenoid based actuator for detecting, identifying and collecting the metallic waste material.
It is an eighth object of the present invention to provide a device comprising a high pressure air blower to isolate the light weighted and dry waste material from the conveyor path.
It is a ninth object of the present invention to provide a device comprising an actuator which being energized upon sensing the metallic waste and de-energized under the control of the processor.
It is a final object of the present invention to provide a method apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products through the said apparatus.

Statement of the invention
1) An apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products comprises
i) An initial block of a stirrer for prior accumulation, removal and releasing the group of clustered and tied up plastic material to each other prior to placing the subject on the conveyor belt.
ii) An automatic control system including the programmable logic controls and SCADA for the automatic flow of the process in the segregation of the waste material.
iii) At least two low rate gear based DC in communication to the said conveyor belt motor for rotating the conveyor belt in the desired direction and at uniform speed.
iv) A proximity sensor for detecting the presence of the metallic waste material, plastic, ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic material in the said group of accumulated waste products.
v) A metal detection system including inductive coils for generating a magnetic field around the flow of the waste material over the conveyor belt to detect the conducting material waste in the group of assorted waste.
vi) A solenoid based actuator for detecting, identifying and collecting the metallic waste material.
vii)A high pressure air blower to isolate the light weighted waste material from the conveyor path.
2) A method apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products through the apparatus of claims 1 to 7 comprises the steps of
i) Conveying, over a conveyor belt, the assorted group of domestic and commercial waste including the plastic, metallic and electronic products in the dry and wet state;

ii) Activating the at least two DC motors for the transmission of the said waste in a uniform direction at a constant speed over the conveyor belt;
iii) Segregating and releasing the winded up plastic waste materials into loose and transportable waste by the stirrer mechanism;
iv) Activating the high pressure air blower for segregating the light weighted materials such as the paper and covers;
v) Detecting the conducting metallic waste material by the metal detection system comprising inductive coils for the generation of the magnetic field and receiving the eddy current induced by the conducting material in the said group of waste materials;
vi) Emitting the electromagnetic, electrostatic and infrared radiation by the proximity sensor and receiving the reflected signal for the detection of the plurality of waste material.
vii) Utilizing the actuator for the detection of the metallic waste in the said plurality of products.
Brief description of the drawings
FIG 1 illustrates the block diagram of the proposed apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products.
FIG 2 illustrates the pictorial view of the proximity sensor.
FIG 3 illustrates the pictorial view of the actuator.
Table I illustrates the types of waste materials detected by the proximity sensor and the magnet.
Detailed description of the drawings
The examples set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and illustrate the best mode of practicing the invention. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawing figures, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the invention and will

recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.
Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein (whether they cooperate), it will be clear that a single device/article may be used in place of the more than one device or article or a different number of devices/articles may be used instead of the shown number of devices or programs. The functionality and/or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality/features. Thus, other embodiments of the invention need not include the device itself. Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based here on. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention are intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims. While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
The terms "an embodiment", "embodiment", "embodiments", "the embodiment", "the embodiments", "one or more embodiments", "some embodiments", and "one embodiment" mean "one or more (but not all) embodiments of the invention(s)" unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms "including", "comprising", "having" and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to", unless expressly specified otherwise. The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more", unless expressly specified otherwise. A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the invention. When a single device or article is described herein, it will be clear that more than one device/article (whether they cooperate) may be used in place of a single device/article.

FIG 1 illustrates the block diagram of the proposed apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products. The apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products comprises an initial block of a stirrer for prior accumulation, removal and releasing the group of clustered and tied up plastic material to each other prior to placing the subject on the conveyor belt; an automatic control system including the programmable logic controls and SCADA for the automatic flow of the process in the segregation of the waste material; at least two low rate gear based DC in communication to the said conveyor belt motor for rotating the conveyor belt in the desired direction and at uniform speed; a proximity sensor for detecting the presence of the metallic waste material, plastic, ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic material in the said group of accumulated waste products; a metal detection system including inductive coils for generating a magnetic field around the flow of the waste material over the conveyor belt to detect the conducting material waste in the group of assorted waste; a solenoid based actuator for detecting, identifying and collecting the metallic waste material and a high pressure air blower to isolate the light weighted waste material from the conveyor path.
The stirrer is utilized to separate the knotted covers of wastes. When the waste is dumped over the conveyor, the wastes are incline to fall on the blower, By which the dried waste materials like paper and very less weight covers are thrown out. Proximity sensor is intended to sense any metal object that comes through its range of sensing. If the object is a metallic, a change in parallel resonant impedance of the metal detection system is observed. Here, a decision is made if the waste is wet or dry based on its relative permittivity. Two DC motors are intended to rotate the conveyor belt in the same direction and in the requisite constant speed. Motors are blend with the conveyor belt by which the debris are carried over to isolation process.
The primary block in the apparatus is the stirrer setup which is utilized to perform the actions of untangling the winded up paper and covers and to loosen up the group of light weighted waste materials. The stirrer stirs the waste materials to unknot the tangled plastic covers prior to the dumping of the waste material onto the conveyor belt.
The metal detection system detects the eddy currents and magnetic flux created by the metallic waste and wherein said magnetic field opposes the magnetic field created by the

inductive coils of the metal detection system. The object moves over the conveyor and arrives near to the inductive coil. This data changes whenever another metallic object is introduced in the area of sensing range of the coil. It generates a magnetic field when an alternating current is passed to the coil. When a metallic object is introduced in the flux area of the coil, eddy currents are induced on its surface. The eddy current is a function of the surface area, distance, size and composition of the target. This generates a magnetic field which field opposes the original magnetic field which is generated by the coil. Magnetic field does not make the distraction of the metal detection system. It possesses the ability to detect any conducting materials irrespective of its magnetic properties. Once if the kind of garbage is not metallic then the inductive sensing module tends to sense the object, else the sensing module is stopped and the actuators are activated.
FIG 2 illustrates the pictorial view of the proximity sensor. The proximity sensor is a sensor which is able to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contacts. A proximity sensor often emits an electromagnetic or electrostatic field, or a beam of electromagnetic radiation (for instance infrared), and is looking for the changes in the field or return signal. The sensing of an object is often referred to as the proximity sensor's target. Different kind of proximity sensor targets the different objects. For an instance, a capacitive proximity sensor is able to detect the plastics. Also, an inductive proximity sensor targets the metal. The maximum sensing distance of the object is on the basis of "Nominal range" of the sensor. We used proximity sensor instead of magnet to detect the ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic materials. Magnet has the capability to detect the magnetic property materials (iron, steel, cobalt, nickel). But it can't attract the non-ferromagnetic property materials like aluminium and copper. The proximity sensor is capable to sense both the magnetic and non¬magnetic stuff. FIG 3 illustrates the pictorial view of the actuator. An actuator plays a crucial role to discriminate the metals. Actuator is promptly energized at the moment of metal being detected and it is de-energized after dividing the path of objects. This is like IN and OUT. Actuator energizing and de-energizing is pertaining to the certain time of interval in the controller.
The method apparatus for the automatic segregation and recycling of the domestic and commercial waste materials including plastic, metallic and electronic products through the apparatus comprises the steps of initially conveying, over a conveyor belt, the assorted group of domestic and commercial waste including the plastic, metallic and electronic products in the dry and wet state; activating the at least two DC motors for the transmission of the said

waste in a uniform direction at a constant speed over the conveyor belt; segregating,and releasing the winded up plastic waste materials into loose and transportable waste by the stirrer mechanism then activating the high pressure air blower for segregating the light weighted materials such as the paper and covers; detecting the conducting metallic waste material by the metal detection system comprising inductive coils for the generation of the magnetic field and receiving the eddy current induced by the conducting material in the said group of waste materials; emitting the electromagnetic, electrostatic and.infrared radiation by the proximity sensor and receiving the reflected signal for the detection of the plurality of waste material and finally utilizing the actuator for the detection of the metallic waste in the said plurality of products. The capacitive proximity sensor detects the light weighted and plastic waste materials while the inductive proximity sensor detects the metallic materials.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based upon the teachings herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The subject matter was described to explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.