| 摘要 |
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for efficiently and accurately sorting spherical objects based on their diameters. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a support frame, an inclined measurement chute having a measurement channel through which a laser beam can be transmitted, a feeder for feeding spherical objects into the measurement chute, a laser micrometer, a plurality of receptacles for receiving the sorted objects, a sorter for directing the objects into one of the plurality of receptacles, and a computer for directing the sorter to place the objects into the appropriate receptacles. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of feeding the objects into an inclined measurement chute having a measurement slot through which a laser beam can be transmitted, measuring the diameter of the objects as the objects roll down the inclined measurement chute over the measurement slot by way of a laser micrometer, transmitting a signal from the laser micrometer to a computer, said signal identifying the diameter of the objects, and directing a sorter to place the objects into one of a plurality of receptacles based on the diameter of the objects.
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