Needle blank sorting apparatus

摘要

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for sorting needle blanks. Generally, the apparatus includes a needle transferring assembly which receives needle blanks at a needle loading position and sequentially transfers the needle blanks to a needle identifying position and to a needle sorting position. An imaging assembly has a focus aligned with the needle identifying position so as to identify whether an end face of the needle blank has a solid or hollow cross-section. A needle blank sorting assembly is provided to operate when the needle blanks are transferred to the needle sorting position. The needle blank sorting assembly responds to the imaging assembly so as to sort the needle blanks with the hollow cross-section from the needle blanks with the solid cross-section.