公开(公告)号：EP2825322B1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-25

申请号：EP13712504.3

申请日：2013-03-13

申请人： De Beers UK Ltd

发明人： SMITH, James Gordon Charters ,  LEATON, Timothy Howard

IPC分类号： B07C5/342 ,  G01N21/87 ,  B07C5/38 ,  B07C5/36

CPC分类号： G01N21/13 ,  B07C5/3425 ,  B07C5/366 ,  B07C5/38 ,  G01N21/25 ,  G01N21/31 ,  G01N21/87 ,  G01N33/24 ,  G01N33/381 ,  G01N2021/135

摘要： There is described an apparatus and method for inspecting and optionally sorting gemstones. The apparatus includes a nozzle or array of nozzles operatively connected to a vacuum pump such that a gemstone located generally underneath one of the nozzles will be supported against that nozzle by air pressure when a vacuum is applied above the nozzle. A drive system moves the nozzles along a path past a gemstone pick-up location so that a gemstone can be picked up by each nozzle as that nozzle passes the pick-up location. One or more measurement devices are located on or near the predetermined path and configured to measure at least one property of the gemstone. One or more ejection locations are provided on the path at which the vacuum applied to each nozzle is reversible to eject the gemstone from that nozzle. The apparatus may also include a plurality of dispensing bins into which the gemstones are dispensed. The bin into which each gemstone is dispensed is chosen in dependence on the measured property.