Particle feeder
AssigneeCold Jet, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Mallaley, Richard Joseph Broecker, Robert Mitchell Kocol
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is described which introduces cryogenic particles received from a source of particles, having a first pressure, into a moving transport fluid, having a second pressure, for ultimate delivery to a workpiece or target as particles entrained in a transport fluid flow which seals between the source of particles and the transport fluid flow.
Claims18
A feeder assembly configured to transport blast media from a source of media into a flow of transport gas, the feeder comprising:
- a. a rotor comprising a peripheral surface, the rotor being rotatable about an axis of rotation;
- b. a cavity defined by at least one cavity wall and a cavity bottom, the cavity comprising a cavity axis;
- c. a seal comprising a first surface, the first surface disposed adjacent at least a portion of the peripheral surface;
- d. a piston moveably disposed at least partially in the cavity, the piston being moveable along the cavity axis, the piston having a bottom;
- e. an inlet connectable to a transport fluid source;
- f. an outlet;
- g. a transport fluid flow path, at least a portion of the transport fluid flow path being defined by the seal and the piston, the transport fluid flow path comprising an entrance and an exit, the entrance being in fluid communication with the inlet, the exit being in fluid communication with the outlet;
- and
- h. a pressure chamber defined by the piston and at least a respective portion of the at least one cavity wall and the cavity bottom, wherein the piston and the seal are configured such that pressure within the pressure chamber controls how much sealing force with which the first surface is urged against the peripheral surface.
A feeder assembly configured to transport blast media from a source of media into a flow of transport gas, the feeder comprising:
- a. a rotor comprising a peripheral surface, the rotor being rotatable about an axis of rotation;
- b. a cavity defined by at least one cavity wall and a cavity bottom, the cavity comprising a cavity axis;
- c. a seal moveably disposed at least partially in the cavity, the seal being moveable along the cavity axis, the seal comprising a first surface, the first surface disposed adjacent at least a portion of the peripheral surface;
- d. a transport fluid flow path, at least a portion of the transport fluid flow path being defined by the seal;
- e. clearance between the seal and the at least one cavity wall, the clearance being configured to allow the seal to align with the portion of the peripheral surface in response to pressure within the transport fluid flow path when said seal is urged into sealing engagement with the peripheral surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.