# US 11,992,797 B2 · Cage assembly for dislodging material buildup within pneumatic conveyance systems and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,797 B2 - Document ID: US11992797B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/313,657 - Filed: 2023-05-08 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-16 - Applicants: Daniel Hunzeker - Inventors: Daniel Hunzeker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992797B2 ## CPC - B01D 46/02: Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, having hollow filters made of flexible material - B01D 46/24: Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using rigid hollow filter bodies - B01D 46/681: by scrapers, brushes or the like - B65G 53/06: Gas pressure systems operating without fluidisation of the materials - B65G 53/34: Details - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A pneumatic conveyance system includes at least one filtration component and a cage assembly disposed within the filtration component. The cage assembly may include a first cage, a second cage, and an actuator, where the actuator may be configured to move the first cage relative to the second cage and cause at least a portion of the first cage to rub against a filtration component within the pneumatic conveyance system. A method of dislodging material buildup within a pneumatic conveyance system includes causing a first cage of a cage assembly to move relative to a second cage within a filtration component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pneumatic conveyance system, comprising: at least one filtration component; a cage assembly comprising: a first cage within the at least one filtration component, the first cage comprising: a first upper annular member; a first lower annular member; and vertically extending helical members extending between the upper annular member and the lower annular member; a second cage within the at least one filtration component; and an actuator coupled to the first cage and configured to move the first cage relative to the second cage and cause at least a portion of the first cage to rub against an interior surface of the at least one filtration component and deform the at least one filtration component to remove material from an exterior surface of the at least one filtration component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pneumatic conveyance system of claim 1, wherein the first cage is movable relative to the at least one filtration component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pneumatic conveyance system of claim 1, wherein the first cage is disposed within the second cage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pneumatic conveyance system of claim 1, wherein the first cage and the second cage share a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pneumatic conveyance system of claim 1, wherein the second cage comprises a second upper annular member and a second lower annular member, the first upper annular member and the first lower annular member of the first cage vertically between the second upper annular member and the second lower annular member of the second cage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pneumatic conveyance system of claim 1, wherein each helical member of the first cage is disposed between two adjacent second helical members of the second cage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pneumatic conveyance system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the first cage in a first direction until at least one vertically extending helical member contacts at least an additional vertically extending helical member of the second cage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pneumatic conveyance system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to cause the first cage to oscillate between a first position and a second position. ### Claim 9 An assembly, comprising: a cage assembly, comprising: a first cage; and a second cage; a filtration component around the case assembly; and an actuator coupled to the first cage and configured to rotate the first cage relative to the filtration assembly to facilitate removal of material from the filtration component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising an additional cage assembly, the additional cage assembly coupled to an additional actuator configured to rotate a first cage of the additional cage assembly relative to an additional filtration component disposed around the additional cage assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the first cage in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, wherein the second cage is fixed relative to the filtration component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, wherein the actuator is configured to rotationally oscillate the first cage within a range of from about 45° and about 90°. ### Claim 14 An assembly, comprising: a cage assembly disposed within the at least one filtration component, and comprising: a first cage comprising first helical members; and a second cage within the first cage and comprising second helical members, the first cage configured to rotate relative to the second cage about a center longitudinal axis shared by the first cage and the second cage; and a filter disposed around the first cage and the second cage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein the filter contacts the first helical members and the second helical members. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first helical members is disposed between two of the second helical members. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14, wherein the first helical members extend from a first annular upper member of the first cage to a first annular lower member of the first cage.