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US 2002/0117940 A1Published application
Smart screening machine
AssigneeQuality Research, Development & Consulting, Inc.
InventorDaryoush Allaei
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A screening machine that uses electrically controlled transducers to vibrate a separating screen. The transducers can be piezoelectric patches, discrete piezoelectric components, or electromagnetic shakers. Further, the transducers can be coupled directly to the screen or through a vibration amplifier. The transducers and/or amplifiers can be coupled to the screen at different attachment locations. One or more of the transducers can be used as sensors to provide feedback for operation control.
Claims32
A screening machine comprising:
- a screen;
- a motion amplifier substantially rigidly attached to the screen;
- and
- a transducer that is substantially rigidly attached to the motion amplifier, wherein the transducer imparts a vibratory motion to the screen via the motion amplifier.
1 more element
A screening machine, comprising:
- a frame;
- a mesh enclosed within and attached to the frame;
- a motion amplifier substantially rigidly attached to the frame;
- and
- a transducer substantially rigidly attached to the motion amplifier to impart a vibratory motion to the motion amplifier, wherein the motion amplifier amplifies the vibratory motion and imparts the amplified vibratory motion to the frame and thereby to the mesh.
2 more elements
A screening method comprising:
- transmitting an alternating voltage from a power supply to a transducer, wherein the alternating voltage causes the transducer to produce a vibratory output;
- amplifying the vibratory output of the transducer by substantially rigidly attaching the transducer to a motion amplifier;
- vibrating a screen by imparting the amplified vibratory output to the screen by substantially rigidly attaching the motion amplifier to the screen;
- using a portion of the transducer as a sensor;
- transmitting a monitoring signal from the sensor to a control circuit that is indicative of the amplitude of the vibration of the screen;
- transmitting a control signal from the control circuit to the power supply;
- and
- using the control signal to adjust the amplitude of the alternating voltage transmitted to the transducer and thereby the amplitude of the vibration of the screen.
5 more elements
A screening method comprising:
- transmitting an alternating voltage from a power supply to a transducer, wherein the alternating voltage causes the transducer to produce a vibratory output;
- amplifying the vibratory output of the transducer by substantially rigidly attaching the transducer to a motion amplifier;
- vibrating a screen by imparting the amplified vibratory output to the screen by substantially rigidly attaching the motion amplifier to the screen;
- using a portion of the transducer as a sensor;
- transmitting a monitoring signal from the sensor to a control circuit that is indicative of at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the vibration imparted to the screen;
- transmitting a control signal from the control circuit to the signal-generator/amplifier;
- and
- using the control signal to adjust at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the alternating voltage transmitted to the transducer and thereby at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the vibration of the screen.
5 more elements
A method for unclogging a screen, comprising:
- receiving a monitoring signal at a control circuit from a sensor that constitutes a portion of a transducer, wherein the transducer imparts a first vibratory motion to the screen as the result of a first alternating signal transmitted to it from a signal-generator/amplifier, wherein the monitoring signal is indicative that the screen is clogged;
- evaluating the monitoring signal at the control circuit;
- transmitting a control signal to the signal-generator/amplifier, wherein the control signal to causes the signal-generator/amplifier to superimpose a second alternating signal onto the first alternating signal;
- and
- transmitting the superimposed first and second alternating signals to the transducer that imparts a vibratory motion to the screen, the vibratory motion comprising a superposition of first and second vibratory motions as a result of the superimposed first and second alternating signals.
2 more elements
A screening machine comprising:
- a base;
- a screen coupled to the base to separate material by size;
- and
- a vibration motor comprising:
- piezoelectric elements, and
- a vibration amplifier located between the piezoelectric elements and the screen.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.