Wurster air diverting method
AssigneeVector Corporation
InventorBrian K. Jensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The improved Wurster of the present invention includes an air diverter which supplies a flow of air in a radial direction adjacent the spray nozzle body and spray nozzle, so as to force the product away from the nozzle during the spraying process. The air diverter includes a sleeve with air passages therein, a manifold connected to the sleeve and to a source of secondary pressurized air or gas, and a collar to mount the assembled air diverter onto the perforated plate of the Wurster apparatus. In operation, the air diverter allows the spray pattern from the nozzle to more fully develop, allows more complete atomization of the spray solution, and allows for higher spray rates with little or no agglomeration of the product.
Claims15
An improved Wurster apparatus for coating the product, including a container with a partition therein defining an upbed area and a downbed area, a perforated plate beneath the container, a primary air source for providing air flow through the perforated plate into the container, such that the product moves in a circuitous path upwardly in the upbed area and downwardly in the downbed area, and a spray nozzle body extending into the upbed area of the container with a spray nozzle for spraying a coating solution onto the product in the upbed area, the improvement comprising:
- an air diverter in the upbed area;
- and
- a pressurized air or gas line operatively connected to the air diverter to force air radially outwardly adjacent the spray nozzle body to move the product away from the spray nozzle.
An improved process for coating the product using a Wurster apparatus having container with a partition therein defining upbed and downbed areas, and having a spray nozzle extending into the upbed area of the container, the process comprising:
- supplying a primary flow of air upwardly into the upbed area to carry the product upwardly through the upbed area for coating therein;
- and,
- supplying a secondary flow of pressurized air or gas adjacent the spray nozzle body and spray nozzle to move the particles away from the nozzle.
An air diverter for a Wurster product coating apparatus having a spray nozzle body with a spray nozzle positioned in a container for coating the product with a sprayed solution, the device comprising:
- a sleeve positioned adjacent the nozzle and having a plurality of holes therein;
- an air line operatively connected to the sleeve to force air through the holes in a radial direction so as to move the product laterally away from the spray nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.