# US 2017/0284928 A1 · Processing of solid micron sized particles for rapid deposition on substrate surfaces with uniform particle distribution

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- Number: US 2017/0284928 A1
- Document ID: US20170284928A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/479,461
- Filed: 2017-04-05
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-05
- Assignees: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
- Applicants: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
- Inventors: Robert Furstenberg; Thomas Fischer; Viet K. Nguyen; R Andrew McGill; Chris Kendziora; Michael Papantonakis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284928A1

## CPC

- B07B 1/52: with brushes or scrapers
- B07B 13/16: Feed or discharge arrangements
- G01N 1/28: Preparing specimens for investigation {including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q}(mounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 {; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00})
- G01N 15/10: Investigating individual particles
- B07B 1/522: {with brushes}
- B07B 1/524: {the brushes being rotating}
- B07B 1/526: {with scrapers}
- B07B 1/528: {the scrapers being rotating}
- G01N 2001/2893: {Preparing calibration standards}
- G01N 2015/1014: {Constitution of reference particles}
- B07B: SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL (wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid B03; combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus B03B; using liquids B03B, B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes B04; hand sorting, postal sorting, sorting by switching or other devices actuated in response to detection or measurement of some feature of articles or samples of material B07C)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

This application relates generally to a method and apparatus to deposit particles onto one or more coupons, and harvest particles from one or more coupons, which may beneficially provide a more uniform or localized distribution of particles over a specified area on each coupon. The application relates to a method and apparatus for depositing particles onto one or more coupons using a sieve. The application also relates to a method and apparatus for depositing particles onto one or more coupons using a dust storm. The particle loadings achieved on each coupon or across an individual coupon may be substantially uniform. The application further relates to a laser-based method and apparatus for transferring particles deposited at localized points on a source coupon to a different substrate for further use.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sieving apparatus, comprising:
a sieving pan adapted for receiving particles to be sieved, comprising:
a sieve membrane having upper and lower surfaces; and
a wiper that wipes particles over an upper surface of the sieve membrane;
a collection pan that retains particles that pass through the sieve membrane; and
a substrate provided within the collection pan to receive a portion of the particles that pass through the sieve membrane;
wherein the wiper is moved with respect to the upper surface of the sieve membrane and applies force to particles adjacent to the upper surface of the sieve membrane, producing particle distributions that are on average substantially uniform across the width of the wiper and accelerating the movement of the particles through openings in the sieve membrane into the collection pan and onto the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vibration generator that generates vibratory action to cause particles to pass through the sieve membrane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wiper is selected from the group consisting of a blade, a segmented blade, and a brush.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wiper is in contact with the upper surface of the sieve membrane.

### Claim 5

(canceled)

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the wiper comprises a material that flexes against the sieve membrane as the wiper rotates and drives particles through the sieve membrane, increasing particle throughput.

### Claim 7

(canceled)

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the segmented blade is segmented into strips that flail as said segmented blade is rotated against the sieve membrane, randomizing the contact of said strips with the sieve membrane.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the brush comprises fibers configured to form one or more brush assemblies that flex as said brush is rotated against the sieve membrane, randomizing the contact of said fibers with the sieve membrane.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sieving pan and collection pan are provided in a dry atmosphere.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dry atmosphere is maintained at a positive pressure by providing a dry gas through an inlet in said sieving stack.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sieving pan and collection pan are mechanically coupled, such that when vibration is applied to the collection pan, the vibration is transmitted to the sieving pan.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collection pan has a coupon platform provided therein, and wherein the coupon platform comprises a coupon holder adapted to receive one or more test coupons thereon.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the coupon platform comprises a vibration damper.

### Claim 15

(canceled)

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sieving apparatus comprises actuators for preventing particles from blocking the sieve membrane.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the actuators are selected from a tamping device positioned above the lid of the sieving stack, and one or more ultrasonic actuators positioned around the sieve membrane.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collection pan comprises a sensor to provide real time monitoring of particle mass depositions and provide a feedback control mechanism.

### Claim 19

(canceled)

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collection pan comprises an observation window comprising an optically transparent material, and a camera or optical microscope positioned to view particles landing on the observation window or on an optically transparent witness coupon viewable through the window.

### Claim 21

(canceled)

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the observation window comprises an optically transparent witness coupon included among one or more coupons not suitable for optical analysis, and a level of particle loading on the witness coupon is used to estimate particle loading on the one or more coupons not suitable for optical analysis.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller for adjusting speed, duration, and direction of rotation for the wiper.

### Claim 24

A sieving apparatus, comprising:
a sieving pan adapted for receiving particles to be sieved, comprising a sieve membrane having upper and lower surfaces;
a vibration generator that generates vibratory action to cause particles to pass through the sieve membrane;
a collection pan that retains particles that pass through the sieve membrane; and
a rotating coupon stage having a surface adapted to receive one or more coupons, where the one or more coupons receive a portion of the particles that pass through the sieve membrane;
wherein the coupon stage is provided in the collection pan, and is rotated as the particles are sieved, producing particle distributions that are more uniform across the one or more coupons when compared to particle distributions produced on coupons that are not rotated during sieving.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the coupon stage surface is rotated in a circular orbit.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the coupon stage surface is rotated in a planetary orbital motion.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising an electric motor configured to rotate the coupon stage surface.

### Claim 28 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a windable spring configured to rotate the coupon stage surface using power generated by winding the spring.

### Claim 29 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a damper is provided between the rotating coupon stage and the surface of the receiving pan.

### Claim 30

(canceled)

### Claim 31 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a controller for adjusting speed, duration, and direction of rotation for the coupon stage surface.

### Claim at position 32

32-51. (canceled)

### Claim 52

A method for sieving particles, comprising:
placing particles into a sieving pan comprising a sieve membrane having upper and lower surfaces, and a wiper that wipes particles over an upper surface of the sieve membrane;
actuating a wiper to move across the upper surface of the sieve membrane and apply force to particles on the upper surface of the sieve membrane, producing particle distributions that are substantially uniform across the width of the wiper and accelerating the movement of the particles through openings in the sieve membrane; and
collecting particles that pass through the sieve membrane in a collection pan having a substrate provided therein, wherein a portion of the particles that pass through the sieve membrane are deposited on the substrate.

### Claim at position 34

53-57. (canceled)

### Claim 58 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, further comprising actuating a rotating stage provided in the collection pan, the rotating stage having a surface adapted to receive the substrate, where the substrate receives a portion of the particles that pass through the sieve membrane as the stage rotates, producing a substrate having particles deposited therein, wherein the particle distributions on the substrate is substantially uniform.