US 5,964,242 AGranted

Method of and apparatus for substance processing with small opening gates actuated and controlled by large displacement members having fine surface finishing

AssigneeAESOP, Inc.

InventorAlexander H. Slocum

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Abstract

A mechanism to control the size of particles flowing through it, even to the nanometer scale, that contains a beam or plate effectively anchored at the bottom of each of a plurality of adjacent chambers, and, wherein the top of the beam or plate and the bottom of the chambers are polished to a degree finer than the particle size to be excluded, and with the polished surfaces normally brought into intimate contact to close off the chambers; an extension to the beam or plate acting as a force source to the beam or plate, such that when the extension is deflected a known large amount, the resulting deflection in the neighborhood of the anchoring point is very small, enabling the extension to create a transmission effect with the bending of the extension down, making the beam or plate act like a cantilever and opening the system for flushing; while bending the beam up, puts the beam in three point bending, and guides the substances from one chamber to another, with appropriate exit seal.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method of mechanically gating the flow of particle-containing fluid substances and the like contained in a pair of adjacent hollow chambers, that comprises, polishing the top surface of a resilient plate that is to extend over and close off the bottom edges of the hollow chambers and also correspondingly polishing the chamber bottom edges to a degree further that the size of the particles to be excluded during the fluid substance gating from the chambers;

anchoring the plate to extend over and normally close off the bottoms of the chambers during contact with the top surface of the plate;
extending the plate at least from one end to provide a deflection force surface therefor, applying selectively downwardly and upwardly directed deflection actuating forces to the plate extension surface to deflect the extension an amount large compared to the resulting deflection of the plate in the neighborhood of its anchorage, thereby to create a transmission effect along the plate;
the plate, when deflected, downwardly, bending down like a cantilevered beam to open a controlled gap between a bottom edge of a chamber and the top surface of the plate to permit the gated flushing of particles of desired size range in the fluid substance out of that chamber;
and the plate, when deflected upwardly, bending up to establish multiple point contacts that provide a controlled gap between adjacent chambers to permit the gating therebetween of particles of desired size, while guiding the substance along the deflected portion of the top surface of the plate from one chamber to another and while preventing flushing from the chambers.

1 more element

A mechanical flow gate for controlling the size of particles flowing through the gate, having, in combination, a resilient beam plate anchored to extend over and normally close off the bottom of a plurality of adjacent hollow chambers adapted to receive fluid substances containing the particles, wherein the top of the plate and the bottom edges of the chambers are polished to a degree finer that the particle(s) size(s) to be excluded in the gating;

an extension to at least one end of the plate serving as a deflection force surface therefor;
actuator means for selectively applying downwardly and upwardly directed deflection to the plate extension surface to deflect the extension an amount large compared to the resulting deflection of the plate in the neighborhood of the anchorage;
thereby to create a transmission effect along the plate;
said plate when deflected downwardly bending down like a cantilevered beam to open a first controlled gap between a bottom edge of a chamber and the top surface of the plate to permit the gated flushing of particles of desired size range in the fluid substance out of that chamber;
and the plate, when deflected upwardly, bending up to establish multiple point contacts that provide a second controlled gap between adjacent chamber bottoms to permit gating therebetween of particles of desired size while guiding the fluid substance along the deflected portion of the top surface of the plate from one chamber to another, and while preventing flushing from the chamber.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.