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US 7,406,779 B2Granted
Variable die for use in drying synthetic elastomers
AssigneeMichelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
InventorTimothy Flanery
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methodologies are provided for flash drying liquid materials using a variable die. A die and a die body are provided with an adjustably configured pressure regulating variable obstruction in the material flow path that allows control of the pressure applied to the material and consequent control of the temperature of the material as it enters the die. Optimizing pressure and temperature allows optimization of the flash drying process.
Claims16
A variable die assembly for drying materials, comprising:
- a die body defining a longitudinally-oriented, interior passage through which the material is moved;
- an adjustment sleeve into which said die body and said interior passage are received, said adjustment sleeve and said die body configured for complementary attachment to each other;
- and
- a filter-screen attached to said adjustment sleeve and comprising a plurality of openings of predetermined size through which the material can be expelled;
- wherein said adjustment sleeve is selectively movable along said die body such that the distance between said filter screen and said die body may be adjusted.
2 more elements
A method of drying material, comprising the steps of
- moving the material along a longitudinally-oriented conduit within a die body, the die body being positioned within an adjustment sleeve;
- passing the material between opposing surfaces defined by the die body and a filter screen, the filter screen being attached to the adjustment sleeve;
- flowing the material into a chamber defined by the filter screen;
- venting the material through a plurality of apertures located in the filter screen;
- and
- adjusting the pressure of the material in the die body by rotating the adjustment sleeve so as to change the distance between the opposing surfaces.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.