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US 7,591,375 B2Granted
Layered vibratory material conditioning apparatus
AssigneeM-I L.L.C.
InventorEric Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vibratory conditioner includes a plurality of screens having a planar surface through which there is a material feed opening, wherein each screen is retained in vertical alignment such that all planar surfaces are parallel, a chamber within which the parallel screens are retained, means for conditioning air within the chamber to a predetermined temperature and a predetermined humidity level, and a vibratory generator operable to vibrate the chamber and fluidize particles of material retained on a top surface of each screen and to move the fluidized particles in a first direction.
Claims19
A vibratory conditioner comprising:
- a plurality of screens having a planar surface through which there is a material feed opening, wherein each screen is retained in vertical alignment such that all planar surfaces are parallel;
- a plurality of flow directors beneath the material feed opening of each screen to direct material to a point on a lower screen such that the material is directed around the screen before reaching the material feed opening therein;
- a chamber within which the plurality of parallel screens are retained;
- means for conditioning air within the chamber to a predetermined temperature and a predetermined humidity level;
- and
- a vibratory generator operable to vibrate the chamber and fluidize particles of material retained on a top surface of each screen and to move the fluidized particles in a first direction;
- wherein the plurality of screens have a plurality of pores of a unique predetermined pore size configured to segregate undersized particles from acceptable sized particles.
4 more elements
An apparatus for conditioning and classifying material comprising:
- a chamber;
- a plurality of screens retained within the chamber, wherein each of the plurality of screens has a center orifice and an outer edge, wherein at least one of the plurality of screens comprises a material feed opening radially extending through the screen, wherein each of the plurality of screens has a plurality of pores of a unique predetermined pore size configured to segregate undersized particles from acceptable sized particles;
- wherein the screens are vertically arranged such that particles greater than a desired maximum particle size are retained on a top side of an uppermost screen;
- a spout in fluid communication with the top side of the uppermost screen, wherein the spout directs the particles greater than the desired maximum particle size to an oversized particle collection area external to the chamber;
- a cylindrical connector affixed within the center orifice of each of the plurality of screens, wherein each connector interconnects with adjacent cylindrical connectors to retain each screen in a fixed rotational alignment such that the material feed opening through adjacent screens are offset by a fixed offset angle;
- a vibratory generator operable to vibrate the chamber and fluidize the material on each screen, thereby causing it to move in a first direction;
- and means for conditioning air within the chamber;
- and
- means for conditioning air within the chamber.
6 more elements
An apparatus for conditioning and classifying material comprising:
- a chamber;
- a plurality of screens retained within the chamber, wherein each of the plurality of screens has a center orifice and an outer edge, wherein at least one of the plurality of screens comprises a material feed opening radially extending through the screen, wherein each of the plurality of screens has a plurality of pores of a unique predetermined pore size configured to segregate undersized particles from acceptable sized particles;
- an undersized particle collection area located beneath a lowermost screen, wherein particles having less than a desired minimum particle size are collected in the undersized particle collection area;
- a spout in fluid communication with a top side of an uppermost screen, wherein particles greater than a desired maximum particle size are retained on the top side of the uppermost screen;
- and wherein the spout directs the particles greater than the desired maximum particle size to an oversized particle collection area external to the chamber
- a cylindrical connector affixed within the center orifice of each of the plurality of screens, wherein each connector interconnects with adjacent cylindrical connectors to retain each screen in a fixed rotational alignment such that the material feed opening through adjacent screens are offset by a fixed offset angle;
- a vibratory generator operable to vibrate the chamber and fluidize the material on each screen, thereby causing it to move in a first direction;
- and means for conditioning air within the chamber;
- and
- means for conditioning air within the chamber.
7 more elements
A method for conditioning and classifying particles comprising:
- conditioning air in a chamber to a predetermined temperature and a predetermined humidity level;
- circulating the conditioned air within the chamber;
- dispensing a plurality of particles into the chamber and onto a first of a plurality of vertically adjacent-screens,
- wherein each porous element of the plurality of screens has a plurality of pores of a unique predetermined size configured to segregate undersized particles from acceptable sized particles,
- wherein at least one of the plurality of screens comprises a radially extending material feed opening, and wherein the material feed opening of adjacent screens are offset from each other;
- vibrating the screens to separate and remove particles having a particle size greater than a desired minimum particle size from the particles having a particle size less than the desired minimum particle size;
- directing the plurality of particles having a particle size greater than the desired minimum particle size to subsequent screens through the material feed opening in the at least one of the plurality of screens;
- and
- collecting the particles having a particle size less than the desired minimum particle size at a bottom portion of the chamber.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.