Trash separator
AssigneeUster Technologies AG
InventorsYoue-Tsyr Chu, Johnathan W. Craps, Weichang Zhao, Michael E. Galyon, Hossein M. Ghorashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for processing a sample of fibers and trash, having a cylinder for receiving the sample. Pins extend from the surface of the cylinder and retain the fibers. A knife extends along the cylinder adjacent the pins, and removes the trash that is not retained by the pins. The trash is separated from the sample along a downward direction. A counter-flow of air in an upward direction is directed towards the cylinder, where the velocity is sufficient to blow the fibers that are not originally retained by the pins up toward the cylinder, and yet is insufficient to prevent gravity from pulling the trash downward.
Claims20
A separation apparatus for processing a fiber sample that includes both fibers and trash, the separation apparatus comprising:
- a pinned cylinder for rotating in a first direction and receiving the fiber sample, the pinned cylinder having a cylindrical surface with a length extending along a longitudinal axis, and rigid pins having distal ends extending from the cylindrical surface, the pins for selectively engaging and retaining the fibers of the fiber sample,
- a knife edge extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and along substantially the entire length of an underside of the pinned cylinder, and disposed adjacent the distal ends of the pins, for selectively removing from the fiber sample the trash that is not retained by the pins, the trash thereby separating from the fiber sample along a substantially downward direction, a counter-flow of air moving at a first velocity in a substantially upward direction towards the underside of the pinned cylinder, the first velocity sufficient for the counter-flow of air to blow the fibers that are not originally retained by the pins up toward the bottom of the pinned cylinder and thereby engaging the fibers with the pinned cylinder, and the first velocity insufficient to prevent gravity from pulling the trash downward through the counter-flow of air, and
- a collection surface for receiving the trash that has fallen downward through the counter-flow of air.
A separation apparatus for processing a fiber sample that includes both fibers and trash, the separation apparatus comprising:
- a separation cylinder for rotating in a first direction and receiving the fiber sample, the separation cylinder having a cylindrical surface with a length extending along a longitudinal axis, and rigid protrusions having distal ends extending from the cylindrical surface, the protrusions for selectively engaging and retaining the fibers of the fiber sample,
- a knife edge extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and along substantially the entire length of an underside of the separation cylinder, and disposed adjacent the distal ends of the protrusions, for selectively removing from the fiber sample the trash that is not retained by the protrusions, the trash thereby separating from the fiber sample along a substantially downward direction,
- a counter-flow of air moving at a first velocity in a substantially upward direction towards the underside of the separation cylinder, the first velocity sufficient for the counter-flow of air to blow the fibers that are not originally retained by the protrusions up toward the bottom of the separation cylinder and thereby engaging the fibers with the separation cylinder, and the first velocity insufficient to prevent gravity from pulling the trash downward through the counter-flow of air, and
- a collection surface for receiving the trash that has fallen downward through the counter-flow of air.
A method for processing a fiber sample that includes both fibers and trash, the method comprising the steps of:
- selectively engaging and retaining fibers of the fiber sample with a separation cylinder, the separation cylinder rotating in a first direction and having a cylindrical surface with a length extending along a longitudinal axis, and rigid pins having distal ends extending from the cylindrical surface,
- selectively removing from the fiber sample trash that is not retained by the pins in a downward direction with a knife edge extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and along substantially the entire length of an underside of the separation cylinder, and disposed adjacent the distal ends of the pins,
- contacting the fibers and trash with a counter-flow of air moving at a first velocity in a substantially upward direction towards the underside of the separation cylinder, the first velocity sufficient for the counter-flow of air to blow the fibers that are not originally retained by the pins up toward the bottom of the separation cylinder and thereby engaging the fibers with the separation cylinder, and the first velocity insufficient to prevent gravity from pulling the trash downward through the counter-flow of air, and
- collecting on a collection surface the trash that has fallen downward through the counter-flow of air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.