Inflatable liner systems

A system relating to preventing material from accumulating on at least one interior wall surface of at least one material delivery passage during material handling operations, said system comprising:

• a) at least one wear liner structured and arranged to line the at least one interior wall surface of the at least one material delivery passage;
• and
• b) at least one periodic deformer structured and arranged to periodically deform said at least one deformable liner;
• c) wherein said at least one deformable liner comprises
• i) at least one mount structured and arranged to firmly mount said at least one deformable liner adjacent the at least one interior wall surface,
• ii) at least one wear layer comprising at least one material-exposed surface, said at least one wear layer structured and arranged to reduce abrasive wear to the at least one interior wall surface during such material handling operations, and
• iii) at least one inflatable cavity structured and arranged to allow at least one positive-pressure fluid to be introduced between said at least one deformable wear panel and the at least one interior wall surface;
• d) wherein said at least one periodic deformer comprises
• i) at least one fluid access port structured and arranged to access the at least one positive-pressure fluid supplied from at least one positive-pressure fluid source,
• ii) in fluid communication with said at least one fluid access port and said at least one inflatable cavity, at least one control valve structured and arranged to control the introduction and discharge of the at least one positive-pressure fluid into and from said at least one inflatable cavity, and
• iii) at least one valve controller structured and arranged to control the opening and closing of said at least one control valve,
• iv) wherein said at least one valve controller comprises at least one valve pulser structured and arranged to cyclically actuate opening and closing of said at least one control valve;
• e) wherein such cyclic actuation of said at least one control valve incrementally inflates said at least one inflatable cavity by supplying the at least one positive-pressure fluid in at least one series of pressure pulses;
• f) wherein each pressure pulse of the at least one series is separated by at least one partial deflation of said at least one inflatable cavity;
• g) wherein said at least one wear layer comprises at least one deformable composition;
• h) wherein incremental inflation and partial deflation of said at least one inflatable cavity produces incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed surface;
• i) wherein incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed surface assists in dislodging accumulations of material within at least one material delivery passage during material handling operations;
• and
• j) wherein said at least one wear layer comprises:
• i) at least one abrasion-resistant core comprising a plurality of abutting wear elements each wear element of said plurality comprising a monolithic solid of abrasion-resistant material,
• ii) at least one resilient encapsulator structured and arranged to substantially encapsulate said at least one abrasion-resistant core,
• iii) wherein said at least one resilient encapsulator comprises said at least one material-exposed surface, at least one inner encapsulator surface spaced opposite said at least one material-exposed panel surface, and at least one peripheral portion extending peripherally between said at least one material-exposed panel surface and said at least one inner encapsulator surface.

A system relating to preventing material from accumulating on at least one interior wall surface of at least one material delivery passage during material handling operations, said system comprising:

• a) deformable liner means for deformably lining the at least one interior wall surface of the at least one material delivery passage;
• and
• b) periodic deformer means for periodically deforming said deformable liner means to assist dislodging accumulations of the material within at least one material delivery passage during such material handling operations;
• c) wherein said deformable liner means comprises
• i) mount means for firmly mounting said deformable liner means adjacent the at least one interior wall surface
• ii) deformable wear surface means for reducing abrasive wear to the at least one interior wall surface during such material handling operations, and
• iii) inflatable cavity means for allowing at least one positive-pressure fluid to be introduced between said deformable wear surface means and the at least one interior wall surface;
• d) wherein said periodic deformer means comprises
• i) fluid access means for accessing the at least one positive-pressure fluid supplied from at least one positive-pressure fluid source,
• ii) in fluid communication with said fluid access means and said inflatable cavity means control valve means for controlling the introduction and discharge of the at least one positive-pressure fluid into and from said inflatable cavity means, and
• iii) valve controller means for controlling the opening and closing of said control valve means;
• iv) wherein said valve controller means comprises valve pulser means for cyclically actuating the opening and closing of said control valve means;
• e) wherein such cyclic actuation of said control valve means incrementally inflates said inflatable cavity means by supplying the at least one positive-pressure fluid in a series of pressure pulses;
• f) wherein such incremental inflation of said inflatable cavity means produces incremental outward deformation of said deformable wear surface means;
• and
• g) wherein such incremental outward deformation of said deformable wear surface means assists in dislodging accumulations of the material within at least one material delivery passage during such material handling operations.

A system relating to preventing material from accumulating on at least one interior wall surface of at least one material delivery passage during material handling operations, said system comprising:

• a) at least one wear liner structured and arranged to line the at least one interior wall surface of the at least one material delivery passage, such at least one wear liner comprising
• i) at least one material-exposed wear layer structured and arranged to reduce abrasive wear to the at least one interior wall surface during such material handling operations, and
• ii) at least one inflatable cavity structured and arranged to allow pressurized air to be introduced between said at least one material-exposed wear layer and the at least one interior wall surface;
• b) at least one incremental inflator structured and arranged to incrementally inflate said at least one inflatable cavity using pressurized air supplied to said at least one inflatable cavity in at least one series of pressure pulses, each pressure pulse of the at least one series separated by at least one partial deflation of said at least one inflatable cavity;
• c) at least one mount structured and arranged to mount said at least one wear liner over the at least one interior wall surface;
• d) wherein said at least one material-exposed wear layer comprises at least one deformable composition,
• e) wherein such incremental inflation of such at least one inflatable cavity produces incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed wear layer;
• f) wherein such incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed wear layer assists in dislodging accumulations of the material within at least one material delivery passage during such material handling operations;
• g) wherein said at least one incremental inflator comprises
• i) at least one pressure access port structured and arranged to access the pressurized air supplied from at least one pressurized air source,
• ii) in fluid communication with said at least one pressure access port and said at least one inflatable cavity, at least one pneumatically-actuated control valve structured and arranged to control the introduction and discharge of pressurized air into and from said at least one inflatable cavity, and
• iii) at least one pneumatic valve controller structured and arranged to pneumatically control opening and closing of said at least one pneumatically-actuated control valve,
• iv) wherein said at least one pneumatic valve controller comprises at least one valve pulser structured and arranged to cyclically actuate opening and closing of said at least one pneumatically-actuated control valve to repeatedly inflate and partially deflate said at least one inflatable cavity by supplying pressurized air in at least one series of pressure pulses;
• h) wherein said at least one pneumatic valve controller further comprises at least one controller structured and arranged to electronically control the duration of the operation of said at least one valve pulser;
• and
• i) wherein said at least one controller comprises
• i) at least one computer processor to computer process at least one set of program instructions governing control outputs of said at least one controller, and
• ii) at least one user programming interface.

A system relating to preventing material from accumulating on at least one interior wall surface of at least one material delivery passage during material handling operations, said system comprising:

• a) at least one wear liner structured and arranged to line the at least one interior wall surface of the at least one material delivery passage, such at least one wear liner comprising
• i) at least one material-exposed wear layer structured and arranged to reduce abrasive wear to the at least one interior wall surface during such material handling operations, and
• ii) at least one inflatable cavity structured and arranged to allow pressurized air to be introduced between said at least one material-exposed wear layer and the at least one interior wall surface;
• b) at least one incremental inflator structured and arranged to incrementally inflate said at least one inflatable cavity using pressurized air supplied to said at least one inflatable cavity in at least one series of pressure pulses, each pressure pulse of the at least one series separated by at least one partial deflation of said at least one inflatable cavity;
• c) at least one mount structured and arranged to mount said at least one wear liner over the at least one interior wall surface;
• d) wherein said at least one material-exposed wear layer comprises at least one deformable composition,
• e) wherein such incremental inflation of such at least one inflatable cavity produces incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed wear layer;
• and
• f) wherein such incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed wear layer assists in dislodging accumulations of the material within at least one material delivery passage during such material handling operations;
• g) wherein said at least one incremental inflator comprises
• i) at least one pressure access port structured and arranged to access the pressurized air supplied from at least one pressurized air source,
• ii) in fluid communication with said at least one pressure access port and said at least one inflatable cavity, at least one pneumatically-actuated control valve structured and arranged to control the introduction and discharge of pressurized air into and from said at least one inflatable cavity, and
• iii) at least one pneumatic valve controller structured and arranged to pneumatically control opening and closing of said at least one pneumatically-actuated control valve,
• iv) wherein said at least one pneumatic valve controller comprises at least one valve pulser structured and arranged to cyclically actuate opening and closing of said at least one pneumatically-actuated control valve to repeatedly inflate and partially deflate said at least one inflatable cavity by supplying pressurized air in at least one series of pressure pulses;
• h) wherein said at least one valve pulser comprises at least one frequency adjuster structured and arranged to adjust the frequency of such series of pressure pulses;
• and
• i) wherein said at least one frequency adjuster is adjustable by a user.

A system relating to preventing material from accumulating on at least one interior wall surface of at least one material delivery passage during material handling operations, said system comprising:

• a) at least one wear liner structured and arranged to line the at least one interior wall surface of the at least one material delivery passage;
• and
• b) at least one periodic deformer structured and arranged to periodically deform said at least one deformable liner;
• c) wherein said at least one deformable liner comprises
• i) at least one mount structured and arranged to firmly mount said at least one deformable liner adjacent the at least one interior wall surface,
• ii) at least one wear layer comprising at least one material-exposed surface, said at least one wear layer structured and arranged to reduce abrasive wear to the at least one interior wall surface during such material handling operations, and
• iii) at least one inflatable cavity structured and arranged to allow at least one positive-pressure fluid to be introduced between said at least one deformable wear panel and the at least one interior wall surface;
• d) wherein said at least one periodic deformer comprises
• i) at least one fluid access port structured and arranged to access the at least one positive-pressure fluid supplied from at least one positive-pressure fluid source,
• ii) in fluid communication with said at least one fluid access port and said at least one inflatable cavity, at least one control valve structured and arranged to control the introduction and discharge of the at least one positive-pressure fluid into and from said at least one inflatable cavity, and
• iii) at least one valve controller structured and arranged to control the opening and closing of said at least one control valve,
• iv) wherein said at least one valve controller comprises at least one valve pulser structured and arranged to cyclically actuate opening and closing of said at least one control valve;
• e) wherein such cyclic actuation of said at least one control valve incrementally inflates said at least one inflatable cavity by supplying the at least one positive-pressure fluid in at least one series of pressure pulses;
• f) wherein each pressure pulse of the at least one series is separated by at least one partial deflation of said at least one inflatable cavity;
• g) wherein said at least one wear layer comprises at least one deformable composition;
• h) wherein incremental inflation and partial deflation of said at least one inflatable cavity produces incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed surface;
• i) wherein incremental outward deformation of said at least one material-exposed surface assists in dislodging accumulations of material within at least one material delivery passage during material handling operations;
• j) wherein the at least one positive-pressure fluid comprises pressurized air;
• k) wherein said at least one periodic deformer is structured and arranged to utilize the pressurized air as the at least one positive-pressure fluidl
• l) wherein said at least one control valve comprises at least one pneumatically-actuated valve structured and arranged to be actuated by at least one pulsed pneumatic signal;
• and
• m) wherein said at least one valve pulser comprises
• i) at least one pneumatic-pulse generator structured and arranged to output such at least one pulsed pneumatic signal using at least one input of the pressurized air,
• ii) in fluid communication with at least one source of pressurized air, at least one electrically-actuated valve structured and arranged to supply at least one input of pressurized air to said at least one pneumatic-pulse generator, the supplying of which is conditional on at least one change of state of at least one electronic control signal received by said at least one electrically-actuated valve, and
• iii) at least one electronic controller structured and arranged to generate at least one electronic control signal controlling actuation of said at least one electrically-actuated valve.