Abstract:
A particle refining apparatus to be integrated into a system including a containment device and an influent conduit. The influent conduit is configured to retain the particle refining apparatus and connected to the containment device. The particle refining apparatus including a shaft, a blade set attached near the end of the shaft and attachment couplings arranged within the influent conduit. A method for refining particles includes introducing particles into an influent conduit, chopping the particles to a desired size with an initial chopping apparatus, directing the chopped particles through the influent conduit, refining the particles to a desired size with a refining apparatus, and moving the particles continuously from the influent conduit through the refining apparatus and into a containment device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. The Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to apparatus that chops or mills materials and more specifically, the invention relates to an inline apparatus that chops or mills process materials. 
   2. The Relevant Technology 
   During manufacturing of agglomerated powders, some large particles of powder clump together to form large masses of undried material that cannot be easily processed. The current practice is to run the process materials through stand alone machines that mill or chop materials before further drying and/or processing the materials. The machines break down the large masses to maintain a uniform particle size. The mixed powders are then transported to a different machine for drying the powders. The stand alone machines, however, add to the manufacturing time and cost. The stand alone machines also require personnel to transport the materials back and forth between different machines. In addition, the extra handling and transporting of the materials increases the chances of contamination and standard product loss since the materials are subject to separate processing. 
   In a related process, a machine that mills or chops the powders is connected with a drying bed. In this process, the powders are milled or chopped to a uniform particle size then routed through a conduit to the drying bed. When undried solvent-based and water-based granulated or agglomerated powders are transported through the conduit, however, the particles adhere to each other to create unworkable or very difficult clumps of material. 
   In view of the above and other related drawbacks and limitations identified in the relevant process material chopper, milling and sizing designs, there is a need for an inline chopper design that is designed to be adapted into the process machinery. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a particle refining apparatus is made to be integrated into a system including a containment device and an influent conduit. The influent conduit is configured to retain the particle refining apparatus and to be connected to the containment device. The particle refining apparatus includes a shaft having distal and proximal ends, a blade set attached to the proximal end of the shaft, and attachment couplings arranged within the influent conduit. The attachment couplings are arranged to support the shaft. 
   The influent conduit may be divided to include a first portion for retaining the particle refining apparatus and a second portion for providing particle intake. The particle refining apparatus may further include a mount affixed to the first portion opposing the containment device. The particle refining apparatus may also include a motor mechanism attached to the mount and the distal end of the shaft. The particle refining apparatus may further including a variation device attached to the motor mechanism to vary an output speed of the motor mechanism. 
   In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for refining particles includes introducing particles into an influent conduit. In the next step, the particles are chopped to a desired size with an initial chopping apparatus. Then the chopped particles are directed through the influent conduit where the particles are further refined to a desired size with a refining apparatus. Because of the strategic location of the invention the particles continuously moved from the influent conduit through the refining apparatus and into a fluid bed drying and containment device with reduced reagglomeration and adherence to the fluid bed drying and containment device. 
   These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It should be appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded schematic view of an embodiment of a particle refining system in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a particle refining apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a particle refining system in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the particle refining system illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a detailed sectional view of the particle refining system illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a detailed sectional view of another embodiment of a particle refining system in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of another embodiment of a particle refining apparatus in accordance with the present invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a shaft in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The various exemplary embodiments provide a particle refining system such as an inline chopper design positioned between a wet agglomeration processing machine, and a fluid bed drying processor. 
   The present invention integrates a particle refining system such as an inline chopper design into a continuous and/or batch processing system. In various exemplary embodiments, a particle refining apparatus such as an inline chopper is positioned between a wet agglomeration processing machine, and a fluid bed dryer processor. Particles, such as wet agglomerated powder, can be delivered from a wet granulating machine through an influent conduit or connecting tube to the particle refining apparatus. The particle refining apparatus includes a blade set that may be driven by a variable speed electric drive system. The variable speed electric drive system allows an operator to adjust the rotational speed of the blade set to control the resultant particle size. 
   In the process, the particle refining apparatus chops or mills the particles to a desired particle size using the blade set positioned inside a containment device such as a fluid bed processing chamber. Then the particle refinement apparatus disperses the sized particles from the blade set in a more radial direction. The particles are directed in a radial direction so that the material does not impact and clump together against the opposite side of the containment device. The flow of the particles or agglomerated wet powders is maintained by a vacuum created in the fluid bed equipment and by a self-cleaning action of the particle refinement apparatus. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a particle refining system  10  including a housing  30 , a shaft  40 , a blade set  50 , an influent conduit  60 , a motor mechanism  70  and a containment device  80 . The containment device  80  contains the particles, such as wet granulation, after the particles are refined or milled. The containment device  80  is a storage unit or tank capable of processing or temporarily holding the particles. 
   The containment device  80  includes a tank wall  81  and a pipe  82 . The tank wall  81  defines a containment area  84 . The tank wall  81  in the present invention is cylindrical, however, the tank wall may be rectangular, conical, corrugated or the like. The particles enter the containment device  80  through the pipe  82 . The pipe  82  may include a flange  83  to connect the influent stream to the containment device  80 . In the alternative, the pipe  82  may be welded, glued or otherwise coupled to the containment device  80  and the influent conduit  60 . 
   In  FIG. 2 , a particle refining apparatus is illustrated including the housing  30 , the shaft  40 , the blade set  50 , the influent conduit  60  and the motor mechanism  70 . The particle apparatus is provided with the influent conduit  60  designed to mount to the containment device  80 . 
   The influent conduit  60  includes a first end  61 , a second end  62  and an attachment device  65 . The first end  61  connects to the containment device  80  using a flange or a pipe coupling (not shown). The first end  61  may also be welded, glued or otherwise coupled to the containment device  80 . The second end  62  is further defined as including a first portion  63  and a second portion  64 . The first portion  63  connects to the influent stream and provides a flow path for the particles to enter the particle refining apparatus. The second portion  64  is connected to the attachment device  65 , such as a flange. The attachment device  65  is adapted to connect to the housing  30  using fasteners that attach through holes in flanges, welding, gluing or otherwise coupling the housing  30  and the influent conduit  60  together. 
   Although the preferred embodiment illustrates the influent conduit  60  including the first portion  63  as a single pipe, multiple pipes may be provided. Alternatively, the first portion  63  may be split into sections. The multiple pipes may be staggered in even intervals or at any point along the influent conduit  60 . The multiple pipes may be used to add additional materials to be mixed in or refined in the process. Also, a blade set may be positioned at each pipe to further the mixing and/or refining process. 
   A motor mechanism  70  is also mounted to the housing  30 . The motor mechanism  70  includes a variation device  71  and a motor winding  72 . The variation device  71  may be an electrical device, such as a variable frequency device, or a mechanical device, such as a variable reducer. The motor winding  72  in the present invention is sized between about ½ HP and about 10 HP depending on the material being processed, for example, a motor winding  72  of about 7 HP can be used for heavier particles. 
     FIGS. 3–5  illustrate the particle refining system  10 . The particle refining system  10  includes the housing  30 , the shaft  40 , the blade set  50 , the influent conduit  60 , the motor mechanism  70  and the containment device  80 . The influent conduit  60  is connected to the pipe  82  of the containment device  80  using a coupling  66 . Alternatively, flanges or a glued or welded joint may be used to connect the influent conduit  60  and the containment device  80 . 
     FIG. 4  shows a section of the particle refining system  10  illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The shaft  40  and the influent conduit  60  are arranged so that at least a portion of the blade set  50  enters the containment device  80 . The blade set  50  includes a outer blade  51 , a flat blade  52  and an inner blade  53 . The blade set  50  may include a variety of different quantities and styles of blades. Each blade in the blade set  50  may include a variety of shapes, sizes and quantity of edges. For example, a blade may comprise two triangular edges arranged on opposing sides. The blades may be manufactured from a rigid material, such as steel, stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, other metallic material, polymer or composite. 
   In the present embodiment, the outer blade  51  is shaped to face towards the containment device  80 . The flat blade  52  is shaped to be on a radial line with the shaft  40 . The inner blade  53  is shaped to face away from the containment device  80  and into the pipe  82 . Each of the blades in the blade set  50  includes a square aperture arranged to offset each blade. For example, the blades may be offset 45 degree from each other. The blade set  50  is attached to the shaft  40  using a nut  54 . 
   Although the present embodiment illustrates the blade set  50  at the outermost end of a proximal end  41  so that the blade set  50  is proximate the containment device  80 , the blade set  50  may also be positioned inward from the outermost end of the shaft  40 . Also, additional blade sets may be attached along the shaft  40  to provide further milling and refinement of the particles, and additional blade sets may have a different configuration than the blade set  50 . The blade set  50  chops the material again and redirects the flow of the material so that the material does not collide and adhere to the tank wall  81  opposing the particle refining apparatus  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , a screen  90  may be added to the particle refining system  10  inline with the blade set  50 . The screen  90  may have a variety of different mesh sizes and configurations. For example, a screen  90  having ¼ inch openings can be used. The screen  90  is placed adjacent the blade set  50  to regulate the particle size entering into the containment device  80 . Accordingly, the particles are chopped by the blade set  50  until they are small enough to pass through the screen. The screen  90  provides a uniform particle size of the powder entering the containment device  80 . 
     FIG. 7  illustrates an example of a particle refining apparatus  20 . The particle refining apparatus  20  includes the housing  30 , the shaft  40 , the blade set  50  and attachment couplings. The attachment couplings may include a backing plate  21 , fasteners  23 , a first bearing  24 , a second bearing  25 , a bearing plate  26  and a motor coupling  27 . Other couplings may be used to steady or hold the shaft  40  within the housing  30 , such as plates, gears, sockets, rails, rods and the like. The housing  30  includes a first bearing end  31 , a second bearing end  32  and a mount  33 . 
   The first and second bearings  24 ,  25  hold the shaft  40  and allow the shaft  40  to rotate freely within the housing  30 . The first and second bearings  24 ,  25  may include ball bearings, rolling-contact bearings, antifriction bearings, roller bearings, metallic and polymer bearings and other bearings adaptable to a shaft. The first bearing end  31  includes a lip that is sized to hold the first bearing  24 . In addition, the second bearing end  32  includes a lip that is sized to hold the second bearing  25 . 
   The first bearing  24  is held against the lip in the first bearing end  31  with the backing plate  21 . The backing plate  21  includes a series of apertures  22  for attaching the backing plate  21  to the housing  30  using the fasteners  23 . The apertures  22  may be arranged equally spaced on a radius from the centerline of the backing plate  21 . For example, the present embodiment includes four apertures. The backing plate  21  may also include a seal ring to further prevent debris from entering the first bearing  24 . 
   The second bearing  25  is held against the lip in the second bearing end  32  with the bearing plate  26 . The motor coupling  27  may be used to hold the bearing plate  26  against the second bearing  25 . One end of the motor coupling  27  is attached to the shaft  40  using a key and set screw or other locking device. The other end of the motor coupling  27  is attached to a shaft of the motor mechanism  70  also using a key and set screw or other locking device used to attach the motor mechanism  70  to the shaft  40 . 
   The mount  33  is attached to the second bearing end  32  of the housing  30 , for example, by welding. The mount  33  includes motor mounting apertures  35 . Fasteners  36  are used to attach the motor mechanism  70  through the motor mounting apertures  35 . The fasteners  36  and motor mounting apertures  35  are countersunk or recessed to allow the mount  33  and the attachment device  65  to abut flush against each other. 
   The mount  33  also includes a set of conduit mounting apertures  34  arranged on a radius outside the motor mounting apertures  35 . The conduit mounting apertures  34  are used to attach the particle refinement apparatus  20  to the influent conduit  60 . 
   In  FIG. 8 , the shaft  40  includes a proximal end  41 , a first bearing portion  42 , a second bearing portion  43 , a distal end  44 , a motor coupling portion  45 , a blade mounting portion  46  and a blade fastening portion  47 . The shaft  40  is manufactured from a rigid material, such as a metal or composite. Although a shaft is used in the present embodiment, a structural member such as a cage or tubing may be used. The proximal end  41 , the first and second bearing portions  42 ,  43 , the distal end  44  and the motor coupling portion  45  are cylindrical shaped. The first and second bearing portions  42 ,  43  are sized to fit the first and second bearings  24 ,  25 , respectively. The blade mounting portion  46  is parallelepiped shaped to provide a mounting area for the blade set  50 . The blade fastening portion  47  is threaded and positioned on the end of the blade mounting portion  46 . The threads on the blade fastening portion  47  are sized to accept the nut  54 . The nut  54  is used to hold the blade set  50  on the end of the shaft  40 . Other locking devices may be used instead of a nut, for example, a pin, cap, key or weld and the like. 
   The blade set  50  is attached to the proximal end  41  and the motor mechanism  70  is attached to the distal end  44  of the shaft  40 . The first bearing portion  42  is positioned between the proximal and distal ends  41 ,  42  of the shaft  40 . The second bearing portion  43  is portioned on the distal end  44  with the motor coupling portion  45  on the outermost end. The motor coupling portion  45  is sized to fit the motor coupling  27 . 
   The particle refining system  10  incorporates the particle refining apparatus  20  into a continuous processing system between a wet agglomeration processing machine and a fluid bed processor. In the system, particles, such as wet agglomerated powder, are introduced from a wet granulating machine through the influent conduit  60  to the particle refining apparatus  20 . The particle refining apparatus  20  includes the motor mechanism  70  that rotates the shaft  40 . The blade set  50  is attached to the proximal end  41  of the shaft  40  to chop or mill the particles to a desired particle size. The blade set  50  is positioned to direct the particles in a radial direction from the shaft  40  within the containment device  80 . 
   The particle refinement apparatus  20  is designed to disperse the sized particles from the blade set  50  in a radial direction within the containment area  84 . Since the particles are directed in a radial direction from the shaft  40 , the particles do not impact and clump together against the opposite side of the containment device  80 . The particle refinement apparatus  20  is designed to have a self-cleaning action to prevent the particles from adhering to the blade set  50 . 
   A heater is positioned below the containment device  80 . The heater heats the air to provide a continuous upward flow of air. The air flow creates a vacuum pulling the particles at a continuous rate from the fluid bed equipment. Other methods of creating a vacuum may also be provided, for example, a blower, fan, turbine, vacuum and the like. 
   The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.