Patent Publication Number: US-2017348698-A1

Title: Modular system for performing a plurality of crushing and grinding processes

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention concerns a modular system for performing a plurality of crushing and grinding processes comprising a plurality of interchangeable milling heads. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     Modular systems for performing milling process comprising a plurality of milling heads are already known. For example, a device for bone crushing having a plurality of heads in order to obtain various sized bone powder as well as to facilitate the sterilization of the crushing heads is known from document U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,821. 
     Document DE19723705 discloses a crushing mill whose crushing head is interchangeable to provide optimized granularity. A crushing mill comprising interchangeable hummer crushing heads is also described in DE102006018165. Document GB758813 discloses a mill comprising a plurality of milling disks providing hummer and conical crushing. 
     Such modular systems for performing milling process are limited in the selection of milling heads and do not provide more that a single milling process. The driving motors used in the known systems have a range of characteristics that does allow only for a limited type of milling heads and milling processes. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure concerns a modular system for performing a plurality of crushing and grinding processes, comprising: a plurality of interchangeable milling heads, each interchangeable milling head comprising a milling mechanism configured to perform one of said plurality of crushing and grinding processes when driven; a driving unit comprising a driving motor having a range of motor characteristics; and a connecting unit configured to functionally connect one of the interchangeable milling heads to the driving motor such that, when connected, said one of the plurality of interchangeable milling heads can perform said one of said plurality of crushing and grinding processes; each of said plurality of interchangeable milling heads further comprises an adaptor unit configured to connect the milling head to the connecting unit and for converting the range of motor characteristics of the driving motor into the milling driving characteristics of the connected interchangeable milling heads. 
     The plurality of interchangeable milling heads can include at least one of: a conical sieve milling head, a cylindrical sieve milling head, a hammer milling head, an oscillating and rotating sieve milling head, a desagglomeration milling head, a sifting milling head. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description of an embodiment given by way of example and illustrated by the figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a view of a modular system for performing a plurality of crushing and grinding processes, according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  show a view of the modular system of  FIG. 1  connecting one of the plurality of milling heads, according to the invention; and 
         FIGS. 3 to 7  illustrate some details of the connecting unit and of the milling head of the modular system, according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF POSSIBLE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a modular system  1  for performing a plurality of crushing and grinding processes. The modular system  1  comprises a plurality of interchangeable milling heads  2  (see  FIG. 2 ) to be functionally connected to a driving unit  3 . Each interchangeable milling head  2  comprises a milling mechanism  21  configured to perform one of said plurality of crushing and grinding processes when driven by the driving unit  3 . 
     The driving unit  3  comprises a driving motor  31  destined to provide a predefined range of motor characteristics. Preferably, the motor  31  is an electrical motor such as a high-speed brushed electrical motor or a servomotor. Advantageously, a servomotor can provide the required predefined range of motor characteristics while limiting the cost of the modular system. The motor characteristics can comprise any characteristics of the driving motor  31  that are suitable for driving any of the plurality of interchangeable milling heads  2  for performing any of the plurality of crushing and grinding processes. For example, motor characteristics can comprise a range of torque, power, rotational speed, oscillating movement, etc. 
     Each of the interchangeable milling heads  2  can be functionally connected to the driving unit  3  with a connecting unit  4 . In particular, the connecting unit  4  is configured to functionally connect one of the interchangeable milling heads  2  to the driving motor  31  such that, when connected, said one of the plurality of interchangeable milling heads  2  can perform said one of said plurality of crushing and grinding processes. 
     Each of the plurality of interchangeable milling heads  2  further comprises an adaptor unit  22  configured to connect the milling head  2  to the connecting unit  4 . The adaptor unit  22  is further configured for converting the range of motor characteristics of the driving motor  31  into the milling driving characteristics of the connected interchangeable milling heads  2 . 
     Example of possible interchangeable milling heads  2  can include a conical sieve milling head, a cylindrical sieve milling head, a hammer milling head, an oscillating and rotating sieve milling head, a desagglomeration milling head, a sifting milling head, or any other suitable milling head. 
     In an embodiment, the adaptor unit  22  comprises a gear set (not shown) configured for converting the range of motor characteristics of the driving motor  31  into the milling driving characteristics of said milling mechanism  21 . The adaptor unit  22  comprising the gear set is thus capable, after connecting the milling head  2  to the connecting unit  4 , of converting the range of motor characteristics of the driving motor  31  into the milling driving characteristics corresponding to the specific milling head  2  such that the milling head  2  can perform the specific process. 
     For example, the adaptor unit  22  comprising the gear set can be arranged for reducing or increasing a rotational angular speed, depending on the milling head  2  connected to the driving motor  31  via the connecting unit  4 . 
     For example, the adaptor unit  22  comprising the gear set can convert the motor characteristics into rotational angular speed between 1000 rpm and 20000 rpm, or between 100 rpm and 1000 rpm. Here, rpm means rotations per minute, i.e., 1 rpm=6 rad·s −1 . 
     For example, the adaptor unit  22  comprising the gear set can convert the motor characteristics such as to increase or reduce the torque, such as to obtain torque values suitable for the milling head  2  being connected to the driving motor  31 . 
     For example, the driving motor  31  can have motor characteristics such as to provide a rotational torque having a magnitude in a range from 0.2 Nm to 20 Nm (where Nm means newton metre). Such range can be suitable for driving a large selection of milling heads  2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the driving motor  31  is arranged in a casing  50  comprising the connecting unit  4 . 
     In an embodiment, the modular system  1  is arranged for providing an electrical and/or communication signal and/or an electrical power supply signal to the milling head  2 . The modular system  1  can be further arranged to collect a communication or electrical signal from the milling head  2 . To that end, an electrical module  5  can be included in the casing  50 . The electrical power supply signal and the communication or electrical signals to and/or from the milling head  2  can be provided by the electrical module  5 , via the connecting unit  4 . The electrical or communication signal can be used for communicating with probes, sensors or actuators (not shown) comprised in the milling head  2 . 
     In an embodiment, the modular system  1  comprises a control unit  51  that can be used for controlling a milling process in accordance with the milling head  2  being connected to the driving motor  31 . The modular system  1  can further comprise a user interface allowing a user to interact with the control unit  51 . The control unit  51  can comprise a PC or a PC-like motherboard, a customized electronically circuit provided with a programmable circuit or device, like a microprocessor, a DSP or a microcontroller. 
     The adaptor unit  22  comprises a gear set, in combination with the connecting unit  4 , is thus arranged to provide the mechanical movement as well as electrical or communication signals required by the milling head  2  being connected to the driving motor  31 , when the milling head  2  is driven. No additional cable needs to be connected between the milling head  2  and the electrical module  5  of the modular system  1 . 
       FIGS. 3 to 7  show details of the connecting unit  4  of the driving unit  3  and of a connector  23  of one of the milling heads  2 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a cross section view of the connecting unit  4  and the connector  23 , according to an embodiment. The connector  23  comprises an engaging portion  29  that can be driven in a receiving portion  41  of the connecting unit  4  when the milling head  2  is functionally connected to the driving unit  3 . The engaging portion  29  and the receiving portion  41  guide the milling head  2  angularly and axially with respect to the connecting unit  4 . 
     In the particular example of  FIG. 6 , both the engaging portion  29  and the receiving portion  41  are tube-shaped, with engaging portion  29  having an outer diameter fitting in the internal diameter of the receiving portion  41 . 
     An internal wall  46  of the receiving portion  41  comprises a bevel edge  42  in order to guide and center radially the engaging portion  29  when the engaging portion  29  is engaged in the receiving portion  41 . The receiving portion  41  can further comprise a pin  45 , located on its internal wall  46 . The pin  45  is arranged to cooperate with a groove  26  provided in the engaging portion  29  such as to guide the engaging portion  29  angularly with respect to the receiving portion  41 , when the engaging portion  29  is engaged in the receiving portion  41 . The groove  26  can comprise a tapered opening  27  for guiding the pin  45  angularly within the groove  26  when the engaging portion  29  is inserted in the receiving portion  41 . 
     The connector  23  can include a flange  24  configured to be used as an axial abutment such that the engaging portion  29  cannot be inserted too far into the receiving portion  41 . The flange  24  can include a bevel edge  25  conforming the bevel edge  42 , such as to increase the contact surface between the engaging portion  29  and the receiving portion  41 . 
     When the engaging portion  29  is inserted in the receiving portion  41 , the flange  24  of the engaging portion  29  and a flange  43  of the receiving portion  41  can be attached by using a ring latch  28  (see  FIG. 3 ), or any other suitable fixation means. 
     An O-ring  44  can be comprised between the flange  24  of the engaging portion  29  and the flange  43  of the receiving portion  41  such as to provide airtightness between the connecting unit  4  and the interchangeable milling head  2 . 
     The gear set (not shown) can be located inside the connector  23  of the interchangeable milling head  2 . Advantageously, the entire adaptor unit  22  is located inside the housing of the connector  23  of the interchangeable milling head  2 . 
     The modular system  1  can be destined to laboratories as well as for production where there is a need combine the flexibility of having a large selection of milling processes in a limited room space. 
     LIST OF ELEMENTS USED IN DRAWINGS 
     
         
           1  modular system 
           2  interchangeable milling head 
           21  milling mechanism 
           22  adaptor unit 
           23  connector 
           24  flange 
           25  bevel edge 
           26  groove 
           27  tapered opening 
           28  ring latch 
           29  engaging portion 
           3  driving unit 
           31  motor 
           4  connecting unit 
           41  receiving portion 
           42  bevel edge 
           43  flange 
           44  O-ring 
           45  pin 
           46  internal wall 
           5  electrical module 
           50  casing 
           51  control unit 
           52  interface