Patent ID: 7597810

Claim:
A method for producing a suspension, a solution, or a dispersion, comprising: making a slurry suspension in a vessel from a latex and a liquid, by agglomerating and enlarging fine particles in the latex; floating or settling the agglomerated and enlarged particles maintained in the slurry by leaving the slurry suspension standing without agitation until the particles float or settle; separating the agglomerated and enlarged particles from the slurry suspension left standing by discharging a water phase of the slurry in a first direction from a plurality of openings of a perforated plate; wherein the perforated plate comprises the plurality of openings, a plurality of holes and a plurality of projections; with each projection being associated with an opening and a hole, wherein each projection extends across its associated hole, and the associated opening is formed between a side face of its associated projection and an adjacent side face of the hole associated with its associated projection; the perforated plate being disposed in such a manner that the plurality of projections extend in a second direction which is at least partially opposite the first direction, and slurrying, dissolving or dispersing the particles by adding a solvent to the separated agglomerated and enlarged particles in the vessel.