Tower configuration gravimetric blender

• US 10,138,075 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen B. Maguire
• Original Assignee: Stephen B. Maguire
• Inventors: Maguire, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dillon, Jr., Joseph A
• Application Number:
  US15/293,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20180099253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 406 23, 406 83, 406151, 406152, 406153, 406168, 3661631, 3661632
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/244 of several materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/603 in measured doses, e.g. proportioning of several materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/72 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/288 in solid form, e.g. powder or granules
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/24 Gas suction systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/36 Arrangements of containers hoppers B65D3/06; containers in general B65D
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/00 Weighing apparatus with automatic feed or discharge for weighing-out batches of material for weighing a continuous stream G01G11/00; check-weighing G01G15/00; for fluids G01G17/04; apportioning by weight materials to be mixed G01G19/22; combinatorial weighing G01G19/387

Abstract

A gravimetric blender includes a vertical conduit, a vacuum pump having a suction inlet communicating with the interior of the conduit, a plurality of receivers connected to the conduit and vertically supported thereby with each receiver having a single tube therewithin extending from the resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet to the connection of the receiver with the conduit.

Claims

1. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a vertically oriented conduit;

b) a vacuum pump, supported by the conduit, and having a suction inlet communicating with the conduit interior;

c) a plurality of receivers, each connected to the conduit, being vertically supported thereby and being angularly spaced thereabout, for vacuum draw though the individual receivers via the conduit by the pump, each receiver having a resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet and a resin outlet;

d) each receiver having only a single tube therewithin extending from the resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet to the connection of the receiver with the conduit, each tube comprising;

i) an air cylinder within and connected to the tube, positioned to close the receiver connection to the conduit upon actuation thereof;

ii) a plug within the tube and connected thereto for downwardly deflecting resin material carried by a resin material/vacuum drawn stream entering the receiver via the tube;

iii) a valve at the resin outlet, closing responsively to vacuum drawn within the receiver and opening responsively to the presence of resin material within the receiver in the absence of vacuum draw within the respective receiver; and

iv) a plate connected to the air cylinder, for closing the receiver-conduit connection upon air cylinder actuation.

2. The blender of claim 1 further comprising:

a) a plurality of hoppers, each being connected to and below an associated receiver;

b) a plurality of load cells connected to restrictive hoppers, for sensing weight of an associated hopper and any resin material therein;

c) a microprocessor receiving signals to close the vacuum outlets from the respective tubes to the conduit from the respective load cells.

3. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a vertical conduit;

b) a vacuum pump having a suction inlet communicating with the interior of the conduit;

c) a plurality of receivers connected to the conduit , each receiver being vertically supported thereby for vacuum draw though the receiver connection and the receiver via the conduit by the pump, each receiver having a resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet and a resin outlet;

d) each receiver having only a single tube therewithin extending through the receiver from the resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet to the connection of the receiver with the conduit;

the tube further comprising;

i) an air cylinder within the tube;

ii) a plate connected to the air cylinder at a first end thereof and positioned to close the connection to the vertical conduit upon actuation of the air cylinder; and

iii) a plug connected to a second end of the air cylinder for opening the inlet upon actuation of the air cylinder and downwardly deflecting any incoming resin material vacuum drawn stream.

6. The blender of claim 3 wherein the tube further comprises a plug for downwardly deflecting resin material carried by a resin material/vacuum drawn stream entering the receiver via the tube.

7. The blender of claim 6 further comprising a valve at the resin outlet, closing responsively to vacuum drawn within the receiver and opening responsively to weight of resin material thereon in the absence of vacuum draw within the receiver.

8. The blender of claim 3 further comprising:

a) a hopper located below the receiver for receipt of resin material from the receiver upon resin material weight in the hopper reaching a preselected low value; and

b) a load cell for sensing weight of resin material in the hopper.

9. The blender of claim 3 further comprising a microprocessor for actuating the air cylinder to move the plate to close the vacuum outlet from the tube to the conduit in response to sensed weight of resin material in the hopper.

10. The blender of claim 9 wherein the microprocessor receives signal from the load cell.

4. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a vertical conduit;

b) a vacuum pump, supported by the conduit, having a suction inlet communicating with the interior of the conduit;

c) a plurality of receivers connected to the conduit and vertically supported thereby, for vacuum draw though the receiver connection and the receiver via the conduit by the pump, each receiver having a resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet and a resin outlet, the receivers being angularly spaced about the conduit;

d) each receiver having a tube therewithin extending from the resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet to the connection of the receiver with the conduit;

the tube further comprising;

i) an air cylinder within the tube; and

ii) a plate connected to the air cylinder and positioned to close the connection to the vertical conduit upon actuation of the air cylinder.

5. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a vertical conduit;

b) a vacuum pump having a suction inlet communicating with the interior of the conduit;

c) a plurality of receivers connected to the conduit and vertically supported thereby, for vacuum draw though the receiver connection and the receiver via the conduit by the pump, each receiver having a resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet and a resin outlet;

d) the receivers being at a common position along the axis of the conduit, e) each receiver having only a tube therewithin extending from the resin material/vacuum drawn stream inlet to the connection of the receiver with the conduit;

the tube further comprising;

i) an air cylinder within the tube; and

ii) a plate connected to the air cylinder for closing the connection to the vertical conduit upon actuation of the air cylinder.