Particulate curing system
First Claim
1. A particulate irradiating system comprising:
- a radiation source;
a conveying system adjacent said radiation source for transporting loose particulate material past the radiation source; and
a pneumatic delivery system adjacent said conveying system for fluidly conveying said particulate material to said conveying system, the delivery system including a first inlet manifold having a plurality of pneumatic tubes in a spaced relation through which the particulate material is conveyed; and
, a first discharge manifold connected with the plurality of pneumatic tubes for separating said particulate material from fluid and delivering the particulate material to the conveying system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conveying system (22) transports loose particulate material past a radiation source (200). A feed system (20) discharges particulate material onto the conveying system (22). A pneumatic system with an inlet manifold (14) and tubes (16) provides air through which the particulate material is fluidly transported to the feed system (20). A receiving hopper (24) receives the particulate matter from the conveying system (22). A dump hopper (10) dumps the particulate material into the pneumatic system. A discharge manifold (18) separates the particulate material from air. A metering gate (70) is located at a base of a hopper (69), which controls the layer of particulate material deposited onto said conveyor. A second inlet manifold (26) and tubes (28) adjacent the receiving hopper entrains the particulate material in air. A receiving station (32) receives the particulate material from a second discharge manifold (30).
29 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A particulate irradiating system comprising:
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a radiation source;
a conveying system adjacent said radiation source for transporting loose particulate material past the radiation source; and
a pneumatic delivery system adjacent said conveying system for fluidly conveying said particulate material to said conveying system, the delivery system including a first inlet manifold having a plurality of pneumatic tubes in a spaced relation through which the particulate material is conveyed; and
,a first discharge manifold connected with the plurality of pneumatic tubes for separating said particulate material from fluid and delivering the particulate material to the conveying system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
a feed hopper positioned above said conveying system for discharging said particulate material onto said conveying system.
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4. The particulate irradiating system of claim 3, wherein said feed hopper further comprises a metering gate at a base of said feed hopper, said metering gate controls a layer of particulate material deposited onto said conveying system.
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5. The particulate irradiating system of claim 3, wherein the discharge manifold includes:
a first and second cyclone hopper positioned adjacent each other and above said feed hopper.
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6. The particulate irradiating system of claim 5, wherein said cyclone hoppers further comprise sensors located adjacent a top portion and bottom portion of said hoppers, said sensors being used to monitor a level of particulate material within said hoppers.
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7. The particulate irradiating system of claim 6, wherein said pneumatic delivery system further comprises:
a metering valve to open and close the hopper in response to the sensors.
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8. The particulate irradiating system of claim 1, further comprising a receiving hopper for receiving said particulate material from said conveying system, said receiving hopper being located below said conveying system.
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9. The particulate irradiating system of claim 8, wherein said receiving hopper comprises a hopper and a metering device positioned below said hopper.
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10. The particulate irradiating system of claim 9, wherein said metering device comprises:
a plurality of veins to control the amount of particulate material flowing through the hopper and reduce noise from air flow.
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11. The particulate irradiating system of claim 1 wherein said radiation source provides an electron beam to irradiate said particulate material.
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12. The particulate irradiating system of claim 1, wherein said particulate material comprises polymer pellets.
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13. A particulate irradiating system comprising:
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a radiation source which generates a beam of radiation;
a conveyor for transporting loose particulate material through the beam of radiation;
a pneumatic delivery system for fluidly transporting said particulate material entrained in fluid;
a separator connected with the pneumatic delivery system to separate the particulate material from the fluid and deposit the particulate material on the conveyor upstream of the radiation beam;
a receiver which receives the particulate material from said conveyor downstream from the radiation beam; and
,an inlet manifold adjacent said receiver and at least one pneumatic tube extending from said inlet manifold for entraining said particulate material in fluid. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A particulate irradiating system comprising:
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a particle accelerator for generating a beam of accelerated electrons;
a belt conveyor for transporting loose particulate material through the accelerated electron beam;
a pneumatic conveying system for providing air through which the particulate material is fluidly conveyed;
a feed device which receives the particulate material and air from the pneumatic conveying system and deposits a layer of the particulate material on a conveyor belt of the belt conveyor, the feed device including;
a level control which controls a thickness of the particulate material layer on the conveyor belt; and
a receiving device for receiving said particulate material from said conveyor belt, said receiving system being located below said conveyor belt. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of irradiating particulates comprising:
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accelerating electrons;
forming the accelerated electrons into an electron beam;
entraining a particulate material in air and pneumatically conveying the particulate material adjacent the electron beam;
depositing the particulate material on a moving belt;
conveying the particulate material through the electron beam on the moving belt; and
pneumatically re-entraining said particulate material in air from the moving belt. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
controlling a thickness in a direction of the electron beam of a layer of the particulate material on the moving belt.
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24. The method as set forth in claim 22 further including:
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pneumatically conveying the material to a location remote from the electron beam; and
at the remote location depositing the particulate material in packaging.
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25. A particulate irradiating system comprising:
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a means for generating a beam of radiation;
a conveyor belt which passes through the beam of radiation;
a means for conveying particulates entrained in air onto said conveyor belt;
a means for de-entraining the particulates from the air and depositing a layer of the particulates on the conveyor belt upstream of the radiation beam;
a means for controlling a thickness of the deposited particulate layer; and
,a means for receiving said particulates from said conveyor belt downstream of the radiation beam and, entraining the particulates in a fluid flow.
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26. A method of irradiating particulates comprising:
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pneumatically conveying particulate material entrained in fluid through pneumatic tubes;
de-entraining and depositing the particulate material onto a conveyor belt;
conveying the deposited particulate material on the conveyor belt through an electron beam; and
,re-entraining and pneumatically conveying the particulate material from the conveyor belt through pneumatic tubes.
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Specification