Blenders

• US 7,530,729 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vervant Limited
• Original Assignee: Vervant Limited
• Inventors: O'Callaghan, James Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOHOO, TONY GLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/826,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20080049546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 366/132, 366/101, 366/107, 366/163.1, 366/163.2, 366/141, 177/116, 141/83, 222/55, 222/56, 222/57
• US Class Current: 366/132
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/60 Mixing solids with solids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/25 Mixing by jets impinging against collision plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/50 Circulation mixers, e.g. wherein at least part of the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/80 Falling particle mixers, e.g. with repeated agitation along a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/651 Mixing by successively aspirating a part of the mixture in a conduit, e.g. a piston, and reinjecting it through the same conduit into the receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/404 for mixing material moving continuously therethrough, e.g. using impinging jets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71 Feed mechanisms with proportioning B01F35/80
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/711 for feeding a mixture of components, i.e. solids in liquid, solids in a gas stream
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/712 for feeding fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/714 for feeding predetermined amounts B01F35/88 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71731 using a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71755 using means for feeding components in a pulsating or intermittent manner
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/881 by weighing, e.g. with automatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/32 with non-movable mixing or kneading devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/14 the gas flow inducing feed of the materials by suction effect
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/58 Devices for accelerating or decelerating flow of the materials; Use of pressure generators controlling pressure of propelling gas B65G53/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 13/24 Weighing mechanism control arrangements for automatic feed or discharge

Abstract

A material transfer device, in particular for use with blenders associated with a material processing device such as a plastics extruding device. The material transfer device can be used for controlling delivery of measured amounts of particulate material to or from a weigh hopper, or for mixing materials in a mixing chamber of the blender. The material transfer device includes a pipe defining a material delivery path. The pipe has a material inlet and a material outlet. An air inlet manifold encircling the pipe is connected by an air supply line to a pressurized air supply. Air outlets of the manifold direct an air stream towards the outlet of the pipe to draw material through the pipe from a hopper of particulate material, the pipe inlet being located within the hopper. An air inlet valve in the air supply line is connected to a controller which is operable to open and shut the valve for pulsing the gas stream to control the amount of material delivered through the pipe.

Claims

1. A material transfer device, including:

a pipe defining a material delivery path,

the pipe having a material inlet and a material discharge outlet,

means for delivering a gas stream along the material delivery path directed towards the outlet,

control means for controlling the gas stream for controlling delivery of material through the pipe,

said control means being operable for pulsing the gas stream for controlling delivery of material through the pipe in discrete amounts,

said control means being operable to deliver a target quantity of material through the pipe in a pulse,

means for measuring the actual quantity of material delivered through the pipe by said pulse, said measuring means being connected to the control means,

the control means being operable to compare the actual quantity of material delivered by said pulse with the target quantity of material and adjust the next pulse in response to the difference between the measured actual quantity and the target quantity of material to achieve delivery of the target quantity material in the next pulse.

2. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means is a gas inlet valve connected to a controller which is operable to open and shut the valve for desired time periods.

3. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gas control means includes means for regulating the pressure of the gas.

4. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means comprises a pressure regulator mounted upstream of the gas inlet valve.

5. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gas control means includes means for regulating gas flow rate.

6. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1 including means for delivering an annular gas stream into the pipe.

7. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the means for delivering an annular gas stream into the pipe comprises a gas inlet manifold extending about the pipe having an inlet for connection to a pressurized gas supply and an outlet communicating with the material delivery path.

8. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outlet includes a number of circumferentially spaced-apart outlet openings extending through the pipe and arranged to direct gas towards the outlet of the pipe.

9. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the outlet of the means for delivering the annular gas stream into the pipe is located intermediate the ends of the pipe for delivering the gas stream into the pipe directed towards the outlet of the pipe.

10. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for delivering a gas stream along the material delivery path has a gas outlet angled relative to the pipe to direct a gas stream into the pipe towards the outlet of the pipe.

11. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a weighing device with either the inlet or the outlet of the pipe being connected to an outlet or an inlet respectively of the weighing device.

12. A blending apparatus for controlled delivery of blend additives to a material processing device, including:

a primary additive feed hopper,

at least one secondary additive feed hopper,

an additive discharge chute having an outlet for connection to the material processing device,

the primary additive feed hopper being mounted above the additive discharge chute for continuous gravity feed of additive material thereto,

a secondary feeding means being connected between each secondary feed hopper and the additives discharge chute for delivery of feed additives from the secondary feed hopper to the additives discharge chute,

means for sensing the throughput of material in the material processing device,

means for sensing the discharge of additives from the feed hoppers,

a controller adapted to be connected to the means for sensing the throughput of the material processing device and to the means for sensing the discharge of additives from the feed hoppers,

the controller including means for regulating the throughput of material through the material processing device in response to the sensed discharge of material from the feed hoppers,

the secondary feeding means comprising a material transfer device including a pipe defining a material delivery path, the pipe having a

material inlet and a material discharge outlet, means for delivery of a gas stream along the material delivery path directed towards the outlet to deliver material between the inlet and the outlet, the inlet being connected to the secondary feed hopper and the outlet discharging into the additives discharge chute.

13. A blender, including:

a supply hopper,

a weigh hopper for weighing a batch of material,

a mixer for reception of material from the weigh hopper and being operable to mix said material prior to delivery of said material into a process line,

a material transfer device mounted between the supply hopper and the weigh hopper,

said material transfer device having a pipe defining a material delivery path,

said pipe having a material inlet connected to the supply hopper and a material discharge outlet connected to an inlet of the weigh hopper,

means for delivering a gas stream along the material delivery path directed towards the outlet,

control means for controlling the gas stream for controlling delivery of material through the pipe,

said control means being operable for pulsing the gas stream for controlling delivery of material through the pipe in discrete amounts,

said control means being operable to deliver a target quantity of material through the pipe in a pulse,

means for measuring the actual quantity of material delivered through the pipe by said pulse, said measuring means being connected to the control means,

the control means being operable to compare the actual quantity of material delivered by said pulse with the target quantity of material and adjust the next pulse in response to the difference between the measured actual quantity and the target quantity of material to achieve deliver of the target quantity material in the next pulse.

14. The blender as claimed in claim 13, wherein the control means is operable to deliver a target weight of material through the pipe in a pulse, a load cell on the weigh hopper for measuring the actual weight of material delivered through the pipe by said pulse to the weigh hopper, said load cell being connected to the control means, the control means being operable to compare the actual weight of material delivered by said pulse with the target weight of material and adjust the next pulse in response to the difference between the measured actual weight and the target weight of material to achieve delivery of the target weight of material to the weigh hopper in the next pulse.