GRAVIMETRIC BLENDER WITH POWER HOPPER COVER

• US 20150197037A1
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stephen B. Maguire
• Original Assignee: Stephen B. Maguire
• Inventors: MAGUIRE, Stephen B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,166,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/2805 Mixing plastics, polymer material ingredients, monomers or oligomers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/64 using rotatable mixing elements at the lower end of discharge hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/90 with moving or vibrating means, e.g. stirrers, for enhancing the mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71731 using a hopper
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/881 by weighing, e.g. with automatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/38 rotary B29B7/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/603 in measured doses, e.g. proportioning of several materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/728 Measuring data of the driving system, e.g. torque, speed, power, vibration B29B7/724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/78 by gravity, e.g. falling particle mixers
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/86 for working at sub- or superatmospheric pressure B01F33/70 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/88 Adding charges , i.e. additives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/288 in solid form, e.g. powder or granules

Abstract

A gravimetric blender has a frame, at least one material storage hopper at the top of the frame including a hopper cover, a weigh bin located within the frame, below the hopper, for receipt of material from the hopper to be weighed and being adapted for downward discharge of the material in the bio bin after the material received from the hopper has been weighed, at least one load cell connecting the weigh bin to the frame for sensing the weight of contents of the weigh bin, a mixer within the frame below the hopper, for mixing material weighed in the weigh bin after that material falls downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer, and a guide adapted for vertical movement of the hopper cover therealong between positions which the cover contacts and thereby closes the hopper and at which the cover is spaced vertically above the hopper so that the hopper is open at the top.

Claims

1. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a frame;

b) at least one resin material storage hopper at the top of the frame, including a hopper cover;

c) a weigh bin located below the hopper, adapted for downward discharge of bin contents after the contents have been weighed therein;

d) at least one load cell connecting the frame and the weigh bin, for sensing weight of contents of the weigh bin;

e) a mixer connected to the frame, below the hopper, for mixing contents of the weigh bin after those contents fall downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer;

f) a guide adapted for movement of the hopper cover therealong between positions at which the cover contacts and thereby closes the hopper and at which the cover is spaced from the hopper so that the hopper is open; and

g) a pair of horizontally spaced pneumatically powered piston-cylinder combinations positioned on either side of the guide and being connected to the frame and to the hopper cover, for moving the hopper cover vertically along the guide;

wherein the hopper cover is transverse to the guide.

2. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a frame;

b) at least one resin material storage hopper at the top of the frame, including a hopper cover;

c) a weigh bin located, below the hopper, adapted for downward discharge of bin contents after the contents have been weighed therein;

d) at least one load cell connecting the frame and the weigh bin, for sensing weight of contents of the weigh bin;

e) a mixer connected to the frame, below the hopper, for mixing contents of the weigh bin after those contents fall downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer; and

f) a piston-cylinder combination for moving the hopper cover vertically relative to the frame.

3. The gravimetric blender of claim 2 wherein the hopper cover moving means moves the cover between positions at which the cover contacts the hopper and at which the cover is spaced above the hopper.

4. The gravimetric blender of claim 3 wherein the hopper cover moves vertically between positions at which the cover closes the hopper and at which the hopper top is open.

5. The gravimetric blender of claim 4 wherein the piston-cylinder combination is pneumatically actuated.

6. The gravimetric blender of claim 2 wherein the piston-cylinder combination comprises a pair of piston-cylinder combinations, each having one of the piston and the cylinder connected to the frame and the other of the piston and the cylinder connected to the cover for moving the hopper cover vertically and wherein the piston-cylinder combinations are horizontally spaced from one another.

7. The gravimetric blender of claim 3 wherein the piston-cylinder combination further comprises a pair of piston-cylinder combinations, each having one of the piston and the cylinder connected to the frame and the other of the piston and the cylinder connected to the cover, for moving the hopper cover along the guide with the piston-cylinder combinations being on either side of the guide.

8. A method for removing a gravimetric blender hopper, having a cover vertically supporting a vacuum loader or other equipment for feeding resin material into the hopper, from the blender for cleaning, material changeover and the like, comprising advancing the hopper cover upwardly from the hopper along a vertical guide by application of pneumatic pressure to a piston-cylinder combination, one of the piston and cylinder being affixed to the cover and the other of the piston and cylinder being connected to the blender frame, to a position at which the cover is sufficiently remote from the hopper that a worker can access the coverless hopper and remove the hopper from the blender frame, while maintaining the hopper cover in a horizontal orientation to continue support of the vacuum loader or other equipment resting thereon for feeding resin material into the hopper.

9. The method of claim 8 in which advancing the hopper further comprises applying pneumatic pressure to a pair of piston-cylinder combinations, each having one of the piston and cylinder being affixed to the cover and the other of the piston and cylinder being connected to the blender frame.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein advancing the hopper cover further comprises moving the hopper cover slidably along the vertical guide.

11. A method for removing a gravimetric blender hopper, having a cover vertically supporting a vacuum loader or other equipment for feeding resin material into the hopper, from the blender for cleaning, material changeover and the like, comprising;

a) advancing the hopper cover upwardly from the hopper slidably along a vertical guide to a position at which the cover is sufficiently remote from the hopper that a worker can access the coverless hopper and disconnect the hopper from the blender frame, while

b) maintaining the hopper cover in a horizontal orientation to continue support of the vacuum loader or other equipment resting thereon for feeding resin material into the hopper.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein advancing is performed pneumatically.

13. A method for raising a gravimetric blender hopper cover, supporting a vacuum loader or other equipment for feeding resin material into the hopper, for blender cleaning, material changeover and the like, comprising advancing the hopper cover upwardly from the hopper along a vertical guide to a position at which the cover is sufficiently remote from the blender that the requisite blender cleaning, material changeover and the like can be performed, while maintaining the hopper cover in a horizontal position to continue supporting the vacuum loader or other equipment for feeding resin material into the hopper;

in which raising the hopper cover further comprises applying pneumatic pressure to piston-cylinder combinations, each having one of the piston and cylinder affixed to the cover and the other of the piston and cylinder connected to the blender frame and moving the hopper cover slidably along a vertical guide.

14. In a gravimetric blender including a hopper and a hopper cover, the improvement comprising:

a) means for moving the hopper cover towards and away from the hoppers;

b) means for vertically guiding the hopper cover during movement thereof; and

c) means for maintaining the hopper cover horizontal during movement thereof.

15. In a gravimetric blender having hoppers and a hopper cover, the improvement comprising telescoping means for vertically guiding the hopper cover during movement thereof.

19. In the gravimetric blender including hoppers and a hopper cover of claim 15, the further improvement comprising means for maintaining the hopper cover horizontal during movement thereof.

16. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a frame;

b) resin material storage hoppers supported by the frame;

c) a hopper cover;

d) means below the hoppers and connected to the frame, for receiving material individually from the storage hoppers, accumulating the received material, weighing the accumulated material and discharging the weighed material;

e) means connected to the frame for receiving and mixing the weighed material; and

f) means supported by the frame for telescopingly vertically guiding the hopper cover during movement thereof.

18. The gravimetric blender of claim 16, further comprising means for maintaining the hopper cover horizontal during movement thereof.

17. A gravimetric blender comprising:

a) a frame;

b) resin material storage hoppers supported by the frame;

c) a hopper cover;

d) means below the hoppers and connected to the frame, for receiving material individually from the storage hoppers, accumulating the received material, weighing the accumulated material and discharging the weighed material;

e) means connected to the frame for receiving and mixing the weighed material;

f) means connected to the frame for moving the hopper cover towards and away from the hoppers; and

g) means supported by the frame for vertically guiding the hopper cover during movement thereof.