Refrigeration – Cryogenic treatment of gas or gas mixture – Solidification
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-07
2001-07-10
Tapolcal, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Cryogenic treatment of gas or gas mixture
Solidification
C062S605000, C062S049100, C222S361000, C222S561000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257016
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for dispensing a metered volume of dry ice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention includes a dry ice source for supplying dry ice having at least one metering channel opening. The apparatus further includes a carriage slide assembly positioned below the dry ice source extending along a carriage axis. The carriage slide assembly includes a pair of guide walls extending along the carriage axis where each guide wall has a top portion and a bottom portion. The carriage slide assembly further includes a closed floor portion between the guide walls connected to the bottom portion of the guide walls. The closed floor portion defines at least one discharge opening for each of the at least one metering channel openings.
The apparatus further includes a metering carriage for receiving the metered volume of dry ice from the dry ice source and delivering the metered volume of dry ice to the at least one discharge opening. The metering carriage is slidably received between the pair of guide walls for translational movement along the carriage axis. The metering carriage has a height and defines at least one metering channel for each of the at least one metering channel openings for receiving a metered volume of dry ice when the at least one metering channel is in registration with the at least one metering channel opening of the dry ice source. Each of the at least one metering channels extends along a metering channel axis, spans the height of the metering carriage and defines a metering volume. The metering carriage has a length sufficient to close each of the at least one metering openings when the at least one metering channel is in registration with the at least one discharge opening.
The apparatus further includes a receiving well positioned below the at least one discharge opening of the carriage slide assembly for receiving the metered amount of dry ice from the metering carriage when the at least one metering channel is in registration with the at least one discharge opening of the carriage slide assembly.
The invention further includes a hopper for the dry ice source. Additionally, the invention may include an agitator contained in the hopper.
The invention further includes a pellet press having an at least one upper piston and an at least one lower piston for each of the at least one discharge openings. Each of the at least one lower pistons are slidably received in the at least one receiving well and form a base therein. Each at least one upper piston is positioned above the at least one discharge opening and is sized to be slidably received in the at least one discharge opening such that once the metered volume of dry ice is delivered to at least one receiving well, the dry ice rests on the base and the at least one upper piston slidably moves through the at least one discharge opening and applies sufficient pressure to the dry ice to form a pellet.
Further, the invention may include two metering channel openings. The invention also includes a means for synchronizing the movement of the metering carriage, the at least one upper piston, and the at least one lower piston such that the at least one upper piston is in an upper position when the at least one metering channel is in registration with the at least one discharge opening. Further the means for synchronizing includes lowering the at least one upper piston into the at least one discharge opening after the metering carriage clears the at least one discharge opening. The means for synchronizing also includes returning the at least one upper piston to an upper position while the at least one lower piston is raised to a position flush with the at least one discharge opening. The means for synchronizing also includes lowering the at least one lower piston as the metering carriage return to a position in registration with the at least one discharge opening.
The invention further includes a dry ice producing apparatus as the dry ice source. The dry ice producing apparatus may include a snow chamber. The invention further includes at least one snow chamber for each of the at least one metering channels.
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Innovative Co2 Equipment, Inc.
McGuireWoods LLP
Tapolcal William E.
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