Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sifting – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-15
2004-04-27
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sifting
Elements
C209S275000, C209S325000, C209S365100, C209S364000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06726024
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sieving device and a sieving mesh screen, and more particularly to a sieving device capable of efficient sieving by force of vibrations generated by vibration generating means, and a sieving mesh screen easily demountably mounted in the sieving device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 2001-129483, 2000-135474, 2000-312860, HEI 11-128842, HEI 10-76229, and HEI 09-141205 disclose conventional sieving devices having mesh screens, which are vibrated by force of vibrations generated by an electromagnet, air piston, electric motor, ultrasonic vibrator or the like to sieve flour or other particulate materials.
The conventional sieving device is generally provided on its lower portion with a vibration generator, on its upper portion with a sieving receptacle having a bottom member, and with a mechanism for discharging granulated or floury particulate material sieved through the sieving receptacle. The particulate material sieved by the conventional sieving device once falls into a first collecting portion, namely, the bottom of the sieving receptacle, and moves from the first collecting portion to a second collecting portion, e g. a collecting container. Thus, the sieved particulate material agglutinates to dump while moving from the first collecting portion to the second collecting portion, consequently to diminish the purport of sieving.
Furthermore, since the sieved particulate material is discharged to the outside of the sieving device, the conventional sieving device disadvantageously necessitates a wide space for installing the collecting container or the like for receiving the sieved particulate material discharged from the device. Besides, the conventional sieving device cannot prevent the sieved particulate material from getting out of the collecting container or scattering around. Therefore, the conventional sieving device is not applicable to a kitchen with a confined space or other ambiences requiring sanitary precautions.
There has been another prior sieving device having a mechanism for removing the particulate material staying behind on a sieving screen, consequently being inevitably increased in size on the whole. Thus, this conventional sieving device requires a wide installation space and therefore is unfit to use in a confined narrow space
In the conventional sieving devices noted above, vibration generated by the vibration generator mounted on the lower portion of the sieving device is transmitted to the mesh screen supported by a plurality of springs. Thus, the vibration generated by the vibration generator is not efficiently transmitted to the mesh screen due to difference in vibration transmitting routes formed by the springs. Moreover, the vibration is absorbed by the springs to decrease the efficiency of sieving and slow down the sieving speed. In order to increase the efficiency of sieving the particulate material, the size of the device including the vibration generator and power source is inevitably increased.
There has been yet another prior sieving device provided on its side portion with a vibration generator for giving lateral vibration directly to a mechanism with a mesh screen, Since the mechanism with the mesh screen in this prior device is suspended through means of a connection member and receives at one part thereof the vibration from the vibration generator in the lateral direction, the vibration is attenuated by the connection member to decrease the efficiency of sieving and slow down the sieving speed like the aforementioned prior sieving device.
Furthermore, in the aforementioned prior sieving device of large size, which is provided fixedly with the mesh screen or mechanism having the mesh screen, removal of the particulate material left on the mesh screen, cleaning of the mesh screen and installation of the sieving device cannot easily be carried out. When the particulate material left on the mesh screen is removed to clean the mesh screen, the mechanism including the mesh screen has to be detached from the device body. Even if the removal of the particulate material left on the mesh screen is easily carried out, it is difficult to clean and attach the mesh screen onto the device body.
In the sieving device provided on its side with the vibration generator for imparting the vibration directly to the mesh screen in the lateral direction, the component parts such as the mesh screen, blade member and connection member of the sieving device should be disassembled to remove the particulate material left on the mesh screen, dean the mesh screen and assemble the components parts. This turns out to be a very troublesome chore.
In addition, the prior sieving device entailed a disadvantage such that driving means including a motor and a piston inevitably generates dreadful noise and needless vibrations in operation. These undesirable vibrations could not substantially be prevented. Thus, the prior sieving device was susceptible to mechanical trouble and difficult to maintain.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. HEI 11-114498, HEI 11-347492, HEI 06-233617 and HEI 06-233618, there are disclosed conventional sieving mesh screens for sieving particulate materials such as flour, which are driven to vibrate by a vibration source such as an electromagnet, motor and ultrasonic vibrator.
The prior art sieving mesh screens aim at increasing the efficiency of sieving, preventing clogging and increasing the durability. The mesh screen disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI 11-114498 is formed by crossing and overlapping wires each other and welding the wires so as to increase the efficiency and speed of sieving. The conventional mesh screen disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI 11-347492 is made by weaving compound fiber to form a rolling surface.
Also, the sieving mesh screens in other prior art are by and large made by crossing and welding wires, weaving wires or integrally molding into one body having a required number of meshes.
The prior sieving mesh screens made by crossing or weaving the wires have corrugated surfaces formed by the wires thickly overlapping each other and supported by a frame thickened by the overlapping wires. The vertical interval of the upper and lower wires of the mesh screen thus corrugated is smaller than the diameter of the wire and the thickness of the frame, so that unevenness of such a planar mesh having the vertical interval of the wires cannot Increase the number of meshes in the mesh screen of the same shape in the identical terms. Thus, there is a limit to the prior sieving mesh screen having the ragged wire surface in increasing the sieving speed and sieving efficiency. Besides, the prior sieving mesh screen requires specific materials and must be molded precisely, consequently to increase the manufacturing costs incurred and make the manufacture thereof difficult.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a sieving device provided with a mesh screen which can be attached and detached so as to facilitate removal of particulate material remained on the mesh screen and cleaning of the mesh screen, which sieving device is capable of preventing the particulate material while being sieved from getting out of the collecting container or scattering around, being installed even in a confined space requiring a sanitary condition, producing sieving vibration with a relatively small power source and efficiently transmitting the vibration to the mesh screen to perform sieving of particulate material at a high speed with high efficiency, preventing coagulation and agglomeration of particulate material, and suppressing noises generated by itself.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sieving device having a mesh screen capable of eliminating the shortcomings of the mesh screen disposed in a conventional sieving device, and increasing the speed and efficiency of sieving particulate material.
Still another object o
Kanno Ken-ichi
Nakano Kotaro
Miller Jonathan R
Scott M. Oldham of Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP
Tanico Corporation
Walsh Donald P.
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