Material or article handling – Static receptacle and means for charging or discharging – or... – Nongravity discharging means
Patent
1993-11-03
1996-03-12
Werner, Frank E.
Material or article handling
Static receptacle and means for charging or discharging, or...
Nongravity discharging means
198671, 414287, 414288, 222413, B65G 6546
Patent
active
054981158
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a distributor for particulate material comprising a cylinder and a feeder screw mounted therein for conveying particulate material in the cylinder from an inlet to an outlet.
Distributors for particulate material such as powders, granules, granulates, flakes, fibres, and the like can be used in a number of different industrial applications. For example, it is usual in the industrial manufacture of absorbent products, such as diapers, to add so-called superabsorbents when forming the mat of a fluffed cellulose. The term "superabsorbent" is a general name for polymer material which have a liquid absorbing capacity many times greater than their own weight. Superabsorbents usually have one of the above-mentioned particulate forms, the powder form being especially common. The particulate material is usually in a substantially dry state during the process steps which lead up to the particulate material being fed out of the distributor and mixed into or otherwise incorporated in an absorbent body of, for example, fluffed cellulose. The term "substantially dry state" means in this case that no liquid has been added to the particulate material, the only possible liquid present being the contribution from the moisture in the surrounding air. It is undesirable that the superabsorbent material should absorb liquid during the manufacturing state of the absorbent body, since this would impair the functioning of the superabsorbent material when the finished product is to be used later. It is therefore desirable that the superabsorbent material be distributed in a dry state.
The distribution of dry particulate material, for example superabsorbents, on a surface or in a body, involves problems. The surface can, for example, consist of a moving fluff web and the body can, for example, consist of an absorbent body of fluff fibres. In the first place, the distributing device for the dry particulate material must be suited for distributing dry material. Secondly, it is essential that the superabsorbent material can be advanced in a continuous flow, and that this flow can be distributed evenly either over the surface if one wishes to make a superabsorbent coating or inside the absorbent body into which one wishes to mix the superabsorbent. "Evenly" in this case does not mean that the entire surface of the web of material must be coated with particulate material. Rather, it is sufficient that the or those portion(s) of the web which are coated has/have an even surface coating. It is of course possible to coat the entire material web with particulate material if so desired. The same applies to three-dimensional mixing of particulate material into the absorbent body. It is possible that certain portions of the absorbent body can completely lack particulate material, but those portions of the body where the particulate material is present should have a substantially even distribution of particles, either in one plane inside the absorbent body or in all dimensions of the body.
Distributors designed to produce an evenly distributed flow of particles over a surface are previously known. EP 0 168 196 describes, for example, a device comprising a nozzle for spreading particles conveyed in a stream of gas on to a moving porous web, providing a broad particle flow. Such a nozzle has, however, a smaller cross-sectional area at its outlet than at its inlet. If the nozzle is used to distribute particles in a process step, such as mat forming processes, there is a risk that pulp fibres will enter the nozzle via reverse suction or in another unintended manner. Inside the nozzle, the fibres can accumulate and thereby block the outlet of the nozzle. It is also known to distribute dry particulate material by means of a screw conveyer, for example Model 600 marketed by Accurate Dry Material Feeders Inc., WI, USA. From a hopper, the material is advanced by the feeder screw and out through the outlet at the outlet end of the feeder screw, in a small string. This does not, however, provide an even transverse distribut
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patent: 2003417 (1935-06-01), Andreas
patent: 2630906 (1953-03-01), Philipp
patent: 2731969 (1956-01-01), Hoeksema
patent: 4024985 (1977-05-01), Iinoya et al.
patent: 4983090 (1991-01-01), Lehmann et al.
Molnlycke AB
Werner Frank E.
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