Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Process – By centrifugal force
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-07
2002-12-03
Wilson, Pamela (Department: 3749)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Process
By centrifugal force
C034S058000, C034S665000, C134S034000, C438S116000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06487792
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of high pressure processing. More particularly, this invention relates of high pressure processing where a workpiece is agitated.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fluid processing of a workpiece often requires agitation of the workpiece. In high pressure processing, a prior art method of agitation of the workpiece includes placing the workpiece on a holder connected by a drive shaft through a pressure chamber housing to a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism rotates the drive shaft and consequently rotates the holder to provide agitation of the workpiece. A second prior art method of agitation of the workpiece uses a magnetically coupled motor, where a magnetic field drives a rotor within the pressure chamber housing.
Providing either the drive shaft through the pressure chamber housing or a magnetically coupled motor complicates design and fabrication of a high pressure processing system. Further, providing either the drive shaft through the pressure chamber housing or the magnetically coupled motor is expensive.
What is needed is a method of agitating a workpiece in a pressure chamber that does not use a drive shaft through a pressure chamber housing and that does not use a magnetically coupled motor.
What is needed is a method of agitating a workpiece in a pressure chamber that is more economical than using a drive shaft through a pressure chamber housing and that is more economical than using a magnetically coupled motor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for agitating a workpiece in a high pressure environment of the present invention comprises a workpiece holder, a bearing, a pressure chamber housing, and a nozzle. The workpiece holder couples to the pressure chamber housing via the bearing. The nozzle couples to the pressure chamber housing. The workpiece holder comprises protrusions and a region for holding the workpiece. In operation a fluid exits the nozzle and impinges the protrusions of the workpiece holder causing the workpiece holder to rotate, which agitates the workpiece.
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Koch Robert
Sutton Thomas R.
Haverstock & Owens LLP
Tokyo Electron Limited
Wilson Pamela
LandOfFree
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