Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids – Process – Cooling by gas or vapor contact
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2001-06-05
Wilson, Pamela (Department: 3749)
Drying and gas or vapor contact with solids
Process
Cooling by gas or vapor contact
C034S619000, C034S634000, C034S236000, C034S242000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240656
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to conveyor dryers of the type that are used to dry or condition various types of material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conveyor dryers are widely used to dry and condition various materials and products. Typically, these conveyor dryers include a drying or conditioning chamber having a moving conveyor disposed therein. A system is incorporated into the conveyor dryer for generating conditioned or heated air that is forced through the conveyor and the material supported on the conveyor. Thus as the conveyor moves through the conditioning chamber, air moving through the conveyor and the material thereon functions to selectively dry or condition the material.
In order to drive the conveyor, a link type drive chain is secured to each side of the conveyor and driven by an electric motor. Thus as the conveyor moves through the drying chamber, the side chains typically ride on a support rail. Further, in order to seal the sides of the chamber, the conveyor carries a traveling guide that extends upwardly and moves against a stationary seal. Thus, the traveling guide and the stationary seal are designed to form a generally air tight seal and to retain product about the conveyor.
There are many drawbacks and disadvantages to conventional conveyor system designs used in conveyor dryers. For example, the structure utilized to form the seal adjacent each side of the conveyor makes wear and tear a concern. The fact that such conventional designs require a traveling guide to continuously move against a fixed seal obviously indicates that there will be a limited life to these frictionally engaging components and in the end that can result in frequent shut downs for the conveyor dryer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention entails a conveyor dryer that includes a conveyor system that includes a stationary conveyor support that supports the conveyor and also cooperates with one or more other structures to form an air tight seal.
More particularly, the present invention entails a conveyor dryer having a drying chamber and a conveyor disposed within the chamber for conveying material or product through the drying chamber. An air conditioning system for heating or conditioning the air and circulating the air through the conveyor and the material carried on the conveyor is also provided. A stationary conveyor support is disposed on each side of the conveyor for supporting the conveyor. This stationary conveyor support includes a support surface that engages a portion of the conveyor and supports the conveyor as it is pulled or moved along the conveyor supports. To retain material on the conveyor, a material guide is disposed adjacent the conveyor for generally retaining material on the conveyor as it moves through the drying chamber. The conveyor support is particularly disposed adjacent and in conjunction with the material guide such that the two components cooperate to form an air seal that minimizes the flow of air between the conveyor support and the material guide.
In one particular embodiment of the present invention, the conveyor support includes an elongated non-metallic structure disposed on each side of the conveyor that includes a slot or opening formed in the inboard side thereof. A side portion of the conveyor projects into the slot and is confined therein. In use, the conveyor is effectively moved or pulled through the inboard slots formed in the non-metallic conveyor supports. At the same time, a material guide depends downwardly and extends adjacent the elongated conveyor support in such a fashion that the conveyor support and material guide form a generally air tight seal.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a conveyor dryer with a relatively simple conveyor system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor system for a conveyor dryer that minimizes air and product leakage.
Another object of the present invention entails providing a conveyor dryer with a conveyor system that eliminates the conventional traveling guide.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of such invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4407650 (1983-10-01), Greenler
Aeroglide Corporation
Coats & Bennett PLLC
Wilson Pamela
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