Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – With treating fluid motion
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2001-07-31
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
With treating fluid motion
C015S309100, C134S015000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267822
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for removing material from elongated members through the use of compressed air. This invention further relates to an airwipe device that is configured to accommodate an elongated member having a known cross-sectional area traveling through varying air pressures of known densities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacturing of wire, or other similar elongated products, there is a need for removing liquids from the surface of the product. For example, in the production of wire cooling fluids or cleansing acids are removed from the wire prior to spooling, storage, or subsequent processing. It is known in this art to use compressed air to remove liquid from wire as it passes through a tube. Generally, compressed air is vented into the tube through tangentially directed holes and the liquid is removed by the force of the pressurized air traveling in the opposite direction of the moving wire. There have been numerous problems associated with past attempts to remove liquid from moving elongated members using such prior art methods.
Notably, air wiping devices (or “airwipes” as they are known to those skilled in this art) waste energy in attempting to remove fluid or particulate matter from a moving elongated member. This occurs largely because the tube in which the pressurized air meets or encounters the moving elongated member is the wrong size to efficiently use the available energy stored in the compressed air within close proximity to the elongated member. Similarly, the air passages that deliver the compressed air to the wire are not conventionally configured to deliver an efficient amount of compressed air based upon the cross-sectional dimensions of the elongated member and the tube. As a consequence, decompression of the air (release of energy) occurs away from the elongated member and the fluid or particulate matter is not efficiently removed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the advantages of the invention, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises the following.
A device for removing fluid from a linearly traveling elongated member that has a housing that includes a chamber with at least one air inlet for receiving compressed air into the chamber, an orifice for receiving the elongated member into the chamber, and an exit for allowing the elongated member to leave the chamber. The chamber also has axially aligned first and second chamber portions that collectively create a pathway for the elongated member to traverse through the housing. The first chamber portion is in communication with the orifice and the second chamber portion is in communication with the exit. Compressed air is vented into the first chamber portion through the air inlets and substantially onto the elongated member. The applied force of the decompressing air removes material from the elongated member and generally expels the material and air out the orifice.
Each air inlet has a cross-sectional area that is configured based upon the number of air inlets, the cross-sectional area of the first chamber portion, the cross-sectional area of the traveling elongated member, the density of the compressed air that is applied to the chamber and directed substantially onto the traveling elongated member, and the density of the air at room pressure. The cross-sectional area of each air inlet can be expressed by the following equation:
(Area
air inlet
)=[(Area
chamber
)−(Area
elongated member
)]+[(N)×(F)]
where Area
chamber
is the cross-sectional area of the first chamber portion, N is the number of air inlets, F is the density of the compressed air as it is delivered into the first chamber portion divided by the density of the air at room pressure, and Area
elongated
member is the cross-sectional area of the elongated member.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for removing material from a linearly traveling elongated member, which comprises the steps of delivering compressed air into a chamber through at least one air supply hole in order to direct compressed air substantially onto the elongated member to remove the material. Each air supply hole has a cross-sectional area that is approximately determined by the number of the air supply holes, the cross-sectional area of the chamber, the cross-sectional area of the elongated member, the density of the compressed air, and the density of the air at room pressure. Further, the elongated member is guided through the chamber.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combination particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 3445285 (1969-05-01), Nast et al.
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patent: 3736618 (1973-06-01), Ramsey
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patent: 4064884 (1977-12-01), Asp
patent: 4287238 (1981-09-01), Stavros
patent: 4391016 (1983-07-01), Kawamura et al.
patent: 4517024 (1985-05-01), Gough
patent: 4741113 (1988-05-01), Burdick et al.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Keir Manufacturing Inc.
Moore Chris K.
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