This invention relates to a centrifugal separator which uses centrifugal force to separate liquid from solids. In one embodiment the centrifugal separator is in the form of a spin dryer for separating water from clothing.
This application is an improvement of previous spin dryers disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,412,390 and 4,742,624, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Although the spin dryers disclosed in these two patents are well suited for their intended application, the present inventors have recognized that further improvements can be made.
The present inventors have recognized that the design can be improved to further decrease vibration and noise during operation. The present inventors have recognized that the design can provide for even smoother operation by further decreasing the potential for uneven wear on interconnected parts. The present inventors have recognized that an even safer operating system can be provided with an improved power shut-off mechanism and an improved braking system.
The embodiments of the invention disclose a centrifugal separator, such as a spin dryer for separating water from objects or wet clothing, such as bathing suits. Although a spin dryer is described herein, other uses for the centrifugal separator are encompassed by the invention including liquid separators in a laboratory setting or a manufacturing setting.
Embodiments of the invention provide a centrifugal separator that includes a stationary chamber. The stationary chamber has a surrounding side wall or walls and a bottom floor. The housing can also include a mechanical floor below the bottom floor. A basket is arranged to spin within the stationary chamber. The basket has a perforated surrounding sidewall. A motor is arranged below the bottom floor. The motor has a motor housing and an output shaft.
The motor housing can be fastened to the mechanical floor. A driveshaft can be connected to the output shaft via a flexible coupling and the driveshaft passes through the bottom floor and is connected to the basket.
The motor can comprise a DC or AC motor.
A brake disc is operatively fixed to the output shaft, such as being fixed to the coupler, to rotate therewith, and a brake caliper is fixed to the mechanical floor. The caliper has brake shoes that are engagable to opposite faces of the brake disc.
A balance ring having an annular chamber holding a balance fluid, can be mounted to an outside of the basket to rotate therewith.
A control panel has a display that includes an indicator that circulates illuminated signals around a path to indicate the spinning of the basket.
A fluid dispenser can be controlled by the controller to dispense a fluid, such as a liquid or gas, for example a fragrance, liquid solution or disinfectant, intermittently into the stationary chamber.
An ultraviolet light inside the stationary chamber can be controlled by the controller to intermittently illuminate to sterilize an inside of the chamber.
Fins or blades can be arranged on the bottom of the basket to circulate air inside the basket.
A moisture sensor can be provided in the stationary chamber, in signal-communication with a machine controller to control operation of the spin dryer. The sensor can sense water droplets received from the spinning basket. For example, the spin dryer can be operated for different durations depending on the wetness of the garment.
The centrifugal separator can include a cycle controller and an indicator. The controller can start the cycle by locking the lid closed, and the indicator can use an image to indicate the basket is spinning. The image can move around a continuous path while the basket is spinning.
The controller can ramp up the speed of the basket during starting and ramp down the speed during stopping. The controller can spin the basket according to a pre-selected variation in basket speed and direction. For example, the controller can reverse or oscillate the spinning direction, i.e., spinning the basket back and forth in reverse rotational directions, to dislodge a jam or to pre-arrange and pre-balance the load before a spin cycle is started.
The pre-selected variation in basket speed and direction can comprise a user selected routine.
The controller can spin the basket according to a controlled variation in basket speed and direction depending on a sensed condition, such as vibration or moisture.
The controller can spin the basket according to a controlled variation in basket speed and direction, comprising a routine wherein the basket is brought up to operating speed through a region of increased basket vibration, and wherein the controller can vary the spinning speed of the basket through the region at one rate and once past the region, speed is changed to operating speed at a different rate. The region of increased vibration can be sensed using a vibration sensor or estimated by experimental data.
For example, the controller can increase the spinning speed of the basket through the region of increased vibration slowly, and once past the region, increase the speed to operating speed at a greater rate.
The improved spin dryer utilizes an innovative design which enhances a spin dryer's operation, low cost and low maintenance.
The spin dryer includes an automatic operation cycle which obviates the need to hold the lid down during the cycle. The spin dryer includes an automatic safety lock out which prevents the opening of the lid until the cycle is complete and the basket is stationary. The spin dryer includes a pre-selected cycle profile and includes visual feedback of cycle operation. The spin dryer provides dynamic balancing via a balancing ring. This reduces vibration and sound during the cycle operation. The spin dryer provides an electronically operated caliper brake. The brake mode is on by default until the controller releases the brake for operating the cycle. Advantageously, a smaller, lighter marine grade DC motor can be used.
The spin dryer cabinet can provide for a larger capacity basket, possibly 30% larger. The cabinet is arranged for access to internal mechanical components from the front of the cabinet. The cabinet can have a stainless steel top and lid for durability and cleanliness. The cabinet can have a high impact thermoplastic front.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
Like reference numbers will be used to refer to like parts from figure to figure in the following description of the embodiments of the invention.
In
The panels 16, 18, 22, 24, 30 can be connected together by fasteners and/or by interlocking lips and/or clips or other means. Once the front panel 22 is removed, the top panel 30 can be removed. Also, once the front panels 22, 24 are removed access can be had to the electrical and mechanical components of the dryer 10.
Operation of the motor 60 spins the driveshaft 56 and the basket 50. The motor is controlled by a motor control 60a. The driveshaft 56 passes through a guide or sleeve bearing 66 which is fastened to, or pressed into a plate 67. The plate 67 is mounted to an intermediate floor 68 via three circumferentially spaced-apart isolation mounts 69. The mounts can be elastomeric bushings, or the like.
A balance ring 70 is fastened around and upper portion of the basket 50 within the stationary chamber 53. The balance ring 70 has a sealed annular chamber 72 that contains a balance fluid, such as a saturated saline solution. The balance ring can be attached with fasteners or can have interacting formations to be snap fit over the basket.
As shown in
The basket is easily removed for cleaning or maintenance by removal of the front panel 22 and the top panel 30 with the hinged lid 36, removal of the fastener 84 and withdrawing the basket 50 and balance ring 70 together vertically out through the open top end 57 of the stationary chamber 53, that is otherwise closed by the top cover 30 and lid 36.
A mechanical floor 98 is hung from the intermediate floor 68 via sidewalls 98a, 98b. The motor 60 is fastened to the mechanical floor 98.
At a lower end, the driveshaft 56 is connected to a flexible coupling 106 that is connected to an output shaft 108 of the motor 60. The coupling is shown in
The output flange 112 is part of, or fastened to, coupling 106 to rotate therewith. A brake disc 118 is fastened to the output flange 112 to rotate therewith. A brake caliper 120 is fastened to the mechanical floor 98. The caliper 120 includes an upper housing 122a and a lower housing 122b, and upper and lower brake shoes 126, 128 arranged on opposite sides of the disc 118. A spring 130 acts to separate the brake shoes, by urging them away from the disc 118.
An additional spring 131 acts to exert a downward force on the upper shoe 126 to compress the disc 118 between the two shoes 126, 128. A solenoid acts to release the brake A solenoid cylinder 132, when energized, exerts force to pivot a lever 133 about a fulcrum 133a to lift a piston 133b to overcome spring force from the spring 131 to relieve compression of the disc 118 from between his shoes 126, 128 to allow the disc 118 to rotate freely. When the solenoid is not energized or powered, the brake shoes 126, 128 clamp the disc 118 under power of the spring 131 to stop the basket 50. The spring 131, the cylinder 132, the lever 133, and the fulcrum 133a are shown schematically. An alternate brake arrangement is shown and described below with respect to
In operation, when the basket receives a wet article and the motor is activated to run a spin cycle, the centrifugal force on the spinning article separates water out of the article, through the perforations in the basket wall 51 and into the stationary chamber 53. A drain pipe 53a (shown dashed in
A controller 144 (
As shown in detail in
The latch 149 may flex downward but not upward with respect to its rest position relative to the top cover 30.
When the lid is closed, as the lid 36 pivots downward the bottom portion 148a of the strike 148 engages the top of a tab 150 on the latch 149 which causes the latch 149 to flex downward and around the circular cross section of the horizontal bottom portion 148a of the U shaped strike 148.
The horizontal bottom portion 148a passes below the tab 150, and the latch 149 springs back, engaging the bottom of the tab 150 with the top portion of the horizontal bottom portion 148a. Since the latch 149 is limited in upward movement by its proximity at point 151 to the top cover 30, any attempt to pry the lid open increases engagement of the latch and strike to prevent forced opening.
In order to release the latch 149, according to one embodiment, the user pushes a control selection on the control panel 42, and a cable 152, within a stationary sheath 153 that is fixed to a back of the lock 147 at 153a, is pulled in the tension direction P along the cable 152 to bend the latch 149 clockwise (
The lid 36 is biased slightly open via a spring hinge 36a (
A lid closed or open sensor 154 (
The controller 144 can run the spin cycle according to a pre-selected routine or can change the pre-selected routine according to sensed conditions by controlling the motor control 60a. For example, if the load is unstable or unbalanced, sensed by a vibration sensor 156 (shown schematically in
The controller can ramp up the speed of the basket during starting and ramp down the speed during stopping. The controller can spin the basket according to a pre-selected variation in basket speed and direction. For example, the controller can reverse or oscillate the spinning direction, i.e., spinning the basket back and forth in reverse rotational directions, to dislodge a jam or to pre-arrange and pre-balance the load before a spin cycle is started.
The pre-selected variation in basket speed and direction can comprise a user selected routine.
The controller can spin the basket according to a controlled variation in basket speed and direction depending on a sensed condition, such as vibration or moisture.
The controller 144 can spin the basket 50 according to a controlled variation in basket speed and direction, comprising a routine wherein the basket 50 is brought up to operating speed through a region of increased basket vibration, and wherein the controller increases in spinning speed through the region slowly and once past the region, speed is increased to operating speed at a greater rate. The region of increased vibration can be sensed using a vibration sensor.
The plunger 236 includes a cam disc 240 at a bottom end thereof. The cam disc 240 includes two cam tracks 244, 246 formed in rotational symmetry on opposite sides of the cam disc 240. Two roller bearings 254, 256 are held within the upper housing 122a, fixed in position but allowed to rotate about their axes and effectively ride on the respective cam tracks 244, 246 when the plunger 236 is rotated. The cam tracks each have an inclined surface 260 which causes the plunger 236 to be lowered when the plunger rotated about ¼ turn or less, caused by the roller bearings 245, 256 in effect riding up the inclined surfaces 260. The cam disc 240 presses down on a pad plunger 266 which presses on the upper brake pad 126 to cause the upper and lower brake pads 126, 128 to pinch the brake disc therebetween, actuating the brake.
The solenoid 230 would have a spring return which would bias the pin 228 to an extended position to rotate the lever 220 clockwise (looking down on the lever in
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.