1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to drying granular or powdery material, preferably granular resin material, prior to processing thereof into intermediate or finished products, preferably by extrusion or molding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plastic resins are initially granular materials and are produced in pellets. These pellets are processed by extrusion or other means in which the granular resin pellets are heated until the pellets melt and may then be molded or extruded into a desired shape. Typically granular resins melt at elevated temperatures, for example from 300-400° F., which is well above the boiling point of water.
Many granular resins have affinity for moisture. These hydroscopic resins absorb moisture and cannot be properly processed by molding or extrusion until dried. If processed before dry, moisture in the plastic boils at or approaching the high plastic molding or extrusion process temperatures, leaving bubbles and perhaps other imperfections in the finished product. Hence, hydroscopic granular resins must be dried prior to molding or extrusion.
Some granular resin materials are extremely hydroscopic and become unprocessable by molding or extrusion in ten minutes or less after exiting a dryer, due to the rapid absorption of moisture by the granular resin material.
It is known to dry granular resin material by placing the granular resin material pellets on large shallow trays to a depth of one or two inches, and putting those trays into ovens for several hours. With this approach to granular resin material drying, resin temperatures of 150-180° F., but no higher, can be used since many granular resin materials begin to soften at 200-210° F.
During the drying process, the granular resin material cannot be permitted to soften, since it becomes unmanageable. Once granular resin material begins to soften, at temperatures above the boiling point of water, the granular resin material pellets stick together in lumps or even melt into useless masses of solid plastic, making it impossible to further process the resin material into a useful article.
In one of its aspects, this invention provides a low pressure granular resin or powdery granular material dryer. The dryer preferably includes a rotatable preferably vertical shaft, a plurality of preferably vertically-oriented, open-ended preferably cylindrical hoppers which are preferably equiangularly positioned and rotatable about a vertical axis, which is preferably defined by the shaft, serially among material filling and heating, vacuum drying and dispensing positions.
The dryer preferably further includes a pin extending vertically and radially displaced from the axis, a preferably triangular preferably horizontal plate rotatably receiving the pin proximate the center of the plate, a preferably horizontal link pivotally connecting said shaft and the plate, and a plurality of preferably pneumatic piston-cylinder combinations equiangularly operatively connected to the plate for rotating the shaft by sequentially moving the plate relative to the shaft thereby to move the hoppers among the filling and heating, vacuum drying and dispensing positions.
The dryer yet preferably further includes preferably pneumatic piston-cylinder actuatedactuating means for sealing the cylindrical hoppers at the vacuum drying station.
In another of its aspects, this invention provides a hopper for use in a low pressure granular resin material or powdery material dryer where the hopper includes a preferably vertically-oriented preferably cylindrical shell having open ends with the shell preferably adapted to be sealingly closed by selectably contacting top and bottom plates thereagainst, thereby enabling vacuum to be drawn within the shell when desired. The hopper further preferably includes a funnel within the cylindrical shell and located proximate the shell bottom. The hopper further preferably includes an internal material flow control plate in the form of a dump flap located within the shell beneath the funnel. The dump flap is preferably pivotally connected to the shell for movement about the connection point away from a downwardly opening discharge orifice of the funnel, thereby to selectably release granular resin material from the hopper.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, top and bottom plates preferably selectably seal the cylindrical shell thereby allowing vacuum to be drawn therewithin. Pneumatic piston-cylinder means may be provided for urging the top and bottom plates into sealing contact with the shell.
The shell is desirably adapted to selectably dispense granular or powdery material stored therewithin at a dispense position, when the shell is at that position. The dispense position is preferably removed from the vacuum drying position.
The hopper is further preferably adapted to effectuate material dispensing upon contact by an upwardly moving rod of a pneumatic piston-cylinder combination, thereby permitting downward flow from the funnel of material with the material thereby flowing out of the cylindrical shell.
In yet another of its aspects, this invention provides a method for continuously drying granular or powdery material preparatory to mixing, molding, extruding or other processing of that material. The method preferably includes supplying granular or powdery material to a vertically-oriented cylindrical shell at a fill and heat position and heating the material within the shell by introduction of heated air into the cylindrical shell while at the fill and heat-position.
The method yet further preferably includes moving the vertically-oriented cylindrical shell through an arc about a vertical axis outboard of the shell periphery to a vacuum drying position and sealing open ends of the shell at such position.
The method still yet further preferably includes drawing a preselected level of vacuum within the sealed shell for a time sufficient to evaporate moisture from the heated material within the shell to a desired degree of dryness.
The method even yet further preferably includes bringing the shell to a material discharge position at which the bottom of the shell is open and then discharging the dried material from the cylindrical shell responsively to action of a preferably pneumatic piston-cylinder combination inserting a rod into the shell interior from below to move a material discharge gate proximate the bottom of the shell.
The method preferably still yet even further includes moving the shell through an arc about the vertical axis to the fill and heat position and sequentially repeating the steps of supplying material to the shell, heating the material within the shell, moving the shell to the vacuum drawing position, drawing a sufficient level of vacuum within the shell to evaporate moisture from the material within the shell and moving the shell to a discharge position, for so long as the material is to be continuously dried.
In yet another of its aspects, this invention provides a method for continuously supplying dried granular resin material for processing from a supply of material which is excessively moist where the method preferably includes substantially simultaneously performing the steps of heating a portion of the moist granular resin material to a selected temperature at which the moisture evaporates from the granular resin material at a preselected level of vacuum, drawing and maintaining the preselected vacuum for a second portion of the granular resin material which has been heated to the selected temperature for time sufficient to cause the moisture to evaporate therefrom and result in the second portion of granular resin material being at the preselected dryness and supplying to granular resin material processing equipment a third portion of the granular resin material which was dried to the preselected dryness by evaporation in the preselected level of vacuum after having been heated to the selected temperature.
Referring to the drawings in general and to
Dryer 10 includes a frame, designated generally 22, on and within which vertical shaft 24 is rotatably mounted for rotation relative to frame 22, the details of which are discussed below. Cylindrical hoppers 12 rotating unitarily with vertical shaft 24 preferably move serially among a material fill and heat position designated generally 100, a material vacuum drying position designated generally 102 and a material dispensing position designated generally 104. Hoppers 12 move when and as required among fill and heat position 100, vacuum drying position 102 and dispensing position 104. The three hoppers 12 start and stop together as required; they do not move continuously in a merry-go-round fashion among positions 100, 102 and 104.
Referring principally to
Frame 22 further includes four upper substantially horizontally extending members 162 which collectively define the outer periphery of a square in geometrical terms; the four upper substantially horizontally extending members 162 are visible in
Frame 22 further yet preferably includes four lower horizontally extending members 164, one of which is visible in
At least one and preferably a plurality of suspension members 166 extend laterally across the upper end of dryer 10, between selected upper horizontal members 162. One of such suspension members 166 is illustrated in
First, second and third driving rotation piston-cylinder combinations 34, 36, 38 are preferably pivotally connected to selected ones of upper horizontal members 162 of frame 22 as illustrated in
Connection of generally triangular plate 28 with vertically-oriented shaft 24 is effectuated by means of a pin connector 168 which is vertically-oriented and resides rotatably slidably within an aperture formed at the center of horizontal central portion 30 of generally triangular plate 28. Pin connector 168 fits rotatably not only within triangular plate 28 but also fits rotatably within an aperture in one end of a plate-pin connection arm 116 best shown in
Plate-pin connection arm 116 is fixedly connected to vertical shaft 24 at the upper end thereof.
In this arrangement movement of triangular plate 28, as effectuated by any of first, second or third driving rotation piston-cylinder combinations 34, 36 or 38, results in pin connector 168 translating such motion to plate-pin connection arm 116. Rotation of plate-pin connection arm 116, being fixedly connected to shaft 24, results in shaft 24 rotating. As shaft 24 rotates, it carries hoppers 1612 among the fill and heat position 100, vacuum drying position 102 and material dispense position 104. Hoppers 1612 move this way unitarily with shaft 24 as a result of hoppers 1612 being fixedly connected to shaft 24 by cantilever connecting rods 110, illustrated in phantom lines in
Shaft 24 is journaled in suitable bearings mounted on upper and lower shaft suspension plates 112 to define upper and lower shaft bearing assemblies 114 as indicated in
Referring to
Conduit 144 includes a telescoping portion 148 for connecting moist material supply hopper 64 with a hopper top sealing plate 150 at fill and heat position 100. Positioned around the outer periphery of hopper top sealing plate 150 is an annular lip 152. An aperture 154 is within hopper top sealing plate 150 and facilitates communication between telescoping portion 148 of conduit 144 and the interior of a hopper 1412 when at the fill and heat position.
Still referringReferring to FIGS. 1 and 39, 10 and 11, a hopper 1412 is illustrated in position as a result of having been rotated to that position by rotation of vertical shaft 24 in response to first, second and third driving rotation piston-cylinder combinations 34, 36 and 38.
At material fill and heating position 100, a blower 76 facilitates recirculation of heated air through material 74 resident within hopper 1412 to heat material 74. Blower 76 has an intake aperture 78 and an exhaust aperture 80. Exhaust aperture 80 connects to conduit 156 within which there are a plurality of heater elements 82 to heat air exhausted from blower 76 prior to flow through material within hopper 12. Conduit 156 includes a telescoping portion 158 connecting with and exhausting into a supply plenum designated generally 86 via a plenum inlet 90 which is visible in both
Plenum 86 includes an outlet screen 8892 mounted at the upper end thereof, as illustrated generally in
A pneumatic piston-cylinder combination 106 is mounted on a suitable cross-member, not illustrated in the drawings but forming a part of frame 22. When actuated, piston-cylinder combination 106 serves to close the bottom of hopper 12 in the fill and heat position by moving supply plenum 86 vertically upwardly, from the position illustrated in
Heated air, having passed through granular or powdery material within hopper 1412, exhausts from hopper 1412 via telescoping portion 148 of conduit 144. A butterfly valve 66 having closed conduit 144 so that heated air passing through telescoping portion 148 of conduit 144 cannot escape through supply hopper 64, causes the heated, moist air to flow into heated air recirculator 70 at heated recirculation intake 72. A thermocouple 68 positioned at heated air recirculation intake 72 senses temperature of heated air leaving hopper 1412. A second thermocouple 84 is positioned proximate the outlet of the heated air supplied by blower 76, after the heated air has passed along heating elements 82. When the temperaturetemperatures sensed by thermocouples 68 and 84 are substantially equal, this is indicative of the granular or powdery material within hopper 1412 having reached the desired temperature, namely the selected temperature of the air entering into supply plenum 86 after having been heated by heating elements 82.
During material heating at the fill and heat position, hopper top sealing plate 150 is lowered into position against the upper extremity of hopper 1412 by action of a pneumatic piston-cylinder combination 98 which is connected to a suitable cross-member extending across the top of frame 22.
Referring to
A pair of downwardly opening material dispensing funnels designated 94 and 96 respectively are secured within each cylindrical shell 14 of cylindrical hopper 12 proximate the bottom of hopper 12. The higher of the two material dispensing funnels is referred to as an upper material dispensing funnel and is designated 94 in the drawings. The lower of the two material dispensing funnels is referred to as the lower material dispensing funnel and is designated generally 96 in the drawings. Material dispensing funnels 94 and 96 are preferably fixedly secured, by suitable sheet metal screws or other fastening means, to a lower portion of vacuum tube 52 at the positions generally indicated in the drawings
Material dispensing funnels 94 and 96 preferably share a common funnel angle such that the sloped sides of the respective funnels are essentially parallel one with another. The sloped surface or side of upper material dispensing funnel is designated generally 122 in the drawings while the sloped side of lower dispensing funnel 96 is designated generally 124 in the drawings.
As further apparent from the drawings, particularly
Use of two dispensing funnels such as dispensing funnels 94, 96 facilitates circulation of heated drying air around material in hopper 1412 at filling and heating position 100 and further facilitates drying of the material in hopper 1412 when the hopper is at vacuum drying position 102.
Each hopper 1412 preferably further includes a dump flap designated generally 20 located below downwardly dispensing opening 128 of lower funnel 96. Dump flap 20 is pivotally connected to vacuum tube 52 by suitable screw connections which are illustrated in the drawings, particularly in
Dump flap 20 includes a central portion 172 which is generally planar in configuration as illustrated in the drawings, particularly
Dump actuator 62 engages a generally vertical airpivoting arm 134 forming a part of dump flap 20. Dump actuator 62 includes a vertically movable arm 136, also illustrated in
Movement of arm 136 upwardly in
Actuation of material dispensing piston-cylinder combination 108 moves vertically movable arm 136 upwardly, to the position illustrated in solid lines in
Vertically movable arm 136 is pivotally connected to an arm 134 portion pivoting arm portion 134 of dump flap 20.
ArmPivoting arm 134 connects the horizontal part of dump flap 20 to the inside of vacuum tube 52 via a pivotal connection identified as 140 in
Once preferably pneumatic hopper dispensing piston-cylinder combination 108 has been deactuated, gravitational force acting with weight 130 tends to rotate dump flap 20 back to the horizontal, hopper closed, position illustrated in
The horizontal portion 172 of dump flap 20 is positioned sufficiently close to and sufficiently overlaps downwardly dispensing opening 128 of lower funnel 96 about the periphery of dispensing opening 128 that the angle of repose of any granular or powdery material within hopper 12 is sufficient to prevent downward flow of material through the gap between horizontal portion 172 of dump flap 20 and dispensing opening 128 of lower funnel 96.
Material dispensing piston-cylinder combination 108 is preferably mounted either on a portion of frame 22 below dryer 10 or on some other stable member such as the floor of an installation where dryer 10 may be used. In either case, material dispensing piston-cylinder combination 108 is stationary in the sense that piston-cylinder combination 108 does not rotate with hoppers 12 as they are moved among fill and heat position 100, vacuum drying position 102 and material dispense position 104; hopper dispensing piston-cylinder combination 108 remains at material dispense position 104.
As apparent from
In
Hopper top and bottom vacuum sealing plates 40, 42 are preferably respectively connected to unnumbered piston rod extensions which are connected to and are parts of hopper top and bottom sealing piston-cylinder combinations 44, 46 respectively. Piston-cylinder combinations 44, 46 are preferably pneumatically actuated; the cylinder portions thereof are preferably fixedly connected to horizontally extending cross-members of frame 22 as indicated generally in
Hopper top and bottom vacuum sealing plates 40, 42 are most preferably of dome-like shape, as illustrated in
When a hopper 12 is located at vacuum drying position as illustrated in
When hopper cylindrical shell 14 is located at vacuum drying position 102, actuation of respective piston-cylinder combinations 44, 46 moves top and bottom sealing plates 40, 42 downwardly and upwardly respectively to effectuate an airtight, vacuum maintaining seal between the preferably circular periphery of top and bottom sealing plates 40, 42, where vacuum gaskets 58 and 60 are preferably located and the preferably circular circumferential top and bottom edges of vacuum tube 52. The hopper top and bottom vacuum sealing plates 40, 42 in this position, with gaskets 58, 60 in sealing connection with the circumferential circular top and bottom edges of vacuum tube 52, as illustrated in
Top vacuum sealing plate 40 preferably includes a fitting, not numbered in the drawings, selectably connectingly receiving a preferably flexible vacuum line 50 which is preferably connected to a vacuum pump depicted schematically in
Once moisture has been evaporated from resin material within hopper 12 when located at vacuum drying position 102 and the resin material has reached a desired degree of dryness, hopper top and bottom sealing piston-cylinder combinations 44, 46 are permitted to return to their default positions illustrated in
The time during which vacuum is drawn within hopper 12 while located at vacuum drying position 102 may be adjusted by microprocessor control means connected to and associated with the low pressure granular material dryer. Similarly, the level of vacuum drawn in hopper 12 at vacuum drying position 102 may be adjusted. Furthermore, air withdrawn from hopper 12 by vacuum pump 48 may be monitored for moisture content and vacuum pump 48 may be halted once the desired low level of moisture of the material within hopper 12 has been attained. The microprocessor control means controls operation of the low pressure dryer, including operation of the pneumatic piston-cylinder combinations, the blower, the vacuum pump, etc.
Referring to
Plate 28 includes a horizontal central portion 30 and downwardly projecting lips 32 extending from the periphery of plate 28.
Three preferably pneumatically actuated piston-cylinder combinations 34, 36 and 38 are designated respectively first, second and third piston-cylinder combinations and are pivotally connected to frame 22, specifically to upper horizontally extending member 162 of frame 22, as generally illustrated respecting second and third piston-cylinder combinations 36, 38 in
To facilitate rotation of plate 28 about an axis defined by vertical shaft 24, first, second and third piston-cylinder combinations 34, 36, 38 are actuated as needed. Each piston-cylinder combination 34, 36, 38 has a piston rod extension which fits loosely within a respective aperture formed in a respective portion of a downwardly projecting lip 32, with the piston rods being retained in position within those apertures by nuts threaded on the piston rod extremities as illustrated generally in
With this arrangement, as piston-cylinder combinations 34, 36, 38 are actuated to move their associated piston rods, from extended positions in which the piston rods of piston-cylinder combinations 36, 38 are illustrated in
For example, referring to
As plate 28 rotates about pin connector 168 in the direction indicated by arrow AB, plate 28 together with pin connector 168 rotate with horizontally extending plate-pin connection arm 116 pivotally about the axis defined by vertical shaft 24 thereby rotating shaft 24. This rotation results from plate-pin connection arm 116 being fixedly connected to shaft 24. Hence, as first, second and third driving rotation piston-cylinder combinations 34, 36 and 38 respectively are actuated in a sequential manner, plate 28 rotates about pin connector 168 and plate 28, pin connector 168 and plate-pin connection arm 116 all rotate about the vertical axis defined by shaft 24 thereby to rotate shaft 24.
The vertically-oriented cylindrical sides of hopper shells 14 defined by vacuum tubes 52 and insulation tubes 54 are connected to shaft 24 for rotation therewith by cantilever connecting rods 110 as best illustrated in
Arrow B in
At the material vacuum drying position, the heated material is preferably subjected to a vacuum of about 27.5 millimeters of mercury or greater. This lowers the evaporation point or boiling point of water to only 120° F., thereby causing the moisture within the heated material to evaporate and be drawn off through the vacuum pump drawing vacuum within hopper 12 at the vacuum drying position 102. Once the vacuum drying process is sufficiently complete, piston-cylinder combinations 44, 46 retract hopper top and bottom sealing plates 40, 42 so that hopper 12 may move from the vacuum drying position to the material dispense position.
Blower 70 is preferably a one horsepower blower. Preferably two heater elements 82 are utilized, as illustrated in the drawings. Air flow through supply plenum 86 is preferably restricted to 4.5 ounces of pressure.
As depicted schematically in the drawings by line 74 indicating the angle of repose of within hopper 12, an air space is permitted to remain within hopper 12 to accommodate material spillage during movement of hoppers 12 and cycling of the drying process.
The material fill and heat and vacuum drying functions may each take approximately twenty minutes. Accordingly, in one hour, all three hoppers 12 preferably cycle through material fill and heat position 100, material vacuum drying position 102 and material dispense position 104. If each hopper 12 is approximately 10 inches in diameter and 24 inches high, each hopper 12 will hold about one cubic foot of granular resin material, which is about thirty-five pounds of granular resin material. With such configuration, dryer 10 embodying the invention can provide about 100 pounds per hour of dried granular resin material for subsequent processing by plastic injection molding or extrusion equipment.
As is apparent from the drawings, hoppers 12 are preferably provided equally spaced around vertical shaft 24 with hoppers 12 120° apart.
This patent application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date of provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/059,579 filed Sep. 19, 1997 in the name of Stephen B. Maguire entitled “Low Pressure Granular Material Dryer”, under 35 USC 120. This patent application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date of provisional U.S. patent application 60/059,579 filed 19 Sep. 1997 in the name of Stephen B. Maguire entitled “Low Pressure Granular Material Dryer”, under 35 USC 119(e). More than one application has been filed for reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,980, issued 5 Dec. 2000. The reissue applications are application Ser. No. 10/309,777, filed 4 Dec. 2002, and this application Ser. No. 11/474,257 filed 22 Jun. 2006, as a division of application Ser. No. 10/309,777.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
512673 | Mason | Jan 1894 | A |
753597 | Long | Mar 1904 | A |
960857 | Eggert | Jun 1910 | A |
1520017 | Denton | Dec 1924 | A |
1620289 | Ridley | Mar 1927 | A |
1625451 | Brown | Apr 1927 | A |
2161190 | Paull | Jun 1939 | A |
2550240 | Geiger et al. | Apr 1951 | A |
2569085 | Wood et al. | Sep 1951 | A |
2587338 | Lee et al. | Feb 1952 | A |
3111115 | Best | Nov 1963 | A |
3113032 | Wayne | Dec 1963 | A |
3115276 | Johanningmeier | Dec 1963 | A |
3138117 | Dorey | Jun 1964 | A |
3144310 | Glatt et al. | Aug 1964 | A |
3209898 | Bebbe et al. | Oct 1965 | A |
3348848 | Lucking et al. | Oct 1967 | A |
3470994 | Schnell et al. | Oct 1969 | A |
3597850 | Jenkins | Aug 1971 | A |
3698098 | Ramsay | Oct 1972 | A |
3834038 | Janda | Sep 1974 | A |
3959636 | Johnson et al. | May 1976 | A |
3969314 | Grigull | Jul 1976 | A |
3985262 | Nauta | Oct 1976 | A |
4026442 | Orton | May 1977 | A |
4108334 | Moller | Aug 1978 | A |
4127947 | Webb et al. | Dec 1978 | A |
4148100 | Moller | Apr 1979 | A |
4219136 | Williams et al. | Aug 1980 | A |
4294020 | Evans | Oct 1981 | A |
4354622 | Wood | Oct 1982 | A |
4364666 | Keyes | Dec 1982 | A |
4394941 | Recine | Jul 1983 | A |
4402436 | Hellgren | Sep 1983 | A |
4413426 | Graff | Nov 1983 | A |
4454943 | Moller | Jun 1984 | A |
4475672 | Whitehead | Oct 1984 | A |
4498783 | Rudolph | Feb 1985 | A |
4505407 | Johnson | Mar 1985 | A |
4525071 | Horowitz et al. | Jun 1985 | A |
4531308 | Neilson et al. | Jul 1985 | A |
4581704 | Mitsukawa | Apr 1986 | A |
4603489 | Goldberg | Aug 1986 | A |
4619379 | Biehl | Oct 1986 | A |
4705083 | Rossetti | Nov 1987 | A |
4756348 | Moller | Jul 1988 | A |
4793711 | Ohlson | Dec 1988 | A |
4830508 | Higuchi et al. | May 1989 | A |
4848534 | Sandwall | Jul 1989 | A |
4850703 | Hanaoka et al. | Jul 1989 | A |
5064328 | Raker | Nov 1991 | A |
5110521 | Moller | May 1992 | A |
5116547 | Tsukahara et al. | May 1992 | A |
5132897 | Allenberg | Jul 1992 | A |
5143166 | Hough | Sep 1992 | A |
5148943 | Moller | Sep 1992 | A |
5172489 | Moller | Dec 1992 | A |
5225210 | Shimoda | Jul 1993 | A |
5252008 | May, III et al. | Oct 1993 | A |
5261743 | Moller | Nov 1993 | A |
5285930 | Nielsen | Feb 1994 | A |
5340949 | Fujimura et al. | Aug 1994 | A |
5341961 | Hausam | Aug 1994 | A |
5423455 | Ricciardi et al. | Jun 1995 | A |
5433020 | Leech, Jr. | Jul 1995 | A |
5501143 | Thom, Jr. | Mar 1996 | A |
5651401 | Cados | Jul 1997 | A |
5732478 | Chapman et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5767453 | Wakou et al. | Jun 1998 | A |
5767455 | Mosher | Jun 1998 | A |
5780779 | Kitamura et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
5807422 | Grgich et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5843513 | Wilke et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
6079122 | Rajkovich | Jun 2000 | A |
6449875 | Becker et al. | Sep 2002 | B1 |
20020024162 | Maguire | Feb 2002 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
417596 | Jun 1971 | AU |
1100402 | May 1981 | CA |
688217 | Jun 1997 | CH |
318127 | Jan 1920 | DE |
421770 | Nov 1925 | DE |
623 000 | Jun 1937 | DE |
3541532 | Nov 1985 | DE |
3541532 | May 1986 | DE |
3923241 | Jan 1991 | DE |
43 00 060 | Jul 1994 | DE |
4323295 | Feb 1995 | DE |
0466362 | Jan 1992 | EM |
0132482 | Feb 1985 | EP |
0318170 | May 1989 | EP |
0507689 | Oct 1992 | EP |
0587085 | Mar 1994 | EP |
0743149 | Nov 1996 | EP |
0997695 | May 2000 | EP |
802618 | Sep 1936 | FR |
2109840 | May 1972 | FR |
22357753 | May 1972 | FR |
2235775 | Jan 1975 | FR |
2517087 | Sep 1982 | FR |
2517087 | May 1983 | FR |
2695988 | Mar 1994 | FR |
479090 | Jan 1938 | GB |
671085 | Apr 1952 | GB |
849613 | Sep 1960 | GB |
2081687 | Feb 1982 | GB |
1235604 | Sep 1989 | JP |
01286806 | Nov 1989 | JP |
6114834 | May 1991 | JP |
4201522 | Jul 1992 | JP |
06114834 | Apr 1994 | JP |
WO 9937974 | Jun 1999 | WO |
WO 0149471 | Jul 2001 | WO |
Entry |
---|
Thirty-nine page brochure entitled “Maguire Low Pressure Dryer: Sep. 7, 2000: Installation Operation Maintenance”. |
Two-sided color-brochure entitled “NovaDrier™ N Series Dryer” published by Novatec Inc., undated. |
Two-sided color brochure entitled “Convey, Blend, Dry” published by Novatec, Inc., undated. |
Forty-four page two-sided brochure including cover and back pages entitled “Maguire: Auxiliary equipment for the plastics industry” of Maguire Products, Inc., Oct. 2000. |
Two page two-sided color brochure entitled “LPD Series Dryers: New Directions in drying technology” of Maguire Products, Inc., May 2000. |
One page two-sided color brochure entitled “Drying Systems: WGAR Gas Dryer Retrofit” AEC Whitlock, 1997. |
Two page two-sided color brochure entitled “Drying Systems: Mass Flow™ Series Drying Hoppers” of AEC Whitlock, 1998. |
Four page color brochure entitled “Speedryer Thermodynamic Hopper Dryer” of Canam Manufactured Products Inc., Dec. 10, 2001. |
Two page two-sided color brochure entitled “WDMR Series Compact Dryers” of AEC Whitlock, 1998. |
Two page two-sided color reprint entitled “10 most frequently asked questions about Dryers” by Joseph Dziediz, AEC/Whitlock, from Plastics Technology, Jan. 1998. |
Two page two-sided color brochure entitled “Drying Systems: WD Series High Capacity Dehumidifying Dryers” of AEC Whitlock, 1997. |
Three page two-sided color brochure entitled “Portable Drying and Conveying Systems: Nomad™ Series Portable Dryers”, AEC Whitlock, 1998. |
Two page two-sided color brochure entitled “Drying Systems: WD Series Dehumidifying Dryers” of AEC Whitlock, 1997. |
Five page two-sided color brochure entitled “AEC Auxiliaries As Primary”, AEC, Inc., 1999. |
Two page two-sided color brochure entitled “LPD Vacuum Dryers” of Maguire Products, Inc. Jun. 6, 2000. |
19 page document entitled “Model MLS—Clear Vu Eight Component Vacuum Loading System: Operation Manual” of Maguire Products, Inc. dated May 4, 1999. |
One page two-sided color brochure entitled “Maguire Clear-VU™ Loading System” of Maguire Products, Inc. |
One page color advertisement entitled “this little vacuum dryer can do in 40 minutes what it takes your desiccant dryer to do in 4 hours.”, Plastic News dated Nov. 19, 2001. |
One page color article entitled “Dryer Competition Heats Up With New Designs”, Modern Plastics, Jul. 2001, p. 68. |
One page advertisement of Frigomeccanica Industriale, Modern Plastics, Jul. 2001, p. 70. |
16 page Low Pressure Dryer Technical Information Specifications Features of Maguire Products, Inc. dated Nov. 29, 2000. |
One page article entitled “New Dryer Technologies at NPE Aren't Just Hot Air”, Plastics Technology, Aug. 2000, p. 19. |
One page article entitled “Tech Preview”, Automatic Plastics, Aug. 2000, p. 66. |
One page article entitled “Maguire expands Low Pressure Dryer commercialization” from www.specialchem.com dated Mar. 30, 2001. |
One page article entitled “Smaller Resin Dryer”, Plastics Engineering, Aug. 2001, p. 28. |
Five page brochure entitled LPD™ Series Dryers of Maguire Products, Inc. dated Jan. 29, 2001. |
Two page press released entitled “Maguire® LPD™ 30, Smaller Model Of Breakthrough Resin Dryer, Will Make World Debut at K 2001 Show” of Maguire Products, Inc. dated Jun. 29, 2001. |
Three page press release entitled “In Commercial Use by Wide Range of Plastic Processors, Maguire® LPD™ Resin Dryer Yields Big Savings in Energy Costs” of Maguire Products, Inc. dated May 14, 2001. |
Two page press release entitled “Maguire Obtains Patent On Fundamentally New Resin Dryer and Steps Up Program for Worldwide Commercialization” of Maguire Products, Inc. dated Dec. 18, 2000. |
Six page press release entitled “Fast, Low-Cost Process Transforms Resin Drying, Promising Dramatic Advance in Industry Productivity and Quality” of Maguire Products, Inc. dated Jun. 20, 2000. |
Two page press release entitled “New-Concept Resin Dryer Enables Custom Molder To Eliminate Reject Parts—And Once More Enjoy Sunday Evenings” of Maguire Products, Inc. dated Jun. 20, 2000. |
One page color article entitled “Maguire LPD unit nets positive marks”, Plastic News, Oct. 3, 2001, p. 3. |
International Search Report for related application No. PCT/US2005/021851. |
Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for related application No. PCT/US2005/021851. |
European Search Report for related application No. EP 05076911. |
Sheet of 2 photographs of Mould-Tek gravimetric blender, circa 1993. |
Sheet of 2 photographs of Motan gravimetric blender and feeding system with Maguire Products, Inc. controls, circa 1993. |
Sheet of 3 photographs of UNA-DYN gravimetric blender, circa 1993. |
Sheet of 2 photographs of Maguire Producs, Inc. gravimetric blender with Conair hoppers and feeding system, circa 1993. |
Sheet of 1 photograph of Hydracolor gravimetric blender, circa 1993. |
Advertisement entitled “Machinery and Systems for Extrusion is Our Only Business” by Process Control Corporation, circa 1993. |
Advertisement entitled “Weigh Blender Delivers Unmatched Accuracy” by Universal Dynamics, Inc., circa 1993. |
Advertisement entitled “A Full Line-up of Blender Solutions . . . Priced Right” by HydReclaim, circla 1993. |
Advertisement entitled “New From HydReclaim—Now Processors Can Economically Achieve Continuous Gravimetric Blending” by HydReclaim, circa 1993. |
Article entitled “Control Loading Systems” from Plastics Technology, Oct. 1995, p. 41. |
Advertisement “Introducing our 400 VME-II Gravimetric Blender” by HydReclaim Corporation, circa 1993. |
Four page brochure entitled “Gravimix Better Quality through Research”, circa 1993. |
Four page brochure entitled “Conomix Plus Volumetric Blender” dated Aug. 1993. |
Four page brochure entitled “Conair Franklin Autocolor Y Mezclador” dated Mar. 1995. |
Two-sided flyer entitled “GB 140 Series Compact Auto Weigh Blender” published by Conair Franklin in the United States, Jun. 1994. |
Six page brochure entitled “Graviblend Precise Continuous Weigh Blenders” published by Ktron Vertech, Jun. 1991, United States. |
Six page brochure entitled “Piovan Gravimetric Blenders MDW” published by Piovan Sri, Oct. 1993, Venezia, Italy. |
One page flyer entitled “Gravimix, The New Gravimetric Blending Generation” published by Ferlin, De demsvaard, Holland, circa 1993. |
Four page brochure entitled “When you Weigh it All Up . . .” published by Ferlin Trading, Holland, circa 1993. |
Thirty-two page catalog entitled “Maguire Color Blending Equipment” published by Maguire Products, Inc., 1993, United States. |
Two page brochure entitled “Mould-Tek Bulk Handling Systems” published by Mould-Tek Industries, Inc. in Canada, circa 1993. |
Brochure entitled “Plastic Molders and Extruders: published by Maguire Products, Inc., 1995”. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60059579 | Sep 1997 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 09157238 | Sep 1998 | US |
Child | 10309777 | US |