Patent Grant
11110469
The present disclosure relates to magnetic separators employed for removing ferrous materials from a product stream. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed toward magnetic separators having improved ferrous material removal, as well as improved hygienic and compliant assembly of the magnetic separator.
Magnetic separators are employed in many food processing operations and are even mandatorily required in some. They are also used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, in the chemical industry where process lines are alternatingly used for two or more incompatible products and wherever the highest degree of product purity is required. These devices often include a housing defining a hopper through which a number of non-magnetic tubes are mounted transverse to the product flow through the hopper. A plurality of magnets includes several magnets that are located within the non-magnetic tubes. As the product flows past the tubes, ferrous particles are collected on the outer diameters thereof.
While these magnetic separators known in the related art have generally performed well for their intended purpose, there remains a need in the art for an improved magnetic separator.
The present disclosure overcomes the disadvantages in the related art in a magnetic separator including a housing which defines a product flow path through which material may pass. The magnetic separator further includes a drawer moveable between a first position and a second position and at least one magnet operatively connected to the drawer. The at least one magnet is positioned within the product flow path in the first position of the drawer and with the at least one magnet withdrawn from the flow path when in the second position.
The magnetic separator further includes a stripper plate fixed to the housing and disposed between the housing and the drawer. The stripper plate has at least one aperture corresponding to and closely conforming with the at least one magnet and through which the at least one magnet passes as the drawer is moved between the first and second positions. The stripper plate is spaced a predetermined distance from the housing to define a gap therebetween, with the at least one aperture of the stripper plate serving to strip material which has been attracted to the at least one magnet and off of the at least one magnet in the gap as the drawer is moved from the first position to the second position and the at least one magnet is withdrawn from the product flow path.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the stripper plate being permanently spaced from the housing, preventing the stripper plate from sticking to the housing and thereby resulting in captured magnetic material being stripped off the at least one magnet and back into the product flow path. Moreover, the present disclosure allows for removal of the stripper plate, without the need of a tool, to allow for easy cleaning of the stripper plate. Moreover, the stripper plate is coupled to the housing without fasteners, which may be unsanitary, thereby improving the sanitary condition of the magnetic separator. Further, according to the disclosure, a locking fastener attached to a shoulder of each magnet prevents the magnet from passing through a keyed opening, which may result from an unintended rotation of the magnet during maintenance of the magnetic separator, such as during stripper plate maintenance or cleaning.
The present disclosure also provides for the magnetic separator including the housing defining the product flow path through which the material may pass. The housing has a pair of diverters opposing one another and extending into the product flow path.
The magnetic separator includes the drawer moveable between the first position and the second position and the at least one magnet operatively connected to the drawer, with the at least one magnet positioned within the product flow path in the first position of the drawer and with the at least one magnet withdrawn from the flow path when in the second position.
The magnetic separator includes a tube support disposed within the product flow path. The at least one magnet is operatively connected to the tube support. The tube support has a pair of slots corresponding to and adapted to receive the pair of diverters therein such that the pair of diverters guide the movement of the tube support, the at least one magnet, and the drawer between the first and second positions.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the tube support utilizing the pair of diverters of the housing to support the tube support, which eliminates the need of a separate rail system to support the tube support. Moreover, the eliminating the need for a separate rail system reduces the number of components within the product flow path, each of which could be unsanitary, and thereby improves the overall sanitation of the magnetic separator.
The present disclosure also provides for the magnetic separator including the housing defining the product flow path through which the material may pass and the drawer moveable between the first position and the second position. The magnetic separator further includes the tube support disposed within the product flow path and the at least one magnet. The at least one magnet extends between a pair of ends. The at least one magnet may be operatively connected to each of the drawer and the tube support, with the at least one magnet positioned within the product flow path in the first position of the drawer and with the at least one magnet withdrawn from the flow path when in the second position.
The magnetic separator includes a locking mechanism extending from at least one of the pair of ends. At least one of the drawer and the tube support defines at least one keyed opening corresponding to and adapted to accept the locking mechanism of the at least one magnet. The locking mechanism is rotatable between an unlocked position, in which the locking mechanism may freely move into and out of the keyed opening, and a locked position, in which the locking mechanism is retained in the keyed opening. Further, the locking mechanism includes a fastener attached to a shoulder of each magnet that prevents the magnet from passing through the keyed opening, which may result from an unintended rotation of the magnet during maintenance of the magnetic separator, such as during stripper plate maintenance or cleaning.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the at least one magnet being coupled to the drawer and/or the tube support without the need of fasteners Eliminating fasteners improves the sanitation of the magnetic separator and prevents fasteners from inadvertently being lost or placed into the product flow path. Furthermore, the elimination of fasteners improves the ease with which the at least one magnet may be assembled with the drawer and/or the tube support.
The present disclosure also provides for the magnetic separator including the housing defining the product flow path through which the material may pass and the drawer moveable between the first position, the second position, and a third position. The magnetic separator includes the at least one magnet operatively connected to the drawer, with the at least one magnet positioned within the product flow path in the first position of the drawer and with the at least one magnet withdrawn from the flow path when in the second position.
The magnetic separator further includes at least one guide rail fixed to the drawer and movably coupled to the housing to support the drawer relative to the housing, and a second position stop selectively mounted to the at least one guide rail and engageable with the housing. The second position stop limits movement of the drawer between the first and second positions when mounted to the at least one guide rail. The drawer is movable between the first, second, and third positions when the second position stop is disconnected from the at least one guide rail.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the second position stop selectively being mounted to the at least one guide rail, thereby allowing selective movement to the third position. Movement of the drawer to the third position is desired for maintenance, but may not be desired for standard operation of the drawer. Therefore, the second position stop allows for ease of retaining drawer within the first and second positions, while allowing the drawer to move to the third position when needed for maintenance. That is, when moved to the third position, the at least one magnet may be disconnected from the tube support in order to pass the at least one magnet to a retention plate, which supports each of the at least one magnets at a location that frees each of the stripper plates so that they may be removed from their respective notches in which the stripper plates are mounted. However, a locking mechanism includes a fastener attached to a shoulder of each magnet that prevents the magnet from passing through the keyed opening, which may result from an unintended rotation of the magnet during maintenance of the magnetic separator, such as during stripper plate maintenance or cleaning. That is, the disclosed locking mechanism prevents inadvertent passage of the magnets through respective slots during removal of the stripper plates, ensuring that the magnets remain contained in their respective apertures within a drawer and retention plate, avoiding injury if the magnets were otherwise inadvertently allowed to crash (e.g., via magnetic attraction) toward one another.
The present disclosure also provides for the magnetic separator including the housing defining the product flow path through which the material may pass, the drawer moveable between the first position and the second position, and the at least one magnet operatively connected to the drawer, with the at least one magnet positioned within the product flow path in the first position of the drawer and with the at least one magnet withdrawn from the flow path when in the second position.
The magnetic separator further includes the at least one guide rail movably coupled to the housing and supporting the drawer relative to the housing, and a compliant fastener disposed between the at least one guide rail and the drawer to and fixing together the at least one guide rail and the drawer and facilitate engagement of the drawer with the housing in the first position.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of allowing compliant coupling between the drawer and the at least one guide rail to enable a seal between the drawer and the housing in the first position. This prevents material from leaking out of the product flow path when the drawer is in the first position.
In addition, the present disclosure also provides a locking mechanism that locks each magnet such, that, during maintenance periods and when stripper plates are extracted for cleaning purposes, the locking mechanism prevents inadvertent engagement of a shoulder of the magnet with a clearance. When the drawer is pulled out during maintenance, the magnets are pulled past stripper plates such that the stripper plates can be removed. An anti-rotation mechanism is provided to ensure that the magnets pull with the drawer when the drawer is removed. However, if the magnets are inadvertently disengaged from the anti-rotation mechanism, the magnets may then turn such that they are not pulled along with the drawer, which can result in the magnets crashing against one another. Thus, according to the disclosure, the anti-rotation mechanism also includes an engagement feature that engages the ends of the magnets to avoid such inadvertent operation.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:
Referring now to
The magnetic separator 30 further includes a drawer 44 moveable between a first position (as shown in
As shown in
The at least one magnet 46 may include a non-magnetic (typically stainless steel) tube having a magnetic rod supported within the tube. Moreover, the at least one magnet 46 may be a plurality of magnets 46. Furthermore, the at least one aperture 52 of the stripper plates 50a, 50b may be a plurality of apertures 52 of the stripper plates 50a, 50b, with each of the plurality of magnets 46 independently corresponding with each of the plurality of apertures 52.
The plurality of magnets 46 may be arranged in staggered rows and supported at least partially by the drawer 44 in a direction transverse to the product flow. The drawer 44 is movable between the first position, wherein the plurality of magnets 46 are positioned within the product flow path 34, and the second position wherein the plurality of magnets 46 are withdrawn from the flow path. The magnets 46 create an effective magnetic circuit for filtering the product as it flows through the flow path of the housing 32. The magnetic rod of the at least one magnet 46 may be of any type, but preferably are rare earth neodymium-iron-boron magnets, rare earth samarium-cobalt magnets for higher operating temperatures or even economical ceramic magnets for less severe tramp iron applications. Selection of the specific magnetic material will depend upon the given application.
As shown in
As described above, the stripper plates 50a, 50b are spaced a predetermined distance from the housing 32 to define a gap therebetween, as shown in
The second stripper plate 50b may be spaced from the first stripper plate 50a. Spacing between the first and second stripper plates 50a, 50b allows ferrous material that remains on the at least one magnet 46 after passing through the first stripper plate 50a to be stripped off the at least one magnet 46 and outside of the housing 32 without becoming wedged between the first and second stripper plates 50a, 50b. Moreover, spacing between the first and second stripper plates 50a, 50b allows for cleaning between the first and second stripper plates 50a, 50b without necessarily removing the first and second stripper plates 50a, 50b (although removal of the first and second stripper plates 50a, 50b is possible as will be described in greater detail below).
As shown in
The first stripper plate 50a may be comprised of a material which is more rigid than the material from which the second stripper plate 50b is comprised. Moreover, the second stripper plate 50b (having the tolerance fit with the at least one magnet 46) may be comprised of a material capable of deforming as the at least one magnet 46 moves along an axis A from the first position to the second position to wipe the ferrous materials from the at least one magnet 46. For example, the first stripper plate 50a may be comprised of plastic, while the second stripper plate 50b may be comprised of a soft durometer rubber. One having skill in the art will appreciate that the first and second stripper plates 50a, 50b may be comprised of any suitable materials for removing the ferrous materials from the at least one magnet 46.
As shown in
The stripper plate frame 54 may have a pair of first notches 56 for accepting and coupling the first stripper plate 50a to the stripper plate frame 54, and the pair of second notches 58 for accepting and coupling the retention plate 66 to the stripper plate frame 54. More specifically, the first and second portions of the stripper plate frame 54 may each have one of the pair of first notches 56 and the first and second portions of the stripper plate frame 54 may each have one of the pair of second notches 58. One having skill in the art will appreciate that the stripper plate frame 54 may have any number of notches defined in any suitable portion of the stripper plate for accepting and coupling the first stripper plate 50a to the stripper plate frame 54.
The pair of first notches 56 may open in a direction opposite the pair of second notches 58 to laterally retain the first stripper plate 50a and the retention plate 66 with the at least one magnet 46. More specifically, the first and second portions of the stripper plate frame 54 may each have one of the pair of first notches 56, with the pair of first notches 56 opening laterally relative to the axis A in a first direction. The first and second portions of the stripper plate frame 54 may each have one of the pair of second notches 58, with the pair of second notches 58 opening laterally relative to the axis A in a second direction, opposite the first direction. The pair of first and second notches 56, 58 allow for ease of insertion of the first stripper plate 50a and the retention plate 66 into the stripper plate frame 54. Moreover, referring to
Although not shown, the pair of first and second notches 56, 58 may not open in any direction. Instead, the pair of first and second notches 56, 58 may be fully enclosed such that the first stripper plate 50a and retention plate 66 are coupled to the stripper plate frame 54 by inserting the first stripper plate 50a and retention plate 66 through the pair of first and second notches 56, 58.
As shown in
As shown in the figures, the magnetic separator 30 may further include the retention plate 66 mounted to the stripper plate frame 54 spaced from the housing 32. The stripper plates 50a, 50b may be disposed between the retention plate 66 and the housing 32. The retention plate 66 may have at least one hole 68 corresponding to and closely conforming with the at least one magnet 46 and through which the at least one magnet 46 passes as the drawer 44 is moved between the first and second positions. Similar to the stripper plates 50a, 50b described above, the at least one hole 68 may be a plurality of holes of the retention plate 66, with each of the plurality of magnets 46 independently corresponding with each of the plurality of holes. The retention plate 66 may further retain the at least one magnet 46 laterally along the axis A. Moreover, the retention plate 66 retains the at least one magnet 46 laterally along the axis A when the drawer 44 is moved to a third position for removal and cleaning of the stripper plates 50a, 50b, as will be described in greater detail below.
The retention plate 66 may be comprised of a material which is more rigid than the material from which the second stripper plate 50b is comprised. Moreover, the retention plate 66 may be comprised of the same material as the first stripper plate 50a as described above. For example, the retention plate 66 may be comprised of plastic. One having skill in the art will appreciate that the retention plate 66 and the first stripper plate 50a may be comprised of differing materials.
The retention plate 66 may also prevent the second stripper plate 50b from collapsing as the at least one magnet 46 moves along the axis A. More specifically, as described above, the second stripper plate 50b may be comprised of a material capable of deforming as the at least one magnet 46 moves along the axis A from the first position to the second position. Moreover, the first stripper plate 50a and the retention plate 66 may be comprised of a material which is more rigid than the material from which the second stripper plate 50b is comprised. The second stripper plate 50b may be positioned between the first stripper plate 50a and the retention plate 66. Moreover, the second stripper plate 50b may be spaced from, but in close proximity with, the first stripper plate 50a and the retention plate 66. As such, the second stripper plate 50b may deform and be pulled with the at least one magnet 46 toward the retention plate 66 when the drawer 44 moves from the first position to the second position. Likewise, the second stripper plate 50b may deform and be pulled with the at least one magnet 46 toward the first stripper plate 50a when the drawer 44 moves from the second position to the first position. As such, the spacing between the first stripper plate 50a and the retention plate 66 may be enough to allow sufficient deformation of the second stripper plate 50b to wipe the ferrous material off the at least one magnet 46.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the stripper plate being spaced from the housing 32, preventing the stripper plate from sticking to the housing 32 and thereby resulting in captured material being stripped off the at least one magnet 46 and falling back into the product flow path 34. Moreover, the present disclosure allows for removal of the stripper plate, without the need of a tool, to allow for easy cleaning of the stripper plate. Moreover, the stripper plate is coupled to the housing 32 without fasteners, which may be unsanitary, thereby improving the sanitary condition of the magnetic separator 30. That is, when drawer 44 is moved to the third position, the at least one magnet 46 may be disconnected from a tube support 72 in order to pass the at least one magnet 46 to retention plate 66, which supports each of the at least one magnets 46 at a location that frees each of the stripper plates 50a, 50b so that they may be removed from their respective areas in which they are mounted. However, referring to
The subject disclosure may also provide for the magnetic separator 30 including the housing 32 defines the product flow path 34 through which the material may pass. The housing 32 has a pair of diverters 70 opposing one another and extending into the product flow path 34.
The magnetic separator 30 includes the drawer 44 moveable between the first position and the second position (shown in
As shown in
The drawer 44 may be movable along the axis A, with the pair of diverters 70 extending longitudinally along the axis A. More specifically, the pair of diverters 70 may individually extend from the side walls 38 and into the product flow path 34, with the pair of diverters 70 extending longitudinally along the axis A substantially parallel to the at least one magnet 46 between the pair of end walls 36. The material moving through the product flow path 34 along the side walls 38 engage the pair of diverters 70 and is redirected, at least partially, inwardly toward a center of the product flow path 34. In doing so, the material is directed toward, and into proximity with, the at least one magnet 46 such that ferrous material is drawn to the at least one magnet 46. One having skill in the art will appreciate that the pair of diverters 70 may be positioned in any suitable location and orientation within the product flow path 34.
Each of the pair of diverters 70 may have a guide surface 76 having an angular configuration, with the angular configuration providing a resultant force transverse to the axis A to retain the movement of the tube support 72 along the axis A. As shown in the
Each of the pair of slots 74 may have an engagement surface 82 corresponding to and adapted to engage the guide surfaces 76 of the pair of diverters 70, with the engagement surfaces 82 having an angular configuration corresponding to the angular configuration of the guide surfaces 76. As shown in
The engagement surface 82 of each of the pair of slots 74 may be shaped and oriented such that each guide surface 76 of the pair of diverters 70 independently engages the engagement surface 82 of each of the pair of slots 74. As such, the pair of diverters 70 may be configured to independently nest within each of the pair of slots 74.
The nesting of the diverters 70 within the pair of slots 74, as well as the angular configuration of the guide surface 76 retains the movement of the drawer 44, the at least one magnet 46, and the tube support 72 along the axis A. More specifically, the opposing configuration of the pair of diverters 70 and the pair of slots 74 prevents movement of the tube support 72 toward both of the side walls 38. Moreover, the angular configuration of the guide surface 76 of each of the pair of diverters 70 and the engagement surface 82 of each of the pair of slots 74 facilitates abutment of the guide surfaces 76 with the engagement surfaces 82 when the tube support 72 moves toward either of the entrance and exit openings 40, 42.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the tube support 72 utilizing the pair of diverters 70 of the housing 32 to support the tube support 72, which eliminates the need of a separate rail system to support the tube support 72. Moreover, eliminating the need for a separate rail system reduces the number of components within the product flow path 34, each of which could be unsanitary, and thereby improves the overall sanitation of the magnetic separator 30.
The subject disclosure may also provide for the magnetic separator 30 including the housing 32 defining the product flow path 34 through which the material may pass and the drawer 44 moveable between the first position and the second position (as shown in
The magnetic separator 30 includes a locking mechanism 90 extending from at least one of the pair of ends 88. At least one of the drawer 44 and the tube support 72 defines at least one keyed opening 92 corresponding to and adapted to accept the locking mechanism 90 of the at least one magnet 46. The locking mechanism 90 is rotatable between an unlocked position, in which the locking mechanism 90 may freely move into and out of the keyed opening 92, and a locked position, in which the locking mechanism 90 is retained in the keyed opening 92. When drawer 44 is moved to the third position, the at least one magnet 46 may be disconnected from the tube support 72 in order to pass the at least one magnet 46 to retention plate 66, which supports each of the at least one magnets 46 at a location that frees each of the stripper plates 50a, 50b so that they may be removed from their respective areas in which they are mounted.
However, referring to
As described above, either of the at least one of the drawer 44 and the tube support 72 may define the at least one keyed opening 92 corresponding to adapted to accept the locking mechanism 90 of the at least one magnet 46. Therefore, the description of the locking mechanism 90 and the keyed opening 92 below is applicable to the engagement of the locking mechanism 90 with both of the at least one of the drawer 44 and the tube support 72. As a result, common components between each embodiment will use common numbering.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The rotation of the locking mechanism 90 may facilitate the symmetric alignment of the shoulder 96 and the keyed opening 92 in the unlocked position and the asymmetric alignment of the shoulder 96 and the keyed opening 92 in the locked position. More specifically, the rotation of the locking mechanism 90 may orient the locking mechanism 90 relative to the keyed opening 92. When rotated to the unlocked position, the locking mechanism 90 and the keyed opening 92 may be aligned such that the shape of the shoulder 96 and the shape of the keyed opening 92 are symmetric and the locking mechanism 90 is capable of passing through the keyed opening 92. When rotated to the locked position, the locking mechanism 90 and the keyed opening 92 may be aligned such that the shape of the shoulder 96 and the shape of the keyed opening 92 are asymmetric and the shoulder 96 of the locking mechanism 90 will abut the drawer 44 and/or the tube support 72 when attempting to pass through the keyed opening 92.
Although operative examples pertaining to the size and shape of the locking mechanism 90 and the keyed opening 92 are described above, one having skill in the art will appreciate that the locking mechanism 90 and the keyed opening 92 may be any suitable size, shape, and configuration, including different sizes, shapes, and configurations between the shoulder 96 and the keyed opening 92, to facilitate free movement of the locking mechanism 90 into and out of the keyed opening 92 in the unlocked position, and retention of the locking mechanism 90 the keyed opening 92 in the locked position, which in-turn couples the at least one magnet 46 to the drawer 44 and/or the tube support 72.
As described above, the at least one locking mechanism 90 engages at least one of the drawer 44 and the tube support 72. As such, it is to be appreciated that the at least one locking mechanism 90 may be further defined as a pair of locking mechanisms 90 individually extending from the pair of ends 88, with both of the drawer 44 and the tube support 72 defining the at least one keyed opening 92, as shown in
Each of the pair of locking mechanisms 90 may be fixed to the at least one magnet 46. Said differently, the pair of locking mechanisms 90 may rotate with the at least one magnet 46. As such, each of the pair of locking mechanisms 90 may be rotatable together, with each of the locking mechanisms 90 independently having an unlocked position. More specifically, the keyed opening 92 of the drawer 44 and the keyed opening 92 of the tube support 72 may be rotatably offset such that each of the pair of locking mechanisms 90 are aligned in their respective unlocked position with their respective keyed opening 92 in different rotational positions of the at least one magnet 46 and the pair of locking mechanisms 90 (i.e., the at least one magnet 46 and the pair of locking mechanisms 90 must be rotated to different positions which independently release the magnet 46 from the drawer 44 and from the tube support 72). As such, when one of pair the locking mechanisms 90 is in the unlocked position, the other one of the pair of locking mechanisms 90 is in the locked position, and vice versa. Furthermore, the at least one magnet 46 and the pair of locking mechanisms 90 may be rotatable to a position between the unlocked positions of the pair of locking mechanisms 90 in which both of the pair of locking mechanisms 90 are in the locked position. As such, the locked position may be further defined as a plurality of locked positions.
Moreover, the shape of each of the locking mechanisms 90 with each of the keyed openings 92 may result in more than one position in which each locking mechanism 90 is in the unlocked position. For example, when the shoulder 96 and the keyed opening 92 have the rectangular configuration, the unlocked position may be a pair of unlocked positions 180 degrees apart. Therefore, the unlocked position of each locking mechanism 90 may be a plurality of unlocked positions.
One having skill in the art will appreciate that the pair of locking mechanisms 90 may rotate independent of one another and may rotate independent of the at least one magnet 46.
As described above, the at least one magnet 46 may be further defined as the plurality of magnets 46. Each of the plurality of magnets 46 may have the locking mechanism 90, and the at least one keyed opening 92 may be further defined as a plurality of keyed openings 92 individually corresponding with the plurality of magnets 46, as shown in
As shown in
The anti-rotation mechanism 98 may include a single anti-rotation mechanism 98 engaging each locking mechanism 90 of the plurality of magnets 46 when in the locked position, as shown in
As shown in
The deformable gasket 100 allows for variations between the anti-rotation mechanism 98 and the drawer 44. Furthermore, when mounted to the drawer 44, the deformable gasket 100 seals between the anti-rotation mechanism 98 and the drawer 44 about the keyed opening 92 to prevent outflow of product flow, and prevent the transmission of the pathogens into the product flow path 34 when the drawer 44 is the first position, which is a sterile field.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the at least one magnet 46 being coupled to the drawer 44 and/or the tube support 72 without the need of fasteners. Eliminating fasteners improves the sanitation of the magnetic separator 30 and prevents fasteners from inadvertently being lost or placed into the product flow path 34. Furthermore, the elimination of fasteners improves the ease with which the at least one magnet 46 may be assembled with the drawer 44 and/or the tube support 72.
The subject disclosure may also provide for the magnetic separator 30 including the housing 32 defining the product flow path 34 through which the material may pass and the drawer 44 moveable between the first position (shown in
The magnetic separator 30 further includes at least one guide rail 102 fixed to the drawer 44 and movably coupled to the housing 32 to support the drawer 44 relative to the housing 32, and a second position stop 104 (shown in
The at least one guide rail 102 may be an elongated member extending along the axis A between a pair of ends 88, with the guide rail 102 mounted to the drawer 44 at one of the pair of ends 88. As shown in
As shown in
The second position stop 104 may be a single second position stop 104 coupled to the at least one guide rail 102. Alternatively, the second position stop 104 may be a plurality of second position stops 104 when the at least one guide rail 102 is the plurality of guide rails 102 (as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Referring to
As such, all magnetic tubes 46 are rotated to align with their respective keyed openings in the rear tube support 72, before removing rear tube support plate 72 during stripper plate maintenance. Because an operator conducting this step is able to rotate the tubes 46 by grabbing the tube 46 instead of using the locking mechanism shoulder 90, and due to the powerful strength of the magnetic tube's repelling forces, it is possible the magnetic tube can inadvertently rotate itself resulting in the magnetic tube becoming attracted to an adjacent tube thereby causing a safety hazard, should the operator's hand be in this area. To avoid this unintended mishap, the fastener 202 now installed as an additional locking mechanism 200 and in locking mechanism 90, prevents the tube from passing through the keyed opening.
As shown in
As shown in the Figures, the third position stop 108 may have a substantially planar configuration (i.e., the third position stop 108 may be flat). The third position stop 108 may be coupled to the at least one guide rail 102 to allow the selective coupling and removal of the third position stop 108 with the at least one guide rail 102. One having skill in the art will appreciate that the third position stop 108 may be coupled to the at least one guide rail 102 in any suitable manner. The third position stop 108 may abut the rear surface 106 of the housing 32, as shown in
The third position stop 108 may be a single third position stop 108 coupled to the at least one guide rail 102. Alternatively, the third position stop 108 may be a plurality of third position stops 108 when the at least one guide rail 102 is the plurality of guide rails 102 (as shown in
As shown in
As such, in the fourth position, one of the pair of ends 88 of the at least one magnet 46 may be supported by the coupling of the locking mechanism 90 with the drawer 44; however, the remainder of the at least one magnet 46 extending to the other one of the pair of ends 88 may be unsupported. As such, the at least one magnet 46 may easily be removed by rotating the locking mechanism 90 that engages the drawer 44 to the unlocked position, and moving the locking mechanism 90 through the keyed opening 92. Therefore, with the drawer 44 in the fourth position, the at least one magnet 46 may be removed from the magnetic separator 30 for cleaning, replacement, and the like.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of the second position stop 104 selectively being mounted to the at least one guide rail 102, thereby allowing selective movement to the third position. Movement of the drawer 44 to the third position is desired for maintenance, but may not be desired for standard operation of the drawer 44. Therefore, the second position stop 104 allows for ease of retaining the drawer 44 within the first and second positions, while allowing the drawer 44 to move to the third position when needed for maintenance.
The subject disclosure may also provide for the magnetic separator 30 including the housing 32 defining the product flow path 34 through which the material may pass, the drawer 44 moveable between the first position and the second position (shown in
As shown in
The at least one guide rail 102 may include the pair of ends, as described above. The compliant fastener 110 may be disposed at one of the pair of ends of the guide rail 102. As shown in the Figures, the compliant fastener 110 is disposed at the end of the guide rail 102 that is coupled to the drawer 44 to fix together the at least one guide rail 102 and the drawer 44.
As described above, the at least one guide rail 102 may be a plurality of guide rails 102. As such, the compliant fastener 110 may be a plurality of compliant fasteners 110 (shown in
As shown in
The rod 112 may include a head 114 opposite the guide rail 102. Furthermore, the compliant fastener 110 may include a nut 116 disposed about the rod 112. The rod 112 may be threaded. Likewise, the nut 116 may be threaded and configured to engage the threads of the rod 112 such that rotation of the nut 116 in the clockwise and counter-clockwise directions may progressively move the nut 116 toward or away from the head 114. The drawer 44 is disposed between the head 114 and the nut 116. As such, the nut 116 may be rotated to engage and secure the drawer 44 between the nut 116 and the head 114 of the nut 116. Furthermore, the end of the guide rail 102 may be threaded and configured to engage the threads of the rod 112. As such, rotation of the rod 112 in the clockwise and counter-clockwise directions may progressively move the rod 112 into or out of the guide rail 102. Therefore, movement of the rod 112 into and out of the guide rail 102 adjusts the location of the drawer 44 relative to the housing 32 in the first position. More specifically, each of the plurality of threaded rod 112 adjusts the position of a respective portion of the drawer 44 relative to the housing 32. The plurality of rods 112 may move into and out of the plurality of guide rails 102, with each of the plurality of rods 112 independently movable into or out of the respective guide rail 102 to collectively adjust the positioning of the drawer 44 to ensure engagement of the drawer 44 with the housing 32 about the drawer aperture 48.
The compliant fastener 110 may include a backing plate 118 mounted to the rod 112 and a deformable gasket 120 disposed between the backing plate 118 and the drawer 44 to further facilitate compliant engagement of the drawer 44 with the housing 32 in the first position. More specifically, the backing plate 118 may be disposed between the head 114 and the drawer 44 and the deformable gasket 120 may be disposed between the backing plate 118 and the drawer 44. As described above, the nut 116 may move toward the head 114 to sandwich the backing plate 118, the deformable gasket 120, and the drawer 44 therebetween. The deformable gasket 120 may compress between the backing plate 118 and the drawer 44. Engagement of the drawer 44 with the housing 32 in the first position may further compress the deformable gasket 120. More specifically, if the positioning of the plurality of rods 112 relative to the plurality of the guide rails 102 may be askew, such that a portion of the drawer 44 may engage the housing 32 before the drawer 44 is disposed in the first position. Without the deformable gasket 120, the engagement of the portion of the drawer 44 with the housing 32 would stop further movement of the drawer 44 into the first position, in which drawer 44 engages the housing 32 about the drawer aperture 48. The compressibility of the deformable gasket 120 allows for continued movement of drawer 44 to the first position and engagement of the drawer 44 with the housing 32 about the drawer aperture 48. The deformable gasket 120 may be comprised of a soft durometer rubber, or any other material capable of deformation.
As shown in
The at least one guide roller 122 may be configured to rotate about a roller axis, which may be substantially perpendicular to the axis A which the drawer 44 moves along. As shown in the Figures, the at least one guide roller 122 may be rotatably mounted to the housing 32. More specifically, the at least one guide roller 122 may be rotatably mounted to one of the side walls 38 of the housing 32 with the guide rail 102 extending along the side wall 38 and into engagement with the at least one guide roller. The at least one guide roller 122 may be a single guide roller 122 with the at least one guide rail 102 laying along the single guide roller. The single guide roller 122 may be disposed below the at least one guide rail 102 to exert an upward force against the at least one guide rail 102 opposing the force of gravity.
Alternatively, the at least one guide roller 122 may be further defined as at least a pair of guide rollers 122 both engaging the at least one guide rail 102 on opposing sides of the at least one guide rail 102 to impart opposing forces on the at least one guide rail 102 and laterally support the at least one guide rail 102. More specifically, the pair of guide rollers 122 may be disposed one opposing sides of the at least one guide roller 122 to prevent movement of the at least one guide rail 102 toward each of the pair of guide rollers 122. Said differently, the pair of guide rollers 122 may prevent upward and downward movement of the at least one guide rail 102. As shown in the Figures, the at least a pair of guide rollers 122 may be further defined as at least three guide rollers 122, with two of the guide rollers 122 disposed below the at least one guide rail 102 and one of the guide rollers 122 disposed above the at least one guide rail 102. One having skill in the art will appreciate that the at least one guide roller 122 may be any number of guide rollers 122 engaging the at least one guide rail 102.
As shown in
The V-shape configuration of the at least one guide roller 122 and the at least one guide rail 102 prevents lateral movement of the guide rail 102 toward and away from the housing 32. More specifically, the V-configuration of the corner 126 of the guide rail 102 and the channel 124 of the guide roller 122 facilitate the abutment of the guide rail 102 with the guide roller(s) 122 when the guide rail 102 moves toward or away from the housing 32. Moreover, the V-shape configuration of the at least one guide roller 122 and the at least one guide rail 102 promotes remove of materials from between the at least one guide roller 122 and the at least one guide rail 102.
As described above, the at least one guide rail 102 may be a plurality of guide rails 102. As such, the at least one guide roller 122 may be utilized with each of the plurality of guide rails 102 such that the at least one guide roller 122 may be a plurality of guide rollers 122. As such, the description above of the at least one guide roller 122 engaging the at least one guide rail 102 may be applicable to each of the guide rollers 122 engaging the plurality of guide rails 102.
In this way, the present disclosure provides the advantage of allowing compliant coupling between the drawer 44 and the at least one guide rail 102 to enable a seal between the drawer 44 and the housing 32 in the first position. This prevents material from leaking out of the product flow path 34 when the drawer 44 is in the first position.
As shown in
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The first seal cord 128 may be comprised of a compressible material such as a soft durometer rubber. Because the width of the first seal cord 128 may be greater than the width of the first seal channel 130, the first seal cord 128 may be compressed to insert the first seal cord 128 into the first seal channel 130. The substantially circular cross-sectional shape of the first seal cord 128 under compression within the first seal channel 130 may facilitate expansion of the first seal cord 128 into the corners of the first seal channel 130. As such, the first seal channel 130 may be coupled to the one of the drawer 44 and the housing 32 within the first seal channel 130 without the need of an adhesive. Furthermore, the first seal cord 128 may extend outside the first seal channel 130 such that the first seal cord 128 extends beyond the one of the drawer 44 and the housing 32. As such, the first seal cord 128 may engage and seal against the other one of the drawer 44 and the housing 32 in the first position.
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As shown in
Movement of the drawer 44 between the first, second, third, and fourth positions may be performed by an operator manually moving the drawer 44. Alternatively, the magnetic separator 30 may include an actuator which may mechanically move the drawer 44 between the first, second, third, and fourth positions.
Thus, according to the disclosure, a method of fabricating, disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling a magnetic separator is disclosed as described above. That is, each of the operational mechanisms described above are also equally applicable to the abovementioned methods. That is each disclosed method incorporates in their entirety the corresponding descriptive operations above. For instance, in one example the above methods include affixing locking mechanism 200, using fastener 202 to include nut 204 and bolt 206, which prevents shoulder 96 from passing through a respective keyed opening 92. The disclosed methods include removing second position stops 104, and retracting or opening drawer 44 toward the third position, as depicted in
According to one aspect, a magnetic separator includes a housing defining a product flow path through which material may pass, a drawer moveable between a first position and a second position, at least one magnet operatively connected to said drawer, with said at least one magnet positioned within said product flow path in said first position of said drawer and with said at least one magnet withdrawn from said flow path when in said second position, and a stripper plate fixed to said housing and disposed between said housing and said drawer, said stripper plate having at least one aperture corresponding to and closely conforming with said at least one magnet and through which said at least one magnet passes as said drawer is moved between said first and second positions. The stripper plate is spaced a predetermined distance from said housing to define a gap therebetween, with said at least one aperture of said stripper plate serving to strip material which has been attracted to said at least one magnet off of said at least one magnet in said gap as said drawer is moved from said first position to said second position and said at least one magnet is withdrawn from said product flow path.
According to another aspect, a magnetic: separator includes a housing defining a product flow path through which material may pass and having a pair of diverters opposing one another and extending into said product flow path. The magnetic separator includes a drawer moveable between a first position and a second position, at least one magnet operatively connected to said drawer, with said at least one magnet positioned within said product flow path in said first position of said drawer and with said at least one magnet withdrawn from said flow path when in said second position, and a tube support disposed within said product flow path, with said at least one magnet operatively connected to said tube support, and with said tube support having a pair of slots corresponding to and adapted to receive said pair of diverters therein such that said pair of diverters guide said movement of said tube support, said at least one magnet, and said drawer between said first and second positions.
According to another aspect, a magnetic separator includes a housing defining a product flow path through which material may pass, a drawer moveable between a first position and a second position, and a tube support disposed within said product flow path. The magnetic separator includes at least one magnet extending between a pair of ends and operatively connected to each of said drawer and said tube support, with said at least one magnet positioned within said product flow path in said first position of said drawer and with said at least one magnet withdrawn from said flow path when in said second position, and a locking mechanism extending from at least one of said pair of ends. At least one of said drawer and said tube support defines at least one keyed opening corresponding to and adapted to accept said locking mechanism of said at least one magnet, with said locking mechanism rotatable between an unlocked position, in which said locking mechanism may freely move into and out of said keyed opening, and a locked position, in which said locking mechanism is retained in said keyed opening.
According to yet another aspect, a magnetic separator includes a housing defining a product flow path through which material may pass, a drawer moveable between a first position, a second position, and a third position, and at least one magnet operatively connected to said drawer, with said at least one magnet positioned within said product flow path in said first position of said drawer and with said at least one magnet withdrawn from said flow path when in said second position. The magnetic separator includes at least one guide rail fixed to said drawer and movably coupled to said housing to support said drawer relative to said housing, and a second position stop selectively mounted to said at least one guide rail and engageable with said housing, with said second position stop limiting movement of said drawer between said first and second positions when mounted to said at least one guide rail and with said drawer movable between said first, second, and third positions when said second position stop is disconnected from said at least one guide rail.
According to still another aspect, a magnetic separator includes a housing defining a product flow path through which material may pass, a drawer moveable between a first position and a second position, and at least one magnet operatively connected to said drawer, with said at least one magnet positioned within said product flow path in said first position of said drawer and with said at least one magnet withdrawn from said flow path when in said second position. The magnetic separator includes at least one guide rail movably coupled to said housing and supporting said drawer relative to said housing, and a compliant fastener disposed between said at least one guide rail and said drawer to and fixing together said at least one guide rail and said drawer and facilitate engagement of said drawer with said housing in said first position.
As such, disclosed is a magnetic separator apparatus and methods of fabricating, disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling same.
According to one example, the magnetic separator includes a housing defining a product flow path, a drawer moveable between a first position and a second position, and a magnet operatively connected to the drawer, the magnet positioned within the product flow path when in the first position and the magnet withdrawn from the flow path when in the second position. A stripper plate frame is attached to the housing, and a stripper plate is fixed to the stripper plate frame that conforms with the magnet and through which the magnet passes as the drawer is moved between the first and second positions. An anti-rotation mechanism having a slot that engages along a length of a shoulder such that, when the anti-rotation mechanism is positioned having the slot over the shoulder, the magnet is prevented from moving from the axially locked position. The shoulder extends beyond an outer surface of the anti-rotation mechanism.
The drawer includes a keyed opening and the magnet includes the shoulder that passes through the keyed opening, such that when the shoulder is in position and rotated with respect to the keyed opening, the magnet is axially locked with respect to the drawer. The shoulder includes a hole passing therethrough, and the hole is positioned beyond the outer surface of the anti-rotation mechanism. A fastener passing through the hole. The fastener is engaged against the outer surface of the anti-rotation mechanism and includes a bolt passing through the hole, and a nut attached to the bolt which fastens the bolt to the shoulder. The aperture serves to strip material attracted to the magnet off of the magnet as the drawer is moved from the first position to the second position. The stripper plate is fully enclosed within the drawer when the drawer is in the first position and sealed against the housing, to prevent flow of product out of the product flow path and through the drawer. The stripper plate frame includes a first pair of notches and the first stripper plate is fixed to the stripper plate frame when positioned within the first pair of notches, and a second stripper plate positioned between the first stripper plate and the stripper plate frame, the second stripper plate having a second aperture through which the magnet passes as the drawer is moved between the first and second positions. The second aperture has a tolerance fit such that a diameter of the second aperture is smaller than an outer diameter of the magnet, resulting in an interference fit. The stripper plate frame includes a second pair of notches that extend in a direction opposite that of the first pair of notches, such that the retention plate is coupled to the stripper plate frame via the second pair of notches.
The disclosed methods of fabricating, disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling the magnetic separator include providing a housing that defines a flow path and a magnet positioned within the flow path, the magnet having a shoulder, and affixing a stripper plate to a stripper plate frame of the magnetic separator, wherein the stripper plate conforms with the magnet such that the magnet passes through the stripper plate as the drawer is moved between first and second positions. The methods further include positioning an anti-rotation mechanism over the shoulder such that, when the anti-rotation mechanism is positioned having a slot over the shoulder, the magnet is prevented from moving from the axially locked position. The shoulder extends beyond an outer surface of the anti-rotation mechanism.
The methods further include passing the shoulder of the magnet through a keyed opening of the drawer, and rotating the shoulder with respect to the keyed opening to axially lock the magnet with respect to the drawer. Positioning the anti-rotation mechanism further includes positioning the anti-rotation mechanism to engage along a length of the shoulder such that, when the anti-rotation mechanism is positioned having the slot over the shoulder, the magnet is prevented from moving from the axially locked position. Positioning the anti-rotation mechanism further includes positioning the anti-rotation mechanism such that a hole in the shoulder passes therethrough, the hole positioned beyond the outer surface of the anti-rotation mechanism, passing a fastener through the hole, and engaging the fastener against the outer surface of the anti-rotation mechanism. The methods further include passing the bolt through the hole and attaching a nut to the bolt. The methods further include moving the drawer from the first position to the second position, such that the aperture strips material off of the magnet as the drawer is moved from the first position to the second position.
The disclosed subject matter has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the disclosed subject matter are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosed subject matter may be practiced other than as specifically described.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/689,025, filed Aug. 29, 2017, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/381,342, filed Aug. 30, 2016, and which have been incorporated by reference in their entirety, and this application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/574,383, filed Oct. 19, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190046993 A1 | Feb 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62574383 | Oct 2017 | US | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15689025 | Aug 2017 | US |
| Child | 16164126 | US |
