Patent Grant
11766675
This invention relates to a Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder. Particularly this invention relates generally to grinder pumps and waste disposers and, more particularly, to a pump or waste disposer having a variable speed motor such as a switched reluctance machine. The pump with the improved grinder kit relates to an apparatus that grinds or mills materials and more specifically, the invention relates to an inline apparatus and grinding mechanism that grinds or mills process materials. The grinder pump kit is effective for pumping liquids and slurries containing solid matter, including various types of refuse, and for the improved grinding of the solid matter which thereafter can be processed for disposal. This relates to improvements in pumping apparatus and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a disintegrator pump for liquefying solid matter, such as waste products, or the like, for facilitating the draining or discharging thereof.
Jamming is a problem that can occur in grinder pumps and disposers. Jamming occurs when hard objects such as needles, inorganic matter or bones enter the pump and get stuck between the cutters or lugs of the rotating grinding plate. Accordingly, a unit having a variable speed motor or a reversible motor improves the performance. The motor current will increase to produce a maximum torque and the motor speed can decrease to zero instantly and reverse direction. In this anti-jamming mode, a maximum current is reached, which helps relieve the jam.
None.
None.
This section is not Applicable to Provisional Applications. However, as far as known, there are no Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder or the like. It is believed that this product is unique in its design and technologies.
Cutting blade assemblies are used in a wide variety of applications to generally reduce the particle size of the medium being processed. Grinder pumps include a motor that rotates an impeller and an associated cutting blade assembly. Fluid and debris suspended within the fluid are drawn into the grinder pump where the cutting blade assembly attempts to reduce the particle size of the suspended debris before the impeller pumps the resulting slurry to a downstream location. In addition, many Flushable Wipes Don't Break Down. Flushable wipes are often deemed to be “flushable” if they pass an industry trial known as the “slosh box test.” This test involves rocking wipes back and forth in water to see how quickly they disintegrate. However, according to Cynthia Finley, director of regulatory affairs for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, in the New York Times, “[The test is] a lot more turbulent-than the flow that you find in a wastewater pipe. “In other words, even after going through the wastewater treatment process, many wipes emerge largely intact and “almost as new.”
In one Consumer Reports test, a sheet of toilet paper dissolved in swirling water after about eight seconds, but a flushable wipe was still intact after half an hour. There is no legal requirement for a product to be labeled flushable, and as a result the wipes are clogging up pipes, leading to overflows and sewage backups, and they are getting caught in pumps and other equipment. In the last five years alone, New York City has spent more than $18 million to deal with wipe-related equipment problems. According to the New York Times: “The volume of materials extracted from screening machines at the city's wastewater treatment plants has more than doubled since 2008, an increase attributed largely to the wipes.” A City Council bill introduced in February 2015 would prohibit advertising certain wet wipes as flushable, and a public awareness campaign has been started to raise awareness about the proper way to dispose of wipes—in the trash. New York Times Mar. 15, 2015.
Current Typical grinders: Grinder under current condition uses single phase power typical in most residences. There are single phase pumps which utilize a forward reversing action but not in a VFD application which is using a 3/phase drive for rotations, speed, torque requirements to deliver a varying head to gallons per/min. The usual outcome historically with existing pumps/controls is component failure and often pump failures.
The improvement and problem solved as to grinder pumps and macerating devices should be useful. Problem: In the past several years grinder pits used in removing human fecal matter have encountered a continual problem of contamination. Such contamination would include common household trash, contraband used in Methamphetamine and opioid addictions as well as fibrous products including wet wipes particularly those with nylon products. Since they are not easily broken down the process of disposing has presented itself a problem for the residential consumer to the industrial waste treatment plant resulting in high costly repairs. In addition, in recent months the problems encountered several times are that the typical nature of wet wipes being flushed down the toilet by children that are mentally challenged. Since they are monitored by resident supervisors the problem still exists causing the system to be “jetted” requiring continual maintenance and costly repairs. The proposed solution is to Implement Gorilla technology to redesign the pump used. For example, and not as a limitation, this can be done as an improvement kit in a current basin Zoeller or similar products which are ADA compliant. Please see Web Site:
https://www.zoollerpumps.com/content/literature/fm2800.pdf As an option, the Strainer basket is placed in line with the discharge of the macerating toilet and to be maintained accordingly.
A novelty search was conducted to see what improved grinder pump and macerating devices or system were available. It is believed that this product is unique in its design and technologies. A novelty search revealed:
As can be observed, none of the prior art has anticipated or caused one skilled in the grinding or macerating devices and systems to realize or see this invention by Hobbs as obvious to a person skilled in the ordinary art of the industry. The Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder provides an answer to the problem of thick sludge, unwanted paraphernalia and flushable wipes that do not dissolve—all that cause premature blockage of the sanitary sewage and sludge being processed. The invention improves the waste processing and provides a much-improved grinder device for many applications.
This invention is a Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder. Proposed Solution to the above stated problem is: Since being in the trades the inventor and Hobbs Electric currently has and sells grinder systems. Using current technology and controls engineering the proposal is an improvement kit which applies both mechanical and electrical controls. Mechanical: Using proposed grinder blade and disc with mechanical keyway or spline to permit two-directional movement. Electrical: using designed three phase stator integrated with VFD Variable frequency control (with an IGBT or equal) to permit: Variable Torque, Current, and Speed.
By re-designing the impeller shaft of a typical stator where the shaft would accept a bidirectional blade the rotation of the motor would be reversible. Applying this concept in the event of a clog whether it be from wipes etc. the control system would acknowledge a high current, immediately slow rpm, or stall motor. Wait for cool down/motor stress time then reverse. If a pump encounters certain factors: High Current or High temperature in windings, the motor will stop, wait a period, and reverse again. Most of the time the reversing agitating effect will loosen the blockage. This action would be repeated several times until normal set parameters were obtained. If unachievable then the pump would go into warning mode. Items in the improvement kit which are new to Industry:
The preferred embodiment of the Special improvement package or kit to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder that is comprised of: (a) a two directional cutter with at least two cutter blades and each blade having a two blade cutter edge; (b) a multi aperture die cup; (c) a shaft for pump with means to permit two-directional rotation such as at least one keyway (for cutter and for the drive connection), splines or equal; (d) an IGBT—insulated gate bipolar transistor for mimicking three phase drive to a motor stator on the pump; (e) a control board/panel with a PLC and an accompanying set of circuitry and wiring to interconnect the IGBT to a three phase stator winding; (f) the a three phase stator winding; and (g) an optional strainer vessel wherein the improvement package and kit for heavy duty grinders provides a grinding solution for contamination including common household trash, a contraband material used in methamphetamine and opioid addictions, a fibrous product including wet wipes with nylon products, and heavy materials that can cause a typical grinding system to be “jetted” which requires continual maintenance and costly repairs.
The newly invented Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder can be manufactured at low volumes by very simple means and in high volume production by more complex and controlled systems.
There are several objects and advantages of the Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder. There are currently no known systems or devices that are effective at providing the objects of this invention.
Special Gorilla Grinder has various advantages and benefits:
Finally, other advantages and additional features of the present Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the full description of the device. For one skilled in the art of grinder pumps and macerating devices and systems, it is readily understood that the features shown in the examples with this product are readily adapted to other types of grinder systems and devices.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder for various applications device that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below explain the principles of the Gorilla Grinder. It is understood, however, that device and system is not limited to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
The following list refers to the drawings:
This invention relates to a Special improvement kit or package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder. Particularly this invention relates generally to grinder pumps and waste disposers and, more particularly, to a pump or waste disposer having a variable speed motor such as a switched reluctance machine. The pump with the improved grinder kit relates to an apparatus that grinds or mills materials and more specifically, the invention relates to an inline apparatus and grinding mechanism that grinds or mills process materials. The grinder pump kit is effective for pumping liquids and slurries containing solid matter, including various types of refuse, and for the improved grinding of the solid matter which thereafter can be processed for disposal. This relates to improvements in pumping apparatus and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a disintegrator pump for liquefying solid matter, such as waste products, or the like, for facilitating the draining or discharging thereof. Jamming is a problem that can occur in grinder pumps and disposers. Jamming occurs when hard objects such as needles, inorganic matter or bones enter the pump and get stuck between the cutters or lugs of the rotating grinding plate. Accordingly, a unit having a variable speed motor or a reversible motor improves the performance. The motor current will increase to produce a maximum torque and the motor speed can decrease to zero instantly and reverse direction. In this anti-jamming mode, a maximum current is reached, which helps relieve the jam.
The advantages for the Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder 30 are listed above in the introduction. Succinctly the benefits are that the device:
The preferred embodiment of the Special improvement package or kit 30 to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder that is comprised of: (a) a two directional cutter 40 with at least two cutter blades and each blade having a two blade cutter 42 edge; (b) a multi aperture die cup 47; (c) a shaft 60 for pump 90 with means to permit two-directional rotation such as at least one keyway (for cutter and for the drive connection), splines or equal; (d) an IGBT—insulated gate bipolar transistor 70 for mimicking three phase drive to a motor stator 50 on the pump 90; (e) a control board/panel with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) 75 and an accompanying set of circuitry and wiring 76 to interconnect the IGBT 70 to a three phase stator winding 50; (f) the a three phase stator winding 50; and (g) an optional strainer vessel 80 wherein the improvement package and kit 30 for heavy duty grinders provides a grinding solution for contamination including common household trash, a contraband material used in methamphetamine and opioid addictions, a fibrous product including wet wipes with nylon products, and heavy materials that can cause a typical grinding system to be “jetted” which requires continual maintenance and costly repairs.
There is shown in
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the Special improvement package or kit 30 to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder 30 that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below explain the principles of the Special heavy duty grinder kit 30. It is understood, however, that the Gorilla Grinder improvement kit device 30 is not limited to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. Other examples of grinder improvements components and devices and uses are still understood by one skilled in the art of grinder devices and systems to be within the scope and spirit shown here.
Materials for the kit anticipate for example, but are not limited to, premium Grinder Blade that is investment-cast 440 stainless steel, 304 stainless steel, a cutter plate that is engineered to handle loth, latex and other hard to grind materials, carbon/ceramic mechanical shaft seals, upper and lower ball bearings continuously bathed in oil, a multiple of independent cutting channels to provide over 250,000 cuts per minute, non-corrosive engineered thermoplastic parts, automatic reset thermal overload protection, and stainless steel screws, bolts, & handle. The components and features of the parts for the improvement kit 30 anticipate to include but are not limited to the following durable materials: such as metals—steel alloys, nickel, brass, pot metals, aluminum, titanium and the like and polymers such as fairly high durometer, urethane, nylon, reinforced nylon, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), silicone, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), Acrylonitrile Styrene (ASA); Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Plastic; polycarbonate—Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC-ABS); polylactic acid (PLA); Polyamide (PA-nylon), Glass Filled Polyamide, and composite materials and the like.
The details mentioned here are exemplary and not limiting. Other specific components and manners specific to describing a Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder 30 may be added as a person having ordinary skill in the field of grinder and macerating devices and systems and their uses well appreciates.
The Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder 30 has been described in the above embodiment. The manner of how the device operates is described below. One notes well that the description above and the operation described here must be taken together to fully illustrate the concept of the Gorilla Grinder improvement kit 30. The preferred embodiment of the Special improvement package or kit 30 to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder that is comprised of: (a) a two directional cutter 40 with at least two cutter blades and each blade having a two blade cutter 42 edge; (b) a multi aperture die cup 47; (c) a shaft 60 for pump 90 with means to permit two-directional rotation such as at least one keyway (for cutter and for the drive connection), splines or equal; (d) an IGBT—insulated gate bipolar transistor 70 for mimicking three phase drive to a motor stator 50 on the pump 90; (e) a control board/panel with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) 75 and an accompanying set of circuitry and wiring 76 to interconnect the IGBT 70 to a three phase stator winding 50; (f) the a three phase stator winding 50; and (g) an optional strainer vessel 80 wherein the improvement package and kit 30 for heavy duty grinders provides a grinding solution for contamination including common household trash, a contraband material used in methamphetamine and opioid addictions, a fibrous product including wet wipes with nylon products, and heavy materials that can cause a typical grinding system to be “jetted” which requires continual maintenance and costly repairs.
Current Typical grinders: Grinder under current condition uses single phase power typical in most residences. There are single phase pumps which utilize a forward reversing action but not in a VFD application which is using a 3/phase drive for rotations, speed, torque requirements to deliver a varying head to gallons per/min. The usual outcome history-ically with existing pumps/controls is component failure and often pump failures. Using current technology and controls engineering the proposal is an improvement kit which applies both mechanical and electrical controls. Mechanical: Using proposed grinder blade and disc with mechanical keyway or spline to permit two-directional movement. Electrical: using designed three phase stator integrated with VFD Variable frequency control (with an IGBT or equal) to permit: Variable Torque, Current, and Speed.
By re-designing the impeller shaft of a typical stator where the shaft would accept a bidirectional blade the rotation of the motor would be reversible. Applying this concept in the event of a clog whether it be from wipes etc. the control system would acknowledge a high current, immediately slow rpm, or stall motor. Wait for cool down/motor stress time then reverse. If a pump encounters certain factors: High Current or High temperature in windings, the motor will stop, wait a period, and reverse again. Most of the time the reversing agitating effect will loosen the blockage. This action would be repeated several times until normal set parameters were obtained. If unachievable then the pump would go into warning mode. Items in the improvement kit which are new to Industry:
The Special improvement package 30 to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications allows the grinder pump to stop, reverse direction, and then have variable speed and torque to remove the jamming materials or slick, flushable wipes. It may even agitate first in one direction, reverse, and go the opposite direction for several cycles. This control is al designed in the control board/panel, PLC 75. It permits the grinder pump to free itself of the jamb rather than needing removed, disassembled, and jetted with pressured water to remove the blockage(s). The two-way, bi-directional blades are secured with mechanical keys and keyways between the shaft and cutters and the drive rather than the one-directional threaded jamb nuts of the traditional grinder. The system may be augmented with a strainer basket 80 for applications that see an increased amount of inorganic or metal drug-paraphernalia.
In the event of sabotage the controls would act as a defense to the point of after so many failed attempts a wireless warning could summon proper responders. This could be useful in military or private industry settings where security is paramount. Therefore, the improvement package 30 allows for a defense to the point of after so many failed attempts a wireless warning could summon proper responders in the act of sabotage. And, traditionally, most residents will have a “forced main” head flow resistance. With the improvement package 30, a higher head could be achieved by an increase in rpm and therefore provides a higher head that can be achieved by an increase in RPM to the pump which overcomes the residents “forced main” head flow.
Many uses are anticipated for the Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder 30 improvement kit. It is fully expected that the Gorilla grinder kit 30 can be adapted for the various one directional, single speed and less powerful grinder pumps already being used (i.e., manufacturers such as Zoeller, Ashland, Champion, McDonald, Sulzer, Franklin, Pentair, Meyers, Barnes, Liberty, etc.). Some examples of typical applications and uses, strictly as examples and not as limitations, are shown in the following Table.
With this description it is to be understood that the Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder 30 improvement kit is not to be limited to only the disclosed embodiment of product. The features of the Gorilla Grinder 30 are intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the description.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and, in its operation, can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these inventions belong. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present inventions, the preferred methods and materials are now described above in the foregoing paragraphs.
Other embodiments of the invention are possible. Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. Various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the disclosed embodiments described above.
The terms recited in the claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning as determined by reference to relevant entries (e.g., definition of “plane” as a carpenter's tool would not be relevant to the use of the term “plane” when used to refer to an airplane, etc.) in dictionaries (e.g., widely used general reference dictionaries and/or relevant technical dictionaries), commonly understood meanings by those in the art, etc., with the understanding that the broadest meaning imparted by any one or combination of these sources should be given to the claim terms (e.g., two or more relevant dictionary entries should be combined to provide the broadest meaning of the combination of entries, etc.) subject only to the following exceptions: (a) if a term is used herein in a manner more expansive than its ordinary and customary meaning, the term should be given its ordinary and customary meaning plus the additional expansive meaning, or (b) if a term has been explicitly defined to have a different meaning by reciting the term followed by the phrase “as used herein shall mean” or similar language (e.g., “herein this term means,” “as defined herein,” “for the purposes of this disclosure [the term] shall mean,” etc.). References to specific examples, use of “i.e.,” use of the word “invention,” etc., are not meant to invoke exception (b) or otherwise restrict the scope of the recited claim terms. Other than situations where exception (b) applies, nothing contained herein should be considered a disclaimer or disavowal of claim scope. Accordingly, the subject matter recited in the claims is not coextensive with and should not be interpreted to be coextensive with any particular embodiment, feature, or combination of features shown herein. This is true even if only a single embodiment of the particular feature or combination of features is illustrated and described herein. Thus, the appended claims should be read to be given their broadest interpretation in view of the prior art and the ordinary meaning of the claim terms.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers or expressions, such as those expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, etc. used in the specification (other than the claims) are understood as modified in all instances by the term “approximately.” At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter recited in the specification or claims which is modified by the term “approximately” should at least be construed considering the number of recited significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
The present invention contemplates modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art. While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only selected embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes, modifications, and equivalents that come within the spirit of the disclosures described heretofore and or/defined by the following claims are desired to be protected.
This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application with Ser. No. 62/945,252 filed Dec. 9, 2019, by Joel Hobbs. The application was entitled “Special improvement package to heavy duty grinders for processing thick wastes and slick wipes in commercial and residential applications and use called a Gorilla Grinder”.
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