With Independent Means Moving Or Guiding The Material And/or Grinding Bodies In Receptacle Patents (Class 241/172)
  • Patent number: 7828234
    Abstract: The containment wall of a basket media mill is constructed of a porous synthetic polymeric material having porous openings each of a pore size less than the predetermined size of the media for confining the media within the bed in the basket as feedstock is passed through the porous openings in the containment wall. The containment wall extends over an overall area and the porous openings provide an open area through which the feedstock flows as the feedstock passes through the containment wall, and the open area is at least about fifteen percent of the overall area of the containment wall for enabling a concomitant increased volumetric flow of feedstock through the containment wall. A substantially flat sheet of porous synthetic polymeric material having porous openings is formed into a cylindrical configuration to establish a cylindrical containment wall with porous openings each increasing in pore size from the interior of the cylindrical wall toward the exterior of the cylindrical wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Inventors: Herman H. Hockmeyer, Barry W. Cullens
  • Patent number: 7828238
    Abstract: A media-agitation type wet disperser is provided which eliminates the group motion of media, attains high dispersion efficiency, and avoids wear problem. A cylindrical vessel having a feed opening for the treating material and a discharge opening for the treated material is equipped with a cylindrical separator and a rotor rotating while being fixed to a rotary shaft. The rotor is composed of pluralities of small rotors each having a cylindrical agitation part and a disk-shaped holding part. The agitation part has pluralities of throughholes connecting the inside and the outside thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Nippon Coke & Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Gunji
  • Publication number: 20100270408
    Abstract: Disclosed is a media-agitation type pulverizer, which is enabled to acquire products of high quality by excellent pulverizing/dispersing actions. The media-agitation type pulverizer comprises a grinding container having a material entrance and a spherical grinding chamber, an agitating member disposed rotatably in the grinding chamber and near the inner wall of the grinding container, grinding media contained in the grinding chamber, and a centrifugal-type media-separating member rotatably disposed in the grinding chamber and in opposed relation to the agitating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20100219270
    Abstract: A method of separating at least one cluster of a plurality of clustered particles of a specified material. The method includes: initiating the wetting of at least a portion of the plurality of cluster particles; disaggregating at least a portion of the wetted plurality of cluster particles into a disaggregated material including a plurality of smaller clusters, discrete particles or any combination thereof; and stabilizing at least a portion of the disaggregated material by reducing, eliminating or replacing specified controlling attractive forces. A system and apparatus for separating at least one cluster of a plurality of clustered particles of a specified material are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Minus 100, LLC
    Inventor: Kevin C. Kerns
  • Patent number: 7784722
    Abstract: A stirring or dispersing device (1), has a hermetically sealed mixing chamber (5), a tool (2), and a drive mechanism (4) located outside of the mixing chamber (5). The tool (2) can be driven around a central shaft in the mixing chamber (5) which has a rod-shaped element (3) for force transmission from the drive mechanism (4) to the tool (2). The rod-shaped element (3) is connected at the entry to the mixing chamber (5) with a diaphragm (6), which is a part of the wall (7) of the mixing chamber (5), and the rod-shaped element (3) can be put into a wobbling movement by the drive mechanism (4), so that its end located in the interior of the mixing chamber (5) performs a rotating movement. The tool is constituted by a number of grinding elements (22) or balls to be introduced into the mixing chamber (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: IKA - Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter Jägle
  • Publication number: 20100206972
    Abstract: A sand wheel seal for a grinding mill, which in use is internally disposed within said mill. Preferably the sand wheel seal is integrally formed with a mill throat liner wheel and may be releasably secured to a feed end of said mill. The grinding mill may be any one of a Sag, Ag, Ball or Rod mill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventor: Dale CORAY
  • Patent number: 7757976
    Abstract: The method of converting nepheline syenite particulate feedstock with a grain size profile to an ultra-fine grain finish product for subsequent commercial use, the ultra-fine grain final product has a maximum grain size of less than about 6 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Unimin Corporation
    Inventors: Louis M. Schlesinger, Mauricio Durán Sánchez, Gerardo Hernandez Gonzalez, Artemio Gonzalez Acevedo
  • Patent number: 7699250
    Abstract: A media grinding mill having a grinding chamber in the shape of a donut or torus within which at least one plow travels along a circular path typically creating one or more pressure regions between the plow and the grinding chamber walls that facilitates the grinding operation. Optional guide vanes positioned on the plows can further control the grinding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Progressive Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald W. Jones
  • Patent number: 7690589
    Abstract: A method of separating at least one cluster of a plurality of clustered particles of a specified material. The method includes: initiating the wetting of at least a portion of the plurality of cluster particles; disaggregating at least a portion of the wetted plurality of cluster particles into a disaggregated material including a plurality of smaller clusters, discrete particles or any combination thereof; and stabilizing at least a portion of the disaggregated material by reducing, eliminating or replacing specified controlling attractive forces. A system and apparatus for separating at least one cluster of a plurality of clustered particles of a specified material are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Inventor: Kevin C. Kerns
  • Patent number: 7648095
    Abstract: An agitating or dispersing apparatus (1) with a hermetically sealed mixing chamber (5), an agitating or dispersing tool (2) that can be driven in this mixing chamber (5) about a central axis and with a rod-shaped element (3) for transferring the power of a drive (4) onto this tool (2), and with the drive (4) located outside of the mixing chamber (5). The rod-shaped element (3) is connected at the entrance into the mixing chamber (5) to a membrane (6) that is part of a wall (7) of the mixing chamber (5), and the rod-shaped element (3) can be put in a wobbling motion by the drive (4) so that its end inside the mixing chamber (5) executes a circular motion. The end of the rod-shaped element (3) located in the mixing chamber (5) attacks the tool (2) eccentrically to its axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: IKA - Werke GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter Jägle
  • Patent number: 7641137
    Abstract: In a dispersing apparatus comprising a container (10) for a dispersion material, a dissolve disc (22) drivable by a shaft (21) and a grinding device which contains a grinding medium and which has a perforated housing (34) through which dispersion material can pass by virtue of a flow generated by the dissolve disc (22), and an agitator tool which is drillable by a drive element and which is arranged in the housing (34) and is rotatable relative thereto, wherein the housing (34) surrounds the shaft (21), wherein the housing (34) is displaceable relative to the shaft (21) from a raised position into a lowered position and wherein the shaft (21) and the drive element can be coupled together by way of a coupling which has a first element (47) and a corresponding second element (53), which elements are in operative connection in the lowered position, in order to design same in such a way than a dispersing apparatus comprising a container (10) for a dispersion material, a dissolve disc (22) drivable by a shaft (21)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: VMA-Getzmann GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Schieweg
  • Publication number: 20090321545
    Abstract: For use in a basket mill having a process vessel in which particles are ground so as to reduce their size, a basket for retaining a grinding medium, having an opening in its top and a screen at its bottom. A first shaft extends into the basket and has a grinding assembly extending from the shaft. A first drive apparatus rotates the first shaft at a first rotational rate. A second shaft is coaxial with the first shaft and has an impeller for causing material to be ground to move into the basket through the opening and out of said basket through the screen. A second drive apparatus rotates the second shaft at a second rotational rate independent of the first rotational rate. The first shaft may be a tube. A tube may be disposed within the first shaft, and have at its end a bushing for receiving for rotation the second shaft. The bushing may be located outside of a region of the basket where grinding media is disposed. Methods for operating the apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Edward D'Errico
  • Publication number: 20090242673
    Abstract: Disclosed is a media mixing mill, which is capable of obtaining a high-quality product while ensuring adequate pulverization/dispersion functions. The media mixing mill of the present invention comprises a grinding container having a material inlet and a spherical-shaped grinding chamber, an agitating member rotatably installed inside the grinding chamber and in adjacent relation to an inner wall of the grinding container, grinding media contained in the grinding chamber, and a centrifugal-type media-separating member rotatably disposed inside the grinding chamber and in opposed relation to the agitating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7588205
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a medium agitation mill which is responsive to the standstill of the mill for preventing the pulverizing medium from invading the inside space of the longitudinal hollow space of the drive shaft of the impeller. In the medium agitation mill the medium separating impeller is arranged in the inside space of the agitating member, and the impeller has a plurality of vanes circumferentially arranged at intervals, and is driven by the hollow drive shaft, one end of which opens to the inside of the impeller to provide the raw material discharging port. The discharging port is provided with an on-off valve of a resilient material to open and close the discharging port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Ashizawa Finetech Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ishikawa, Jiro Onuki, Yasuhiro Mitsuhashi, Kaori Harigai
  • Publication number: 20090212141
    Abstract: A milling apparatus comprising a milling chamber loadable with a grinding charge; an inlet to the milling chamber via which a material to be milled is introduced into the milling chamber; and an outlet from the chamber via which milled material is extracted from the milling chamber; wherein a rotatingly driven centrifuge grinding separator is located within the milling chamber which separator comprises: an upper plate formed with a plurality of diagonally formed through slots; a lower plate formed with a plurality of diagonally formed through slots; and a ring located between the upper and lower plates formed with a plurality of diagonally formed through slots; arranged such that rotation of the central ring formed with the diagonal slots continually pressurizes such a grinding charge so as to force such a grinding charge from the centre of the separator upward and over the periphery of the separator and downward and under en the periphery of the separator and rotation of the upper and lower plates formed wit
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Alan Taylor
  • Patent number: 7575184
    Abstract: A system for milling at least one material, e.g., a drug. The system includes a milling apparatus and at least one milling medium. The milling apparatus includes a chamber having a rotary milling head located in it. The milling head is rotated within the chamber by a magnetic drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Elan Pharma International Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert G. Reed, David Czekai
  • Patent number: 7571871
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shear application system for applying substantially uniform amounts of shear throughout a powder sample. The shear application system preferably includes a cylinder assembly having an inner cylinder, a housing, an inner set of lugs, and an outer set of lugs. The inner cylinder has an external cylindrical surface and the housing has an internal cylindrical surface concentric with said external cylindrical surface. The internal and external cylindrical surfaces form an annular chamber therebetween. Each one of the lugs of the inner set extend radially outward from the external cylindrical surface, and each one of the lugs of the outer set extend radially inward from the internal cylindrical surface and are substantially uniformly spaced. The shear application system preferably includes drive means mechanically connected to the inner cylinder and control means electrically connected to the drive means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    Inventors: Fernando J. Muzzio, Lev Tsygan, Semen Dukler
  • Patent number: 7559493
    Abstract: A media basket mill utilizes a media bed having very small media to attain a mixture of finely divided solids in a liquid vehicle. A bearing construct which journals the rotor of the basket mill within the basket of the mill includes a bearing which is protected against excessive wear by including a recess in the rotor. The recess is juxtaposed with the bearing and communicates with the media bed such that upon rotation of the rotor to pass feedstock through the media bed for a mixing operation, media and feedstock in the vicinity of the bearing will be directed from the recess into the bed of media and feedstock outside the rotor, thereby diverting media and feedstock away from the bearing and deterring excessive wear which might otherwise result from media and feedstock interacting with the bearing during rotation of the rotor for the mixing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hockmeyer Equipment Corp.
    Inventors: Herman H. Hockmeyer, Barry W. Cullens
  • Publication number: 20090084874
    Abstract: The field of invention is related to a method of producing nanoparticles of less than 100 nm using a stirred media mill and a novel stirred media mill for producing the nanoparticles. The dead zones present in the stirred media mill, are the main cause of long time grinding and wide size distribution of product and is rectified in our design by optimum design of stirrer which will transfer the energy to beads at all parts in the chamber homogeneously for efficient and fast. The invention also discloses the design and operating conditions for production of nanoparticle in stirred media mill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Hilaal Alam, Sourav Sen
  • Publication number: 20080185463
    Abstract: The method of converting nepheline syenite particulate feedstock with a grain size profile to an ultra-fine grain finish product for subsequent commercial use, the ultra-fine grain final product has a maximum grain size of less than about 6 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Louis M. Schlesinger, Mauricio Duran Sanchez, Gerardo Hernandez Gonzalez, Artemio Gonzalez Acevedo
  • Patent number: 7387059
    Abstract: A sheet punching apparatus includes a transport unit for receiving a sheet; a hole punching device for punching a hole in the sheet transported to the transport unit; a punch scrap container for storing punch scraps after the hole punching device punches the hole; a sweeping device for sweeping a top portion of the punch scraps stored in the punch scrap container to level the top portion; and a drive device for driving the hole punching device and the sweeping device. A sheet finishing apparatus and an image forming apparatus includes the sheet punching apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventor: Misao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7374116
    Abstract: A circulation type media agitator mill includes a cylindrical vessel, and an agitating member arranged rotatably in the cylindrical vessel. A grinding media is contained in a grinding chamber defined between a cylindrical wall of the agitating member and a surrounding cylindrical wall of the vessel. A media-separating member is arranged coaxial with the agitating member in the inner space of the agitating member. An inlet is provided for leading material to be ground to the grinding chamber, and an outlet leads the material separated from the grinding media to the outside of the mill via the media separating member. The vessel may have a length to diameter ratio smaller than one. The cylindrical wall and hub of the agitatihg member have openings to allow the grinding chamber to communicate with the media separating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Ashizawa Finetech Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ishikawa, Masakatsu Iioka, Toshihiro Ishii, Kaori Harigai
  • Patent number: 7374115
    Abstract: A ball mill is provided with an agitator and comprises a grinding chamber containing grinding medium, a stator and a rotor which are arranged in said grinding chamber, an input opening for material to be ground and an output opening for ground material which are used for bringing the material to be ground to the grinding chamber and for evacuating the ground material therefrom. The mill also comprises a device for separating the grinding medium arranged in the grinding chamber above the output opening. The rotor is embodied in the form of a rotational symmetry body, and the stator is formed by an internal surface which is complementary to the grinding chamber. The inventive rotor and the stator are provided with pins which are distributed through all surface thereof and projected to the grinding chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Buehler AG
    Inventors: Armin Geiger, Olaf Eichstaedt, Elias Muedespacher
  • Patent number: 7275704
    Abstract: To provide a dispersing apparatus that can stir media in a vessel uniformly, and by increasing the shearing power at stirring, can perform quality constant dispersion with high dispersing efficiency. In a dispersing apparatus wherein a basket-shaped vessel 2 containing dispersing medium consisting of ceramic balls, zirconia balls, and the like is submerged in a tank 8 filled with a compound, and stirrer vanes 28 are rotated in the above vessel to stir the above dispersing medium, and the compound that goes through the inside of the above vessel 2 is dispersed, a rotation driving mechanism 11 for rotating the above vessel 2 in the opposite direction to the above stirrer components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Araki Iron Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Araki
  • Publication number: 20070215732
    Abstract: Milling apparatus suitable for mechano-chemical breakdown of contaminated media reliant upon housed ball mill units each able to be cradle mounted to receive a rotational drive of a shaft and to feed material downwardly from housing to housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Bryan Geoffrey Black, Owen Ross Williams
  • Patent number: 7264191
    Abstract: An agitator mill comprises a grinding receptacle and a rotarily drivable agitator arranged therein. A grinding-stock supply mouthes into the grinding chamber; a grinding-stock discharge leads out of the grinding chamber. The grinding chamber is at least partially filled with auxiliary grinding bodies. The grinding-stock discharge is embodied as a device for grinding stock suction and auxiliary-grinding-body separation, comprising a plunge pipe which dips into a bed of grinding stock and auxiliary grinding bodies and from which, above the grinding receptacle, discharges a suction pipe with a grinding-stock suction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Stefan Gerl
  • Patent number: 7243866
    Abstract: An agitator mill comprises an annular cylindrical exterior grinding chamber which is defined by an inner wall of a grinding receptacle and an outer wall of a rotor; and an interior grinding chamber which is defined by an inner wall of the rotor and an outer casing of an interior stator. The grinding chambers are interconnected by a deflection chamber. A grinding-stock supply area, which is upstream of the exterior grinding chamber, and a separator device, which is disposed approximately on the same side of the grinding receptacle, serving for grinding-stock discharge, are interconnected by auxiliary-grinding-body return conduits. These conduits are arranged in an independent auxiliary-grinding-body return module and are open towards a front of the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Bühler AG
    Inventors: Norbert Stehr, Philipp Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7229035
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of deagglomerating ceramic powder to inhibit agglomeration and provide a uniform particle size, a deagglomeration mill used for the above method, and a method of preparing uniformly mixed ceramic slurry using the deagglomerated ceramic powder. The deagglomeration method of the ceramic powder includes loading a mixture of ceramic powder and solvent into the deagglomeration mill which includes a hollow cylindrical mill cover having a diameter larger than a length and having a plurality of beads therein; rotating an impeller of a main shaft disposed longitudinally at an internal center portion of the mill cover at a peripheral velocity of 6–10 m/s, using a driving means; deagglomerating the ceramic powder by the action of beads which are moved by a rotational force of the impeller; and discharging the mixture of ceramic powder and solvent from the deagglomeration mill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun Sang Na, Hyeon Pyo Jeon, Dong Hwan Seo, Youn Kyu Choi, Sung Hyung Kang
  • Patent number: 7216822
    Abstract: An agitator mill comprises an annular cylindrical exterior grinding chamber which is defined by an inner wall of a grinding receptacle and an outer wall of a rotor; and an interior grinding chamber which is defined by an inner wall of the rotor and an outer casing of an interior stator. The grinding chambers are interconnected by a deflection chamber. g<h applies to the radial gap width g of the exterior grinding chamber in relation to the radial gap width h of the interior grinding chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Bühler AG
    Inventors: Norbert Stehr, Philipp Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7175118
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for dispersing solid constituents into a liquid vehicle employ an immersion mill operating in combination with a low shear mixer blade assembly which sweeps the walls of a tank containing a batch of solid constituents in a liquid vehicle to circulate the batch through the immersion mill to carry out a milling operation to establish a relatively high viscosity mixture having a high degree of uniformity. The immersion mill includes an improvement wherein a helical screw impeller is placed within a tubular inlet passage for moving the batch longitudinally through the tubular inlet passage into the immersion mill, the helical screw impeller including a helical flight extending along the length of the tubular inlet passage and having a diameter complementary to the diameter of the tubular inlet passage and a pitch less than the length of the tubular inlet passage such that the helical flight spans the diameter of the tubular inlet passage along plural turns of the helical flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Hockmeyer Equipment Corp.
    Inventor: Herman H. Hockmeyer
  • Patent number: 7073738
    Abstract: An agitator with a rotatable axial shaft with a plurality of grinding discs connected generally perpendicular to the shaft is provided having at least one grinding disc with an axially extending pin spaced radially outwardly from the shaft and radially inwardly from a peripheral edge of the disc. The pin is aligned with a smooth surface on a next adjacent disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Premier Mill Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Sneeringer, Charles MacNeall
  • Patent number: 7059552
    Abstract: These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a comminution apparatus comprised of a housing member formed with co-planar circularly-shaped chambers in chordal juxtapositioned to each other thereby forming a collision zone therebetween and wherein wheel members having radially disposed directional vanes are positioned for rotation in each cylindrically-shaped chamber and wherein an inlet fluid conduit or a slurry of particulate matter to be treated is in axial fluid communication with each wheel member and wherein each wheel member is caused to be rotated in a direction to accelerate the slurry towards the collision zone and to affect particle size reduction by particle collision and wherein an outlet conduit is in fluid communication with the collision zone for withdrawing a slurry of size reduced particles from the comminution apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Inventor: Peter E. Hayles, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7014134
    Abstract: The horizontally operating stirred ball mill has a cylindrical grinding chamber (50) serving for receiving grinding media, a material inlet (37) arranged at the end of the grinding chamber (50) and opening into the interior (3) of the grinding chamber (50), a material outlet (38) arranged at the other end of the grinding chamber and leading out of the interior (3), a stirrer (1) having a plurality of stirrer members (2) and coaxial with the chamber axis (60), and a separation system present upstream of the material outlet (38) and consisting of a separation member (80) and a drive member which drives said separation member and which separates the grinding media from the ground material and transports them back into the interior (3) of the grinding chamber (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Willy A. Bachofen AG
    Inventors: Martin Heinzelmann, Stefan Spornberger
  • Patent number: 6976647
    Abstract: A system for milling at least one material, e.g., a drug, is described. The system includes a milling apparatus. In another embodiment of the invention, the system includes at least one milling medium. The milling apparatus includes a chamber having a rotary milling head located in it. The milling head is rotated within the chamber by a magnetic drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Elan Pharma International, Limited
    Inventors: Robert G. Reed, David Czekai
  • Patent number: 6808136
    Abstract: An agitator (10) with a rotatable axial shaft (24) with a plurality of grinding discs (22) connected generally perpendicular to the shaft (24) is provided having at least one grinding disc (22) with an axially extending pin (32) spaced radially outwardly from the shaft (24) and radially inwardly from a peripheral edge of the disc (22). The pin (32) is aligned with a smooth surface on a next adjacent disc (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Premier Mill Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Sneeringer, Charles MacNeall
  • Publication number: 20040195413
    Abstract: A system for milling at least one material, e.g., a drug. The system includes a milling apparatus and at least one milling medium. The milling apparatus includes a chamber having a rotary milling head located in it. The milling head is rotated within the chamber by a magnetic drive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Elan Pharma International Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert G. Reed, David Czekai
  • Publication number: 20040164194
    Abstract: A system for milling at least one material, e.g., a drug, is described. The system includes a milling apparatus. In another embodiment of the invention, the system includes at least one milling medium. The milling apparatus includes a chamber having a rotary milling head located in it. The milling head is rotated within the chamber by a magnetic drive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: Elan Pharma International Limited
    Inventors: Robert G. Reed, David Czekai
  • Patent number: 6764034
    Abstract: A grinding mill has a rotating container (40) into which particulate material is fed. The container is rotated above critical speed to form a layer which is retained under high pressure against the container inner surface. Shearing discs (58) mounted inside the container induce shearing of the layer to promote particle fracture by shearing and abrasion in the pressurized layer. Fine ground material travels axially to the container discharge end (64). In one form of the invention, the container is rotated at sufficient speed to form a series of solidified zones (70) alternated with stirred zones (72) next to non-rotating shearing discs (58). These solidified zones act as solid discs rotating with the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: EDI Rail PTY Limited
    Inventor: Christopher George Kelsey
  • Patent number: 6752338
    Abstract: A pilot plant scale SAG mill suitable for use in design of a commercial scale SAG mill. The ball mill has a cylindrical outer chamber having flanges at opposed ends. The cylindrical outer chamber contains a removable grinding chamber in the form of a sleeve. The removable grinding chamber has a diameter of 2-5 feet and a ratio of diameter:length in the range of 3:1 to 1:1. The removable grinding chamber contains a plurality of steel balls. The removable grinding chamber extends partly down the length of the cylindrical chamber and has longitudinal lifters attached to the internal surface of the sleeve. The lifters are capable of lifting steel balls located in the removable grinding chamber during rotation of the cylindrical outer chamber. The removable grinding chamber has means at one end for receiving particulate ore from a feed hopper and a removable diaphragm at the opposed end, the removable diaphragm having outlet ports therein for discharge of ground particulate ore into the cylindrical outer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Starkey & Associates Grinding Design and Process Engineering
    Inventor: John Starkey
  • Patent number: 6742734
    Abstract: A system for milling at least one material, e.g., a drug. The system includes a milling apparatus and at least one milling medium. The milling apparatus includes a chamber having a rotary milling head located in it. The milling head is rotated within the chamber by a magnetic drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Elan Pharma International Limited
    Inventors: Robert G. Reed, David Czekai
  • Publication number: 20040089753
    Abstract: A process for preparing a finely divided preparation of a drug substance comprising wet milling a suspension of the drug substance in a mill having at least one chamber and agitation means, said chamber(s) and/or said agitation means comprising nylon, wherein the nylon comprises one or more internal lubricants results in finely divided preparations of a drug substance in which the level of grinding media contamination and process contamination are reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Simon Joseph Holland, Wendy Anne Knight, Graham Stanley Leonard
  • Patent number: 6719610
    Abstract: A particulate grinding method and device applies different force fields to drive the grinding medium and the particulates move in different routes but collide only at a grinding area so that they are separated naturally without conventional screening mechanisms, such as a screen or a gap, and prevented from the limitation of mechanical size of the components. Moreover, the invention is applicable to finer particulates. The circulation of particulates is not limited by any small gap of screening mechanisms, so the particulates ill not block the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ta-Hsin Chou, Wen-Yeu Lee, Lei-Yi Chen
  • Publication number: 20040026546
    Abstract: Improved cleanability and contamination prevention are provided in a wet milling apparatus (1) for the production of pharmaceutical grade milled products. The advantages are provided by a milling agitator (40) that is characterized by a smooth, seamless agitating surface, without crevices or seams which might accumulate contamination and which might prevent removal of contamination during cleaning. The use of polymeric milling media reduces wear on the agitator and permits the agitator to be constructed with permanent, smooth weld joints. Seamless joints are also provided on the interior of the milling chamber (60) and sanitary, threadless fasteners are provided for the media separation screen (81) and other milling fittings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: David A Czekai, Robert G Reed
  • Publication number: 20040021021
    Abstract: The present invention includes a grinding container; a separator provided in the grinding container for separating the grinding container into two chambers of an inner chamber and an outer chamber and having, at least in part, a clearance that connects the chambers; a stirrer rotatably provided in the inner chamber; a supply port for supplying a processing object into the inner chamber; and a discharge port for discharging the processing object from the outer chamber. The stirrer includes a disc rotatably provided in the inner chamber and a plurality of rotating arms provided on both sides of the disc. The disc has a plurality of openings that passes through opposite sides thereof. The inner chamber has therein a plurality of fixed arms facing the rotating arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Applicant: Mitsui Mining Company, Limited
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20030209618
    Abstract: An agitator (10) with a rotatable axial shaft (24) with a plurality of grinding discs (22) connected generally perpendicular to the shaft (24) is provided having at least one grinding disc (22) with an axially extending pin (32) spaced radially outwardly from the shaft (24) and radially inwardly from a peripheral edge of the disc (22). The pin (32) is aligned with a smooth surface on a next adjacent disc (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventors: John R Sneeringer, Charles MacNeill
  • Publication number: 20030183704
    Abstract: An apparatus (10; 100) for wet granulating comprising a vessel (12; 112) for holding a material to be granulated, means for agitating (16; 116) the material and a fluid supply means (32; 132) having an outlet (40; 140) for introducing fluid into the vessel (12; 112), the outlet (40; 140) having a size such that, at a flow rate of fluid suitable for granulating the material, fluid emerges from the outlet (40; 140) substantially in the form of a jet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Anne-Laure Camara, Ludovic Lecointre
  • Patent number: 6607152
    Abstract: This invention relates to the mill wherein balls which are loading members in a milling chamber are made to move reciprocating motion certainly in the axis direction of a revolving shaft in addition to vertical motion so that a mass of objects can be milled in a short time, and which comprises of: a drum body providing an introduction inlet on one end thereof and the exhaust outlet on the other end thereof; a revolving shaft running through the inside of the dram body in the axis direction of the body; division members mounted on the revolving shaft with tilted angle to the vertical of said shaft dividing the inside of dram body, and forming plural milling chambers communicating through mutually in said dram body and pleural loading members for milling charged in said milling chamber, wherein said loading members repeat raising and falling by rotating said division members and move with reciprocating motion in the axis direction of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Inventor: Sigeo Yanase
  • Patent number: 6585180
    Abstract: A pipeline beads mill has a dispersion chamber, a first feeding port for feeding a material to be treated into the dispersion chamber, a second feeding port for feeding a dispersion media into the dispersion chamber, a tubular outer stator disposed in the dispersion chamber, and a tubular inner stator disposed in the outer stator in spaced-apart relation thereto to form a treatment gap therebetween for receiving the dispersion media and the material to be treated. The inner stator has an outflow port in communication with the treatment gap. A tubular rotor is disposed in the dispersion chamber and partitions the treatment gap into an outer gap portion and an inner gap portion. A rotationally driven shaft rotates the rotor to displace the dispersion media so as to disperse the material to be treated. The rotor has a circulation port for permitting circulation of dispersion media between the outer gap portion and the inner gap portion of the treatment gap during rotation of the drive rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Inoue Mfg., Inc.
    Inventor: Masakazu Inoue
  • Patent number: 6565024
    Abstract: A dispersing device has a container that receives and processes a product to be dispersed and a grinding device with a housing that contains grinding bodies, wherein said housing has openings enabling the product to be dispersed to pass through, an agitating tool arranged in the housing and a first flow-producing device, and wherein the housing and the agitating tool can move relative to one another and at least one shaft protrudes into the housing via a through-opening that allows the product to be dispersed to enter the housing. In order to reliably prevent grinding balls from escaping from the housing or the grinding basket, it is proposed that another flow-producing device be provided in the region of the through-opening between the shaft (21) and the housing (31), which transports the product to be dispersed through the through-opening, out of the container (1) and into the housing (31) during operation and has means to prevent the grinding media from leaving the housing (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: VMA-Getzmann GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Getzmann, Frank Schieweg
  • Publication number: 20030006329
    Abstract: This invention relates to the mill wherein balls which are loading members in a milling chamber are made to move reciprocating motion certainly in the axis direction of a revolving shaft in addition to vertical motion so that a mass of objects can be milled in a short time, and which comprises of: a drum body providing an introduction inlet on one end thereof and the exhaust outlet on the other end thereof; a revolving shaft running through the inside of the dram body in the axis direction of the body; division members mounted on the revolving shaft with tilted angle to the vertical of said shaft dividing the inside of dram body, and forming plural milling chambers communicating through mutually in said dram body and pleural loading members for milling charged in said milling chamber, wherein said loading members repeat raising and falling by rotating said division members and move with reciprocating motion in the axis direction of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventor: Sigeo Yanase