Explosion-proof wet type vacuum separator

Abstract

An explosion-proof wet vacuum separator includes an air inlet, a turbine enclosed within an explosion-proof enclosure, an explosion-proof electric machine enclosed within the explosion-proof enclosure, the explosion-proof electric machine configured to drive the turbine to generate a suction force through the air inlet to force debris through the air inlet, a housing, and an air inlet. A system includes a housing configured to receive an air inlet and an explosion-proof enclosure including a turbine and an explosion-proof electric machine, a plurality of sensors disposed on the housing and configured to obtain directional data, position data and debris data, one or more wheels, and a controller, the controller is configured to control the wheel to move the housing based on at least one of the direction data, the position data, and the debris data.

Description

[0001] introduction

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this section and in aspects of the description that may not qualify as prior art at the time of filing, is neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted to be prior art against the present disclosure. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to explosion proof wet vacuum separators. Background Art

[0004] In AM facilities, metal powders tend to accumulate from the AM process. This accumulation results in residual powder on the floor, which poses a risk to operators, creates a fire risk, and creates a process contamination risk.

[0005] Therefore, there is room for improvement to ensure that residual powder from additive manufacturing is removed. Summary of the invention

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a system comprising an air inlet, a suction arm, a filter, a collection box downstream of the filter, a turbine enclosed in an explosion-proof housing, an explosion-proof motor enclosed in the explosion-proof housing, the explosion-proof motor being configured to drive the turbine to generate suction through the air inlet and the suction arm to force debris through the filter and into the collection box, a housing configured to accommodate the air inlet, the suction arm, the filter, the collection box, and the explosion-proof housing including the turbine and the explosion-proof motor, a lifting mechanism attached to the housing and configured to move in an upward direction and a downward direction relative to the housing, a plurality of sensors disposed on the housing and configured to obtain direction data, obtain position data, and debris data, one or more wheels, and a controller configured to control the wheels to move the housing based on at least one of the direction data, the position data, and the debris data.

[0007] Implementations of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the controller is configured to move the suction arm. The controller may move the suction arm to the debris in response to the debris data.

[0008] The controller may move the housing to the debris in response to the debris data.

[0009] The controller may be configured to control the lifting mechanism to move the lifting mechanism in an upward direction and a downward direction.

[0010] The plurality of sensors may include at least one of a camera, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a GPS sensor, an accelerometer, or a gyroscope.

[0011] The controller may be in communication with a user device. The user device may be configured to define directional parameters of the controller to control the wheel movement housing.

[0012] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a system comprising an air inlet, a turbine enclosed in an explosion-proof housing, an explosion-proof motor enclosed in the explosion-proof housing, the explosion-proof motor being configured to drive the turbine to generate suction through the air inlet to force debris through the air inlet, a housing configured to accommodate the air inlet and the explosion-proof housing including the turbine and the explosion-proof motor, a plurality of sensors disposed on the housing and configured to obtain direction data, obtain position data and debris data, and a controller configured to control the wheel to move the housing based on at least one of the direction data, the position data and the debris data.

[0013] Implementations of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features.In some implementations, the controller moves the housing to the debris in response to the debris data.

[0014] The system may further include a lifting mechanism attached to the housing and configured to move in an upward direction and a downward direction relative to the housing, the controller being configured to control the lifting mechanism to move the lifting mechanism in the upward direction and the downward direction.

[0015] The plurality of sensors may include at least one of a camera, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a GPS sensor, an accelerometer, or a gyroscope.

[0016] The controller is in communication with the user device. The user device may be configured to define directional parameters of the controller to control the wheel movement housing.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides an autonomous explosion-proof wet vacuum separator, which includes an air inlet, a turbine enclosed in an explosion-proof housing, an explosion-proof motor enclosed in the explosion-proof housing, the explosion-proof motor being configured to drive the turbine to generate suction through the air inlet to force debris through the air inlet, a housing configured to accommodate the air inlet and the explosion-proof housing including the turbine and the explosion-proof motor, a plurality of sensors disposed on the housing and configured to obtain direction data, obtain position data and debris data, and a controller configured to move the housing based on at least one of the direction data, the position data and the debris data.

[0018] Implementations of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features.In some implementations, the controller moves the housing to the debris in response to the debris data.

[0019] The autonomous explosion-proof wet vacuum separator may further include a lifting mechanism attached to the housing and configured to move in an upward direction and a downward direction relative to the housing, the controller being configured to control the lifting mechanism to move the lifting mechanism in the upward direction and the downward direction.

[0020] The plurality of sensors may include at least one of a camera, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a GPS sensor, an accelerometer, or a gyroscope.

[0021] The controller may be in communication with a user device. The user device may be configured to define directional parameters of the controller to control the position of the housing.

[0022] The details of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary explosion proof wet vacuum separator according to the principles of the present disclosure; and

[0025] Figure 2 It is docked on the docking station Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an explosion-proof wet vacuum separator.

[0026] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and example configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0028] refer to Figure 1 , generally showing an explosion proof wet vacuum separator 100. As will become apparent, the vacuum cleaner 100 can be fully autonomous, semi-autonomous, or programmed to operate at a predefined location. In some embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 can be designed to suck up residual powder from an additive manufacturing process. In other embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 can be designed for any suitable application requiring the removal of debris.

[0029] The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a housing 102, which may be formed of plastic or any other suitable material. The vacuum cleaner 100 includes an air inlet 104 disposed at a lower portion of the housing 102. The air inlet 104 is designed to remove debris from the floor near the air inlet 104. In some embodiments, the air inlet 104 includes rollers or other suitable components to facilitate debris pickup.

[0030] The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a turbine 106 driven by an explosion-proof motor 108. The explosion-proof motor 108 may include an enclosure that withstands and contains an internal explosion, a flame exhaust path that suppresses flames and allows hot gases to escape the enclosure, and / or a surface that does not exceed the minimum auto-ignition temperature of vapors, gases, or dust in the expected environment. Both the turbine 106 and the explosion-proof motor 108 may be enclosed in an explosion-proof enclosure 110.

[0031] The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a filter 112 downstream of the turbine 106 and the explosion-proof motor 108. The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a dry collection box 114 and a wet reservoir 134. In operation, the turbine 106 draws vacuum through the dry collection box 114 and the wet reservoir 134. In some embodiments, the dry collection box 114 may include an interchangeable reservoir or multiple reservoirs to hold incompatible powders (e.g., aluminum and steel, explosive polymers, non-metallic powders, etc.) from different areas of the clean space. The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a suction arm 116, which in some embodiments extends out of the housing 102, or a lifting mechanism 130, as described below. In some embodiments, the suction arm 116 includes an accessory member 118 at the distal end of the suction arm 116, such as a head, a brush, a roller, etc.

[0032] When driven by the motor 108, the turbine 106 generates a suction force through the air inlet 104 and / or the suction arm 116 to draw air and debris through the air inlet 104 and / or the suction arm 116. In some embodiments, the wet storage 134 can separate the wet debris from the dry debris and deposit the dry debris into the dry collection box 114. In some embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 may include an extractor or other suitable device to separate the wet debris from the dry debris. The vacuum 100 then passes the dry debris through the filter 112 and into the dry collection box 114. In some embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 selectively operates the suction port 104 or the suction arm 116 depending on the desired result. In other embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 operates the air inlet 104 and the suction arm 116 simultaneously.

[0033] Continue to refer Figure 1, the vacuum cleaner 100 includes a controller 120, which includes a computer system. The computer system of the controller 120 includes a processor 122 and a memory 124. The processor 122 performs the computational and control functions of the controller 120 and may include any type of processor or multiple processors, a single integrated circuit such as a microprocessor, or any suitable number of integrated circuit devices and / or circuit boards that work in cooperation to accomplish the functions of a processing unit. During operation, the processor 122 executes one or more programs contained within the memory 124, and thus controls the general operation of the controller 120 and the computer system of the controller 120, generally in performing the processes described herein.

[0034] Memory 124 may be any type of suitable memory. For example, memory 106 may include various types of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as SDRAM, various types of static RAM (SRAM), and various types of non-volatile memory (PROM, EPROM, and flash memory). In some examples, memory 124 may be located and / or co-located on the same computer chip as processor 122.

[0035] The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a plurality of sensors 126 disposed in or on the housing 102. In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors 126 include cameras, lidar sensors, radar sensors, sonar sensors, GPS sensors, accelerometers, and / or gyroscopes. The sensors 126 are configured to collect a plurality of data, including orientation data, position data, and debris data (i.e., detecting the presence of debris), individually or collectively. In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors 126 may obtain and track historical data (e.g., areas where powder tends to accumulate, times when powder tends to accumulate, etc.).

[0036] The vacuum cleaner 100 includes one or more moving components 128 that facilitate movement of the vacuum cleaner 100. In some embodiments, the moving component 128 is a wheel. In other embodiments, the moving component 128 is any suitable component, such as a track, a skateboard, a snowboard, a magnetic levitation, etc.

[0037] The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a lifting mechanism 130 disposed at the top of the housing 102. The lifting mechanism 130 includes any suitable components (e.g., pistons, pulleys, jacks, etc.) so that the lifting mechanism 130 moves in an upward direction and a downward direction relative to the housing 102. The lifting mechanism 130 is designed to withstand heavy loads, and in some embodiments, is configured to lift external components and structures. For example, the lifting mechanism 130 can lift a pallet of components or materials and move them to a desired position. In other embodiments, the lifting mechanism 130 is configured to lift the vacuum cleaner 100 so that the vacuum cleaner 100 can travel above and above obstacles or other items on the floor. In other embodiments, the lifting mechanism 130 is configured to rise so that the suction arm 116 can reach an area with a higher height. The lifting mechanism 130 can combine any of the aforementioned embodiments according to the needs of a specific application.

[0038] The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a magnetic powder capture element (MPCE) 132 to detect ferromagnetic powder, extract ferromagnetic powder from a surface, and contain ferromagnetic powder. The MPCE 132 includes a plurality of permanent magnets and / or electromagnets to generate a magnetic field of continuously controllable strength from fully off to maximum power. The MPCE 132 generates sufficient magnetic field strength to lift ferromagnetic powder from a contaminated surface and continuously retains the powder until extracted and deposited into a wet reservoir 134. In some embodiments, the MPCE 132 can be immersed in a reservoir liquid, where the powder remains magnetically attached to the capture surface, to passivate the captured powder. The magnetic field of the MPCE 132 can be turned off while exposed to a wet vacuum alone to facilitate easy and complete powder removal.

[0039] Continue to refer Figure 1 , the controller 120 may be connected to the user device 300 via the Internet 200, Wi-Fi, near field communication (NFC), or any other suitable wireless communication. The user device 300 may be a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, etc. The user device 300 may include a program configured to deliver instructions to the vacuum cleaner 100. For example, the user device 300 may define a travel path of the vacuum cleaner 100, an operating time of the vacuum cleaner 100, a maximum amount of debris that the vacuum cleaner 100 can collect, and an area where the vacuum cleaner 100 should not operate.

[0040] Reference Figure 2, the vacuum cleaner 100 can be docked at a docking station 400 including a docking collection box 402. The vacuum cleaner 100 can automatically dock at the docking station 400 at predetermined intervals or after the controller 120 detects that the dry collection box 114 is full. In some embodiments, a user via the user device 300 can instruct the vacuum cleaner 100 to dock at the docking station. When docked at the docking station 400, the docking station 400 can remove the contents of the dry collection box 114 and deposit the contents in the docking collection box 402.

[0041] In some embodiments, the docking station 400 can charge the battery of the vacuum cleaner 100, and while charging, the docking station 400 can drain the wet reservoir 134 and refill the reservoir 134 with fresh cleaning liquid to facilitate further cleaning. The docking station 400 can automatically filter debris from the liquid and place the debris in a filter bag to recirculate / process the debris before providing water for future refilling of the vacuum cleaner 100. In some embodiments, the docking station 400 can have a sensor to detect the amount of particles in the water. Based on the data from the sensor, the docking station 400 can determine whether water should be added the next time the vacuum cleaner 100 is docked or require fresh new water / solution / liquid to refill the wet reservoir 134.

[0042] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific exemplary configurations and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a", "an" and "the" may also be intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "including" and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes and operations described herein should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as an execution order. Additional or alternative steps may be adopted.

[0043] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on another element or layer," "engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, directly engaged with, connected to, attached to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element or layer," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0044] The terms first, second, third, etc. can be used in this article to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts. These elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms can only be used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer or part from another region, layer or part. Unless the context clearly indicates, terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, without departing from the teaching of the example configuration, the first element, component, region, layer or part discussed below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or part.

[0045] In this application, including the definitions below, the term module may be replaced by the term circuit. The term module may refer to, be part of, or include: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by a memory; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0046] The term code as used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class and / or an object. The term shared processor includes a single processor that executes some or all codes from multiple modules. The processor term group includes a processor that executes some or all codes from one or more modules in combination with an additional processor. The term shared memory includes a single memory that stores some or all codes from multiple modules. The memory term group includes a memory that stores some or all codes from one or more modules in combination with an additional memory. The term memory may be a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium does not include transient electrical signals and electromagnetic signals propagated through the medium, and therefore can be considered to be tangible and non-transient memory. Non-limiting examples of non-temporary memory include tangible computer-readable media, which include non-volatile memory, magnetic storage, and optical storage.

[0047] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented in part or in whole by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer program includes processor executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer program may also include and / or rely on stored data.

[0048] Software applications (i.e., software resources) may refer to computer software that enables a computing device to perform tasks. Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and gaming applications.

[0049] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to temporarily or permanently store programs (e.g., sequences of instructions) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used for firmware, such as bootloaders). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase change memory (PCM), and disk or tape.

[0050] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages ​​and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, memory, and / or device (e.g., disk, optical disk, processor, programmable logic device (PLD)) for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable device, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0051] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be realized in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementations in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system that includes at least one programmable processor, which may be special purpose or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and to send data and instructions to the storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device.

[0052] The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors (also referred to as data processing hardware), which execute one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating outputs. The processes and logic flows can also be performed by special logic circuits (e.g., FPGA (field programmable gate array) or ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)). As an example, processors suitable for executing computer programs include both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any type of digital computer. Typically, the processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The basic elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include one or more mass storage devices (e.g., magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks) for storing data, or be operably coupled to receive data from it or transmit data to it or both. However, a computer does not need to have such a device. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of nonvolatile memory, media, and memory devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

[0053] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touch screen) for displaying information to the user and optionally a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including sound, voice, or tactile input. In addition, the computer may interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a user's client device in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0054] Many embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0055] The foregoing description is provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure. The individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but are interchangeable where applicable and can be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. It can also be varied in many ways. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A system comprising: Air intake; Suction arm; Filters; a collection box downstream of the filter; a turbine, the turbine being enclosed in an explosion-proof housing; an explosion-proof motor enclosed within the explosion-proof housing, the explosion-proof motor being configured to drive the turbine to generate a suction force through the air inlet and the suction arm, thereby forcing debris through the filter and into the collection box; a housing configured to house the air inlet, the suction arm, the filter, the collection box, and the explosion-proof enclosure including the turbine and the explosion-proof motor; a lift mechanism attached to the housing and configured to move in an upward direction and a downward direction relative to the housing; a plurality of sensors disposed on the housing and configured to obtain orientation data, position data, and debris data; one or more wheels; as well as A controller is configured to control the wheels to move the housing based on at least one of the direction data, the position data, and the debris data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is configured to move one of the suction arm or the housing to the debris in response to the debris data. 3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the lifting mechanism to move the lifting mechanism in the upward direction and the downward direction.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of sensors include at least one of a camera, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a GPS sensor, an accelerometer, or a gyroscope.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The controller communicates with user equipment.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein: The user device is configured to define a directional parameter of the controller to control the wheel to move the housing.

7. A system comprising: Air intake; a turbine, the turbine being enclosed in an explosion-proof housing; an explosion-proof motor enclosed within the explosion-proof housing, the explosion-proof motor being configured to drive the turbine to generate suction through the air inlet, thereby forcing debris through the air inlet; a housing configured to house the air inlet and the explosion-proof enclosure, the explosion-proof enclosure including the turbine and the explosion-proof motor; a plurality of sensors disposed on the housing and configured to obtain orientation data, position data, and debris data; one or more wheels; as well as A controller is configured to control the wheels to move the housing based on at least one of the direction data, the position data, and the debris data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The controller moves the housing to the debris in response to the debris data.

9. The system according to claim 7 further includes a lifting mechanism, which is attached to the shell and is configured to move in an upward direction and a downward direction relative to the shell, and the controller is configured to control the lifting mechanism to move the lifting mechanism in the upward direction and the downward direction.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of sensors include at least one of a camera, a lidar sensor, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a GPS sensor, an accelerometer, or a gyroscope.

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