Pressure grinding equipment easy to clean and maintain

Abstract

A grinding apparatus is disclosed that uses an air pressure zone to comminute material into smaller components while still being easy to clean and maintain. The pressure zones are formed by a convex-lined chamber defined within a housing containing a rotating plate to which a vane is attached. As material is fed into the chamber through the inlet, rotation of the blades urges the material from the high pressure zone to the low pressure zone, causing the product to be comminuted into smaller components before exiting the chamber through the outlet. The housing defining the chamber includes separable parts that rest on a system that allows for simple and rapid assembly and disassembly of the housing for cleaning and maintenance. In addition, the inclusion of the pressure port and the valve allows the grinder to be cleaned without opening or detaching the grinder. The features may be combined to form a self-cleaning cycle that maintains the grinder hygiene without labor-intensive disassembly.

Description

[0001] priority

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 512,958, filed July 11, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to an apparatus for grinding or milling substances into granules and powders, and to a method of using the apparatus. Background Technology

[0004] Background technology and the technical problems raised by existing technology

[0005] In the field of materials processing, it is often necessary to reduce organic or inorganic raw materials (hereinafter referred to as "materials") into powder or granular form for use and consumption. The most common form of this grinding process is contact milling, in which the material being ground is subjected to significant friction or impact forces from a hard material (typically metal, rock, or ceramic), which breaks the material into smaller particle components. However, contact milling is often accompanied by many negative side effects and disadvantages, such as low product efficiency and microbial contamination. Pressure mills address these drawbacks of contact milling by using air pressure to pulverize the material being processed. This pneumatic system kills bacteria and reduces production-related grinding inefficiencies.

[0006] When using a pressure mill to grind different materials, the unit must be cleaned between grinding cycles to maintain the purity of the materials. Two separate and suboptimal methods exist in the prior art for cleaning pressure mills. The first method simply involves flowing water through the mill, into the inlet and then out through the outlet. While this process is relatively simple and not very expensive, its effectiveness is limited: although this water bath will remove loose debris and dirt from the mill, it will not have sufficient force or cleaning power to remove any compacted or accumulated debris attached to the mill's protrusions and rotor plates. Furthermore, this method often leaves a puddle of water at the bottom of the mill because it is difficult to thoroughly dry the mill after rinsing its interior. This residual water can negatively impact the next operating cycle of the mill for materials or products that need to remain dry.

[0007] The second preferred method for cleaning a pressure grinder disclosed in the prior art involves disassembling the housing to expose the grinder's interior. While this disassembly process does allow the user full access to clean the internal components, it is neither easy nor economical. Due to the large and heavy size of the grinder housing, disassembly requires significant time and manpower. This lengthy disassembly time increases the time required to clean prior art pressure grinders, thus reducing the amount of time the grinder can be operated daily for the grinding process. Furthermore, whenever a prior art pressure grinder is opened, expensive seals that help maintain the airtightness of the housing plate must be replaced with new seals to prevent leaks, further increasing the cost and complexity of prior art disassembly-based cleaning.

[0008] Despite producing high-quality pulverized end products, existing pressure mills suffer from the same difficulties in cleaning as they in maintaining and repairing. Because pressure mills withstand powerful pressure impacts and significant kinetic energy, the plates forming the mill's casing are heavy, bulky, cumbersome, and difficult to separate or open. Furthermore, the bearings and blades that generate the pressure impacts require regular maintenance and replacement to continue functioning optimally. The inability to easily and inexpensively open existing pressure mills means that users are reluctant to regularly clean and maintain their mills, leading to high wear and tear rates and failure rates. These increased maintenance / cleaning costs and failure rates often make pressure grinding a difficult, expensive, and time-consuming process. The grinding industry has long sought to address these maintenance and cleaning issues associated with pressure mills, but to date, a suitable solution has not been developed that allows for the widespread use of pressure mills in commercial grinding.

[0009] This invention addresses one or more of the disadvantages discussed above in prior art pressure grinders by enabling easy and regular access, cleaning, and maintenance of the internal components of the grinder when it is in both the open and closed positions. The inventors of this invention have discovered how to provide an improved grinding apparatus and method of operation that includes novel and advantageous features not previously taught or conceived by the prior art, and which is adaptable to designs having one or more of the aforementioned benefits or features. Summary of the Invention

[0010] According to a broad aspect of one form of the invention, the claimed invention is an improved pressure grinding apparatus for pulverizing wet or dry materials into relatively small components, wherein the apparatus is easy to clean and maintain.

[0011] The device defines a closed chamber having: at least one inlet through which material can enter the chamber; and at least one outlet through which material can exit the chamber. At least one protrusion is circumferentially arranged inside the chamber, extending inwardly from the chamber wall toward the center of the chamber. The device includes: a rotatable shaft extending from one side of the chamber to the other; and at least one rotor assembly coupled to the rotor shaft, wherein the rotor assembly includes a plate or a series of plates. Each plate has a series of blades extending across the plate and terminating at blade tips located near the protrusions in the chamber wall. The device includes a motor operatively connected to the rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate the rotor assembly.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the chamber comprises a plurality of housing elements or housing parts (collectively referred to herein as "parts") that are separated from each other by sliding on tracks attached to a frame that slides on another set of tracks. This combination of sliding frames and tracks allows the housing parts to move away from the center of the pressure grinder in two dimensions, thereby enabling the user of the grinder to easily access the interior of the grinder for deep cleaning and easy maintenance when the housing parts are in the open position.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing chamber includes one or more high-pressure and low-pressure ports that supply a fluid substance, such as water or a cleaning solution, into the pressure mill. These ports, in conjunction with valves at the mill's inlet and outlet, allow the operator of the pressure mill to gently clean it between uses without disassembling it while it is in the closed position. The low-pressure port can also be used to precisely regulate the moisture content inside the mill during material processing to produce a final pulverized product of better quality.

[0014] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the high-pressure and low-pressure ports can be managed by a controller programmed to automatically clean the pressure grinder. The controller is programmed with various washing cycle presets to efficiently clean the device without disassembling the grinder's housing; each setting is customized for different situations by controlling specific revolutions per minute (“RPM”), temperature, moisture content, water volume, and cleaning solution composition.

[0015] In another aspect of the invention, the device includes a grille positioned below the housing to cover the components from which liquid is discharged.

[0016] According to another aspect of the invention, the device includes at least one safety sensor that signals a locking mechanism to prevent the member separating the separable part of the housing from opening while the at least one plate of the at least one rotor assembly is moving. In another form of the invention, the device includes at least one safety sensor that signals a locking mechanism to prevent the at least one rotor plate of the at least one rotor assembly from rotating until the separable part of the housing is in a closed position. Preferably, the separable part of the housing has an attachment member that locks each of the separable parts together.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the separable parts of the housing are connected to each other by pneumatic locking pins, which are aligned with the separable parts of the housing in the closed position.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the device includes at least one seal fitted between the separable parts of the housing.

[0019] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the first track and the second track are in the form of guide rails, beams, rods, sliders, chains, tubes, pipes, spindles, or shafts. Preferably, the first track and the second track are perpendicular to each other.

[0020] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the device includes at least one port, which can be either a low-pressure port or a high-pressure port. In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one port is positioned such that fluid material injected into the interior of the chamber through the at least one port is configured to intercept the blades of the at least one plate. The at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the chamber are each preferably covered by a valve.

[0021] According to a broad aspect of one form of the invention, the claimed invention is a method for cleaning a pressure milling apparatus for pulverizing wet or dry materials into relatively small fractions, wherein the method comprises the steps of: obtaining the pressure milling apparatus; obtaining a fluid substance; operating a component of a separable part separating the housing of the apparatus in a first direction; operating the component of the separable part separating the housing in a second direction transverse to the first direction to expose the at least one rotor assembly; applying the fluid substance to the exposed rotor assembly and the housing; and drying the interior of the housing.

[0022] According to another broad aspect of one form of the invention, the claimed invention is a method for cleaning a pressure grinding apparatus for pulverizing wet or dry materials into relatively small fractions, wherein the method comprises the steps of: obtaining the pressure grinding apparatus; obtaining a fluid substance; closing the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the housing; injecting the fluid substance into the housing via the at least one port; rotating the rotatable shaft using the motor of the apparatus; opening the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the housing; removing the fluid substance from the housing; and drying the interior of the housing.

[0023] It should be understood that the present invention may include any or all of the features described above, including only one feature described above, more than one feature described above, and any combination of the features described above. Furthermore, other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the entire specification, including the appended claims and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0024] In the accompanying drawings that form part of this specification, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same parts. Figure 1 This is an isometric view of an embodiment of the grinding apparatus according to the invention, viewed from above, showing the grinding apparatus in a closed position or configuration; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top view of the grinding equipment; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Front view of the grinding equipment; Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A front view of the left side of the grinding equipment; Figure 5 It is viewed from above. Figure 1 An isometric view of a grinding device, which has been moved to a partially or semi-open position or configuration; Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A top view of the grinding equipment; Figure 7 yes Figure 5 Front view of the grinding equipment; Figure 8 It is viewed from above. Figure 1 An isometric view of a grinding device in a fully open position or configuration; Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A top view of the grinding equipment; Figure 10 yes Figure 8A front view of the left side of the grinding equipment; Figure 11 yes Figure 1 An enlarged partial front view of a portion of the housing of a grinding equipment; Figure 12 yes Figure 1 An enlarged partial side front view of a part of the grinding equipment, and Figure 12 A bottom locking system for the frame is shown; Figure 13 yes Figure 1 An enlarged partial isometric view of a portion of the housing of the grinding equipment, and Figure 13 A positioning block for the housing part is shown; Figure 14 yes Figure 1 An enlarged partial front view of a portion of the housing of the grinding equipment, and Figure 14 A pneumatic locking mechanism is shown to lock housing parts in a closed configuration; Figure 15 yes Figure 14 An enlarged partial isometric view of a portion of the pneumatic locking mechanism; Figure 16 This is an enlarged partial isometric view of a part of the pneumatic locking slider; Figure 17 yes Figure 1 An enlarged partial isometric view of a portion of the housing of the grinding equipment, and Figure 17 A top locking system for housing parts is shown; Figure 18 yes Figure 1 A top view of the drainage test system of the grinding equipment; Figure 19 yes Figure 18 Rear front view of the drainage test system; Figure 20 yes Figure 18 An isometric view of the drainage test system from above; Figure 21 yes Figure 18 Left front view of the drainage test system; Figure 22 yes Figure 1 An enlarged partial isometric view of a portion of the grinding equipment from above, and Figure 22 The outlet portion of the housing is shown; Figure 23 yes Figure 1 An enlarged partial front view of a portion of the housing of the grinding equipment, and Figure 22 The housing is shown in a closed, locked configuration; and Figure 24 yes Figure 1 A partial isometric sectional view of a part of the grinding equipment, and Figure 24 The first group or first pair of (Y-axis) tracks are shown in more detail. Detailed Implementation

[0025] refer to Figures 1 to 24 Exemplary embodiments of the present invention take the form of an improved pressure grinder or apparatus 40 (hereinafter referred to as an "easy-clean" grinder), which is easier to clean and maintain than pressure grinders existing in the prior art. The claimed invention is in its partially open configuration (e.g., Figures 5 to 7 ), its fully open configuration (e.g., Figures 8 to 10 ) or in its closed configuration (e.g., Figures 1 to 4 It can be easily cleaned.

[0026] The pressure mill 40 is a device that uses air pressure to pulverize material into smaller fragments by moving the material between high-pressure and low-pressure zones within a chamber. The mill 40 includes six basic or central components: a housing 44 composed of separable parts or portions that, when assembled in a closed configuration, collectively define an internal cavity or enclosed chamber 46; an inlet 48 at the inlet side of the housing 44; an outlet 50 at the outlet side of the housing 44; and at least one protrusion 54 on the inner circumference of the chamber (in... Figure 8 The housing 44 consists of a rotor plate 60 with protrusions or protruding blades 64, attached to a rotating shaft 70 extending through the center of the chamber (collectively referred to as rotor assembly 74); and a motor 80 for rotating the rotor assembly 74 relative to the blades 54. The housing 44 is preferably composed of stacked or assembled blocks or parts to surround the grinder. Spaces between the parts or components of the housing 44 have seals 82 for helping to maintain the airtight or watertight walls of the pressure grinder chamber. The pressure grinder operates when the rotor plate 60 rotates at approximately 2,500 RPM to approximately 15,000 RPM, such that a relatively high-pressure zone is formed in front of the rotor plate 60 near the inlet 48 and a relatively low-pressure zone is formed behind the rotor plate 60 near the outlet 50. The motor 80 rotating the rotor plate 60 can vary the rotational speed of the plate to match the desired RPM of the grinder operator. The rotor blades 64 of the rotor plate 60 should extend radially from the center of the plate toward the edge of the plate. The blade 64 can extend in a straight line or spiral design, and its choice affects efficiency, depending on the material being pulverized. The blade 64 should terminate at the radial edge or end of the plate, but in other embodiments of the invention, the blade terminates near the end of the plate or hangs from the end of the edge of the plate.

[0027] When raw materials are placed or fed into the pressure mill 40, the pressure differences between the chambers of the mill 40 create a suction effect that pulls the material from the front to the rear of the mill 40. As the material is pulled from the front to the rear of the mill 40 by the suction effect, the rotor plate blades 64 redirect the material flow to the walls of the chambers. This redirection forces the processed material to flow and circulate around the inner surface of the chamber walls, while being pulled towards the rear of the mill 40 by the suction of the pressure zones. The airflow from the front to the back of the mill 40 is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and can be varied to alter the properties of the final pulverized product leaving the mill 40.

[0028] As the blades 64 move the material around the periphery of the chamber defined by the housing 44, the material frequently encounters protrusions 54 extending from or embedded in the inner surface of the chamber's periphery. These protrusions 54 project inward from the wall of the housing 44 such that the apex of each protrusion 54 is at a height adjacent (but not in contact with) the circumference of the tip of the rotating blades 64 of the rotor plate 60, regardless of which is farther from the center of the chamber. Conversely, the base of the protrusion 54 (which is the surface of the chamber wall itself) should be at a relatively large distance from the edge of the blade tip 64.

[0029] The protrusions 54 should be high enough that the apex of each protrusion 54 is greater than or equal to one-thousandth of an inch from the end of the rotating blade 64 or the circumference of the rotating plate 60, but not so low that the apex of the protrusion 54 is greater than one inch from the circumference of the rotating blade 64 or the rotating plate 60. If the protrusions 54 fall outside these height limits, the grinder 40 will not grind the material efficiently.

[0030] Similarly, the bases of the protrusions 54 (these protrusions are located at the inner surface diameter of the chamber wall) should be at a distance from the center of the chamber such that the bases are at a distance greater than or equal to a quarter inch from the end of the circumference defined by the rotating blades 64 or the circumference of the rotating plate 60, but not so low that they are at a distance greater than fifteen inches from the end of the circumference defined by the rotating blades 64 or the circumference of the rotating plate 60.

[0031] The height of the protrusion 54 of the grinder 40 from its base (the inner surface of the wall of the housing defining the chamber) to its highest point should be between a quarter inch and fifteen inches. This protrusion height should be selected such that the top of each protrusion 54 is at a distance greater than or equal to one-thousandth of an inch to one inch from the end of the circumference of the rotating blade 64 or the circumference defined by the rotating plate 60.

[0032] The protrusion 54 serves a dual purpose. First, whenever the blade 64 passes the protrusion 54, the narrow distance between the protrusion 54 and the blade tip creates a shock wave. As material surrounds the chamber wall and enters the space between the protrusion 54 and the rotor assembly 74, the resulting shock wave pulverizes the material into relatively small fragments.

[0033] Secondly, the angled shape of the protrusion 54 redirects the material being pulverized back to the center of the mill 40. This redirection forces the material back into the blades 64, which redistributes the material back onto the surface of the chamber wall for further pulverization by additional shock waves at the protrusion 54.

[0034] Finally, after being pulverized multiple times, the material reaches a sufficiently fine state that the suction of the mill 40 is sufficient to drag it toward the back of the chamber within the housing 44 of the mill 40 (in the direction away from the motor 80 toward the outlet 50) beyond the rotor assembly 74. Upon reaching the back of the chamber, the suction of the mill pushes the pulverized material out of the rear outlet 50 of the housing 44. This discharged material can then optionally be introduced into a subsequent pressure mill chamber for further pulverization.

[0035] Importantly, although the exemplary embodiments of the invention illustrate a single chamber defined by housing 44, it should be understood that there is no limitation on the number of chambers or housings of a pressure mill that can be used continuously, as each chamber increases the suction effect of the previous chamber and increases the consistency of the particle size of the final output of the mill.

[0036] In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the device or grinder 40 includes a first set of guide rails or tracks 100 (referred to herein as "tracks"), which are placed parallel to each other on a surface such as a floor or platform 104. Hereinafter, the direction parallel to the first set of guide rails is referred to as the "y-axis" of the claimed invention. Although the preferred embodiment of the claimed invention positions the first set of tracks 100 parallel to each other, those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative non-parallel track configurations will achieve similar results and are included in the claimed invention.

[0037] On the first set of tracks 100 are one or a pair of movably attached frames 108, such that these frames can slide or roll along the entire length of the first set of tracks 100 along the y-axis. Between each set of frames 108, a second set of tracks 112 spans, positioned horizontally to the ground and oriented laterally or perpendicularly to the first set of tracks 100. The direction parallel to the second set of tracks 112 is hereby referred to as the “x-axis” of the claimed invention. The shaft 70 of the rotor assembly 74 and the motor 80 are substantially parallel to the x-axis. Parts or components of the housing 44 are movably attached to the second set of tracks 112, such that parts of the grinder housing 44 can move individually and freely along the second set of tracks 112 in the x-axis direction. Although the preferred embodiment of the claimed invention positions the two sets of tracks 100 and 112 perpendicular to each other, those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative non-perpendicular track configurations will achieve similar results and are included within the scope of the claimed invention.

[0038] The rotating shaft 70, rotor plate 60, and motor 80 (collectively referred to herein as the "central assembly" of the grinder 40) are attached to the floor or platform 104 between the first set of y-axis rails 100. Unlike pressure grinders of the prior art, the central assembly is not connected to the housing 44 of the grinder 40. Instead, the housing 44 of the grinder 40 is suspended from the frame 108 and a set of second x-axis rails 112, so as... Figures 1 to 4 The central component of the mill 40 is surrounded and enclosed in the illustrated closed configuration or position.

[0039] The housing 44 of the grinder 40 is composed of several individual parts or components, which are held together around a central assembly by bolts, alignment pins, and housing alignment chamfers or other fastening members 81. If additional alignment is required, pneumatic alignment pins 83 can be used to assist in automating the alignment and fastening process. Reusable seals 82 can be used between the housing parts to ensure that the chamber does not leak. When the housing 44 is properly closed and secured around the central assembly, the claimed invention is in a “closed” position or configuration and can be operated to crush and grind raw materials. However, when the aforementioned bolts and pins are removed from the grinder 40, the housing parts can be separated from each other by sliding on the aforementioned sets of tracks 100 and 112.

[0040] The separation process of housing 44 is simple. First, the aforementioned alignment pins and bolts are removed from the grinding machine housing 44. Then, the aforementioned sets of frames 108 slide, roll, or otherwise separate from each other along the first set of tracks 100 to split the chamber in half from the central assembly along the y-axis of the device 40, as shown. Figures 5 to 7As illustrated. Secondly, the two separate halves of housing 44 are pulled apart into additional sections along the x-axis of device 40 via a second set of tracks 112. When housing 44 is open and extended via the two sets of tracks 100 and 112, the grinder is in the "fully open" position, as shown. Figures 8 to 10 exemplified.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the claimed invention, the final separated state of housing 44 allows the six housing parts suspended from x-axis track 112 to be away from the central assembly of the grinder 40. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the claimed invention can be implemented using any number, configuration, or combination of housing parts. Furthermore, while the preferred form of device 40 suspends all parts of housing 44 along the track system, the claimed device does include alternative embodiments in which at least one of the housing 44 parts or portions is not attached to the track but is removed from housing 44 via alternative components. Examples of such alternative components for removing housing 44 parts include (but are not limited to): manual removal by the grinder operator, lifts, cranes, slides, ramps, or at least one robotic arm or automated mechanical movement mechanism.

[0042] This two-dimensional y-axis and x-axis separation of the chamber housing 44 separates the housing parts, thus allowing the grinder operator easy access to both the central assembly and the chamber parts for easy cleaning. This separation of the grinder has the added benefit of easier and less time-consuming maintenance compared to prior art. Because the claimed invention fully exposes the central assembly, the grinder operator has easy access to repair, maintain, or clean any internal components of the grinder 40. The two sets of tracks 100 and 112 can be replaced with any similar components that allow movement of the housing parts relative to each other. Examples of replacement components for tracks 100 and 112 include (but are not limited to) racks, beams, sliders, chains, tubes, pipes, spindles, bearings, drive screws, linear actuators, and shafts, any of which can be powered or unpowered. The term "track" in the claims should be interpreted broadly to encompass these mechanical and electromechanical equivalents that enable movement of the housing parts relative to each other.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one or more safety sensors detect whether the housing 44 of the grinder 40 is in an open position (e.g., partially or fully open) or a closed position, and whether the rotor plate 60 is rotating. If the rotor plate 60 is rotating, the sensor signals a locking mechanism that prevents the user of the grinder 40 from separating the housing parts (thus preventing the user from being accidentally struck by the potentially moving rotor plate 60 when removing the housing 44). Similarly, if the sensor determines that the housing is in the open position, the sensor signals a locking mechanism that prevents the rotor 60 from starting to rotate. These locking mechanisms can be any type of device that prevents movement of the housing parts or the central rotator, including (but not limited to) electromagnets, physical stops, brake pads on pistons, or pneumatic clamps, etc.

[0044] To restore the grinder 40 to operation, the user reverses the steps described above for opening the grinder 40. The housing parts are pushed back or driven back together along the x-axis track 112 until they reassemble into the two halves of the housing 44. The frame 108 is then pushed back along the y-axis track 100 to surround the central assembly of the pressure grinder 40. The bolts and alignment pins are reinserted to properly align the housing parts, thus defining the internal chambers of the grinder 40, and the grinder is then ready to resume its grinding operation. These bolts and alignment pins can alternatively replace any combination of components that hold the housing together. Examples of these housing attachment options include (but are not limited to) latches, screws, pins, pneumatic pins, pneumatic bolts, clamps, and locking mechanisms.

[0045] The aforementioned opening device is useful when the pressure mill 40 requires deep and thorough cleaning to prevent cross-contamination between products (or, alternatively, when maintenance of the internal components or chamber walls of the mill 40 is required).

[0046] In a preferred embodiment of the claimed invention, the surface or platform 104 on which the device rests includes a grille 116 or a mesh surface. The grille 116 allows any water or liquid associated with the cleaning open grinder 40 to drain from the machine. In this embodiment, the surface of the grille 116 is covered with a component 120 for draining the liquid. This component can be implemented in a variety of ways, including (but not limited to): trays, sinks, buckets, or other storage containers that collect the liquid and can be removed for dumping when full, as well as drainage pipes that allow the liquid to flow into a waste system.

[0047] In another advantageous embodiment of the claimed invention, the high-voltage and low-voltage ports 124 ( Figure 11The valve 124 is located within the housing 44 of the grinder 40, and is arranged across inlet 48 and outlet 50 into the interior of the chamber. Any commercially available or specialized valve may be used to temporarily close inlet 48 and outlet 50 during cleaning cycles, such as gate valves, plug valves, ball valves, flow control valves, butterfly valves, etc. These valves may be opened and closed manually or automatically by pneumatic, hydraulic, or electrical control by the operator of the grinder 40. Port 124 extends through housing 44 and is connected to an external source of a fluid substance such as a cleaning liquid, water, or gas. The operator of the grinder 40 may use port 124 to inject water, cleaning agents, or chemicals into the interior of the grinder 40 before or during operation of the grinder 40.

[0048] High-pressure port 124 is advantageously positioned on the housing 40 such that the liquid or gaseous material introduced into the interior from port 124 comes into direct contact with the rotor blades or vanes 164. This rotor-aimed positioning allows the injected fluid material to disperse more quickly throughout the chambers of the housing 44, while simultaneously removing debris from the rotor blades 64. Low-pressure port 124 is advantageously positioned on the top and sides of the housing 44 to provide a precise volume of water and chemicals to the grinder 40 for cleaning.

[0049] The inventors have discovered that port 124 provides an unexpected auxiliary benefit to the productivity of mill 40. Typically, the grinding of organic materials requires careful control of the internal humidity within the chamber of housing 44. If the humidity drops too low during pressure grinding, the organic material being ground by mill 40 is transformed into a final product with undesirable consistency and particle size. Port 120 addresses this problem by injecting precise amounts of water or chemicals into mill 40 during grinding to control the humidity level therein. Port 120 in the chamber wall can take the form of any number of components for injecting water, liquids, and / or gases into the interior of housing 44. These components can be (but are not limited to) injectors, valves, hoses, taps, flaps, gates, stopcocks, nozzles, outlets, vents, and nozzles.

[0050] The port 120 of the grinder 40 of the currently claimed invention is particularly desirable because it significantly reduces the amount of work required to clean the grinder 40 compared to prior art pressure grinders. If the grinder 40 requires only light cleaning (compared to the heavy cleaning associated with disassembling the grinder 40), the grinder operator can use the pressure port 120 to run a washing cycle through the grinder 40 to clean the inner housing 44 and plate 60 without disassembling the separable parts of the housing 44 as described above.

[0051] If both the high-pressure and low-pressure ports 120 are used to inject water or other fluids into the grinder 40 in the closed position, and the grinder operates at a predetermined RPM and internal temperature, the grinder 40 can surprisingly and unexpectedly self-clean and remove excess debris from its interior. This self-cleaning capability allows the operator of the grinder 40 to clean it gently without the extensive labor involved in disassembling the grinder 40.

[0052] Advantageously, the claimed grinder 40 can be connected to an electronic controller pre-programmed with a washing cycle that turns on the grinder 40 and injects water and cleaning solution into the grinder 40 when a single input (such as a button) is selected.

[0053] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the high-pressure and low-pressure ports 120 are managed by a controller programmed to automatically clean the pressure grinder 40. The controller is programmed with various washing cycles that automatically operate the grinder at specific RPMs, temperatures, moisture contents, and cleaning solution compositions tailored to most efficiently clean the equipment without disassembling the grinder housing 44. Optionally, the controller can be programmed to activate the cleaning cycle when pressed by the grinder operator or by selecting an input.

Claims

1. An apparatus for comminuting wet or dry material into relatively smaller components, wherein the apparatus comprises: a housing defining an enclosed chamber, wherein the housing is comprised of separable pieces and is attached to a member that separates the separable pieces, and wherein the chamber has at least one inlet through which material can enter the chamber and at least one outlet through which material can exit the chamber, and wherein the interior of the chamber is circumferentially arranged with at least one protrusion that extends inward from a chamber wall toward a center of the chamber; a rotatable shaft that passes from one side of the chamber to the other; at least one rotor assembly coupled to a rotor shaft, wherein the at least one rotor assembly includes at least one plate, wherein the at least one plate has a series of attached blades that extend across the plate and terminate at a blade tip; and a motor operatively connected to the rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate the at least one rotor assembly.

2. An apparatus for comminuting wet or dry material into relatively smaller components, wherein the apparatus comprises: a housing defining an enclosed chamber, wherein the chamber has at least one inlet through which material can enter the chamber and at least one outlet through which material can exit the chamber, and wherein the interior of the chamber is circumferentially arranged with at least one protrusion that extends inward from a chamber wall toward a center of the chamber, and wherein at least one chamber wall has at least one port configured for injecting a fluid substance into the interior of the chamber; a rotatable shaft that passes from one side of the chamber to the other; at least one rotor assembly coupled to a rotor shaft, wherein the at least one rotor assembly includes at least one plate, wherein the at least one plate has a series of attached blades that extend across the at least one plate and terminate at a blade tip; and a motor operatively connected to the rotatable shaft and adapted to rotate the rotor assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separating member is: a first track having a first pair of frames configured to slide relative to each other along the first track, wherein each frame of the first pair of frames has a second track that spans each frame of the first pair of frames. i) a plurality of separable pieces that are constrained to one of the pair of second tracks, and ii) a plurality of separable pieces that are constrained to the other of the pair of second tracks.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first pair of frames is a first pair of frames and a second pair of frames, wherein the second track is a pair of second tracks extending between the first pair of frames and a pair of second tracks extending between the second pair of frames, and wherein the housing consists of:

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the separable pieces of the housing is removably attached to one of the first track or the second track. ​ 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a grid positioned below the housing and covering the means of discharging liquid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one safety sensor that sends a signal to a locking mechanism that prevents the means of separating the separable parts of the housing from opening while the at least one plate of the at least one rotor assembly is moving.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one safety sensor that sends a signal to a locking mechanism that prevents the at least one rotor plate of the at least one rotor assembly from rotating until the separable parts of the housing are in a closed position.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separable parts of the housing have attachment means that lock each of the separable parts to each other.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separable parts of the housing are connected to each other by pneumatic locking pins that align the separable parts of the housing in a closed position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one seal that fits between the separable parts of the housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first track and the second track are in the form of a guide rail, beam, rod, slider, chain, tube, pipe, spindle, or shaft.

13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first track and the second track are perpendicular to each other.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one port is a low pressure port or a high pressure port.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one port is positioned such that a fluid substance injected into the interior of the chamber through the at least one port will intercept the vanes of the at least one plate.

16. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the chamber are each covered by a valve.

17. A method of cleaning an apparatus in the form of a pressure mill, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining the apparatus of claim 2; obtaining a fluid substance; closing the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the housing; injecting the fluid substance into the housing via the at least one port; turning the rotatable shaft with the motor of the apparatus; opening the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the housing; removing the fluid substance from the housing; and drying the interior of the housing.

18. A method of cleaning an apparatus in the form of a pressure mill, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining the apparatus of claim 1; obtaining a fluid substance; operating the means of separating the separable parts of the housing in a first direction; opening the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet of the housing; operating the member that separates the separable part of the housing in a second direction transverse to the first direction to expose the at least one rotor assembly; applying the fluid substance to the exposed rotor assembly and housing; and drying the interior of the housing.

Images