Apparatus and process for forming particles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368169-A1
Application number	US-201514744494-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jun 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and process for forming particles.

First claim

1 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . An apparatus for forming particles, said apparatus comprising:
a feed pipe; a gas feed line mounted in fluid communication with said feed pipe; a mill downstream of said gas feed line and in line with said feed pipe; a distributor downstream of said mill and in fluid communication with said feed pipe, wherein said distributor comprises a plurality of apertures; and a conveyor beneath said cylinder and movable in translation relative to said distributor.

19 . An apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein said distributor comprises:
a stator in fluid communication with said feed pipe; a cylinder rotationally mounted about said stator and rotatable about a longitudinal axis of said cylinder, wherein said cylinder has a periphery and said cylinder comprises said plurality of apertures disposed about said periphery, wherein said apertures are intermittently in fluid communication with said stator as said cylinder rotates about said stator.

20 . An apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein said apparatus comprises a feed pump in line with said feed pipe, wherein said gas feed line and said mill are positioned in line between said feed pump and said stator.

21 . An apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein said gas feed line comprises a flow regulator.

22 . An apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said mill is an in-line rotor-stator mill.

23 . An apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein said apparatus comprises a batch mixer upstream of said feed pipe.

24 . A process for forming particles comprising the steps of:
providing a precursor material to a feed pipe; entraining a gas into said precursor material; providing a stator in fluid communication with said feed pipe; distributing said precursor material to said stator; providing a cylinder rotating about said stator and rotatable about a longitudinal axis of said cylinder, wherein said cylinder has a periphery and a plurality of apertures disposed about said periphery; passing said precursor material through said apertures; providing a moveable conveyor beneath said cylinder; depositing said precursor material onto said moveable conveyor; and cooling said precursor material to form a plurality of particles.

25 . The process according to claim 24 , wherein said precursor material comprises polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight from about 2000 to about 13000.

26 . The process according to claim 25 , wherein said precursor material comprises more than about 40% by weight polyethylene glycol.

27 . The process according to claim 26 , wherein said particles have an individual mass between about 0.1 mg to about 5 g.

28 . The process according to claim 27 , wherein said precursor material comprises from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight perfume.

29 . The process according to claim 27 wherein said perfume comprises encapsulated perfume.

30 . The process according to claim 29 , wherein said precursor material comprises between about 0.1% and about 20% by weight encapsulated perfume.

31 . The process according to claim 30 , wherein said perfume comprises encapsulated perfume and unencapsulated perfume.

32 . The process according to claim 24 , wherein said precursor material is milled after said gas is entrained into said precursor material.

33 . The process according to claim 24 , wherein said gas is air.

34 . The process according to claim 24 , wherein said precursor material is provided to said feed pipe from a batch mixer.

35 . The process according to claim 24 , wherein said precursor material comprises an antioxidant.

36 . A process for forming particles comprising the steps of:
providing a precursor material in a batch mixer in fluid communication with a feed pipe; providing said precursor material to said feed pipe from said batch mixer; entraining gas into said precursor material; providing a distributor comprising a plurality of apertures; transporting said precursor material from said feed pipe to said distributor; passing said precursor material through said apertures; providing a moveable conveyor beneath said apertures; depositing said precursor material onto said moveable conveyor; and cooling said precursor material to form a plurality of particles.

37 . The process for forming particles according to claim 36 , wherein said precursor material comprises polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight from about 2000 to about 13000 and from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight perfume.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Huddleston Richard Albert
• Frentzel Lisa Grace
• Dykstra Robert Richard

Classifications

• C11D3/3707

  Polyethers, e.g. polyalkyleneoxides · CPC title

• C11D3/505

  encapsulated or adsorbed on a carrier, e.g. zeolite or clay · CPC title

• C11D11/0082

  one or more of the detergent ingredients being in a liquefied state, e.g. slurry, paste or melt, and the process resulting in solid detergent particles such as granules, powders or beads · CPC title

• B01J2/26

  on endless conveyor belts · CPC title

• B01J2/04 Primary

  in a gaseous medium {(if combined with suspending the material in a gas, e.g. fluidised beds B01J2/16)} · CPC title