Injection molded screening apparatuses and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884344-B2
Application number	US-201615201865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2016
Priority date	May 25, 2012
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

Screening members, screening assemblies, methods for fabricating screening members and assemblies and methods for screening materials are provided for vibratory screening machines that incorporate the use of injection molded materials. Use of injection molded screen elements provide, inter alia, for: varying screening surface configurations; fast and relatively simple screen assembly fabrication; and a combination of outstanding screen assembly mechanical and electrical properties, including toughness, wear and chemical resistance. Embodiments of the present invention use a thermoplastic injection molded material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for screening a material, comprising:
attaching a screen assembly to a vibratory screening machine, the screen assembly including a screen element having a series of screening openings forming a screen element screening surface; and a subgrid including multiple elongated structural members forming a grid framework having grid openings, wherein screen elements span grid openings and are secured to a top surface of the subgrid, wherein multiple subgrids are secured together to form the screen assembly and the screen assembly has a continuous screen assembly screening surface comprised of multiple screen element screening surfaces, wherein the screen element is a single thermoplastic injection molded piece; and
screening the material using the screen assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the screen element comprises an edge portion, and wherein the screen element has screen surface elements forming the series of screening openings.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the screen surface elements are elongated members forming the series of screening openings, the screening openings being elongated slots having a distance of approximately 43 microns to approximately 1000 microns between inner surfaces of each screen surface element of the screen surface elements.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the screen surface elements are elongated members forming the series of screening openings, the screening openings being elongated slots having a distance of approximately 70 microns to approximately 180 microns between inner surfaces of each screen surface element of the screen surface elements.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the screen surface elements are elongated members forming the series of screening openings, the screening openings being elongated slots having a distance of approximately 43 microns to approximately 106 microns between inner surfaces of each screen surface element of the screen surface elements.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the screening openings are elongated slots having a substantially uniform width and a length, the substantially uniform width having a magnitude in a range from about 0.044 mm to about 4 mm and the length having a magnitude in a range from about 0.088 mm to about 60 mm.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the screen element further comprises a pair of substantially parallel end portions, a pair of substantially parallel side edge portions substantially perpendicular to the end portions, a first screen element support member; a second screen element support member orthogonal to the first screen element support member, the first screen element support member extending between the end portions and being approximately parallel to the side edge portions, the second screen element support member extending between the side edge portions and being approximately parallel to the end portions, the end portions, the side edge portions; a first series of reinforcement members substantially parallel to the side edge portions; a second series of reinforcement members substantially parallel to the end portions, wherein the screen surface elements run parallel to the end portions, wherein the end portions, side edge portions, first and second support members, the first series of reinforcement members and the second series of reinforcement members structurally stabilize screen surface elements and screening openings.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the screen element further comprises a screen element attachment arrangement molded integrally with the screen element and configured to mate with a subgrid attachment arrangement.

9. A method for screening a material, comprising:
attaching a screen assembly to a vibratory screening machine;
forming a top screening surface of the screen assembly into a concave shape, wherein the screen assembly includes a screen element having a series of screening openings forming a screen element screening surface; and a subgrid including multiple elongated structural members forming a grid framework having grid openings, wherein screen elements span grid openings and are secured to a top surface of the subgrid, wherein multiple subgrids are secured together to form the screen assembly and the screen assembly has a continuous screen assembly screening surface comprised of multiple screen element screening surfaces, wherein the screen element is a single thermoplastic injection molded piece; and
screening the material using the screen assembly.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the screen element comprises an edge portion, and wherein the screen element has screen surface elements forming the series of screening openings.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screen surface elements are elongated members forming the series of screening openings, the screening openings being elongated slots having a distance of approximately 43 microns to approximately 1000 microns between inner surfaces of each screen surface element of the screen surface elements.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screen surface elements are elongated members forming the series of screening openings, the screening openings being elongated slots having a distance of approximately 70 microns to approximately 180 microns between inner surfaces of each screen surface element of the screen surface elements.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screen surface elements are elongated members forming the series of screening openings, the screening openings being elongated slots having a distance of approximately 43 microns to approximately 106 microns between inner surfaces of each screen surface element of the screen surface elements.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screening openings are elongated slots having a substantially uniform width and a length, the substantially uniform width having a magnitude in a range from about 0.044 mm to about 4 mm and the length having a magnitude in a range from about 0.088 mm to about 60 mm.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screen element further comprises a pair of substantially parallel end portions, a pair of substantially parallel side edge portions substantially perpendicular to the end portions, a first screen element support member; a second screen element support member orthogonal to the first screen element support member, the first screen element support member extending between the end portions and being approximately parallel to the side edge portions, the second screen element support member extending between the side edge portions and being approximately parallel to the end portions, the end portions, the side edge portions; a first series of reinforcement members substantially parallel to the to the side edge portions; a second series of reinforcement members substantially parallel to the end portions, wherein the screen surface elements run parallel to the end portions, wherein the end portions, side edge portions, first and second support members, the first series of reinforcement members and the second series of reinforcement members structurally stabilize screen surface elements and screening openings.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the screen element further comprises a screen element attachment arrangement molded integrally with the screen element and configured to mate with a subgrid attachment arrangement.

17. A method for fabricating a screen assembly for screening materials, comprising:
injection molding a screen element, the screen element including a screen element screening surface having screening openings;
fabricating a subgrid that suppo

Assignees

• Derrick Corp

Inventors

• Wojciechowski Keith F

Classifications

• B07B1/48

  Stretching devices for screens · CPC title

• B07B1/46 Primary

  Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens · CPC title

• B07B1/4663

  Multi-layer screening surfaces · CPC title

• B29D28/00

  Producing nets or the like, {e.g. meshes, lattices}(by knotting D04G) · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title