CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the National Stage Entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/DK2017/050051, filed Feb. 24, 2017, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

The present invention relates to a circular distribution apparatus for distributing loose products, comprising a vertical central axis; an inlet; a base portion comprising an annular floor extending substantially horizontally in a radial direction relative to the vertical central axis; a plurality of outlets provided in said annular floor, each outlet comprising a valve member configured to move between a closed position and an opened position to allow the products to leave the apparatus through at least one of the outlets; a side wall entirely surrounding the annular floor; a central elevation disposed between the annular floor and the inlet; and a vibrator configured to vibrate the base portion so that the loose products received on the base portion moves in a substantially circular manner around the elevation on the annular floor.

The apparatus according to the invention may e.g. be used in the food or pharmaceutical industry, but it is not limited to any specific use.

An apparatus of this kind is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,098 showing several embodiments comprising generally a central inlet duct from where a loose material is directed onto an annular track surrounding a horizontal cone with a vertical central axis. The apparatus is vibrated to promote a circulating movement of the material in the track. Along the track, in the floor thereof, several outlets are provided; each provided with a valve member for opening and closing the outlet for optionally letting material out through the respective outlets. Apart from U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,098, such apparatus of said general kind are known from i.a. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,877,586, 4,487,338, 4,966,273, 8,517,169, and 3,399,771. The latter discloses an apparatus in which a base portion; a side wall portion comprising a side wall; and volutes extending therefrom to provide outlets, and a top portion are interconnected by means of clamping rings to form a casing.

The circular distribution apparatus according to the invention may be used for distributing a loose product to different recipients, one for each outlet, whereby a flow of the loose product to the respective recipients can be opened or stopped independently. This is due to the fact that factors relating to the respective recipient determine whether a recipient is ready or not for receiving the loose product. E.g. each or all recipients might be a packaging facility packaging the loose product in a packaging material which needs replenished from time to time, during which time the individual packaging facility is unable to handle incoming product. Loose products to be distributed by means of the circular distribution apparatus may e.g. be dried, semi-dried, moist, or frozen, grain, powder, granules, pellets, etc.

For instance, within the food and pharmaceutical industry keeping a good hygiene and an aseptic environment, respectively, is an ever important area of focus in production.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a circular distributing apparatus, as mentioned by way of introduction that provides for a sanitary apparatus promoting improved hygiene and facilitating cleaning procedures. By the term “sanitary” is meant that the equipment should comply with relevant regulations within the food industry, among other USDA 3A (US), NZFSA (New Zealand) and/or EHEDG (EU) guidelines, and within the term “aseptic” within the pharma industry, respectively. The terms “sanitary” and “hygienic” are herein used interchangeably.

This object is obtained in that the inlet is provided centrally in a top portion connected to the side wall, and that the top portion, the elevation, the annular floor and the side wall provide a housing comprising a distribution chamber where at least the elevation, the annular floor and the side wall are provided integrally. By providing the elevation, the annular floor and the side wall integrally results in providing a unitary lower part, i.e. the base portion, of the circular distributing apparatus. This lower part is the part of the apparatus that supports the loose product during use and by providing it integrally formed it may more easily be provided without joints and cracks that might otherwise accommodate small parts of the loose product which then hinders an effective cleaning and constitute a hygienic problem.

Obtaining the elevation, the annular floor and the side wall integrally may be provided using suitable production methods such as sheet metal forming e.g. spinning or deep drawing; or welding and subsequently grinding and polishing the welding joints. These processes are mentioned as examples only and the invention is not limited by these. The skilled person in metal working is able to conceive other sanitary ways of providing such lower part.

When providing for connection of the top portion, the elevation, the annular floor and the side wall to provide a housing the angles between them are preferably kept large e.g. over 90° or kept easily accessible for cleaning fluid etc. and their creases to a minimum.

By providing a housing with at least an integral lower part, this also minimizes the height and width of the apparatus and provides a more compact design than otherwise possible. By providing a more compact apparatus, in particular in height, the sum of the inlet duct, apparatus and outlet ducts can take up much less space, which is advantageous, since these distribution apparatuses generally service large size storage silos and vertical packaging lines, and any decrease in height/size also decrease the size requirements for the buildings/silos which houses them. And as the building costs are relatively large compared to the costs of the distributing apparatuses, a relatively large cost deduction can be foreseen for the entire plant.

In an embodiment the top portion is provided integrally with the side wall which further enhances the possibility to improve the sanitary nature, reduces the risk of dusting and spillage, and promotes the compactness of the apparatus.

In a further embodiment the elevation has a summit centrally relative to the vertical central axis, and in a still further embodiment the elevation is of a conical, cupola or pyramid shape, without or only having a slight frustum. These embodiments promote an even distribution of the loose product to the annular floor of the apparatus and to the circular flow within.

In a practical embodiment the inlet comprises a duct connection for connection with a duct. Hereby, a hygienic connection may be obtained to an upstream part of a facility in which the apparatus of the invention is applied.

In an embodiment the side wall is substantially vertical. This promotes an even speed of advancement at all levels of a loose product circulating on the annular floor during use, and further improves guiding the loose product down towards the outlets, e.g. having downwardly turning valve members.

In an embodiment the annular floor has a radial width between the side wall and the elevation, and the outlets extend substantially throughout the entire radial width of the annular floor. Hereby is avoided that loose product circulating on the annular floor continues to circulate for an extended time by passing radially besides open outlets.

In an embodiment each outlet comprises a duct connection below the annular floor and below the valve member. Hereby a hygienic connection may be obtained to downstream parts of a facility in which the apparatus of the invention is applied.

In some embodiments the circular distribution apparatus is provided for Cleaning-In-Place, so-called CIP, whereby at least parts of the apparatus are cleaned by subjecting such parts to a spray of a cleaning fluid without dismantling the apparatus.

Thus in a further embodiment at least one CIP nozzle is provided within the duct connection below the valve member. Hereby is provided for cleaning an outlet part below the valve member by a CIP procedure, thus further enhancing the hygienic nature of the apparatus.

In an embodiment at least one CIP nozzle is provided inside the distribution chamber. Hereby is provided for convenient and effective cleaning of an interior of the distribution chamber by a CIP procedure, thus further enhancing the hygienic nature of the apparatus.

In a further embodiment the annular floor is sectionally sloping along a circumferential direction towards the outlets. Hereby self-emptying properties of the apparatus are enhanced since e.g. liquid used for cleaning, e.g. by a CIP procedure, may be drained more conveniently from the annular floor towards the outlets.

In an embodiment the housing is contained. Hereby is obtained that the apparatus may be applied as a component of a facility having containment properties. Containment has been the focus of attention for a number of years, i.a., due to the increased awareness of the potential risk of operator exposure to the highly potent substances often involved within the pharmaceutical field or reducing the risk of powder explosion safety or allergenic exposure to the same personnel in the food and nutraceutical industry. When in the pharmaceutical field, exposure data may be evaluated for instance by a SMEPAC (Standardized Measurement of Equipment Particulate Airborne Concentration) test. SMEPAC has been adopted into the ISPE-Guide “Assessing the Particulate Containment Performance of Pharmaceutical Equipment” (ISBN: 1-931879-35-4). Within the context of the invention the term “contained” means that unit operations employed in e.g. a process to form tablets from e.g. powders of an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and excipients are contained in modules used, which are therefore segregated from the surrounding environment. Thus, the operator does not need to have any direct access to the individual unit operations during operation, which may be accesses via the respective releasable inlet duct and outlet ducts. In practice, a desired level of containment is chosen among such levels as contained or dust-tight (10-100 mcg/m3), high contained (1-10 mcg/m3) and total contained (<1 mcg/m3), and suitable equipment is chosen in accordance with the desired containment levels. The term “contained” within the context of the present application is defined by its level of containment according to suitable measurement, and is thus defined as at least dust-tight. The term “dust” may be defined as fine particles.

In an embodiment the vibrator comprises a number of vibration members rigidly attached adjacent to the side wall. Hereby a low building height of the apparatus is obtained, i.e. a physically more compact apparatus is provided.

In a further practical embodiment the number of vibration members is two, and the two vibration members are positioned mutually diametrically opposite each other, relative to the vertical central axis, on an outside of the side wall. The vibration members per se may be of a previously known construction. By positioning them on the external side of the side wall instead of below the distribution chamber as shown in prior art, where the vibration also was transmitted indirectly by vibration members, it is now advantageously possible to position the apparatus selectively, e.g. on a top side thereof connected by wires to a ceiling of a silo or building, as shown in the appended drawings, or a bottom side, standing on a floor or hanging from a wall, rack or frame. Using in this way “direct” and not what is known as “indirect” vibration further enhances the compactness of the apparatus, and removes the risk of destructive resonances, which was a further issue with indirect vibrators.

In a still further embodiment the apparatus comprises reinforcing ribs on an outside of the housing, preferably including radial ribs extending diametrically across the housing. This promotes the rigidity of the apparatus which further promotes the two or more vibration members to function as a single vibrator, and protects the apparatus from shearing forces experienced therefrom.

In an embodiment the top portion comprises at least one inspection hatch to enable entry to dislodge stuck products and to inspect cleaning need or effectiveness of the at least one CIP-nozzle.

