VIBRATING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF IMPROVING THE DURABILITY OF A VIBRATING APPARATUS

Abstract

The vibrating apparatus has a housing (1) with a wall (2) provided with at least one aperture (3). A peripheral flange (4) protrudes from the wall (2) at the aperture (3) and has a plane surface (5) for abutment of a covering. The peripheral flange (4) is formed as an integral part of the wall (2), for instance by sheet metal forming, such as drawing, pressing, pulling, rolling and/or punching.

Claims

1. A vibrating apparatus comprising: a housing including at least one wall provided with at least one aperture having a center axis, a peripheral flange which protrudes from the wall at the aperture and is configured to cooperate with a covering, wherein the peripheral flange includes a plane surface for abutment of the covering, the plane surface extending in a plane, the center axis being perpendicular to the plane, the peripheral flange formed as an integral part of the wall and from the wall material itself, the peripheral flange comprising an inclined portion that extends toward an exterior environment thereby creating a distance or an offset to the wall, wherein the plane surface of the peripheral flange is offset from the wall in a direction along the center axis of the aperture, the plane surface having a width defined as a first distance between an inner edge of the plane surface and a transition to the inclined portion, the aperture having a minimum opening or diameter, measured as a second distance from a first point at the inner edge of the plane surface on the peripheral flange through a center point of the aperture to a second point on the peripheral flange, the second point being opposite the first point, the inner edge being an edge nearest to the center point of the aperture.

2. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating apparatus further comprises a perforated element for allowing passage of material or gas such as air.

3. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the vibrating apparatus is a vibrating sieve apparatus or a vibrating fluid bed.

4. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral flange has been formed by sheet metal forming, such as drawing, pressing, pulling, rolling, or punching.

5. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral flange and the wall have a thickness of at least 2 mm.

6. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plane surface of the peripheral flange has a width (w) of at least 4 mm.

7. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aperture has a shape chosen from a group of geometrical shapes including round, elliptical, square, and rectangular.

8. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aperture has a minimum opening, measured as the second distance from the first point on the peripheral flange through the center point of the aperture to the second point on the peripheral flange, the minimum opening being at least 100 mm.

9. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plane surface of the peripheral flange is offset from the wall in a direction along the center axis of the aperture, by at least 3 mm.

10. A method for improving the durability of a vibrating apparatus by forming a cover frame in a wall of a housing of the vibrating apparatus, said method comprising: providing a sheet of metal for a housing wall part; placing the sheet of metal in a press form, by placing a target section of the sheet of metal in a recess of a bottom part of the press form; mechanically pressing a top part of the form to form an offset plane surface; and cutting an aperture in the target section of the sheet of metal, by drilling, punching, sawing, cutting, or milling of lathing, such that the aperture has an offset peripheral flange bordering the aperture, wherein the offset peripheral flange is formed as an integral part of the sheet of metal and the offset peripheral flange is formed from the sheet of metal itself, the offset peripheral flange comprising an inclined portion that extends toward an exterior environment thereby creating a distance or an offset to the remainder of the sheet of metal, wherein a plane surface of the offset peripheral flange is offset from a remainder of the sheet of metal in a direction along a center axis of the aperture, the plane surface having a width defined as a first distance between an inner edge of the plane surface and a transition to the inclined portion, the aperture has a minimum opening or diameter, measured as a second distance from a first point at the inner edge of the plane surface on the peripheral flange through a center point of the aperture to a second point on the peripheral flange, which is opposite the first point, the inner edge being the edge nearest to the center point of the aperture.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the sheet of metal is stainless steel.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the sheet of metal is at least 300 mm by 300 mm.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the sheet of metal has a thickness of at least 2 mm.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the sheet of metal has a reduction in thickness of less than 10% as a result of the pressing.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plane surface of the offset peripheral flange has a width of at least 4 mm.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the aperture is cut with a minimum opening, the minimum opening measured as the second distance from one point on the cut through the center point of the aperture to another point on the cut, the minimum opening being at least 100 mm.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plane surface of the target section is offset from the wall in a direction along the center axis of the aperture, by at least 3 mm.

18. A vibrating apparatus comprising: a housing including at least one wall provided with at least one aperture having a center axis, a peripheral flange which protrudes from the wall at the aperture and is configured to cooperate with a covering, wherein the peripheral flange includes a plane surface that is configured to abut the covering, the plane surface extending in a plane, the center axis being perpendicular to the plane, the peripheral flange formed as an integral part of the wall and from the wall material itself, the peripheral flange comprising an inclined portion that extends toward an exterior environment thereby creating a distance or an offset to the wall, wherein the plane surface of the peripheral flange is offset from the wall in a direction along the center axis of the aperture, the plane surface having a width defined as the distance between an inner edge of the plane surface and a transition to the inclined portion, the aperture having a minimum opening or diameter, measured as the distance from a first point at the inner edge of the plane surface on the peripheral flange through the center point of the aperture to a second point on the peripheral flange, the second point being opposite the first point, the inner edge being an edge nearest to the center point of the aperture.

19. The vibrating apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a perforated element that is configured to allow passage of material or gas such as air.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] In the following the invention will be described in further details with reference to the accompanying drawings, where

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vibrating apparatus known from prior art.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a vibrating apparatus in an embodiment of the invention.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a wall portion of a vibrating apparatus in an embodiment of the invention;

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a wall portion of the detail of the vibrating apparatus in the embodiment of FIG. 3;

[0053] FIG. 5 shows a partial cross-sectional side view, on a larger scale, of a wall portion of the vibrating apparatus in the embodiment of FIG. 3;

[0054] FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a wall portion of a vibrating apparatus in another embodiment of the invention; and

[0055] FIG. 7 is a view of the wall portion of the vibrating apparatus in the embodiment of FIG. 6 provided with a covering.

[0056] Referring initially to FIG. 1 showing a prior art vibrating apparatus in the form of a vibrating fluid bed, having a housing 101, the housing further having a wall 102. On the wall at least one covering 111 is seen, attached to a peripheral flange 104. In this embodiment, the peripheral flange 104 is welded to the wall 102.

[0057] In FIG. 2, an embodiment of the invention is shown. Here a vibrating apparatus 10 is seen in the form of a vibrating sieve apparatus, the vibrating apparatus is represented by a housing 1. The housing 1 is showing a top wall, which is denoted by reference numeral 2, on which an aperture 3 is covered by a covering 11. In a manner known per se the vibrating apparatus 10 is provided with a perforated element 20 for allowing passage of material or gas such as air.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3 showing one embodiment of a vibrating apparatus 10 according to the invention, the vibrating apparatus is represented by a housing 1. The housing 1 comprises at least one wall, typically including a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls, and a portion of one wall.

[0059] Such a vibrating apparatus is known in the art, and one example is described in Applicant's international application published under No. WO 2016/037620 A1.

[0060] Elements having the same or analogous function will be denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the description.

[0061] The housing 1 defines the interior of the vibrating apparatus and hence the wall 2 has an internal surface 6 facing the interior, and an exterior surface 7 facing the surroundings of the vibrating apparatus and from which access, either visual or physical or both, to the interior is desired. To that end, the wall 2 is provided with an aperture 3 and a peripheral flange 4 surrounding the aperture 3 and configured to cooperate with a covering to be described in further detail below in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0062] The flange 4 protrudes from the wall 2 in a direction toward the external environment, and away from the interior of the housing 1. It is conceivable that the protrusion provided by the peripheral flange may be towards the inner parts of the housing structure on the internal surface of the wall.

[0063] The protruding peripheral flange 4 has an inclined portion 8 that extends toward the exterior environment thereby creating a distance or offset to the wall 2. The extension of the inclined portion 8 of the protruding peripheral flange 4 parallel to the first plane should be understood as to define an offset distance from the wall 2 as will be described in detail below. At a maximum distance the peripheral flange 4 is provided with a plane surface 5 extending in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane. In the embodiment shown, the second plane is substantially parallel to the wall 2.

[0064] The plane surface 5 forms an abutment for a covering to be connected, thereby creating a sealing surface between the wall 2 and the covering. Thus, when a covering is in a closed position, the aperture 3 is covered such that the exterior surroundings are protected from powders or minerals processed in the vibrating apparatus.

[0065] In this particular embodiment the aperture 3 has a rounded shape, namely substantially circular, wherein the size of the opening is defined as the diameter d of the aperture 3. The diameter is defined by the distance from one point at the inner edge 5a of the plane surface 5 (cf. FIGS. 4 and 5) on the peripheral flange 4 through the centre point of the aperture 3 to another point on the peripheral flange, which is opposite to the first point. In further details, a point may be defined as an inner edge point on the plane surface, wherein the inner edge 5a is defined as the edge which is the edge nearest to centre point of the aperture 3. It is within the inventive concept of the present invention that diameter d is at least 100 mm, more preferably at least 200 mm and even more preferably at least 400 mm.

[0066] As further illustrated in FIG. 4, the aperture 3 has a centre axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the plane surface 5 of the peripheral flange 4. In more detail, illustrated in FIG. 5, the dimensions of the flange 4 relative to the wall 2 will be described in some detail.

[0067] As illustrated in the Figure, the peripheral flange 4 and the wall 2 have a flange thickness T.sub.f and a wall thickness T.sub.w, respectively. Even though the flange 4 and the wall 2 are shown with substantially the same thickness, it should be understood that the flange thickness may be different from the wall thickness. That is, during and after the metal forming of the metal sheet defining the housing wall 2, the flange thickness T.sub.f and the wall thickness T.sub.w may differ. Preferably the thickness and is at least 2 mm, preferably at least 3 mm and even more preferably at least 4 mm in thickness. However, preferably the resulting difference in thickness between the flange thickness T.sub.f and the wall thickness T.sub.w is less than 10%, wherein it should be understood the flange thickness is smaller than the wall thickness.

[0068] The smooth inclination of the inclined portion 8 further transits into the plane surface 5 surrounding the aperture 3 in the wall 2 of the housing 1 of the vibrating apparatus 10. The protruding peripheral flange 4 is provided such that the plane surface 5 is offset from the wall 2, with an offset distance D.sub.off. The offset distance D.sub.off should thus be understood as the offset from the wall 2 in a direction along the centre axis of the aperture 3, the offset distance is at least 3 mm, preferably at least 6 mm and even more preferably at least 9 mm.

[0069] The plane surface 5 has a width w, which is defined as the distance between the inner edge 5a of the plane surface 5 and the transition to the inclined portion 8. Thus, in the embodiment shown the plane surface 5 is substantially also parallel to the surface of the wall 2. The width w of the plane surface 5 defines the abutment to which a covering is intended to connect when closing off the aperture 3 in the wall 2. The plane surface 5 should preferably be such that the abutment formed is able to seal the covering efficiently during operation of the vibrating apparatus. Preferably the plane surface is provided with a width w of at least 4 mm, preferably at least 7 mm, and even more preferably at least 10 mm.

[0070] In FIGS. 6 and 7, an embodiment of the vibrating apparatus according to industrial use is illustrated as represented by the wall 2 of the housing of the vibrating apparatus. Here the protruding peripheral flange 4 has been formed from a wall 2 of the vibrating apparatus. It is seen how the flange 4 is formed in the periphery of an aperture 3. The protruding flange comprises a plane surface 5, defining an abutment surface on the inner side thereof. As illustrated more clearly in FIG. 7, the abutment surface of plane surface 5 is configured to cooperate with a covering 11. For connecting with the covering 11, the wall 2 is furthermore provided with engagement means 12, 13. The covering 11 is for instance intended to be used as an inspection cover attached to the housing 1 of the vibrating apparatus during operation of the vibrating apparatus. The covering 11 closes and seals off the aperture 3 by abutting the plane portion 5 of the peripheral flange 4.

[0071] In general, the shaping of the aperture 3 in the wall 2 could be provided in any form suitable for use in vibrating apparatus and the covering should be shaped so as to fit the aperture providing a closing thereof. Furthermore, each wall 2 in a housing 1 of a vibrating apparatus could be provided with more apertures of this kind, and that the apertures could be provided in the same or different shapes and sizes.

[0072] The wall 2 provided with the aperture 3 and the surrounding flange 4 could either form the entire wall of the housing, i.e. typically one of the side walls or the top wall, or constitute a wall section to be connected to other wall sections.

[0073] In the following, a method for improving the durability of a vibrating apparatus as described in the above will be described in some detail.

[0074] In a step A, a sheet of metal for a housing wall part is provided. This sheet could have any size, but preferably has a thickness of at least 2 mm, more preferably at least 3 mm, and even more preferably at least 4 mm.

[0075] A target section is chosen somewhere on the sheet of metal, and this target section, is where the aperture and offset peripheral flange of the first aspect of the invention are formed in the following steps of the method.

[0076] In step B of the method, the sheet of metal is placed in a press form, by placing a target section of the sheet of metal in a recess of a bottom part of the form, In other embodiments, the can be other ways to place the target section in a specific area of the press.

[0077] In a specific embodiment, a plate is fastened to the sheet of metal and the bottom part of the form. In a further embodiment, a top part of the form is fastened to the plate and the bottom part of the form.

[0078] In step C of the method, the top part of the form is pressed by mechanical means to form an offset plane surface,

[0079] In an embodiment, where the aperture is cut prior to step C, the offset flange is formed in step C. In another embodiment, wherein the aperture is cut after step C, a protrusion is formed at the target section in the sheet of metal.

[0080] The method further comprises the step of cutting an aperture in said target section of the sheet of metal, by drilling, punching, sawing, cutting, milling of lathing or other like methods. This step can be performed following any of the steps, thus providing the aperture with an offset peripheral flange bordering the aperture, once all steps have been performed.

[0081] Variations to the method are conceivable. As one example, it is possible to provide a separate plate and fasten the plate on the sheet of metal and the bottom part of the form following step B. The top part of the form is then fastened to the plate and the bottom part of the form, following which step C is carried out,

[0082] In general, the description of the advantageous embodiments as described throughout the description should also be understood as to apply for the method for forming a peripheral flange around an aperture in a wall of a vibrating apparatus.

[0083] The invention should not be regarded as being limited to the embodiments shown and described in the above. Several modifications and combinations are conceivable within the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described with reference to a vibrating apparatus having a substantially rectangular configuration, the underlying principle is applicable to apparatus having other configurations such as for instance circular.