The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 17, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 17, 2000
David M. Jones, Ramsey, NJ (US);
Richard Andrew Smith, Goshen, NY (US);
John Patrick Kennedy, Winchester, KY (US);
Frank Maurer, Inzlingen, DE;
Matthias Georg Tondar, Hausen, DE;
Bernhard Luy, Freiburg, DE;
Markus J. Baettig, Sissach, CH;
Glatt Air Techniques, Inc., Ramsey, NJ (US);
Abstract
A fluidized bed apparatus for applying a coating liquid onto the surface of particles includes a vertically disposed cylindrical product container having a peripheral wall, at least one cylindrical partition defining a centrally located up bed region and a peripherally located down bed region. The product container further includes an upper end connected to an expansion chamber and a lower end including an orifice plate having a plurality of openings for passage of fluidized air or gas. A nozzle is centrally located through the orifice plate and is adapted to generate a spray of coating liquid upwardly into the up bed. Particles located within the product container circulate upwardly through the partition and the coating liquid spray, between the up bed and the down bed. A plurality of inwardly directed discharge jets are positioned along the periphery of the product container and generally adjacent to the orifice plate. A source of pressurized air or gas is connected to the plurality of discharge jets and provide a radially inwardly directed flow of air or gas through the particles of the down bed so that the particles located adjacent to the peripheral wall of the product container are displaced radially inwardly along the orifice plate towards the nozzle and the up bed.