US3897210A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for sterilizing particulate material
Assignee: Bacfree Industries Inc
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Filing: 1973-01-02
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Granted: 1975-07-29
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Expires: 1993-01-02
Abstract
Abstract Method and pneumatic apparatus for sterilizing a particulate material such as ground food particles. The apparatus includes a sterilizing chamber with one or more porous collecting bags or the like into which the particulate material is blown in a turbulent gas stream. Sterilizing gas is blown through the particulate material for a sterilizing period. The sterilized particulate material is then flushed with sterilized gas free air and discharged from the collecting bags into a storage receptacle.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel L Gruber
- 👤 Earl D Pollock
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:18
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12Q; C12Q1/00; C12Q1/02; C12Q1/22; A; A23; A23B; A23B2/00; A23B2/70; A23B2/704; A23B2/725; A23B2/729; A61; A61L; A61L2/00; A61L2/16; A61L2/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A METHOD FOR STERLIZING A PARTICULATE MATERIAL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF BLOWING SAID MATERIAL VIA GAS STREAM INTO A COLLECTOR FOR TRAPPING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL THEREIN, BLOWING A STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE TRAPPED PARTICULATE MATERIAL TO AT LEAST PARTIALLY SUSPEND THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL IN A FLUID STATE IN SAID STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM AND FLUSHING THE STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM AROUND THE INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES OF SAID PARTICULATE MATERIAL IN THE COURSE OF BLOWING SAID STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM THROUGH THE SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATERIAL, AND PNEUMATICALLY RECIREULATING STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM FROM THE TOP OF THE COLLECTOR TO THE BOTTOM OFTHE COLLECTOR FOR REPEATED BLOWING THROUGH THE SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATERIAL, PLUS THE STEP OF SELECTIVELY PNEUMATICALLY RECIRCULATING STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM CONTAINING PARTICULATE MATERIAL FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE COLLECTOR TO THE TOP OF THE COLLECTOR FOR REPEATED FLUSHING OF THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL BY STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM AND, AFTER SAID PARTICULATE MATERIAL HAS BEEN STERILIZED, DISCHARGING THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL FROM THE COLLECTOR.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
166 words
A METHOD FOR STERLIZING A PARTICULATE MATERIAL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF BLOWING SAID MATERIAL VIA GAS STREAM INTO A COLLECTOR FOR TRAPPING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL THEREIN, BLOWING A STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE TRAPPED PARTICULATE MATERIAL TO AT LEAST PARTIALLY SUSPEND THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL IN A FLUID STATE IN SAID STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM AND FLUSHING THE STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM AROUND THE INDIVIDUAL PARTICLES OF SAID PARTICULATE MATERIAL IN THE COURSE OF BLOWING SAID STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM THROUGH THE SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATERIAL, AND PNEUMATICALLY RECIREULATING STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM FROM THE TOP OF THE COLLECTOR TO THE BOTTOM OFTHE COLLECTOR FOR REPEATED BLOWING THROUGH THE SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATERIAL, PLUS THE STEP OF SELECTIVELY PNEUMATICALLY RECIRCULATING STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM CONTAINING PARTICULATE MATERIAL FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE COLLECTOR TO THE TOP OF THE COLLECTOR FOR REPEATED FLUSHING OF THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL BY STERILIZING GAS MEDIUM AND, AFTER SAID PARTICULATE MATERIAL HAS BEEN STERILIZED, DISCHARGING THE PARTICULATE MATERIAL FROM THE COLLECTOR.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 plus the step of continuously exposing a visual indicator to said sterilizing gas medium, which indicator visibly exhibits a physical change upon being subjected to a selected amount of sterilizing gas medium, and inspecting the indicator to determine when the sterilization process has been completed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 plus the step of selectively discontinuing blowing the sterilizing gas medium and at the end of the sterilizing process substituting pure air therefore in order to aerate the sterilized particulate material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 in which the collector comprises a plurality of porous bags, plus the step of shaking the bags when sterilization has been completed to dump the contents thereof into a storage receptacle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 in which the particulate material is blown into the collector at the top of the collector and the sterilizing gas medium is blown into the collector near the bottom thereof and flows upwardly to apply lifting force to the particulate material to suspend said particulate material in the sterilizing gas medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5 in which the gas stream by which the particulate material is blown into the top of the collector includes said sterilizing gas medium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate material is pneumatically discharged into a separate chamber and further including the step of subsequently blowing pure air through said particulate material for aeration thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 7 plus the step of initially filling said separate chamber with said sterilizing gas medium before pneumatically transferring said sterilized particulate material thereinto.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 8 in which the step of pneumatically transferring said sterilized particulate material into the separate chamber is accompanied by concurrent pneumatic recycling of sterilizing gas medium from said separate chamber back to the collector.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-28 | 1979-01-27 | 1979-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-28 | 1983-01-27 | 1983-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-28 | 1987-01-27 | 1987-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |