Claims:Claims:
We Claim:
1. A size reduction apparatus along with a power transmission drive used for efficient milling of a raw material comprising:
a prime mover;
an infeed hopper, wherein the infeed hopper forms an upper portion of the size reduction apparatus and is enclosed with in an apparatus enclosure body;
a bearing assembly, wherein the bearing assembly provides an interconnect between the infeed hopper and the prime mover, wherein the bearing assembly is connected to the prime mover through a connecting body; and
a cooling mechanism, wherein the cooling mechanism is attached to the connecting body,
wherein, the prime mover provides a drive to a bearing assembly to rotate a drive shaft comprised in the bearing assembly to rotate a blade assembly within the infeed hopper, wherein the infeed hopper acts as a feeding chamber for the raw material, wherein a particle size of the raw material is reduced to a required size though a rotational motion of the blade assembly.
2. The size reduction apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly is connected below the infeed hopper, wherein the bearing assembly comprises the drive shaft, a belt and pulley unit, and at-least two roller bearing units housed within a bearing housing body.
3. The size reduction apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the drive shaft is connected to a central shaft of the prime mover through the belt and pulley unit.
4. The size reduction apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive shaft is connected to the blade assembly through a bolting mechanism in a concentric manner to reduce a power loss during transmission from the prime mover to the blade assembly through the drive shaft.
5. The size reduction apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the prime mover is an electric motor with a variable frequency drive.
6. The size reduction apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly is sealed at a bottom through a cover and an O-ring in an air tight manner, wherein the cover and the O-ring is made up of a metal and an elastomer respectively.
7. The size reduction apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infeed hopper comprises a conical sieve around the blade assembly.
, Description:FORM 2
The Patents Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and rule 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
MECHANICAL POWER TRANSMISSION DRIVE FOR A SIZE REDUCTION APPARATUS

APPLICANT:
a) Name: Tapasya Engineering Works Pvt Ltd
b) Nationality: Indian
c) Address: A/212, Road no 30, Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane (W) – 400604, Mumbai, India

PREAMBLE OF THE DESCRIPTION:
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS PERFORMED
A) TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The present invention generally relates to a milling process and particularly relates to a mechanical power transmission drive for size reduction apparatus. The present invention more particularly relates to a size reduction apparatus for processing the powders, agglomerates and granular materials having a power transmission drive with low noise and high efficiency.

B) BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[002] The size reduction process, broadly a type of particle size reduction process for both wet and dry materials is widely used in the production of solid dosage formulations in the pharmaceutical and allied industry. With various pharmaceutical materials to be used, the size reduction is one of the unit operation and intermediate process to enhance flow, compaction and other properties for the downstream processes and of the final product performance.
[003] One of the widely used size reduction process is related to under driven milling type size reduction process and is also related to manufacturing equipment. The unit operation of size reduction equipment (hereafter called as “Milling equipment”), in the interest of pharmaceutical and allied industry milling operations, is broadly classified into an over-driven milling equipment and an under-driven milling. Among the various milling equipment available for a powder processing, the under driven and over driven cone mills are widely used in pharmaceutical and allied industry.
[004] Both type of equipment has their own merits and demerits. In the overdriven milling equipment, the drive mechanism comprises a milling blade is directly connected to a drive motor through a bearing assembly and a shaft system, or alternatively the motor is connected in parallel with a belt. The under-driven milling equipment has a built-in right angle gear transmission unit and the drive motor is mounted perpendicular to its powder charging direction.
[005] An efficiency in any of the size reduction process depends on an energy required to create more surface area, the equipment design and way in which the particulate materials are fractured. The input energy is transformed into heat, noise, vibrations and absorbed strain energy.
[006] The under-driven milling equipment has distinct advantages over the overdriven milling equipment. The feed is in line with the charging and the feed opening is maximized which help in easy feed path for 360 degrees. The equipment can be easily integrated with other equipment like granulators, powder transfer systems and fluid bed driers etc due to its small footprints. Thus, the efficient power transmission system design in the under driven milling machines gained more importance to impart direct energy for milling, and to reduce heat and noise simultaneously.
[007] In the view of foregoing, there is a need for a transmission drive for a size reduction apparatus with low noise, low power transmission loss, minimal size and high output efficiency. Also, there is a need for a power transmission drive with reduction in an overhung motor and use of minimal lubricant. Further, there is a need for a power transmission drive with variable speed combinations at an output shaft without increasing a frame size of the size reduction apparatus.
[008] The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein, as detailed below.

C) OBJECT OF INVENTION
[009] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a transmission drive for a size reduction apparatus with low noise, low power transmission loss, minimal size and high output efficiency.
[0010] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a power transmission drive with reduction in an overhung motor and usage of minimal lubricant.
[0011] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a power transmission drive with variable speed combinations at an output shaft without increasing a frame size of the size reduction apparatus.
[0012] These and other objects and advantages of the embodiments herein will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

D) SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0013] The various embodiments of the present invention provide a size reduction apparatus along with a power transmission drive used for efficient milling of a raw material. The apparatus comprises a prime mover, an infeed hopper, a bearing assembly, and a cooling system. The infeed hopper forms an upper portion of the size reduction apparatus and is enclosed with in an apparatus enclosure body. The bearing assembly provides an interconnect between the infeed hopper and the prime mover. The bearing assembly is connected to the prime mover through a connecting body. The cooling mechanism is attached to the connecting body. The prime mover provides a drive to a bearing assembly to rotate a drive shaft comprised in the bearing assembly to rotate a blade assembly within the infeed hopper. The infeed hopper acts as a feeding chamber for the raw material. A particle size of the raw material is reduced to a required size though a rotational motion of the blade assembly.
[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bearing assembly is connected below the infeed hopper. The bearing assembly comprises the drive shaft, a belt and pulley unit, and at-least two roller bearing units housed within a bearing housing body.
[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive shaft is connected to a central shaft of the prime mover through the belt and pulley unit.
[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive shaft is connected to the blade assembly through a bolting mechanism in a concentric manner to reduce a power loss during transmission from the prime mover to the blade assembly through the drive shaft.
[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the prime mover is an electric motor with a variable frequency drive.
[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bearing assembly is sealed at a bottom through a cover and an O-ring in an air tight manner. The cover and the O-ring is made up of a metal and an elastomer respectively.
[0019] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the infeed hopper comprises a conical sieve around the blade assembly.
[0020] These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

E) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0021] The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross sectional view of a size reduction (under-driven milling) apparatus with a conical sieve, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 2a, 2b and 2c illustrates a cross sectional view, a front view and a top view of the size reduction machine connected with the power transmission drive, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

F) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0024] In the following detailed description, a reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. The embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross sectional view of a size reduction (under-driven milling) apparatus with a conical sieve, according to one embodiment of the present invention. With respect to the FIG. 1, the size reduction apparatus 100 is an under-driven milling machine that suits the need for low noise and high efficient milling process. The size reduction apparatus 100 comprises an infeed hopper 1 and a bearing assembly. The infeed hopper 1 comprises a blade assembly and a conical sieve 7 around the blade assembly to allow a reduction of the size of a raw material without wearing off an inner surface of the infeed hopper 1. The bearing assembly is enclosed within the bearing housing body 2 and comprises a drive shaft 4 and a belt and pulley mechanism. The drive shaft 4 is vertically fixed in the bearing housing body 2 and for smooth rotation of the drive shaft 4 against the bearing housing body 2, a support is provided through at-least two roller bearings 3. The roller bearings 3 are placed preferable but not limited to a neck position and a bottom position of the bearing housing body 2. The drive shaft is connected to the pulley 6 which is driven by the belt.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 2a-2b, an electrical motor 15 is primarily used as a prime mover. However, the prime mover 15 can further involve a hybrid motor run by a combination of other energy sources. The infeed hopper 1, the connecting body 14 with the electric motor 15. The pulley 11 is connected to an output shaft of the electric motor 15 with a key and the said arrangement can be adjusted linearly to tighten the belt 10 and pulley 6 mechanism.
[0027] The rectangular shaped connecting body 14 can be force cooled with a jet of air by a jet fan or by air circulation through a small fan or water cooled or circulation of a coolant to keep an overall temperature to the required level which is suitable in hazardous ambience. The infeed hopper 1 and the bearing assembly 2 are interconnected through a bolting mechanism 5 and kept concentric to each other for seamless power flow.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement of the drive shaft 4 with large air space with in the bearing housing body 2 which is useful in air circulation and heat removal. The bearing assembly is closed with a bottom cover 9 and an O-ring 8 to prevent air or any other ingress to/from the bearing assembly area. On the upper side of the bearing assembly, a rotary seal is provided for non-ingress of foreign materials or the process materials. At-least two units of roller bearings 3 supports the drive shaft 4 against the bearing housing body 2 for high speed operation.
[0029] The conical sieve 7 in FIG. 1 is firmly held at the infeed hopper 1 and the rotating blade assembly 12 as shown in FIG. 2c. The blade assembly 12 is rotated as per a tip speed requirement of a size reduction process and can be varied either by a variable frequency drive or with a different pulley ratio formed by pulleys 6 and 11 as shown in FIG. 2a. The blade assembly 12 is firmly held onto the drive shaft through a locking nut 13.
[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the prime mover is connected to the drive shaft at centre of mass or centre of gravity of the size reduction apparatus as shown in FIG. 2b, thus leading to reduction in vibrations during milling process. The said arrangement also reduces wear and tear in the size reduction apparatus. In other words, the size reduction apparatus reduces an overhung prime mover.

G) ADVANTAGES OF INVENTION
[0031] The use of a pulley drive reduces a noise during a milling or size reduction process. Further, a concentric or same axial arrangement of the drive shaft and the blade assembly reduces a power loss by reduction of transmission steps. Also, due inclusion of variable speed drive, the present size reduction apparatus allows to produce a wide range of sizes of the finished product that increase a productivity and a versatility of the machine. The size reduction apparatus of the present invention can be modular in nature that allows change of a blade assembly without changing the housing body and infeed hopper as well as other parts of the apparatus leading to reduction in running cost for different sizes and nature of raw materials. Further, the size reduction apparatus uses a dry running mechanism i.e. minimal use of a lubricant that further increase a running time and reduces a running cost.
[0032] It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.