(19)
(11) EP 1 066 884 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
06.02.2002 Bulletin 2002/06

(43) Date of publication A2:
10.01.2001 Bulletin 2001/02

(21) Application number: 00305657.9

(22) Date of filing: 05.07.2000
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B04B 7/08, B04B 1/08, B04B 5/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 07.07.1999 US 348522

(71) Applicant: FLEETGUARD, INC.
Nashville, Tennessee 32717 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Herman, Peter K.
    Cockeville, Tennessee 38506 (US)
  • Bagci, Ismail
    Cockeville, Tennessee 38506 (US)
  • Pardue, Byron A.
    Cockeville, Tennessee 38506 (US)
  • Conrad, Mike
    Findlay, Ohio 45840 (US)
  • Yost, Mike
    Tiffin, 2Ohio 44883 (US)
  • Jensen, Richard
    deceased (US)

(74) Representative: Everitt, Christopher James Wilders et al
fJ CLEVELAND 40/43 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1JQ
London WC2A 1JQ (GB)

   


(54) Disposable, self-driven centrifuge rotor


(57) A disposable, cone-stack, self-driven centrifuge rotor assembly (20) for separating particulate matter out of a circulating flow of oil includes first and second rotor shell portions (22 and 23) which are injection molded out of plastic and joined together by ultrasonically welding engaging edges (26 and 27) so as to create an enclosing shell with a hollow interior. An injection molded, plastic support hub (25) is assembled into a central opening in the lower half (23) of the rotor shell and extends upwardly into the hollow interior. An injection molded, plastic bearing/alignment spool (24) is assembled into a central opening in the upper portion (22) of the rotor shell and extends downwardly into the hollow interior. A cone-stack subassembly (21), including a plurality of individual separation cones which are injection molded out of plastic, are arranged into an aligned stack and positioned within the hollow interior and cooperatively assembled between the support hub (25) and the bearing/alignment spool (24). The all plastic construction for the centrifuge rotor assembly (20) allows the entire assembly (20) to be disposed of without any disassembly required.






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