Refining Segment for Refiner

Abstract

A refining segment (4, 8) for a refiner (1) for refining fibrous material has a body (20) with a front side (21) and a backside (22). The front side has a refining surface (5, 9) and the backside has a background surface (23). The refining segment has a first end edge (15) and a second end edge (16) opposite to the first end edge, and a first side edge (17) and a second side edge (18) opposite to the first side edge. The first side edge and the second side edge extend between the first end edge and the second end edge. The refining segment has backside support projections (29, 30) which project from the background surface and extend substantially along the first side edge and the second side edge without support projections extending substantially along the first end edge and the second end edge on the background surface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A refining segment for a refiner for refining fibrous material, the refining segment comprising:
 a body comprising a front side and a backside, the front side comprising a refining surface and the backside comprising a background surface, wherein the body has a first end edge and a second end edge opposite to the first end edge, and a first side edge and a second side edge opposite to the first side edge, the first side edge and the second side edge extending between the first end edge and the second end edge; and   support projections projecting from the background surface and extending on the background surface substantially along the first side edge and the second side edge without comprising support projections extending substantially along the first end edge and the second end edge on the background surface, wherein an open flow space is defined between the support projections extending along the first side edge and the second side edge.   
     
     
         12 . The refining segment of claim  1  wherein the background surface of the refining segment is substantially free from support projections at the first end edge and the second end edge on the background surface. 
     
     
         13 . The refining segment of claim  1  wherein the background surface of the refining segment is free from any support projections extending between and up to the support projections extending along the first side edge and the second side edge. 
     
     
         14 . The refining segment of claim  1  wherein the support projections are elongated projections extending along the side edges of the refining segment. 
     
     
         15 . The refining segment of claim  1  wherein the support projections at the first side edge and the second side edge are arranged to extend from the first end edge towards the second end edge substantially unbrokenly. 
     
     
         16 . The refining segment of  claim 15  wherein the support projections at the first side edge and the second side edge terminate at a position spaced from the second end edge. 
     
     
         17 . The refining segment of  claim 15  wherein the support projections at the first side edge and the second side edge are arranged to extend from the first end edge up to the second end edge. 
     
     
         18 . The refining segment of claim  1  further comprising:
 portions of the body defining at least one fastening hole extending through the body of the refining segment and positioned to receive a fastening member extending therethrough for fastening the refining segment in the refiner; and 
 at least one auxiliary support projection projecting from the background surface away from the refining surface, and wherein each fastening hole extends through and is surrounded by one of the at least one auxiliary support projections. 
 
     
     
         19 . The refining segment of  claim 18 , wherein each auxiliary support projection is an unbroken circumferential projection around the fastening hole which it surrounds. 
     
     
         20 . The refining segment of  claim 18  wherein the support projections ( 29 ,  30 ) and the at least one auxiliary support projection are uniform parts of the body of the refining segment. 
     
     
         21 . A refining segment of claim  1  further comprising a refiner within which the refining segment is fixed. 
     
     
         22 . A refining segment for a refiner for refining fibrous material, the refining segment comprising:
 a body comprising a front side and a backside, the front side comprising a refining surface and the backside comprising a background surface, wherein the body has a first end edge and a second end edge opposite to the first end edge, and a first side edge and a second side edge opposite to the first side edge, the first side edge and the second side edge extending between the first end edge and the second end edge;   a first support projection projecting from the background surface and extending on the background surface substantially along the first side edge;   a second support projection projecting from the background surface and extending on the background surface substantially along the second side edge, wherein an open flow space extending in a longitudinal direction is defining permitting flow of fluid containing fibrous material from the first end edge of the background surface to the second end edge of the background surface; and   an auxiliary support projection projecting from the background surface away from the refining surface and positioned between the first support projection and the second support projection, wherein a fastening hole extends through the body of the refining segment and the auxiliary support projection and is positioned to receive a fastening member extending therethrough for fastening the refining segment in the refiner.   
     
     
         23 . The refining segment of  claim 22  wherein the background surface of the refining segment is substantially free from support projections at the first end edge and the second end edge on the background surface. 
     
     
         24 . The refining segment of  claim 22  wherein the support projections at the first side edge and the second side edge are arranged to extend from the first end edge towards the second end edge substantially unbrokenly. 
     
     
         25 . The refining segment of  claim 24  wherein the support projections at the first side edge and the second side edge terminate at a position spaced from the second end edge. 
     
     
         26 . The refining segment of  claim 24  wherein the support projections at the first side edge and the second side edge are arranged to extend from the first end edge up to the second end edge. 
     
     
         27 . The refining segment of  claim 22 , wherein the auxiliary support projection is an unbroken circumferential projection around the fastening hole which it surrounds. 
     
     
         28 . The refining segment of  claim 22  wherein the support projections and the at least one auxiliary support projection are uniform parts of the body of the refining segment. 
     
     
         29 . A refining assembly having a plurality of refining segments mounted to a refining element for a refiner for refining fibrous material, wherein each refining segment comprises:
 a body comprising a front side and a backside, the front side comprising a refining surface and the backside comprising a background surface, wherein the body has a first end edge and a second end edge opposite to the first end edge, and a first side edge and a second side edge opposite to the first side edge, the first side edge and the second side edge extending between the first end edge and the second end edge;   support projections projecting from the background surface and extending on the background surface substantially along the first side edge and the second side edge without comprising support projections extending substantially along the first end edge and the second end edge on the background surface, the support projections engaging the refining element; and   wherein the plurality of refining segments are fixed to the refining element by a plurality of fasteners, and wherein a plurality of open flow spaces are defined between the refining segments and the refining element for the flow of fluid containing fibrous material therethrough in a longitudinal direction.