Dispenser for delivering microingredients from cartridges

US5358145A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Bio Techniques Laboratories, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Scott Smith · New Haven, US
• Jason T. Griffith · Lynnwood, US
• Fahad A. Rashid · Seattle, US
• Nima Sthienchoak · Seattle, US
• Leslie A. Walter · Redmond, US
• William D. St. John · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 19, 1993
• Grant date: Oct 25, 1994
• Expiry date: Apr 19, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A01K5/02
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A microingredient dispenser for delivering a continual supply of feed additives from supply cartridges to animal feed. The dispenser includes a frame, first and second hoppers, first and second dispensing stations, a plunger drive mechanism, first and second ingredient receiver couplings, first and second cartridge retainer mechanisms, and control means for coordinating the movement of bar-coded cartridges and a drive mechanism. The hoppers hold multiple cartridges for feeding into the dispensing stations. The ingredients from the cartridges are delivered from the cartridges at the dispensing stations beneath the hoppers. The ingredients are dispensed from the cartridges as the plunger drive mechanism pushes the plungers within the cartridges. The cartridge at one dispensing station is emptied while the cartridge at the other station is being readied for dispensing when the first is empty. In this manner, a continual flow of ingredient can be maintained. The receiver couplings receive and channel the ingredient delivered through the nose of the cartridges to a carder agent which is later mixed with animal feed.