Cascading particles and seeds dispenser
US5870961A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA01C7/04
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A particle/seed dispenser is composed of a motor-spatula assembly and a base housing, or handle. The motor-spatula assembly includes two or more V-shaped spatulas and an electrical motor physically connected to a proximal end of each V-shaped spatula, or separate motors are connected to the respective spatulas. The motor rotor(s) is(are) eccentric, namely the rotational center of gravity of the rotor is not exactly co-axial with the axis of the rotor drive shaft so that when running the motor and the motor-spatula assembly vibrate. Successive first, second etc. spatulas extend from the base-housing, each under the previous, the successive spatulas being of increasing length so that particles poured into the first cascade out to the second, and in some cases from there to the third etc. For more effective singulation a series of dremples or rills are formed in the trough of each spatula. The cascading of the particles through successive spatulas provides a substantial improvement in the regularity in the rate of dispensing the particles.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.