Methods and apparatus for dispensing solid articles
US8827113B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 2009 |
| Grant date | Sep 9, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F17/0092
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for dispensing articles includes a housing, a gas source, a drive mechanism and an agitation jet device. The housing defines: a hopper chamber to hold the articles; a dispensing channel fluidly connected to the hopper chamber, the dispensing channel having an inlet and an outlet and defining a flow path therebetween; and an agitation outlet. The gas source provides a positive pressure supply gas flow having a first pressure, a first velocity and a first mass flow rate. The drive mechanism conveys articles through the dispensing channel along the flow path. The agitation jet device is interposed and fluidly connected between the gas source and the agitation outlet. The agitation jet device includes a feed opening to receive the supply gas flow and a jet opening to convert the supply gas flow to a pressurized agitation gas flow through the agitation outlet to agitate articles in the hopper chamber. The agitation gas flow has a second pressure less than the first pressure, a second velocity greater than the first velocity, and a second mass flow rate greater than the first mass flow rate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.