US3791558A - Powder dispensing apparatus having a predictable, controlled flow rate - Google Patents

Powder dispensing apparatus having a predictable, controlled flow rate Download PDF

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Publication number
US3791558A
US3791558A US00178096A US3791558DA US3791558A US 3791558 A US3791558 A US 3791558A US 00178096 A US00178096 A US 00178096A US 3791558D A US3791558D A US 3791558DA US 3791558 A US3791558 A US 3791558A
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hopper
balls
powder
bottom wall
predictable
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US00178096A
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J Katusha
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D90/00—Component parts, details or accessories for large containers
    • B65D90/54—Gates or closures

Definitions

  • Another known expedient employed to prevent bridging contemplates the use of a plurality of balls disposed within the hopper. Under ordinary vibratory influence, the balls are randomly thrown about in the hopper in order to breakup any bridged clumps of powder which might form over and about the dispensing orifices.
  • the useof such an arrangement is not totally effective when a controlled, low flow rate of powder is desired.
  • excessive vibratory energy must be applied to maintain controlled flow rates through the small dispensing orifices.
  • the quantity of vibratory energy'employed can be reduced by increasing the dimension of the dispensing orifices to a point where the powder cannot develop sufficient internal strength to form a bridge, a requirement of low flow rates rules out this possible solution.
  • the vibratory mode contemplated in the prior art often resulted in dead spots in the hopper, that is places where none of the balls impinged to break up powder clumps,
  • the primaryrequirement of the toner metering o'r dispensing mechanism is an ability to predictably deliver toner at a typical rate of less than 2 grams per second. Achieving the requisite controlled low mass flow rates of toner power has consistantly proven difficult, especially a small range of variation over relatively long periods of time. Enlarging the size of the'dispensing orifices is a limited, if not entirely impractical solution, where low flow rates are desired.
  • the alternative expedient of vibrating the hopper, where it con tains antibridging means such as metal balls, is also less than satisfactory either because of the lack of predictable controlledflow rate, dead spots in the hopper or damage to the hopper from the vibrating metal balls.
  • dispensing apparatus including a hopper having an inlet port for admitting powderthereto and at least two sloping,-convergin'g side walls which terminate at the bottom of the hopper.
  • An orifice section having a plurality of powder dispensing openings therein is disposed at the bottom of the hopper.
  • a plurality of loose, generally spherically shaped balls are disposed in the hopper.
  • means for vibrating the apparatus in a dual mode First, a vertical acceleration force is created by vibrating the hopper in parallel to the acceleration.
  • the predetermined sloping of the side walls and the elliptical acceleration gradient cause, in combination, the plurality of balls to climb the furthest sloping side wall from the center of gravity of the appa ratus and to then roll off the furthest wall to describe a circulating pattern through the hopper.
  • the circulating balls effect a predictable, controlled flow rate of powder from the hopper by sweeping across the orifice plate to break up any clumps or bridges of powder which form about the dispensing orifices.
  • the circulating balls also achieve a mixing action which is highly desirable if a mixture is to be dispensed from the hopper.
  • the powder dispensing apparatus 10 includes a housing 12 for storing powder 40 having a hopper 14 fixedly attached thereto. Powder 40 is introduced via an inlet port (not shown) into hopper 14 as required. Two lugs 16 and 18, extending respectively from the ends of housing 12, are connected to a mounting plate 20 via coil springs 22 and 24 respectively.
  • elements 22 and 24 are illustrated herein as coil springs, other resilient means, such as rubber mounts for example, can be employed. The most important characteristic of such resilient means is that they be capable of permitting motion along both their major and minor axis.
  • Coil spring 22 is a relatively stiff spring having a high spring constant.
  • Coil spring 24, on the other hand is a relatively loosespring having a low spring constant.
  • the use of mismatched coil springs 22 and 24 produces a maximum amount of vertical acceleration within hopper 14 with a minimum amount of energy input when the powder dispensing apparatus 10 is vibrated in accordance with the teaching of this invention.
  • the use of the properly mismatched coil springs 22 and 24 insures that the instantaneous center of rotation under elliptical vibratory influence will lie outside of hopper 14, thereby avoiding dead spots within the hopper 14 where powder would clum'p and not be transported to the hopper bottom 34.
  • a vibrator or electromechanical excitor 26, of. any suitable and known type, is connected to the housing 12 and is adapted to elliptically accelerate hopper 14,
  • Hopper 14 has at least two sloping side walls 30 and 32 which converge towards and terminate at the hopper bottom 34.
  • the hopper bottom 34 contains a plurality of dispensing orifices 36 formed therein of suitable size and number to insure a desired flow rate of powder upon excitation of vibrator 26.
  • the hopper bottom 34 maybe a separate and non-integral plate having a predetermined number of suitably sized dispensing orifices formed therein. In the latter case, an orifice plate may be provided for each particular flow rate of powder which is desired. In such a case, the proper orifice plate need only be slid into place prior to introduction of powder 40 into hopper 14 to yield a particular flow rate.
  • a plurality of generally spherically shaped balls 38 are disposed within the hopper 14. These balls are included to insure that bridging does not take place about and over the dispensing orifices 36, as is best shown in FIG. 3.
  • two of the dispensing orifices 36a and 36b have been shown having powder bridges formed thereabove, which bridges block the flow of powder from the hopper 14.
  • the balls 38 serve to break up such bridging, and any other clumps of powder which might form to insure that a predictable and controlled flow rate of powder can be maintained.
  • the mismatched springs 22 and 24 which are free to move in any direction, cause the apparatus 10 to exhibit a forced response or steadystate harmonic oscillation at the frequency of the applied exciting force.
  • This forced response or solid-state harmonic oscillation can be and is mathematically described as elliptical in nature. Consequently, the displacement of the hopper and'the velocity and acceleration forces created therein are elliptical in nature. Since the apparatus 10 will tend to rotate about its center of gravity 28 unless otherwise constrained, the mismatched coil springs 22 and' 24 act as though they were aloosely mounted hinge being vibrated to exhibit forced response.
  • the vertical component of the elliptical acceleration force created across the width of the hopper under vibratory influence, increases outwardly from the center of gravity.
  • the balls 38 are induced to climb the far wall 32, then roll off onto the walls of hopper 14 and describe a circulating pattern through the powder 40 wherein the hopper bottom 34 is periodically swept clean by the balls 38 as they pass thereover. It has been found that the balls 38, when excited in this manner, tend to spread out and form a larger single layer which artificially causes the diameter of the dispensing orifices 36 to be effectively increased to approach the diameter or width of the hopper bottom 34.
  • the circulating pattern of the balls 38 described above is, among other factors, a function of the number and size of the balls, the slope of the side walls 30 and 32 and the degree of elliptical vibratory excitation achieved. In view of the relatively large number of factors which control the movement of the balls 38, it is rather difficult to assign critical values to the many factors. However, it will be recognized that given a value of vibratory energy introduced into apparatus 10, the side walls 30 and 32 must be sloped a predetermined amount to allow the number and type of balls 38 employed to circulate, as described, through the particular powder to be dispensed.
  • the bridging effect of the powder to be dispensed can be overcome by at least two known methods.
  • the critical or smallest dimension of the dispensing orifice can be made so large that the powder cannot develop sufficient internal strength to form a bridge or arch thereover.
  • sufficient vibratory energy can be introduced into the dispensing apparatus to break up any bridges which may form.
  • one method or factor was often traded off for the other within practical ranges.
  • the desired flow rates are in the order of less than two grams per second, too much energyhas to be applied to maintain predictable flow rates through the very small orifices required for such reduced flow rates.
  • the effective dispensing orifice area is artificially increased to the largest possible size and permits a predictable, controlled rate of flow for dispensing powder without any danger of bridging or the creation of dead spots and hot spots within hopper 14.
  • the circulating pattern of the balls 38 effects a continuous mixing action which prevents the constituent powders of the mixture from separating.
  • Apparatus for dispensing powder at a predictable, controlled flow rate said apparatus being adapted to receive powder and a plurality of loose balls and comprising:
  • a powder and ball receiving hopper having a bottom wall-and at least first and second opposed side wall portions connected to said bottom wall, said second side wall portion sloping outwardly and upwardly from said hopper bottom wall;
  • said bottom wall including means defining a plurality of powder dispensing orifices
  • cjmeans for moving said hopper in a manner which provides a plurality of loose balls disposed in said hopper i. vertical acceleration forces on said balls which increase in magnitude from said first to said second wall portions across the width of said hopper, and ii. horizontal acceleration forces on said balls across said hopper to and from said first to said second side wall portions, said acceleration forces causing, in combination, said balls to describe a circulating pattern in said hopper during which said balls sweep across said dispensing orifices formed in said bottom wall and then move upwardly along said second wall portion and then away from said second wall portion so that under the influence of gravity, said balls return to proximity with said bottom wall to effect a predictable, controlled flow rate of powder from said dispensing orifices in said bottom wall.
  • said means for moving includes resilient means for coupling said apparatus to at least one fixed point, said resilient means being resiliently deformable along and about both its major and minor axes.
  • said resilient means comprises a pair of coil springs, connected at one end to said apparatus and at the other end to the fixed point.
  • Apparatus for dispensing powder at a predictable, controlled flow rate said apparauts being adapted to receive powder and a plurality of loose balls and comprising:
  • a powder and ball hopper fixedly mounted to said housing at a position furthest from the center of gravity of said apparatus, said hopper having a bottom and at least two opposing first and second side wall portions converging toward said hopper bottom;
  • said hopper bottom including means defining a plurality of powder dispensing orifices
  • said mounting means includes resilient means resiliently deformable in response to said moving means along and about both its major and minor axes.
  • said resilient means comprises a pair of coil springs, connected to one end to said housing and at the other end to the fixed point.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
US00178096A 1971-09-07 1971-09-07 Powder dispensing apparatus having a predictable, controlled flow rate Expired - Lifetime US3791558A (en)

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US17809671A 1971-09-07 1971-09-07

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US (1) US3791558A (enExample)
FR (1) FR2152664B1 (enExample)

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3920160A (en) * 1973-10-15 1975-11-18 Robert Casale Shampoo dispenser
US4485973A (en) * 1983-01-28 1984-12-04 Acrison, Inc. Ingredient spreader
US4722300A (en) * 1986-03-10 1988-02-02 Beacon Industries, Inc. Automatic feeder for pets and other animals
GB2306950A (en) * 1995-11-10 1997-05-14 Cunnington And Cooper Ltd Feed assembly
US6000446A (en) * 1998-03-16 1999-12-14 Xerox Corporation Apparatus for particulate processing
WO2003066436A1 (en) * 2002-02-04 2003-08-14 Meridica Limited Apparatus and method of dispensing small quantities of particles
US20040238561A1 (en) * 2001-09-24 2004-12-02 Macmichael Donald Bruce Atherton Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US20050189150A1 (en) * 1999-11-05 2005-09-01 Powderject Research Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US20080017669A1 (en) * 2004-07-01 2008-01-24 Pfizer Inc Dispensing Small Quantities of Particles
US20110204094A1 (en) * 2010-02-19 2011-08-25 Meckstroth James R Direct fill dry powder systems with dosing heads configured for on/off controlled flow
US20160214751A1 (en) * 2010-09-03 2016-07-28 Takazono Technology Incorporated Hopper and Medicine Supply Apparatus Including the Same
US10414148B2 (en) 2016-11-16 2019-09-17 United Technologies Corporation Selective powder dosing for an additively manufacturing system
US11351605B2 (en) 2017-05-18 2022-06-07 General Electric Company Powder packing methods and apparatus
US11440097B2 (en) 2019-02-12 2022-09-13 General Electric Company Methods for additively manufacturing components using lattice support structures

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2246497A (en) * 1938-02-03 1941-06-24 William J Beck Vibrating apparatus
US3178068A (en) * 1963-11-27 1965-04-13 Carrier Mfg Co Apparatus for conveying a column of material downward at a uniform rate
US3224649A (en) * 1964-03-20 1965-12-21 Addressograph Multigraph Material dispensing apparatus

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2246497A (en) * 1938-02-03 1941-06-24 William J Beck Vibrating apparatus
US3178068A (en) * 1963-11-27 1965-04-13 Carrier Mfg Co Apparatus for conveying a column of material downward at a uniform rate
US3224649A (en) * 1964-03-20 1965-12-21 Addressograph Multigraph Material dispensing apparatus

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Kin N. Tong; The Theory of Mechanical Vibration; 1960, John Wiley & Sons, N.Y.; pages 136 138 *

Cited By (30)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3920160A (en) * 1973-10-15 1975-11-18 Robert Casale Shampoo dispenser
US4485973A (en) * 1983-01-28 1984-12-04 Acrison, Inc. Ingredient spreader
US4722300A (en) * 1986-03-10 1988-02-02 Beacon Industries, Inc. Automatic feeder for pets and other animals
GB2306950A (en) * 1995-11-10 1997-05-14 Cunnington And Cooper Ltd Feed assembly
US6000446A (en) * 1998-03-16 1999-12-14 Xerox Corporation Apparatus for particulate processing
US7868260B2 (en) 1999-11-05 2011-01-11 Powderject Research Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US20050189150A1 (en) * 1999-11-05 2005-09-01 Powderject Research Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
AU2005201145B9 (en) * 1999-11-05 2008-07-10 Pfizer Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US7358451B2 (en) 1999-11-05 2008-04-15 Powderject Research Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
AU2005201145B2 (en) * 1999-11-05 2008-05-22 Pfizer Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US20080142277A1 (en) * 1999-11-05 2008-06-19 Powderject Research Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US20040238561A1 (en) * 2001-09-24 2004-12-02 Macmichael Donald Bruce Atherton Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US7712634B2 (en) 2001-09-24 2010-05-11 Pfizer Limited Apparatus and method for dispensing small quantities of particles
US7665633B2 (en) 2002-02-04 2010-02-23 Meridica Limited Apparatus and method of dispensing small quantities of particles
US20050040185A1 (en) * 2002-02-04 2005-02-24 Meridica Limited Apparatus and method of dispensing small quantities of particles
WO2003066436A1 (en) * 2002-02-04 2003-08-14 Meridica Limited Apparatus and method of dispensing small quantities of particles
US8074835B2 (en) * 2004-07-01 2011-12-13 Capsugel Belgium Bvba Dispensing small quantities of particles
US20080017669A1 (en) * 2004-07-01 2008-01-24 Pfizer Inc Dispensing Small Quantities of Particles
US9889953B2 (en) 2010-02-19 2018-02-13 Oriel Therapeutics, Inc. Dosing heads for direct fill dry powder systems configured for on/off controlled flow
US20110204094A1 (en) * 2010-02-19 2011-08-25 Meckstroth James R Direct fill dry powder systems with dosing heads configured for on/off controlled flow
WO2011103374A3 (en) * 2010-02-19 2011-12-22 Oriel Therapeutics, Inc. Direct fill dry powder systems with dosing heads configured for on/off controlled flow
US8720497B2 (en) 2010-02-19 2014-05-13 Oriel Therapeutics, Inc. Direct fill dry powder systems with dosing heads configured for on/off controlled flow
US9278767B2 (en) 2010-02-19 2016-03-08 Oriel Therapeutics, Inc. Direct fill dry powder systems with dosing heads configured for on/off controlled flow
US20160214751A1 (en) * 2010-09-03 2016-07-28 Takazono Technology Incorporated Hopper and Medicine Supply Apparatus Including the Same
US9902513B2 (en) * 2010-09-03 2018-02-27 Takazono Technology Incorporated Hopper and medicine supply apparatus including the same
US10414148B2 (en) 2016-11-16 2019-09-17 United Technologies Corporation Selective powder dosing for an additively manufacturing system
US11260649B2 (en) 2016-11-16 2022-03-01 Raytheon Technologies Corporation Selective powder dosing for an additively manufacturing system
US11351605B2 (en) 2017-05-18 2022-06-07 General Electric Company Powder packing methods and apparatus
US11667095B2 (en) 2017-05-18 2023-06-06 General Electric Company Powder packing methods and apparatus
US11440097B2 (en) 2019-02-12 2022-09-13 General Electric Company Methods for additively manufacturing components using lattice support structures

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Publication number Publication date
FR2152664B1 (enExample) 1977-08-26
FR2152664A1 (enExample) 1973-04-27

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