Discharge assembly
AssigneeProcess Link Limited
InventorGeorge William Snape
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A discharge assembly has a flexible bulk container having a base and an outlet channel extending from the base and having an outlet at one end through which product is to be dispensed. The discharge assembly has a seat onto which the base of the bulk container is seated for a discharge operation, and a vibration unit for selectively vibrating the seat. The seat includes an outlet region through which the outlet channel of the bulk container extends when seated thereon, and the seat is configured for the base of the container to overhang a periphery of the seat when seated thereon.
Claims15
A discharge assembly comprising:
- a flexible bulk container having a base and an outlet channel extending from the base and having an outlet at one end through which product is to be dispensed,
- a seat having an upper surface onto which the base of the bulk container is supported for a discharge operation, the seat including an outlet region through which the outlet channel of the bulk container extends when seated thereon, wherein the upper surface is either flat or is curved downwardly from the outlet region towards an outer peripheral edge of the seat or angled downwardly from the outlet region towards the outer peripheral edge of the seat,
- a displacement member configured for movement away from the seat for agitation of the container, and
- a vibration unit for selectively vibrating the seat;
- wherein an inner edge of the displacement member is spaced from the outer edge of the seat, to create a void into which the base of the container may sag, when the displacement member is in a retracted position such that the seat is configured for the base of the container to overhang and sag below a periphery of the seat when seated thereon.
A discharge assembly comprising:
- a flexible bulk container having a base and an outlet channel extending from the base and having an outlet at one end through which product is to be dispensed;
- a seat onto which the base of the bulk container is seated for a discharge operation, the seat including an outlet region through which the outlet channel of the bulk container extends when seated thereon, wherein the seat is configured for the base of the container to overhang and sag below a periphery of the seat when seated thereon;
- a vibration unit for selectively vibrating the seat;
- a displacement member configured for movement away from the seat for agitation of the container;
- and
- a detector for detecting product flow rate, an actuator for selectively raising the displacement member relative to the seat, and a controller configured to receive a signal from the detector and send a signal to the actuator indicating when the displacement member should be raised.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.