# US 10,370,183 B2 · Powder feeding apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,183 B2 - Document ID: US10370183B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/415,530 - Filed: 2013-07-02 - Published: 2015-07-16 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-19 - Assignees: Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation - Applicants: Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation - Inventors: John K. Simons; Zhaolin Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370183B2 ## CPC - B65D 88/546: {Devices for loading or unloading and forming part of the container, e.g. rollers, conveyors (loading or unloading vehicles B65G67/20)} - B02C 4/02: with two or more rollers - B05C 1/0826: {the work being a web or sheets (B05C1/0804, B05C1/0808, B05C1/0813, B05C1/0817, B05C1/0821, B05C1/10, B05C1/12 take precedence)} - B05C 11/1002: {Means for controlling supply, i.e. flow or pressure, of liquid or other fluent material to the applying apparatus, e.g. valves} - B05C 19/06: Storage, supply or control of the application of particulate material; Recovery of excess particulate material - B65G 65/4881: {rotating about a substantially horizontal axis} - Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency - 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 - B02C: CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN ({household tools and machines for pulverising foodstuffs, e.g. coffee and spice mills A47J42/00; pharmaceutical mortars A61J3/02; mechanical processing of refuse and garbage B03B9/06; dressing mould materials by grinding B22C5/04}; obtaining metallic powder by crushing, grinding or milling B22F9/04; {recovery of plastics by disintegrating B29B17/00; crushing raw materials in starch making C08B30/02; beaters for papermaking D21D1/02; crushing devices specially for transport in mines E21F13/002; slag crushing devices F23J1/00; fuel milling devices in combustion apparatus F23K1/00; household devices for crushing coal F24B15/02; ice disintegrating devices F25C5/02}) - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Powder feeding apparatuses (100; 200) and methods. The powder feeding apparatus (100; 200) can include first and second cylindrical rollers (106, 107; 206, 207) adjacent to each other and spaced apart by a gap (108; 208). The first roller (106; 206) can rotate intermittently and independently of the second roller (107; 207). The second roller can rotate intermittently and independently of the first roller. Powder from a hopper (102; 202) is fed through the gap as one or both rollers rotate. The powder feeding method may include a method of feeding powder by intermittently and alternately advancing a first and second roller to dispense powder from the hopper. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A powder feeding apparatus comprising: a hopper having sidewalls and a bottom, wherein the bottom comprises first and second cylindrical rollers positioned adjacent to each other and configured so as to define a slot shaped opening between the two rollers in the hopper bottom, a drive system for rotating the first and second rollers, and a control system for controlling the drive system, wherein the drive system and control system are configured to repeatedly alternate the first roller between a rotational phase and a stationary phase independently of the second roller, wherein during the stationary phase the first roller does not rotate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive system and control system are configured to intermittently rotate the second roller independently of the first roller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a first motor coupled to the first roller and a second motor coupled to the second roller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a first controller for the first motor and a second controller for the second motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to rotate the first roller while the second roller is stationary. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to rotate the second roller while the first roller is stationary. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A powder feeding system comprising: a powder feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1; a movable web positioned beneath the slot shaped opening in the hopper bottom; and a coating roller adjacent the web and spaced apart from the position on the web beneath the slot shaped opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A powder feeding system comprising: a first powder feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1; a second powder feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1; wherein the second powder feeding apparatus is positioned so that dispensed powder from the second powder feeding apparatus is dispensed into the hopper of the first powder feeding apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive system and control system are further configured to maintain the second roller stationary when the first roller is rotating. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive system and control system are further configured to maintain the first roller stationary when the second roller is rotating. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising roller cleaning members adjacent the first and second rollers and positioned away from the slot shaped opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the roller cleaning members are doctor blades. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower portion of at least one of the hopper sidewalls are sloped towards the slot shaped opening. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slot shaped opening has a width of between about 0.3 and 5 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slot shaped opening has a length of between about 0.5 and 100 cm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second rollers have a Rockwell A hardness of greater than about 30. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second rollers have a smooth outer cylindrical surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer cylindrical surface of the first and second rollers has a roughness average of less than 50 microinches (1.27 micron). ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A powder feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second rollers comprise stainless steel.