Product metering device
AssigneeLanda Labs (2012) Ltd.
InventorsBenzion Landa, Anton Krassilnikov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A metering device is disclosed for regulating the depth of flowable product coating a surface movable relative to the metering device by directing an air curtain towards the surface. The metering device comprises a body (10) having an interior chamber (12), an inlet for connecting the chamber to a source of gas under super-ambient pressure; and an opening (16) communicating with the chamber and having a mouth through which gas is discharged from the chamber towards the surface to form the air curtain. A porous or reticulated membrane (18) is secured to, or formed integrally with, the body of the device to lie in the path of the gas discharged through the mouth of the opening.
Claims16
A product metering device for leveling, or regulating the depth of a flowable product coating a surface that is movable relative to the metering device, the surface having an excess of the product placed upon a portion thereof, the device comprising a gas knife operative to direct a gas curtain towards the movable surface to achieve a substantially even depth of product coating on the surface on a downstream side of the product metering device, while confining excess material in an area upstream of the product metering device, the gas knife comprising a body having an interior chamber, an inlet for connecting the chamber to a source of gas under pressure greater than an ambient pressure;
- an opening communicating with the chamber and having a mouth through which a stream of the gas is discharged, and a porous or reticulated pressure reducing membrane secured to an outer surface of the body of the gas knife so as to overlie the mouth of the opening and to be traversed by the gas stream discharged from the mouth of the opening, the gas passing through the pressure reducing membrane forming the gas curtain that is directed towards the product coated surface;
- wherein the pressure reducing membrane has a flow resistance such that, under a pressure differential of 1,000 kPa across the membrane, a gas flow rate therethrough is in the range of 0.01 to 5 liters/minute/mm2.
A gas knife for directing a gas curtain towards a surface movable relative thereto in order to level, or regulate the depth of, a coating of a flowable product on the surface by displacing from the surface any product in excess of a predetermined depth, the gas knife comprising a body having an interior chamber, an inlet for connecting the chamber to a source of gas under pressure greater than an ambient pressure;
- an opening communicating with the chamber and having a mouth through which a stream of the gas is discharged, and a porous or reticulated pressure reducing membrane secured to an outer surface of the body of the gas knife so as to overlie the mouth of the opening and to be traversed by the gas stream discharged from the mouth of the opening, the gas passing through the pressure reducing membrane forming the gas curtain that is directed towards the product coated surface;
- wherein the pressure reducing membrane has a flow resistance such that, under a pressure differential of 1,000 kPa across the membrane, a gas flow rate therethrough is in the range of 0.01 to 5 liters/minute/mm2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.