# US 11,112,341 B1 · Apparatus for measuring the spreadability of powders and granular materials

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- Number: US 11,112,341 B1
- Document ID: US11112341B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/864,231
- Filed: 2020-05-01
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-05-01
- Applicants: Gregory Peter Martiska
- Inventors: Gregory Peter Martiska
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112341B1

## CPC

- G01N 11/00: Investigating flow properties of materials, e.g. viscosity, plasticity; Analysing materials by determining flow properties
- G01N 11/10: by moving a body within the material
- G01N 2203/0284: Bulk material, e.g. powders
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

An apparatus is provided for measuring the spreadability of powders and granular materials for applications that require powders to be spread in a thin layer. The apparatus consists of a test surface or powder bed for receiving a material sample layer, one or more spreading devices that form a layer of material sample on the test surface or powder bed when there is relative motion between the test surface or powder bed and the spreading device, and one or more scraping blades that remove the layer of material sample created by the spreading device from the test surface or powder bed and move it to one or more measuring devices to determine the amount of material in the layer of the material sample. The amount and consistency over time of sample material removed by the scraping blade from the test surface or powder bed indicate the spreadability of the material sample.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for measuring the spreadability of powders and granular material comprising:
a) a test surface for receiving material samples to be investigated;
b) one or more spreading devices that allow material samples to be spread on the test surface when there is relative motion between the spreading devices and the test surface;
c) one or more scraping devices to move the material samples spread on the test surface into one or more collection containers when there is relative motion between the scraping devices and the test surface;
d) a means for causing relative motion between the test surface and the one or more spreading devices and the one or more scraping devices; and
e) a measuring unit with a means for measuring the weight and/or volume of the material samples in the one or more collection containers while the relative motion is occurring.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1 where said test surface is circular.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1 where said test surface is circular and grooved to contain a layer of the material samples.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1 where said measuring unit consists of one or more load sensing devices mounted on the apparatus to measure the weights of the material samples in the collection containers.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1 where said measuring unit consists of an external balance to measure the weights of material samples in the one or more collection containers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An apparatus according to claim 1 where said test surface is rectangular with a smooth or grooved face.