Apparatuses and methods for measuring dustiness of a product
AssigneePetSmart Home Office, Inc.
InventorsSaul C. Ovalle, James Schnepf, Amy Euske
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for measuring dustiness of a product. The method can include providing the product onto a ramp. The method further can include allowing gravity to move the product down the ramp through a dam. The dam can be configured to control a mass flow rate of the product moved down the ramp. The method additionally can include measuring, by a sensor, airborne particles to determine the dustiness of the product, wherein the airborne particles are generated by the product exiting the ramp and freely falling onto a support surface. Other embodiments are disclosed.
Claims20
An apparatus for measuring dustiness of a product comprising:
- a ramp comprising a dam, wherein:
- the dam is configured to control a mass flow rate of the product moved by gravity down the ramp;
- and
- a sensor configured to measure airborne particles generated by the product exiting the ramp and freely falling onto a support surface to determine the dustiness of the product.
An apparatus for measuring dustiness of a product comprising:
- a container comprising:
- a container body configured to hold the product;
- and
- a door configured to close or open the container body;
- a ramp, wherein:
- the ramp is configured to:
- receive the product discharged from the container body when the door is open;
- and
- allow gravity to move the product down the ramp;
- and
- the ramp further is configured so that the door, when open, lies on a surface of the ramp;
- and
- a sensor configured to measure airborne particles generated by the product exiting the ramp and freely falling onto a support surface for determining the dustiness of the product.
A method for measuring dustiness of a product, the method comprising:
- providing the product onto a ramp;
- allowing gravity to move the product down the ramp through a dam, wherein:
- the dam is configured to control a mass flow rate of the product moved down the ramp;
- and
- measuring, by a sensor, airborne particles to determine the dustiness of the product, wherein the airborne particles are generated by the product exiting the ramp and freely falling onto a support surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.