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US 12,478,195 B2Granted
Detachable hopper bulk dispenser
AssigneeRetail Space Solutions LLC
InventorsChristopher Lyons, Craig Pavlich, Shaji Veettil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gravity-feed dispensing system includes a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense. The hopper includes a mouth. A dispenser includes a valve operable between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper through an outlet of the dispenser. The dispenser is configured to selectively connect the valve to the mouth of the hopper.
Claims17
A gravity-feed dispensing system comprising:
- a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense, the hopper comprising a mouth;
- and
- a dispenser comprising a valve operable between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper through an outlet of the dispenser;
- wherein the dispenser is configured to selectively connect the valve to the mouth of the hopper wherein the dispenser comprises:
- a valve housing;
- a spool rotatably positioned within the valve housing, the spool comprising a plurality of paddles extending between valve wheels comprising a plurality of exteriorly extending ratchets;
- a handle;
- and
- a ratchet plate that connects the handle to the spool, wherein the ratchet plate comprises at least one pawl extending from at least one detent arm, the at least one pawl configured to releasably engage the ratchets.
6 more elements
A gravity-feed dispenser for selective coupling to a hopper of bulk material, the gravity-feed dispenser comprises:
- a valve housing;
- a spool within the valve housing;
- and
- a handle operatively connected to the spool to move the spool within the valve housing between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass through the dispenser housing;
- wherein the spool is selected from a plurality of interchangeable spools configured to be operatively positioned within the valve housing and at least one first spool of the plurality of interchangeable spools is configured to rotate in only a first direction within the valve housing and the at least one second spool is configured to reciprocate in the first direction and an opposite second direction.
2 more elements
A gravity-feed dispensing system comprising:
- a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense, the hopper comprising a mouth;
- a dispenser comprising a valve operable between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper through an outlet of the dispenser;
- wherein the dispenser is configured to selectively connect the valve to the mouth of the hopper;
- a handle;
- a keyed projection extending interior of the valve and mechanically connected to the handle;
- a valve housing;
- and
- a spool rotatably positioned within the valve housing, the spool comprises a keyed receptacle configured to receive the keyed projection to transfer movement from the handle to the spool.
5 more elements
A gravity-feed dispensing system comprising:
- a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense, the hopper comprising a mouth;
- and
- a dispenser comprising a valve operable between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper through an outlet of the dispenser;
- wherein the dispenser is configured to selectively connect the valve to the mouth of the hopper, wherein the mouth of the hopper is circular and the dispenser comprises a barrel configured to selectively connect the dispenser to the mouth of the hopper;
- an agitator configured to translate within the hopper, wherein the agitator comprises a plurality of ribs extending across the agitator in a width dimension and a rib extending centrally along a length dimension, wherein the agitator is flexible about the rib extending centrally along the length dimension.
2 more elements
A gravity-feed dispensing system comprising:
- a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense, the hopper comprising a mouth;
- a dispenser comprising a valve operable between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper through an outlet of the dispenser;
- wherein the dispenser is configured to selectively connect the valve to the mouth of the hopper, wherein the dispenser comprises a valve housing and a spool rotatably positioned within the valve housing;
- and
- a false front compartment connected to the dispenser, the false front compartment open to the valve housing.
2 more elements
A gravity-feed dispensing system comprising:
- a hopper configured to hold a bulk material for dispense, the hopper comprising a mouth;
- and
- a dispenser comprising a valve operable between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass from the hopper through an outlet of the dispenser;
- wherein the dispenser is configured to selectively connect the valve to the mouth of the hopper, wherein the dispenser comprises:
- an agitator that extends away from the valve and is configured to be received through the mouth into the hopper;
- a handle configured to operate the valve between the open and closed conditions;
- and
- an actuator linkage that mechanically connects the agitator to the handle, wherein the actuator linkage comprises:
- an external rod exterior of a barrel of the dispenser and operably connected to the handle;
- an external crank connected to the external rod;
- an internal rod interior of the barrel of the dispenser and operably connected to the actuator;
- an internal crank connected to the internal rod;
- and
- a shaft connected between the external crank and the internal crank and extending through the barrel.
11 more elements
A gravity-feed dispenser for selective coupling to a hopper of bulk material, the gravity-feed dispenser comprises:
- a valve housing;
- a spool within the valve housing;
- a handle operatively connected to the spool to move the spool within the valve housing between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass through the dispenser housing;
- and
- an agitator that extends away from the valve and is configured to be received into a hopper selectively connectable to the dispenser, wherein the agitator is configured with a rib to fold along a length dimension of the agitator.
2 more elements
A gravity-feed dispenser for selective coupling to a hopper of bulk material, the gravity-feed dispenser comprises:
- a valve housing;
- a spool within the valve housing;
- a handle operatively connected to the spool to move the spool within the valve housing between open and closed conditions to selectively permit bulk material to pass through the dispenser housing;
- and
- a false front compartment selectively connected to the dispenser, an interior of the false front compartment open to an interior of the valve housing.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.