US 2026/0138346 A1Published application

Gas-based material compression and portioning

AssigneeAltria Client Services LLC

InventorsThien NGUYEN, Sean SUNDBERG, Jeremy STRAIGHT, Berina YERKIC-HUSEJNOVIC, Jarrod W. CHALKLEY, James D. EVANS, Christopher R. NEWCOMB, Robert V. POWELL, JR., Gregory L. NELSON

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Abstract

An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An apparatus, comprising:

a fixed assembly including a dispensing container, the dispensing container defining a dispensing conduit extending between a dispensing conduit inlet and a dispensing conduit outlet;
and
a reciprocating assembly including a first channel assembly, the first channel assembly defining a first channel conduit extending between a first channel conduit inlet and a first channel conduit outlet, the reciprocating assembly movable along a longitudinal axis in relation to the fixed assembly between each position of a first position, a second position, and a third position, wherein,
the first channel conduit is offset from the dispensing conduit along the longitudinal axis, based on the reciprocating assembly being at the first position,
the first channel conduit inlet is in fluid communication with a first gas manifold outlet of a first gas manifold, and the first channel conduit outlet is in fluid communication with the dispensing conduit inlet, based on the reciprocating assembly being at the second position, and
the dispensing conduit inlet is in fluid communication with a second gas manifold outlet of a second gas manifold, and the dispensing conduit outlet is in fluid communication with an exterior of the apparatus, based on the reciprocating assembly being at the third position.

3 more elements

A method of operating an apparatus, the apparatus including a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly, the fixed assembly including a dispensing container, the dispensing container defining a dispensing conduit extending between a dispensing conduit inlet and a dispensing conduit outlet, the reciprocating assembly including a first channel assembly, the first channel assembly defining a first channel conduit extending between a first channel conduit inlet and a first channel conduit outlet, the method comprising:

causing the reciprocating assembly to move along a longitudinal axis in relation to the fixed assembly to a first position such that the first channel conduit is offset from the dispensing conduit along the longitudinal axis based on the reciprocating assembly being at the first position,
causing the reciprocating assembly to move along the longitudinal axis from the first position to a second position such that, based on the reciprocating assembly being at the second position,
the first channel conduit inlet is in fluid communication with a first gas manifold outlet of a first gas manifold, and
the first channel conduit outlet is in fluid communication with the dispensing conduit inlet, and
causing the reciprocating assembly to move along the longitudinal axis from the second position to a third position such that, based on the reciprocating assembly being at the third position,
the dispensing conduit inlet is in fluid communication with a second gas manifold outlet of a second gas manifold, and
the dispensing conduit outlet is in fluid communication with an exterior of the apparatus.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/452,705Filed 19 Jan 2026
Priority: 25 Jun 2020
Published: 21 May 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

B30B 12/00
Presses not provided for in groups b30b1/00 - b30b11/00
B29C 31/04
Handling, e.g. feeding of the material to be shaped , storage of plastics material before moulding; Automation, i.e. automated handling lines in…:…
B29C 33/0022
Moulds or cores; Details thereof or accessories therefor: multi-cavity moulds
B29C 33/46
With means for, or specially constructed to facilitate, the removal of articles, e.g. of undercut articles: using fluid pressure

Family

Application16/911,838Continuation · filed 25 Jun 2020
Application18/476,563Continuation · filed 28 Sep 2023
Application18/925,631Continuation · filed 24 Oct 2024
Application19/452,705Continuation
US 11,794,436 B2Related patent
US 12,138,881 B2Related patent
US 12,539,683 B2Related patent
US 2021/0402724 A1Published application
US 2024/0025139 A1Published application
US 2025/0042116 A1Published application
US 2026/0138346 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.