Auger assembly with auger cartridge and agitator assembly
AssigneeAltria Client Services LLC
InventorsHenry CHANG, Travis GARTHAFFNER, Jamel LUCAS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The auger assembly includes an auger cartridge with a proximal end and a distal end, a proximal end surface at the proximal end, a platform extending perpendicular to the proximal end surface and distally from the proximal end surface, and a proximal end channel extending through the auger cartridge between the proximal end and the distal end, and an agitator assembly coupled to the auger cartridge, the agitator assembly including, a snout in confronting relation with the proximal end surface of the auger cartridge, an auger shaft received by and extending through at least a portion of the proximal end channel of the auger cartridge and the snout.
Claims20
A dosing system comprising:
- a main hopper configured to receive a filler;
- a vibratory hopper configured to receive the filler from the main hopper;
- a housing configured to receive the filler from the vibratory hopper;
- an auger assembly housed in the housing and configured to convey the filler to a front of the auger assembly, the auger assembly including,
- an auger cartridge including,
- a proximal end and a distal end,
- a proximal end surface at the proximal end,
- a platform extending perpendicular to the proximal end surface and distally from the proximal end surface, and
- a proximal end channel extending through the auger cartridge between the proximal end and the distal end;
- and
- an agitator assembly coupled to the auger cartridge, the agitator assembly including,
- a snout in confronting relation with the proximal end surface of the auger cartridge,
- an auger shaft received by and extending through at least a portion of the proximal end channel of the auger cartridge and the snout,
- a link interfacing with the snout,
- an agitator housing coupled to the link, the agitator housing coupled to the platform of the auger cartridge, and
- a plurality of prongs extending distally from the agitator housing, the plurality of prongs extending from an agitator connector coupled to the link and extending through the agitator housing,
- wherein the link is configured to rotate such that rotation of the link causes rotation of the agitator connector and the plurality of prongs;
- and
- a dosing tube configured to receive the filler from the auger assembly as the filler is conveyed to the front of the auger assembly and output a dose of the filler.
An auger assembly comprising:
- an auger cartridge including,
- a proximal end and a distal end,
- a proximal end surface at the proximal end,
- a platform extending perpendicular to the proximal end surface and distally from the proximal end surface, and
- a proximal end channel extending through the auger cartridge between the proximal end and the distal end;
- and
- an agitator assembly coupled to the auger cartridge, the agitator assembly including,
- a snout in confronting relation with the proximal end surface of the auger cartridge,
- an auger shaft received by and extending through a least a portion of the proximal end channel of the auger cartridge and the snout,
- a link interfacing with the snout,
- an agitator housing coupled to the link, the agitator housing coupled to the platform of the auger cartridge, and
- a plurality of prongs extending distally from the agitator housing, the plurality of prongs extending from an agitator connector coupled to the link and extending through the agitator housing,
- wherein the link is configured to rotate such that rotation of the link causes rotation of the agitator connector and the plurality of prongs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.