Mixing and dispensing system
OwnerJames Allen Rouseinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dispensing system having a hopper with at least one wall moveable to form a dispensing opening at the base of the hopper. At least one air knife is provided which blasts air upwardly into the hopper to lift, levitate, and mix the product within the hopper. Upon termination of the air blast, the product falls downwardly into the base for the hopper, and a selected number of items fall through the dispensing opening. The remaining items tend to bridge the dispensing opening, thereby blocking further dispensing of the product. During subsequent air blasts, the product is repeatedly levitated, agitated, and allowed to drop through the dispensing opening to ultimately dispense the entirety of the product from the hopper.
Claims19
A dispensing apparatus for dispensing items from a plurality of items, the dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a container having a support surface for supporting the plurality of items, said container having an upper portion and an opening in said upper portion for receiving the plurality of the items, and said container having an open passageway in a lower portion thereof for dispensing items from the container;
- at least one pressurized fluid outlet that delivers a pulse of pressurized fluid through said open passageway into said container of sufficient pressure to lift the plurality of items above said support surface;
- and
- at least one guide surface that directs at least one of the plurality of items through said open passageway subsequent to said delivery of said pulse of pressurized fluid;
- at least one member for selectively varying the size of said open passageway.
A dispensing apparatus for dispensing items from a plurality of items, the dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a container having a support surface for supporting the plurality of items, said container having an upper portion and an opening in said upper portion for receiving the plurality of the items, and said container having an open passageway in a lower portion thereof for dispensing items from the container;
- means for delivering a pulse of pressurized fluid through said open passageway into said container of sufficient pressure to lift the plurality of items above said support surface;
- and
- means for directing at least one of the plurality of items through said open passageway subsequent to said delivery of said pulse of pressurized fluid;
- means for selectively varying the size of said open passageway.
A method for separating and dispensing items, the method comprising:
- providing a container having a support surface for supporting the items, said container having an open passageway adapted to be selectively variable in size in a lower portion thereof for dispensing items from the container;
- providing items on said support surface of said container;
- delivering at least one pulse of pressurized fluid through said open passageway into said container against items sufficient to lift the items from said support surface and to separate the items from one another;
- allowing the items to fall downwardly towards said open passageway upon termination of said pulse of pressurized fluid;
- and
- directing at least one of the items through said open passageway upon termination of said pulse of pressurized fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.