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AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsTimothy L. Huss, William R. Enderle, Jr., Dale E. Boudreau
Estimating the term…
Particles are packed in a container. The container is either cylindrical-shaped or box-shaped. The container has a container inner wall and an inner bottom. A ramp is disposed on the container inner bottom. The ramp has a ramp base that is narrower than the container inner bottom. A conical-shaped inclined ramp surface extends upward from the ramp base at a substantially constant ramp surface angle with respect to horizontal and towards the container inner wall. The inclined ramp surface defines a ramp upper rim that is substantially proximate to the container inner wall. The particles have an angle of repose that is less than the ramp surface angle. The particles flow down the inclined ramp surface towards the ramp base. The particles are removed from the container using a vacuum feed nozzle that is disposed proximate to the particles in the container.
A container having a container inner wall, a container inner bottom with a ramp disposed thereon, the ramp having an included ramp base that is narrower than the container inner bottom, the ramp forming a conical-shaped inclined ramp surface that extends upwardly from the ramp base at a substantially constant ramp surface angle with respect to horizontal towards the container inner wall, the inclined ramp surface defining a ramp upper rim that is substantially proximate to the container inner wall.
A method of removing particles that are disposed in a container having a container inner wall, a container inner bottom with a ramp disposed thereon, the ramp having an included ramp base that is narrower than the container inner bottom, the ramp forming a conical-shaped inclined ramp surface that extends upwardly from the ramp base at a substantially constant ramp surface angle with respect to horizontal towards the container inner wall, the inclined ramp surface defining a ramp upper rim that is substantially proximate to the container inner wall, the particles having an angle of repose that is less than the ramp surface angle and flowing down the inclined ramp surface towards the ramp base, the method comprising removing particles using a vacuum feed nozzle that is disposed proximate to the particles in the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.