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US 6,964,355 B2Granted
Dry food dispensing system
AssigneesGil Gold, Tamir Levy
InventorOfer Landau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hermetically sealable dispenser for measuring and dispensing predetermined amounts of a granular product without breakage of the product. The dispenser comprises a container which can be filled with the product, and a flexible, rotatable, paddle wheel fixed within the container. The spacing between paddles of the paddle wheel form measuring compartments. The dimensions of the paddle wheel are such that the wheel forms a hermetic seal near one end of the container. A lid is provided to seal the upper end of the container such that the product is stored in an air-tight compartment prior to dispensing.
Claims8
A system for measuring and dispensing a predetermined quantity of a granular product, comprising:
- a refillable, hermetically sealable receptacle having a funnel with a neck, said neck being provided with an open lower end formed as a dispensing aperture, said receptacle containing a quantity of the granular product;
- and
- a rotatable and flexible paddle wheel means provided within said neck, for measuring and dispensing the predetermined quantity of the granular product, wherein the diameter of said paddle wheel means is identical to that of said neck, providing hermetic sealing of said neck for maintaining the hygiene and freshness of the granular product;
- wherein said paddle wheel means comprises a hollow central core and a plurality of curved, silicone rubber paddles extending radially outwards therefrom to define spaces therebetween, wherein each of said spaces between adjacent paddles provides a measuring cavity,
- wherein a first end of a shaft extends through said hollow core of said paddle wheel means beyond a first through-hole formed in said neck of said funnel, said first end being provided with retaining means to retain said shaft within said first through-hole,
- and wherein a second end of said shaft extends beyond a second through-hole formed in said neck of said funnel, positioned diametrically opposite said first through-hole, said second end further comprising a handle for turning said shaft to rotate said paddle wheel means, said handle being situated on a front side of said neck for direct access thereto,
- said system further comprising a support stand comprising a base, a vertical section upwardly extending from said base, and a horizontal retaining arm extending outward from said vertical section, said horizontal retaining arm removably receiving said receptacle therein,
- said system being capable of easy disassembly for cleaning,
- wherein when said handle rotates said paddle wheel means, the granular product is dispensed substantially without breakage via said dispensing aperture.
6 more elements
A method for measuring and dispensing a granular product comprising the steps of:
- providing a measuring and dispensing system comprising:
- a refillable, hermetically sealable receptacle having a funnel with a neck, said neck being provided with an open lower end formed as a dispensing aperture, said receptacle containing a quantity of the granular product;
- and
- a rotatable and flexible paddle wheel means provided within said neck, for measuring and dispensing a predetermined quantity of the granular product,
- wherein the diameter of said paddle wheel means is identical to that of said neck, providing hermetic sealing of said neck for maintaining the hygiene and freshness of the granular product,
- wherein said paddle wheel means comprises a hollow central core and a plurality of curved, silicone rubber paddles extending radially outwards therefrom to define spaces therebetween, wherein each of said spaces between adjacent paddles provides a measuring cavity,
- wherein a first end of a shaft extends through said hollow core of said paddle wheel means beyond a first through-hole formed in said neck of said funnel, said first end being provided with retaining means to retain said shaft within said first through-hole,
- and wherein a second end of said shaft extends beyond a second through-hole formed in said neck of said funnel, positioned diametrically opposite said first through-hole, said second end further comprising a handle for turning said shaft to rotate said paddle wheel means, said handle being situated on a front side of said neck for direct access thereto,
- supporting said system in an elevated orientation via a support stand comprising a base, a vertical section upwardly extending from said base, and a horizontal retaining arm extending outward from said vertical section, said horizontal retaining arm removably receiving said receptacle therein,
- said system being capable of easy disassembly for cleaning,
- inserting a receiving bowl beneath said dispensing aperture;
- filling said refillable receptacle with the granular product;
- rotating said paddle wheel means such that said spaces between said paddles are filled with the granular product;
- and
- further rotating said paddle wheel means to dispense the predetermined quantity of the granular product substantially without into said receiving bowl via said dispensing aperture.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.