Powder feed apparatus, system and method
OwnerGlenn Beaneinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powder feed apparatus and method for increasing the rate of flow of powder fed through a powder feed system to a powder press. The apparatus includes a housing having a powder feed chamber, with a powder ingress opening and a powder egress opening, and at least one vibrator. The powder feed chamber is dimensioned to transmit a vibrational force from the vibrator to powder in it such that the velocity of the powder through the powder egress opening is increased over the velocity of the powder through the powder egress opening in the absence of the vibrational force (i.e. using only gravity feed).
Claims19
A powder feed system for feeding powder to a powder press comprising:
- a source of a powdered material;
- a powder receptacle;
- and
- a powder feed apparatus for increasing a rate of flow of the powdered material from said source to said powder receptacle, said apparatus comprising:
- a housing, comprising an outer surface, a powder ingress opening in communication with said source of powdered material, a powder egress opening in communication with said powder receptacle, and a powder feed chamber in communication with said powder ingress opening and said powder egress opening, wherein said powder feed chamber is dimensioned substantially to transmit a vibrational force that is transmitted to said powder feed chamber to the powdered material disposed therethrough such that a rate of flow of the powdered material through said powder egress opening is increased over a rate of flow of the powdered material through said powder egress opening in the absence of the transmission of the vibrational force;
- and
- at least one vibrator in vibrational communication with said powder feed chamber, said at least one vibrator being dimensioned and located such that said at least one vibrator creates a vibrational force that is transmitted from said at least one vibrator to said powder feed chamber;
- a frame or an attachment plate for attaching said housing to another component of the powder feed system, and
- means for isolating the vibrational force transmitted to said powder feed chamber from said attachment plate.
A powder feed system for feeding powder to a powder press comprising:
- a die cavity and at least one punch dimensioned to fit within said die cavity;
- a source of a powdered material;
- and
- a powder feed apparatus for increasing a velocity of the powdered material from said source to said powder receptacle, said apparatus comprising:
- a housing, comprising an outer surface, a powder ingress opening in communication with said source of powdered material, a powder egress opening in communication with said die cavity, and a powder feed chamber in communication with said powder ingress opening and said powder egress opening, wherein said powder feed chamber is dimensioned substantially to transmit a vibrational force that is transmitted to said powder feed chamber to the powdered material disposed therethrough such that a velocity of the powdered material through said powder egress opening is increased over a velocity of the powdered material through said powder egress opening in the absence of the transmission of the vibrational force;
- at least one vibrator in vibrational communication with said powder feed chamber, said at least one vibrator being dimensioned and located such that said at least one vibrator creates a vibrational force that is transmitted from said at least one vibrator to said powder feed chamber;
- a frame or an attachment plate for attaching said housing to another component of the powder feed system, and
- means for isolating the vibrational force transmitted to said powder feed chamber from said attachment plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.