# US 8,783,509 B2 · Method, a device and a system for metering of powder > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,509 B2 - Document ID: US8783509B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/141,008 - Filed: 2008-12-19 - Published: 2011-10-20 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-19 - Assignees: Saab AB - Applicants: Magnus Nordlund - Inventors: Magnus Nordlund - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783509B2 ## CPC - F42B 33/0292: {by volumetric measurement, i.e. the volume of the material being determined before filling} - G01F 11/24: for fluent solid material - F42B: EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION (explosive compositions C06B; fuzes F42C; blasting F42D) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract A method, device and system for metering powder material from a powder material source by a metering device connected to the source. The device is charged from the source with a batch of powder material in a charging configuration. The batch is discharged from the device in a discharging configuration. The source is connected with a metering piston space in the charging configuration via a first channel of a fixed metering channel hub. The volume of the space is controlled between a metering piston and a hub peripheral surface by controlling the piston position in the space, to charge the volume with material by gravity. The metering space is turned around the hub, to the charging configuration. The volume filled with material is enclosed until reaching the discharging configuration. The metering piston space is connected with a discharge opening via a second channel of the hub for discharging the material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A powder metering method for metering of powder material from a powder material source by a metering device connected to the powder material source, the method comprising: charging the device from the powder material source with a batch of powder material in a charging configuration of the device and discharging said batch of powder material from the device in a discharging configuration of the device; connecting the powder material source with a metering piston space in the charging configuration via a first channel of a fixed metering channel hub and controlling a volume of said space between a metering piston and a peripheral surface of the fixed metering channel hub by controlling a position of the piston in said space outside the peripheral surface, thereby charging the volume with powder material by gravity; rotating the metering space around the fixed metering channel hub and thereby leaving the charging configuration and enclosing said volume filled with powder material until reaching the discharging configuration; and connecting the metering piston space with a discharge opening via a second channel of the fixed metering channel hub for discharging the batch of powder material contained in the enclosed volume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: arranging the metering piston and the metering piston space in a metering structure, rotatable around a metering channel hub axis between two positions providing the charging configuration and the discharging configuration, respectively. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, further comprising: rotating the metering structure substantially 180° between said two positions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: using the metering piston when discharging. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: further processing of the discharged batch of powder material and detecting a processing result; and adjusting the position of the piston in response to said result to obtain a desired result in the further processing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: controlling the metering piston position automatically. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: manually adjusting the metering piston position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: exchanging the metering structure and the metering piston depending upon a desired range of powder material batch volume. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the batch of powder material contained in the enclosed volume is discharged by gravity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the further processing comprising pressing the batch of powder material. ### Claim 11 A powder metering device for powder material provided from a powder material source, the device being arranged to be charged with a batch of powder material from said powder material source in a charging configuration and to discharge said batch of powder material in a discharging configuration, the device comprising: a metering piston space arranged to be connected with said powder material source in the charging configuration via a first channel of a fixed metering channel hub, a volume of the metering piston space between a metering piston and a peripheral surface of the fixed metering channel hub being controllable by controlling the piston position in said metering piston space outside the peripheral surface, the metering piston space being rotatable around the fixed metering channel hub, the volume of the metering piston space being arranged to be enclosed when leaving the charging configuration, the piston metering space being arranged to be connected to a discharge opening via a second channel of the fixed metering channel hub in the discharge configuration, the batch of powder material of said enclosed volume being intended to be discharged through said opening, the metering piston space being situated below said first channel in the charging configuration to provide filling of said space with powder material from the powder material source by action of gravity and the metering piston space being situated above the second channel in the discharge configuration to provide discharging of the batch of powder material from the metering piston space through the second channel and said opening. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device according to claim 11, further comprising: a metering structure rotatable around the fixed metering channel hub and comprising the metering piston and the metering piston space. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein the structure is rotatable between two positions providing the charging configuration and the discharging configuration, respectively. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The device according to claim 11, further comprising: an automatic control configured to automatically control the position of the metering piston in the metering piston space, thereby controlling the volume of said metering piston space. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, wherein each channel of the fixed metering channel hub runs in a separate, substantially vertical plane, the first channel having an upper end connected to the powder material source and a lower end at the peripheral surface of the fixed metering channel hub for charging and the second channel having an upper end connectable to the metering piston space and a lower end for discharging of the batch of powder material, the channels running in a slope to and from, respectively, said structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, the metering structure and the metering piston are exchangably arranged for adaption to a desired range of a volume of the batch of powder material. ### Claim 17 A system for metering and processing powder material, the system comprising: a metering device comprising a metering piston space arranged to be connected with said powder material source in a charging configuration via a first channel of a fixed metering channel hub, a volume of the metering piston space between a metering piston and a peripheral surface of the fixed metering channel hub being controllable by controlling a position of the piston in said metering piston space outside the peripheral surface, the metering piston space being rotatable around the fixed metering channel hub, the volume of the metering piston space being arranged to be enclosed when leaving the charging configuration, the piston metering space being arranged to be connected to a discharge opening via a second channel of the fixed metering channel hub in a discharge configuration, at batch of the powder material of said enclosed volume being intended to be discharged through said opening, the metering piston space being situated below said first channel in the charging configuration to provide filling of said space with the batch of the powder material from the powder material source by action of gravity and the metering piston space being situated above the second channel in the discharge configuration to provide discharging of the batch of the powder material from the metering piston space through the second channel and said opening; a batch processor configured to process the batch of the powder material metered by said device; and a determining module configured to determine a result of the processing, compare the result with a desired result and control the position of the metering piston in the metering space, if necessary, in order to obtain the desired result in at least one processing step. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system according to claim 17, wherein the processing comprises pressing and wherein said result is the height of a pressed batch of powdered material.