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US 8,985,400 B2Granted
Micro particle flow facilitator
AssigneeCrystal-Mark, Inc.
InventorsKeith D. Swan, Jawn P. Swan, William H. Stutz, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A micro particle flow facilitator, includes: (a) a bourdon tube having a flexible duct capable of expanding and contracting in response to pulsations of a pressurized fluid, the duct being hollow, closed-ended and having an inlet port; and (b) a fluid pulsator for providing the pulsations of a pressurized fluid to the inlet port of the bourdon tube, the pulsator being in fluid-tight communication with the inlet port of the bourdon tube and having a fluid inlet port for connection to a source of pressurized fluid.
Claims20
A micro particle flow facilitator, comprising:
- (a) a C-shaped flow facilitator tube having a flexible duct capable of expanding and contracting in response to pulsations of a pressurized fluid causing the duct to alternatively straighten and curl back to its normal C-shape, the duct being hollow, closed-ended and having an inlet port;
- and
- (b) a fluid pulsator for providing pulsations of the pressurized fluid to the inlet port of the facilitator tube, the pulsator being in fluid-tight communication with the inlet port of the tube and having a fluid inlet port for connection to a source of the pressurized fluid.
A flow distribution system useful for dispensing powders and other granular material, the system comprising:
- (a) a granular material dispensing chamber having an upper portion, a lower portion, side walls and a bottom, the bottom defining an exit orifice;
- (b) a C-shaped flow facilitator tube disposed within the container proximate to the bottom of the dispensing chamber, the facilitator tube having a flexible duct capable of alternating from a straightened position and a C-shape curled position, the duct being hollow, closed-ended and having an inlet port, the facilitator tube being capable of expanding and contracting in response to pulsations of a pressurized fluid;
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- (c) a fluid pulsator for providing the flow of pressurized fluid to the inlet port of the facilitator tube, the pulsator being in fluid-tight communication with the inlet port of the tube and having a fluid inlet port for connection to a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid outlet port in fluid tight connection to the inlet port of the facilitator tube.
1 more element
A flow distribution system useful for dispensing powders and other granular material, the system comprising:
- (a) a granular material dispensing chamber having an upper portion, a lower portion, side walls and a bottom, the bottom defining an exit orifice, the side walls in the lower portion of the dispensing chamber being convergent toward the exit orifice and terminating at the periphery of the exit orifice;
- (b) a C-shaped flow facilitator tube disposed within the container proximate to the bottom of the dispensing chamber, the facilitator tube having a flexible duct capable of expanding and contracting, the duct being hollow, closed-ended and having an inlet port, the facilitator tube being capable of alternating from a straightened position to a C-shape curled position in response to pulsations of a pressurized fluid;
- and
- (c) a fluid pulsator for providing the flow of pressurized fluid to the inlet port of the facilitator tube, the pulsator being in fluid-tight communication with the inlet port of the facilitator tube and having a fluid inlet port for connection to a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid outlet port in fluid tight connection to the inlet port of the facilitator tube;
- wherein the dispensing chamber has a vertical longitudinal central axis disposed through the exit opening;
- and
- wherein the facilitator tube is disposed around the central axis in a plane perpendicular to the central axis in the lower portion of the dispensing chamber.
4 more elements
A method for dispensing powders and other granular material comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a flow distribution system for dispensing powders and other granular material, the system comprising:
- (i) a granular material dispensing chamber having an upper portion, a lower portion, side walls and a bottom, the bottom defining an exit orifice, the side walls in the lower portion of the dispensing chamber being convergent toward the exit orifice and terminating at the periphery of the exit orifice;
- (ii) a C-shaped flow facilitator tube disposed within the container proximate to the bottom of the dispensing chamber, the facilitator tube having a flexible duct capable of alternating from a straightened position to a C-shape curled position, the duct being hollow, closed-ended and having an inlet port, the facilitator tube being capable of expanding, contracting and vibrating in response to pulsations of a pressurized fluid;
- and
- (iii) a fluid pulsator for providing the flow of pressurized fluid to the inlet port of the facilitator tube, the pulsator being in fluid-tight communication with the inlet port of the facilitator tube and having a fluid inlet port for connection to a source of pressurized fluid and a fluid outlet port in fluid tight connection to the inlet port of the facilitator tube;
- wherein the dispensing chamber has a vertical longitudinal central axis disposed through the exit opening and wherein the facilitator tube is C-shaped and is disposed in the lower portion of the dispensing chamber around the central axis in a plane perpendicular to the central axis;
- (b) connecting the source of pressurized fluid to the fluid inlet port of the pulsating valve;
- (c) placing the granular material into the dispensing chamber;
- (d) controlling the flow of pressurized fluid with the fluid pulsator to direct pulsations of pressurized fluid to the facilitator tube;
- and
- (e) dispensing the granular material from the dispensing chamber via the exit opening.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.