U.S. patent application number 14/711521 was filed with the patent office on 2015-09-03 for method and apparatus for dispensing a granular product.
The applicant listed for this patent is Gil Gold, Tamir Levy. Invention is credited to Gil Gold, Tamir Levy.
Application Number | 20150246742 14/711521 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54006413 |
Filed Date | 2015-09-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150246742 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gold; Gil ; et al. |
September 3, 2015 |
Method and Apparatus for Dispensing a Granular Product
Abstract
A dispensing apparatus adapted to dispense powered products,
such as protein that tends to compact and stick together, from a
storage container into a dispensing chute using a hard rotatable
ball or other member that contains one or more elongated slots or
cavities. The rotating ball fits tightly into a flexible dispensing
cup with a flexible, but tight seal. The ball is rotated by shaft
with a handle to load one of the cavities with product. The
dispensing cup has one or more hand and finger like structures that
extend into the storage container that, when the ball is rotated
are caused to move laterally, vibrating and dislodging the powder
to flow into one of the cavities. Then, when the ball is rotated
180 degrees, the product drops out of the cavity into the
dispensing chute.
Inventors: |
Gold; Gil; (Skokie, IL)
; Levy; Tamir; (Skokie, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gold; Gil
Levy; Tamir |
Skokie
Skokie |
IL
IL |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
54006413 |
Appl. No.: |
14/711521 |
Filed: |
May 13, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13470652 |
May 14, 2012 |
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14711521 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/369 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 83/06 20130101;
B65B 37/08 20130101; G01F 11/24 20130101; G01F 11/003 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65B 37/08 20060101
B65B037/08 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for dispensing a powdered product comprising: a
powder product storage container in communication with a dispensing
mechanism; said dispensing mechanism including a rotatable member
attached to a rotatable shaft, the rotatable member having a smooth
surface, wherein said smooth surface contains at least one cavity;
a flexible dispensing cup receiving the rotatable member and
allowing the rotatable member to turn in the dispensing cup, said
dispensing cup also in communication with a dispensing orifice; at
least one hand and finger member having a top and bottom end, the
top end extending vertically from the flexible dispensing cup away
from the rotatable member and into the powdered product storage
container, said hand and finger configured to move laterally and
release when the cavity in the rotatable member engages and moves
past the bottom end of said hand and finger member; whereby, in a
first position, the cavity fills with a product from the powder
product storage container as the finger member moves laterally, and
in a second position dispenses the product into the orifice.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible dispensing cup is
food-grade silicon rubber.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotatable member is
spherical.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cavity is elliptical with
an approximately parabolic or Gaussian profile.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotatable shaft is
terminated in a detent mechanism on a distal end.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotatable shaft is
terminated with a handle on a proximal end.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotatable shaft is affixed
to a handle and secured on the distal end by a retaining clip.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cavity has an
approximately parabolic or Gaussian cross-section.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are two hand and finger
members.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the two hand and finger
members are flat and mounted parallel to each other.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of
notches on the upper end of said hand and finger member.
12. A dispenser adapted to dispense a predetermined amount of a
powdered product from a storage container into a dispensing chute,
the dispenser comprising: a flexible member attachable to the
storage container having an upper funnel part and a lower spherical
part that forms a flexible spherical cavity adapted to receive a
sold spherical ball, the spherical ball rotatable in the flexible
cavity by a shaft that penetrates the spherical ball, the flexible
member having a sealing lip that fits circumferencially around the
spherical ball; the spherical ball having a pair of opposing
elongated cavities adapted to receive powder product in one of the
cavities in an upward facing orientation and to dispense the
product into the dispensing chute when the spherical ball is
rotated 180 degrees; the flexible member having at least one flat
finger member that extends upward into the storage container and
downward to a point where it touches the spherical ball, the hand
and finger member configured to move laterally in the storage
container as the spherical ball is rotated and either of the
cavities engages and releases the bottom part of the hand and
finger member; wherein, the hand and finger member vibrates to
loosen the powdered product in the storage container causing the
powdered product to flow into one of the cavities in the spherical
ball for dispensing.
13. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein there are two flat hand and
finger members mounted parallel to one-another.
14. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the flat hand and finger
member has an upper end, and further comprising a plurality of
notches on the upper end of the flat hand and finger member.
15. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein the two finger members each
have upper ends, and further comprising a plurality of notches on
the upper ends of the two finger members.
16. The product dispenser of claim 12 wherein the elongated
cavities are elliptical with an approximately parabolic
cross-section.
17. The product dispenser of claim 12 wherein the shaft terminates
in a handle.
Description
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.
13/470,652 filed May 14, 2012. Application Ser. No. 13/470,652 is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to systems for
dispensing granular products and fine particle powders and more
particularly to a method and apparatus for dispensing granular
products and powders with precise and consistent portion
control.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] It is known in the art to dispense large granular products
like breakfast cereal or coffee beans using mechanical dispensers.
Such dispensers can be found in hotels, motels, restaurants and
grocery stores as well as homes. Examples of such dispensers are
taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,703,639 and 6,964,355. These devices use
either paddles or an impeller which, upon rotation, moves an amount
of cereal or other product from a product storage area to a
dispensing chute. Upon approaching the device, a user simply places
a dish or bowl or bag under the chute and turns a handle attached
to the paddles or impeller. A portion of the product then falls
into the dish or bag. If the user wants more product, the handle is
turned again, with little or no concern for precise portion
control.
[0006] While very effective for dispensing breakfast cereals and
other large products like coffees beans, cookie pieces, or whole
walnuts, these inventions have problems dispensing fine products
like ice cream toppings, peanuts, bulk spices, and candy in that
they have a tendency to crush or break some of the product, or to
stick or jam the mechanism. This also can cause some of the product
to dispense in an undesirable broken form, to smear on the
surfaces, or result in the dispenser jamming so tightly that it
will not function. For example, ice cream sprinkles break very
easily and are very difficult to mechanically dispense in
repeatedly accurate quantities. Powder products, namely those with
very fine particles, have the additional problem of sticking and
clumping together which prevents the product from flowing. Examples
of such powders are whey and soy protein powder, finely ground
coffee, cosmetic powder and pharmaceuticals.
[0007] Dispensers of the prior art also have a quite large
tolerance in the amount of product dispensed from turn to turn of
the handle. One turn may dispense a much smaller amount of product
than a subsequent turn. This is generally not a problem with
breakfast cereal, since the user usually makes multiple turns to
fill the bowl to the desired level. However, when an ice cream
topping or the like is being dispensed, a much more precise control
of the amount being dispensed from turn to turn is highly
desirable, since the user will usually only make one or two turns.
Tight control of dispensing quantity can result in greater
sanitation and a huge cost savings in many operations.
[0008] Another disadvantage of prior art dispensers is that they
are generally designed to dispense only one type of product
(breakfast cereal for example). A different device must be used
with a different product.
[0009] Thus, the four major problems with prior art dispensers are:
1) the inability to dispense a wide range of different sized
products from the same dispenser, 2) the tendency for the dispenser
to crush, break or smear fine products, or to jam when dispensing
finer-grained products, 3) the inability of prior art dispensers to
repeatably dispense accurate portions, especially of fine products,
and 4) the tendency of fine-grained product to lump together
preventing free flow and leakage.
[0010] It would be extremely advantageous to have a dispenser for
granular products that could dispense soft, easily crushed products
without damaging them and dispense an accurate fixed amount of
product on each turn. It would also be advantageous to have a
dispenser with interchangeable parts like different dispensing
wheels that would allow the same dispenser to be used with a
variety of different products.
[0011] Fine powders such as whey and soy proteins cause additional
problems in dispensing since the particles have a tendency to stick
together. Such fine powders stick together in upper part of a
dispenser and will not flow or descend to be dispensed. It would be
advantageous to have a system and method to efficiently dispense
fine powders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus with
interchangeable parts for dispensing a wide variety of granular
products in accurate repeatable portions without crushing or
breaking of smaller products, and without smearing and jamming of
the mechanism. A variety of rotating paddle wheels of different
shapes and number of paddles for larger products can be
interchanged with different ball/cup mechanisms for fine products.
An optional removable detent can be used to provide a control stop
rotation though particular angles to more precisely control portion
size with any of the combinations. The ball/cup arrangement also
helps prevent smearing and jamming.
[0013] The invention allows an efficient solution to the problem of
dispensing products, especially food products, of many different
sizes with a device that can be easily disassembled and cleaned,
and modified to allow for repeatedly accurate dispensing of
fine-grained products. Because the dispenser is closed, and it is
not necessary to touch the product to dispense it or to insert a
spoon or other utensil into the product, the present invention
leads to a very hygienic and convenient way to dispense granular
food products.
[0014] For soft or fine-grained products, the rotatable or rotating
member is generally a ball or cylinder and has a smooth surface
containing one or more cavities. A flexible dispensing cup made
from a material like silicon rubber receives the smooth surface of
the rotatable member forming a product seal, but allowing the
rotatable member to rotate smoothly. The dispensing cup also can be
connected to, or contain a dispensing chute or orifice. In a first
position of the shaft, the cavity fills with the small granular
product from a product storage container, and in a later position
dispenses the product into the chute or dispensing orifice. In the
preferred embodiment, the rotatable member for soft products is
spherical containing a cavity that is approximately
elliptical-shaped. The cavity may be sized to precise dispensing
specifications.
[0015] A particular embodiment of the present invention directed at
fine powders like proteins includes a flexible structure with one
or more flexible fingers that extend upward from the rotating
member into the mass of powder. The structure analogous to the
shape of a human hand has fingers arranged so that when the
rotating member rotates, it engages the bottom of the hand causing
it to deform and to move laterally in the powder, the resultant
vibration moves upward to the fingers and acts to dislodge the
powder so that it fills the cavity in the rotating member. This
prevents fine powders from clogging in the device, facilitating
even flow of the product and precise dispensing from the cup and
chute.
[0016] The rotatable member and cup can be changed to a choice of
different sized detent mechanisms for precise measurement of
quantities of product. The number and sizes of the detent balls can
be chosen for the product to be dispensed and for the dispensing a
precise amount and prevent waste or loss of product. For dispensing
powders, the removable cup contains a flexible hand shaped
structure in the center of the cup to vibrate when engaged by lip
of the rotating member thereby loosening the powder and promoting
even flow to the dispensing mechanism.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0017] Attention is now directed to several drawings that
illustrate features of the present invention:
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of the product
dispenser of the present invention used for finer grained
products.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a precision dispenser for fine
products according to the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of FIG. 3 from a different
angle.
[0022] FIGS. 5A-5C show details of an optional detent mechanism
suitable for use with many different embodiments of the present
invention.
[0023] FIGS. 6A-6C show details of a spherical embodiment of a
precision dispensing mechanism according to the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 7A-7B show an elliptical embodiment of the precision
dispensing mechanism.
[0025] FIGS. 8A-8B show a cylindrical embodiment of the precision
dispensing mechanism with an elliptical cavity.
[0026] FIGS. 9A-9B show a cylindrical embodiment of the precision
dispensing mechanism with an elongated cavity that runs the length
of the cylinder.
[0027] FIGS. 10A-10C show a set of interchangeable paddle members
that can be used with granular products of different sizes.
[0028] FIGS. 11A-11C show side views of some of the paddle members
of FIGS. 10A-10C.
[0029] FIGS. 12A-12B show a modified handle and shaft with a
different fastener clip.
[0030] FIGS. 13A-13C show three different perspective views of an
embodiment of the present invention directed toward fine powders
like proteins and flour.
[0031] FIGS. 14A-14C show cut-away views of the embodiment of FIGS.
13A-13C with the slot in the rotating member up.
[0032] FIGS. 15A-15C show the same cut-away views as FIGS. 14A-14C
with the slot turned.
[0033] FIG. 16 shows a straight-on cut-away view of an entire
assembly with the slot in the rotating member facing up.
[0034] FIG. 17 shows the assembly of FIG. 16 with the rotating
member turned ninety degrees.
[0035] Several drawings and illustrations have been presented to
aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the
present invention is not limited to what is shown in the
figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0036] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for
dispensing an accurate predetermined amount of a granular product
by turning a handle. The product is dispensed in a precise
repeatable portion without crushing, breaking, smearing or leaking.
The dispenser has optionally interchangeable parts for different
sized products and different portions. Small grained products can
include ice cream toppings such as sprinkles, crushed and chopped
nuts, chocolate flakes, small candy as well as any other product
such as crushed seeds, bulk spices, sugar and the like. From small
grain products, such as sugar granules, to larger sized round
candies, such as those sold under the name (M&Ms).TM. by Mars,
Inc., can be dispensed using a spherical, or other shaped, ball
with cavities that fits into a mating flexible cup. Fine grain
products such as whey or soy protein powder present an additional
challenge because of their tendency to compact and stick together
preventing the product to flow through the container, and thus
require additional functional elements to accommodate those
materials. Traditionally larger products like breakfast cereal and
whole nuts can be dispensed with the same device by simply removing
the ball and cup and replacing them a rotating member with various
sized paddle wheels. In this way, the same dispenser can be used
with many different products of different granular sizes and
shapes.
[0037] An interchangeable dispenser part can thus be made to
dispense a particular amount of a product in certain size
sub-ranges. For example, a particular dispenser might be optimized
to dispense a predetermined amount of ice cream topping, while
another dispenser might be optimized to dispense a different amount
of a different product, or a product in a different size sub-range
side by side on the same stand or base.
[0038] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of the present
invention for fine products that uses a dispensing ball and cup.
FIG. 2 shows this embodiment broken apart. In FIGS. 1-2, it can be
seen that a product container 1, usually clear plastic, is mounted
on a base 12 containing a chute 2. A rotatable, precision dispenser
ball (or other shape) 4, usually with a hard smooth surface, mates
with a flexible cup 6 and can be rotated by a removable handle 3.
Typically, a lip 25 circles the top of the flexible cup 6 to form a
seal between the cup and the rotatable member. An optional detent 5
locks the rotation and causes the device to click or snap through a
series of fixed angular positions as the handle 4 is turned. A
particular choice of fixed angular positions might be, for example,
three clicks to make a quarter turn. Any number of clicks per turn
is within the scope of the present invention. FIG. 12 shows the
handle affixed to the shaft and a retaining shaft clip.
[0039] The rigid product container 1, which can also be optimized
for fine grain product may have a rigid cup area 12 that can be
part of the product container 1 that mates to a removable flexible
cup 6 with a chute 2 that extends through the bottom of the rigid
cup area 12. This chute 2 can be a continuous part of the flexible
cup 6 and made of the same material, or it can be separately
attached to the flexible cup 6 and made of the same or different
material. A dispensing ball 4 or other rotatable part fits into the
flexible cup 6 and is turned by a shaft 11 that passes through it.
[The handle 3 attaches to one end of the shaft 11, and part of the
optional detent mechanism 5 attaches to the other end.] Thus, when
the handle 3 and shaft 11 are turned, the ball 4 rotates in the
flexible cup 6. The shaft 11, while generally of cylindrical
cross-section, typically has a flat surface that allows it to fit
into a partially cylindrical hole in the ball 4. This shaft is
removable and also mates into other dispensing members such as
interchangeable paddle wheels for larger products and other types
of clips as shown in FIGS. 12A-12B.
[0040] FIG. 3 shows a detail view of an embodiment of a precision
dispensing mechanism for fine products. The rotatable part 4 mates
in a flexible cup 6 forming a seal with the cup 6 being further
sealed by the lip 25. The flexible cup 6 is typically made from a
soft, flexible material such as food-grade silicon rubber known in
the art.
[0041] The rotatable part 4 has been called a ball for convenience;
however, it does not necessarily have to be spherical. In fact, it
can be any shape as long as it can rotate in a mating cup 6. The
shaft 11 passes through the ball 4 so that when the shaft 11 is
rotated, the ball 4 also rotates. The handle 3 can be mounted on
the front or the side of the device. Any method of causing the ball
or paddle wheel to rotate with the shaft 11 is within the scope of
the present invention. The shaft 11 is usually driven by the handle
3. Edges 5 of an optional detent mechanism can be mounted on the
distal end of the shaft 11.
[0042] A particular feature of the rotatable member or ball 4 is
that it contains a cavity 7, usually a smooth cavity, that can be
sized to dispense a precise amount of a granular product. The
cavity 7 can be any shape or depth; however, it is preferred that
it have a smooth surface and contour so that the product slides out
of it when it becomes aligned with the chute or dispensing orifice
2. A preferred cavity 7 for fine product is an elliptical cavity
with a parabolic profile (shown more clearly in FIGS. 6A-6C. The
present invention allows the use of many different size balls or
rotatable members with many different size cavities. Any size or
shape of rotatable member and any size or shape of cavity is within
the scope of the present invention. In the non-use position, the
cavity 7 faces upward into the product and typically fills with
product (if the cavity ends up not facing upward after a use, it
can be rotated until it does). As the handle 3 is then rotated, the
ball 4 makes approximately a half revolution and delivers the
contents of the cavity 7 into the chute or orifice 2 where it falls
and is dispensed. The ball 4 can have two or more cavities 7
equally spaced around its periphery. A distinct advantage of the
rotatable member or ball 4 of the present invention over the prior
art is that the cavity 7 can be specifically sized for certain
products or a particular product class and therefore dispense an
exact and repeatable amount of the product on each subsequent turn.
The repeatability is typically within a range of 2-12%.
[0043] Another particular feature of this embodiment is the
flexible cup 6 that mates with the smooth surface of the ball 4.
This forms a seal with the optional lip 25 that prevents fine grain
product from leaking out, but is soft and flexible so that the
interface between the ball 4 and the cup 6 or the edges of the
cavity 7 and the cup 6 will not crush or break the product nor
cause smearing or jamming. The flexible cup 6 gives way just
slightly under the pressure of excess product. This feature
prevents crushing, breaking, jamming and leaking, and leads to
smooth rotation of even very delicate product such as ice cream
sprinkles. FIG. 4 shows the same embodiment as FIG. 3 but from a
different viewing angle, containing the handle, shaft and alternate
clip fastener.
[0044] FIGS. 5A-5C show details of an embodiment of a detent
mechanism that can be used with a variety of interchangeable
rotatable members. FIG. 5A shows a rotatable part that mounts on
the shaft 11. A center disk 7 holds a shaped edge 5 that contains
several small protruding points 8a that form a spring. The
mechanism can be made of plastic, metal or any other product that
that will act as a spring. FIG. 5B shows a mating part 10 that is
typically rigidly attached to the solid base or other part of the
dispenser. It contains an indented, generally circular region with
several grooves 8b around its periphery. FIG. 5C shows the shaft
part from FIG. 5A inserted or mounted in the circular part from
FIG. 5B. It can be seen that the protruding points 8a on the edges
5 of the rotatable part snap into the grooves 8b. The edge
structure 5 of the rotatable part thus forms a spring that allows
the entire mechanism 7 to be both normally locked and rotatable.
The protrusions 8a release from one groove and click or snap into
the next groove 8b as the device is rotated. While the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 5A-5C has three snaps per quarter turn, any number
of snaps or clicks per turn is within the scope of the present
invention. This detent mechanism can be optional and can be made
removable from the dispenser.
[0045] FIGS. 6A-6C show a detail of a spherical embodiment of the
ball 4. A half-round hole 12 passes through the ball and receives
the shaft 11. The cavity 7 is approximately elliptical when viewed
face-on such as in FIG. 6B, but has an approximately parabolic or
Gaussian (or similar) profile when viewed from the side such as in
FIG. 6C. As previously stated, this cavity 7 can be sized to
dispense a particular amount of a product class.
[0046] FIGS. 7A-7B show a rotatable part of ball 4 that is an
ellipsoid of revolution. The cavity 7 is elliptically shaped facing
head-on with a parabolic or Gaussian (or similar) profile when
viewed from the end. FIGS. 8A-8B show a cylindrical rotatable part
or ball 4 with a cavity 7 that is similar to the cavities
previously shown and described. FIGS. 9A-9B show a cylindrical
rotatable part or ball 4 with a continuous cavity 7 having a
parabolic or Gaussian (or similar) profile that runs end-to-end. As
has been previously stated, any size or shape of rotatable part or
ball and any size and shape of cavity is within the scope of the
present invention. Alternate embodiments may include balls with
more than one cavity and balls with cavities of different shapes or
profiles on the same ball.
[0047] While the rotatable ball type mechanism for fine grain
product has been described as mating with a soft flexible cup to
form a seal, other embodiments can use such a rotatable part with a
rigid cup for particular products.
[0048] As previously discussed, the present invention can be built
so that different rotatable members can be interchanged. In
particular, paddle wheels can be interchanged with the rotatable
ball/cup mechanism. This interchangeability allows a single
dispenser to be used with large products like breakfast cereal, or
large whole products and then by simply changing the rotatable
member to a ball and cup, be used with small and fine grain
products such as sprinkles or spices. FIGS. 10A-10C show several
different paddle wheels that can be interchanged into the present
invention. FIG. 10A shows a 4-blade paddle wheel; FIG. 10B shows a
6-blade paddle wheel, while FIG. 10C shows a 12-blade paddle wheel.
The 4-blade wheel of FIG. 10A can be used for very large products
and/or large portions. The wheels with more paddles can be used
with smaller products and/or smaller portions. The paddles in any
of the wheels shown in FIGS. 10A-10C can have different center
shapes depending on the product to be dispensed and/or the portion
desired. For example, the 4-blade wheel shown in FIG. 10A has a
very small diameter cylinder for a center shape. The 6-blade wheel
shown in FIG. 10B has a spherical center shape, while the 12-blade
wheel shown in FIG. 100 has a cylindrical center shape larger than
that of the wheel of FIG. 10A. Any combination of center shape and
size and any number of paddle blades is within the scope of the
present invention.
[0049] FIGS. 11A-11C show side views of some of the paddle wheels
from FIG. 10. FIG. 11A shows a 4-paddle wheel; FIG. 11B shows a
6-paddle wheel, and FIG. 11C shows a 12-paddle wheel.
[0050] The present invention efficiently solves the problems found
in prior art dispensers. By using interchangeable parts, it allows
accurate dispensing of products of many different sizes and shapes.
By using a rotatable member that mates with a soft flexible cup, it
allows dispensing of fine, easily broken products without breakage
or jamming, and it allows for dispensing very accurate, repeatable
portions, especially of fine grain products.
[0051] FIGS. 12A-12B show a modified handle and fastener clip. This
type of fastener clip can be keyed for a single revolution.
[0052] FIGS. 13A-13C show a different embodiment of the present
invention. This embodiment is directed toward very fine powders
like proteins and the like. Soft powders are particularly hard to
dispense since they tend to compact and prevent consistent product
flow. Without some sort of special additional feature, the soft
powder simply clumps together and does not properly flow to fill
the slot in the rotating ball.
[0053] The embodiment of FIGS. 13A-13C has a removable funnel chute
200 that connects to a powder container (not shown). A flexible,
approximately spherical cavity 201 is adapted to hold a rotating
member such as a spherical ball (not shown). A set of optional
supports 208 strengthen the funnel chute 200 and make it stiffer so
that it retains its shape. A handle 202 and shaft 209 pierce the
spherical cavity 201. Looking down from the top in FIG. 13B, a pair
of flexible structures 203 with fingers 210 can be seen. These
structures 203 protrude up into the powder and are adapted to
loosen it so that it flows in the funnel chute 200 and onto the
rotating member. The entire assembly shown in FIGS. 13A-13C is made
of a stiff, flexible material such as food-grade silicon
rubber.
[0054] FIGS. 14A-14C show cut-away drawings of the assembly with
the rotating member 204 inserted. In these figures, the slot 205 in
the rotating member 204 is shown in the up position. In this
position, the entire bottom end of the hand 203 and fingers 210 sit
above the slot or cavity 205 in the rotating member 204. Each hand
203 with fingers 210 has an edge 206 that protrudes downward just
slightly into the slot 205 where it can be engaged by the edge of
the slot in the rotating member 204 as the ball passes by the
mechanism.
[0055] FIGS. 15A-15C show the same assembly as FIGS. 14A-14C except
that the rotating member 204 has been rotated so that the slot 205
is no longer straight up. The lower edge 206 of the hand 203 and
fingers 210 is pushed laterally as the edge of the ball and slot
205 passes by. This causes the entire hand 203 and each of the
fingers 210 to move laterally in the powder thereby loosening it
and moving it so that it flows cleanly into the slot 205. As with
previous embodiments of the invention, when the filled slot 205
rotates to a 180 degree position, its load of powder is dumped
downward into a dispensing chute.
[0056] FIGS. 16-17 show a sectional view of the embodiment
discussed in FIGS. 13A-13C, 14A-14C and 15A-15C. Here, the product
container 300 and the dispensing chute 301 can also be seen. FIG.
16 shows an end view of the hand 203 and fingers 210. The edge 206
can be seen extending just slightly into the cavity 205 in the ball
204. FIG. 17 shows a side view of the hand 203 and fingers 210.
Here it can be seen that the left and right outside edges 206 of
the bottom of the hand and fingers extend downward into the ball
cavity like tiny tabs. The center of the bottom 207 of the hand 203
smoothly mates with the surface of the ball.
[0057] As with previous embodiments of the present invention, the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 13-15 and part of FIGS. 16-17 uses food
grade silicon rubber as a preferred material for the chute 200 and
cavity 201. The rotating member 201 can be made from hard smooth
plastic or other hard, rigid material, while the shaft 209 can be
metal. The hand 203 and fingers 210 can also be made from food
grade silicon rubber, or alternatively, they can be plastic.
[0058] Several descriptions and illustrations have been presented
to aid in understanding the present invention. One with skill in
the art will realize that numerous changes and variations are
possible without departing from the spirit
* * * * *