US RE50,364 E1
Apparatus and method for dispensing solid substances
Ton de Boer, Epe (NL); Gerrit Jan Scholten, Epe (NL); Kees Jochemsen, Epe (NL); and Pieter Cornelis Meijers, Epe (NL)
Assigned to VMI Holland B.V., Epe (NL)
Appl. No. 17/499,914
Filed by VMI Holland B.V., Epe (NL)
PCT Filed Mar. 30, 2017, PCT No. PCT/NL2017/050195
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 22, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/183960, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 26, 2017.
Application 17/499,914 is a division of application No. 17/495,910, filed on Oct. 7, 2021, abandoned.
Application 17/495,910 is a reissue of application No. 16/095,490, filed on Mar. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,457,427, issued on Oct. 29, 2019.
Application 17/499,914 is a reissue of application No. 16/095,490, filed on Mar. 30, 2017, granted, now 10,457,427, issued on Oct. 29, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2016663 (NL), filed on Apr. 22, 2016.
Int. Cl. B65B 5/10 (2006.01); B08B 5/04 (2006.01); B65B 9/04 (2006.01); B65B 35/02 (2006.01); B65B 35/12 (2006.01); B65B 59/04 (2006.01); B65G 11/20 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 5/103 (2013.01) [B08B 5/04 (2013.01); B65B 9/045 (2013.01); B65B 35/02 (2013.01); B65B 35/12 (2013.01); B65B 59/04 (2013.01); B65G 11/206 (2013.01); B65B 2210/08 (2013.01)] 48 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for dispensing solid substances, wherein the apparatus comprises a feeder section with a first holder for holding a plurality of feeder units in a first circular array that extends concentrically around an upright central axis, a collection section with a second holder for holding a plurality of hoppers in a second circular array that extends concentrically around the central axis below the first holder, and a dispensing section below the second holder,
wherein the second holder is rotatable about the central axis for rotating the plurality of hoppers with respect to the feeder positions for receiving solid substances from one or more of the feeder units and with respect to a first packing position for dispensing the solid substances to the dispensing section,
wherein the apparatus further comprises a cleaning device for removing pollutants from the plurality of hoppers,
wherein the cleaning device comprises a hub that is rotatable about the central axis together with the second holder and a plurality of ducts for forming an air connection between each of the plurality of hoppers and the hub,
wherein the hub is arranged to be connected to a vacuum source for generating a partial vacuum in the hub,
wherein the cleaning device comprises a first blocking member that is arranged for at least partially blocking the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the first packing position.
 
[ 31. A hopper for receiving solid substances from a plurality of feeder units in a row located at outer feeder positions and inner feeder positions, the hopper comprising:
a hopper inlet for a receiving solid substances, the hopper inlet extending along a length under the plurality of feeder units in the row to receive the solid substances from each of the plurality of feeder units, wherein the plurality of feeder units extend along substantially the entire length of the hopper inlet;
a hopper outlet at a lower end of the hopper and at a center point along the length of the hopper inlet;
one or more walls converging between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet; and
a deflection element located in the hopper between the inlet and the outlet to deflect the solid substances dropping from inner feeder positions through the hopper inlet to prevent that solid substances travel a longer falling trajectory through the hopper inlet from outer feeder positions than solid substances travelling from inner feeder positions.]
 
[ 47. The stackable hopper of claim 46, wherein the one or more walls comprises:
first and second opposing major side walls converging together; and
first and second end walls which extend toward each other from the inlet to the outlet.]