US 12,330,337 B1
Automated fiber dispenser
Monty Veal, Chickamauga, GA (US)
Filed by Monty Veal, Chickamauga, GA (US)
Filed on Jul. 17, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/775,320.
Int. Cl. B28C 5/40 (2006.01); B01F 35/71 (2022.01); B01F 101/28 (2022.01)
CPC B28C 5/40 (2013.01) [B01F 35/714 (2022.01); B01F 35/71731 (2022.01); B01F 35/7177 (2022.01); B01F 2101/28 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for dispensing a fiber additive into a mixing system, the system comprising:
a dispensing hopper having a hollow interior that is sized and configured to receive and store said fiber additive and wherein the dispensing hopper is configured to selectively dispense the fiber additive;
a discharge outlet having an adjustable area through which fiber additive can pass and that is formed between a first surface and a second surface for enabling fiber additive to pass out of the dispensing hopper and into the mixing system, wherein fiber additive passing out of the dispensing hopper via the discharge outlet passes between the first surface and the second surface, the first and second surfaces being movable with respect to the other;
a conveyor having a receiving end and a discharge end and that is disposed in a bottom of the dispensing hopper such that at least a portion of the fiber additive stored within the dispensing hopper is configured to be placed on top of the conveyor at the receiving end, wherein the conveyor is configured to aid in moving fiber additive within the dispensing hopper towards and through the discharge outlet and to dispense the fiber additive from the discharge end;
a sensor configured to sense at least one of an amount of fiber additive that is disposed within the system;
a controller configured to control the amount of fiber additive dispensed from the dispensing hopper via the discharge outlet by selectively modifying at least one of a speed of the conveyor and a size of the discharge outlet, wherein the adjustable area of the discharge outlet is modified by moving the second surface with respect to the first surface; and
a dosing wheel disposed proximate the discharge end of the conveyor and that provides the second surface, wherein the dosing wheel is driven by a motor to rotate at a rotational speed about a central axis and is configured to contact and to prevent fiber additive from passing out of the dispensing hopper absent a rotation of the dosing wheel.