Dry powder dose filling systems and related methods
First Claim
1. A method of flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path, comprising:
- generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond a first dry powder formulation;
applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and
dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder through the dispensing port to a receiving member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path can include: (a) generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; (b) applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and (c) dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder through the dispensing port to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.
75 Citations
73 Claims
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1. A method of flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path, comprising:
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generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond a first dry powder formulation;
applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and
dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder through the dispensing port to a receiving member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A dry powder dispensing system, comprising:
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a hopper configured to hold a dry powder therein, the hopper having at least one dispensing port and a wall with an inner surface and outer surface;
a quantity of a dry powder disposed in the hopper;
at least one vibration energy generation source operably associated with the hopper, wherein, in operation, the at least one vibration energy generation source is configured to output a desired non-linear vibratory energy sufficient to impart an angular velocity with downward force vectors to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly to the dispensing port; and
a control module operably associated with the hopper and the vibration energy generation source, the control module comprising;
computer readable program code configured to direct the vibration energy source to output the vibration energy corresponding to the dry powder in the system. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A computer program product for operating a flowing dry powder processing and/or dispensing system having an associated dry powder flow path with a dispensing port and a vibration energy source associated therewith to facilitate fluidic flow, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code comprising;
computer readable program code that identifies a plurality of powder-specific vibration energy signals, each corresponding to an individual flow analysis; and
computer readable program code that directs the dispensing system to operate using the powder-specific vibration energy signal associated with a target dry powder. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method of measuring doses of dry powder formulations, comprising:
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tensioning an elastomeric piezoelectric material with metallic conductive portions thereon;
dispensing a quantity of a dry powder onto the piezoelectric material about a predetermined location proximate at least one of the metallic conductive portions, the dispensing causing the flexing of the piezoelectric material;
measuring an alteration in a selected electrical parameter associated with the flexure of the piezoelectric material; and
determining the mass of the dispensed dry powder based on the measured alteration. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A system for measuring doses of dry powder formulations, comprising:
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means for tensioning an elastomeric piezoelectric material with metallic conductive portions thereon;
means for dispensing a quantity of a dry powder onto the piezoelectric material about a predetermined location proximate at least one of the metallic conductive portions to cause the flexing of the tensioned piezoelectric material by dispensing the dry powder thereon during the dispensing;
means for measuring an alteration in a selected electrical parameter associated with the flexure of the piezoelectric material; and
means for determining the mass of the dispensed dry powder based on the measured alteration.
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73. A system of flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having a dispensing port and a dry powder flow path, comprising:
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means for generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a flow analysis of a first dry powder formulation;
means for applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a dispensing hopper having at least one dispensing port while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and
means for dispensing a first meted quantity of the first dry powder to a receiving member.
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Specification