Dispensing canister

• US 20040173637A1
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Juan J., Ufheil, Gerhard, Whippie, Constance L., Chiarella, Francesco G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,932,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/236
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/005 comprising a screw conveyor

Abstract

A dispensing canister and method for reducing dose fluctuation and improving evacuation in the dispensing of a pulverulent material such as beverage-forming or food-forming powder. The dispensing canister has a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet and defining a volume for retaining the pulverulent material therein, a dosing member operatively associated with the reservoir outlet for receiving and dispensing the pulverulent material; and an agitator wheel located in the reservoir and arranged to periodically rotate to assist in dislodging pulverulent material in the reservoir so that it can move to the dosing member. The agitator wheel preferably includes agitating members for transversing a significant portion of the volume of the reservoir to contact and dislodge pulverulent material therein.

Claims

1. A dispensing canister comprising:

a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet and defining a volume for retaining a pulverulent material therein;

a dosing member operatively associated with the reservoir outlet for receiving and dispensing pulverulent material; and

an agitator wheel located in the reservoir and arranged to periodically rotate to assist in dislodging pulverulent material in the reservoir so that it can move to the dosing member, the agitator wheel including agitating members for transversing a significant portion of the volume of the reservoir to contact and dislodge pulverulent material therein.

2. The dispensing canister of claim 1 wherein the reservoir has two terminal walls and one or more side wall(s), and the agitating members of the agitator wheel to move the product in the direction from away from one terminal wall to the other terminal wall.

3. The dispensing canister of claim 2 wherein the dosing member is a rotating auger that extends longitudinally in the reservoir between the terminal walls.

4. The dispensing canister of claim 2, wherein the agitating members comprise a plurality of elongated sweep members that are configured to conform generally to the configuration of at least one of the terminal walls

5. The dispensing canister of claim 4, wherein the elongated sweep members are operatively associated with the agitator wheel so that the members move across the longitudinal plan of rotation of the agitator wheel.

6. The dispensing canister of claim 4, wherein the elongated sweep members are mounted about the periphery of the agitator wheel.

7. The dispensing canister of claim 6, wherein the elongated sweep members are distributed substantially evenly about the periphery of the agitator wheel.

8. The dispensing canister of claim 6, wherein the elongated sweep members are located at outermost radial points of the periphery of the agitator wheel.

9. The dispensing canister of claim 4, wherein the agitator wheel is arranged within the reservoir so that elongated sweep members come, at the closest distance from at least one of the terminal or side walls, within a distance of 3 mm or less without scraping the wall(s).

10. The dispensing canister of claim 4, wherein the elongated sweep members extend transversally with two ends, each of them facing one side wall of the reservoir and wherein each end of the members is maintained, during agitator wheel rotation, at a distance that is less than 4 mm from its respective side wall.

11. The dispensing canister of claim 4, further comprising between 6 and 30 elongated sweep members.

12. The dispensing canister of claim 1, wherein the agitator wheel is formed of:

a single central wheel member extending substantially along a longitudinal plane of rotation within the volume of the reservoir and having a central axle, and

a central axle rotator located at the center of the central wheel member comprising at least one side extension along at least one side of the central wheel to connect in rotation to at least one sidewall of the reservoir.

13. The dispensing canister of claim 12, wherein the wheel member and central axle means are made of one integral piece of a molded plastic.

14. The dispensing canister of claim 4, wherein the agitating wheel is formed of:

a central hub assembly comprising a pair spoke holders transversally spaced apart with respect to the median plane of rotation,

a plurality of U-shaped spokes extending radially from the central hub comprising base ends connected to the spoke holders and peripheral ends that constitute the elongated sweep members.

15. The dispensing canister of claim 1, wherein the agitator wheel is operatively associated with the dosing member to rotate in the reservoir upon actuation of the dosing member when dosing the pulverulent material.

16. The dispensing canister of claim 2, wherein the augur is a screw auger or a spring auger and the pulverulent material is a beverage-forming or food-forming powder that is supplied to the reservoir and dispensed by the augur.

17. The dispensing canister of claim 16, wherein the auger is configured and arranged to provide a volume of transport of powder that varies as a function of the longitudinal position along the auger.

18. The dispensing canister of claim 17, wherein the auger is configured and arranged to provide a volume of transport for the powder that is lower in a front portion of the auger than in a rear portion of the auger.

19. The dispensing canister of claim 18, wherein the auger is a spring with a solid insert located within the spring in a front portion of the auger or is a tapered screw auger.

20. A method for reducing dose fluctuation and improving evacuation during the dispensing of a pulverulent material from a dispensing canister having a reservoir, which method comprises providing an agitator wheel in the reservoir and arranged to periodically rotate to assist in dislodging the pulverulent material in the reservoir for allow it to exit the reservoir, with the agitator wheel including agitating members for transversing a significant portion of the volume of the reservoir to contact and dislodge pulverulent material therein.

21. The method of claim 20, which further comprises directing powder that exits the reservoir to a dosing member for controllably dispensing the pulverulent material.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the pulverulent material is beverage-forming or food-forming powder, and the dosing member longitudinally extends beneath the reservoir between a first terminal wall where powder is forced by the dosing means to exit the device and a second opposed terminal wall, wherein the agitator wheel provides sufficient agitation on at least the first terminal wall of the reservoir in a manner to eliminate powder compaction at the terminal wall by gently moving product in the direction from the first terminal wall to the second terminal wall.