Metering and dispensing device

• US 20070000953A1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fredrik Ranney
• Original Assignee: Fredrik Ranney
• Inventors: Ranney, Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/261 for fluent solid material
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/268 with provision for varying the volume to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/46 for fluent solid material

Abstract

A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials includes a volume body having first and second ends, and a volumetric channel extending therethrough. The second end of the volume body is adapted for attachment to the opening of a container holding the free flowing material. The device further includes a measuring partition operatively associated with the second end of the volume body. The measuring partition includes a barrier lip portion extending therefrom into the volumetric channel, and a measuring opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel, wherein the selective movement of the measuring opening simultaneously causes the barrier lip portion to vary the volume of the volumetric channel relative to the measuring opening. The device further includes a feed partition proximate the second end of the volume body, operatively associated with the measuring partition, the feed partition including a feed opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the measuring opening. The device also includes a discharge partition operatively associated with the first end of the volume body, which includes a discharge opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel.

Claims

1. A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials, comprising:

a volume body having first and second ends, and a volumetric channel extending therethrough, said second end being adapted for attachment to a container;

a measuring partition operatively associated with the second end of the volume body, said measuring partition including a measuring opening, and a barrier lip portion extending from one end of said measuring opening into said volumetric channel, said measuring opening being selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel, wherein the selective movement of the measuring opening simultaneously causes the barrier lip portion to vary the volume of the volumetric channel relative to the measuring opening for setting a predetermined volume of material to be dispensed;

a feed partition operatively associated with the measuring partition, said feed partition including a feed opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the measuring opening, for receiving material for passage into the preset volume of said volumetric channel; and

a discharge partition operatively associated with the first end of the volume body, said discharge partition including a discharge opening selectively movable from a closed position to an open position relative to the volumetric channel, for passage of material from said volumetric channel through said discharge opening.

2. The metering and dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cylindrical housing for retaining the feed partition, the measuring partition, the volume body, and the discharge partition in a successive stacked arrangement in the order given; and

a plurality of tabs each extending from the measuring partition, the feed partition and the discharge partition, respectively, through corresponding slots in the cylindrical housing, whereby movement of the tabs causes their associated partition to rotatively move within the housing.

3. The metering and dispensing device of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises an end portion proximate said feed partition, said end portion being adapted for mating with a corresponding opening of the container.

4. The metering and dispensing device of claim 3, further comprising a coupling adapter for furnishing threaded engagement between the end portion of said housing and a container that do not themselves have mateable threaded portions.

5. The metering and dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the measuring partition is movable in incremental amounts, each indicative of and for establishing a predetermined volume of material to be dispensed.

6. The metering and dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cylindrical housing or case including an upper case member, and a lower case member, said upper and lower case members being adapted for mating securely together, with said upper case member being rotatable relative to said lower case member;

a top portion of said upper case member being configured to provide said discharge partition;

said volume body, measuring partition, and feed partition being successively stacked in the order given between said top portion of said upper case member and a bottom portion of said lower case member, respectively;

a volume body antirotation mechanism including interlocking portions of said volume body and interior wall portions of said lower case member; and

first and second tabs extending from said feed partition and said measuring partition, respectively, through first and second radial slots, respectively, in said lower case member.

7. The metering and dispensing device of claim 6, further including:

said volume body including on sidewall portions a circumferential lower locking groove proximate a bottom portion thereof, and an upper circumferential locking groove above said lower locking groove;

an opposing pair of first locking fingers in sidewall portions of said lower case member, for locking into said lower locking groove of said volume body; and

an opposing pair of second locking fingers in sidewall portions of said upper case member, for locking into said upper locking groove of said volume body.

8. The metering and dispensing device of claim 2, wherein said cylindrical housing further includes:

first and second longitudinal half sections adapted for being rigidly secured together in completion of assembling said device.

9. A metering and dispensing device for free flowing materials, comprising:

an open cylindrical housing with first and second ends, said first end being adapted for coupling with an open end of a container of material to be dispensed, said second end being adapted for dispensing material;

a volume disc fixedly located within the housing, said volume disc including a volumetric channel extending therethrough;

a rotatable measuring disc located within the housing abutting against a face of the volume disc proximate the second end of the housing, said measuring disc including a measuring opening having a barrier lip portion extending from one end thereof into said volumetric channel, said measuring disc being selectively movable from a closed position in which a solid portion thereof closes off the volumetric channel, to a maximum open position relative to the volumetric channel in which said barrier lip is abutted against one end of said volumetric channel, with a maximum portion of said measuring channel opening into said volumetric channel, whereby the selective movement of the measuring disc simultaneously causes the measuring opening and its barrier lip portion to vary the volume of the volumetric channel relative to the exposed portion of said measuring opening, for establishing the amount of material to be dispensed;

a rotatable feed disc operatively associated with and abutted against a top face of the measuring disc, said feed disc including a feed opening selectively movable from a closed position closing off said measuring and feed openings, to an open position with said feed opening overlying the measuring opening, for receiving material and feeding it to said measuring disc, and therefrom into said volumetric channel; and

a rotatable discharge disc operatively abutted against a bottom face of the volume disc, said discharge disc including a discharge opening selectively movable from a closed position blocking off a bottom portion of said volume disc, to an open position with said discharge opening overlying said channel, for discharging material from said volumetric channel out of the second end of said housing.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said housing is provided in two longitudinal first and second half sections that are rigidly secured together after assembly of said device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein each first and second half section of said housing includes:

first through fourth juxtaposed grooves for receiving and retaining said feed disc, measuring disc, volume disc, and discharge disc, respectively.

12. The device of claim 11, further including:

first, second, and third tabs protruding from the sides of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, respectively; and

first, second, and third radially directed open slotways centrally located in said first, second, and fourth grooves of said first half section of said housing, for receiving and from which protrude said first, second, and third tabs, respectively, for permitting a user to rotate said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, respectively.

13. The device of claim 11, further including:

one of said first and second housing sections including an inwardly directed protrusion; and

a recessed portion on an outside sidewall of said volume disc for receiving said protrusion, thereby preventing rotation of said volume disc.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein said feed opening, measuring opening, volumetric channel, and discharge opening are each arcuately shaped.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said arcuately shaped openings take up no more than a third of the surface area of said feed, measuring, volume, and discharge discs, respectively.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the volume of said volumetric channel establishes the maximum quantity of material that can be dispensed.

17. The device of claim 9, wherein said feed and discharge discs are identical.

18. The device of claim 15, further including:

first, second, and third tabs protruding from the sides of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, respectively; and

first, second, and third radially directed open slotways centrally located in said first, second, and fourth grooves of said first half section of said housing, for receiving and from which protrude said first, second, and third tabs, respectively, for permitting a user to rotate said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, respectively.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said first, second, and third tabs are positioned protruding from the midpoint between said arcuately shaped openings and solid portions of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs.

20. The device of claim 9, wherein said barrier lip of measuring disc is rectangular in longitudinal cross section, and pie shaped in transverse cross section.

21. The device of claim 9, wherein the first end of said housing includes an internally threaded portion for screwing onto an externally threaded portion about the opening of the container.

22. The device of claim 21, further including:

a first adapter means for coupling said housing to a container open end smaller in diameter than the internally threaded portion of said first end of said housing; and

a second adapter means for coupling said housing to a container open end larger in diameter than the internally threaded portion of said first end of said housing.

23. The device of claim 21, further including:

an adapter means for coupling the first end of said housing to a snap on container opening.

24. The device of claim 9, wherein said housing includes:

an upper case member including said first end, and an opposing end;

a lower case member including said second end, and an opposing fourth end; and

said third end of said upper case member and said fourth end of said lower case member being adapted for mating securely together.

25. The device of claim 24, further including:

said upper case member being rotatable relative to said lower case member; and

the first end of said upper case member being configured to provide said s discharge disc.

26. The device of claim 24, further including:

a circumferential lower locking groove proximate a bottom portion of said volume body;

a circumferential upper locking groove above said lower locking groove;

an opposing pair of first locking fingers in sidewall portions of said lower case member, for locking into said lower locking groove of said volume disc; and

an opposing pair of second locking fingers in sidewall portions of said upper case member, for locking into said upper locking groove of said volume body.

27. A method for making and operating a metering and dispensing device for particulate material comprising the steps of:

stacking successively in a cylindrical housing, in the order given, a feed disc, a measuring disc, a volume disc, and a discharge disc, each of said discs including an aperture or opening therethrough, said feed disc being proximate a feed end of said housing, and said discharge disc being proximate a discharge end of said housing, said volume disc being fixed in position, whereas said feed, measuring, and discharge discs are each rotatable;

configuring the opening in said volume disc to serve as a volumetric channel or chamber having a maximum volume equal to the maximum volume or quantity of particulate material to be dispensed;

providing individual tabs extending from each one of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, respectively, with said tabs further extending through associated individual slotways in said housing, whereby said tabs permit manual rotation of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs; and

configuring the measuring disc to include a barrier lip proximate one end of its opening, for extending into the top of and for the full depth of the volumetric channel of said volume disc, whereby rotation of said measuring disc changes the volume of the volumetric chamber available for receiving particulate materials.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the operation of said device includes the steps of:

attaching the feed end of said housing to the open top of an upright container of material to be dispensed;

moving said feed disc to a pre-established open position in which the opening of said feed disc opens into at least a portion of the opening of said measuring disc;

moving said measuring disc to a pre-established position for setting the volume of said volumetric channel to provide a desired volume or quantity of material to be dispensed;

moving said discharge disc to a pre-established closed position for blocking the bottom portion of the volumetric channel to prevent the flow of material therefrom;

inverting said container to allow particulate material to flow from said container, through the exposed overlying opening of said feed and measuring discs into said volumetric channel of said volume disc;

moving said feed disc to a closed position for blocking the flow of material in said volumetric channel; and

moving said discharge disc to a preestablished open position for permitting the measured quantity of material to flow from said volumetric channel through the opening of said discharge disc, and out of the discharge end of said device.

29. The method of claim 28, further including obtaining the free flow of material from said device via the steps of:

moving said feed disc to its open position; and

moving said discharge disc to its open position while said container with said device attached is inverted, whereby material will continuously flow from said container, through the opening of said feed disc, the opening in said measuring disc, the channel of said volumetric disc, the opening of said discharge disc, and out of the discharge end of said housing.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the openings of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, and the volumetric channel of said volume disc are each arcuately shaped and proximate the circumference of their respective discs.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the openings of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, and said volumetric channel of said volume disc are no more than one-third the area of their respective disc.

32. A method for making and operating a metering and dispensing device for particulate material comprising the steps of:

forming a cylindrical housing from an upper case member rotatable upon a lower case member, a free end of said upper case member being formed to provide an integral discharge disc and discharge end of said housing;

stacking successively within said housing from a free end of said lower case member providing a free end to the discharge disc of said upper case member, a feed disc, a measuring disc, and a volume disc, each of said discs including an aperture or opening therethrough, said feed disc being proximate a free end of said lower case member providing a feed end of said housing, and said volume disc being fixed in position, whereas said feed, measuring, and discharge discs are each rotatable;

configuring the feed end of said housing to receive particulate material;

configuring the opening in said volume disc to serve as a volumetric channel or chamber having a maximum volume equal to the maximum volume or quantity of particulate material to be dispensed;

providing individual tabs extending from each one of said feed and measuring discs, respectively, with said tabs further extending through associated individual slotways in said housing, whereby said tabs permit manual rotation of said feed and measuring discs; and

configuring the measuring disc to include a barrier lip proximate one end of its opening, for extending into the top of and for the full depth of the volumetric channel of said volume disc, whereby rotation of said measuring disc changes the volume of the volumetric chamber available for receiving particulate materials.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the operation of said device includes the steps of:

attaching the feed end of said housing to the open top of an upright container of material to be dispensed;

moving said feed disc to a pre-established open position in which the opening of said feed disc opens into at least a portion of the opening of said measuring disc;

moving said measuring disc to a pre-established position for setting the volume of said volumetric channel to provide a desired volume or quantity of material to be dispensed;

rotating the upper case member to move said discharge disc to a pre-established closed position for blocking the bottom portion of the volumetric channel to prevent the flow of material therefrom;

inverting said container to allow particulate material to flow from said container, through the exposed overlying opening of said feed and measuring discs into said volumetric channel of said volume disc;

moving said feed disc to a closed position for blocking the flow of material in said volumetric channel; and

rotating the upper case member to move said discharge disc to a pre-established open position for permitting the measured quantity of material to flow from said volumetric channel through the opening of said discharge disc, and out of the discharge end of said device.

34. The method of claim 33, further including obtaining the free flow of material from said device via the steps of:

moving said feed disc to its open position; and

rotating said upper case member to move said discharge disc to its open position while said container with said device attached is inverted, whereby material will continuously flow from said container, through the opening of said feed disc, the opening in said measuring disc, the channel of said volumetric disc, the opening of said discharge disc, and out of the discharge end of said housing.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the openings of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, and the volumetric channel of said volume disc are each arcuately shaped and proximate the circumference of their respective discs.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the openings of said feed, measuring, and discharge discs, and said volumetric channel of said volume disc are no more than one-third the area of their respective disc.