SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING A MEASURED AMOUNT OF A LOOSE MATERIAL

• US 20140053946A1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Watson Investor Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: Watson Investor Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Geier, Eric, Hartman, Jim, Mathis, Everett, Patel, Mehul, Gotway, Jerry, Watson, Cheryl
• Granted Patent: US 9,417,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 31/404 Powder dosing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/00 Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration having load-conveying surfaces formed by interconnected longitudinal links B65G17/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 33/14 comprising a screw or screws enclosed in a tubular housing
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 33/16 with flexible screws operating in flexible tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 33/26 Screws
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 15/00 Arrangements for check-weighing of materials dispensed into removable containers packaging aspects B65B; electric measuring arrangements involving comparison with a reference value G01R17/00

Abstract

A loose material measuring and dispensing system including a container and dispenser. The tea container serves to store the tea leaves or grounds in a storage bin prior to activation of the system. Upon activation, the dispenser measures and loads a selected amount of tea into a hopper for dispensing, such as into a waiting cup or a tea infuser. The amount of tea may be selected based upon user operation of one of a number of quantity indicating/selection buttons provided in a user interface. The container is a sealed canister, such as a bag or jug, which is preferably impermeable to light. Furthermore, the dispenser is able to operate to load a desired amount of tea (e.g. by weight), specified by the user, into the hopper. Once the desired amount of tea is loaded into the hopper, the tea may be dispensed, such as into a waiting cup or infuser below.

Claims

1. A bulk material dispenser operable to dispense a selected amount of loose material comprising:

an exterior housing defining a receptacle location suitable for the placement of a receptacle into which the loose material is to be dispensed, wherein said exterior housing includes an outlet opening positioned above said receptacle location;

a sealed housing for storing said loose material;

a user interface mounted to said exterior housing;

an electronic controller for receiving a user selection identifying a desired amount of loose material to be dispensed via said user interface; and

a measuring mechanism positioned below said sealed housing and above said outlet opening, comprising;

a bin mounted to a scale so as to provide the weight of the material currently contained therein to said electronic controller, and upon activation by said electronic controller, release the material contained therein through said outlet opening;

a material chute, having an inlet in sealed fluid communication with the interior of said sealed housing and an outlet positioned so as to dispense material into said bin;

a rotable screw powered by a motor connected to said electronic controller, wherein said rotable screw is located within said material chute so as to provide controllable dispensing of the material into said bin; and

a sealing cap adapted to mechanically seal the outlet of said material chute when said rotable screw is not in operation.

2. The bulk material dispenser of claim 1, wherein said sealed housing is hermetically sealed.

3. The bulk material dispenser of claim 1, wherein said material chute has an elbow shape.

4. The bulk material dispenser of claim 2, wherein said electronic controller and said measuring mechanism are located within said exterior housing.

5. The bulk material dispenser of claim 4, wherein said sealed housing includes an agitator which operates during at least a portion of the operation of said material chute.

6. The bulk material dispenser of claim 1, wherein said loose material is tea leaves.

7. The bulk material dispenser of claim 6, wherein said user interface allows for adjustments to specify the volume of tea to be prepared.

8. The bulk material dispenser of claim 7, wherein said user interface allows for user selection of the type of tea being dispensed and stores two different weights for a selected quantity of tea to be prepared in association with each of two selected tea types.

9. A method of dispensing a user selected amount of loose tea using a dispenser comprising:

receiving a first user input via a user interface located on said dispenser, wherein said user input identifies a desired amount of tea;

receiving a second user input via said user interface, wherein said second input adjusts said desired amount of tea upward or downward by a predetermined amount;

receiving a weight from scale having a bin mounted thereto;

transferring tea from a sealed container into said bin until said weight received from said scale meets or exceeds said desired amount; and

dispensing said tea from said bin through an outlet opening in said dispenser.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said second user input provides for a stronger or weaker tea.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said second user input adjusts the volume of tea desired up or down.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

resealing said sealed contained after said transferring.

13. A bulk material dispenser operable to dispense a selected amount of loose material comprising:

an exterior housing defining a receptacle location suitable for the placement of a receptacle into which the loose material is to be dispensed, wherein said exterior housing includes an outlet opening positioned above said receptacle location;

a housing for storing said loose material;

a user interface mounted to said exterior housing;

an electronic controller for receiving a user selection identifying a desired amount of loose material to be dispensed via said user interface; and

a measuring mechanism positioned below said sealed housing and above said outlet opening, comprising;

a bin mounted to a scale so as to provide the weight of the material currently contained therein to said electronic controller, and upon activation by said electronic controller, release the material contained therein through said outlet opening;

a controlled outlet in fluid communication with said housing, wherein said controlled outlet is adapted to dispense loose material from said housing when activated by said electronic controller;

a conveyor powered by a motor connected to said electronic controller, wherein said conveyor is mounted below said controlled outlet and configured to receive loose material from said controlled outlet and dispense the material into said bin.

14. The bulk material dispenser of claim 13, wherein said sealed housing includes an agitator which operates during at least a portion of the operation of said material chute.

15. The bulk material dispenser of claim 13, wherein said loose material is tea leaves.

16. The bulk material dispenser of claim 15, wherein said user interface allows for adjustments to specify the number of ounces of tea to be prepared.

17. The bulk material dispenser of claim 15, wherein said user interface is adapted to receive user input specifying the type of tea contained within said housing.

18. The bulk material dispenser of claim 17 wherein said user interface allows for user selection of the type of tea being dispensed and stores two different weights for a selected quantity of tea to be prepared in association with each of two selected tea types.

19. The bulk material dispenser of claim 13, wherein said controlled outlet forms a hermetic seal of said container when not activated by said electronic controller.

20. A bulk material dispenser operable to dispense a predetermined amount of loose material upon activation by a user comprising:

an exterior housing defining a receptacle location suitable for the placement of a receptacle into which the loose material is to be dispensed, wherein said exterior housing includes an outlet opening positioned above said receptacle location;

a housing for storing said loose material;

a user interface mounted to said exterior housing capable of receiving use input regarding a first predetermined amount of loose material and storing it in association with a first user selectable button;

a measuring mechanism positioned below said sealed housing and above said outlet opening, comprising;

a bin mounted to a scale so as to provide the weight of the material currently contained therein to said electronic controller, and upon activation by said electronic controller, release the material contained therein through said outlet opening; and

a controlled outlet in fluid communication with said housing, wherein said controlled outlet is adapted to dispense loose material from said housing when activated by said electronic controller; and

an electronic controller for receiving a user selection of said first button via said user interface and in response activating said measuring mechanism to dispense said first predetermined amount of loose material.