VACUUM OPERATED WOOD PELLET HANDLING, FILTERING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF

• US 20150344242A1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl D. Celella
• Original Assignee: Carl D. Celella
• Inventors: CELELLA, CARL D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,758,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/26 operating with fluidisation of the materials
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/36 Arrangements of containers hoppers B65D3/06; containers in general B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/60 Devices for separating the materials from propellant gas
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/32 Filling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/40 Devices for emptying otherwise than from the top
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 1/00 Preparation of lump or pulverulent fuel in readiness for delivery to combustion apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F23K 3/02 Pneumatic feeding arrangements, i.e. by air blast

Abstract

A vacuum operated wood pellet management apparatus, systems and methods thereof, capable of handling, transferring, dispensing and filtering wood pellets. The pellet management apparatus and systems comprising a housing having a motor and a vacuum fan, a power supply, wherein the power supply controls an output of the motor, a pellet chamber connected to the housing, wherein the pellet chamber includes an inlet port configured to receive a plurality of wood pellets from a source of wood pellets and an outlet port regulated by a self-closing hinge.

Claims

1. A pellet management apparatus comprising:

a housing having a motor and a vacuum fan;

a power supply, wherein the power supply controls an output of the motor; and

a pellet chamber connected to the housing, wherein the pellet chamber includes an inlet port and an outlet port regulated by a self-closing hinge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a filtration system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the filtration system comprises a screen positioned between the pellet chamber and the vacuum fan and a filter attached to the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conduit attached to the inlet port, wherein the conduit is configured to transport the plurality of wood pellets from the source of wood pellets to the inlet port.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the conduit has an opening that is square or rectangular in shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a timer configured to regulate the power supply.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power supply is remotely controlled.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the self-closing hinge is configured to open or close in response to a gravitational force exerted by the plurality of wood pellets within the pellet chamber on the self-closing hinge.

9. A pellet management system comprising:

a first container having inlet and an outlet;

a pellet management apparatus including a housing having a motor and a vacuum fan, a power supply that controls an output of the motor, a pellet chamber connected to the housing, wherein the pellet chamber has an inlet, and an outlet regulated by a self-closing hinge;

a conduit connected to the outlet of the first container and the inlet of the pellet management apparatus; and

a second container having an inlet, wherein said inlet of the second container is configured to receive a plurality of wood pellets from the outlet of the pellet management apparatus.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first container is a bulk storage hopper.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first container is a remote filling station and the second container is a bulk storage hopper.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the second container is a pellet stove.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the pellet management apparatus further comprises a filtration system including a screen positioned between the pellet chamber and the vacuum fan and a filter attached to the housing.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the conduit has an opening that is square or rectangular in shape.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the pellet management apparatus further comprises a timer configured to regulate the power supply.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the power supply is remotely controlled.

17. A method for managing a plurality of wood pellets comprising the steps of:

providing a pellet management apparatus;

initiating a vacuum fan of the pellet management apparatus via a motor of the pellet management apparatus;

displacing a plurality of wood pellets from a source of wood pellets into a conduit attached to an inlet of a pellet chamber of the pellet management apparatus;

amassing within the pellet chamber, a requisite amount of wood pellets to disengage a self-closing hinge of the pellet management apparatus;

disengaging the self-closing hinge;

dispensing the requisite amount of wood pellets from the pellet chamber; and

re-engaging the self-closing hinge.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of filtering, from the wood pellets amassed within the pellet chamber, sawdust or a fine particulate matter.

19. The method of claim 17, where in the step of initiating the vacuum fan includes the step of remotely engaging the power supply.

20. The method claim 17, wherein the requisite amount of wood pellets to disengage the self-closing hinge is at least ten pounds.