BLENDING SCALE

• US 20120026824A1
• Filed: 02/18/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Premier Tech Technologies Ltd. (Gestion Bernard Bélanger Ltée)
• Original Assignee: Premier Tech Technologies Ltd. (Gestion Bernard Bélanger Ltée)
• Inventors: Dumont, Patrick, GAUVIN, Frédéric, Morin, Martin, Landry, Michaël, Palmer, Damon M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,974,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/141
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/60 Mixing solids with solids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/82 uniting flows of material taken from different parts of a receptacle or from a set of different receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/881 by weighing, e.g. with automatic discharge

Abstract

A blending scale for dosing and blending two products. The blending scale includes an auxiliary product dosing device, and an auxiliary product dispenser receiving the auxiliary product from the auxiliary product dosing device and releasing the auxiliary product within a dynamic unconstrained stream of the main product to produce and maximise a blend of the auxiliary and main products. A blend collector measures a quantity of the blend of the auxiliary and main products. A controller controls release of the auxiliary product in a synchronized manner with the dynamic unconstrained stream of the main product, based on the defined quantity of the auxiliary product measured by the auxiliary product dosing device. The dynamic stream of the main product is terminated once a targeted quantity of the blend measured by the blend collector is obtained. A method for accurately dosing and homogeneously blending two products is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A blending scale for dosing and blending a main product and an auxiliary product comprising:

an auxiliary product dosing device for measuring and releasing a defined quantity of the auxiliary product;

an auxiliary product dispenser receiving the auxiliary product from the auxiliary product dosing device and releasing the auxiliary product within a dynamic unconstrained stream of the main product to produce and maximise a blend of the auxiliary and main products;

a blend collector for receiving and measuring a quantity of the blend of the auxiliary and main products; and

a controller for controlling release of the auxiliary product in a synchronized manner with the dynamic unconstrained stream of the main product, based on the defined quantity of the auxiliary product measured by the auxiliary product dosing device, and terminating the dynamic stream of the main product once a targeted quantity of the blend measured by the blend collector is obtained.

2. The blending scale according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary product dispenser comprises an adjustable controlled outlet.

3. The blending scale according to claim 2, wherein the auxiliary product dispenser further comprises an inlet and a plurality of dividers for dispersion of the auxiliary product between said inlet and outlet.

4. The blending scale according to claim 1, wherein the blend collector is a single weigh pan with discharge doors, said weigh pan being suspended by a loadcell.

5. The blending scale according to claim 2, wherein the blend collector is a single weigh pan with discharge doors, said weigh pan being suspended by a loadcell.

6. The blending scale according to claim 3, wherein the blend collector is a single weigh pan with discharge doors, said weigh pan being suspended by a loadcell.

7. The blending scale according to claim 1, wherein the controller records and tracks measurements indicative of quantity selected from the group consisting of weight, volume, grain count, particle count, and product quantity count, said measurements being taken by the auxiliary product dosing device and the blend collector.

8. The blending scale according to claim 2, wherein the controller records and tracks measurements indicative of quantity selected from the group consisting of weight, volume, grain count, particle count, and product quantity count, said measurements being taken by the auxiliary product dosing device and the blend collector.

9. The blending scale according to claim 3, wherein the controller records and tracks measurements indicative of quantity selected from the group consisting of weight, volume, grain count, particle count, and product quantity count, said measurements being taken by the auxiliary product dosing device and the blend collector.

10. The blending scale according to claim 4, wherein the controller records and tracks measurements indicative of quantity selected from the group consisting of weight, volume, grain count, particle count, and product quantity count, said measurements being taken by the auxiliary product dosing device and the blend collector.

11. The blending scale according to claim 1, further comprising an additional auxiliary product dosing device and auxiliary product dispenser to produce blends of at least three products.

12. The blending scale according to claim 2, further comprising an additional auxiliary product dosing device and auxiliary product dispenser to produce blends of at least three products.

13. The blending scale according to claim 3, further comprising an additional auxiliary product dosing device and auxiliary product dispenser to produce blends of at least three products.

14. The blending scale according to claim 4, further comprising an additional auxiliary product dosing device and auxiliary product dispenser to produce blends of at least three products.

15. The blending scale according to claim 7, further comprising an additional auxiliary product dosing device and auxiliary product dispenser to produce blends of at least three products.

16. The blending scale according to claim 1, further comprising a frame with a security system and an opening to allow visual access and maintenance of at least one of the auxiliary product dosing device, the auxiliary product dispenser and the blend collector.

17. A method for accurately dosing and homogeneously blending a main product and an auxiliary product comprising the steps of:

a) measuring a parameter indicative of a targeted quantity of the auxiliary product;

b) recording the parameter measured in step a);

c) discharging the auxiliary product towards an auxiliary product dispenser;

d) releasing, through the auxiliary product dispenser, the auxiliary product within a dynamic unconstrained stream of the main product to produce and maximise a blend of the auxiliary and main products, said blend flowing towards a blend collector;

e) feeding the main product into the blend collector until a measured parameter indicative of a targeted quantity of blend respecting a proportion of the auxiliary product is reached;

f) recording the parameter measured in step e)

g) calculating and recording a proportion of the main product with respect to the auxiliary product in the blend; and

h) discharging the blend towards a downstream equipment.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the parameters in steps a), b), e) and f) are selected from the group consisting of weight, volume, grain count, particle count, and product quantity count.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the main and auxiliary products are granular and flowable products.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the main and auxiliary products are granular and flowable products.