Claims
- 1. An apparatus for directing powder from a hopper containing a supply of powder to fill as well as cleanly cutoff filling of a container without post-cutoff dribbling, the apparatus comprising:(a) a conduit member connected to the hopper and having a discharging end for permitting a quantity of powder to be moved therethrough; (b) a conveyor device located at least partially within said conduit member for moving the quantity of powder from the hopper in a powder moving direction towards the container; and (c) an anti-dribbling nozzle device for directing the powder from said conveyor device to cleanly fill the container, said anti-dribbling nozzle device including a nozzle member having a first end connected to said discharge end of said conduit member and a second and opposite end for dispensing moving powder Into the container, said anti-dribbling nozzle device including means for selectively applying and stopping positive air pressure and alernatively applying negative pressure to walls of said nozzle member and a post-cutoff controllable vibrator assembly for selectively enabling clean cutoff of powder flowing into the container without post-cutoff dribbling.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post-cutoff controllable vibrator assembly includes a miniature vibrator.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said post-cutoff controllable vibrator assembly includes a miniature vibrator and a controller connected thereto for selectively and timely turning said miniature vibrator on and off.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said post-cutoff controllable vibrator assembly includes a power means regulator.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said controller and regulator selectively control said miniature vibrator by regulating a vibration arnplitude thereof.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said controller and regulator selectively control said miniature vibrator by regulating a vibration frequency thereof.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said miniature vibrator comprises a pneumatic miniature vibrator.
- 8. In a powder filling apparatus including a hopper, a rotatable auger for moving powder material from said hopper towards a container to be filled, an anti-dribbling nozzle device including a nozzle member for inserting into the container, means for applying positive and negative air pressure to walls of said nozzle member, and a controller, a method of cleanly cutting off filling of the container from a filling cycle without post-cutoff dribbling of powder, the method comprising:(a) stopping rotation of said auger and movement of powder material from said hopper; (b) stopping application of positive pressure through walls of said nozzle member; (c) applying negative pressure to said walls of said nozzle member; (d) vibrating said walls of said nozzle member for a brief period by turning on and operating a post-cutoff controllable vibrator assembly connected to said walls of said nozzle member; and (e) applying negative pressure again to said walls of said nozzle member following said vibrating step, thereby enabling cleanly cutting off filling of the container without post-cutoff dribbling of powder.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said vibrating step includes turning on and operating a miniature vibrator of said post-cutoff controllable vibrator assembly.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said post-cutoff controllable vibrator assembly includes a miniature vibrator and a controller connected thereto for selectively and timely turning said miniature vibrator on and off.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said postcutoff controllable vibrator assembly includes a regulator.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said controller and regulator selectively control said miniature vibrator by regulating a vibration amplitude thereof.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein said controller and regulator selectively control said miniature vibrator by regulating a vibration frequency thereof.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/198,398 entitled “Toner Filling Apparatus and Method Including An Anti-Dribbling Nozzle, Having Air Discharge Ports” filed on the same date herewith, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,845, and having at least one common inventor.
US Referenced Citations (17)