907results about "Movable measuring chambers" patented technology

A system for dispensing a customised nutritional serving is made up of ingredients stored within a device incorporating the system. The device has a controller in whose memory is stored an inventory of the ingredients available in the device, their compositions and properties and customer profile data. The controller is programmed to formulate a serving which best matches the customised serving selected by the customer within constraints set by the programming taking into account the inventory of ingredients and the health profile of the customer. The customer is then presented with the selected serving and either accepts it or modifies it. The device is then programmed to prepare and dispense the final selection.

The apparatus for production of mixtures from two components has a container for each and devices to combine the components in the mixing space and for extrusion of the mixture. The powdered component (4) is situated in the lower part of the inner space (21), which is sealed by a bottom (10). This carries a nozzle (2) with closure membrane (3). The inner space (21) is closed on the top by the lower wall (6) and the sliding seal (8). The liquid component (9) is situated in the inner space (18) of the inner hollow cylinder (5). This is closed on the top by the upper wall (11). The lower and upper wall (6) and (11) each have an opening with sealing lips (7) and (12) that are closed by parts of the mixing rod (15). A torus (20), a section with smaller diameter (19), a mixing disk (22), as well as a mandrel (24), are present on the lower part of the mixing rod (15).

A system for dispensing a customized nutritional serving is made up of ingredients stored within a device incorporating the system. The device has a controller in whose memory is stored an inventory of the ingredients available in the device, their compositions and properties and customer profile data. The controller is programmed to formulate a serving which best matches the customized serving selected by the customer within constraints set by the programming taking into account the inventory of ingredients and the health profile of the customer. The customer is then presented with the selected serving and either accepts it or modifies it. The device is then programmed to prepare and dispense the final selection.

A medication on demand dispenser. The dispenser provides patient access to medications prescribed to be available on an as-needed basis but with a prescribed minimum time interval between doses. The dispenser permits access to a single medication dose after each minimum time interval has elapsed. After a drug dose is presented to the patient, the dispenser prevents access to the next dose until the minimum time interval has elapsed.

A trailer having support wheels and a frame adapted to be hitched to a truck, includes a support track extending longitudinally for supporting an unload conveyor. The conveyor is mounted by a turret to the support track and, thus, to the trailer frame, permitting the turret to move in a fore-to-aft direction, as well as to rotate about the vertical for about 180°, providing flexibility in use as well as transport and storage. A support module, carrying at least one storage container is mounted on the trailer frame. The storage containers may be provided in a number of different sizes and they may be arranged in various configurations suiting the user's needs. The turret is positioned along the track beneath a desired seed container, which may then be unloaded by the conveyor to fill a planter seed box or grain drill, or for other seed handling applications.

A medication on demand dispenser. The dispenser provides patient access to medications prescribed to be available on an as-needed basis but with a prescribed minimum time interval between doses. The dispenser permits access to a single medication dose after each minimum time interval has elapsed. After a drug dose is presented to the patient, the dispenser prevents access to the next dose until the minimum time interval has elapsed.

A cap member that can be threadably engaged with a conventional soap bottle contains a battery-powered PIR motion detector and a motor responsive to the detector to dispense soap when a hand is sensed nearby.

A dispenser is provided for delivering a controlled quantity of a granular material. The dispenser includes a container assembly, a diffuser and a metering cup. The container includes a reservoir which supports a disposable cartridge of granular material. The cartridge is supported in the reservoir so as to define a passageway therebetween. A nozzle is defined for the outflow of material from the cartridge. The diffuser is disposed on one end of the container and includes a plurality of apertures. The metering cup is disposed on the opposite end of the container and has an open end adapted to receive granular material. Adjustment of the axial spacing between the nozzle and metering cup varies the quantity of granular material collected in the cup. The granular material is dispensed by inverting the container to a second orientation, such that material flows out of the metering cup, through the passageway and out of the diffuser. The nozzle may serve as a piercing mechanism for opening the disposable cartridge upon its insertion into the reservoir.

A material dispensing pump includes a drip prevention system and method so as to avoid undesired dripping of the dispensed fluid. In one example, the fluid path is sealed. Positive pressure is applied to the fluid during a dispensing operation to present the fluid to the auger-style pump at a desired rate. Between dispensing operations, or when dispensing is completed, the fluid is placed in suspension, for example by applying a negative pressure, thereby preventing the fluid from being inadvertently released at the dispense tip. In addition, following a dispensing operation, the pump dispensing controller can be programmed to reverse the rotation of the feed screw, in order to draw the material in a reverse direction and to further suspend the fluid.

An ice measuring and dispensing apparatus includes a rotating drum rotatable about a horizontal axis. The rotating drum has a plurality of chambers, and an ice supply hopper has a delivery opening for delivering ice into the plurality of chambers. A discharge tube to dispense ice from the plurality of chambers is also provided. The delivery opening of the supply hopper is larger than an opening of each of the chambers.

A liquid metered dispensing squeeze bottle includes: (a.) a squeezable container having an opening for dispensing liquid therefrom at one end and a bottom at the other end; (b.) a nonflexible trap chamber of a predetermined volume, connected to the opening of the container; (c.) a dip tube, and (d.) a one way valve at the bottom of the dip tube. In some embodiments, the one way valve system includes a generally inverted trapezoidal valve housing with tapered opposing sidewalls with an inlet orifice in each of said sidewalls, and an inverted trapezoidal valve having opposing slide valve ends, with a rest position when the bottle is upright wherein both inlet orifices are closed, a second position when the bottle is inverted 180 degrees wherein both inlet orifices are open to air, a third position when the bottle is upright and squeezed wherein at least one of the inlet orifices is open to air, and a fourth position when the bottle is rotated 90 degrees from upright wherein one of the inlet orifices is open to air and the other is closed.

A user interactive custom cosmetic powder color and effects dispensing system and method of doing business.

A rotary valve including a housing having an inner surface. A rotary assembly is positioned for rotation within the housing. The rotary assembly includes a plurality of radially outwardly extending vanes. The vanes extend toward the inner housing surface and are configured to transport material along the inner housing surface. Seal members are mounted upon the vanes. Spring members are secured to the vanes urging the seal members into contact with the inner housing surface.

A dispensing tip includes a body suitable for attachment to a dispensing bottle along with a nozzle having a lumen therethrough for flow of liquid formulation and an egress orifice which is in fluid communication with the lumen for the formation of droplets. A concave arcuate surface of revolution about the egress orifice is provided and depending therefrom for enhancing droplet separation from the egress orifice which in turn insures uniform droplet formation and dispensement.

A hand-operated device for measuring, dispensing and storing of powder, granular and grain materials, having filling and discharging / storing positions, comprising: a container wherein the material is stored and a measuring and dispensing unit attached to the container. In the preferred embodiment the unit includes: a housing having interconnected material receiving and material discharging openings; a slide moveable back and forth inside the passageway, delivers the material from the receiving opening to the discharging opening, accommodating a predetermined volume of the material dispensed by the device in one stroke; extensions prevent bridging of the dispensed material, a spring, being extended when the slide moves inside the housing due to an outside force applied to the slide and returning the slide into its original position after the outside force is released; a retaining apparatus holding the slide inside the housing in its discharging position when the device is not in use, a stopping apparatus fixing filling position of the slide; and apparatus providing airtight closing of the measuring and dispensing unit of possible penetration of air from the container to outside atmosphere or back. In the first embodiment the device includes extensions on the slide directed towards the container to break-up clogged material within container during movement of the slide. In the second embodiment the transporting mechanism includes also a screening mechanism capable to close or open the compartment in the slide wherein the dispensed material is received.

A jetting dispenser has a dispenser body with a fluid channel and a fluid channel outlet within the fluid channel. A valve member is movable within the fluid channel for selective contact with a valve seat near the fluid channel outlet. A jetting nozzle is adapted to be coupled to the dispenser body, adjacent the channel outlet, and has a nozzle body with a plurality of nozzle outlets in fluid communication with the channel outlet via a plurality of fluid passages through the nozzle body. The valve member is moved by a valve driver to contact the valve seat and impart momentum to liquid material supplied to the dispenser such that a plurality of droplets of liquid material are simultaneously jetted from the plurality of nozzle outlets.

An ice maker assembly includes, in an exemplary embodiment, an ice bucket that has a bottom wall, opposing side walls extending from the bottom wall, a front wall, and a back wall. The bottom wall, side walls, front wall, and back wall define an ice collection cavity. The ice bucket also includes a plurality of ribs extending from the bottom wall into the ice collection cavity, and a rotatable auger extending between the front and back walls.

A hydration system comprising a dispenser portion adapted to allow a drinking fluid to flow therethrough, a sensor unit positioned to take a measurement of a flow of the drinking fluid through said dispenser portion and to output said measurement, a logic unit in communication with the sensor portion to receive said measurement output, to set a target consumption over time based on a multidimensional profile of a user's physical body information, and to determine if the user's consumption meets the target consumption based upon the measurement.

An animal feeder includes at least one fodder bin, a fodder mixing device, a control module, a radio frequency identification (RFID) system and an audio frequency device. The fodder bin is provided for storing and outputting fodder. The fodder mixing device is provided for controlling the output of fodder in the fodder bin. The control module is provided for controlling the operation of the animal feeder. The radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes at least one electronic tag and at least one reader. The electronic tag is tagged onto animals. The reader is installed at the control module. The audio frequency device is provided for inputting and outputting an audio frequency. The aforementioned elements constitute an animal feeder that can provide fodders to a specific animal, issue a calling audio frequency, and controlling a fixed quantity of different fodders outputted at a fixed time.

A hermetically sealable dispenser for measuring and dispensing predetermined amounts of a granular product without breakage of the product. The dispenser comprises a container which can be filled with the product, and a flexible, rotatable, paddle wheel fixed within the container. The spacing between paddles of the paddle wheel form measuring compartments. The dimensions of the paddle wheel are such that the wheel forms a hermetic seal near one end of the container. A lid is provided to seal the upper end of the container such that the product is stored in an air-tight compartment prior to dispensing.

A motion activated food dispenser having a housing with a food dispensing outlet, means for controlling and directing the discharge of food product from the dispensing outlet when a receptacle is placed suitably near the discharge outlet, an electrically driven dispenser door in the interior space of said housing, a motion sensor, control electronics electronically connected to said motion sensor, and a control circuit electrically connected to the electric motor and the control electronics.

A heated dispense pump overcomes the limitations of conventional systems providing for reliable and efficient heating of the dispensed material in a system that is compact, lightweight, and accurate. A pump housing and cartridge body are formed of a thermally conductive material such as copper, aluminum, or an alloy combination thereof. A heater element is applied directly to the body of the pump housing, and a thermocouple is included to provide for closed-loop controllability. The material flows though the cartridge body and is heated prior to release at the dispense tip. The heated elements, including the pump housing and cartridge body, are thermally insulated from the pump motor and pump gantry to prevent the escape of heat from the system and to protect those adjacent components from heat damage. An optional syringe heater is provided for heating the material in the syringe, and for controlling the temperature of the material, in closed-loop fashion. In this manner, the temperature of the material in the syringe and the temperature of the material in the pump can be controlled independently of each other.

Powder dispensing and sensing apparatus and methods are provided. The powder dispensing and sensing apparatus includes a tray support structure to receive a cartridge tray holding cartridges, a powder dispenser assembly including powder dispenser modules to dispense powder into respective cartridges of a batch of cartridges in the cartridge tray, a powder transport system to deliver powder to the powder dispenser modules, a sensor module including sensor cells to sense respective fill states, such as the weights, of each of the cartridges in the batch of cartridges, and a control system to control the powder dispenser modules in response to the respective sensed fill states of each of the cartridges of the batch of cartridges.

A device for preparing and ejecting polymeric cement made from at least two pre-packaged components comprises a tubular vessel including a first axial end wall having a closed outlet, and a second axial end wall having an aperture. A first starting component of the polymeric cement is present inside said tubular vessel near the first axial end wall. A shaft extends through said aperture of the second axial end wall. A piston element comprises a closed container filled with a second starting component of the polymeric cement. The piston element is selectively lockable to the shaft. The container has a bore and is slidingly engaged upon said shaft. An agitator element is secured to one end of the shaft. Furthermore opening means for providing an opening in the closed container are provided.

A pet feeder for dispensing a supply of pet food includes a food dish and a food storage reservoir. The food storage reservoir is disposed adjacent the food dish and is adapted for holding a supply of the food. A top wall and a floor define the reservoir. The food dish is defined by a sidewall and a floor and has an open top to allow pets access to the food dish. The reservoir floor and the food dish floor form a continuous and downwardly sloping floor to gravitally direct pet food from the storage reservoir into the food dish. An agitator is disposed inside the reservoir. The agitator includes an arm secured to a disc for stirring the food to reduce food stagnation inside said reservoir. A food level sensor is further included in the reservoir to alert the user when the food level in the reservoir is empty or is approaching empty.

Bulk material discharge assemblies comprise a bulk material hopper, a conduit for delivering an air stream to entrain with bulk material from the bulk material hopper, and a feeding apparatus for introducing additive to the conduit. The feeding apparatus comprises an additive hopper and an airlock positioned adjacent the conduit. In addition, metering apparatus are provided that comprise an axle and first and second metering wheels. A noncircular perimeter of the axle and the shape of each hub opening of each of the metering wheels cooperate to nonrotatably mount each metering wheel to the axle. The first and second metering wheel are adapted to be selectively mounted in at least one of a first relative position and a second relative position. Still further, apparatus for dispensing additive are provided that comprise an additive hopper including at least one partition for dividing the additive hopper into at least two containment areas that are substantially isolated from one another and a metering device mounted to the additive hopper.

A hydration system comprising a dispenser portion adapted to allow a drinking fluid to flow therethrough, a sensor unit positioned to take a measurement of a flow of the drinking fluid through said dispenser portion and to output said measurement, a logic unit in communication with the sensor portion to receive said measurement output, to set a target consumption over time based on a multidimensional profile of a user's physical body information, and to determine if the user's consumption meets the target consumption based upon the measurement.

A method and apparatus of supplying material from a storage hopper (12) to a weighing hopper (16) where the material is fed at a controllable rate by a sliding plate member (104) that acts as a shutter for the storage hopper (12), which includes an aperture (154) for receiving material gravity fed from the storage hopper (12). As the plate (104) is reciprocated horizontally at a preselected frequency, material is conveyed at a controlled rate from the storage hopper (12) to the weighing hopper (16).