Abstract: A system is provided for producing at least two beverages having different percentages of water.

Abstract: A solenoid-operated valve comprises first and second elastic ring members each of which is made of an elastic material such as rubber, which retain a peripheral edge of a diaphragm, and which are flexibly bent in accordance with displacement of the diaphragm. A pair of lip sections is formed on the first and second elastic ring members.

Abstract: A closure (V) for a vessel, such as a bottle (1), having a closure cap and a closure lower part, tamper proofing (37) being provided, having a securing part which, on first use, can be displaced into a position which clearly indicates that the vessel has been opened, and, to achieve a simple structure which is reliable in use, the securing part comprises a securing projection (38) which passes freely through the closure cap and is secured to the closure lower part, and the securing projection, to destroy the tamper proofing can be pressed into the closure lower part, and latching elements, which interact in the manner of barbs with the pressed-in securing part, are formed in the closure lower part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a powder-fluidizing and feeding device for use with coating and spray forming nozzles and guns. The device includes novel provisions for controlling and feeding powder from a hopper to a vibrating bowl, for heating and vibrating powders in the hopper to dissipate agglomeration and clumping of the powder, and for metering powders from a vibrating bowl to the spray nozzles and guns using a feedback control derived from powder mass loss rate measurements. The device is particularly useful for feeding ultra-fine and nanoscale particles, which are difficult to feed uniformly with the prior art of conventional powder feeders.

Abstract: An actuator and tube overcap assembly has an actuator having an inlet and an outlet. A tube has a fluid passageway therethrough and an inlet end connected to the outlet of the actuator and an extension portion extending therefrom. An overcap is removably affixed to the actuator and has a top and a side extending therefrom. The top and side of the overcap have an inner surface. The overcap has internal tube retaining portions having a tube retaining surface. The tube retaining surface extends away from the inner surface of the top and is spaced from the inner surface of the side with the tube extension positioned therebetween. A valve is provided by substantially closing the fluid passageway of the tube. A method for making the assembly is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of delivering adjustable metered doses of a composition from a squeezable container. An embodiment of the apparatus is a metered dose dispenser including a body that includes an inlet channel with a first opening, an outlet channel with a second opening, and a dosing wheel seat. The dosing wheel seat is a cavity defined by the body. The dosing wheel seat communicates with the inlet channel, via the first opening, and with the outlet channel, via the second opening. The metered dose dispenser also includes a removable, rotatable dosing wheel is situated within the dosing wheel seat when the metered dose dispenser is in use. The dosing wheel includes a dosing channel, which may be aligned with the inlet channel and the outlet channel. A plunger is movably situated in the dosing channel, the plunger does not fit through either the first or second opening.

Abstract: A system for providing incentives to promoters for recommending games to players of games is provided. The system comprises one or more game machines located at one or more game sites. Each of the game machines are adapted to receive input from a player of a game indicative of an identity of a promoter of a game. The system further comprises a database adapted to store information indicative of the identity of a promoter.

Abstract: A manual pump dispenser which includes a reciprocable pump piston has a discharge valve snap-fitted to the pump body for the outletting of the liquid product from the pump chamber, the discharge valve being formed of an elastomer material and comprising a conically-shaped valve element at one end sloping outwardly toward the discharge passage, the valve having a non-reentrant element at its opposite end for snap fit engagement with a transverse support web within the pump body through a coaxial opening thereof, the conically-shaped valve element seating against a circular valve seat having a complementary taper to that of the valve element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dosing device containing a supply container (8), a dosing container (30) and a discharge device (12). A separate vertical stirring section (22, 22A) is provided in each container, namely the supply container (8) and the dosing container (30). The vertical stirring section 22A located in the supply container (8) is provided with a drive unit (1) which is also used to drive the lower stirrring section (22) of the dosing container (30). The dosing container (30) can be removed horizontally, sideways. The two stirring sections (22) and (22A) have coupling elements (16, 25) with which they are detachably or releasably interconnected. A coupling arm (25) is provided to this purpose with driving pins (16) which engage in the rotating area of the driven upper stirring section (22A) so that the two stirring sections can be coupled and one stirring section can drive the other stirring section.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser operates automatically when a hand is present. The dispenser has a screw mounted on a bottle cap housing that turns to pump liquid from an inverted bottle. The screw is turned by a sensor activated motor. A valve opens to allow air to enter the bottle to replace the volume of soap dispensed.

Abstract: Material handling apparatus for gravity discharge of flowable particulate material through an outlet (2) of a container (3) (shown dashed) for such material which outlet (2) is normally obturated by a hollow cone valve member (4), the apparatus (1) comprising actuator means (5) having a flat surface (6) and being adapted to engage the cone valve member (2) adjacent the base (7) thereof for raising and lowering same whereby to provide that the interior volume of the cone valve member (4) remains substantially empty. In the embodiment, the apparatus (1) is a component of a materials handling system in the form of a discharge station “D”, which is fixed for example in the floor of a facility for transferring flowable material from a (transportable) IBC (3) to a process “P” such as mixing, blending, tableting the like which is below the discharge station D.

Abstract: A tamper-evident closure assembly (22) for a valve outlet (16) of a pressurized gas cylinder, or the like includes a cap (50) and a tamper-evident ring (52, 140, 200, 240). The assembly is threadably attached to the outlet prior to shipment and removed by a customer prior to dispensing fluid through the outlet. The ring includes tabs (84, 146, 204, 242) which snap fit into slots (90) in the cap and cause the ring to rotate with the cap. Fins (100, 162, 206, 260) on the ring engage a surface of the valve outlet during cap removal. When sufficient force is applied in the cap removal direction, part of the ring is severed, such as the tabs or the fins. This provide evidence that the cap has been removed.

Abstract: A retainer used in conjunction with a collapsible tube, the retainer including a body adapted to contact the end of the tube; and at least one tab extending from the body laterally of the tube and adapted to selectively laterally wrap around the tube to hold a portion of the tube in a selected position.

Abstract: A valve system (10) that employs a piezo-electric element (38) to activate a fluid flow valve (18) so as to use a minimal amount of electrical energy. The piezo-electric element (38) activates a pilot pressure valve (36), which allows a control fluid to pass to a main control valve (44). The control fluid causes the main control valve (44) to activate a working element (16), which in turn operates the fluid flow valve (18). A switching assembly (70) is employed to activate the piezo-electric element (38). The switching assembly (70) can include various types of switching devices, such as RF switching devices, optical switching devices, infrared switching devices and low voltage electrical switching devices.

Abstract: A flow regulator is provided in a liquid delivery line. The flow regulator includes flow regulation a body having an inflow port through which liquids different from each other in a property such as density, viscosity, etc flow in the body, and an outflow port through which the liquids flow out from the body. A set of rotators, which are rotated within the body in respective directions opposite to each other is provided to move the liquid by given volumes along the internal wall of the body. And a drive unit for driving the set of rotators is also provided. This construction provides an apparatus which can be used for delivering a liquid, which, in delivering liquids different from each other in viscosity, a given volume of the liquid can be accurately delivered to a liquid delivery line in a continuous manner even though the viscosity of the liquids have varied.

Abstract: A valve body having one or more integral seal retention grooves and one or more interior hollows which may be manufactured using frictional or other types of welding to join two previously formed portions through at least one cylindrical web. Forging or casting valve body portions to near-net-shape prior to joining minimizes machining necessary to achieve a final desired shape. Finish machining of certain valve body surfaces prior to joining is optional. One or more interior hollows and an integral seal retention groove are formed in the welded valve body from features present on the portions joined by welding to form the body. Such valve bodies have relatively high stiffness for their weight and require only limited machining to achieve a final shape. Increased valve durability and reduced metal wear arise from the reduced valve body weight and correspondingly reduced impact loading as the valve body moves to seal against a valve seat.

Abstract: A fluid squirt gun includes a linear flow path provided in a barrel, a nozzle at a tip end of the flow path, a valve seat provided in the flow path, a valve element disposed for movement in an axial direction of the flow path to open and close the valve seat, a spring for pressing the valve element in a valve-closing direction, and a trigger for opening and closing the valve element. The valve element includes a forward pressure receiving face on which fluid in the flow path acts in a valve-opening direction in a closed state of a valve and a reverse pressure receiving face on which the fluid acts in the valve-closing direction in the closed state of the valve and both the pressure receiving faces have substantially equal pressure receiving areas.

Abstract: A ram plate which allows easy lifting and dropping of the plate even when a complete seal has been made with high-viscosity liquids inside a barrel. The system contains two alternative methods of depressurizing the internal liquids in order to more efficiently avoid vacuum and suction effect when the user attempts to raise the plate. The bleed stick components of the plate are completely independent of vent ports components. Such bleed stick components are levers which, when depressed, will move a cover and expose the internal liquids to outside air pressure via air vents. The vent port components operate through both gravity and potential energy of an internal spring, which place a given amount of downward pressure on a pneumatic cylinder which may or may not be enough pressure to move the cylinder and expose a vent to the outside atmosphere pressure.

Abstract: A retainer is coupled around a shaft of an electromagnetic fluid control valve. A first projection is provided at one axial end of the retainer. A second projection is provided at the other axial end of the retainer. A central portion of a valve member is sandwiched between a flat surface of the first projection and a washer. A central portion of a diaphragm is sandwiched between a flat surface of the second projection and an end surface of a moving core 4.

Abstract: An improvement to a beverage package that includes a flaccid beverage bag, a carton around the bag and a fill spout and dispensing device attached to the bag. The improvement wherein the carton is collapsible and includes front and rear panels with first and second spaced-apart side panels extending between the front and rear panels thereby forming a rectangular upper opening bounded by the panels. Furthermore, a spout securing panel is received in the opening and has the spout extending therethrough, and a cover panel is over the securing panel. A method for transporting and dispensing a beverage is also disclosed.