Abstract: Provided is a dispenser for dispensing particles onto a surface comprising a hopper for receiving particles, wherein the hopper has an opening at its bottom, a screen having openings and located adjacent the opening of the hopper, wherein the screen openings are uniformly sized and spaced and are sufficiently large to let the largest particles pass through during dispensing yet sufficiently small to hold the particles back when the dispenser is not operating, and means, located outside of the hopper, for moving particles from the hopper through the screen, and onto the surface. Also provided is a method of making a web with embedded particles comprising the sequential steps of making the web receptive to the particles by heating, eliminating static charges present on the web, dispensing the particles onto the web, dispersing the particles to minimize particle clumping in the web, and embedding the dispensed particles in the web.

Abstract: Provided is a dispenser for dispensing particles onto a surface comprising a hopper for receiving particles, wherein the hopper has an opening at its bottom, a screen having openings and located adjacent the opening of the hopper, wherein the screen openings are uniformly sized and spaced and are sufficiently large to let the largest particles pass through during dispensing yet sufficiently small to hold the particles back when the dispenser is not operating, and means, located outside of the hopper, for moving particles from the hopper through the screen, and onto the surface. Also provided is a method of making a web with embedded particles comprising the sequential steps of making the web receptive to the particles by heating, eliminating static charges present on the web, dispensing the particles onto the web, dispersing the particles to minimize particle clumping in the web, and embedding the dispensed particles in the web.

Abstract: A method for dispensing particles onto a surface. The steps of the process include holding the particles in a hopper having a dispensing opening covered by a screen which has uniformly sized openings that are sufficiently large to allow the largest particles to pass through, yet sufficiently small to hold the particles back when the dispenser is not operating; rotating, outside the hopper, a cylindrical brush covered with regularly spaced bristles and positioned such that the bristles protrude through openings in the screen and draw particles through the screen to dispense them onto the surface; and varying the dispensing rate of the particles by at least one of (a) varying the rotation speed of the brush, (b) adjusting the distance from the screen to the central longitudinal axis of the brush, (c) adjusting the screen opening size, (d) adjusting the brush-to-screen pressure, or (e) adjusting the tension of the screen. A method of making a web with embedded particles.