With Head, Manifold Or Supply Lowering Means Patents (Class 141/181)
  • Patent number: 11772831
    Abstract: A vacuum controlled liquid delivery system, including a primary chamber; a manifold assembly affixed to the primary chamber, the manifold assembly comprising a feed line and an external pressure line; and a cap configured to reversibly engage the manifold assembly at one end and reversibly cap a syringe at another end, the cap comprising a septum and a porous plug, wherein when the cap is attached to the manifold assembly the feed line passes through the septum, and further wherein the porous plug seals upon contact with a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Inventor: David K. Stroup
  • Patent number: 11629821
    Abstract: A gas dosing apparatus is provided that includes an inlet configured to receive gas, and a directional control valve connected to the inlet and having a first position and a second position. The gas dosing apparatus also includes a fixed volume reservoir connected to the directional control valve and receiving gas from the inlet, via the directional control valve, while the directional control valve is in the first position. The gas dosing apparatus further includes an outlet connected to the directional control valve and outputting a gas dose received from the fixed volume reservoir, via the directional control valve, while the directional control valve is in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Laurie M. O'Connor, Paul K. Oetinger
  • Patent number: 11274023
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of filing beverage combines pressurized beverage delivery (rather than gravity feed) with variable pressure control of the beverage flow into the can. By modulating beverage flow and especially beverage pressure, it is possible to fill a can's widget (gas reservoir) with gas with a shorter set of fill steps. In addition, the speed of beverage filling can be dramatically increased compared to small scale systems normally used. Unlike known large scale pressure systems, the beverage bowl may be located beneath the rest of the apparatus and modulated pressure may be used, making for a smaller and more portable unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Inventors: Jared Jones, William Jones, Matthew Wetterlin
  • Patent number: 8985164
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for controlling flow of a flowable material. The flowable material passes from a product supply through one or more valves which are coupled to a controller. The controller is also coupled to one or more sensors operable to generate a signal indicating whether flowable product is present or not present at a specific level within a container. The controller is programmed to operate the valves based on signals received from the sensors. The sensors may be associated with the feed container and used to control metering of flowable product out of the feed container, or they may be associated with a container and used to control filling of the container with flowable product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Caneel Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Jonathan Seeman, Dewey Privette, Donna Elizabeth Seeman
  • Patent number: 8794275
    Abstract: A filling device for filling containers with a liquid, including several filling elements, each of the filling elements having a filling valve, a filling tube and a return gas tube, where the filling tubes of the filling elements are arranged at a first common support and the return gas tubes of the filling elements are arranged at a second common support, and where the position of the second common support can be adjusted relative to the position of the first common support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Gruber, Walter Neumayer, Erwin Knieling
  • Patent number: 8701721
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for controlling flow of a flowable material. The flowable material passes from a product supply through one or more valves which are coupled to a controller. The controller is also coupled to one or more sensors operable to generate a signal indicating whether flowable product is present or not present at a specific level within a container. The controller is programmed to operate the valves based on signals received from the sensors. The sensors may be associated with the feed container and used to control metering of flowable product out of the feed container, or they may be associated with a container and used to control filling of the container with flowable product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Caneel Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Jonathan Seeman, Dewey Privette, Donna Elizabeth Seeman
  • Publication number: 20140026520
    Abstract: Apparatus for filling containers having stoppers that are penetrable for filling the containers with a substance, and thermally resealable for thermally sealing the resulting hole. A container support supports at least one such container in a substantially fixed position during filling and resealing. A manifold drivingly mounted over the container support comprises (1) a cartridge including a filling needle for penetrating the resealable stopper and introducing a substance therethrough into the container, a mount for mounting the cartridge on the manifold, and a removable cover releasably coupled to the mount for covering the filling needle during transportation, installation and/or removal of the cartridge from the manifold. The manifold includes a thermal source for heating a penetrated region of the stopper and, sealing the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Medical Instill Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Medical Instill Technologies, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8613296
    Abstract: In a tire inflating station for inflating a tubeless tire arranged on a rim with a pressurized gas, arranged on a stand are a conveyor for receiving and conveying a wheel consisting of a wheel rim and a tire mounted on the wheel rim, and an inflation device above the conveyor and having an inflation opening which can be connected to a gas supply. The lower side of the inflation device has a carrier plate that is mounted to move backwards and forwards along an axis between at least two positions in a straight-line mechanism. There are inflation rings attached in tandem in a gas-tight manner to the lower side of a carrier plate. Inside the inflation rings, the carrier plate has a respective continuous opening. In each of the different working positions of the carrier plate, another of the continuous openings is connected to the inflation opening of the inflation device, which inflation opening is arranged on the upper side of the carrier plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Schenck RoTec GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Lemser, Andreas Peinelt
  • Patent number: 8596314
    Abstract: A container including a body defining an outflow opening and at least one chamber adapted for storing a product, such as a fat containing liquid product, and a container closure including a primary seal for hermetically sealing the product within the chamber during storage. The container closure includes a sealing member forming a substantially fluid-tight seal between the container closure and the body, and a dispensing member in fluid communication with the chamber. The container closure and body move relative to each other between a first position where the primary seal is seated about the outflow port to hermetically seal the product in the chamber during storage, and a second position where the primary seal is displaced from the outflow port to allow product to pass from the chamber through the outflow port and into dispensing member to dispense the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Medical Instill Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Py, Julian Chan, Jeffrey Willey
  • Patent number: 8453675
    Abstract: A rotary union includes a non-rotating machine component having a receiving counterbore, a media channel opening, and a control channel. A housing is positioned within the receiving counterbore and has a bore and a control chamber in fluid communication with the control channel. A non-rotating seal member is slidably and sealingly disposed within the bore in the housing and has a media channel in fluid communication with the media channel opening and the receiving counterbore. The non-rotating seal member can be selectively extended or retracted within the bore of the housing, such that selective engagement of a face seal is accomplished under different operating conditions of the rotary union.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Deublin Company
    Inventors: David Burrus, Graig Aaron LaCroix
  • Patent number: 8424575
    Abstract: An apparatus for filling containers with liquid and in particular viscous media, comprising a filling element which can be introduced at least partially into a mouth of the container to be filled, wherein a filling body of this filling element is configured in such a way that the medium is directed at least also onto a wall of the container, comprising a connecting line for conveying the liquid medium from a reservoir for the liquid medium to the container, wherein the filling element is movable relative to the container in a longitudinal direction (L) of the container. According to the invention, the filling element is movable in the longitudinal direction (L) of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventor: Walter Neumayer
  • Publication number: 20130008559
    Abstract: Device for dispensing a liquid under pressure where said device comprises connection means for connecting said device to the source of liquid, and where the device in the opposite end of the connection means has an outlet body which outlet body may be brought into a closed position where no liquid is dispensed, and an open position where liquid is dispensed, which outlet body incorporates a separate valve body cooperating with a valve seat, where said valve body has a head portion and a stem portion, where said stem portion in the closed position extends out of an opening in said outlet body, and where a lower surface of said head portion in the closed position is in contact with said valve seat and in said open position is out of contact with said valve seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: JENS KSA HOLDING APS
    Inventor: Jens Kristian Stig Andersen
  • Publication number: 20120138192
    Abstract: A filling machine for filling a container with a pourable food product, comprising a tank, a support structure, a first fluidic line through which food product may flow, connected with the tank and connectable with the inner volume of the container a filling valve and a distributor comprising at least two ducts defining, with a cavity of filling valve, at least partially a second fluidic line along which a fluid may flow; distributor element comprising a first and a second control valve may either be left open in respective first configuration over the whole operation of filling machine or be displaced between open and closed configuration during a step of the operation of filling machine on the basis of one parameter between the nature of container and the nature of pourable food product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Simone Campi, Paolo Tedoldi, Annalisa Malfatto
  • Patent number: 8132599
    Abstract: An automated system for inflating balloons. A balloon inflator comprises an electronic control system that activates the pressurized gas source to inflate a balloon. The balloons are fed through the inflator on a belt and, at the appropriate time as governed by the electronic control system, pressurized gas is emitted into a balloon. Once the balloon bursts or is removed from the inflator, the belt is advanced and that the next balloon is inflated. In the preferred embodiment, the system comprises multiple inflators and the electronic control system is operated remotely using radio frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Conray, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodney Crandell, Raymond Crandell
  • Publication number: 20110315269
    Abstract: A filling device for a needle-free injector system is provided that is adapted to sterilely deliver a predetermined amount of an injectate from a vial to a plurality of cartridges. The filling device normally includes a single-use fluid path disposed between the vial and a receiving cartridge. The fluid path may include a vial connector adapted to couple to a vial, a filler head, and a conduit connecting the vial connector and filler head. The filling device typically further includes a pump coupled to the fluid path and adapted to propel the injectate from the vial to the receiving cartridge, and a cartridge-advancing element. Activation of the cartridge-advancing element is adapted to sequentially advance empty cartridges into a position opposite the filler head. Also provided are disposable fluid path kits and methods of using the filling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: BIOJECT, INC.
    Inventors: DANIEL E. WILLIAMSON, JOHN R. MARSHALL
  • Publication number: 20100126624
    Abstract: An apparatus to fill a container includes at least one tank for a fluid product to be delivered and one filling head to deliver the fluid product to the container that is movable towards and away from the container. The apparatus further includes a connecting arrangement interposed between the tank and the filling head to supply the fluid product to the filling head. The connecting arrangement includes a ball-and-socket joint structure which includes a first tubular portion having a spherical body, a second tubular portion in the form of a spherical cavity and a tubular sealing element arranged inside the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion at a zone in which the spherical body and the spherical cavity are mutually engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: SIDEL HOLDINGS & TECHNOLOGY S.A.
    Inventor: Lucio Conforti
  • Publication number: 20100083613
    Abstract: A beverage bottling plant for filling bottles with a liquid beverage material having a filling machine. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Inventor: Dieter-Rudolf KRULITSCH
  • Patent number: 7506671
    Abstract: A tire filling apparatus preferably includes a support and seal arrangement on which a wheel-tire combination is supported in a horizontally lying orientation, a tire filling plate, and a plurality of differently-sized tire filling rings. Based on the diameter of the wheel-tire combination to be filled with air, a properly sized one of the filling rings is selected and positioned coaxially along the wheel axis between the tire and the filling plate. The filling plate moves toward the tire, sealingly contacts the filling ring, and presses the filling ring against the upwardly facing tire sidewall, until an open air filling gap is formed between the tire sidewall bead and the wheel rim. Pressurized air is introduced through the filling plate, the filling ring, and the open air filling gap into the tire interior, until the gap is closed by the increasing air pressure in the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Schenck RoTec GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Peinelt, Martin Rogalla, Werner Lehr, Roland Lehmann
  • Publication number: 20090020181
    Abstract: A fill head for depositing hazardous waste materials into a container movable between a filling position seated on the container, and a container exchange position withdrawn from the container; a control arm carried by the fill head directing movement of the fill head between the filling and exchange positions; a drip tray movably carried on a support platform adjacent the fill head for extending underneath the fill head to retain drippings of the hazardous waste material from the fill head when in the exchange position; and, a lifting arm carried by the drip tray engaging the control arm, wherein the lifting arm biases the control arm to raise the fill head from the filling position to the exchange position when the drip tray is extended underneath the fill head so that as the fill head is withdrawn from the container any dripping hazardous waste is captured by the drip tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventor: Richard W. Martin
  • Patent number: 6863092
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for filling containers with liquid of the type having a tubular filling lance operatively connected to a source of liquid and being vertically moveable between raised positions above said containers and lowered positions, when coaxially aligned with a filling hole in one of said containers, extending through said filling hole into said container for filling thereof. The apparatus comprises a conveyor assembly on which two or more containers with randomly disposed filling holes may be moved to a filling station generally below the filling lance. A carriage assembly is provided by which the filling lance may be moved in X, Y, Z coordinates, first to a raised position coaxially aligned with a selected one of the container filling holes and then to a lowered position into a selected container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Specialty Equipment Conveyor Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Seiver, Donald H. Green
  • Patent number: 6863094
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for filling flexible receptacles or bags with bulk or particulate material is provided. In one aspect, an automatic sand bag filling apparatus is disclosed which includes a bulk fill channel which may be placed within the interior of each bag to be filled. The filling apparatus may have a metering device for providing the desired amount of bulk material to the fill channel. The fill channel may be moveable along a fixed path for engaging and advancing a series of interconnected bags. Articulating spreader bars may be provided to support the bag during filling. In one embodiment, the filling apparatus is mounted on a trailer assembly and includes a reservoir for storing the bulk sand. The sand may be transferred from the reservoir to the filling apparatus using augers, conveyors, etc. A preferred construction of a series of interconnected sand bags and a method of making a series of interconnected bags is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Ensor Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Ensor
  • Patent number: 6837282
    Abstract: An apparatus for filling containers with viscous food product includes a plurality of pressure/vacuum fill head positioned above a plurality of containers. Each fill head includes a housing enclosing a plenum through which is longitudinally disposed a valve stem having in an outer cylindrical surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally disposed grooves terminated near a lower end of the stem by a cylindrical boss. The boss is biased into fluid pressure-tight sealing contact with a lower transverse end face of lower tubular portion of the housing by a helical compression spring which fits coaxially over a portion of the valve stem which protrudes upwardly from the housing, the spring being disposed between an upper transverse end wall of the housing, and the lower surface of a neck which protrudes radially outwardly from the upper end of the valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Inventor: Ramon Navarro
  • Patent number: 6810930
    Abstract: An apparatus for metering powdered filling material has a filling material container whose bottom is provided with bores which cooperate with tamping plungers and transfer plungers. Underneath the bottom is a stop ring which functions as a counter support for the tamping plungers. To prevent powder losses from the bottom the filling material container is axially movable in such a way that it can be pressed against the stop ring during the downward motion of the tamping plungers. This is achieved by means of hold-down elements which can be moved synchronously with the tamping plungers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Schlipf, Werner Runft, Walter Boehringer
  • Patent number: 6810928
    Abstract: A tube filling machine comprises a circulating conveying device for transporting a tube through the tube filling machine to pass through different processing stations. One of the processing stations is a filling unit in which the tube can be filled with a desired product. To remove and install the filling unit in a simple and rapid fashion, it is disposed on an adjustable support structure which can be actuated between an operating position in which the filling unit is disposed in the tube filling machine above the tube to be filled and a non-operating position in which the filling unit sidewardly projects out past the tube filling machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: IWK Verpackungstechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Rolf Limbach
  • Patent number: 6799612
    Abstract: A filling apparatus may include a conveyor for transporting the vials in an aseptic zone and a vial filler including a dispenser, for example, a filling needle, connected to a fluid supply. The vial filler may be disposed in the aseptic zone. The apparatus may also comprise a drive disposed in a non-aseptic zone, operatively connected to the vial filler, and configured to move the dispenser into and out of filling engagement with the vials being transported. The vial filler may further include a valve, for example, a pinch valve, disposed in the aseptic zone proximate the dispenser and movable with the dispenser for controlling the fluid flow through the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Stewart, Paul Hendrickx, Frans Damen
  • Patent number: 6725890
    Abstract: Apparatus for automatically handling and filling drums comprising a conveyor on which drums may be sequentially moved to an orienting station, a filling station and a capping and sealing station. The orienting station includes a rotating mechanism for rotating the drum so that a bunghole in the upper end thereof is properly oriented for subsequent filling. The filling station includes a tubular filling lance connected to a source of liquid and which may be lowered into the bunghole for filling the drum with liquid and then raised allowing the drum to be moved to the capping and sealing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Specialty Equipment Fabrication Company
    Inventors: Donald H Green, Michael J. Seiver
  • Patent number: 6722403
    Abstract: A bifurcated bracket carries two powder dispensing assemblies. Each assembly includes a powder reservoir and a rotatable screw received within a compliant silicone sleeve. The outer diameter of the screw is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the sleeve such that the screw blade maintains direct contact with the sleeve wall as the screw is rotated. The bracket is sequentially moved to align each assembly with containers in two arrays. Each array of containers is situated in a tray. The trays are manually positioned on independent scales which generate signals that are a function of the sensed weight of each array. To fill each container, the screw in the aligned assembly is rotated at a high rate for an initial period and then at a slower rate. The scales are operational only during the slower rate period. Assembly movement and screw rotation are computer controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
    Inventors: Peng Zhou, Edward Joseph Kuspiel, Waldemar Ruediger, Alexander Bertok, Carl J. Trpisovsky
  • Patent number: 6662828
    Abstract: A telescoping filling head comprising a driving portion, a nozzle block portion and a two-stage telescoping nozzle, the innermost portion of the nozzle having positionable apertures. A telescoping filling head can be retrofitted on an existing filling device, or can be incorporated in a newly manufactured filling device. The telescoping action permits a longer nozzle to be used in any given space, because the two portions which extend to create a relatively long filling nozzle retract within a relatively short outer nozzle. The longer nozzle increases the rate at which foaming liquids can be introduced into a container. The positionable apertures can also direct the flow of the liquid at the shoulders of the bottle, further increasing the rate at which foaming liquids can be introduced into a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventors: Clifford W. Stover, Erik R. Ryberg, Howard J. Biggins, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6659142
    Abstract: A system and method for preparing and dispensing fluid mixtures is provided. Fluid wells are positioned below a plurality of fluid dispensing devices, such as syringes configured to dispense fluid into the individual fluid wells. The fluid dispensing devices are configured to be positionable relative the fluid wells to enable different fluid dispensers to be sequentially positionable over a particular fluid well. A controller controls the relative movement between fluid wells and the fluid dispensing devices. In a preferred embodiment, the controller selectively moves multi-well vessels in one direction and moves the fluid dispensing devices in a second direction so that when directed by the controller, a selected fluid dispensing device is enabled to deposit a determined quantity of a fluid into a selected individual well of the multi-well vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: IRM, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Charles Downs, Mark Richard Weselak
  • Publication number: 20030111133
    Abstract: A tube filling machine comprises a circulating conveying device for transporting a tube through the tube filling machine to pass through different processing stations. One of the processing stations is a filling unit in which the tube can be filled with a desired product. To remove and install the filling unit in a simple and rapid fashion, it is disposed on an adjustable support structure which can be actuated between an operating position in which the filling unit is disposed in the tube filling machine above the tube to be filled and a non-operating position in which the filling unit sidewardly projects out past the tube filling machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventor: Rolf Limbach
  • Publication number: 20030034086
    Abstract: A filling apparatus may include a conveyor for transporting the vials in an aseptic zone and a vial filler including a dispenser, for example, a filling needle, connected to a fluid supply. The vial filler may be disposed in the aseptic zone. The apparatus may also comprise a drive disposed in a non-aseptic zone, operatively connected to the vial filler, and configured to move the dispenser into and out of filling engagement with the vials being transported. The vial filler may further include a valve, for example, a pinch valve, disposed in the aseptic zone proximate the dispenser and movable with the dispenser for controlling the fluid flow through the dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Inventors: Paul Stewart, Paul Hendrickx, Frans Damen
  • Patent number: 6435230
    Abstract: A metering device has a filling material container with a metering disk. Metering bores for products such as microtablets are disposed in the metering disk. Underneath the metering disk in a transfer region, there is a capsule filling shaft which is disposed in line with prepared capsule bottoms. The invention proposes supporting the filling material container so that it can rotate on an axis which is disposed inclined in relation to the vertical. This permits the microcapsules to be easily dispensed into the metering bores, permits the microtablets to be handled in a manner that is gentle on the product, and permits a high performance of the metering device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Reiner Wurst, Manfred Kuhnle, Werner Runft
  • Patent number: 6347650
    Abstract: The resin dispenser comprises a support frame, a probe with an adjustable loading volume mounted on the support frame and connected to a vacuum source, a hopper for containing a resin slurry, a holder for retaining one or more containers to be loaded at a loading position, a translation means for moving the probe from the hopper to the container, a fluid circulation pump and an air pump for circulating fluid in the hopper, and at least one control device. The hopper includes a means for continuous circulation and replenishment of solvent with a large reserve of resin, and has a small volume from which the resin is extracted. The method for dispensing comprises drawing resin from a dispenser trough in the hopper into the loading volume using a vacuum, moving the probe to the loading position, then activating an air actuator which expels a resin pellet from the probe into the container by initiating movement of the inner and outer tubes that define the loading volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Discovery Partners International, Inc.
    Inventors: Rhett Affleck, Thuc Nguyen, Rob Neeper
  • Patent number: 6199605
    Abstract: A dispensing apparatus is which, even when a small amount of a medium is to be dispensed, can satisfactorily dispense the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignees: Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd., Sankyo Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Inaba, Toshiyuki Wakasa, Mamoru Shiratori, Masato Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 6179017
    Abstract: A filling assembly for an aseptically operating deep-drawing packing machine, wherein a conveying region for the web of packing sheet is provided within a pipe held in sterile condition. Arranged behind a packing sheet-forming station is a filling station comprising at least one loading tube stationary with respect to the conveying region yet displaceable in a direction vertical to the conveying region. In order to enable the packing machine to continue to run also during cleaning of the filling station, two filling stations are arranged in series on the pipe maintained in sterile condition within openings displaceable on the sterile pipe above the conveying region. Only one of the said filling stations is respectively in the operating position while the other of said filling stations is in the cleaning position. The filling stations in view of their displaceable openings on the sterile pipe are reciprocable between an operating position and a cleaning position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Hassia Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Walter
  • Patent number: 6053221
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a battery support for supporting a battery at a fill position, a head assembly with a plurality of heads each with an opening formed therethrough, an acid tank, a circulating conduit with a pump for circulating acid, and a valve for stopping the circulation of acid. The head assembly is moved from an upper position to a lower position for engaging the head openings with the upper cell openings of the battery. A plurality of fill conduits extend from the circulating conduit between the pump and the valve to the heads for injecting acid into the battery openings by way of the head openings. A plurality of leveling tubes extend through the head openings and beyond the lower ends of the heads for with removing excess acid by way of a plurality of leveling chambers operated together with a piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Eberle Equipment Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly L. Eberle, William K. Eberle
  • Patent number: 6035905
    Abstract: A multi-compartment container is charged with a plurality of doses of powdered medicament so that the volume of each dose is than that of the respective compartments in which it is contained. A respective protuberance is inserted into each respective compartment, which is then filled with medicament and the protuberance is then removed. The container may take the form of an apertured plate, in which case the filling step can be achieved by placing the container on a porous bed and in communication with a reservoir of particulate material, and then passing gas through the reservoir, the apertures in the container and the bed. There is also shown apparatus for performing the method, the apparatus comprising a reservoir for the particulate material and a conduit for relaying particulate material from the reservoir to the compartments, the conduit including protuberances which are insertable into the compartments to reduce the available volume of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Merck Patent Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventor: David Peter Griffin
  • Patent number: 6029716
    Abstract: A tire inflating method and apparatus, allowing inflation of different sized tires without changing over a tire inflation device. The tire inflation device has two chambers, an inner chamber and an outer chamber. The inner chamber is within the outer chamber and extends downwardly when a smaller sized rim is being used. The tire inflation device has a linear transducer, with a magnetic ring, that determines the height of the tire inflation head and knows when to shut off inflation. A method of inflating tires without changing over an inflation device is also provided. The method includes the steps of photo switches detecting the size of the rim being used, an inflation head adjusting to a corresponding size of the tire rim, and the inflation head inflating the tire and rim to a specified pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventor: Homer J. Hawk
  • Patent number: 5975155
    Abstract: A container filling machine having a frame and a fill station on the frame. The fill station has hooks to engage stirrups on the top of the bag. The fill station also has a platform to support a first open topped container. The fill station also has hooks to support a first open top container. A filling member is supported on the hooks for supporting an open top container. A dispensing means is supported on the frame of the open top container to fill the top container and to fill a container resting on the platform. Means is provided to automatically release the hooks and means is provided to shake the bag to settle the material in it and to move the bags towards the front of the machine. Hooks are used to facilitate removing the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Renold, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard P. Sienerth, John E. Zarycki, Michael J. Melaragno
  • Patent number: 5971043
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for filling drums with a substance. First and second external chambers are employed, and an interior filling chamber is employed, which is adjacent to the first and second external chambers. A first exterior door is provided between the first external chamber and an outside environment, a second exterior door is provided between the second external chamber and the outside environment, a first interior door is provided between the first external chamber and the filling chamber, and a second interior door is provided between the second external chamber and the filling chamber. The filling chamber fills a drum with the substance and vents out of the filling chamber gaseous emissions produced during said filling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Delta Deluxe, L.L.C. (D/B/A/ Delta Chemical Services)
    Inventor: Mark D. Aldrich
  • Patent number: 5865217
    Abstract: A filling system of a packaging machine is set forth that reduces the mixing of product and air during the filling of the container with a flowable material such as low fat milk. The fill pipe of the filling system has an elliptical cross-section which provides for a reduced velocity of the flowable material entering the container while allowing for an increased production time of the packaging machine. The fill system is especially adopted to fill containers having a rectangular cross-section. Connected to the fill pipe is a nozzle with flaps designed to substantially conform and engage with the sidewalls of a container. When the flaps are urged to an open position, the mixing of air and product is inhibited as the flowable material is dispensed into the container through the nozzle and as a moving mechanism is operated to relatively move the container and nozzle from a first to a second position. The fill pipe has an elongate body, an inlet end and an outlet end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings&Finance, SA
    Inventors: Peter Giacomelli, Robert Muns, Anders Andren, Par Svensson
  • Patent number: 5626171
    Abstract: The mechanism (27, 28) which regulates the volume of the distributors (16, 116) is connected to a shaft (41) coaxial to the shaft of the distributor carrousel. When the motor (63) is at standstill, the two coaxial shafts (2,41) rotate in the same direction and at the same speed. Whenever the motor (63) is activated in one direction or the other with the carrousel at the standstill or rotating, the inner shaft (41) rotates relative to the outer shaft (2), in the direction and to the extent necessary for the required regulation of volume of the distributors. The volume of the distributors is controlled remotely by a programmable processor (77).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A.
    Inventor: Nerio Mirri
  • Patent number: 5595221
    Abstract: A machine for the filling bottles, particularly bottles of varying dimensions.The metering machine comprises two identical devices placed one on top of the other, with combs, allowing the rapid, simple and easy adjustment of the nozzles used for metering, and a device for controlling the cycle which is easy to adjust according to the size of the bottles moved by the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Bernard P. Lagneau
  • Patent number: 5477898
    Abstract: A drum is filled with two liquids of different densities which are immiscible when combined, such as white phosphorus and water. The drum is positioned on a scale beneath a fill pipe. An actuator lowers the fill pipe into the drum. A quantity of water is injected, followed by a quantity of white phosphorus, followed by a quantity of water to rinse the fill pipe. The fill pipe is raised just out of the liquids and allowed to drip, and then is fully raised to enable the filled drum to be replaced by an empty drum. The white phosphorus is injected at varying flow rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Societe Atochem
    Inventors: Michel Miscevic, Claude Cochet
  • Patent number: 5372167
    Abstract: A cylindrical housing 6 is secured to the bottom surface of an elevatable filling liquid tank 2, and a liquid injection pipe 16 is mounted on the bottom of the housing 6. An exhaust pipe 18 axially passes through the housing 6 and the liquid injection pipe 16, and is disposed for elevating movement. The exhaust pipe 18 is driven by an elevating mechanism 21. A holder 54 carrying a bottle mouth stuffing 52 is fitted in the housing 6, and is urged down by a spring 61. The bottle mouth stuffing 52 tightly engages the mouth of a vessel which is being raised as carried on a vessel receptacle, and accordingly its position is determined by the height of the vessel. The position of the liquid injection pipe 16 and the exhaust pipe 18 is modified in accordance with the elevation of the tank 2, independently from the bottle mouth stuffing 52. Accordingly, a void which remains in the top of the vessel after the vessel is filled with the liquid is adjusted only in accordance with the elevation of the tank 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Shibuya Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Hirose, Shigeru Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5320146
    Abstract: A feeder wheel has a top surface and a peripheral edge, with volumetric measuring cavities upon at one end to said top surface and at a lower end to said edge. An endless belt is entrained about a portion of the edge, covering cavity outlets open to said edge, but said belt is pulled away from said edge by a pulley at one side of the wheel. Product is dispensed from the cavities when their outlets are uncovered by the belt as the wheel turns. The cavities are filled by dropping product onto the top surface of the wheel and by gradually plowing the product over and into the cavities. The final plow is slightly curved over a number of cavities so the last product cut is gently performed to increase repeatable volumetric accuracy of product in each cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: R. A. Jones & Co. Inc.
    Inventor: John W. Stevie
  • Patent number: 5318079
    Abstract: A device for automatic collection, intermediate storage and emptying of blood from slaughter animals, comprising an endless track (2), a number of containers (3) movable along the track and a filling station (4) and an emptying and washing station (5) which are arranged along the track. The containers are loosely arranged in relation to each other and to the track (2). As a result, the weighing (6) of a filled container can be carried out effectively immediately after the filling operation. Moreover, containers can temporarily be switched out from the normal path of progression along the track into and from a resting station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: ANITEC - John Sjoberg AB
    Inventor: John Sjoberg
  • Patent number: 5287897
    Abstract: A machine for dosing powdered pharmaceutical from a container in which the powdered pharmaceutical is present as a layer. An element is driven by a first drive to undergo horizontal translation between a first position for sampling powder in the container and a second position for release of the powder into a receiving seat. A device which supports a dosage unit is moved by the element and when the element is in the first position a second drive translates the device vertically in relation to the element so that the dosage unit penetrates into the powder and removes a measured amount thereof. A third drive operates the dosage unit to release the powder therefrom into the receiving seat when the element is in the second position. The first and second drives are independently operable to displace the dosage units respectively in horizontal and vertical directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1994
    Assignee: MG2 S.p.A.
    Inventor: Ernesto Gamberini
  • Patent number: 5280815
    Abstract: A dual cam configuration is provided in a container filler machine. The filler machine preferably fills containers from their bottoms and includes at least one filling station assembly, each such assembly including a dispensing assembly and a positioning assembly. For controlling the filling process at each station, the cam configuration includes first and second cam tracks, each track being followed by a cam following assembly. For each station, the machine also preferably includes a single pneumatic cylinder assembly for simultaneously maintaining both cam following assemblies against their respective cam tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: PRC
    Inventor: James E. Jones
  • Patent number: 5240049
    Abstract: The machine for the dosage and introduction of powder products into containers comprises a vertical central shaft, a sleeve guided on the central shaft and a pipe guided on the sleeve. The shaft, the sleeve and the pipe are movable along strokes which are appropriately mutually synchronized. At, least two series of dosage tubes are associated with the pipe and slidably accommodate pistons defining dosage chambers. Actuation cams are provided for actuating in succession the descent stroke of the sleeve and the pipe so as to cause the insertion of the series of tubes in respective annular channels of a hopper mounted around the sleeve in order to fill the dosage chambers with doses of product which are discharged into a plurality of containers after lifting the tubes out of the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Macofar S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Chiari