A powder trickier is provided. The trickier includes a hopper for containing powder in bulk. A dispensing tube has a portion thereof in flow communication with the hopper. A vibrator is associated with the dispensing tube to induce powder flow from the hopper into and through the tube for dispensing powder from a tube outlet.

A mechanical gravimetric disk dispensing apparatus, which in order to prevent compaction of the powder and maintain the flow thereof constant, has a container equipped with an internal mixer that does not require external motorization since it uses that for the rotation of the dosing disk. The mixer is equipped with scrapers to distribute the powder and make it flow on the disk.

A electrostatic powder feeder includes a body having a cavity. The cavity is shaped and sized to hold a supply of powder particles and is defined by a cavity wall. A diverter is disposed in the cavity and positioned away from the cavity wall so as to create a powder flow space between the diverter and cavity wall. The feeder includes an electrode and a powder landing surface connected to a power supply. The electrode is positioned remotely from the powder landing surface at a distance at which it can act upon powder resting upon the powder landing surface. An aperture through which powder particles may fall is disposed in or proximate to the powder landing surface. An insulator is positioned between the electrode and the powder landing surface. The power supply produces an alternating electric potential that creates an alternating electric field between the electrode and powder landing surface that causes powder particles to oscillate and eventually fall through the aperture. In an alternative embodiment, the powder landing surface is on a diaphragm connected to the body and disposed below the powder flow space. The diaphragm is sized and shaped to hold a quantity of powder falling from the powder flow space. The diaphragm includes an aperture. A vibration actuator is affixed to the diaphragm, which provides a vibratory force to the powder particles.

A feed center for powder coating material includes a hopper, an extraction duct, and a control valve. The hopper is in fluid communication with a fluidizing pressure source. The extraction duct is in fluid communication with at least one suction source. The control valve connects the extraction duct with an extraction port of the hopper. The control valve is operable between a first position for applying suction from the at least one suction source to the hopper, and a second position providing an exterior opening in at least one of the control valve and the first extraction duct for exhausting pressurized fluid from the hopper and/or collecting at least some of the air and powder that is exhausted from the powder.

A electrostatic powder feeder includes a body having a cavity. The cavity is shaped and sized to hold a supply of powder particles and is defined by a cavity wall. A diverter is disposed in the cavity and positioned away from the cavity wall so as to create a powder flow space between the diverter and cavity wall. The feeder includes an electrode and a powder landing surface connected to a power supply. The electrode is positioned remotely from the powder landing surface at a distance at which it can act upon powder resting upon the powder landing surface. An aperture through which powder particles may fall is disposed in or proximate to the powder landing surface. An insulator is positioned between the electrode and the powder landing surface. The power supply produces an alternating electric potential that creates an alternating electric field between the electrode and powder landing surface that causes powder particles to oscillate and eventually fall through the aperture. In an alternative embodiment, the powder landing surface is on a diaphragm connected to the body and disposed below the powder flow space. The diaphragm is sized and shaped to hold a quantity of powder falling from the powder flow space. The diaphragm includes an aperture. A vibration actuator is affixed to the diaphragm, which provides a vibratory force to the powder particles.

A feed center for powder coating material includes a hopper, an extraction duct, and a control valve. The hopper is connectable in fluid communication with a fluidizing pressure source. The extraction duct is connectable in fluid communication with at least one suction source. The control valve connects the extraction duct with an extraction port of the hopper. The control valve is operable between a first position for applying suction from the at least one suction source to the hopper, and a second position providing an exterior opening in at least one of the control valve and the first extraction duct for exhausting pressurized fluid from the hopper and/or collecting at least some of the air and powder that is exhausted from the powder.

Powder feed rate control system that includes a hopper adapted to contain a powder and to maintain a hopper pressure. A carrier conduit delivers a carrier gas flow and having an orifice. The carrier gas flow conveys powder entering through the orifice at a powder feed rate. A differential pressure transducer includes a first pressure input associated with the hopper pressure and a second pressure input associated with the carrier gas flow downstream of the hopper. The differential pressure transducer (PT) outputs a signal related to a differential pressure between the first pressure input and the second pressure input. An electro pneumatic regulator (EP) is adapted to communicate with a control and receiving the signal related to the differential pressure.

An arrangement for transporting powder comprises a hopper. The hopper is arranged on a stand and it has an inlet for receiving powder as well as an outlet for dispensing powder. A vibrator is attached to the hopper and the hopper is suspended to the stand via spring means.

A hopper assembly includes a hopper configured to contain a feedstock material. A vibration imparting device is arranged inside the hopper and a vibration source coupled to the vibration imparting device. Embodiments of the instant invention are believed to provide various improvements in feeding uniformity by providing various hopper configurations that ensure a more consistently uniform filling of the metering device for a variety of difficult-to-feed materials and not-so-difficult-to-feed materials. One, more or all of these embodiments are also believed to improve accuracy and add precision to control, and, in addition, offer more simplified hopper constructionwhich is less costly to manufacture and maintain.

A device for measuring a mass of a body, the device including a support suitable for supporting the body, a frame and an actuator designed to vibrate the support relative to the frame. The device includes an accelerometer designed to measure values of an acceleration of the support upon vibration of the support, and an electronic control module designed to estimate the mass of the support body from the measured acceleration values.