An apparatus for feeding and dosing powder includes a powder storage container, an oscillating feeder with feeder with adjustable feeding rate for dispensing the powder to a powder outlet, a conduit arrangement for feeding the powder dispensed from the oscillating feeder in a feeding gas as a powder-gas mixture and for supplying the powder-gas mixture to a powder processor, wherein a decoupler is provided in the conduit arrangement to extract a defined proportion of the powder from the powder-gas mixture, a powder quantity measuring arrangement for detecting the decoupled powder quantity and for providing a powder quantity information signal, wherein the extracted powder quantity has a predetermined ratio to the fed powder quantity of the oscillating feeder, and controller configured to adjust the adjustable feeding rate of the oscillating feeder to a predetermined set value based on the powder quantity information signal provided.

The present invention provides a method for quantitatively and stably supplying fine powder and a system for implementing the method. In this invention, in a state in which at least part of the ultrasonic vibration gushing portion is in contact with the fine powder surface of the surface layer of the fine powder stored in the fine powder storage container, the powder inlet of the feed nozzle takes in the fine powder rising from the fine powder surface onto the ultrasonic vibration gushing portion through the passage region of the ultrasonic vibration gushing portion, together with the carrier gas, by ultrasonically vibrating at least part of the ultrasonic vibration gutting portion.

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 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 composite structure formation method includes the steps of storing a plurality of pre-formed controlled particles in a storage mechanism, supplying the controlled particles from the storage mechanism to an aerosolation mechanism constantly, disaggregating the supplied controlled particles into a plurality of the fine particles in the aerosolation mechanism to form an aerosol in which an entire contents of the controlled particles including the fine particles are dispersed in the gas; and spraying all of the fine particles in the aerosol toward the substrate to form a composite structure of the structure and the substrate. The controlled particles are controlled so that bonding strength between the fine particles includes a mean compressive fracture strength sufficient to substantially avoid disaggregation during the supply step, but which permits the controlled particles to be substantially completely disaggregated in the disaggregation step.

A material sprayer includes a hopper and a shaker assembly mounted onto a sidewall of the hopper. The hopper includes at least one sidewall that extends along a first plane. The shaker assembly includes a resilient bracket, an electromagnetic coil, and an armature. The resilient bracket is mounted to the sidewall of the hopper and includes first and second ends and a curved portion. The electromagnetic coil is mounted to a portion of the resilient bracket and is configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a current from a power source. The armature is mounted to a portion of the resilient bracket such that the armature is able to move relative to the electromagnetic coil along an acceleration axis that is orthogonal to the first plane of the sidewall of the hopper.

A machine for making sanitary articles including an impermeable outer layer and an absorbent pad superposed thereon, the machine including a feed line feeding the outer web and a unit forming the absorbent pad. The forming unit includes a first feeder feeding a first web along an operating direction, a second feeder feeding a second web, a coupling station coupling the first web to the second web, a dosing/depositing station located upstream of the coupling station where a distributed quantity of absorbent material is placed on the first web. The dosing/depositing station includes an apparatus for distributing particulate material with a tank containing particulate material, a feed mechanism feeding the material and a downstream distribution mechanism receiving the material to distribute the material on a drum or conveyor. The distribution mechanism includes a diffuser and a vibrating device to shake the diffuser.

A wet powder manufacturing apparatus includes a housing being arranged such that a central axis CL of the cylindrical inner surface extends in a substantially horizontal direction, a plurality of stirring blades provided rotatably about the central axis CL, a rotary plate configured to rotate the stirring blades about the central axis CL such that the wet powder accumulated at the bottom of the cylindrical inner surface is scooped by the stirring blades and then dropped, a driving device configured to impart a rotary force to the rotary plate, a liquid diffusing device configured to diffuse liquid into the drum inner space so as to wet the powder, and a controller configured to control operations of the driving device and the liquid diffusing device. The controller includes control for vibrating the stirring blades.

A reactive hopper assembly for feeding a low pressure cold spray applicator for applying powder coatings is disclosed. A powder feed cartridge provides powder feed to a reaction chamber. An impeller housing is interconnected with the reaction chamber for receiving powder feed from the reaction chamber for metering powder feed received from the reaction chamber. A hopper vessel receives metered powder feed from the impeller housing for providing powder to the low pressure cold spray applicator. The reaction chamber is fluidly connected to a source of a reactive gas for chemically modifying the powder feed for in situ reducing surface oxidation of the powder feed.

A base for a powder coating booth, including a base structure, through which the booth is intended to rest on a floor, the base structure being configured to support a powder coating compartment of the booth. The base also includes a floor, which is supported by the base structure and which is configured to delimit the bottom of the powder coating compartment. To reduce the accumulation of residual powder, the floor includes at least one oblique panel, which is inclined with respect to the horizontal and which is configured to delimit the bottom of the powder coating compartment of the booth, whereas the at least one oblique panel is porous so as to be permeable to the air and impermeable to the residual powder resulting from powder coating an article within the powder coating compartment.