DISPENSING DEVICE, DISPENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING POWDER

Abstract

A dispensing device for dispensing a powder preferably from a closed container, the device including a first side, a second side, a powder passage extending through the device and being configured to transfer powder from the first side to the second side, and a ventilation passage extending through the device and being configured to transfer ambient air from the second side to the first side, where the ventilation passage has a first passage length from the surface of the second side up to its ventilation opening and, the powder passage has a second passage length from the surface of the second side up to its powder opening, where the first passage length is larger than the second passage length.

Claims

1. Dispensing device for dispensing a powder, preferably from a container, wherein the device has a first side and a second side, the dispensing device comprising: a powder passage extending through the device and being configured to transfer powder from the first side to the second side, and a ventilation passage extending through the device and being configured to transfer ambient air from the second side of the device to the first side of the device, wherein the ventilation passage has a first passage length from the surface of the second side up to its ventilation opening, wherein the powder passage has a second passage length from the surface of the second side up to its powder opening, and wherein the first passage length is larger than the second passage length.

2. Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation passage has an inner portion extending in between said first side and said second side and an external portion extending outside of the device at the first side, into a direction opposite to the second side.

3. Dispensing device according to claim 2, wherein the external portion is inclined with respect to the powder passage and/or the inner portion.

4. Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the powder passage has a protrusion portion protruding from the second side of the device.

5. Dispensing device according to claim 4, wherein the protrusion portion has a spout extending from the protrusion portion.

6. Dispensing device according to claim 5, wherein the spout is arranged at the protrusion portion so as to be located at the opposite side of the ventilation passage with respect the powder passage.

7. Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the device includes an external thread such that the device may be screwed to a thread on an opening of a container such that the first side is facing the inside of the container.

8. Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the powder can be transported through the powder passage along an ejection direction, wherein the powder passage has a cross section with a first size measured in a plane being perpendicular to the ejection direction and the ventilation passage has a cross section with a second size, measured in the plane perpendicular to the ejection direction, wherein a ratio of the second size to the first size is smaller than 0.75.

9. Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the second size of the cross section of the ventilation passage increases from the second side to the ventilation opening.

10. Dispending device according to claim 1, wherein the powder passage extends straight and/or has a cross section with a constant first cross section along the extension of the powder passage from the second side to the powder opening, the first cross section being measured along a direction being parallel to an ejection direction, along which the powder is transported.

11. Dispending device according to claim 1, wherein the dispending device has a cylindrical basic shape having a central axis, wherein measured in a radial direction with respect to the central axis a first distance is established between an opening of the ventilation passage at the second side and an opening of the powder passage at the second side, and a second distance is established between the powder opening and the ventilation opening, a ratio of the first distance to the second distance is smaller than 0.75.

12. Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the device further includes a lid element configured to be attached to the second side of the device so as to cover the powder passage and the ventilation passage and wherein the device has an internal thread at the second side of the device, wherein the lid element has an external thread so as to be screwed to the internal thread of the device.

13. Dispensing system comprising: a dispensing device according to claim 1, a closed container including an opening at which the dispensing device is attachable, wherein the container is preferably an aluminum bottle.

14. Dispensing system according to claim 13, wherein the container has a wall thickness of 0.05 mm.

15. Method for dispensing powder comprising the steps of: providing a container having a sealed opening and including powder, opening of the opening, attaching a dispensing device according to claim 1 to the opening, and inclining the container to a discharge position such that the ventilation passage of the device is above the powder passage with respect to the direction of gravity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] In the drawings is:

[0061] FIG. 1a schematic sectional view of a dispensing system and a lid element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the elements are spaced from each other,

[0062] FIG. 2a schematic sectional view of a dispensing system and a lid element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the elements are attached to each other,

[0063] FIG. 3a schematic sectional view of a dispensing device and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a container, and

[0064] FIG. 4 a schematic sectional view of a dispensing device and according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a container in the discharge position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a dispensing device 1, a lid element 3 and a container 2 (the container is depicted only partly). First, the dispensing device 1 will be described.

[0066] In the present embodiment, the dispensing device 1 is a circular cap configured to be 30 screwed to an opening of the container 2. The dispensing device 1 has a first side 4 facing towards the container 2 and a second side 4 facing away from the container 2. The dispensing device 1 comprises a dispensing device body 12. Further, the dispensing device 1 includes a powder passage 10 extending through the dispensing device 1 (i.e. through the body 12) along a central axis C. The powder passage 10 is arranged within the dispensing device 1 so as to be centralized in the dispensing device 1. The powder passage 10 has a powder opening 19 opposite to the second side 5. The powder passage 10 is configured to transfer a powder 50 from the first side 4 to the second side 5. That is, from an inside of the container 2 to an outside of the container 2. Accordingly, the powder 50 may enter the powder passage 10 through the powder opening 19 at the first side 4 of the dispensing device 1. The powder opening 19 at the first side 4 of the dispensing device 1 is flush with a surface of the body 12 of the dispensing device 1 (i.e. the powder opening 19 is flush with a surface of the body 12 at the first side 4). At the second side 5 the powder passage 10 has a protrusion 17 that protrudes from the second side 5. That is, the protrusion 17 protrudes from the body 12 at the second side 5. In addition, the protrusion 17 has a spout 16 to allow a defined dispensing of the powder 50. The powder passage 10 has a powder passage length 12 measured from the surface of the body 12 at the second side 5 to the powder opening 19 at the first side 4.

[0067] Further, the dispensing device 1 has a ventilation passage 11 extending through the dispensing device 1 (i.e. through the body 12). The ventilation passage 11 is eccentrically arranged in the dispensing device 1. The ventilation passage 11 is composed of an inner or internal portion 20 and an outer or external portion 21. The inner portion 20 extends through the body 12. The external portion 21 extends outside of the body 12. That is, the external portion 21 protrudes from the first side 4 of the dispensing device 1. The inner portion 20 extends parallel to the central axis C. The external portion 21 is inclined with respect to the central axis C. The ventilation portion 11 has a ventilation opening 18 opposite to the second side 5. That is, the ventilation opening 18 is closer to the first side 4 than to the second side 5. In more detail, the external portion 21 of the ventilation passage 11 has the ventilation opening 18. Moreover, the ventilation passage 11 has a first passage length 11. In more detail, the first passage length 11 is measured from the surface of the body 12 at the second side 5 to the ventilation opening 18. The first passage length 11 is longer than the second passage length 12. As a result, the ventilation opening 18 is spaced apart from the powder opening 19. That is, even if the container 2 is tiled in order to discharge powder 50 out of the container 2, the ventilation passage 11 may be in communication with the air volume within the container 2.

[0068] In addition, the dispensing device 1 has an external thread 13 such that the dispensing device 1 may be screwed to an internal thread 40 of the container 2. The dispensing device 1 further includes a sealing means 14 which is arranged on the body 12 of the dispensing device 1 adjacent to the external thread 13 of the dispensing device 1 so as to seal between the dispensing device 1 and the container 2 if both are connected to each other. Moreover, the dispensing device 1 has an internal thread 15 at the second side 5 of the dispensing device 1. The internal thread 15 is configured to be connected to a lid element 3 to be described below.

[0069] Moreover, the external portion 21 of the ventilation passage 11 is made of a rigid material. The length and/or the inclination of the external portion 21 is configured such that it may pass through the opening of the container 2 if the dispensing device 1 is attached to the container 2. In a further not depicted embodiment the external portion 21 is made of an elastic material. As a result, the external portion may have a longer extension. That is, the external portion 21 may be deformed during the insertion thereof into the container 2. If the external portion 21 is located within the container 2 it may take its original form due to its elasticity. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a ventilation passage 11 which reliably is in communication with the air volume within the container 2 even if the container is almost completely filled with powder and/or inclined.

[0070] Second, the container 2 is a closed and rigid container made of aluminum. In the present embodiment the container 2 has the shape of a bottle. The container 2 has only one opening at one axial side thereof. The container 2 has the inner thread 40 at its opening to which the external thread 13 of the dispensing device 1 may be connected by screwing in. Further, the container 2 has a wall thickness of 0.9 mm. As a result, the container is air tight such that no humidity from the ambient air may pass through the wall of the container 2 into the inside of the container 2. As a result, the powder 50 accommodated within the container 50 is less prone to aging due to being exposed to humidity.

[0071] Advantageously, the container 2 is filled with powder 50 is closed with a foil (not shown) glued on the rim the opening. In a further embodiment, the foil is made of aluminum. The foil is removed prior to using the dispensing device 1 with the container 2.

[0072] Third, the lid element 3 includes an external thread 31 configured to be threaded to the internal thread 15 of the dispensing device 2 so as to cover the second side 5 of the dispensing element 1. Further, the lid element 3 includes a sealing element 30 configured to seal between the lid element 3 and the dispensing device 1 if both are attached to each other.

[0073] In FIG. 2 the lid element 3 is attached to the dispensing device 1. Further, the dispensing device 1 is attached to the container 2. In the present embodiment the ventilation opening 18 is located closer to the inner wall of the container 2. This provides the effect that if the container 2 is inclined as far as being in the discharge position, then powder 50 may be dispensed through the powder passage 10, the ventilation passage is still in a position to introduce air through the ventilation passage 11 into the container 2. Therefore, the powder 50 may be smoothly and continuously dispensed.

[0074] In FIG. 3 a further embodiment of the present disclosure is depicted. The present embodiment differs from the above embodiment in that the external portion 21 of the ventilation passage 11 is curved. Accordingly, the powder 50 is not easily introduced into the ventilation passage 11 if the container 2 is inclined. In addition, in FIG. 3 the lid element 3 is not displayed, but may also attached to the dispensing device 1 as in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2.

[0075] In FIG. 4 the same embodiment as depicted in FIG. 3 is depicted. However, in FIG. 4 the container 2 and the dispensing device 1 attached to the container 2 are inclined into the discharge position so as to dispense powder out of the container 2. The ventilation opening 18 is in communication with the air volume inside the container 2. That is, the external passage 21 extends through the layer of powder 50 and then extends into the air volume. As a result, a smooth and continuous dispensing of powder 50 out of the container 2 may be secured.

[0076] In a further not depicted embodiment the external portion 21 of the ventilation passage 11 extends almost up to the bottom of the container 2. Therefore, an introduction of air into the container 2 may be realized even if the container 2 is inclined so as to be positioned upside down.

[0077] In the following the method of dispensing powder using the dispensing device 1 according to the present disclosure will be described. First, the dispensing device 1 is attached to the container 2. In this state the container 2 stands upright. Subsequently, the user may incline the container 2 such that the protrusion portion 17 is directed towards a target to be filled with powder 50. In addition, the container 2 is oriented such that the spout 16 is located at a lower position of the protrusion 17 with respect to gravity. Therefore, inside the container 2, the ventilation passage 11 is automatically arranged above the powder passage 10. That is, the spout 16 is used as mark for knowing how the container 2 has to be oriented during the dispensing process. However, every other suitable mark may be used to identify how to hold the container 2. Due to the fact that the ventilation opening 18 is located above the powder opening 19, air can easily enter the container 2 through the ventilation passage 11. As a result, through the powder passage 10 only powder 50 is discharged. Consequently, the powder 50 may be smoothly discharged out of the container 2 without spilling powder 50.

[0078] If the target to be filled with powder 50 is sufficiently filled, the container 2 is positioned in an upright position. In order to avoid aging of the powder 50, the container 2 may be covered with the lid element 3 in order to hermetically seal the container 2. Since the lid element 3 may be attached to both the dispensing device 1 and the container 2, it is up to the user to decide whether the dispensing device 1 should be left on the container or not. In any case the powder 50 may be stored within the container 2 in a hermetically sealed manner.