A DEVICE FOR DOSING AND DISPENSING MATERIAL AND A METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH DEVICE

Abstract

A device for dosing and dispensing material, wherein the device (1) comprises a material receiving means (8) with an inlet section and an outlet section, a means for opening and closing the inlet section and a means for opening and closing the outlet section, wherein at least a portion of the material receiving means (8) is made of an elastic material, wherein the means for opening and closing the inlet and the outlet section are each provided by a pinch valve arrangement for pinching off the inlet and outlet section, and a method for operating such a device (1).

Claims

1. A device for dosing and dispensing material, wherein the device (1) comprises a material receiving means (8) with an inlet section and an outlet section, a means for opening and closing the inlet section and a means for opening and closing the outlet section, wherein at least a portion of the material receiving means (8) is made of an elastic material, wherein the means for opening and closing the inlet and the outlet section are each provided by a pinch valve arrangement for pinching off the inlet and outlet section, wherein a spatial position of the means for opening and closing the inlet section and/or a spatial position of the means for opening and closing the outlet section is/are adjustable along a central axis (z) of the material receiving means (8), characterized in that the device (1) comprises at least one actuating element (3) for manually actuating the means for opening and closing the inlet section and/or for manually actuating the means for opening and closing the outlet section, wherein the means for adjusting a spatial position and/or a spatial orientation of the means for opening and closing the inlet section and/or a means for adjusting a spatial position and/or spatial orientation of the means for opening and closing the outlet section is movably mounted to an operating section of the at least one actuating element (3).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a material receiving volume of the material receiving means (8) is adjustable.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the device (1) comprises at least one actuating means for adjusting the receiving volume.

4-5. (canceled)

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the material receiving means (8) is/are provided by a tube.

7. (canceled)

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one actuating element (3) for actuating the means for opening and closing the inlet section and/or for actuating the means for opening and closing the outlet section is movably mounted to a main body (2).

9. (canceled)

10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a return element (18) for the at least one actuating element (3).

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) comprises at least one adapter section (9) for mounting a material container to the device (1).

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) comprises at least one compressing means for compressing material which is arranged in the material receiving volume of the material receiving means (8).

13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pinch valve arrangement comprises a pinching pulley (25) or a pinching jaw or a combination thereof or that the pinch valve arrangement comprises at least one thread (32) for tying up the material receiving means (8).

14. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the material receiving means (8) is an exchangeable element.

15. A method of operating a device (1) for dosing and dispensing material according to claim 1, wherein an inlet section of the material receiving means (8) is opened by operating a pinch valve arrangement, wherein an outlet section of the material receiving means (8) is opened by operating a pinch valve arrangement.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the material receiving volume of the material receiving means (8) is adjusted before opening the inlet section.

17. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that a spatial position of the means for opening and closing relative to the material receiving means is adjustable along a central axis (z) of the material receiving means (8).

18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that a spatial position of the means for opening and closing relative to the material receiving means is adjustable along a central axis (z) of the material receiving means (8).

19. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the material receiving means (8) is/are provided by a tube.

20. The device according to claim 19, characterized in that the at least one actuating element (3) for actuating the means for opening and closing the inlet section and/or for actuating the means for opening and closing the outlet section is movably mounted to a main body (2).

21. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the device (1) comprises at least one compressing means for compressing material which is arranged in the material receiving volume of the material receiving means (8).

22. The device according to claim 21, characterized in that the pinch valve arrangement comprises a pinching pulley (25) or a pinching jaw or a combination thereof or that the pinch valve arrangement comprises at least one thread (32) for tying up the material receiving means (8).

23. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that the material receiving means (8) is an exchangeable element.

24. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one actuating element (3) for actuating the means for opening and closing the inlet section and/or for actuating the means for opening and closing the outlet section is movably mounted to a main body (2); and wherein the device (1) comprises a return element (18) for the at least one actuating element (3).

Description

[0073] The invention will be described with reference to the attached figures. The figures show:

[0074] FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view on a device according to the invention,

[0075] FIG. 2 a schematic sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in a basic state,

[0076] FIG. 3 a schematic sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in an operated state,

[0077] FIG. 4a a schematic top view on a portion of a pinch valve arrangement,

[0078] FIG. 4b a schematic top view on a portion on another pinch valve arrangement,

[0079] FIG. 5 a schematic flow diagram of a method of operating a device according to the invention,

[0080] FIG. 6 a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment,

[0081] FIG. 7a a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment,

[0082] FIG. 7b a schematic top view on the pinch valve arrangement shown in FIG. 7a,

[0083] FIG. 8 a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment,

[0084] FIG. 9a a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment,

[0085] FIG. 9b a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment and

[0086] FIG. 10 a schematic sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 2 with a central axis.

[0087] In the following, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar technical elements.

[0088] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view on a device 1 for dosing and dispensing material (not shown), in particular granular material. The device comprises a main body 2. The main body 2 can e.g. be made of plastic. It is shown that the main body 2 is provided by a box, wherein wall elements of the main body enclose a receiving volume for receiving an actuating element 3 which can be also referred to as actuator button. The main body 2 is designed such that the receiving volume of the main body 2 is a stepped volume. This, however, is not a mandatory design.

[0089] The actuating element 3 is moveably mounted to the main body 2 and can be moved with a linear movement indicated by an arrow 6 relative to the main body 2. The actuating element 3 can be manually operated by a user, e.g. by pressing the actuating element 3 into the receiving volume of the main body 2. This will be explained in the following.

[0090] The device 1 comprises an adapter section 9 for mounting a material container (not shown) to the device 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the adapter section 9 comprises an adapter element 4 which is mounted to the main body 2. It is possible to mount different adapter elements 4, in particular adapter elements providing different adapter sections for differing material containers, to the main body 2. The adapter element 4 has an internal threaded-section 5 for screwing the material container to the adapter element 4.

[0091] Further, the device comprises a dosing slider 7 which is moveably mounted to the actuating element 3. The dosing slider 7 provides an actuating means for adjusting the dose of material to be dispensed by the device 1. It is shown that the actuating element 3 has numerals indicating the volume or weight of the dose which is to be dispensed by the device 1 if the dosing slider 7 is positioned in a spatial position to which the respective numeral is assigned. The dosing slider 7 has or provides an arrow which points to the respective numeral if the dosing slider 7 is positioned in said spatial position to which the respective numeral is assigned.

[0092] The dosing slider 7 can be manually operated by a user. In particular, the dosing slider 7 can be moved in a linear manner along the actuating element 3 into different spatial positions, wherein a dose to be dispensed by the device 1 is assigned to each of said positions. In particular, the dosing slider 7 can be moved along or parallel to a central axis z of the material receiving means 8 (see FIG. 10). As a second pinch valve arrangement for pinching off the outlet section of the material receiving means 8 is attached to the dosing slider 7 (see FIG. 10), a spatial position of the means for opening and closing of said outlet section is/are adjustable along or parallel to the central axis z of the material receiving means 8.

[0093] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the device 1 shown in FIG. 1 in a basic state of the device, in particular in a non-actuated state of the actuating element 3. The basic state of the device 1 denotes a state in which the device 1 is not operated. In particular, the actuating element 3 is not actuated, e.g. pushed, by a user. Further shown is the adapter element 4 with the internal threaded-section 5. Further shown is a material receiving means 8 of the device 1 which is designed as a tube. The material receiving means 8 is made of an elastic material, in particular a reversible deformable elastic material.

[0094] A portion of the material receiving means 8 is arranged within the main body 2. In particular, the material receiving means 8 extends through the main body 2. In particular, the material receiving means 8 is arranged such that material from a material container (not shown) mounted to the adapter element 4 can be transported into a material receiving volume of the material receiving means 8. A first end 10 of the material receiving means 8 extends into the adapter section 9 of the main body. The adapter section 9 has or provides a cone-shaped section which rejuvenates towards the first end 10 of the material receiving means 8 which extends into said cone-shaped section.

[0095] At the first end 10 of the material receiving means 8, an inlet section of the material receiving means 8 is arranged. At an opposite end 11 of the material receiving means 8, an outlet section of said material receiving means 8 is arranged.

[0096] Further shown are means for opening and closing the inlet section and means for opening and closing the outlet section of the material receiving means 8. These means are respectively provided by a pinch valve arrangement for pinching off the respective section.

[0097] A first pinch valve arrangement for pinching off the inlet section comprises a first plate element 12 (see also FIG. 4a), wherein the first plate element 12 is attached to the actuating element 3. In particular, the first plate element 12 extends from the actuating element 3 into the receiving volume of the main body 2.

[0098] A second pinch valve arrangement for pinching off the outlet section of the material receiving means 8 comprises a second plate element 13 (see also FIG. 4b) which is attached to the dosing slider 7. The dosing slider 7 comprises an actuating section 14 which can be manually operated, e.g. by a user. The actuating section can have or provide a guiding slot in which a guiding bar 15 of the actuating element 3 extends. The guiding bar 15 and the said guiding slot provide a linear bearing.

[0099] Further shown is a second guiding bar 16 of the actuating element 3 which provides a set of multiple indentations 17, wherein only one indentation 17 is referenced for the sake of clarity. The actuating section 14 of the dosing slider 7 provides a corresponding nose element which can extend into one of the indentations 17. The nose element and one of the indentations 17 can provide a snap-lock connection between the dosing slider 7 and the actuating element 3. Of course, the indentations 17 and the nose element are designed such that the nose element can be removed from an indentation 17 by manually operating the dosing slider 7.

[0100] From FIG. 2, it is clear that a spatial position of the second plate element 13 and thus of the means for opening and closing the outlet section of the material receiving means 8 can be changed if the dosing slider 7 is moved relative to the actuating element 3 and relative to the main body 2, in particular if the dosing slider 7 is moved along or parallel to the central axis z (see FIG. 10).

[0101] Further shown is a return element 18 of the device 1, wherein the actuating element 3 and the main body 2 are mechanically connected by the return element 18. The return element 18 is in particular designed as a spring element.

[0102] Further shown is that in the basic state, the material receiving means 8 is pinched off at the first end 10. In other words, the inlet section is in a closed state. In particular, a passage of material from a container mounted to the adapter element 4 or arranged within the cone-shaped portion of the adapter section 9 into the material receiving volume of the material receiving means 8 is blocked. The material receiving volume can denote the inner volume of the material receiving means 8 which is arranged between the first plate element 12 of the first pinch valve arrangement and the second plate element 13 of the second pinch valve arrangement. Further, the outlet section of the material receiving means 8 is in an opened state.

[0103] This means that the first pinch valve arrangement is in a pinched off state, wherein the second pinch valve arrangement is in a released state.

[0104] In the pinched-off state of the first pinch valve arrangement, the material receiving means 8, in particular the first end 10 of the material receiving means 8, extends through a slot section 19 of the first plate element 12, wherein dimensions, in particular a width, of said slot section 19 (see FIG. 4a) is designed such that the walls of the material receiving means 8 are pressed against each other such that the inlet section is closed.

[0105] In the released state of the second pinch valve arrangement, the material receiving means 8, in particular the second end 11 of the material receiving means 8, extends through a through-hole section 20 of the second plate element 13 (see FIG. 4b), wherein a dimension, in particular a width, of the through-hole section 20 of the second plate element 13 is chosen such that the material receiving means 8 is not deformed when extending through the through-hole section 20 and thus the outlet section is open.

[0106] Further shown is that the main body 2 has or provides guiding slots 21 for receiving and guiding the plate elements 12, 13 during a movement of the actuating element 3. A width of said guiding slots is adapted to a thickness of said plate elements 12, 13. If the actuating element 3 is pushed into the main body 2, the plate elements 12, 13 move within the guiding slots 21. The guiding slots 21 are provided by internal bars 22 within the main body 2. For the sake of clarity, only one guiding slot 21 and one internal bar 22 is referenced with a reference numeral.

[0107] In the basic state, a passage of material arranged within the material receiving volume of the material receiving means 8 through the outlet section is unblocked. Thus, a dosed volume of material can be dispensed from the material receiving means 8. Further, no additional material can be introduced into said material receiving volume.

[0108] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the device 1 shown in FIG. 1 in an operated state of the device 1, in particular in an actuated state of the actuating element 3.

[0109] In the operated state, the material receiving means 8 is pinched off at the second end 11. In other words, the outlet section is in a closed state. Further, the inlet section is in an opened state, i.e. material receiving means 8 is not pinched off at the first end 10. This means that the first pinch valve arrangement is in a released state, wherein the second pinch valve arrangement is in a pinched off state.

[0110] In particular, a passage of material from a container mounted to the adapter element 4 or arranged within the cone-shaped portion of the adapter section 9 into the material receiving volume of the material receiving means 8 is unblocked.

[0111] In the pinched-off state of the second pinch valve arrangement, the material receiving means 8, in particular the second end 11 of the material receiving means 8, extends through a slot section 20 of the second plate element 13, wherein dimensions, in particular a width, of said slot section 20 (see FIG. 4b) is designed such that the walls of the material receiving means 8 are pressed against each other such that the outlet section is closed.

[0112] In a released state of the first pinch valve arrangement, the material receiving means 8, in particular the first end 10 of the material receiving means 8, extends through a through-hole section 23 of the first plate element 12 (see FIG. 4a), wherein a dimension, in particular a width, of the through-hole section 23 of the first plate element 12 is chosen such that the material receiving means 8 is not deformed when extending through the through-hole section 23 and thus the inlet section is open.

[0113] In the operated state, a passage of material from a material container mounted to the adapter element 4 and/or arranged in the cone-shaped section of the adapter section 9 into the material receiving volume of the material receiving means 8 through the first end and the inlet section is unblocked. However, a passage of material out of the material receiving volume through the outlet section is blocked since the outlet section of the material receiving means 8 is pinched-off.

[0114] In the operated state, the spring element 18 is tensioned and generates a force for returning the actuating element 3 into the non-actuated state shown in FIG. 2. If a user releases the actuating element 3, the actuating element 3 will be pushed out of the receiving volume of the main body 2 by means of the spring force.

[0115] In FIG. 4a and in FIG. 4b, pinching surfaces 26 of the plate elements 12, 13 are shown. A mechanical contact between the material receiving means 8 and the plate elements 12, 13 is established via said pinching surfaces 26. A normal vector of said pinching surfaces 26 is oriented perpendicular to a normal vector of the upper surface of the plate element 12, 13 and perpendicular to a central axis z (see FIG. 10) of the material receiving means 8.

[0116] It is possible that the plate element 12, 13 has also transitional surface sections 27 (see FIG. 6) which provide a transition of the upper surface of the plate element 12, 13 to the pinching surface 26 and a transition of the bottom surface of the plate element 12, 13 to the pinching surface 12, 13. The pinching surface 26 and/or the transition surface sections can be smooth surfaces. The transition surface sections, however, can be curved surfaces. A normal vector of the transition surface can oriented with an angle between 0 and 50 relative to the normal vector of the upper surface of the plate element 12, 13.

[0117] FIG. 5 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method of operating a device 1 shown in FIG. 1. In a first step S1, a material container, in particular a standard storage container for the material, can be mounted to the device 1 by means of the adapter element 4. In the first step S1, the device 1 is in a basic state (shown in FIG. 2), wherein an inlet section of the material receiving means 8 is closed and material from the material container cannot enter a material receiving volume.

[0118] In a second step S2, a dosing volume can be adjusted by operating the dosing slider 7 (see FIG. 1), in particular by sliding the dosing slider 7 into a spatial position to which a desired dosing volume is assigned. By performing this sliding movement, the second plate element 13 is moved along the material receiving means 8 which extends through the through-hole section 20 of the second plate element 13 and thus does not prevent said sliding motion. In particular, the second plate element 13 is moved along or parallel to a central axis z of the material receiving means 8 (see FIG. 10).

[0119] If the dosing slider 7 reaches the desired position, a nose element of an actuating section 14 of the dosing slider 7 (see FIG. 3) can latch into indentation 17 provided by a second guide bar of the actuating element 3 such that a snap-lock connection is provided. Said connection can be released by manual operation of the dosing slider 7.

[0120] In third step S3, an actuating element 3 can be actuated, in particular pushed into the main body 2. While executing the corresponding movement, an inlet section of the material receiving means 8 will be moved from a slot section 19 of a first plate element 12 into a through-hole section 23 of said first plate element 12, wherein an outlet section of the material receiving means 8 will move from the aforementioned through-hole section 20 of the second plate element 13 into a slot section 24 of the second plate element 13. As a consequence, the outlet section will be squeezed and thus pinched-off. Further, the inlet section of the material receiving means 8 will be opened such that material within the material container and/or the cone-shaped receiving portion of the adapter section 9 can rinse or fall into the material receiving volume of the material receiving means 8.

[0121] Thus, the receiving volume of the material receiving means 8 will be filled up with a desired amount of material, e.g. the amount corresponding to the dose which has been adjusted by adjusting the receiving volume.

[0122] In the fourth step S4, the actuating element 3 can be released. Due to a returning force generated by the spring element 18, the actuating element 3 will be pushed out of the main body 2. Due to the motion of the plate elements 12, 13, the inlet section of the material receiving means 8 will be moved from the through-hole section 23 into the slot section 19, wherein the outlet section will be moved from the slot section 24 into the through-hole section 20 of the second plate element 13. This means that the inlet section will be set to the closed state, while the outlet section will be set to the opened state.

[0123] Thus, the dosed amount of material within the material receiving volume can be dispensed through the outlet section of the material receiving means 8.

[0124] FIG. 6 shows a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment. As the embodiment shown in FIG. 4a or in FIG. 4b, the pinch valve arrangement comprises a plate element 12, 13 with a slot section 19, 24 and a through-hole section 20, 23. Further indicated are pinching pulleys 25 which are mounted rotatable to the plate element 12, 13 such that the pinching pulleys 25 extend partially into the slot section 19, 24. An axis of rotation of said pinching pulleys 25 is oriented perpendicular to an upper surface of the plate element 12, 13. It is shown that the pinch valve arrangement comprises three pairs of two pinching pulleys 25, wherein the two pinching pulleys 25 of one pair are arranged at opposite side walls of the slot section 19, 24.

[0125] The pinching pulleys 25 can have a pinching surface 26 (see FIG. 7a) and side surfaces 27, wherein a normal vector of said pinching surface 26 is oriented perpendicular to a normal vector of the upper surface of the plate element 12, 13. A normal vector of the side surface 27 is oriented with an angle between 0 and 50 relative to the normal vector of the upper surface of the plate element 12, 13. Further shown are transition surface sections 27 which provide a side surface section of the plate element 12, 13. The material receiving means 8 is pinched off if it is introduced into the gap between the pinching pulleys 26 of a pair of pinching pulleys. Providing the pinching pulleys 26 advantageously allows a smooth insertion of the material receiving means 8 into the slot section 19, 24.

[0126] FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b show a schematic perspective view and a schematic top view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment. The arrangement comprises a pinching pulley 25 which is mounted rotatable. A rotational movement is indicated by an arrow 29. An axis of rotation is oriented parallel to a central axis z of the material receiving means 8 (see e.g. FIG. 10). Further, the pinching pulley 25 can be moved along a linear trajectory indicated with an arrow 28. The linear trajectory 28 is oriented perpendicular to the central axis z of the material receiving means 8.

[0127] The material receiving means 8 is arranged on a surface provided e.g. by the housing 2. By moving the pinching pulley 25 along the linear trajectory, the pinching pulley 25 can be rolled over the material receiving means 8 and can thus pinch off the material receiving means 8. As described before, the pinching pulley 25 can have a pinching surface 26 and a side surface 27.

[0128] FIG. 8 a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment. The arrangement comprises a pinching pulley 25 which is mounted rotatable. A rotational movement is indicated by an arrow 29. An axis of rotation is oriented perpendicular to a central axis z of the material receiving means 8 (see e.g. FIG. 10). Further, the pinching pulley 25 can be moved along a linear trajectory indicated with an arrow 28. The linear trajectory 28 is oriented parallel to the central axis z of the material receiving means 8. Further shown is a guiding means 30 for guiding the movements of the pinching pulley 25. Further shown is a slanted bearing surface 31 for the material receiving means, wherein a normal vector of said bearing surface 31 and a central axis z of the material receiving means 8 enclose an angle between 0 (exclusive) and 90 (exclusive). The material receiving means 8 is arranged between the bearing surface 31 and the pinching pulley 25. The material receiving means 8 is arranged on a surface provided e.g. by the housing 2. The housing 2 can also provide the guiding means 20 and the bearing surface 31.

[0129] By moving the pinching pulley 25 along the linear trajectory, the pinching pulley 25 can be rolled along the material receiving means 8, wherein the gap between the pinching pulley 25 and the bearing surface 31 is changed during the linear movement. If the gap width is smaller than a diameter of the material receiving means 8, the material receiving means 8 is pinched off. As described before, the pinching pulley 25 can have a pinching surface 26 and a side surface 27.

[0130] FIG. 9a a schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment. Shown is a material receiving means 8 and a single thread 32. The single thread 32 provides a sling, wherein the material receiving means 8 extends through the sling. Further indicated are pulling directions 33 for pulling opposite ends of the single thread. If these ends are pulled according to the indicated directions 33, the diameter of the sling reduces and the material receiving means 8 is pinched off. Thus, the pinching off is achieved by tying up a thread.

[0131] FIG. 9ba schematic perspective view on a pinch valve arrangement according to another embodiment. Shown is a material receiving means 8 and two threads 32. The two threads 32 are arranged such that a sling is provided, wherein the material receiving means 8 extends through the sling. Further indicated are pulling directions 33 for pulling the threads. If these ends are pulled according to the indicated directions 33, the diameter of the sling reduces and the material receiving means 8 is pinched off. Thus, the pinching off is achieved by tying up two threads 32.

[0132] FIG. 10 shows a schematic sectional view of the device 1 shown in FIG. 1 in a basic state of the device as also shown in FIG. 2. In addition to the disclosure of FIG. 2, FIG. 10 shows a central axis z of the material receiving means 8 which corresponds to a central longitudinal axis or axis of symmetry of said material receiving means 8. The different ends 10, 11 of the material receiving means 8 are arranged at different positions along the central axis z.