Apparatus and method for dispensing solid substances

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for dispensing solid substances, wherein the apparatus comprises a feeder section with a plurality of feeder units, a collection section with a plurality of hoppers and a dispensing section, wherein the plurality of hoppers are rotatable with respect to the feeder units and a first packing position for dispensing the solid substances to the dispensing section, wherein the apparatus comprises a cleaning device for removing pollutants from the hoppers, wherein the cleaning device comprises a hub and a plurality of ducts forming air connections between the plurality of hoppers and the hub, wherein the cleaning device comprises a first blocking member that is arranged for blocking the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the first packing position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for dispensing solid substances, wherein the apparatus comprises a feeder section with a first holder for holding a plurality of feeder units in a first circular array that extends concentrically around an upright central axis, a collection section with a second holder for holding a plurality of hoppers in a second circular array that extends concentrically around the central axis below the first holder, and a dispensing section below the second holder,
 wherein the second holder is rotatable about the central axis for rotating the plurality of hoppers with respect to the feeder positions for receiving solid substances from one or more of the feeder units and with respect to a first packing position for dispensing the solid substances to the dispensing section, 
 wherein the apparatus further comprises a cleaning device for removing pollutants from the plurality of hoppers, 
 wherein the cleaning device comprises a hub that is rotatable about the central axis together with the second holder and a plurality of ducts for forming an air connection between each of the plurality of hoppers and the hub, 
 wherein the hub is arranged to be connected to a vacuum source for generating a partial vacuum in the hub, 
 wherein the cleaning device comprises a first blocking member that is arranged for at least partially blocking the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the first packing position. 
 
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first blocking member is arranged for at least partially blocking the one duct that forms the air connection between the one hopper and the hub. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hub comprises a circumferential wall extending concentrically around the central axis,
 wherein the ducts debouch into the hub via a plurality of air openings in the circumferential wall, 
 wherein the first blocking member is arranged for at least partially blocking the one duct at the air opening of said one duct in the circumferential wall. 
 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the air openings are distributed over the circumferential wall of the hub about the central axis. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of air openings comprises a first group of air openings and a second group of air openings extending below the first group of air openings in a direction parallel to the central axis,
 wherein the ducts alternately debouch into the hub via one of the air openings of the first group and one of the air openings of the second group. 
 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first blocking member is located in a first blocking position that is fixed relative to the first packing position. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the first blocking position is radially aligned with the first packing position with respect to the central axis. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first blocking member comprises a blocking body that is arranged to extend at least partially in front of the air opening of the one duct in the circumferential wall. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the blocking body comprises a blocking surface that extends concentrically with respect to the circumferential wall along an circular arc with an arc length that is arranged to cover the air opening of at least the one duct. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the second holder is arranged to be rotated about the central axis in a rotational direction,
 wherein the arc length is arranged to cover the air opening of the one duct and the air opening of a duct that connects to an adjacent hopper directly upstream or downstream in the rotational direction of the one hopper. 
 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the arc length is arranged to cover the air openings of two ducts that connect to two adjacent hoppers directly upstream or downstream in the rotational direction of the one hopper. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the blocking surface is arranged to abut the circumferential wall,
 wherein the circumferential wall is arranged to slide along the blocking surface when hub rotates together with the second holder about the central axis. 
 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing section comprises a second packing position,
 wherein the cleaning device comprises a second blocking member that is arranged for at least partially blocking the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the second packing position. 
 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing section comprises a waste position,
 wherein the cleaning device comprises a third blocking member that is arranged for at least partially blocking the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the waste position. 
 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the blocking members are spaced apart about the central axis sufficiently so as to allow each duct to form an unblocked air connection with the hub in the spacing between the blocking members. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a discharge conduit that is fixed relative to the central axis and a coupling for forming an air connection between the fixed discharge conduit and the rotatable hub, wherein the discharge conduit is arranged for discharging air from the hub. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to  claim 16 , the apparatus further comprises a control section with a control unit for controlling the operation of the apparatus, wherein the discharge conduit is connected to the control section for cooling the control unit with the discharged air from the discharge conduit. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the cleaning device comprises a filter in the discharge conduit for filtering the pollutants from the discharged air. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the air connections are airtight. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the feeder section comprises a housing and an air inlet in the housing,
 wherein the housing is airtight apart from the air inlet, 
 wherein the ducts are in air communication with the housing via the plurality of hoppers, 
 wherein the cleaning device is arranged for drawing air into the housing via the air inlet. 
 
     
     
       21. An apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the apparatus comprises a filter in the air inlet for filtering the drawn air. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the air inlet is placed in air communication with the feeder section. 
     
     
       23. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each hopper comprises a hopper inlet for receiving the solid substances from one or more of the feeder units and a hopper outlet for dispensing the solid substances to the dispensing section in a downward dispensing direction,
 wherein the hopper inlet tapers towards and debouches into the hopper outlet, 
 wherein each of the ducts is connected to a respective one of the hoppers at said hopper outlet in a suction direction transverse or perpendicular to the dispensing direction. 
 
     
     
       24. An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the hopper outlet comprises an outlet channel extending over an outlet height in the dispensing direction and terminating with an outlet opening at the distal end thereof,
 wherein the each of the ducts is connected to the outlet channel of a respective one of the hoppers at a distance spaced apart from the outlet opening. 
 
     
     
       25. An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein each hopper or each duct is provided with a grating that extends between the duct and the respective hopper for allowing air communication between the hopper and the duct while blocking solid substances from entering the duct. 
     
     
       26. An apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein each hopper comprises a dispensing valve that is movable between an open position and a closed position for opening and closing the hopper outlet, respectively,
 wherein the first blocking member is arranged for at least partially blocking the air connection between the hopper and the hub when the dispensing valve of the hopper is open. 
 
     
     
       27. A method for dispensing solid substances with the use of the apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the steps of removing pollutants from the plurality of hoppers with the use of the partial vacuum provided by the cleaning device and using the first blocking member to at least partially block the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the first packing position. 
     
     
       28. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the dispensing section comprises a second packing position, wherein the method further comprises the step of using a second blocking member to at least partially block the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the second packing position. 
     
     
       29. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the dispensing section comprises a waste position,
 wherein the method further comprises the step of using a third blocking member to at least partially block the air connection between one of the hoppers and the hub when said one hopper is positioned in the waste position. 
 
     
     
       30. A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus comprises a control section with one or more control units,
 wherein the method further comprises the step of discharging air with the pollutants from the hub, filtering the pollutants from the air and using said filtered air to cool the one or more control units. 
 
     
     
       31. A hopper for receiving solid substances from a plurality of feeder units in a row located at outer feeder positions and inner feeder positions, the hopper comprising:
 a hopper inlet for a receiving solid substances, the hopper inlet extending along a length under the plurality of feeder units in the row to receive the solid substances from each of the plurality of feeder units, wherein the plurality of feeder units extend along substantially the entire length of the hopper inlet;   a hopper outlet at a lower end of the hopper and at a center point along the length of the hopper inlet;   one or more walls converging between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet; and   a deflection element located in the hopper between the inlet and the outlet to deflect the solid substances dropping from inner feeder positions through the hopper inlet to prevent that solid substances travel a longer falling trajectory through the hopper inlet from outer feeder positions than solid substances travelling from inner feeder positions.   
     
     
       32. The hopper of  claim 31 , and further comprising a dispensing valve to selectively cover the hopper outlet. 
     
     
       33. The hopper of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more walls comprise first and second major opposing surfaces which converge between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet. 
     
     
       34. The hopper of  claim 31 , wherein the deflection element is removable. 
     
     
       35. The hopper of  claim 31 , and further comprising a discharge opening. 
     
     
       36. The hopper of  claim 35 , wherein the discharge opening is located at or near the hopper outlet. 
     
     
       37. The hopper of  claim 35 , wherein the discharge opening is dimensioned to allow passage of particles smaller than the solid substances while blocking the solid substances. 
     
     
       38. The hopper of  claim 31 , and further comprising a suction opening. 
     
     
       39. The hopper of  claim 38 , wherein the suction opening comprises a grating. 
     
     
       40. The hopper of  claim 31 , and further comprising an outlet channel dimensioned to buffer the solid substances when the hopper outlet is not open for dispensing. 
     
     
       41. The hopper of  claim 31 , wherein the hopper inlet is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
       42. The hopper of  claim 31 , wherein in the hopper is dimensioned to be stackable with a second hopper. 
     
     
       43. The hopper of  claim 42 , and further comprising a support edge extending on an outside of the hopper, dimensioned and positioned to contact a second hopper when in a stacking arrangement. 
     
     
       44. The hopper of  claim 31 , and further comprising a grip. 
     
     
       45. The hopper of  claim 44 , wherein the grip comprises a hook and a flange arranged to engage with a respective hook or flange of a grip on a second hopper in a stacking arrangement. 
     
     
       46. A stackable hopper comprising:
 an inlet at a top portion of the hopper;   an outlet at a lower end of the hopper;   one or more walls converging from the inlet to the outlet;   a stacking edge on an outside of at least one of the one or more walls to support a stacking arrangement of the hopper with an identical hopper; and   a grip comprising a hook and a flange arranged to engage with a respective hook or flange of a grip on a second hopper in a stacking arrangement.   
     
     
       47. The stackable hopper of  claim 46 , wherein the one or more walls comprises:
 first and second opposing major side walls converging together; and   first and second end walls which extend toward each other from the inlet to the outlet.   
     
     
       48. The stackable hopper of  claim 47 , wherein the stacking edge is located on at least one of the first and second opposing major side walls.