Apparatus and method for handling particulate material

Abstract

Particulate material, such as toner, is stored within a hopper ( 12 ) which leads to a feed screw ( 30 ). The feed screw ( 30 ) moves the particulate material through an outlet passageway ( 24 ) into a discharge spout ( 26 ). The outlet ( 46 ) of the discharge spout ( 26 ) delivers the toner into the inlet of a funnel ( 52 ). The funnel ( 52 ) delivers the toner into the inlet ( 50 ) of a toner cartridge ( 48 ). The toner cartridge ( 48 ) and funnel ( 52 ) are mounted by a carriage ( 56 ) for back and forth movement below the outlet ( 46 ). The rate of toner feed is coordinated with the cartridge travel so that the toner is substantially evenly distributed into the cartridge ( 48 ).

1 . Apparatus for handling finely divided particulate material, comprising:
 a particulate material receiving hopper having an upper end and a lower end and sidewalls that converge as they extend downwardly from the upper end to the lower end;   a trough at the lower end of the hopper having a closed bottom and closed sides and an open top;   an outlet passageway extending endwise outwardly from one end of the trough to a downwardly opening outlet spout; and   a feed screw in the trough that extends outwardly from the trough into the outlet passageway, said feed screw being operable to move particulate material outwardly from the hopper into and through the outlet passageway, to the discharge spout,   whereby a container for receiving particulate material can be positioned under the discharge spout and the feed conveyor can be operate to move particulate material to the discharge spout from which it will discharge into the container.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a drive shaft connected to the feed screw at the end of the feed screw opposite the outlet passageway, said shaft being connectable to a drive that is operable for rotating the drive shaft and feed screw. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , including at least one vibrator attached to the hopper for vibrating the hopper. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , including a plurality of vibrators attached to the hopper for vibrating the hopper. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a support for a horizontally elongated container positioned below the discharge spout, said container having a horizontally elongated inlet, and a horizontally elongated funnel having an inlet at its upper end for receiving particulate material from the spout and an outlet at its lower end for discharging particulate material from the funnel into the inlet of the container. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the support table for the container has a carriage that is movable and is operable for moving the container back and forth below the discharge spout. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a load cell for monitoring the weight of the particulate material in the hopper. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an outer housing in which the hopper is located, said outer housing including a sidewall opening through which the outlet passageway extends, said discharge spout being positioned on the outlet passageway outside of the housing. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , comprising a shaft connected to the feed screw at the end of the feed screw opposite the outlet passageway, said shaft being connectable to a drive motor that is operable for rotating the shaft and feed screw. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the shaft extends outwardly through an opening in a sidewall of the housing, said shaft being connectable to a drive motor outside of the housing that is operable for rotating the shaft and feed screw. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , including at least one vibrator inside the outer housing that is attached to the hopper for vibrating the hopper. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , including a plurality of vibrators inside the housing that are attached to the hopper for vibrating the hopper. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , including a load cell positioned below the outer housing, for measuring the weight of the housing, the hopper and the particulate material in the hopper. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , comprising a support for a horizontally elongated container positioned below the discharge spout, said container being positioned on the support and having a horizontally elongated inlet, and a horizontally elongated funnel having an inlet at its upper end for receiving particulate material from the spout and an outlet at its lower end for discharging particulate material for the funnel into the inlet of the container. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the hopper is constructed from a plastic material. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the plastic material is polyurethane. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , comprising a control panel on the housing, including a start/stop control for the feed screw drive motor. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , comprising a variable speed drive for the drive shaft. 
   
   
       19 . A method of handling particulate material, comprising:
 providing a hopper having a sidewall forming a chamber, an upper end, a lower end and an outlet at the lower end;   providing an outlet passageway leading endwise outwardly from the outlet;   providing a feed conveyor in the bottom of the hopper and extending said feed conveyor into the outlet passageway, said conveyor being adapted to move the particulate material out from the hopper and into and through the outlet passageway when the feed conveyor is rotated;   providing a discharge spout on the end of the outlet passageway opposite the hopper, said discharge spout being adapted to discharge particulate material downwardly;   placing particulate material in the hopper;   operating the feed conveyor to move particulate material out from the hopper, through the outlet passageway to and through the discharge spout; and   positioning a receiving container below the discharge spout in a position to receive particulate material that is moved outwardly from the hopper into the discharge spout.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the particulate material is toner. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the receiving conveyor placed under the outlet spout is a toner cartridge. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising providing at least one vibrator on the hopper for vibrating the hopper for assisting downward movement of the particulate material through the hopper. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising supporting the weight of the hopper and the particulate material in the hopper on a load cell and using the load cell to monitor the amount of particulate material that is discharged from the hopper into the container. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , including providing a receiving container has a horizontally elongated inlet, said method further comprising moving the container back and forth lengthwise of said inlet while the particulate material is being discharged into the container through the discharge spout. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , comprising mounting the container on a carriage and moving the carriage back and forth lengthwise of the inlet in the container while the particulate material is discharging from the hopper into the inlet.