The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 23, 1990
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1987
Trent A Poole, Amherst, MA (US);
Amherst Process Instruments, Inc., Amherst, MA (US);
Abstract
Powder dispersing methods and apparatus for use in an aerodynamic particle sizing system utilizing a time-of-flight measurement technique. The powder disperser provides an airborne stream of particles from a powder sample. The apparatus includes a container for holding the sample and having an outlet, a device for agitating the powder sample to produce a cloud of particles, a device for separating clusters of particles in the cloud, and an air flow through the container for carrying the cloud of particles to the outlet. The separating device preferably includes a small annular orifice in which air flow applies high shear forces to clusters of particles, tending to separate them. The agitating device preferably includes a jet of air directed at the powder sample. In one embodiment, the agitating device and the separating device are located in separate chambers of the container. Techniques including avoiding sharp corners in the dispersing chamber and providing a sheath of clean air along the chamber walls limit powder deposition on the chamber walls.