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:
Apr. 20, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 28, 1996
Robert E Stahley, Middletown, OH (US);
William D Hoenninger, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Liezl G Peterson, Loveland, OH (US);
Dimitris Ioannis Collias, Cincinnati, OH (US);
The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
A powder dispenser includes a resilient container for storing a powder and a volume of air therein. The powder has properties which enable a portion of the volume of air to fluidize a portion of the powder when the resilient container is sufficiently deformed. The dispenser has a substantially rigid conduit connected to its discharge end. The conduit provides the only fluid communication between the inside of the container and an ambient outside environment. The dispenser also has a resilient flat member connected to the outer end of the conduit. The flat member has a slit that is normally closed such that the container is substantially sealed in a fluid-tight manner until the container is sufficiently deformed to generate a pressure in the volume of air. When a pressure differential exists that is greater than a threshold value, the pressure differential causes the slit to open to discharge a portion of the powder mixed with a portion of the volume of air. The dispenser may also have an apertured member in the conduit that has at least one aperture therethrough having a total cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the conduit. The at least one aperture provides increased air velocity and turbulence to improve mixing of powder and air.