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:
Nov. 04, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2002
Paul M. Wegman, Pittsford, NY (US);
Mikhail Vaynshteyn, Rochester, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus have been provided for directing toner from a hopper containing a supply of toner to fill as well as cleanly cutoff filling of a container without post-cutoff dribbling. The apparatus for the method includes (a) a conduit member connected to the hopper and having a discharging end for permitting a toner to be moved therethrough; (b) a conveyor device located at least partially within the conduit member for moving the toner from the hopper in a toner moving direction towards the container; and (c) an anti-dribbling nozzle device for directing the toner from the conveyor to cleanly fill the container. The anti-dribbling nozzle device includes a source of pressurized air, a controller, and a nozzle member that has a first end connected to the discharge end of the conduit member, a second and opposite end for dispensing moving toner into the container, and a nozzle wall connecting the first end to the second thereof. The nozzle wall includes slanted air discharging ports for discharging directed pulses of positive pressure air to forcibly remove powder from the nozzle wall, thereby enabling clean cutoff of powder flowing into the container without post-cutoff dribbling.