• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    batch material dispenser operable to dispense a selected amount of loose material; method of dispensing a selected amount per user of loose tea using a dispenser; batch material dispenser operable to dispense a selected amount of loose material; batch dispenser operable to dispense a predetermined amount of loose material upon activation by a user this is a system for dispensing and measuring loose material, including a container and dispenser. the tea container serves to store the leaves or ground portions of tea in a storage tank prior to system activation. upon activation, the dispenser measures and loads a selected amount of tea inside a feeder to dispense, such as inside a standby cup or tea infuser. the amount of tea can be selected based on the user's operation from one of several buttons that select / indicate the quantity provided in a user interface. the container is a sealed container, such as a bag or jar, which is preferably impervious to light. furthermore, the dispenser is capable of operating to load a desired amount of tea (for example, by weight), specified by the user, into the feeder. once the desired amount of tea is loaded into the feeder, the tea can be dispenser, such as inside a waiting cup or infuser below.
    公开号:BR112013026455B1
    申请号:R112013026455-1
    申请日:2012-04-13
    公开日:2020-12-15
    发明作者:Eric Geier；Jim Hartman；Everett Mathis；Mehul Patel；Jerry Gotway；Cheryl E. Watson
    申请人:Watson Investor Communications, Llc；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    REMISSIVE REFERENCE TO RELATED ORDERS
    The present application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application N- Series US 61 / 475,723, filed on April 15, 2011, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING A MEASURED AMOUNT OF A LOOSE MATERIAL", which is hereby incorporated as title reference in its entirety insofar as it is not compatible. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
    Aspects of the present description relate to a container and dispenser for storing and dispensing loose materials, such as coffee, tea, powder or other similar materials. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    Drinks are part of a growing portion of the restaurant industry, with many successful restaurants and / or chains selling mostly drinks, such as coffee, milkshake, smoothies, or the like. Many manufacturers provide equipment to increase the quality and consistency of these drinks as well as to assist in reducing the production time of the point of sale required for these drinks. Despite its popularity, tea falls behind when it comes to its ability to be produced and sold quickly and effectively. With the exception of water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world. The traditional method of making a teacup is to place loose tea leaves, directly or in a tea infuser, in a teapot or teacup and pour hot water over the leaves. After a few minutes, the leaves are usually removed again, either by removing the infuser or by straining the tea during serving. Currently, this process commonly occurs by collecting and measuring the appropriate amount of dried leaf tea manually. However, due to the time required, tea is often served only in more relaxed environments since its production is not conducive to rapid production.
    In an attempt to speed up and / or bring convenience to the process, the tea bag was developed, which contains a predetermined amount of tea and is used to create a common size drink, such as 236, 59 ml (8 ounces). However, given their method of manufacture, tea bags are a less preferred option than fresh tea, since tea spends a lot of time in storage and transit before being delivered for use. In addition, tea bags are not easily suitable for the production of teas of varying amounts, such as 227.3 ml (8 ounces), 340.96 ml (12 ounces) or a complete teapot. Subsequently, "capsules" or "cups" were developed that are used in automated machines; however, these capsules suffer from the same problems as using tea bags. Consequently, the present invention solves a number of these problems as well as other problems present in the dispensing industry, as illustrated in the following descriptions. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
    The present invention involves various aspects of a container and / or dispenser for use in dispensing loose materials, such as dry products. Dry products suitable for use with the innovative dispenser disclosed in this document include tea, spices, coffee, dehydrated foods, other powders and the like. For purposes of illustration, the container and dispenser described in this document should be described in relation to the dispensing of loose leaf tea. However, it will be appreciated that the system could easily be applied to other loose materials, such as, but not limited to, those mentioned above. In an additional form, the dispenser may include a coin / banknote acceptor and / or credit card terminal or similar device for use as a vending machine.
    An illustrative embodiment of the present invention is a loose leaf tea system that includes a container and a dispenser. The tea container is used to store the tea leaves or ground portions in a storage tank before the system is activated. Upon activation, the dispenser measures and loads a selected amount of tea into a dispenser for dispensing, such as in a waiting cup, teapot or tea infuser. The amount of tea can be selected based on the user operation of one of the numerous quantity indication / selection buttons provided on a user interface or can be entered in another way by the user, such as by rotating a dial or pressing a button or lever. The container is preferably a sealed reservoir, such as a pouch or jar, which can be stored inside the dispenser so as not to expose the contained material to light, air and / or moisture. In another form, an external reservoir is not used, instead, the container is a sealed refillable housing formed within the device, in order to avoid additional waste and increase efficiency. Below the opening in the container or housing, a mechanism is provided for loading the tea into a measuring feeder below. The mechanism seals, preferably when not in use, in order to prevent the tea in the container from coming into contact with the external atmosphere before entering the feeder below. In addition, the dispenser has the ability to operate the mechanism so that it loads a desired amount of tea (for example, by weight), specified by the user, into the feeder. When the desired amount of tea is loaded into the feeder, the tea can be dispensed in a desired location, such as in a waiting cup, teapot or infuser below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tea dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tea dispenser without its base and external housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
    Figure 3 is an exploded view of a portion of a tea dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    Figure 4 is a plan view showing the user interface of a tea dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.
    Figure 5 is a plan view showing an alternative user interface for a tea dispenser according to another embodiment of the present invention.
    Figure 6 is a side view of a tea dispenser without its base and external housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
    Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating a process that controls the operation of the tea dispenser of any of Figures 1 to 6 according to a form of the present invention.
    Figure 8 is a side view of a tea dispenser without its base and external housing according to another embodiment of the present invention.
    Figure 9 is a side view of a tea dispenser without its base and external housing in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED MODALITIES
    For the purpose of promoting understanding of the principles of revelation, reference will be made to the modalities illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe them. However, it will be understood that, therefore, no limitation of the scope of the claims is foreseen, such additional changes and modifications to the illustrated device, and such additional applications of the principles of disclosure as illustrated therein, are contemplated since they would normally occur to the converse in the technique to which the revelation is related.
    Certain modalities of a container and / or dispenser for use in dispensing loose materials, such as dry products, will be described in this document. Dry products suitable for use with the innovative dispenser disclosed in this document include tea, spices, coffee, dehydrated foods, laundry detergent, other powders and the like. For illustrative purposes, the container and dispenser described in this document should be described in relation to the dispensing of loose leaf tea. However, it should be appreciated that the container and dispenser could easily be applied to other loose materials, such as, but not limited to, those mentioned above. In an additional form, the dispenser may include a coin / banknote acceptor and / or credit card terminal or similar device for use as a vending machine. Certain modalities of a tea dispenser and a refillable tea container are illustrated in Figure 1. The tea dispenser 20 is illustrated in an independent form that has an upper portion 22 for storing tea, a medium portion 24 for dispensing and measuring tea, and a bottom portion 26 that provides a place for the user places a receptacle, such as a cup, kettle, teapot, infuser or similar for receiving the dispensed tea. In addition, in the illustrated form, the tea dispenser 20 includes an electronic controller 80 that includes the user interface and controls the operation of the remaining portions of the tea dispenser 20. It will be appreciated that the tea dispenser 20 can take several other forms and configurations depending on the user's needs and requirements.
    Referring to Figure 2, with continued reference to Figure 1, an exemplary tea dispenser 20 is shown without its middle portion 24 and the bottom portion 26 and its outer housing for the purposes of illustrating the internal components of the upper portion 22. In the illustrated form, the tea dispenser 20 includes an interchangeable tea container 30 for attachment to a receiving portion 40. In addition, the tea dispenser 20 includes the measuring portion 50. In alternative forms of the tea dispenser 20, the receiving portion 40 may include a lid, which preferably establishes an airtight seal, so that receiving portion 40 can serve the purposes of container 30 without the need for a separate container 30.
    Referring to Figure 3, an exploded view of a selected portion of the tea dispenser 20 is shown which includes the receiving portion 40 and the measuring portion 50 according to another form. In the illustrated embodiment, the tea storage tank 31 is a hollow recess suitable for the storage of tea for subsequent dispensing formed by the receiving portion 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the storage tank 31 also comprises a standard lid 33 which forms preferably, a hermetically sealed seal without air in relation to the storage tank 31 in order to prevent the contents of the storage tank 31 from coming into contact with the external environment, thus maintaining its freshness before dispensing. The measuring portion 50 is mounted on the base of the receiving portion 40 and serves to controllably release the contents of the container 30, using the force of gravity. The dispensing is controlled by the dispensing chute 52, which includes a screw or helical coil 56, motor 57 and the seal 155, all are further described in this document in relation to Figures 6, 8 and 9.
    Figures 4 and 5 show exemplary plan views of two user interfaces suitable for use in the tea dispenser 20. It should be appreciated that many user interface models can be used without departing from the scope of the present description. Figure 4 illustrates a touch-sensitive user interface 81 in which numerous user-selectable options are provided for drinks of various sizes. For example, user interface 81 can include logic buttons 82, 83 and 84 that correspond to a drink of 227.3 ml (8 ounces), 454.61 ml (16 ounces) and 568.26 ml (20 ounces), respectively. In addition, one or more of these buttons can be programmed to provide a custom size, such as 340.96, 511.44 or 568.26 ml (12, 18 and 20 ounces). In an additional form, the size associated with these buttons can be customized by the user to match the tea sizes that the user prefers or that are available in the menu, as in the case of a restaurant or tea house. Additionally, when the user interface is provided on a touchscreen, the buttons can be changed to show the currently programmed size, such as in milliliters (ounces) (or the metric equivalent), or the like. In addition, if desired, one or more buttons can be customized to provide a greater volume, such as that of a teapot.
    Upon selection of button 82, the internal controller 80 (shown in Figure 1) is configured to operate the tea dispenser 20 to dispense a metered amount of tea suitable for supplying a 227.3 ml (8 oz) tea drink . Since the amount of tea required to produce a certain volume of tea is quite normal for all types of tea (such as 2.5 g of loose leaf tea per 170.48 ml (6 ounces) of water), the user can remain relatively simple, if desired. Alternatively, in the case of teas that include other ingredients, such as chai tea, the weights that correspond to the various buttons can be increased accordingly depending on which type of tea the device is currently configured for. For example, in one form, user interface 81 can accept input related to one of a number of predefined types of teas and a desired volume of tea. Based on the currently selected tea, the amount of tea dispensed (as in weight) for the selected volume may be different than it would have been had a different type of tea been selected.
    Referring to Figure 5, a more adjustable alternative user interface 85 is illustrated, in which numerous user-selectable options are provided for drinks of various sizes in addition to a concentration adjustment. As described above in relation to user interface 81, user interface 85 can include display 86 and buttons 87, 88 and 89 that correspond to drinks of 227.3 ml, 454.61 ml and 568.26 ml (8 ounces, 16 ounces and 20 ounces) or other similar amounts. Upon selection of button 87, the internal controller 80 (shown in Figure 1) is configured to 5 operate the tea dispenser 20 to dispense a metered amount of tea suitable for the delivery of 227.3 ml (8 oz) tea drinks . User interface 85 also provides a secondary setting that allows the user to specify how strong he prefers his tea on a 1090 scale from weak to strong depending on the operator's or customer's infusion preferences. When the user selects button 91, the amount of tea (by weight) dispensed is reduced to provide weaker tea. However, when button 92 is selected, the amount (by weight) of tea to be dispensed is increased, providing stronger tea. As adjustments are made by the user, the current selection, including concentration and drink size, is indicated to the user by the display 86.
    Referring to Figure 6, with continuous reference to 20 Figures 1 to 5, an illustration of the tea dispenser 20 is shown which has a form of measuring and dispensing mechanisms from a side plan view. The bottom portion 26 and the outer housing of the measuring portion 60 have been omitted for purposes of illustrating the internal components of the tea dispenser 20. In the illustrated form, the tea dispenser 20 includes the container 30 for attachment to a receiving portion 40. In addition, the tea dispenser 20 includes the measuring portion 50 and the measuring portion 60. The measuring portion 60 is shown without its outer housing so that the details of the internal components can be described. The measuring portion 60 includes a feeder 62 for receiving dispensed tea from the dispensing trough 52 of the dispensing trough 50 under the control of the controller 80.The dispensing trough 52, according to this shape, is a cylindrical trough connected to the receiving portion 40 (and that container 30) at a proximal end 53. The dispensing chute 52 ends at the dispenser opening 54 at its other end. The dispenser opening 54 may also include a seal 55 that is opened only during operation in order to maintain the tight seal of the container 30, thereby protecting its contents. As shown, the seal 55 can be a door that closes in order to establish a seal below the dispenser opening 54. Between the proximal end 53 and the dispenser opening 54, a rotatingly mounted helical coil 56 is disposed within the rail dispenser 52 over a portion of its length. The coil 56 can be formed from one or more pieces of wire or other suitable material or, alternatively, it can be formed as a helical screw made of metal, plastic or similar so as to have more completely defined spans, which can be more beneficial when dispensing a finer powder material as opposed to a larger loose material. In a preferred form, the diameter of the dispensing chute 52 is between approximately 1.27 cm (hs ") and 5.08 cm (2") and the diameter of screw 56 is between 0.95 cm (3/8 ") and 1.27 cm (^ ") with a pitch between 0.64 cm (W ') and 0.95 cm (3/8"). In an additional preferred shape, the diameter of the dispensing trough 52 is approximately 2.54 cm (1 ") and the diameter of the wire that forms the screw 56 is between 0.08 cm (1/32") and 0.16 cm (1/16 ").
    When tea or some other material is present in container 30, it is fed to the dispensing chute 52 at its proximal end 53 from the receiving portion 40 by the rotating member 54. When the screw 56 is activated by the electronic controller 80, it starts to rotate in a direction that forces the material present at its end 53 towards its opposite end 54. Once the material reaches the end 54, it is forced out of the dispensing chute 52 and into the feeder 62. The feeder 62 is mounted at one end of an arm 63 which is then pivotally mounted to an inner frame of the tea dispenser housing 20 at its opposite end. The arm 63 also includes an integrated voltage regulator 64 which is suitable for electronically measuring the mass of the material dispensed by dispensing chute 52 inside the feeder 62 on an almost real-time basis and reporting its measurements to the electronic controller 80. Therefore , when electronic controller 80 determines that a predetermined amount of material is dispensed from feeder 62, screw operation 56 is disabled. In an additional form, screw 56 is operated by electronic controller 80 at a variable speed, so that when the amount of material still needed to be dispensed remains high, screw 56 operates at a higher speed, but when the amount of material in receptacle 62 approaches the desired amount, the speed of screw 56 can be gradually or distinctly reduced in order to provide as close as possible to the desired amount of material dispensed in receptacle 62, as will be further described below in relation to to Figure 7. Once the desired amount of tea has been dispensed into feeder 62, arm 63 is released and the contents of feeder 62 are discharged into funnel 66, which guides the contents of feeder 62 out of the middle portion 24 and down into the designated area when a waiting container is positioned on the bottom portion 26.
    Figure 7 illustrates a flowchart which, together with continuous reference to Figures 1 to 6, shows a beverage selection and dispensing process, according to a form of the present invention, which will be used to illustrate the way in which the tea dispenser of Figure 1 can operate. Process 1500 begins with step 1510 in which the user activates the tea dispenser 22 by providing enough input to allow the dispenser to identify the amount of tea to be dispensed. For illustrative purposes, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, this may include an indication entry in a user interface, such as the 81 or 85 user interface, that the user wants a 236.59 ml (8 oz) tea or that the user wants a 473.18 ml (16 oz) tea made or slightly stronger or weaker than normal. The process proceeds to step 1520 in which the electronic controller 80 of the tea dispenser 20 receives user input and determines the appropriate amount of tea (by weight) to be dispensed. The electronic controller 80 then starts dispensing the tea by calibrating the perceived value by voltage regulator 64 to zero to precisely measure the amount of tea added to the feeder 62 in step 1530. The electronic controller 80 then enables the (s ) motor (s), which drives the rotating member 54 and the screw 56 in step 1540. Shortly thereafter, the tea from the container 30 begins to accumulate in the feeder 62. As this occurs, the voltage regulator 64 begins to periodically report a value that indicates the weight of the tea dispensed in the feeder 62 for the electronic controller 80 in step 1550. Since the electronic controller determines that the weight of the tea dispensed in the container 62 is approaching a predetermined percentage of the amount to be dispensed ( step 1560), the electronic controller decreases the speed of the motor that drives the screw 56, thus decreasing the electronic rate 80 determines that the desired weight of the tea was dispensed in the feeder 62 (step 1580), the electronic controller 80 deactivates the motor (s), which drives the rotating member 54 and the screw 56 in step 1590, and releases the mechanism that holds the arm 63, thus depositing the contents of the feeder 62 down and into funnel 66 and finally into the waiting user’s container (step 1600). In an additional form, a sensor is required to pick up a receptacle, such as a cup or the like, in the dispensing area before the tea dispenser 22 is operable to dispense tea in step 1600. The process ends in step 1610.
    It should be noted by an individual skilled in the art that many of these steps can occur simultaneously or in several orders, with varying time intervals between steps being also possible. In an additional form, the electronic controller 80 can perform more than one speed adjustment to quickly dispense tea to a certain percentage of the desired amount and then go through several speed reductions to reach the desired weight precisely and quickly.
    Turning now to Figure 8, with continued reference to Figures 1 to 5, an illustration of the tea dispenser 20 which has another way of measuring and dispensing mechanisms is shown from a plan view. Common elements of the tea dispenser 20 must be referred to in this document with the same numerals. The lower portion 26 and the outer housing of the measuring portion 60 have similarly been omitted for purposes of illustrating the internal components of the tea dispenser 20. Thus, the dispensing chute 152 is a cylindrical elbow shaped chute connected to the portion receiving tray 40 (and that container 30) at its proximal end 153. Dispensing chute 152 ends at the opening of dispenser 154 at its other end. The dispenser opening 154 may also include a seal 155 which is opened only during operation to maintain the airtight seal of the container 30, thereby protecting its contents. As shown, seal 155 is a cover that covers and surrounds dispenser opening 154 to establish a seal. Between the proximal end 153 and the dispenser opening 154, a helical mounted coil 156 is arranged on the dispensing rail 152 over a portion of its length. The coil 156 can be formed from one or more pieces of wire or other suitable material or, alternatively, it can be formed as a helical screw made of metal, plastic or similar so as to have fully defined fans, which can be more beneficial in dispensing a finer powder material as opposed to a larger loose material. In a preferred form, the diameter of the dispensing chute 152 is between approximately 1.27 cm (4 ") and 5.08 cm (2") and the diameter of the screw 56 is between 0.94 cm (3/8 ") and 1.27 cm (^ ") with an inclination between 0.64 cm (M") and 0.94 cm (3/8 "). In a further preferred form, the diameter of the dispensing chute 52 is approximately 2.54 cm (1 ") and the diameter of the wire that forms the screw 56 is between 0.08 cm (1/32") and 0.16 cm (1/16 ").
    Turning now to Figure 9, with continuous reference to Figures 1 to 5, an illustration of the tea dispenser 20 which has yet another form of measuring and dispensing mechanism is shown from a side plan view. Common elements of the tea dispenser 20 must be referred to here again using the same numerals. The bottom portion 26 and the outer housing of the measuring portion 60 have similarly been omitted for purposes of illustrating the internal components of the tea dispenser 20. In this way, the dispensing chute 252 is formed by an electrically controlled conveyor 253 that collects material from the opening bottom of container 30 located directly above it and delivers it to an inclined surface 254 that takes the material, through the force of gravity, through safety door 255 and into receptacle 62. Safety door 255 forms preferably an airtight seal which is opened only during operation, to maintain the hermetic seal of the container 30, thus protecting its contents. As shown, seal 55 is a door that closes to establish a seal below dispenser opening 54,
    Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and previous description, it can be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, being understood that only the preferred modality was shown and described and that it is desired that all equivalences, changes and modifications that come with the essence of the inventions, as described in this document and / or the claims below, are protected.
    Therefore, the appropriate scope of the present invention should be determined only by the broadest interpretation of the claims, to cover all of these modifications, as well as all relationships equivalent to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification.
    权利要求:
    Claims (20)
    [0001]
    1. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20) OPERABLE TO DISPENSE A SELECTED AMOUNT OF LOOSE MATERIAL, characterized by comprising: external housing that defines a suitable receptacle location for the positioning of a receptacle in which the loose material must be dispensed, in which said external housing includes an outlet opening positioned above said receptacle location; sealed housing (40) for storing said loose material; user interface (81) mounted on said external housing; electronic controller (80) to receive a user selection that identifies a desired amount of loose material to be dispensed via said user interface (81); and measuring mechanism (50) positioned below said sealed housing (40) and above said outlet opening comprising: tank (62) mounted on a scale (64) in order to provide the weight of the material currently contained therein for said electronic controller (80), and, upon activation by said electronic controller (80), release the material contained therein through said outlet opening; material trough (52) having an entrance in sealed fluid communication with the interior of said sealed housing (40) and an exit positioned so as to dispense material inside said deposit (62); rotating screw (56) powered by a motor (57) connected to said electronic controller (80), wherein said rotating screw (56) is located inside said material rail (52) in order to provide controllable dispensing of the material inside said deposit (62); and sealing cover (55) adapted to mechanically seal the outlet of said material track (52) when said rotating screw (56) is not in operation.
    [0002]
    2. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 1, characterized in that said sealed housing (40) is hermetically sealed.
    [0003]
    3. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 1, characterized in that said material track (52) has an elbow shape.
    [0004]
    4. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 2, characterized in that said electronic controller (80) and said measuring mechanism (50) are located inside said external housing.
    [0005]
    5. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20) according to claim 4, characterized in that said sealed housing (40) includes an agitator that operates during at least a portion of the operation of said material chute (52).
    [0006]
    6. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 1, characterized in that said loose material is tea leaves.
    [0007]
    7. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 6, characterized by said user interface (81) allowing adjustments to specify the volume of tea to be prepared.
    [0008]
    8. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 7, characterized by said user interface (81) allowing the user to select the type of tea being dispensed and stores two different weights for a selected quantity of tea a be prepared in association with each of two selected types of tea.
    [0009]
    9. METHOD OF DISPENSING A QUANTITY SELECTED BY USER OF LOOSE TEA WITH THE USE OF A DISPENSER (20), as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by comprising: receiving a first user input through an interface user (81) located in said dispenser (20), wherein said user input identifies a desired amount of tea; receiving a second user entry via said user interface (81), wherein said second entry adjusts said desired amount of tea up or down by a predetermined amount; receiving a weight from a scale (64) which has a tank (62) mounted on it; transferring tea from a sealed container (40) into said container (62) until said weight received from said scale (64) meets or exceeds said desired quantity; and sealing the remaining tea in the sealed container (40) from the outside air; and dispensing said tea from said tank (62) through an outlet opening in said dispenser.
    [0010]
    10. METHOD, according to claim 9, characterized by said second user input providing a stronger or weaker tea.
    [0011]
    11. METHOD, according to claim 9, characterized by said second user input adjusting the desired tea volume up or down.
    [0012]
    12. METHOD, according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises the step of: resealing said sealed container (40) after said transfer.
    [0013]
    13. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20) OPERABLE TO DISPENSE A SELECTED AMOUNT OF LOOSE MATERIAL, characterized by comprising: external housing that defines a suitable receptacle location for the positioning of a receptacle inside which the loose material must be dispensed, wherein said external housing includes an outlet opening positioned above said receptacle location; sealed housing (40) for storing said loose material; user interface (81) mounted on an external housing; electronic controller (80) to receive a user selection that identifies a desired amount of loose material to be dispensed via said user interface (81); and measuring mechanism (50) positioned below said sealed housing (40) and above said outlet opening comprising: tank (62) mounted on a scale (64) in order to provide the weight of the material currently contained therein for said electronic controller (80) and, upon activation by said electronic controller (80), release the material contained therein through said outlet opening; controlled outlet (52) in fluid communication with said housing, wherein said controlled outlet is adapted to dispense loose material from said housing when activated by said electronic controller (80); conveyor (253) powered by a motor (57) connected to said electronic controller (80), wherein said conveyor (253) is mounted below said controlled outlet (52) and configured to receive loose material from said controlled outlet (52 ) and dispense the material inside said tank (62) and said controlled outlet (52) is adapted to be mechanically sealed by a seal (255) when said conveyor (253) is not in use.
    [0014]
    14. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20) according to claim 13, characterized in that said sealed housing includes an agitator (54) which operates during at least a portion of the operation of said controlled outlet (52).
    [0015]
    15. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 13, characterized in that said loose material is tea leaves.
    [0016]
    16.BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 15, characterized by said user interface (81) allowing adjustments to specify the number of grams of tea to be prepared.
    [0017]
    17.BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 15, characterized in that said user interface is adapted to receive the user input specifying the type of tea contained in said accommodation (40).
    [0018]
    18.BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 17, characterized by said user interface (81) allowing the user to select the type of tea being dispensed and stores two different weights for a selected quantity of tea a be prepared in association with each of the two types of tea selected.
    [0019]
    19. BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20), according to claim 13, characterized in that said controlled outlet (52) forms an airtight seal of said container when it is not activated by said electronic controller.
    [0020]
    20.BATTERY MATERIAL DISPENSER (20) OPERABLE TO DISPENSE A PREDETERMINATE AMOUNT OF LOOSE MATERIAL THROUGH ACTIVATION BY A USER, characterized by comprising: external housing that defines a suitable receptacle for the positioning of a receptacle inside which the loose material must be dispensed, wherein said external housing includes an outlet opening positioned above said receptacle location: sealed housing (40) for storing said loose material; user interface (81) mounted to said external housing capable of receiving user input in relation to a first predetermined amount of loose material and storing it in association with a first user-selectable button; measuring mechanism (50) positioned below said sealed housing (40) and above said outlet opening comprising: tank (62) mounted on a scale (64) in order to supply the weight of the material currently contained therein to said electronic controller (80) and, upon activation by said electronic controller (80), release the material contained therein through said outlet opening; and controlled outlet in fluid communication with said housing, wherein said controlled outlet is adapted to dispense loose material from said housing when activated by said electronic controller (80) and said controlled outlet is adapted to be mechanically sealed by a seal (55) when said controlled output is not in use; electronic controller (80) to receive a user selection of said first button via said user interface (81) and, in response, activate said measurement mechanism (50) to dispense said first predetermined amount of loose material.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    RU2013147913A|2015-05-20|
    ES2610210T3|2017-04-26|
    US9417114B2|2016-08-16|
    WO2012142390A2|2012-10-18|
    EP2696731B1|2016-10-12|
    CA2832195C|2018-11-27|
    AU2012242665B2|2016-12-22|
    JP6912444B2|2021-08-04|
    MX2013011976A|2014-10-15|
    JP2019069164A|2019-05-09|
    SG194476A1|2013-12-30|
    RU2597545C2|2016-09-10|
    JP2014510611A|2014-05-01|
    US20140053946A1|2014-02-27|
    EP2696731A2|2014-02-19|
    AU2012242665A1|2013-10-17|
    US20170127873A1|2017-05-11|
    BR112013026455A2|2016-12-27|
    CN103732110A|2014-04-16|
    JP2017140404A|2017-08-17|
    EP2696731A4|2014-10-01|
    MX343531B|2016-11-09|
    PL2696731T3|2017-05-31|
    WO2012142390A3|2013-01-10|
    CN103732110B|2017-07-11|
    CA2832195A1|2012-10-18|
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    法律状态:
    2018-12-18| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according [chapter 6.6 patent gazette]|
    2019-09-17| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|
    2020-06-16| B06A| Notification to applicant to reply to the report for non-patentability or inadequacy of the application [chapter 6.1 patent gazette]|
    2020-10-06| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|
    2020-12-15| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 13/04/2012, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US201161475723P| true| 2011-04-15|2011-04-15|
    US61/475,723|2011-04-15|
    PCT/US2012/033489|WO2012142390A2|2011-04-15|2012-04-13|System and method for dispensing a measured amount of a loose material|
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