Patent ID: 11964433
Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  Y | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A conveyor comprising:
an inlet defining a passage from a container into the conveyor,
wherein the container stores powdered type material, particulate type material, or liquid material;
an outlet located remote from the inlet, and
a helicoidal element arranged between the inlet and the outlet, the helicoidal element surrounding a central axis;
wherein the conveyor transports powdered type material, particulate type material, or liquid material using at least part of an effective area of the helicoidal element defined as the area between each pair of adjacent crests of the helicoidal element and transversely between the edge of the adjacent crests and the central axis and
wherein the conveyor further comprises a set of wall elements configured to selectively cover, at least partially the effective area of the helicoidal element, the wall elements biased to extend laterally into the area between adjacent crests of the helicoidal element but moveable in a plane to accommodate rotation of the helicoidal element.