Patent ID: 6526236
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A mechanism for replenishing particulate material from receptacles to a reservoir, each receptacle containing a predetermined quantity of particulate material, said replenisher mechanism comprising:a housing defining an interior volume large enough to contain more than the quantity of particulate material contained in one of said receptacles, said housing having a first sensor assembly for sensing the amount of particulate material within said housing and producing a signal representative of such amount; an interface selectively providing flow communication of particulate material from said receptacles to said housing; a delivery assembly selectively providing flow communication of particulate material from said housing to said reservoir, said delivery assembly having a second sensor assembly for sensing the amount of particulate material delivered by said delivery assembly and producing a signal representative of such amount; and a logic and control unit operatively associated with said first sensor and said second sensor assembly, whereby in response to signals from said first and second sensor assemblies, said logic and control unit continuously determines the amount of particulate material remaining in said housing so as to indicate when, and how much, particulate material to add to said housing from said receptacles.