Patent ID: 6471096
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A process of promoting controlled flow of solid material, the process comprising the steps of:(a) providing a container having an opening and an outlet for holding the solid material; (b) providing a plurality of magnetic particles within the solid material near the outlet; the magnetic particles having coercivities ranging from about 200 to about 3000 oersteds; (c) providing a screen at the outlet to allow the solid material to be dispensed while keeping the magnetic particles within the container; and (d) exciting the magnetic particles with sufficient oscillating electromagnetic energy to create motion of the magnetic particles and cause sufficient disturbance to break up the solid material and enable the solid material to be dispensed from the outlet, the motion of the magnetic particles being characterized by spinning of the magnetic particles; and (e) allowing the dispensed solid material to fall onto a base, to form a heap or pile so that its angle of repose can be measured, the base comprising a reflecting plate with a grating calibrated in units of length to facilitate measurement of the angle of repose.