Patent ID: 6569494
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: B05B,B05C

Abstract:
A method of dispensing particles onto a surface such that the particles are at least partially embedded in the surface comprising:holding particles in a hopper having a dispensing opening covered by a screen having openings that are uniformly sized and spaced and are sufficiently large to let the largest particles pass through while being dispensed yet sufficiently small to hold the particles back when the dispenser is not operating; rotating, outside of the hopper, a cylindrical brush covered with regularly spaced bristles that are adjacent the dispensing opening to protrude the bristles through openings of the screen and draw particles through the screen to dispense them onto the surface; and varying the dispense rate of the particles comprising at least one of (a) varying the rotation speed of the brush, (b) adjusting the distance from the screen to the central longitudinal axis of the brush (c) adjusting the screen opening size; (d) adjusting the brush-to-screen pressure; and (e) adjusting the tension of the screen.