Patent ID: 6764296
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: B22F,B30B,B65D,B65G

Abstract:
Fuidizing apparatus for filling a cavity with a homogeneous dispersion of a particulate material comprising:a hopper, a transport section and a deliver chute; said hopper being located above a horizontal plane and adapted for containing particulate material, said hopper having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a plurality of sides; said transport section being operative to transport said particulate material from said hopper to said delivery chute and having an upper end and a lower end and connected at said upper end to a side of said hopper and descending at an angle to said horizontal plane to said lower end connected to said delivery chute; said delivery chute having an upper portion and a lower portion and connected at said upper portion to said lower end of said transport section to deliver said particplate material from said transport section to said cavity; a porous distributor plate located in said lower portion of said hopper to partition said hopper into a first chamber in which said particulate material is stored and a second chamber in gaseous communication with said first chamber via said porous distributor plate; a vent located in said upper portion of said hopper; a compressed gas source connected to said porous distributor plate for delivering said gas to said second chamber, the pressure of said gas being such that said gas provides a gas bearing between said porous distributor plate and said particulate material and then migrates through said particulate material and out of said vent to fluidize said particulate material without causing turbulence in the majority of said particulate material.