Patent ID: 7252120

Claim:
A powder feed system for feeding powder to a powder press comprising: a source of a powdered material; a powder receptacle; and a powder feed apparatus for increasing a rate of flow of the powdered material from said source to said powder receptacle, said apparatus comprising: a housing, comprising an outer surface, a powder ingress opening in communication with said source of powdered material, a powder egress opening in communication with said powder receptacle, and a powder feed chamber in communication with said powder ingress opening and said powder egress opening, wherein said powder feed chamber is dimensioned substantially to transmit a vibrational force that is transmitted to said powder feed chamber to the powdered material disposed therethrough such that a rate of flow of the powdered material through said powder egress opening is increased over a rate of flow of the powdered material through said powder egress opening in the absence of the transmission of the vibrational force; and at least one vibrator in vibrational communication with said powder feed chamber, said at least one vibrator being dimensioned and located such that said at least one vibrator creates a vibrational force that is transmitted from said at least one vibrator to said powder feed chamber; a frame or an attachment plate for attaching said housing to another component of the powder feed system, and means for isolating the vibrational force transmitted to said powder feed chamber from said attachment plate.