Patent ID: 6871758

Claim:
A powder dispenser comprising: a dispenser housing including a cavity for holding a supply of a powder, the cavity having a dispensing opening; an outlet supply tube fixed relative to the dispenser housing and in fluid communication with a gas supply bore; a slider slidably mounted with respect to said dispenser housing between a feed position and a dispense position, said slider including: a receptacle portion for receiving the powder supplied from said cavity through said dispensing opening when said slider is in said feed position and for supplying the received powder to said outlet supply tube when said slider is in said dispense position, said receptacle portion including a holding member having pores which permit passage of a gas therethrough but which prevent passage of the powder therethrough; and a vacuum passage in fluid communication with an outer wall of said holding member to remove gas trapped by said powder through said holding member; an arrangement for supplying a pressurized gas to said cavity; and the gas supply bore in said dispenser housing supplies a pressurized gas to the receptacle portion when said slider is in said dispense position so as to force the powder from said receptacle portion to said outlet supply tube.