Patent ID: 7156372

Claim:
A non-contact valve for controlling the flow of particulate material in a given direction, comprising: a body; a gas-porous element disposed at least partially within said body, a first orifice defined by said gas-porous element, said gas-porous elements, configured for directing a flow of pressurized gas into said first orifice, includes first and second opposing surfaces generally perpendicular to the given direction of material flow and inner and outer surfaces generally parallel with the given direction of material flow, said opposing surfaces being substantially impervious to gas, and said inner and outer surfaces being porous to gas; a chamber defined at least in part between said body and said gas-porous element, said chamber being connected to a source of pressurized gas; a plug member receivable within said first orifice and movable into and out of said first orifice; and a channel conjunctively defined at least in part by said first orifice and said plug, said channel defining at least in part a flow path for particulate material, and wherein said inner surface of said gas porous element defining at least in part said channel, and said outer surface of said gas porous element defining at least in part said chamber.