Patent ID: 8234987

Claim:
An inductor assembly of a product conveyance system having a storage hopper for a product and a forced fluid stream, the inductor assembly comprising: an inductor housing configured to receive a flow of product from the storage hopper, the housing including an air inlet configured to direct the forced fluid stream in a direction toward the flow of product so as to generate a combined stream of forced fluid and product, wherein the air inlet includes a first portion and a second portion; a plurality of inductor segments, each inductor segment defining a first conduit and a second conduit, the first conduit having a first inlet, a first outlet, and a first product/air mixture inlet in fluid communication with the first outlet, and the second conduit having a second inlet, a second outlet, and a second product/air mixture inlet in fluid communication with the second outlet, and wherein the first and the second inlets are configured to receive air from the first portion of the air inlet and the first and the second product/air mixture inlets are configured to pass product suspended in air, wherein the air is received from the second portion of the air inlet; and wherein the plurality of inductor segments include a first inductor segment and at least a second inductor segment; and wherein the inlet of one of the first conduit and the second conduit of a selected inductor segment has an inlet size different than the inlet of the other one of the first conduit and the second conduit of the selected inductor segment; and a restrictor plate mounted to the inductor housing and positioned between the second portion of the air inlet and the air/product mixture inlets of the plurality of inductor segments, and wherein the restrictor plate extends across a width of the inductor housing defining the second portion of the air inlet and wherein the restrictor plate has a height that varies along the width of the inductor housing.