Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Powdered Product Unloading and Storage System
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to unloading and storage systems, and, more
particularly, to an integrated, compact, multistation unloading and storage
system for
use primarily with powdered products.
Background to the Invention
Small scale production facilities commonly use powdered products that are
shipped in small bags, or small drums, including drums having a liquid volume
of
between 20 and 200 litres, or more. The bags are often made of plastic or
paper, or the
drum, which can often be made of steel, aluminum, plastic, or even fibrous
paper
materials, and can have a plastic inner liner (or plastic bag) in which the
powdered
material is held. The powdered material is typically transferred from the bag
or the drum
to a storage hopper where it is dispensed as needed in the production process.
Slightly larger small scale production facilities (which can handle larger
volumes), can also receive product in larger drums, or even in "bulk bags"
(for example,
a large bag of a cubic meter in size). However, difficulties arise when the
production
facility receives or uses a variety of different materials, in various
containers.
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Commonly, large scale production facilities often use dedicated product
delivery
systems which are able to unload, discharge or empty the raw material from the
received container, directly into a dedicated storage hopper. For either large
or small
scale shipments to such a larger facility, each material is handled in a
separate
individual system for that product since the larger facility will commonly
have a
dedicated transfer station for each product to be transferred from the larger
shipment
containers directly to the storage hopper. The amount of space needed for
these
separate individual systems is not typically an issue for these systems, since
the larger
facility will commonly have increased space available in which to transfer the
powdered
material from the container to the hopper.
Unfortunately, smaller facilities commonly do not have the space or capability
to
handle a wide variety of materials in the same manner. As such, more compact
systems for product transfer would be desirable.
One problem in any powdered product transfer system, though, is the
generation of dust during the transfer and handling of the powdered product.
The
elimination, containment and/or control of the dust generated, is frequently
an issue
which must be resolved. This is particularly true if the powdered product is a
hazardous
material, or an environmentally unfriendly material.
Again, larger facilities will commonly have dust control systems in place in
order
to minimize the amount of dust which escapes during the transfer of powdered
product
from the drum to the hopper. Smaller scale facilities may not have a suitable
system in
place which addresses this issue, particularly in view of the absence of
dedicated
transfer systems for each material.
Even if the smaller scale facilities have installed suitable dust control
systems
(to, for example, comply with any applicable health and safety standards), the
costs of
installation and use of these systems, can be relatively large. This may limit
the overall
flexibility of a smaller facility to handle various products, or restrict the
amounts and
types of materials that can be used and/or that are available during
production.
As a result, many smaller scale facilities commonly have individual transfer
stations that are used to transfer powdered product from the bags, drums or
bulk bags
to the storage hoppers, with minimal or no dust collection ability.
Alternatively, the
smaller scale facilities must invest in a system which will provide dust
collection
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capabilities at a number of different transfer stations.
One option available for dust collection is the use of a separate "glove box"
(e.g.
a sealed cabinet having access to its interior by using sealed gloves) for
each material.
The material to be transferred is unloaded from its shipping container, each
in a
separate and dedicated glove box, into a separate storage bin. The product is
transferred by gravity, and the storage bin can include a weighing device to
measure
the amount of product transferred.
However, this type of system can commonly stretch over several building floors
and can have a total height of 5 meters, or more. Moreover, each raw material
to be
used in production will have its own individual glove box, storage hopper,
isolation
gates, dust control system, and the like. As such, the prior art systems
require a
significant amount of space, both in terms of floor space, but also in terms
of height in
which to place the necessary equipment for these systems.
To overcome these difficulties, it would be advantageous to provide a compact,
integrated drum unloading system wherein dust generation was minimized, and
wherein one transfer station can be used to provide different powders to
different
storage hoppers. It would also be desirable to provide such a system having
mechanisms to prevent or ameliorate cross-contamination of the powdered
materials,
or inadvertent placement and/or storage of the powdered material in an
incorrect
storage hopper.
Summary of the Invention
Accordingly, the present invention provides a powdered product unloading and
storage system and apparatus that can unload, store and discharge a number of
different, and possibly hazardous powdered materials to a plurality of
different storage
hoppers. Further, the device prevents, minimizes or ameliorates the release of
powdered material or dust to the atmosphere, or to the area outside of the
apparatus.
As such, the apparatus contains the hazardous air born dust or particles
inside the
device while unloading from a container and while distributing the material to
the correct
storage container.
The apparatus can include load cells to measure transfer weights, and from the
storage hopper, the different ingredients can be discharged to a batch or
continuous
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weighing system or addition to the facility production system. As such, the
system and
apparatus of the present invention, is particularly well suited for
applications requiring
the addition of multiple, and possibly hazardous, powder ingredients in small
quantities.
An exemplary implementation of the unloading and storage apparatus of the
present invention first comprises a product unloading device, which preferably
comprises a single, preferably sealed cabinet, such as a glove box, for
holding,
accessing, and unloading the contents of a product container into the product
unloading
device, wherein the product unloading device includes a system for minimizing,
ameliorating or eliminating the release of dust to the atmosphere.
The product unloading device can also comprise a system for unloading of
plastic or paper bags of material, in a cabinet, or a mechanism to unload a
bulk bag
directly to the storage apparatus.
Next, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a rotary spout which
receives, dispenses and/or directs the product entering into the product
unloading
device to a preselected storage hopper selected from a plurality of storage
hoppers.
The rotary spout preferably has a upper opening at an upper end which upper
opening
is centred around an axis or rotation. One side wall of the rotary spout is
preferably
angled so as to allow product to slide by gravity along the inner wall of the
spout. The
lower opening of the rotary spout rotates around a center of rotation which is
offset
from the central axis of the lower opening. As such, by rotation of rotatable
spout, the
position of the lower opening will move around to transcribe a circle around
the center
of rotation of the upper opening of the rotary (or rotatable) spout. However,
the position
of the upper opening remains essentially in a constant position (other than
rotating).
Other arrangements for the rotatable spout can be provided depending on the
nature of the installation. For example, in more confined areas, an
essentially horizontal
rotatable spout could be provided by using a screw feeder to move the product
along
an essentially horizontal chute, or a vibrating or moveable belt or bed, might
also be
used.
Third, the apparatus of the present invention provides a plurality of storage
hoppers, the loading openings of which are preferably all completely
positioned within a
closed or filtered environment such that release of product to the atmosphere
is
reduced, ameliorated, or eliminated. The loading openings to the storage
hoppers are
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preferably greater in size than the lower opening of the rotary spout. In one
preferred
embodiment, however, the tops of the storage hoppers are completely uncovered,
so
that the loading opening is the size of the top of the storage hopper.
Preferably, the storage hoppers are contiguous one to one another. In a most
preferred embodiment, the storage hoppers are located in a circular pattern
around the
rotary spout. The storage hoppers can vary in size, but in one preferred
embodiment,
the storage hoppers are identical in size and shape, and are located in a
circular
pattern around the rotary spout.
In any case, while the size, shape and placement of the storage hoppers can
vary, the loading openings of the storage hoppers are arranged in a circular
pattern
around the circle transcribed by the movement of the lower rotary spout
opening.
The positioning of the lower opening of the rotary spout can be positioned
manually, but preferably is positioned and controlled by a computer operated
system to
avoid accidental loading of a material into an incorrect storage hopper.
In the embodiment wherein the tops of the storage hoppers are completely
open, the contiguous loading openings of adjacent storage hoppers are divided
by a
narrow ridge which passes between the storage hoppers. In this respect, the
narrow
ridge is a ridge of material which is sufficiently strong to resist movement,
but which is
sufficiently thin to prevent or ameliorate the collection of powdered material
on the
ridge. For example, joined plates of 1 cm steel plate (from the walls of
adjacent storage
hoppers, or the dividing wall between hoppers) would provide a suitable narrow
ridge.
In any case, the openings of the storage hoppers, as well as the area wherein
the lower opening of the rotary spout is position, are preferably contained
within a
housing which prevents the escape of dust or material from the housing. The
housing is
preferably vented through a dust collection system to prevent the release of
dust from
the system.
Further, the housing and the storage hoppers can be provided with humidity
control systems such as by providing an air exchange system which dries the
air. This
allows hygroscopic materials to be stored in the hopper(s).
Further, the storage hoppers and/or housing can be fitted with explosive
resistant covers that will minimize any damage if an explosive material is
stored within
the apparatus of the present invention.
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In a further aspect, the present invention also provides an apparatus as
herein
described with respect to the drawings and following discussion, as provided
hereinbelow.
In a still further aspect, the present invention also provides a powdered
product
unloading and distribution system, which utilizes the device of the present
invention as
hereinafter described.
Through the use of the apparatus and system of the present invention, the user
can reduce the number of transfer stations, and thus, the overall unloading
and storage
system space requirement. The apparatus and system utilize one dumping station
for
emptying the product material (from drums, bags, bulk bags, or the like) into
any one of
a plurality of storage hoppers. Further, the apparatus and system of the
present
invention preferably incorporates a dust filter and/or containment system that
keeps any
dust generated within the apparatus.
As a result, the apparatus and system of the present invention uses a smaller
"foot print" when compared to using multiple systems, uses less vertical
space, and
commonly has less capital cost, all while providing better dust containment
and better
spillage containment.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example only in
association with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a powdered product
unloading and storage apparatus and system of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a further perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a cutaway perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a further cutaway view of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a still further cutaway view of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a side view of an apparatus according to the prior art;
Figure 7 is a top view of a storage hopper collection according to the prior
art;
Figure 8 is a side view of the apparatus according to the present invention;
Figure 9 is a top view of a storage hopper collection according to the present
invention;
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Figure 10 is a cutaway view of a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 11;
Figure 13 is an enlarged cutaway view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig.
11;
Figure 14 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present
invention;
and
Figure 15 is a cutaway view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 14.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present
invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation,
together with
further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the
following
drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now
be
illustrated by way of example only. In the drawings, like reference numerals
depict like
elements.
It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of
illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the
limits of the
invention.
Further, unless otherwise specifically noted, all of the features described
herein
may be combined with any of the above aspects, in any combination.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a first embodiment of a powdered product
unloading
and storage apparatus 10, is shown, which is being used to provide a facility
to unload
powdered material supplied in drum. In these figures, fibrous drum 12 holding
a
powdered product weighting, in this example, 25 kg, is positioned on top of
powdered
product unloading and storage apparatus 10. Drum 12 can be any suitable size,
but
typically is between 20 and 200 liters in liquid capacity, and can be made of
any
suitable material, as previously described. Typically, however, drum 12 is a
fibrous
drum, and the powdered material contained within drum 12, is held in the drum
in a
plastic bag (not shown).
For this embodiment, drum 12 rests against a drum support arm and bracket
16, and is held in place using an elasticized cord 18. A top lid 14, and lower
lid (not
shown) to drum 12, are maintained in a closed position using clamps 17, and
drum 12
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essentially fills the opening 20 at or near the top of an otherwise sealed
glove box 22. A
small gap 15, is left between drum 12, and glove box 22 in order to provide
air leakage
around drum 12, so that air can be first drawn into glove box 22, and then
withdrawn
from the glove box 22 under negative air pressure, by the dust collection
system, as
discussed hereinbelow.
Glove box 22 has two additional openings 24 in which the arms 30 of user 32,
can be inserted. While the openings 24, can be open to the air, they can also
be fitted
with two gloves sealed to the cabinet, in order to provide a more effective
seal, and
minimize contact of the product with the user, or for release of the powdered
product.
A viewing port can also be provided if needed or desired.
The air quantity and the size of the integrated cabinet filters (see below)
will
depend on whether sealed gloves are used and/or the size of gap 15, around the
drum
The skilled artisan will be aware that this can be varied depending on, for
example, the
hazard level of the material being handled.
Other types of cabinets can be used in place of glove box 22 depending on the
nature of the products, and the like. For example, a totally closed cabinet,
with
mechanical or electrically controller operating arms, might be used in some
applications. Other modifications to the cabinet will be apparent to the
skilled artisan
depending on the products being handled. For example, opening 20 might also be
adjustable by using inflatable seals or the like, to allow for different sized
drums to be
unloaded. Further, as discussed hereinbelow, other product unloading systems
can be
utilized, such as unloading systems for bags, bulk bags, or the like.
At opening 20, a vacuum gate 26 is positioned and is attached to glove box 22
using a hinge 23. Vacuum gate 26 can be moved to a position adjacent to lower
drum
lid 17, or moved to its open position, as shown in Figure 3. Integral with
vacuum gate
26 are a plurality of suction cups 28, and a vacuum source (not shown) is
connectable
to vacuum gate 26.
It is to be noted that other container unloading arrangements, such as for
bags
or bulk bags, can be provided in place of the drum handling section of this
embodiment,
as described hereinbelow.
At the bottom of glove box 22, is a rotatable spout 40 having an angled wall
surface 41, and a straight wall surface 42. Rotatable spout 40 has an upper
opening 43
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located at the base of glove box 22, and a lower opening 44 located within a
lower
cabinet assembly 46. Spout 40 is rotated using motor 48, around a center of
rotation
which is offset from the central axis of the lower opening. As such, by
rotation of
rotatable spout 40, the position of lower opening 44 will move around to
transcribe a
circle around the center of rotation of rotatable spout 40. However, the
position of upper
opening 43 remains essentially in a constant position (other than rotating).
Other arrangements for the rotatable spout 40 can be provided depending on
the nature of the installation. For example, in more confined areas, an
essentially
horizontal rotatable spout could be provided by using a screw feeder to move
the
product along an essentially horizontal chute, or a vibrating or moveable belt
or bed,
might also be used. Other options will be apparent to the skilled artisan.
Six storage hoppers 50, are shown, in this embodiment, and each has an
opening 52. Openings 52 are located beneath the circular path transcribed by
lower
opening 44 as it rotates. As such, lower opening 44 can be positioned above
any one of
the openings 52 in hoppers 50.
The skilled artisan will understand that the number and size of hoppers 50 can
vary for different embodiments. Most preferably, though, the number of hoppers
will be
between 2 and 10. Most preferably, however, the number of hoppers is between 4
and
8, with 6 hoppers being a most preferred value. The size of each hopper can be
the
same, but can also vary one to the next, depending on the relative volume of
material
being used.
Also, it should be noted that openings 52 are shown in a solid plate 53, and
are
preferably slightly larger than lower opening 44 so that the position of lower
opening 44
does not need to be exactly positioned, while still ensuring that all of the
product exiting
lower opening 52, enters the appropriate hopper 50. As such, the size of
openings 52
are preferably at least 10% larger in diameter than the diameter of lower
opening 44.
More preferably though, openings 52 are at least 20%, and still more
preferably,
at least 30% larger in diameter than the diameter of lower opening 44.
Hoppers 50 are all open within lower cabinet assembly 46. Lower cabinet
assembly 46 includes two filter cartridges 54 which filter the air moving
between lower
cabinet assembly 46, and the area 56 formed around the base of glove box 22.
The
number of filter cartridges, and the type of cartridge can vary depending on
the nature
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of the product being used, the frequency of use, and the like.
Area 56 can be kept under vacuum when apparatus 10 is in use, so that any
material or dust within lower cabinet assembly 46 is drawn into filter
cartridges 54 and
so that any dust escaping around rotatable spout 40, is also collected. Vacuum
to area
56 is provided through dust control pick up 58, which is attached to a remote
vacuum
source. A "flush" air source can be provided through piping 59.
Each of hoppers 50 preferably contain a unique raw material for use in the
production process. Not shown at the bottom of each hopper is a discharge
chute
which can be opened or closed to allow material to exit the hopper. These
chutes can
discharge into a container 60, shown in Figure 8, which containers 60 can be
connected to load cells 62, or the like, which can measure the amount of
material
added to container 60. In a batch operation, for example, a single container
60 with a
load cell 62, can also be used to collect and measure the quantity of material
taken
from each hopper 50.
In operation, a drum 12 is positioned on the top of glove box 22. Drum 12
rests
against drum support arm and bracket 16, and an elasticized cord 18 is placed
around
drum 12 to hold it in place. Vacuum lines are connected to vacuum gate 26, and
to dust
control pick up 58 in order to activate vacuum gate 26, and initiate
collection of any dust
generated in apparatus 10. It is preferred, and recommended, that vacuum gate
26 be
prevented from opening until the dust control system is operational. This can,
however,
be controlled by many possible automatic control systems.
The operator selects the appropriate hopper for the product, and moves the
rotatable spout 40 so that its lower opening 44 is positioned over the opening
of the
appropriate hopper 50. Movement of the rotatable spout 40 can be controlled
manually
by the operator, but preferably is computer controlled by merely having the
operator
select the desired hopper from a display and/or control screen (not shown).
More
preferably, the position of rotatable spout is controlled and/or verified by a
computer
controller (not shown) that verifies the contents of drum 12 using a bar code
reader,
RFID codes or any other drum identification system, or the like, so that the
appropriate
hopper 50 is automatically selected based on the type of material held within
drum 12.
Vacuum gate 26 is positioned adjacent to the lid of drum 12, so that suction
cups 28 engage the lid. Clamp 17 is released so that vacuum gate 26 can be
rotated
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out of the way, and take and hold the drum lid in an open position. Using
openings 24,
the operator can reach in to glove box 22 in order to open the plastic bag
within drum
12, and allow the product to flow into glove box 22.
An optional valve can be provided at the bottom of glove box 22 to close
rotatable spout 40, and thus hold the product within glove box 22. However,
this is
typically not needed. Also, in an optional feature, vacuum gate 26 is
preferably "locked"
by, for example, a mechanical lock, which is controlled by a computer
controller so that
it will not open until the lower opening 44 of rotatable spout 40, is in the
correct position.
From glove box 22, the product flows through rotatable spout 40, and into the
appropriate hopper 50.
Once the contents of drum 12 have been emptied, the operator replaces the
plastic bag and any other contents, back within drum 12, if needed. The drum
lid is
moved back into position on drum 12, by rotating vacuum gate 26. The drum lid
is
sealed to drum 12 using clamp 17, and the vacuum released from suction cups 28
so
that the drum lid is released from vacuum gate 26. The drum can then be
removed
from apparatus 10, and replaced by another drum 12 to be emptied.
It should be noted that the drum lid is held in a position wherein only its
"inner"
surface is exposed to the product. As a result, the other surface, which might
be
contaminated by other materials, does not touch the product. Also,
contamination of the
inside of drum 12 is minimized, since the user never needs to touch the inside
of drum
12.
In Figure 6, a typical installation of a prior art apparatus 110 according to
the
prior art is shown having similar components including a drum 112, a glove box
cabinet
122, and a hopper 150. The contents of hopper 150 can be released to a
container
160, which is connected to a load cell 162. However, it should be noted that
this
installation 110 is only used for a single raw material, and thus, for six
materials, for
example, six different installations 110 would be required. A common
arrangement of
hoppers 150 for six materials, is shown in Figure 7.
In Figure 8, the total installation of an apparatus 10 of the present
invention is
shown, which provides a more compact and integrated method for unloading a
plurality
of different materials through one unloading cabinet, into a plurality of
storage hoppers
50. Similar to the prior art, the contents of hopper 50 can be released to a
container 60,
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which is connected to load cell 62. While the same number of containers are
provided,
the "foot print" required for storage hoppers 50 is shown in Figure 9, which
is clearly
less than the area required by the prior art in Figure 7.
In Figure 10, an alternative embodiment of the apparatus 10A of the present
invention is shown wherein hoppers 50 are substantially uncovered (by removing
plate
53), so that previous openings 52 are effectively the size of the tops of
hoppers 50.
In this embodiment, hoppers 50 are separated only by a ridge of material 55
provided by joining the side walls of adjacent hoppers 50 together to form the
ridge 55.
As a result, hoppers 50 are now open within lower cabinet area 46, and rotary
spout 40
moves around the lower cabinet area 46 so as to deposit material into hoppers
50.
With this design, all of the material exiting the lower opening of rotary
spout 40
is deposited into a hopper, and the minimal amount of material collecting on
ridges 55
is not of concern. While some dust from one hopper might "contaminate" an
adjacent
hopper, the amount is typically not significant, and thus, this design can be
utilized.
In Figure 11, a further embodiment of the present invention wherein a modified
apparatus 10B is shown. In this embodiment, the drum-based product unloading
system has been replaced by a bag unloading system. As a result, a cabinet 64
is
provided into which a bag of material can be inserted. The contents of the bag
(not
shown) are dumped through grid 66, which grid prevents the bag from falling
into rotary
spout 40. Once the product has been dumped into rotary spout 40, the apparatus
1 OB
operates in a manner similar to the previously described devices.
However, at the bottom of each storage hopper 50 is a load cell 62. Moreover,
to measure the amount of product within hoppers 50, the entire lower cabinet
46 is
supported from supports 72, through additional load cells 74, and via hopper
supports
75. Supports 72 are connected to the apparatus support structure, and not to
the
apparatus, per se, other than through the load cells 74. Similarly, the upper
cabinet
area is supported from apparatus support structure trusses 68. As such, the
upper and
lower cabinets are connected together only by a flexible material 70. This
flexible
material can be any suitable material depending on the products stored in the
hoppers,
and the like, and can be a material such as a cloth, neoprene, a rubberized
membrane,
or the like, which allows the upper and lower cabinets to move independently.
As such, the product from a bag can be dumped into a hopper 50, through
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cabinet 64, and the amount of material collected within the hopper 50 can be
measured
using load cells 74. In this manner, the amount of material added from the bag
can be
verified.
Product released from hoppers 50 can also be measured using the load cells 60
on each hopper 50. Thus, the user is able to verify the amount of material
added to the
storage hoppers, as well as the amount of material removed from the storage
hoppers.
In Figure 12, a view of the lower cabinet of Figure 11 is shown wherein
additional details of construction can be seen. In particular, the flexible
membrane 70,
and the ridges 55 between storage hoppers 50 can be seen.
In Figure 13, the connection using flexible material 70 is shown in further
detail
wherein the flexible material 70 is clamped between concentric rings of rigid
material 76
around the outside of both of the upper and lower cabinets so as to connect
the two
together, but allow some movement between the upper and lower cabinets. An
optional
thin metal protective cover, such as a thin steel sheet, can also be added to
protect the
flexible material from damage.
In Figure 14, a further embodiment of the present invention is shown wherein
the product to be added to apparatus 10C is provided in a bulk bag 80. Bag 80
is
supported by its own support frame 82. Bag 80 is emptied through chute 84
through a
control valve 86. In the cutaway view shown in Figure 15, the product passes
to a rotary
spout 88 having a shallow angle, and which incorporates a vibratory screen (or
alternatively, a belt conveyor) to cause the material to be directed to the
selected
hopper 50.
The outside of hoppers 50 is optionally encased with a protective material 90,
which allows the materials stored within hoppers 50 to be explosive materials.
Also, a desiccant is stored within air filter 92 which allows hygroscopic
materials
to be stored within hoppers 50. Air enters the apparatus through filter 92,
and exits
through exhaust pipe 94, and in doing so, the moisture present in the air is
reduced.
Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the
present invention, a powdered product unloading and storage apparatus and
system
which fully satisfies the goals, objects, and advantages set forth
hereinbefore.
Therefore, having described specific embodiments of the present invention, it
will be
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understood that alternatives, modifications and variations thereof may be
suggested to
those skilled in the art, and that it is intended that the present
specification embrace all
such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the scope of
the appended
claims.
Additionally, for clarity and unless otherwise stated, the word "comprise" and
variations of the word such as "comprising" and "comprises", when used in the
description and claims of the present specification, is not intended to
exclude other
additives, components, integers or steps. Further, the invention
illustratively disclosed
herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not
specifically
disclosed herein.
Moreover, the words "substantially" or "essentially", when used with an
adjective
or adverb is intended to enhance the scope of the particular characteristic;
e.g.,
substantially planar is intended to mean planar, nearly planar and/or
exhibiting
characteristics associated with a planar element.
Further, use of the terms "he", "him", or "his", is not intended to be
specifically
directed to persons of the masculine gender, and could easily be read as
"she", "her",
or "hers", respectively.
Also, while this discussion has addressed prior art known to the inventor, it
is
not an admission that all art discussed is citable against the present
application.
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