Apparatus for filling a container with bulk material

{
  "publication_number": "US11407599B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Apparatus for filling a container with bulk material",
  "abstract": "An apparatus for filling a container with bulk material, in particular sand, comprises a storage container for the bulk material with a closable lid and an outlet, a metering device arranged beneath the storage container and a pneumatic feeding device arranged under the metering device for feeding the bulk material into the container to be filled with the aid of compressed air via a feed hose. The feeding device has an injector with a plurality of, preferably at least five, holes for the compressed air.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus for filling a container with bulk material comprising: a storage container for bulk material with a closable lid and an outlet; a metering device beneath the storage container; a pneumatic feeding device beneath the metering device for feeding the bulk material into the storage container; a feed hose configured to fill the pneumatic feeding device with air; the pneumatic feeding device having an injector with one or more a plurality of holes for receiving compressed air, at least one of which is angularly displaced relative to a flow centerline a control device configured to activate the pneumatic feeding device over a predefined time interval after deactivation of the feeding of the bulk material to remove the bulk material from the feed hose; and a sensor inside the feeding device and connected to the control device, the sensor configured to detect flow of the bulk material through the feed hose, the sensor configured to provide output to the control device indicating flow of the bulk material, the control device configured to deactivate the pneumatic feeding device based on the output from the sensor.",
    "2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the injector has at least five of the holes.",
    "3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more holes includes a central hole in the injector and additional holes arranged circularly around the central hole at the same angular distances from one another.",
    "4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the additional holes arranged around the central hole conically extend outward.",
    "5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second sensor for detecting the fill level of the bulk material in the storage container.",
    "6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metering device includes an actuatable metering piston and a return spring.",
    "7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lower region of the storage container above the outlet includes at least one nozzle that opens into the storage container and is connected to a pressure regulator by an air line.",
    "8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an air connection.",
    "9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a compressor configured to provide the air.",
    "10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a blow-out lance is at a free end of the feed hose.",
    "11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an extraction nozzle is at the blow-out lance.",
    "12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the extraction nozzle is arranged displaceably and fixably in a longitudinal direction of the blow-out lance.",
    "13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the extraction nozzle is connected to an extraction and dust removal device via an extraction hose.",
    "14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an actuating element is at the blow-out lance, and an actuating element is connected to the control device.",
    "15. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platform having at least one wheel connected to a drive that is coupled to the storage container.",
    "16. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an accumulator energy storage device configured to power the pneumatic feeding device.",
    "17. An apparatus for filling a container with bulk material, comprising: a storage container for bulk material with a closable lid and an outlet; a metering device beneath the storage container; a pneumatic feeding device beneath the metering device for receiving compressed air via a feed hose and feeding the bulk material into the container; the pneumatic feeding device having an injector with a plurality of holes compressed air, at least one of which is angularly displaced relative to a flow centerline, the pneumatic feeding device having a pressure sensor; a control device configured to activate the pneumatic feeding device during a predefined time interval after cessation of feeding the bulk material into the container; wherein a pressure sensor is in the feeding device and wherein the pressure sensor is connected to the control device; and wherein the control device is configured to deactivate the pneumatic feeding device based on an output from the pressure sensor.",
    "18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of holes include a central hole in the injector and additional holes are arranged circularly around the central hole at the same angular distances from one another.",
    "19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the additional holes of the plurality of holes are arranged around the central hole and conically extend outward."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to an apparatus for filling a container with bulk material, in particular sand, comprising a storage container for the bulk material with a closable lid and an outlet, a metering device arranged beneath the storage container and a pneumatic feeding device arranged under the metering device for feeding the bulk material into the container to be filled with the aid of compressed air via a feed hose.\n\nThe present invention relates principally but not exclusively to an apparatus for filling a sand container such as is used in particular in rail-mounted and driven vehicles in sanding systems for supporting the braking and drive technology. The containers for the bulk material, in particular the sand containers in vehicles, in particular rail vehicles, are usually filled by hand or semi-automatically with the bulk material, in particular grit. Apart from the fact that the filling of bulk material containers is very time-consuming and physically demanding, this frequently also results in considerable formation of dust with the result that the health of the staff is endangered or protective measures are required.\n\nStationary filling apparatuses additionally have the disadvantage that in the case of various vehicles whose storage containers are to be filled with bulk material and with various vehicle lengths, various feed paths must be created for the bulk material and bridged, with the result that the filling process takes even longer and the costs also increase.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65G 53/10",
    "B61K 11/00",
    "B65G 53/12",
    "B65G 53/42",
    "B65G 53/66"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 53/12",
    "B65G 53/42",
    "B65G 53/66"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Nowe GmbH"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Alexander Reich",
    "Ralf Weiss",
    "Werner Bartling"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-04-21",
  "publication_date": "2022-08-09",
  "grant_date": "2022-08-09",
  "priority_date": "2019-04-26",
  "application_number": "US-202017280325-A",
  "family_id": "70480227",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}