Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a handheld device suitable for dispensing a solid material such as in powdery or granular form. More particularly, this invention relates to a portable handheld device having a dispensing unit which is releasably attachable to the device. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a handheld solid material dispenser having an auger disposed within a funnel to discharge a predetermined amount of material from the dispenser.

Background of the Invention

In the past, researchers and others desiring to add a predetermined amount of solid material into a system had to perform manual weighing using an analytical balance. One problem with the use of a balance is that inconsistent amounts of material may be applied to different systems as the measurement relies on the user's observations. Furthermore, manual preparation of mixtures with similar amounts of material is time consuming and may be impractical for mass production purposes. To solve this problem, those skilled in the art have developed automated devices for providing the proper amount of solid material to a system. However, these devices are typically modules integrated into a larger system and not easy to operate. These devices are also relatively expensive. Hence, it is often cost prohibitive to have such a system for research, experiments, and/or other small scale uses. Thus, those skilled in the art are constantly striving to provide a portable dispenser that is capable of consistently discharging a small amount of material for adding into a system.

US Patent Number 7,614,429 B2, titled "Apparatus and Methods for Storing and Dispensing Solid Material" issued to Symyx Solutions Inc. on 10 November 2009, is directed to a dispensing unit suitable to precisely dispense a very small amount of solid material. The dispensing device comprises a gate valve opening and a control unit interconnected to a scaling device for controlling the opening of the gate valve to dispense a precise amount of material from the device. It is a further object to provide a device which is suitable to reduce the risk of dispensing errors, and prevent contamination, spilling or loss of material. However, the device is not so portable and is not a handheld operable device. Further, this device is relatively expensive. Thus, it is impractical for small scale operations.

Summary of the Invention

The above and other problems are solved and an advance in the art is made by a handheld dispenser in accordance with this invention. The handheld device in accordance with this invention is suitable for consistently dispensing any amount of solid material. A first advantage of the handheld device in accordance with this invention is that the size of the device is small. Thus, the device is portable; handheld operable; and easy to carry and transport. A second advantage of a device in accordance with this invention is that the device is easy to use and cheaper to manufacture due to the relatively simple structure of the device. A third advantage of a device in accordance with this invention is that the device comprises a dispensing unit that is releasably attachable to a control module so that one control module can be used with different dispensing units containing different materials without the risk of contamination of the materials. This is because contamination of material tends to happen due to the improper cleaning of parts of a dispensing device which come into contact with the dispensed material. In accordance with this invention, only the dispensing unit comes into contact with the dispensed material. Thus, there is no risk of contamination. A fourth advantage of a device in accordance with this invention is that a predetermined amount of material can be consistently dispensed in multiple times.

A handheld device for dispensing a solid material in accordance with embodiments of this invention that provides the above advantages is configured in the following manner. The handheld device comprises a holder and a dispenser adapted to be releasably attachable to the holder. The holder includes a drive member and means for controlling the drive member to cause the drive member to operate for a predetermined amount of time. The dispenser includes a dispensing receptacle having a first opening for receiving the solid material and a second opening for dispensing the solid material. The dispenser further includes an auger disposed within the dispensing receptacle to facilitate driving of the solid material received through the first opening towards the second opening of the dispensing receptacle. The dispenser also includes a connector for attaching a container that stores the solid material to the dispensing receptacle. An opening of the container is associated with the first opening of the dispensing receptacle when the container is attached to allow the solid material to flow from the container into the dispensing receptacle through the first opening. The handheld device further comprises a coupling for affixing the dispenser to the holder to engage the dispensing receptacle with the drive member to allow the drive member to rotate the dispensing receptacle about the auger to cause material to flow out of the dispensing receptacle through the auger.

Preferably, the controlling means includes a clutch for engaging and disengaging the drive member to and from the dispensing receptacle. The drive member includes a gear and an electric motor for rotating the gear. The dispensing receptacle also has cogs around an outer sidewall of the dispensing receptacle that cooperate with the gear of the drive member to rotate the dispensing receptacle. The dispensing receptacle is conically shaped to act as a funnel with the first opening on a first end of the dispensing receptacle having a first circumference and the second opening on a second end of the dispensing receptacle has a second circumference wherein the first circumference is greater than the second circumference.

Preferably, the handheld device further comprises a three-spoke plate disposed between the container and the dispensing receptacle in the dispenser wherein the auger extends from the three-spoke plate into the dispensing receptacle. The holder of the handheld device includes a reset button for initialization of the controlling means, and at least one button for setting the number of rotations to be performed by the drive member. The controlling means in the holder further comprises a display unit for displaying the number of rotations to be performed by the drive member. The holder also includes a compartment for housing a battery for the controlling means.

Preferably, the container of the dispenser is releasably attached to the connector of the dispenser. A threading proximate the first opening of the dispensing receptacle for mating with a corresponding threading of the connector of the dispenser. A threading proximate the opening of the container for mating with a corresponding threading of the connector of the dispenser. The holder of the handheld device further comprises a locking mechanism for securing the dispenser to the holder. The locking mechanism includes a clip and a spring for biasing the clip to hold the dispenser in position. The handheld device is operable to dispense a predetermined amount of the solid material out of the dispensing receptacle. Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other features and advantages of this invention are described in the following Detailed Description of the invention and are shown in the following drawings:

Figure 1 illustrating a perspective view of the handheld dispenser in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 illustrating a side view of the handheld dispenser in accordance with the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 illustrating a cross sectional view along line Y-Y of Figure 1 of the handheld dispenser in accordance with the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 illustrating a side view of the handheld dispenser in accordance with the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 1 with the dispensing unit separated from the handheld dispenser;

Figure 5 illustrating a partial view of the handheld dispenser in accordance with the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 illustrating a partial cross sectional view along line X-X of Figure 1 of the handheld dispenser in accordance with the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 1.

Figure 7 illustrating a partial view of the coupling of gear and funnel of the handheld dispenser in accordance with the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 1.

Figure 8 illustrating graphs of data collected for manual weighing of 40 mg and 100 mg of material for 50 bottles;

Figure 9 illustrating graphs of data collected for dispensing of 40 mg and 100 mg of material for 50 bottles using the handheld dispenser in accordance with the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 1. Description of the Invention

This invention relates to a handheld device suitable for dispensing a solid material such as in powdery or granular form. More particularly, this invention relates to a portable handheld device having a dispensing unit being releasably attachable to the device. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a handheld solid material dispenser having an auger disposed within a funnel to discharge a predetermined amount of solid material from the dispenser. The following description describes an embodiment in accordance with this invention.

Figure 1 illustrates handheld dispenser 100 that is an embodiment in accordance with this invention. Handheld dispenser 100 includes a holder 105 which is a main control module. Preferably, holder 105 is configured to have a size and weight that allows handheld dispenser 100 to be used with one hand by a user. Holder 105 encloses a circuitry internally for controlling the dispensing of material. One skilled in the art will recognize that holder 105 may be configured in any suitable shapes without departing from this invention.

Holder 105 includes handle 110 for gripping. Preferably, handle 110 is designed to allow for one hand to grip handle 110. More particularly, handle 110 is configured such that the grip allows a thumb to be positioned over top side of handle 110 with fingers being wrapped around the length of handle 110. One skilled in the art will recognize that handle 110 may have other grip configurations without departing from this invention.

Handle 110 has reset button 170 that protrudes from a top side of handle 110. Reset button 170 is connected to the circuitry inside holder 105 that initializes the dispensing operation. Enabling button 171 protrudes from a side or "finger rest" of handle 110 and connects to the circuitry for enabling the dispensing of the material. Further, as shown in Figure 2, at least one button 172 for presetting the amount of material to be dispensed which is determined by the number of rotations of the motor inside holder 105. Display unit 175 displays the number of rotations of the motor preset by the at least one button 172. Although a two-digit display unit is shown in Figure 2, display unit 175 can be a single digit or multiple digits, depending on the number of rotations required. One skilled in the art will also recognize that buttons 170, 171 , 172 and display unit 175 may be placed in any positions on holder 105 and holder 105 may include other buttons (e.g. power button) for controlling other features without departing from this invention.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, panel 150 is on a side of handle 110 and encloses a battery compartment 155 that stores a battery (not shown) for powering the circuitry of handheld dispenser 100. Panel 151 covers a motor compartment 156 inside holder 105. An electric motor (not shown) in motor compartment 156 is used to rotate funnel 130 as described below. One skilled in the art will recognize that panels 150, 151 and compartments 155, 156 may be placed in other places on holder 105 without departing from this invention.

Figure 4 show that handheld dispenser 100 comprises holder 105 and dispenser 115 that is releasably attachable to holder 105. Dispenser 115 includes connector 160 for connecting dispensing receptacle 130, preferably cpnically shaped to act as a funnel, and container 120 for storing the material. Preferably, connector 160 includes rails 161 which insert into slots 106 on an end of holder 105 opposite handle 110. One or more clips 180 may move about a pivot to lock connector 160 in place. Preferably, clip 180 includes a spring or other device that bias clips 180 to hold connector 160 in position when connected to holder 105. As connector 160 is detachable from holder 105, different connectors 160 for different materials may be used without the risk of contamination of the materials and with minimal down time in changing container 120.

Container 120 is a container made of glass or other material that stores an amount of solid material. Container 120 includes threads around an opening that are mated to the corresponding threads in an opening through a top surface of connector 160. Preferably, container 120 is connected to a top side of connector 160 such that material from container 120 flows into connector 160. Funnel 130 is rotatively mounted to an opening in a bottom surface of connector 160. Funnel 130 has openings on a top and bottom side and is mounted such that the tapered bottom side is distal from the surface of connector 160 to form a restrictive dispenser.

Figure 5 illustrates a partial cross sectional view of a portion of holder 105 and dispenser 115. Electric motor 210 drives the connected gear 220. Gear 220 is configured to rotate funnel 130 as shown in Figure 6. Preferably, a controlling means by way of clutch 111 is used to engage and disengage gear 220 to funnel 130. Material from container 120 flows into funnel 130. Preferably, funnel 130 is gravity fed by container 120. However, other means for flowing the material from container 120 into funnel 130 may be used without departing from this invention. Auger 240 is positioned inside funnel 130 along a longitudinal axis of funnel 130 and is connected to three- spoke plate 320 (shown in Figure 7) disposed within connector 160 between funnel 130 and container 120. Preferably, auger 240 does not rotate with funnel 130. The rotation of funnel 130 dispenses the material out of the bottom of funnel 130 as more material flows from container 120 into funnel 130. One skilled in the art will recognize that in other embodiments, auger 240 may rotate while funnel 130 remains stationary.

The circuitry (not shown) inside of holder 105 controls the dispensing of material in the following manner. When an on/off button is pressed, power is applied to the circuitry. When reset button 170 is pressed, the circuitry will be initialized and ready for operation. When button 171 is pressed and hold, the circuitry is activated to cause motor 210 to rotate gear 220 which in turn rotates the associated funnel 130 for a specified number of rotations in accordance with a counter in the circuitry. To set the counter in the circuitry, a user presses buttons 172 and the number of rotations is shown in display unit 175. In response to the activation of button 171 , funnel 130 begins to rotate and the counter starts counting the number of rotations and/or time of rotation of funnel 130. The rotation of funnel 130 and the counter continue until button 171 is released or the preset number of rotations have been completed. A user can calibrate and preset handheld dispenser 100 by dispensing material on a balance until the desired amount of material is dispensed. The desired number of rotations and/or time can be stored for future use.

The efficiency of handheld dispenser 100 as compared to manual weighing is shown in Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 illustrates a manual weighing of 40 mg and 100 mg of material for 50 bottles, respectively. As shown, an average error of more than 15% is demonstrated in both 40 mg and 50 mg graphs, and the total time to complete the task is about 30 minutes. Figure 9 illustrates the dispensing of 40 mg and 50 mg of material for 50 bottles using handheld dispenser 100. An average error of less than 5% is shown in Figure 9, which is better than the manual weighing shown in Figure 8. Further, the total time to complete the task is about 10 minutes, which is faster then the manual weighing.

The above is a description of one embodiment of a handheld solid material dispenser in accordance with this invention. It is expected that other can and will design alternative embodiments that infringe on this invention as set forth in the following claim either literally or the Doctrine of Equivalents.