The present invention relates to a bulk material inlet connector such as those used with bulk material hoppers. More particularly but not exclusively it may relate to an inlet connector that can connect a hopper containing bulk material with a valve that can charge a conveying system with the material in a controlled manner.

BACKGROUND

Pneumatic conveying systems are used in many applications including in the food industry. Pneumatic conveyors allow for granular or powdered materials to be transported in the manufacturing process from one location to another. In a pneumatic conveying system, material to be transported is often loaded into a hopper in bulk. The material to be transported is progressively introduced from the hopper into a conduit. The so-loaded material is able to be transported pneumatically along the conduit. Typically, an air lock is required to ensure that the pneumatic charge to carry the material along the conduit does not leak undesirably from the conduit such as into the hopper. Air leakages will reduce the efficiency of the conveying system and may cause blockage or disruption to the desired flow of the material from the hopper into the conduit. An airlock is commonly established using a rotary valve located between the hopper and the conduit. The rotary valve can both load the conduit with a charge of material to be transported in a controlled manner and provide for an airlock to be established to a certain degree. Examples of such conveying systems using hopper and a rotary valve can be seen in JP4990086 and EP0816266.

A perfectly sealed airlock cannot be established for a rotary valve. Both clearance leakage and displacement leakage will occur. This can cause airflow up through the bulk material being dispensed from the hopper. EP0816266 shows a system where a vent (15) is provided to help control leakage in order to prevent leaked air travelling counter to the material being dispensed from the hopper. This is effective to some extent.

An alternative known method, as shown in JP4990086, is to use a baffle (40) to help separate the material in-flow (R1) into a rotary valve from air leakage outflow (R2). The baffle provides a passage for air leakage without such airflow blowing up through the material entering the rotary valve. However, such a system is still not completely without problems as some amount of air leakage occurs into the primary material flow path that feed material into the rotary valve. As a result, it is common for material bridging to occur. Material bridging will seal the inlet to the rotary valve and prevent further material entering the rotary valve and being dispensed into the pneumatic conveyor. Typically, the delivery conduit or hopper feeding the inlet of the rotary valve is made of a rigid material such as food grade stainless steel. Being opaque makes it difficult for a plant operator to detect the onset of material bridging to then make adjustments to the operation of the system to prevent a complete material bridging or to remove the bridge. If a bridging is detected, typically sensed from a poor through-put of material on the pneumatic conveyor or from audible feedback of the system, the means by which the bridge is removed is fairly rudimentary. The feed conduit may get physically struck hard a number of times by an operator to try to break up the bridge. A hammer or piece of timber may be used by an operator to hit the outside of the feed conduit to shake the feed conduit in an attempt to break up the bridge and cause the material at the bridge to pass into the rotary valve. It will be appreciated that this approach has many drawbacks and is an undesirable approach to ensuring that high performance of the system is maintained.

It may hence be an object of the present invention to provide a bulk material inlet connector which overcomes or at least partially ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.

It may also be an object of the present invention to provide a bulk material hopper which overcomes or at least partially ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.

In this specification, where reference has been made to external sources of information, including patent specifications and other documents, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless stated otherwise, reference to such sources of information is not to be construed, in any jurisdiction, as an admission that such sources of information are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art. For the purposes of this specification, the term "plastic" shall be construed to mean a general term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization products, and generally consisting of a hydrocarbon-based polymer.

For the purpose of this specification, where method steps are described in sequence, the sequence does not necessarily mean that the steps are to be chronologically ordered in that sequence, unless there is no other logical manner of interpreting the sequence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention may be said to be a bulk material connector to establish a dual passageway of (a) a confined delivery passage for material transporting from a bulk store or other source of material via an outlet conduit to a material inlet of a valve (such as a rotary valve) and (b) a confined exhaust passage for airflow leakage from the material inlet of or to the valve via the outlet conduit, the connector comprising: an elongate primary dual passageway defining member (herein after "passage defining member") comprising of a wall of a flexible film material extending between an inlet (preferably comprising an inlet cuff) defining an inlet opening of the passage member and an outlet cuff defining an outlet opening of the passage member, at least one of the inlet and outlet cuff adapted and configured for releasably connecting to an inlet conduit and outlet conduit respectively, a divider of a flexible plastic material spanning across the passage defining member and between the inlet and outlet cuff to define the dual passage way of the confined delivery passage and confined exhaust passage within the passage defining member, wherein at least one of the inlet and outlet cuff comprises a resiliently deformable snap band underlying a radially outward profiled ring that is able to be releasably registered in a complimentary profiled spigot of at least one of said inlet and outlet conduits and when so registered creates an interface with the inlet/outlet conduit that prevents said material from escaping the passage and securely holds the connector to the inlet/outlet conduit.

In a second aspect the present invention may be said to be a hopper to establish a dual passageway of (a) a confined delivery passage for material transporting from a bulk store or other source of material via an outlet conduit to a material inlet of a valve (such as a rotary valve) and (b) a confined exhaust passage for airflow leakage from the material inlet of or to the valve via the outlet conduit, the hopper comprising: an elongate primary dual passageway defining member (herein after "passage defining member") comprising of a wall of a flexible film material extending between an inlet (preferably comprising an inlet cuff) defining an inlet opening of the passage member and an outlet cuff defining an outlet opening of the passage member, at least one of the inlet and outlet cuff adapted and configured for releasably connecting to an optional inlet conduit and outlet conduit respectively, a divider of a flexible plastic material spanning across the passage defining member and between the inlet and outlet to define the dual passageway separating the confined delivery passage from the confined exhaust passage within the passage defining member, wherein at least one of the inlet and outlet cuff comprises a resiliently deformable snap band underlying a radially outward profiled ring that is able to be releasably registered in a complimentary profiled spigot of at least one of said inlet and outlet conduits and when so registered creates an interface with the inlet/outlet conduit that prevents said material from escaping the passage and securely holds the connector to the inlet/outlet conduit.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a materials transportation system that comprises said connector as herein defined releasably engaged to an outlet conduit of or connect or otherwise provisioned for supply of material to a rotary valve to the dosing of material into a pneumatic conveyor utilising the outlet cuff.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a hopper to establish a dual passageway of (a) a confined delivery passage for material transporting from a bulk store or other source of material via an outlet conduit to a material inlet conduit of a valve and (b) a confined exhaust passage for airflow leakage from the material inlet conduit of or to the valve via the outlet conduit, the hopper comprising: an elongate primary dual passageway defining member (herein after "passage defining member") comprising of a wall of a flexible film material extending between an inlet defining an inlet opening of the passage member and an outlet defining an outlet opening of the passage member, the inlet adapted and configured for connection to said outlet conduit and the outlet adapted and configured for connecting to said inlet conduit, a divider of a flexible plastic material spanning across the passage defining member and between the inlet and outlet to define the dual passageway separating the confined delivery passage from the confined exhaust passage within the passage defining member.

Preferably the outlet conduit presents a spigot with which outlet cuff can releasable engage.

Preferably the divider is adhered to the wall of the passage defining member.

Preferably the divider is welded to the wall of the passage defining member.

Preferably the passage defining member is frustoconical in shape.

Preferably the passage defining member is an asymmetrical frustoconical shape.

Preferably the passage defining member is asymmetrical frustoconical shape.

Preferably the valve is a rotary valve connector.

Preferably the divider is substantially planar, preferably the plane being parallel the elongate direction of the passage defining member.

Preferably the elongate direction is parallel the direction between the inlet opening and outlet opening.

Preferably the notional plane in which the divider lies divides the inlet opening in two and the outlet opening in two.

Preferably the notional plane in which the divider lies divides the inlet opening unequally in two and the outlet opening unequally in two.

Preferably the notional plane in which the divider lies, divides the inlet opening in two to establish a material inlet of the connector and an air outlet for said leaked airflow and divides the outlet opening in two to establish a materials outlet of the connector and an air inlet for said leaked airflow.

Preferably the so divided inlet opening is divided either equally or unequally.

Preferably the divider defines a materials inlet and a leaked airflow outlet adjacent the inlet opening and within said body.

Preferably the divider defines a materials outlet and a leaked airflow inlet adjacent the outlet opening and within said body.

Preferably the divider comprises of an inlet edge at and between the materials inlet and the leaked airflow outlet and spanning across the passage member.

Preferably the inlet edge spans laterally and across the passage member.

Preferably the inlet edge is able to register with a surface that facilitates the separation of leaked airflow from the connector from the material delivery passage.

Preferably the divider comprises of an divider edge at and between the material outlet and the leaked airflow outlet and spanning across the body.

Preferably the divider edge spans laterally and across the passage member.

Preferably the divider edge is able to register with a baffle that facilitates the separation of leaked airflow into the connector from the material delivery passage.

Preferably the divider edge comprises a rigid member that creates a rigid divider edge that extends across the passage member.

Preferably the rigid member is an elongate rigid bar or plate.

Preferably the rigid member keeps the divider edge of the rigid.

Preferably the divider edge is able to abut and extend parallel an edge of the baffle to separate the airflow leaked from the rotary valve from the inflow of material into the rotary valve.

Preferably the passage member is circular in cross section. Preferably the passage member is of a tapered shape.

Preferably the connector may be a hopper and where the inlet opening of the hopper is able to receive a supply of material.

Preferably the connector at the at least one of said inlet and outlet openings comprises of a shape retaining member.

Preferably the shape retaining member is of circular or cylindrical form.

Preferably the shape retaining member is of a metal or metal alloy.

Preferably the shape retaining member is a snap band.

Preferably wherein at the inlet of the connector is provided an inwardly deformable profiled ring to be nested inside a profiled spigot defining the opening of the outlet conduit.

Preferably at the outlet of the connector there is provided an inwardly deformable profiled ring to be nested inside a profiled spigot defining the opening of the inlet conduit.

Preferably the inlet cuff comprises an annularly profiled ring outwardly of the snap band.

Preferably the outlet cuff comprises an annularly profiled ring outwardly of the snap band.

Preferably the or each annularly profiled ring has at least one annular rib directed to the outwardly.

Preferably the or each cuff is resilient so as to be deformable inwardly of the elongate direction of the connector to facilitate insertion or removal of the cuff to/from the profiled spigot but with sufficient return bias to or towards a more relaxed condition such that the cuff and the spigot holds the spigot and connector against axial separation.

Preferably the snap band is resilient so as to be deformable inwardly of the elongate direction of the connector with its adjacent profiled ring, to facilitate insertion or removal of the band and profiled ring from the profiled spigot but with sufficient return bias to or towards a more relaxed condition such that the at least one annular rib in engagement with the spigot holds the spigot and connector against axial separation.

Preferably the two such ribs are part of said profiled ring.

Preferably the snap band underlies a profiled ring, that profiled ring providing the ribs.

Preferably a fold back of the wall encloses said profiled ring and snap band.

Preferably the profiled ring has two parallel annular ribs and the respective spigot has two parallel complementary grooves that each conform to a said annular rib of the ring.

Preferably the connector is retrofittable to the inlet and outlet conduits.

Preferably the connector is not secured using pipe clamps to inlet and outlet conduits.

Preferably the outlet opening of the connector is of a larger cross sectional area than the cross sectional area than its inlet opening.

Preferably the inlet opening of the connector is of a larger cross sectional area than the cross sectional area than its outlet opening.

Preferably the inlet opening of the connector is of the same cross sectional area as the cross sectional area as its outlet opening.

Preferably the connector is a unit able to be secured and removed from the inlet and outlet conduits without using tools.

Preferably the connector is a unit able to be secured and removed from the inlet and outlet conduits by the snap fit arrangement as herein described.

Preferably the connector is a unit able to be secured and removed from the inlet and outlet conduits only by the snap fit arrangement as herein described.

Preferably the connector is a consumable provided as a unit. Preferably the connector is a disposable unit.

Preferably the connector is generally of a plastics material or materials save for the snap band.

Preferably the connector is able to releasably engage and disengage with the inlet and/or outlet conduits in a tool-less manner.

Preferably the connector is able to releasably engage and disengage with the inlet and/or outlet conduits not requiring any tools.

Preferably the connector is able to releasably engage and disengage with the inlet and/or outlet conduits manually by an adult human and not requiring the use of any tools.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a connector as herein described.

In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a connector as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Other aspects of the invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both.

As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular forms of the noun.

The term "comprising" as used in this specification [and claims] means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting statements in this specification [and claims] which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same manner.

The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications, cited above and below, if any, are hereby incorporated by reference.

This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a generalised view of a pneumatic conveying system including a hopper and a rotary valve,

Figure 2 illustrates a close-up cross-sectional view through part of the system as shown in figure 2,

Figure 3 is a side view illustrating the use of the hopper/connector as part of a pneumatic conveying system,

Figure 4a is a close-up perspective view showing part of a rotary valve and an outlet conduit with spigot and weir plate as part of the configuration of the present invention,

Figure 4b is a plain view of the outlet conduit,

Figure 4c is a side view of a connector/hopper engaged to an outlet conduit,

Figure 4d is an alternative side view of a connector/hopper connected to an outlet conduit,

Figure 4e is a perspective view of an outlet conduit,

Figure 4f is a perspective view of an outlet conduit,

Figure 4g illustrates the connector/hopper engaged to an outlet conduit,

Figure 4h is an alternative view of figure 4g,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an inlet conduit,

Figure 6 is a close-up view of part of the inlet conduit and cross-section,

Figure 7 illustrates the interface between a cuff and a spigot as part of the present invention,

Figure 8 is a sectional view through part of a conduit with its spigot showing, Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view through part of a cuff of a connector/hopper, Figure 10 illustrates the process of the snap engagement of a connector/hopper with a spigot, Figure 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of a connector secured at an outlet conduit using the spigot of the outlet conduit,

Figure 12 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the arrangement of figure 11,

Figure 13 is a view of the outlet of a connect/hopper,

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view through the cuff region of the connector/hopper shown in figure 13,

Figure 14 is a side view of an outlet conduit,

Figure 16 is a close-up cross-sectional view through part of the spigot of the outlet conduit,

Figure 17 is a view of an alternative shape of cuff of a connector/hopper,

Figure 18 is a side view of an outlet conduit with a spigot of a different configuration,

Figure 19 shows an outlet cuff of a connector/hopper for engagement with the spigot of figure 18,

Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of the spigot,

Figure 21 is a perspective view of the outlet conduit with spigot,

Figure 22 is a plain view of figure 21

Figure 23 is a side view of figure 21

Figure 24 is a cross-sectional and close up view of the spigot of the outlet conduit of figure 21.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the preferred form of the present invention a connector 201 (herein after "connector") is shown in figures 1 and 3. It defines a passageway for the transfer of material upstream of the connector to downstream of the connector. Downstream of the connector may be for example a weigh station 800 where a dose of material received from upstream, is able to be weighed before it is transferred via a pneumatic conveying system 801 to a further downstream location 802. The connector 201 is able to be placed intermediate of, and provides a continuation of the passageway of material from upstream plant or equipment 1000 and a downstream conduit 2000. Upstream may be a bulk material supply from a hopper of the like.

The connector preferably comprises an inlet opening 150 at where an inlet, that may be provided defined by inlet cuff 100, is provided. The connector also comprises an outlet opening 151 at where an outlet, that may be defined by an outlet cuff 200, is provided. Intermediate of the ends of the connector at where the cuffs 100/200 are provided, is a primary passage defining member (eg passage member 600) that defines a passage 700 through the connector. The passage member 600 is preferably a thin flexible film material defining a wall intermediate of the ends to define and enclosed passage through the connector.

Preferably at least one and preferably both ends at 100/200 of the connector 201 are adapted for releasable connection at openings of respective upstream and downstream conduits. For example, when in use and oriented vertically the top of the connector has an inlet cuff 100 adapted to conform and engage outwardly into a complementary profiled region of the spigot 8 of an outlet conduit 3 of plant equipment 1000 such as a hopper or other. Details of the inlet cuff 100 will hereinafter be described. Such details can be mirrored in principle an in shape and configuration at the other end of the connector at an outlet cuff at its interface with an inlet conduit of the downstream conduit 2000.

The connector 201 is preferably able to releaseably engage to the profiled exit 2 of the plant equipment 1000 reliant on deformable profiled entrance of the inlet cuff 100 located at one end of the connector. The deformable profiled entrance forms part of the connector and is an entrance to the passage 700 through the connector. It is preferable deformable to allow it to snap fit within a complimentary profiled exit 2 (that is preferably tubular) of an outlet conduit 3 of or connected to plant equipment.

The connector also preferably comprises an outlet cuff 200 that is similarly configured to allow the connector thereat to connect to a downstream conduit 2000 or connection providing a passage or opening to a valve 810 such as a rotary valve.

The connector has a passage member 600 is a dual passageway member that will herein after be described. The passage member 600 has a wall 186 that is preferably at least substantially, if not totally, gas impervious as its role is to convey particulate materials rather than to separate particulate materials from any air or gas that may be moving therewith, whether as an entrainment flow or not. The wall is preferably a TPU material.

At one or both the inlet and outlet ends of the connector is preferably a respective cuff as shown in figures 7,9,12. At the or each cuff the connector is able to releasable inter-engage with respective upstream and downstream conduits. The cuff is to act to the outside in its inter-engagement utilising a resilient ring or band (such as a snap band 14). The snap and acts radially outwardly onto a overlying profiled ring 15. The assembly of profiled ring 15 about the snap band 14 is preferably captured by the fold back 1 A of the wall 186 which is then attached adhesively such as by heat and/or ultrasonic welding at 16.

The wall 186 extends to the fold back 1A from which it can be deformed inwardly as in the inter-engagement form shown in Figure 7. The wall 186 is preferably continuous over the length of the connector between the inlet opening and outlet opening. The continuation of the wall 186 to the fold back 1 A creates a passage through the connector that is continuous between the inlet and outlet openings of the connector. This means that entrapment of material passing through the connectors is minimised if not eliminated.

The profiled ring 15 and snap band 14 need not be adhered one to the other but can be if desired.

Such an arrangement shown in Figure 7 is then able to inter-engage in a holding engagement with the interior of a complimentary profiled exit 2 of outlet conduit 3. And likewise the outlet cuff 200 is able to connect to the conduit 2000 is a releasable manner.

A preferred method of inter-engaging is as shown in Figures 10-11. As seen there is an outlet conduit 3 that comprises a spigot 8 of plant equipment 1000 to receive the inlet cuff 100 of the connector reliant upon the deformability and resilience of the snap band 14.

Upon release from the condition as shown in Figure 10 a firm interengagement as shown in Figure 7 will result. To remove the flexible ring from the interengagement there is a similar distortion required to enable its ready removal. In preferred forms of the present invention a suitable plastics material can be used for the profiled ring 15. It is shape retaining but can be resilient so that it can conform to the deformation required of the snap band 14 which preferably is of a suitable material e.g. a suitable steel (preferably stainless steel) or could be some appropriate composite or plastics material. When presented in a ring form, the snap band 14 will be resiliently deformable and be caused to move to its shape retaining shape when no pressure is applied to deform it.

Depending on usage, the connector may be made to a food grade material or materials.

Alternative materials to any of those described can be used. There is no need for the material of the connector to be homogeneous, i.e. it can have localised regions of different properties (e.g. material, rigidity, etc) if that is desirable in a particular application.

Various shapes of profiled ring 15 may be utilised. A double ribbed profiled ring 15 is shown in figure 9. Other profiled end forms of the connector are within the scope of the invention that provide for appropriate retention. These may include one or more annular rib. They may include one or more channel. It is preferred that the profiling be of an annular nature rather than helical or otherwise. A single ribbed version of a profiled ring 16 is shown in figure 15.

The spigot 8 may comprises of a channel or channels into or with which the rib or ribs are able to register.

Shown in Figure 8 is a spigot 8 with an annular channel set out from the ducting locus, such channel being shown as channel 11 that is inwardly directed and annular rib 12 set out less than the channel 11 and an annular set out rebate (but it could be a channel) 13 out from that annular rib 12.

Figures 13 through 16 as described show a single annular rib adapted to be received by a complementary profile. Each rib is analogously made to the twin rib form already described.

Similar set outs 17 exist for the single annular rib inter engagement as for the double annular rib inter engagement previously described. Figures 17 through 20 show in a similar style to Figures 13 to 16 a double annular rib series of drawings.

Irrespective of whether or not the annular connector is single ribbed at one end or double ribbed, or as a hybrid of both, persons skilled in the art will appreciate how the system works.

Figures 21 through 24 shows a preferred form of the spigot. It can be of a metal (steel or SS) plastic or a combination of materials. This form has an in-turned region 23 thus meaning that the inwardly directed ridge 24 separates two complete annular retention grooves 25 and 26.

The connector 201 (which may also be considered a hopper in its own right in some configurations) is able to connect with an downstream conduit 2000 that may be part of or may feed into a valve 810 such as a rotary valve shown is figures 1, 2 and 3 for example. The rotary valve 810 in its operation is part of a Pneumatic conveying or transportation system 801 may have air leakage as shown by the arrow 950 in figure 2 during operation. In order to prevent such air leakage that occurs into the collector/hopper from interfering or disrupting the flow of material 960 from the connector to the rotary valve 810 the connector is preferably provided with a divider 970. The divider is preferably of a flexible plastic material such as a plastic film such as TPU that can span across the body of the dual passageway 600 between the inlet and outlet ends thereof. In a preferred form the divider 970 extends a substantial distance between the inlet and outlet ends of the connector. In a preferred form the divider divides the dual passageway member 600 in two and preferably in an unequal sizes. The divider creates a separation between an exhaust passage 971 and a delivery passage 972 of the connector. The delivery passage 972 is where the material in feed occurs for delivery of materials through the connector to the outlet conduit 2000. The exhaust passage 971 is where air leakage is able to travel through the connector for exhaust, at for example the inlet end of the connector. The exhaust may be to a filtration system so that if any material is carried by the exhaust flow reaches the outlet of the connector for the exhaust flow such material can be filtered before the air is discharged to ambient conditions. The divider is preferably sealed along its length to the dual passage member so is to define the dual passageway comprising of the exhaust passage and the delivery passage as here and described.

In a preferred form the outlet conduit 2000 comprises of or presents the spigot 8a as seen in figure 4a and figure 4b includes a weir plate 777. The weir plate 777 is preferably a plate that extends across the opening of the outlet conduit 2000 and is positioned so that it helps to channel exhaust air from the valve 810 to the exhaust passage of the connector and to channel material being delivered through the conduit through its delivery passage to the rotary valve. The weir plate 777 hence divides the opening of the outlet conduit 2000 into an air exhaust opening 778 and a material inlet opening 779. In a preferred form the weir plate extends beyond the mouth of the opening 779 and 778 and partially into the opening 151 of the connector so that it presents an edge 782 that is able to be abutted by a divider edge 783 of the divider of the connector in use. Such allows for the edge 782 and the divide edge 783 of the divider to abut and effectively create a continuation of the passage defined at the opening 779 and 778 with the passages 972 and 971 respectively.

In a preferred form the elongate primary dual passageway defining member is of a flexible plastic material such as TPU that is transparent or translucent. It is also of a flexible nature and as such a person is able to visually inspect and see the material flow into the valve through the connector. Should the material in the connector starts to build up or create a block or bridge preventing or limiting the undesired flow of material through the connector and into the valve, a person is able to see such occurring. In addition to being of a flexible material when such and adverse condition is established or starting to be established, a person is able to fit the outside wall of the body in order to help dislodge or move or change the condition of the material inside the connector to reduce the prospect of such a blockage or imitation in flow within the connector by the material.

In a preferred form the divider includes a rigid or rigidising component at its distal end that will provide or facilitate the provision of a substantially consistently shaped edge of the divider that is complementary to the edge 782 of the weir plate 777. In a preferred form the member is on a rod or stick 784 that is substantially straight to correspond with a substantially straight edge 782 of the weir plate 777. The rod or stick helps to keep the edge of the divider rigid to help keep the material flow separated from the airleak flow. In a preferred form the connector is of an offset or asymmetric frustoconical shape.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate how with the provision of a substantial flushness, there is little in the way of collection areas for particulate materials such as food powders. These should be easily dislodged by regular cleaning without disassembly in conjunction with possible vibrational nature of the structure. Periodic removals of the connector are easy as there is no encircling hose clamp to remove and replace. Removal and replacement is simple.

The arrangement as described provides for good hygiene because the design ensures a tight fit, little or no crevices, little or no build up of product and prevents leakage of materials from the bag during filling. Furthermore the arrangement is less susceptible to damage as no hose clips needed to secure to the equipment and no tools are needed and hence there is no damage as a consequence.

The connector is able to be interchanged quickly from the equipment. This means that if a new connector is required to be used because of damage or wear on the previous connector, this can be done easily, quickly and without the need to use tools. The old connector can be snapped out and the replacement can be snapped in.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to elements or integers having known equivalents, then such equivalents are included as if they were individually set forth.

Although the invention has been described by way of example and with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and/or improvements may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognise that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to elements or integers having known equivalents, then such equivalents are included as if they were individually set forth. Although the invention has been described by way of example and with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and/or improvements may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognise that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.