초록 ▼

When dispensing a flowable substance from a container by way of a motor driven dispensing device, for ensuring that the container is properly inserted into the device, that the substance is still usable and/or that the dispensing speed is selected in accordance with the viscosity or other properties

When dispensing a flowable substance from a container by way of a motor driven dispensing device, for ensuring that the container is properly inserted into the device, that the substance is still usable and/or that the dispensing speed is selected in accordance with the viscosity or other properties of the substance, the container is provided with a marking which may be stored in a transponder provided at a front container cap. When the container is properly inserted into the dispensing device, the transponder cooperates with a sensor disposed in an end wall of the device for enabling and/or controlling the dispensing mechanism on the basis of the characteristic data detected.

대표청구항 ▼

When dispensing a flowable substance from a container by way of a motor driven dispensing device, for ensuring that the container is properly inserted into the device, that the substance is still usable and/or that the dispensing speed is selected in accordance with the viscosity or other properties

When dispensing a flowable substance from a container by way of a motor driven dispensing device, for ensuring that the container is properly inserted into the device, that the substance is still usable and/or that the dispensing speed is selected in accordance with the viscosity or other properties of the substance, the container is provided with a marking which may be stored in a transponder provided at a front container cap. When the container is properly inserted into the dispensing device, the transponder cooperates with a sensor disposed in an end wall of the device for enabling and/or controlling the dispensing mechanism on the basis of the characteristic data detected. oblong article to enter only in a longitudinal orientation in which the longest dimension thereof is generally parallel to a downstream flow path; and wherein the pair of panels and the exit channel upstream portion are spaced such that an oblong article that enters the entry space in a transverse orientation in which its longest dimension is generally perpendicular to the downstream flow path and that strikes the exit channel upstream portion is caused to re-orient itself to a longitudinal orientation and pass into the exit channel. 14. The article-orienting singulating device defined in claim 13, wherein the panels are generally parallel with each other. 15. The article-orienting singulating device defined in claim 14, further comprising a third panel extending between the panels upstream of the exit channel. 16. The article-orienting singulating device defined in claim 13, wherein the panels are pivotally attached to each other such that pivotal movement of the panels relative to one another varies the configuration of the entry space. 17. The article-orienting singulating device defined in claim 13, further comprising a plurality of substantially identical articles to be singulated, the articles being stored in the housing. 18. The article-orienting singulating device defined in claim 17, wherein the articles are generally oblong and have a longitudinal dimension, a first transverse dimension and a second transverse dimension that is less than the longitudinal dimension and greater than the first transverse dimension, and wherein the entry space is defined by a first distance and a second distance larger than and perpendicular to the first distance, and wherein the first distance is greater than the first transverse dimension and less than the smaller of the second transverse dimension and two times the first transverse dimension, and the second distance is greater than the second transverse dimension and less than the smaller of the longitudinal dimension and two times the second transverse dimension, such that articles may pass into the exit channel through the article-orienting unit one at a time in a longitudinal orientation in which the first transverse dimension is generally parallel with the first distance, and the second transverse dimension is generally parallel with the second distance. 19. The article-orienting singulating device defined in claim 17, wherein the articles are generally oblong and have a longitudinal dimension, a first transverse dimension and a second transverse dimension that is less than the longitudinal dimension and greater than the first transverse dimension, and wherein the entry space is defined by a first distance and a second distance larger than and perpendicular to the first distance, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second transverse dimension and less than the smaller of the longitudinal dimension and two times the first transverse dimension, and the second distance is greater than the second transverse dimension and less than the smaller of the longitudinal dimension and two times the first transverse dimension, such that articles may pass through the article-orienting device into the exit channel one at a time in multiple longitudinal orientations. 20. The article-orienting singulating device defined in claim 17, wherein the exit channel is sized and configured such that only one article can pass through any cross-section thereof at a time. 21. A method of singulating items of substantially identical size and configuration from a bulk of such items stored in a housing, comprising the steps of: providing a singulating device comprising a housing and an exit channel fluidly connected thereto, the exit channel defining a flow path; applying a forwardly-directed jet into the exit channel; passing a series of articles in single file into the exit channel; accelerating articles in the exit channel with the forwardly-directed jet; counting the number of article