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An apparatus for dispensing material includes an outlet opening with a perforated cover. A rotatable applicator dispenses material through the perforated cover and may include brushes that sweep across and penetrate the openings of the perforated cover. The housing may also contain a feed roller for

An apparatus for dispensing material includes an outlet opening with a perforated cover. A rotatable applicator dispenses material through the perforated cover and may include brushes that sweep across and penetrate the openings of the perforated cover. The housing may also contain a feed roller for regulating the flow of the material and one or more commutators for fractionating the material.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method comprising: introducing material into an inlet opening of a dispensing apparatus comprising a housing;dispensing the material from the dispensing apparatus through a perforated cover of the dispensing apparatus by rotating a first rotor within the housing, wherein the first rotor compris

1. A method comprising: introducing material into an inlet opening of a dispensing apparatus comprising a housing;dispensing the material from the dispensing apparatus through a perforated cover of the dispensing apparatus by rotating a first rotor within the housing, wherein the first rotor comprises a shaft and a plurality of brushes that brush the material against the perforated cover as the first rotor is rotated;rotating a second rotor within the housing, wherein the second rotor is located above the first rotor and comprises a shaft and a plurality of radially extending blades, and rotation of the second rotor causes the material to pass through the housing from the second rotor toward the first rotor at a predetermined rate; androtating a third rotor within the housing, wherein the third rotor comprises a shaft and a plurality of radially extending blades, wherein the third rotor is positioned below the second rotor and above the first rotor and along a path along which the material flows from the second rotor to the first rotor;wherein a rotational speed of the third rotor is greater than a rotational speed of the second rotor;wherein the first, second, and third rotors are rotated by first, second, and third motors, respectively, and selecting the rotational speeds of the rotors comprises controlling the rotational speeds of the motors. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein rotation of the third rotor is effective to fractionate the material as it flows from the second rotor to the first rotor by breaking up large agglomerated pieces of the material into smaller pieces of the material. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the perforated cover is stationary relative to the housing. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the perforated cover is a screen. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of brushes of the first rotor further comprise a plurality of flexible bristles that extend through the perforated cover as the applicator rotates relative to the perforated cover. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the end portions of the bristles extend past the perforated cover as the first rotor rotates relative to the perforated cover and the bristles come in contact with the cover. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein at the introducing step, the material introduced comprises fruit or vegetable pulp. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the material is dispensed onto a conveying surface and is conveyed through a drying apparatus that causes moisture to be removed from the material. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising removing the material from the drying apparatus and reintroducing the material into the dispensing apparatus to dispense and convey the material through the drying apparatus at least one additional time. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the blades of the second rotor extend axially along the length of the second rotor and radially outward from the shaft of the second rotor such that as the second rotor is rotated, respective outer ends of the blades of the second rotor successively arrive in close proximity to opposing inner surfaces of the housing and inhibit material from flowing unregulated between the outer ends of the blades and the adjacent inner surfaces of the housing. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: rotating a fourth rotor, which comprises a shaft and a plurality of radially extending blades, wherein the fourth rotor is positioned along the path along which the material flows from the second rotor to the first rotor. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of dispensing further comprises depositing a desired thickness of the material onto a conveying surface, and the method further comprises selecting the rotational speeds of the rotors to achieve the desired thickness. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein a rotational speed of the first rotor is greater than the rotational speed of the second rotor. 14. A method comprising: introducing fruit or vegetable pulp into a dispensing apparatus comprising a housing, a first rotor disposed in the housing and comprising a shaft and a plurality of brushes supported on the shaft, a second rotor disposed in the housing and comprising a shaft and a plurality of radially extending blades, and a third rotor disposed in the housing and comprising a shaft and a plurality of radially extending blades, wherein the third rotor is located above the first rotor and the second rotor is located above the third rotor;rotating the second rotor to cause the fruit or vegetable pulp to flow from the second rotor toward an outlet of the housing at a predetermined rate;rotating the third rotor, which breaks up agglomerated pieces of fruit or vegetable pulp into smaller pieces of fruit or vegetable pulp as the fruit or vegetable pulp flows from the second rotor to the first rotor; androtating the first rotor, which brushes the fruit or vegetable pulp against a perforated cover at an outlet of the housing, causing the fruit or vegetable pulp to be dispensed from the housing;wherein the first, second, and third rotors are rotated by first, second, and third motors, respectively, and selecting the rotational speeds of the rotors comprises controlling the rotational speeds of the motors. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the third rotor is rotated at a greater rotational speed than the second rotor. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first rotor is rotated at a greater rotational speed than the second rotor. 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the fruit or vegetable pulp is dispensed onto a conveying surface to form a layer of the fruit or vegetable pulp having a desired thickness and the method further comprises selecting the rotational speeds of the rotors to achieve the desired thickness. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first rotor is rotated at a speed of about 120 rpm to about 215 rpm, the second rotor is rotated at a speed of about 0.3 rpm to about 0.9 rpm, and the third rotor is rotated at a speed of about 500 rpm to about 1000 rpm. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the housing comprising opposing inner side surfaces that extend along on opposite sides of the second rotor and the blades of the second rotor form a tight clearance with the inner side surfaces to inhibit the fruit or vegetable pulp from flowing unregulated between the blades and the inner side surfaces.