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EP-4737336-A2 - DOSER ASSEMBLIES, APPARATUSES INCLUDING A DOSER ASSEMBLY, AND/OR METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME

EP4737336A2EP 4737336 A2EP4737336 A2EP 4737336A2EP-4737336-A2

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a doser assembly (100) includes a hopper assembly (200) configured to receive plant material, a bracket assembly (300) connected to the hopper assembly (200), and a roller (120) in a hopper opening (200_O) defined by the hopper assembly and extending through the hopper assembly. An interior surface of the hopper assembly may define the hopper opening (200_O). The bracket assembly (300) may include a shaft (318) extending across a portion of the hopper opening (200_O). The roller (120) may be in the portion of the hopper opening (200_O) of the hopper assembly (200), and may extend between a first part (200_P1) and a second part (200_P2) of the interior surface of the hopper assembly (200). The roller (120) may be connected to the shaft (318) and may be configured to rotate with rotation of the shaft (318).

Inventors

  • CHALKLEY, JARROD WAYNE
  • DUVEKOT, LOREN THEODORE

Assignees

  • Altria Client Services LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200331

Claims (14)

  1. A doser assembly (100) comprising: a hopper assembly (200) configured to receive plant material, an interior surface of the hopper assembly (200) defining a hopper opening (200_O) that extends through the hopper assembly (200), the hopper assembly (200) defining a first hopper groove (210_G) and a second hopper groove (210_G) that descend from an upper surface of the hopper assembly (200) and are spaced apart from each other across a portion of the hopper opening (200_O); and a bracket assembly (300) connected to the hopper assembly (200), the bracket assembly (300) including a shaft (318) that extends across the portion of the hopper opening (200_O), and the shaft (318) extending through the first hopper groove (210_G) and the second hopper groove (210_G), wherein the hopper assembly (200) includes a first hopper wall (210) and a second hopper wall (210) that face each other and are spaced apart from each other, and a lower surface of the first hopper wall (210) is concave.
  2. The doser assembly (100) of claim 1, further comprising: a vertical adjuster (440) connected to the bracket assembly (300), wherein the first hopper groove (210_G) and the second hopper groove (210_G) each have a width in a first direction (X), are spaced apart from each other in a second direction (Y), and each descend in a third direction (Z) from the upper surface of the hopper assembly (200), the first direction (X), the second direction (Y), and the third direction (Z) cross each other, the shaft (318) extends in the second direction (Y) through the first hopper groove (210_G) and the second hopper groove (210_G), and the vertical adjuster (440) is configured to adjust a position of the shaft (318) in the third direction (Z).
  3. The doser assembly (100) of claim 2, further comprising: a roller (120) in a portion of the hopper opening (200_O) of the hopper assembly (200), wherein the vertical adjuster (440) is configured to adjust a position of the roller (120) in the third direction (Z) based on adjusting the position of the shaft (318) in the third direction (Z).
  4. The doser assembly (100) of claim 1, further comprising: a roller (120) in a portion of the hopper opening (200_O) of the hopper assembly (200), wherein the roller (120) is connected to the shaft (318) and configured to rotate with a rotation of the shaft (318) of the bracket assembly (300).
  5. The doser assembly (100) of claim 1, further comprising: a motor (1630) connected to the shaft (318), wherein the motor (1630) is configured to rotate the shaft (318).
  6. The doser assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein a lower surface of the second hopper wall (210) is concave; and the lower surface of the first hopper wall (210) is level with the lower surface of the second hopper wall (210) and aligned with the lower surface of the second hopper wall (210).
  7. The doser assembly (100) of claim 6, wherein the second hopper groove (210_G) is positioned across from the first hopper groove (210_G); a depth of the first hopper groove (210_G) is less than a distance between the lower surface of the first hopper wall (210) and the upper surface of the first hopper wall (210) at a location adjacent to the first hopper groove (210_G); and a depth of the second hopper groove (210_G) is less than a distance between the lower surface of the second hopper wall (210) and the upper surface of the second hopper wall (210) at a location adjacent to the second hopper groove (210_G).
  8. The doser assembly (100) of claim 7, wherein the shaft (318) extends through the first hopper groove (210_G) and the second hopper groove (210_G); the depth of the first hopper groove (210_G) is equal to the depth of the second hopper groove (210_G); a width of the first hopper groove (210_G) is equal to a width of the second hopper groove (210_G); and the width of the first hopper groove (210_G) and the width of the second hopper groove (210_G) are greater than or equal to a width of the shaft (318).
  9. The doser assembly (100) of claim 8, wherein the hopper assembly (200) further includes a third hopper wall (215) and a fourth hopper wall (220) that face each other; the third hopper wall (215) and the fourth hopper wall (220) are spaced apart from each other; the third hopper wall (215) is connected to the first hopper wall and the second hopper wall (210) at a first end region of the hopper assembly (200); and the fourth hopper wall (220) is connected to the first hopper wall and the second hopper wall (210) at a second end region of the hopper assembly (200).
  10. The doser assembly (100) of claim 9, wherein the interior surface of the hopper assembly (200) that defines the hopper opening (200_O) includes at least a portion of an inner surface of the first hopper wall (210), at least a portion of the inner surface of the second hopper wall (210), at least a portion of an inner surface of the third hopper wall (215) and at least a portion of an inner surface of the fourth hopper wall (220).
  11. The doser assembly (100) of claim 1, further comprising: a vertical adjuster (440) connected to the bracket assembly (300).
  12. The doser assembly (100) of claim 1, comprising: a lower surface of a first side of the hopper assembly (200) is concave.
  13. The doser assembly (100) of claim 12, wherein a lower surface of a second side of the hopper assembly (200) is concave; and the first side of the hopper assembly (200) and the second side of the hopper assembly (200) each extend in a first direction (X) and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction (Y) crossing the first direction (X).
  14. The doser assembly (100) of claim 1, comprising: a first conduit line (250) configured to provide vacuum, gases, or both vacuum and gases into the hopper assembly (200) through a first conduit opening (200_CO) in the hopper assembly (200); and optionally a second conduit line (250) configured to provide vacuum, gases, or both vacuum and gases into the hopper assembly (200) through a second conduit opening (200_CO) in the hopper assembly (200).

Description

BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to doser assemblies, apparatuses including a doser assembly, and/or methods of making the doser assemblies and/or apparatuses. Description of Related Art In manufacturing plant material products (e.g., oral products), machines may be used prepare pouches containing plant material products. In some cases, the pouches may be filled with plant material. SUMMARY Example embodiments relate to a doser assembly, a doser apparatus including the doser assembly, and/or a method of making the doser assembly. In an example embodiment, a doser assembly may include a hopper assembly configured to receive plant material, a bracket assembly connected to the hopper assembly, and a roller. An interior surface of the hopper assembly may define a hopper opening that extends through the hopper assembly. The bracket assembly may include a shaft that extends across a portion of the hopper opening. The roller may be in a portion of the hopper opening of the hopper assembly. The roller may extend in a direction between a first part of the interior surface of the hopper assembly and a second part of the interior surface of the hopper assembly. The roller may be connected to the shaft of the bracket assembly and may be configured to rotate with a rotation of the shaft of the bracket assembly. In some embodiments, the doser assembly may further include a vertical adjuster connected to the bracket assembly. An upper surface of the hopper assembly may define a first hopper groove and a second hopper groove that each have a width in a first direction, are spaced apart from each other in a second direction, and each descend in a third direction from the upper surface of the hopper assembly. The shaft may be connected to the roller and may extend in the second direction through the first hopper groove, the roller, and the second hopper groove. The vertical adjuster may be configured to adjust of a position of the roller in the third direction based on adjusting the position of the shaft in the third direction. The first direction, second direction, and third direction may cross each other. In some embodiments, the roller may have a prism-like shape. The roller may include a first roller base and a second roller base connected to each other with a plurality of lateral faces therebetween. A shape of the first roller base may be the same as a shape of the second roller base. In some embodiments, the shape of the first roller base and the shape of the second roller base may be regular polygons that include at least N sides. N may be an integer greater than or equal to four and less than or equal to twelve. The roller may have a shape like a regular polygonal prism including at least N lateral faces. A length of the N lateral faces may be a length of the roller, and a width of the N lateral faces may be a width of an edge of the first roller base and a width of an edge of the second roller base. In some embodiments, the first roller base may include a first recess that defines a first roller protrusion that extends from a center of the first roller base and may be surrounded by the first recess. The second roller base may include a second recess that defines a second roller protrusion that extends from a center of the second roller base and may be surrounded by the second recess. The roller may define a roller opening that extends from the first roller protrusion through the roller to the second roller protrusion. The shaft of the bracket assembly may extend through the roller opening. The shaft may be connected to roller such that the roller may be configured to rotate with the rotation of the shaft. In some embodiments, a lower surface of a first side of the hopper assembly may be concave, and a lower surface of a second side of the hopper assembly may be concave. The first side of the hopper assembly and the second side of the hopper assembly may each extend in a first direction and may be spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction. An inner surface of the first side of the hopper assembly may include the first part of the interior surface of the hopper assembly, and an inner surface of the second side of the hopper assembly may include the second part of the interior surface of the hopper assembly. In some embodiments, the hopper assembly may include a first hopper wall and a second hopper wall that face each other and may be spaced apart from each other. An inner surface of the first hopper wall may include the first part of the interior surface of the hopper assembly, and an inner surface of the second hopper wall may include the second part of the interior surface of the hopper assembly. In some embodiments, a lower surface of the first hopper wall may be concave, and a lower surface of the second hopper wall may be concave. The lower surface of the first hopper wall may be level with the lower surface of the second hopper wall and may be aligned with th