Apparatus and method for supply and transport of powder particles

摘要

An improved powder particle supply and transport apparatus and method include a hopper filled with powder particles, an ejection chamber spaced from the hopper and a movable conveying member with a plurality of cavities formed therein. During operation, the conveying member moves the cavities between the hopper and the chamber, and the cavities are filled with powder particles at the hopper and emptied of powder particles at the chamber. An ejector nozzle sprays pressurized air into the chamber toward an aligned outlet, thereby to: 1) create negative pressure in the chamber to draw powder particles from the cavities as the cavities are moved therethrough; and 2) transport powder particles through the outlet to a spray gun. Additional structure may be used to assure complete powder filling of the cavities at the hopper and/or complete powder emptying of the cavities in the chamber. The invention achieves supply and transport of uniform and stable quantities of powder particles to a spray gun, even over very small units of time, regardless of powder particle size and/or cohesive properties.