Bell cup skirt

1. A dispensing device for dispensing a material, the dispensing device defining a somewhat cup-shaped interior that opens in a first direction in which the material is to be dispensed from the dispensing device, the interior terminating at a discharge edge, and a skirt extending from the discharge edge in a second direction generally opposite the first direction, the skirt including a first side and a second side, and at least one passageway extending through the skirt from the first side to the second side.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including multiple passageways.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the multiple passageways are substantially equally spaced around a perimeter of the skirt.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including means for mounting the dispensing device on a rotator for rotating the dispensing device to aid in dispensing the material.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 further including means for mounting the dispensing device on a rotator for rotating the dispensing device to aid in dispensing the material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for mounting the dispensing device on a rotator for rotating the dispensing device to aid in dispensing the material.

7. A dispensing device for dispensing a material, the dispensing device having means for mounting the dispensing device on a rotator for rotating the dispensing device to aid in dispensing the material, said device defining a somewhat cup-shaped interiors that opens in a first direction in which the material is to be dispensed from the dispensing device, the interior terminating at a discharge edge, and a skirt extending from the discharge edge in a second direction generally opposite the first direction, and a housing, the housing including a feature cooperating with the skirt, the dispensing device being movable relative to the housing, the skirt and feature at least partly enclosing a region defined between the housing and the dispensing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the skirt includes a first side and a second side, and at least one passageway extending through the skirt from the first side to the second side, and further including a source of a compressed gas or mixture of gases coupled to the region, compressed gas from the source of a compressed gas or mixture of gases being exhausted from the region through the passageway.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 including multiple passageways substantially equally spaced around a perimeter of the skirt.

10. In combination, a dispensing device for dispensing a material, the dispensing device including means for mounting the dispensing device on a rotator for rotating the dispensing device to aid in dispensing the material, a housing surrounding the dispensing device, the housing and dispensing device including cooperating first and second features, the dispensing device being movable relative to the housing, the first and second features at least partly enclosing a region defined between the housing and the dispensing device, the cooperating first and second features include a skirt and a groove for receiving the skirt.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein one of the first and second features includes at least one passageway, a first source of a compressed gas or mixture of gases coupled to the region, compressed gas from the first source being exhausted from the region through the passageway.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the skirt extends around a perimeter of the dispensing device and the groove extends along a surface of the housing.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein there are a plurality of said passageways.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said passageways are substantially equally spaced around a perimeter of the skirt.

15. The combination of claim 14 further including a rotator, the dispensing device mounted on the rotator for rotation thereby.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein the rotator is housed in the housing.

17. The combination of claim 13 further including a rotator, the dispensing device mounted on the rotator for rotation thereby.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein the rotator is housed in the housing.

19. The combination of claim 11 further including a rotator, the dispensing device mounted on the rotator for rotation thereby.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein the rotator is housed in the housing.

21. The combination of claim 11 further including a rotator, the dispensing device mounted on the rotator for rotation thereby.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein the rotator is housed in the housing.

23. In combination, a first source of a compressed gas or mixture of gases, a second source of material to be dispensed, a rotator, a dispensing device mounted on the rotator for rotation thereby, the second source being coupled to the dispensing device, a housing surrounding the dispensing device, the housing and dispensing device including cooperating first and second features, the first and second features at least partly enclosing a region defined between the housing and the dispensing device, one of the first and second features including at least one passageway, the first source being coupled to the region, compressed gas from the first source being exhausted from the region through the passageway.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein there are multiple passageways substantially equally spaced around a perimeter of the dispensing device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the cooperating first and second features include a skirt and a groove for receiving the skirt.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the skirt extends around a perimeter of the dispensing device and the groove extends along a surface of the housing.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the at least one passageway is provided in the skirt.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the at least one passageway comprises multiple passageways.

29. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the multiple passageways are substantially equally spaced around a perimeter of the skirt.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the material comprises pulverulent material entrained in a stream of a compressed gas or mixture of gases.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the second source includes a device for fluidizing pulverulent material.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the pulverulent material comprises a coating powder, and the device for fluidizing pulverulent material comprises a fluidized bed.