Dilution adjustment system and method

• US 10,007,275 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diversey Incorporated (Sealed Air)
• Original Assignee: Diversey Incorporated (Sealed Air)
• Inventors: Uhlhorn, Robert-Jan, Cocking, Andrew J., Holden, David, Cooper, Martin, Brudenell, Michael, Hague, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Venkatesan, Umashankar
• Application Number:
  US14/584,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 137 3, 137 88
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2499 Mixture condition maintaining or sensing

Abstract

A dispenser system including a source of chemical concentrate, a source of diluent, and a mix chamber in fluid communication with the source of chemical concentrate via a first line and with the source of diluent via a second line to mix chemical concentrate and diluent to form a dilution. The dispenser system also includes one or more metering devices disposed in one or both of the first line and the second line, a discharge fluidly coupled to the mix chamber to deliver the dilution to a downstream receptacle, and a control system in communication with the one or more metering devices. The control system is programmed to adjust a concentration of chemical concentrate in the dilution via control of the one or more metering devices based on an environmental factor affecting a physical environment to be cleaned using the dilution.

Claims

1. A dispenser system comprising:

a source of chemical concentrate;

a source of diluent;

a mix chamber in fluid communication with the source of chemical concentrate via a first line and with the source of diluent via a second line to mix chemical concentrate and diluent to form a dilution;

one or more metering devices disposed in one or both of the first line and the second line;

a discharge fluidly coupled to the mix chamber to deliver the dilution to a downstream receptacle; and

a control system in communication with the one or more metering devices and programmed to adjust a concentration of chemical concentrate in the dilution via control of the one or more metering devices based on an environmental factor affecting a physical environment to be cleaned using the dilution,

wherein the mix chamber defines a first mix chamber in the form of an eductor and the dispenser system further includes a second mix chamber in separate fluid communication with the source of chemical concentrate and the source of diluent, and wherein the second mix chamber is defined by a reservoir positioned to separately receive chemical concentrate and diluent from the respective sources.

2. The dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the environmental factor includes a weather event, a forecast of weather, a change in weather, a change in humidity, a change in temperature, a change in season, a change in an amount of pedestrian traffic, or a change in the physical environment.

3. The dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the control system is programmed to autonomously adjust the concentration of chemical concentrate in the dilution based on one or more preset instructions in response to the environmental factor.

4. The dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the first line includes at least one of the one or more metering devices, and wherein the at least one of the metering devices in the first line is defined by a pump to deliver chemical concentrate to the first mix chamber.

5. The dispenser system of claim 4, wherein the pump includes a peristaltic pump.

6. The dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the first line is bifurcated into two first line portions and the second line is bifurcated into two second line portions, wherein one each of the first line portions and the second line portions directs chemical concentrate and diluent from the respective sources to the one of the first and second mix chambers, and wherein the first line portion associated with the second mix chamber is the only line portion including the one or more metering devices.

7. The dispenser system of claim 1, further comprising another first line in fluid communication with the source of chemical concentrate, wherein the another first inc is the only first line including another one or more metering devices.