Viscous material dispensing systems with parameter monitoring and methods of operating such systems
First Claim
1. A system for jetting a viscous material, comprising:
- an electronic controller;
a jetting dispenser operatively coupled with said electronic controller, said jetting dispenser including an outlet orifice and an actuator with a movable shaft, and said jetting dispenser operative under control of said electronic controller for causing said actuator to jet an amount of the viscous material from said outlet orifice; and
a displacement sensor configured to sense movement of said movable shaft and produce an output signal representative of the sensed movement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for dispensing or jetting a viscous material. The systems include an electronic controller and a jetting dispenser operatively coupled with the electronic controller. The systems further include at least one sensor that senses a system dispensing parameter and communicates an output signal representing the sensed parameter to the electronic controller for controlling system operation. In pneumatically-actuated jetting dispensers, a sensor may sense the fluid pressure in the air cavity of the pneumatic actuator. In jetting dispensers with a movable needle valve, a sensor may sense the displacement of the needle shaft. In other jetting dispensers, a sensor may sense the vibration of the jetting dispenser.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A system for jetting a viscous material, comprising:
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an electronic controller;
a jetting dispenser operatively coupled with said electronic controller, said jetting dispenser including an outlet orifice and an actuator with a movable shaft, and said jetting dispenser operative under control of said electronic controller for causing said actuator to jet an amount of the viscous material from said outlet orifice; and
a displacement sensor configured to sense movement of said movable shaft and produce an output signal representative of the sensed movement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for jetting a viscous material, comprising:
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an electronic controller;
a jetting dispenser operatively coupled with said electronic controller, said jetting dispenser including a outlet orifice and an actuator with an air cylinder and an air piston positioned in said air cylinder, and said jetting dispenser operative under control of said electronic controller for causing said actuator to jet an amount of the viscous material from said outlet orifice; and
a pressure sensor configured to sense a fluid pressure inside said air cylinder and produce an output signal representative of the sensed fluid pressure. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for jetting a viscous material, comprising:
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an electronic controller;
a jetting dispenser operatively coupled with said electronic controller, said jetting dispenser including an outlet orifice and an actuator, and said jetting dispenser operative under control of said electronic controller for causing said actuator to jet an amount of the viscous material from said outlet orifice; and
a vibration sensor configured to sense vibration of said jetting dispenser during operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of operating a jetting system that includes a jetting dispenser having an actuator with an air cylinder and an air piston movable within the air cylinder and a control component operatively coupled with the jetting dispenser, the jetting system operating the actuator under the control of the control component to jet a viscous material from an outlet orifice of the jetting dispenser, the method comprising:
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supplying pressurized fluid to the air cylinder effective to move the air piston relative to the air cylinder;
sensing a fluid pressure inside the air cylinder as the air piston moves within the air cylinder; and
communicating the sensed fluid pressure to the control component. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of operating a jetting system that includes a jetting dispenser with a movable shaft and a control component operatively coupled with the jetting dispenser, the method comprising:
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moving the movable shaft within the jetting dispenser;
sensing a displacement of the movable shaft during movement; and
communicating the sensed displacement to the control component. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method of operating a jetting system that includes a jetting dispenser with at least one movable component and a control component operatively coupled with the jetting dispenser, the method comprising:
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moving the at least one movable component of the jetting dispenser;
sensing vibration of the jetting dispenser resulting from movement of the at least one movable component; and
communicating the sensed vibration to the control component. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification