Metering pump for dispensing liquid

• US 20080118378A1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Vitality Foodservice, Inc. (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Garbee, Steven A., Baron, Richard D., Quadros, Valdemiro M., Hackey, Alan Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,980,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/412
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/108 of the peristaltic type
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1231 Metering pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1279 regulating the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0827 Bags in box
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/08 having tubular flexible members F04B43/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/09 Pumps having electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/469 Sequentially filled and emptied [e.g., holding type]

Abstract

A pump for metering a liquid is disclosed comprising a flexible tube connected to a container with a pressure relief valve located in the flexible tube. A housing defines an aperture for receiving the flexible tube with a compression surface located adjacent to the aperture. A reciprocating member has a sealing element and a pumping element. A drive moves the sealing element for pinching the flexible tube against the compression surface upstream from the pressure relief valve for trapping liquid between the sealing element and the pressure relief valve. The drive moves the pumping element for collapsing the flexible tube against the compression surface for pumping the trapped liquid to discharge a metered quantity of the liquid from the pressure relief valve.

Claims

1. A pump for metering a liquid from a container, comprising:

a flexible tube extending between a first and a second tube end with said first tube end connected to the container;

a pressure relief valve located in said flexible tube;

a pump housing having a pump housing aperture for receiving said flexible tube;

a compression surface located adjacent to said pump housing aperture;

a reciprocating member having a pumping element and sealing element extending beyond said pumping element;

a drive moving said sealing element for pinching said flexible tube against said compression surface upstream from said pressure relief valve for trapping liquid between said sealing element and said pressure relief valve; and

said drive moving said pumping element for collapsing said flexible tube against said compression surface for pumping said trapped liquid to discharge a metered quantity of the liquid from said pressure relief valve.

2. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure relief valve is located in proximity to said second tube end of said flexible tube.

3. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure relief valve includes a valve element;

and

a deformable biasing element integrally attached to said valve element for biasing said valve element into a closed position.

4. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure relief valve includes a valve element;

and

a longitudinally deformable biasing element integrally attached to said valve element for biasing said valve element into a closed position.

5. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure relief valve includes a deformed annular shaped valve element biased in a closed position;

and

said annular shaped valve element being deformable radially outwardly for opening said pressure relief valve.

6. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure relief valve includes a ball valve element;

and

a biasing spring for biasing said ball valve element into a closed position.

7. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, wherein reciprocating member is slidably mounted within said pump housing.

8. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, including a spring for resiliently mounting said sealing element relative to said reciprocating member.

9. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pumping element is fixed relative to said reciprocating member.

10. A pump for metering a liquid from a container as set forth in claim 1, including a motor cooperating with a scotch yoke for moving said reciprocating member within said pump housing.

11. A pump for metering a liquid from a collapsible container, comprising:

a flexible tube extending between a first and a second tube end with said first tube end connected to the collapsible container;

a pressure relief valve located in proximity to said second tube end of said flexible tube;

a pump housing having a pump housing aperture for receiving said second tube end of said flexible tube;

a substantially planar compression surface located adjacent to said aperture;

a reciprocating member slidably mounted within said pump housing to move between a retracted position and an extended position;

a pumping element fixed to said reciprocating member;

a sealing element resiliently mounted to said reciprocating member and extending beyond said pumping element;

a drive moving said reciprocating member from said retracted position toward said extended position for pinching said flexible tube between said sealing element and said substantially planar compression surface for trapping liquid between the sealing element and said pressure relief valve; and

said drive further moving said reciprocating member toward said extended position for collapsing said flexible tube between said pumping element and said substantially planar compression surface for discharging the trapped liquid through said pressure relief valve for pumping a metered quantity of the liquid.

12. A support for mounting a collapsible container bag containing a liquid and a metering pump within a cabinet, the collapsible container bag having a flexible tube for discharging the liquid, the cabinet having a cabinet aperture located in a bottom wall of the cabinet, comprising:

;

a base plate having a base plate aperture with a base plate magnetic material located in proximity thereto;

said base plate being secured to the bottom wall of the cabinet with said base plate aperture being aligned with the cabinet aperture;

a base plate aligner defined by said base plate;

a saddle comprising plural supports having a saddle aperture located between said plural supports;

said saddle having a saddle aligner for cooperating with said base plate aligner for aligning said saddle aperture with said base plate aperture;

a magnet located on said saddle in proximity to said saddle aperture magnetically coupling with said base plate magnetic material for maintaining the position of said saddle relative to said base plate;

said flexible tube being insertable through said saddle aperture and said base plate aperture to extend from the cabinet aperture with said plural supports of said saddle supporting the collapsible container bag; and

a flexible tube magnetic material magnetically coupling with said magnet located on said saddle for maintaining the position of said flexible tube and said collapsible container bag relative to said saddle.

13. A support for mounting a metering pump within a cabinet as set forth in claim 12, wherein the cabinet comprises an enclosed cabinet;

and

a refrigeration system for cooling the enclosed cabinet for cooling the liquid within the collapsible container bag.

14. A support for mounting a metering pump within a cabinet as set forth in claim 12, including a pump housing located below the bottom wall of the cabinet;

and

said pump housing having a housing aperture aligned with the cabinet aperture for pumping the liquid within the collapsible container bag from said flexible tube.

15. A pump drive for driving a metering pump including a flexible tube having a pressure relief valve connected to a source of a liquid;

comprising;

an electric motor having a rotary drive defining a rotary drive axis;

a drive roller secured to said rotary drive and located offset from said rotary drive axis;

a yoke having a generally rectangular yoke aperture for cooperating with said drive roller for providing a reciprocating motion to said yoke upon a rotary motion of said electric motor;

a pump housing having a pump housing aperture for receiving said flexible tube;

a cylindrical bore extending perpendicular to said pump housing aperture;

a reciprocating member comprising a piston slidably disposed within said cylindrical bore;

said yoke connected to said piston for reciprocating said piston within said cylindrical bore upon a rotary motion of said electric motor;

said piston having a piston end wall for defining a pumping element;

a sealing element resiliently mounted to said piston to extend beyond said piston end wall of said piston;

said electric motor moving said sealing element of said piston for pinching the flexible tube for trapping liquid between said sealing element and said pressure relief valve; and

said electric motor moving said pumping element of said piston for collapsing said flexible tube for pumping said trapped liquid to discharge a metered quantity of the liquid from said pressure relief valve.

16. A pump drive for driving a metering pump as set forth in claim 15, wherein said yoke integrally formed with said piston.

17. A pump drive for driving a metering pump as set forth in claim 15, including a position sensor aperture extending through said pump housing and disposed transverse to said cylindrical bore;

and

a light emitting device located at one end of said position sensor aperture cooperating with a light sensing device located at the other end of said position sensor aperture for sensing when said piston interrupts said position sensor aperture;

18. A pump drive for driving a metering pump as set forth in claim 15, including a sold out sensor aperture extending through said pump housing and disposed transverse to said pump housing aperture;

and

a light emitting device located at one end of said sold out sensor aperture cooperating with a light sensing device located at the other end of said sold out sensor aperture for sensing an absence of the liquid within said pump housing aperture.

19. A control for a pump drive for driving a metering pump including a flexible tube having a pressure relief valve connected to a source of a liquid, comprising:

a pump housing having a pump housing aperture for receiving said flexible tube;

a compression surface located adjacent to said pump housing aperture;

a reciprocating member having a pumping element and sealing element extending beyond said pumping element;

an electric motor moving said sealing element of said reciprocating member for pinching said flexible tube for trapping liquid between said sealing element and said pressure relief valve;

said electric motor moving said pumping element of said reciprocating member for collapsing said flexible tube for pumping said trapped liquid to discharge a metered quantity of the liquid from said pressure relief valve; and

an electronic control connected to said electric motor for moving said reciprocating member a selected number of times for metering a desired quantity of the liquid.