Liquid dispensing system
First Claim
1. A liquid dispensing assembly, comprising:
- a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve;
a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body, the nozzle subassembly comprising a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside with the parts housing, wherein the pressure sensor subassembly comprises a piezoelectric disk;
a solenoid subassembly electrically connected to the pressure sensor subassembly and a power source; and
an actuator subassembly connected to the solenoid subassembly and configured for closing the valve.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a liquid dispensing system having a valve subsystem and pumping subsystem. The valve subsystem is configured with a pressure sensor subassembly having an electronic interface to determine the liquid level in a vehicle gasoline tank or other liquid vessel. The valve subassembly of the present invention may include a piezoelectric subassembly to detect pressure changes at a nozzle subassembly to shut off the liquid flow through the valve subsystem and from the pump subsystem. Aspects of the present invention may also sense when the nozzle subassembly has been partially removed from a liquid tank fill tube. The present invention may include wireless technology to transmit information from the valve subsystem to the pump subsystem to prevent an overfill condition in the vessel. For example, the pump subsystem will not pump without confirmatory signal from valve subassembly that all components are operating properly.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A liquid dispensing assembly, comprising:
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a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve; a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body, the nozzle subassembly comprising a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside with the parts housing, wherein the pressure sensor subassembly comprises a piezoelectric disk; a solenoid subassembly electrically connected to the pressure sensor subassembly and a power source; and an actuator subassembly connected to the solenoid subassembly and configured for closing the valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A liquid dispensing system, comprising:
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(a) a valve subsystem including. (i) a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve, (ii) a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body and having an orifice with a venturi hole operably connected to a venturi tube, (iii) a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside with the parts housing operably connected to the venturi tube, (iv) a solenoid subassembly electrically connected to the pressure sensor subassembly and a power source, and (v) an actuator subassembly configured for closing the valve; (b) a pump subsystem having a switching subassembly and a pump for delivering liquid to the valve subsystem; and (c) an apparatus configured to operably connect the actuator subassembly of the valve subsystem to the switching subassembly of the pump subsystem, wherein the valve subsystem is configured to close the valve and the pump subsystem is configured to turn off the pump when the pressure sensor subassembly detects a pressure change at the venturi hole. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for dispensing a liquid, comprising:
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providing a valve subsystem including a valve, a pressure sensor subassembly operably connected to a solenoid subassembly, and an actuator subassembly configured for interfacing with the valve so as to close the valve when the solenoid is activated by the pressure sensor subassembly, wherein the pressure sensor subassembly comprises a piezoelectric disk; providing a pump subsystem in fluid communication with the valve subsystem, the pump subsystem having a cutoff subassembly connected to a pump subassembly; and connecting the actuator subassembly of the valve subsystem to the cutoff subassembly of the pump subsystem so that liquid from the pump subassembly ceases to flow to the valve subsystem after a predetermined period of time when the pressure sensor subassembly activates the solenoid subassembly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A liquid dispensing assembly, comprising:
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a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve; a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body, the nozzle subassembly comprising a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside with the parts housing; an actuator subassembly operably connected to the pressure sensor subassembly, said actuator subassembly configured for closing the valve; and a position sensor disposed on the nozzle subassembly configured to detect when the nozzle subassembly is oriented in an upright position. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A liquid dispensing assembly, comprising:
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a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve; a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body, the nozzle subassembly comprising a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside with the parts housing; an actuator subassembly operably connected to the pressure sensor subassembly, said actuator subassembly configured for closing the valve; and a position sensor disposed on the nozzle subassembly configured to detect when the nozzle subassembly is inserted within a portion of a gas tank, said sensor further configured to detect when the nozzle subassembly is moved a predetermined distance within the gas tank. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A liquid dispensing assembly, comprising:
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a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve; a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body, the nozzle subassembly comprising a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside with the parts housing; an actuator subassembly operably connected to the pressure sensor subassembly, said actuator subassembly configured for closing the valve; and a pump subsystem operably connected to main body subassembly, said pump subsystem configured to detect when components of the main body subassembly are not functioning properly and further configured to preclude fluid flow through the pump subsystem if components of the main body subassembly are not functioning properly.
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27. A liquid dispensing assembly, comprising:
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a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve; a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body, the nozzle subassembly comprising a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside within the parts housing; an actuator subassembly operably connected to the pressure sensor subassembly, said actuator subassembly configured for closing the valve; and a sensor disposed within the main body subassembly configured to detect when an electrical component within the main body subassembly is not functioning properly, said sensor configured to send a signal to the actuator subassembly to close the valve.
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28. A liquid dispensing assembly, comprising:
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a main body subassembly having a parts housing containing a valve, wherein said valve is biased in a closed position; a nozzle subassembly connected to the main body, the nozzle subassembly comprising a pressure sensor subassembly configured to reside within the parts housing; an actuator subassembly operably connected to the pressure sensor subassembly, said actuator subassembly configured for opening the valve; and a sensor disposed within the main body subassembly configured to detect when an electrical component within the main body subassembly is functioning properly, said sensor configured to send a signal to the actuator subassembly to open the valve if the electrical components are functioning properly.
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Specification