METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PRODUCT
First Claim
1. A dispensing system, comprising:
- a dispenser including a cavity and a nozzle;
a solid product positioned within the cavity;
a diluent source in fluid communication with the dispenser supplying a diluent to the nozzle; and
a logic device controlling spray on and spray off cycles to pulse the diluent supplied to the nozzle as a pulsed diluent spray during a product dispensing process, the diluent contacting a surface of the solid product to dissolve at least a portion of the solid product and create a use solution, wherein the pulsed diluent spray increases the concentration of the dissolved solid product in the use solution by limiting an amount of excess diluent in the use solution during the product dispensing process.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dispensing system includes a dispenser, a logic device, a nozzle, a diluent source, and a solid product. The logic device controls spray on and spray off cycles to pulse diluent supplied to the nozzle. The diluent contacts the solid product to dissolve a portion of the solid product and create a use solution. Pulsing the spray of diluent controls the concentration of the dispensed product in the use solution by limiting the amount of excess dilutant added to the dispensed product. The product is more consistently dispensed and the concentration of the dispensed product in the use solution is more consistent. Additionally, the concentration of the dispensed product in the use solution can be controlled by changing at least one of a volume of diluent dispensed through the nozzle, a pressure of diluent, a pulsed diluent spray frequency, and a pulsed diluent spray duration.
55 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A dispensing system, comprising:
-
a dispenser including a cavity and a nozzle; a solid product positioned within the cavity; a diluent source in fluid communication with the dispenser supplying a diluent to the nozzle; and a logic device controlling spray on and spray off cycles to pulse the diluent supplied to the nozzle as a pulsed diluent spray during a product dispensing process, the diluent contacting a surface of the solid product to dissolve at least a portion of the solid product and create a use solution, wherein the pulsed diluent spray increases the concentration of the dissolved solid product in the use solution by limiting an amount of excess diluent in the use solution during the product dispensing process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A dispensing system, comprising:
-
a dispenser including a cavity and a nozzle; a solid product positioned within the cavity; a diluent source in fluid communication with the dispenser supplying a diluent to the nozzle; a logic device controlling spray on and spray off cycles to pulse the diluent supplied to the nozzle as a pulsed diluent spray during a product dispensing process, the diluent contacting a surface of the solid product to dissolve at least a portion of the solid product and create a use solution, wherein the pulsed diluent spray increases the concentration of the dissolved solid product in the use solution by limiting an amount of excess diluent in the use solution during the product dispensing process, wherein the concentration of the dissolved solid product in the use solution is approximately 3.0 to 10.0% by weight of the use solution and the solid product is selected from the group consisting of a solid enzyme product, a solid neutral product, a solid alkaline product, and a solid acid product. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of dispensing a solid product, comprising:
-
placing a solid product in a cavity of a dispenser having a nozzle in fluid communication with a diluent source, the diluent source supplying a diluent to the nozzle; pulsing the diluent onto a surface of the solid product as a pulsed diluent spray to dissolve a portion of the solid product and create a use solution during a product dispensing process, wherein the pulsed diluent spray increases a concentration of the dissolved solid product in the use solution by limiting an amount of excess diluent in the use solution during the product dispensing process. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification