System and method for valve sequencing in a pump

• US 20100262304A1
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Inventors: Cedrone, James, Gonnella, George, Magoon, Paul, Gashgaee, Iraj
• Granted Patent: US 8,025,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 13/00 Pumps specially modified to deliver fixed or variable measured quantities
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 7/0076 the members being actuated by electro-magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87885 Sectional block structure

Abstract

Systems and methods for minimizing pressure fluctuations within a pumping apparatus are disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention may serve to reduce pressure variations within a fluid path of a pumping apparatus by avoiding closing a valve to create a closed or entrapped space in the fluid path and similarly, avoiding opening a valve between two entrapped spaces. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention may serve to operate a system of valves of the pumping apparatus according to a valve sequence configured to substantially minimize the time the fluid flow path through the pumping apparatus is closed (e.g. to an area external to the pumping apparatus).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

introducing fluid into the pumping apparatus;

operating the a system of valves of the pumping apparatus according to a valve sequence to implement a dispense cycle;

wherein the valve sequence is configured to minimize the time a flow path through the pumping apparatus is closed; and

dispensing fluid from the pumping apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the valve sequence is configured to operate one valve at a time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the valve sequence comprises a delay between the operation of valves in the system of valves.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the system of valves comprises:

an inlet valve coupled to a feed chamber;

an isolation valve between the feed chamber and a filter;

a vent valve coupled to the filter and an area external to the pumping apparatus;

a barrier valve between the filter and a dispense chamber; and

a purge valve coupled to the dispense chamber and an area external to the pumping apparatus.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a vent segment and operating the system of valves for the vent segment comprises closing the isolation valve then closing the barrier valve then closing the inlet valve and then opening the vent valve.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising operating a fill motor and a dispense motor to filter the fluid, wherein the fill motor and dispense motor are operated after closing the inlet valve and before opening the vent valve.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising, after the vent segment, closing the barrier valve, then closing the isolation valve and then closing the vent valve.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising operating the fill motor after opening the vent valve and before closing the vent valve.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a purge segment and operating the system of valves for the purge segment comprises opening the inlet valve then opening the purge valve.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, after the purge segment, closing the purge valve and then closing the inlet valve.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising operating the dispense motor during the purge segment after opening the purge valve and before closing the purge valve

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a fill segment and a dispense segment, wherein operating the system of valves for the fill segment and the dispense segment comprises opening the inlet valve and then opening the outlet valve.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, after the dispense segment, closing the outlet valve.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising operating the fill motor after opening the inlet valve and operating the dispense motor before closing the outlet valve.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a purge segment and operating the system of valves for the purge segment comprises opening the inlet valve then opening the purge valve.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, after the purge segment, closing the purge valve and then closing the inlet valve.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising operating the dispense motor during the purge segment after opening the purge valve and before closing the purge valve.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a fill segment and a dispense segment, wherein operating the system of valves for the fill segment and the dispense segment comprises opening the inlet valve and then opening the outlet valve.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, after the dispense segment, closing the outlet valve.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising operating the fill motor after opening the inlet valve and operating the dispense motor before closing the outlet valve.

21. The method of claim 4, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a fill segment and a dispense segment, wherein operating the system of valves for the fill segment and the dispense segment comprises opening the inlet valve and then opening the outlet valve.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, after the dispense segment, closing the outlet valve.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising operating the fill motor after opening the inlet valve and operating the dispense motor before closing the outlet valve.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a vent segment and operating the system of valves for the vent segment comprises closing the isolation valve then closing the barrier valve then closing the inlet valve and then opening the vent valve.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising operating a fill motor and a dispense motor to filter the fluid, wherein the fill motor and dispense motor are operated after closing the inlet valve and before opening the vent valve.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising, after the vent segment, closing the barrier valve, then closing the isolation valve and then closing the vent valve.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising operating the fill motor after opening the vent valve and before closing the vent valve.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a purge segment and operating the system of valves for the purge segment comprises opening the inlet valve then opening the purge valve.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising, after the purge segment, closing the purge valve and then closing the inlet valve.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising operating the dispense motor during the purge segment after opening the purge valve and before closing the purge valve.

31. A system, comprising

a pumping apparatus comprising a feed chamber, a dispense chamber and a system of valves operable to regulate the flow of fluid through the pumping apparatus;

and

a controller configured to implement a dispense cycle for the pumping apparatus wherein implementing the dispense cycle comprises regulating the opening and closing of the system of valves according to a valve sequence to dispense fluid from the pumping apparatus, the valve sequence configured to minimize the time a fluid flow path through the pumping apparatus is closed.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the valve sequence is configured to operate one valve at a time.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the valve sequence comprises a delay between the operation of valves in the system of valves.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the system of valves comprises:

an inlet valve coupled to a feed chamber;

an isolation valve between the feed chamber and a filter;

a vent valve coupled to the filter and an area external to the pumping apparatus;

a barrier valve between the filter and a dispense chamber; and

a purge valve coupled to the dispense chamber and an area external to the pumping apparatus.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a vent segment and regulating the system of valves for the vent segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to close the isolation valve then close the barrier valve then close the inlet valve and then open the vent valve.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising a fill motor and a dispense motor, the dispense cycle comprising operating the fill motor and the dispense motor after closing the inlet valve and before opening the vent valve in order to filter the fluid.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein regulating the system of valves after the vent segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to close the barrier valve, then close the isolation valve and then close the vent valve.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the fill motor after opening the vent valve and before closing the vent valve.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a purge segment and regulating the system of valves for the purge segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to open the inlet valve then open the purge valve.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising, after the purge segment, closing the purge valve and then closing the inlet valve.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the dispense motor during the purge segment after opening the purge valve and before closing the purge valve

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a fill segment and a dispense segment, wherein regulating the system of valves for the fill segment and the dispense segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to open the inlet valve and then open the outlet valve.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein regulating the system of valves comprises, after the dispense segment, sending one or more signals operable to close the outlet valve.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the fill motor after opening the inlet valve and operating the dispense motor before closing the outlet valve.

45. The system of claim 34, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a purge segment and regulating the system of valves for the purge segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to open the inlet valve and then open the purge valve.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein regulating the system of valves comprises, after the purge segment, sending one or more signals operable to close the purge valve and then close the inlet valve.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the dispense motor during the purge segment after opening the purge valve and before closing the purge valve.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a fill segment and a dispense segment, wherein regulating the system of valves for the fill segment and the dispense segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to open the inlet valve and then open the outlet valve.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein regulating the system of valves comprises, after the dispense segment, sending one or more signals operable to close the outlet valve.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the fill motor after opening the inlet valve and operating the dispense motor before closing the outlet valve.

51. The system of claim 34, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a fill segment and a dispense segment, wherein regulating the system of valves for the fill segment and the dispense segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to open the inlet valve and then open the outlet valve.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein regulating the system of valves comprises, after the dispense segment, sending one or more signals operable to close the outlet valve.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the fill motor after opening the inlet valve and operating the dispense motor before closing the outlet valve.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a vent segment and regulating the system of valves for the vent segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to close the isolation valve, then closing the barrier valve, then closing the inlet valve and then opening the vent valve.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating a fill motor and a dispense motor to filter the fluid, wherein the fill motor and dispense motor are operated after closing the inlet valve and before opening the vent valve.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein regulating the system of valves comprises, after the vent segment, sending one or more signals operable to close the barrier valve, then close the isolation valve and then close the vent valve.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the fill motor after opening the vent valve and before closing the vent valve.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein the dispense cycle comprises a purge segment and regulating the system of valves for the purge segment comprises sending one or more signals operable to open the inlet valve and then open the purge valve.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein regulating the system of valves comprises, after the purge segment, sending one or more signals operable to close the purge valve and then closing the inlet valve.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the dispense cycle comprises operating the dispense motor during the purge segment after opening the purge valve and before closing the purge valve