PLURAL COMPONENT PUMP SYSTEM

• US 20120282121A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation (Wagner Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation (Wagner Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kieffer, Joseph W., Jerdee, Jeffrey Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,670,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/410.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/8311 with means for controlling the motor driving the pumps or the other dispensing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/005 using synchronised pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence

Abstract

A plural component pump system is provided for delivering plural liquid components at a selected ratio. The pump system includes a first brushless DC motor configured to drive a first pump that pumps a first liquid component to an output and a second brushless DC motor configured to drive a second pump that pumps a second liquid component to the output. The pump system includes a first controller configured to control the first motor and a second controller configured to control the second motor. The pump system also includes a communication interface between the first controller and the second controller. The first controller is configured to send a signal to the second controller using the communication interface and the second controller is configured to control the second motor based on the signal to deliver the first and second liquid components to the output at the selected ratio.

Claims

1. A plural component pump system for delivering plural liquid components at a selected ratio, the pump system comprising:

a first brushless DC motor configured to drive a first pump that pumps a first liquid component to an output;

a second brushless DC motor configured to drive a second pump that pumps a second liquid component to the output;

a first controller configured to control the first brushless DC motor;

a second controller configured to control the second brushless DC motor; and

a communication interface between the first controller and the second controller, wherein;

the first controller is configured to send a signal to the second controller using the communication interface and the second controller is configured to control the second brushless DC motor based on the signal to deliver the first and second liquid components to the output at the selected ratio.

2. The plural component pump system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second pumps comprise a reciprocating piston pump.

3. The plural component pump system of claim 1, wherein the signal is independent of an actual operating speed of the first motor.

4. The plural component pump system of claim 1, wherein the first and second controllers are configured to operate in an unlinked mode in which the first motor is operated independently of the second motor.

5. The plural component pump system of claim 4, wherein operating the first and second controllers in the unlinked mode comprises at least one of priming and cleaning the first and second pumps.

6. The plural component pump system of claim 1, wherein the selected ratio is user-selectable using a user interface component.

7. The plural component pump system of claim 6, wherein first and second speed settings are selected for the first and second pumps, respectively, as a function of the user selected ratio.

8. The plural component pump system of claim 6, wherein the selected ratio is selectable using the user interface component in step increments of less than or equal to 0.25.

9. The plural component pump system of claim 6, and further comprising at least one user configurable pressure alarm setting.

10. The plural component pump system of claim 9, wherein the at least one pressure alarm setting is configurable by the user using the user interface component and comprises a user selectable pressure threshold.

11. The plural component pump system of claim 10, wherein a pressure alarm is configured to be activated based on a pressure threshold setting defined by the user.

12. A method of operating first and second pump units to deliver plural components at a particular ratio, the method comprising:

operating the first and second pump units in a first mode in which the first and second pump units are independent of each other; and

operating the first and second pump units in a second mode in which operation of the second pump unit is based on the first pump unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the first and second pump units in the first mode comprises at least one of:

priming the first and second pump units; and

cleaning the first and second pump units.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the first and second pump units in the second mode comprises:

sending a signal from the first pump unit to the second pump unit based on the particular ratio.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein operating the first and second pump units in the second mode comprises:

receiving a user input indicative of a pressure setting; and

sending the signal from the first pump unit to the second pump unit based on the particular ratio and the pressure setting.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second pump units comprises a brushless DC motor configured to drive a fluid pump.

17. A plural component pump system for delivering plural liquid components at a desired ratio, the pump system comprising:

a first container for a first liquid component;

a second container for a second liquid component;

a first pump unit comprising;

a first inlet tube disposed at least partially within the first container and configured to receive the first liquid component; and

a first outlet; and

a second pump unit comprising;

a second inlet tube disposed at least partially within the second container and configured to receive the second liquid component; and

a second outlet, the second pump unit being communicatively coupled to the first pump unit and controlled based on a signal received from the first pump unit to deliver the first and second liquid components from the outlets at the desired ratio.

18. The plural component pump system of claim 17, wherein the first and second outlets of the first and second pump units are fluidically coupled to a spray gun configured to mix the first and second liquid components.

19. The plural component pump system of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second containers are configured to hold more than 5 gallons of liquid component, and wherein the first and second pump units are mounted on the first and second containers, respectively.

20. The plural component pump system of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second pump units comprises:

a controller; and

a brushless DC motor configured to drive a fluid pump.