DOSING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A DOSING DEVICE

• US 20160317740A1
• Filed: 04/29/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buerkert Werke GmbH
• Original Assignee: Buerkert Werke GmbH
• Inventors: Hettinger, Christoph
• Granted Patent: US 10,220,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14513 with secondary fluid driving or regulating the infusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3337 Controlling, regulating pressure or flow by means of a valve by-passing a pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3341 stabilising pressure or flow to avoid excessive variation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/223 Multiway valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14224 Diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14593 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure

Abstract

A dosing device with a dosing chamber unit receiving dosing fluid and actively ejecting dosing fluid, which includes at least one dosing chamber, an inflow channel which fluidically connects a dosing chamber with an inlet and in an inflow orifice opens into the dosing chamber, and a backflow channel which fluidically connects the or a dosing chamber with a backflow and which in a backflow orifice proceeds from the associated dosing chamber, is able to exactly eject minimum amounts of fluid. Inflow and backflow orifice are spaced from each other. A 3-way valve is provided with a common port for the inflow and the backflow channel.

Claims

1. A dosing device with a dosing chamber unit receiving dosing fluid and actively ejecting dosing fluid, dosing chamber unit including at least one dosing chamber, an inflow channel which fluidically connects a dosing chamber with an inlet and which opens in an inflow orifice into the dosing chamber, and a backflow channel which fluidically connects the dosing chamber or a dosing chamber with a backflow and which in a backflow orifice proceeds from the associated dosing chamber, wherein inflow orifice and backflow orifice are spaced from each other, and a 3-way valve which has a port for the inflow, a port for the backflow, and a common port for the inflow channel and the backflow channel.

2. The dosing device according to claim 1, wherein the inflow channel and the backflow channel have different flow resistances and/or flow resistances dependent on the flow direction, so that a specified flow direction is obtained in the inflow channel and in the backflow channel.

3. The dosing device according to claim 2, wherein the geometry, the diameter and/or the cross-section and/or the condition of the inflow channel and the backflow channel or the channel wall of the inflow channel and the backflow channel is/are designed such that a fluid flow in the respective channel experiences less resistance in the specified flow direction than a fluid flow against the specified flow direction.

4. The dosing device according to claim 2, wherein the inflow channel and/or the backflow channel each have a main channel and a side channel, wherein the side channel branches off from the main channel in specified flow direction at a first point and after a deflecting portion at a second point located downstream of the first point again opens into the main channel, wherein the side channel branches off from the main channel at the first point with an orientation which has a component directed opposite to the specified flow direction in the main channel.

5. The dosing device according to claim 4, wherein the side channel extends in an arc around at least 140°

and at an angle of 10°

to 40°

relative to the center line of the main channel branches off from the same opposite to the main flow direction and opens into the same in main flow direction.

6. The dosing device according to claim 4, wherein, as seen in opposite direction to the specified flow direction, the main channel branches off from the common channel portion at the second point in a curvature and the side channel extends linearly or with a smaller curvature from the common channel portion in direction of the deflecting portion.

7. The dosing device according to claim 1, wherein in the inflow and/or the backflow channel a check valve is arranged, which specifies the flow direction.

8. The dosing device according to claim 1, wherein in the case of several dosing chambers the dosing chambers are connected in series with each other by at least one connecting channel and the inflow channel fluidically connects a first dosing chamber with the inlet and the backflow channel connects a last dosing chamber in flow direction with the backflow.

9. The dosing device according to claim 8, wherein several dosing chambers and at least one bypass channel are provided, which bypasses at least one of the dosing chambers.

10. The dosing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dosing chamber is part of a diaphragm pump, with a diaphragm which separates the dosing chamber from an opposed pump chamber.

11. The dosing device according to claim 8, wherein several diaphragm pumps with dosing chambers and associated pump chambers are present, and wherein the at least one dosing chamber is part of a diaphragm pump, with a diaphragm which separates the dosing chamber from an opposed pump chamber.

12. The dosing device according to claim 8, wherein a common diaphragm is provided for the diaphragm pumps.

13. The dosing device according to claim 11, wherein the diaphragm pumps in comparison with each other have different maximum pumping volumes and that a controller is provided, which actuates the diaphragm pumps, wherein the controller is designed such that the diaphragm pumps are actuated in groups or individually at the same time in the same direction or in opposite directions, offset in time relative to each other, in order to eject a dosed fluid volume which is the differential volume of the pumping volumes of several diaphragm pumps, a sum of the pumping volumes of several diaphragm pumps, or only the pumping volume of individual diaphragm pumps or of one single diaphragm pump.

14. The dosing device according to claim 10, wherein the at least one diaphragm pump has a mechanical, pneumatic, electromagnetic or electrodynamic drive in order to move the associated diaphragm.

15. The dosing device according to claim 10, wherein at least one diaphragm pump is formed as proportional pump which can generate different pump strokes.

16. A method for operating a dosing device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a dosing chamber unit receiving dosing fluid and actively ejecting dosing fluid, dosing chamber unit including dosing chambers, an inflow channel which fluidically connects a dosing chamber with an inlet and which opens in an inflow orifice into the dosing chamber, and a backflow channel which fluidically connects the dosing chamber or a dosing chamber with a backflow and which in a backflow orifice proceeds from the associated dosing chamber, wherein inflow orifice and backflow orifice are spaced from each other, and a 3-way valve which has a port for the inflow, a port for the backflow, and a common port for the inflow channel and the backflow channel,

the dosing chambers being connected in series with each other by at least one connecting channel and the inflow channel fluidically connecting a first dosing chamber with the inlet and the backflow channel connecting a last dosing chamber in flow direction with the backflow,

wherein several diaphragm pumps and respectively associated dosing and pump chambers and a controller for the diaphragm pumps are provided,

the step of actuating the diaphragm pumps in groups or individually at the same time in the same direction or in opposite directions, offset in time relative to each other, in order to eject a dosed fluid volume which is the differential volume of the pumping volumes of several diaphragm pumps, a sum of the pumping volumes of several diaphragm pumps, or only the pumping volume of individual diaphragm pumps or of one single diaphragm pump.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein during dosing one dosing chamber is closed and dosing fluid is guided past the closed dosing chamber via a bypass channel.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein via a proportional drive the stroke of the diaphragm is varied such that it ejects different quantities of dosing fluid.

19. The dosing device according to claim 5, wherein, as seen in opposite direction to the specified flow direction, the main channel branches off from the common channel portion at the second point in a curvature and the side channel extends linearly or with a smaller curvature from the common channel portion in direction of the deflecting portion.