Liquid dispensing apparatus
First Claim
1. A liquid dispensing apparatus to accurately dispense known volumes of liquid onto a receiving surface of a workpiece, for use in conjunction with a two axis of movement robotic table that is configured to hold a workpiece in a given position on a table member, with said robotic table having motor means for moving said table member with respect to said liquid dispensing apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
- a cartridge having a longitudinal axis and defining a reservoir for containing an amount of liquid therein, said cartridge having an outlet of known cross sectional area and an inlet for allowing said liquid to be deposited into said cartridge;
a piston positioned within said cartridge along said longitudinal axis, the displacement of said piston with said cartridge, with respect to said outlet, defining the volume of said reservoir;
driving means for effecting translational movement of said piston with respect to said cartridge so as to cause a change in the volume of said reservoir;
control means for operating said driving means; and
interconnection means for mechanically interconnecting said piston and said driving means, such that said driving means may rotatably drive said piston with said cartridge, said interconnection means having a threaded portion thereon;
a first retaining means for retaining said interconnection means in threadibly engaged relation thereto;
a second retaining means for retaining said interconnection means in freely rotatable substantially non-translatable relation thereto;
wherein one of said first and second retaining means is securely connected to said piston and the other of said first and second retaining means is securely connected to said cartridge;
wherein said interconnection means is longitudinally rigid between said first retaining means and said second retaining means thereby to preclude unwanted relative movement along said longitudinal axis of said piston with respect to said cartridge;
whereby, when said piston is advanced long said cartridge towards said outlet by way of a known degree of rotation of said interconnection means, a known volume of said liquid is dispensed from said reservoir through said outlet; and
wherein the rate of liquid dispensing from said reservoir is substantially proportional to the rate of change in displacement of said outlet with respect to said workpiece, in a direction substantially perpendicular to said receiving surface of said workpiece, and further varies proportionally as said rate of change in displacement varies.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid dispensing apparatus is adapted to accurately dispense known volumes of liquid onto the receiving surface a workpiece, and comprises a cartridge having a reservoir for containing an amount of liquid. The cartridge has an outlet of known cross sectional area, and a piston adapted for longitudinal translational movement. There is a driving means for effecting movement of the piston, control means for operating said driving means, and means having a threaded portion for mechanically interconnecting the piston and driving means, so as to drive the piston within the cartridge. One of a first and second retaining means is securely connected to the piston and the other of said first and second retaining means is securely connected to said cartridge; and the interconnection means is longitudinally rigid between the first and said second retaining means so as to preclude unwanted relative movement of the piston with respect to the cartridge. Thus, when the piston is advanced along the cartridge towards the outlet, a known volume of liquid is dispensed. There is a feedback loop whereby the rate of liquid dispensing from the reservoir is substantially proportional to the rate of change in displacement of the outlet with respect to the workpiece, and varies proportionally as the rate of change in displacement varies.
86 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A liquid dispensing apparatus to accurately dispense known volumes of liquid onto a receiving surface of a workpiece, for use in conjunction with a two axis of movement robotic table that is configured to hold a workpiece in a given position on a table member, with said robotic table having motor means for moving said table member with respect to said liquid dispensing apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
-
a cartridge having a longitudinal axis and defining a reservoir for containing an amount of liquid therein, said cartridge having an outlet of known cross sectional area and an inlet for allowing said liquid to be deposited into said cartridge; a piston positioned within said cartridge along said longitudinal axis, the displacement of said piston with said cartridge, with respect to said outlet, defining the volume of said reservoir; driving means for effecting translational movement of said piston with respect to said cartridge so as to cause a change in the volume of said reservoir; control means for operating said driving means; and interconnection means for mechanically interconnecting said piston and said driving means, such that said driving means may rotatably drive said piston with said cartridge, said interconnection means having a threaded portion thereon; a first retaining means for retaining said interconnection means in threadibly engaged relation thereto; a second retaining means for retaining said interconnection means in freely rotatable substantially non-translatable relation thereto; wherein one of said first and second retaining means is securely connected to said piston and the other of said first and second retaining means is securely connected to said cartridge; wherein said interconnection means is longitudinally rigid between said first retaining means and said second retaining means thereby to preclude unwanted relative movement along said longitudinal axis of said piston with respect to said cartridge; whereby, when said piston is advanced long said cartridge towards said outlet by way of a known degree of rotation of said interconnection means, a known volume of said liquid is dispensed from said reservoir through said outlet; and wherein the rate of liquid dispensing from said reservoir is substantially proportional to the rate of change in displacement of said outlet with respect to said workpiece, in a direction substantially perpendicular to said receiving surface of said workpiece, and further varies proportionally as said rate of change in displacement varies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A liquid dispensing apparatus that accurately dispenses known volumes of liquid onto a receiving surface of a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:
-
a cartridge having a longitudinal axis and defining a reservoir for containing an amount of liquid therein, said cartridge having an outlet of known cross sectional area and an inlet for allowing said liquid to be deposited into said cartridge; a piston positioned within said cartridge and for translational movement therewithin along said longitudinal axis, the displacement of said piston within said cartridge, with respect to said outlet, defining the volume of said reservoir; driving means for effecting translational movement of said piston with respect to said cartridge so as to cause a change in the volume of said reservoir; control means for operating said driving means; interconnection means for mechanically interconnecting said piston and said driving means, such that said driving means may rotatably drive said piston within said cartridge, said interconnection means having a threaded portion thereon; a first retaining means for retaining said interconnection means in threadibly engaged relation thereto; a second retaining means for retaining said interconnection means in freely rotatable substantially non-translatable relation thereto; and feedback loop means for indicating the relative position of said outlet of said cartridge with respect to a datum point; wherein one of said first and second retaining means is securely connected to said piston and the other of said first and second retaining means is securely connected to said cartridge; wherein said interconnection means is longitudinally rigid between said first retaining means and said second retaining means thereby to preclude unwanted relative movement along said longitudinal axis of said piston with respect to said cartridge; whereby when said piston is advanced towards said outlet by way of a known degree of rotation of said interconnection means, said piston advances along said cartridge by a known amount to thereby dispense a known volume of said liquid from said reservoir through said outlet; wherein the rate of liquid dispensing from said reservoir is substantially proportional to the relative speed of said outlet with respect to said workpiece, in a direction substantially perpendicular to said receiving surface of said workpiece; and wherein said rate of liquid dispensing is controlled by feedback signals from said feedback loop. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification