Precise volume fluid dispenser

• US 5,568,882 A
• Filed: 02/03/1995
• Issued: 10/29/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abc Techcorp
• Original Assignee: Abc Techcorp
• Inventors: Takacs, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAUFMAN, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US08/383,445
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 222/61, 222/64, 222/66, 222/155, 222/397, 222/399
• US Class Current: 222/61
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/168 with electric indicating or recording

Abstract

A fluid dispenser for measuring precise volumes of a fluid for later mixing with other materials which has a pressure vessel for receiving a fluid supplied from a supply tank, a bubbler sensor communicating with the pressure vessel for correlating pressure within a bubbler tube with volume in the pressure vessel so that a controller in communication with the bubbler sensor can control the inflow and outflow of precise volumes of the fluid through the pressure vessel. The bubbler robe is received within the pressure vessel and is monitored by a pressure transducer which communicates with the controller so that a plurality of solenoid valves can control the inflow and outflow of the measured fluid.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser for measuring precise volumes of a fluid, comprising:

a pressure vessel for receiving a fluid supplied from a supply tank;

a sense pressure supply

a bubbler tube received within said pressure vessel and connected to said sense pressure supply, said sense pressure supply continually exerting a pressure through said bubbler tube while said pressure vessel is receiving said fluid from said supply tank;

a controller in communication with said bubbler tube for controlling the inflow and outflow of said fluid through said pressure vessel; and

a pressure transducer connected to said controller and in communication with said bubbler tube, said pressure transducer monitoring a pressure within said bubbler tube, said controller correlating said pressure to a volume of said fluid in said pressure vessel and stopping said inflow of said fluid when said pressure reaches a predetermined level.

2. The fluid dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first solenoid valve operative with said controller for providing said sense pressure supply to said bubbler tube;

a second solenoid valve operative with said controller and disposed between said supply tank, said pressure vessel and a dispense tank such that said second solenoid valve opens and closes under control of said controller for regulating the inflow and outflow of said fluid through said pressure vessel; and

a third solenoid valve operative with said controller and disposed between a dispense pressure supply and said pressure vessel such that said third solenoid valve opens and closes under control of said controller for forcing said fluid out of said pressure vessel and into said dispense tank.

3. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2, further comprising

a dispense pressure tube disposed between said third solenoid valve and said pressure vessel, wherein said dispense pressure tube receives said bubbler tube.

4. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2, wherein said pressure vessel has a top end and a bottom end, said pressure vessel tapered from said top end inwardly to said bottom end to provide increased resolution of said bubbler sensor in correlating the amount of pressure in said bubbler tube and thus the volume of fluid within said pressure vessel.

5. The fluid dispenser according to claim 2, further comprising:

an insulator disposed between said bubbler tube and said pressure vessel; and

an empty sense line interconnected between said pressure vessel and said controller such that a closed circuit is observed between said bubbler tube and said pressure vessel whenever said fluid is in contact with said bubbler tube so as to allow said controller to detect whenever the desired amount of fluid has flowed out of said pressure vessel.

6. The fluid dispenser according to claim 5, further comprising:

a sight tube operative with said pressure vessel so as to provide a visual indication of said fluid therein.

7. The fluid dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said bubbler tube is received by said insulator and wherein said sight tube receives said insulator so as to provide a visual indication of the operation of said bubbler tube.

8. A fluid dispenser for measuring precise volumes of a fluid for later mixing with other materials, comprising:

a pressure vessel;

a supply tank for supplying a fluid to said pressure vessel;

a bubbler tube received in said pressure vessel;

an insulator disposed between said bubbler tube and said pressure vessel;

a dispense pressure supply in communication with said pressure vessel;

a dispense tank for receiving said fluid from said pressure vessel;

a controller in communication with said bubbler tube for determining a precise volume of said fluid received and dispensed by said pressure vessel; and

an empty sense line interconnected between said pressure vessel and said controller such that a closed circuit is observed between said bubbler tube and said pressure vessel whenever said fluid is in contact with said bubbler tube and an open circuit is observed whenever said fluid is not in such contact.

9. The fluid dispenser according to claim 8, further comprising:

a sense pressure supply communicative with said bubbler tube;

a first solenoid valve operatively controlled by said controller and disposed between said sense pressure supply and said bubbler tube; and

a pressure transducer interconnected between said controller and said bubbler tube for determining the amount of pressure within said bubbler tube and thus the volume of fluid within said pressure vessel.

10. The fluid dispenser according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second solenoid valve operatively controlled by said controller and disposed between said supply tank, said dispense tank and said pressure vessel; and

a third solenoid valve operatively controlled by said controller and disposed between said dispense pressure supply and said pressure vessel, wherein said controller opens and closes said plurality of solenoid valves to receive and precisely measure an amount of fluid in said pressure vessel, and to transfer said fluid to said dispense tank.

11. The fluid dispenser according to claim 10, further comprising:

a sight tube operatively connected to said pressure vessel so as to provide a visual indication of the amount of said fluid in said pressure vessel.

12. The fluid dispenser according to claim 11, wherein said bubbler tube and said insulator is received within said sight tube so as to provide a visual indication of the operation of said bubbler tube.

13. The fluid dispenser according to claim 10, further comprising:

a dispense pressure tube disposed between said third solenoid valve and said pressure vessel, wherein said dispense pressure tube receives said bubbler tube such that said dispense pressure supply clears said bubbler tube.

14. The fluid dispenser according to claim 10, wherein said pressure vessel has a top end and a bottom end, said pressure vessel tapered from said top end inwardly to said bottom end to provide increased resolution by said bubbler tube in correlating an amount of pressure therein with a volume of fluid within pressure vessel.