Apparatus for dispensing incompatible chemicals to a common utilization point

• US 6,463,611 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Yuen, Kaye Kit-han, Murphy, Oliver III, Copeland, James L., Mattia, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/285,369
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 134/57.R, 68/17.R, 68/235, 682/07, 68/234, 68/236, 68/121.8, 222/255, 222/144.5, 222/129, 222/132, 222/135, 222/138, 222/252, 222/253, 222/254, 222/271, 222/274, 222/278, 222/283, 222/330, 222/331, 815/8, 366/138, 137/565
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus that prevents an undesirable chemical reaction between different liquid chemical streams in a dispenser comprising a dispenser having a common manifold leading to a use locus. The common manifold has a pumping station directed to the common manifold and the pumping station has at least two chemical input lines. The dispenser is controlled by an electromechanical controller that prevents pumping two liquid chemical streams in sequence without an intervening water flush and prevents pumping two liquid chemical streams simultaneously. The liquid inputs to the pumping station are keyed such that the inputs can be connected only to containers that fit the keyed inputs.

Claims

1. A dispenser apparatus that can provide two or more liquid chemical streams to a use locus, said chemical streams comprising incompatible streams such that upon mixing of the streams can result in the production of an undesirable reaction by-product, the dispenser comprising:

(a) a common manifold equipped with a fluid inlet, said manifold leading to an outlet connected to a use locus;

(b) a pumping station in liquid communication with the fluid inlet;

(c) at least two liquid inputs to the pumping station, wherein;

(i) the at least two liquid inputs each comprise a coupling that can fit only a reservoir for an appropriate liquid chemical for that liquid input;

(ii) each coupling comprising an inner probe and an outer probe, wherein the inner probe and the outer probe are constructed to rotate relative to each other; and

(d) an electromechanical controller that prevents the dispenser from simultaneously pumping different chemical streams to the manifold and prevents pumping a liquid chemical into the manifold without an intermediate liquid flush to remove residue of an incompatible liquid chemical.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pump station comprises a pump for each liquid input.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pump station comprises a valve for each liquid input.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the liquid chemical comprises an aqueous liquid chemical.

5. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein the aqueous liquid chemical comprises a major proportion of water and a minor proportion of a compatible solvent.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the use locus comprises one or more laundry machines.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein the laundry machine comprises a tunnel washer.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein one liquid chemical comprises chlorine bleach and a second incompatible liquid chemical comprises an aqueous acid.

9. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein one liquid chemical comprises an acid chemical and a second incompatible liquid comprises an aqueous alkaline material.

10. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein a first liquid chemical comprises a chemical comprising an anion that when combined with a second incompatible liquid chemical comprising a cation results in the production of a relatively insoluble precipitate.

11. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein a first liquid chemical comprises a chemical comprising an electron donor and a second liquid chemical comprises a chemical comprising an electron acceptor.

12. A method of dispensing two or more liquid chemical streams to a use locus, said chemical streams comprising incompatible streams such that upon mixing of the streams can result in the production of an undesirable reaction by-product, the method comprising dispensing a first chemical stream from a pumping station in liquid communication with the fluid inlet, the pumping station comprising at least two liquid inputs to the pumping station, each input having a coupling that can fit only a reservoir for an appropriate liquid chemical for that inlet;

said chemical stream dispensed into to a common manifold equipped with a fluid inlet, said manifold leading to an outlet connected to a use locus, wherein an electromechanical controller prevents both the simultaneous dispensing of a second and different chemical streams to the manifold and requires an intermediate liquid flush to remove residue of the first chemical stream before dispensing a second chemical stream.

13. A dispenser apparatus that can provide two or more liquid chemical streams to a use locus, the dispenser apparatus comprising:

(a) a manifold in fluid communication with at least two inlet lines, wherein each inlet line is constructed for attachment to a separate container containing an appropriate liquid chemical for that inlet line;

(b) at least two chemical containers, each chemical container comprising an opening and a bung cup provided in the opening; and

(c) at least two couplings, each coupling connecting the at least two inlet lines to the at least two chemical containers, each coupling is constructed to fit within one of the bung cups, each coupling comprising an inner probe and an outer probe, wherein the inner probe and the outer probe are constructed to rotate relative to each other.

14. A dispenser apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

(a) an exit stream from the manifold to a use locus.

15. A dispenser apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the manifold further comprises a water inlet and a dirtied flushing water outlet.

16. A dispenser apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

(a) a pumping station provided between the manifold and the couplings for directing liquid chemical from the liquid chemical containers to the manifold.

17. A dispenser apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the pumping station comprises a water inlet.