Multiple fluid dispenser

• US 7,562,680 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluid Management Operations LLC
• Original Assignee: Fluid Management Operations LLC
• Inventors: Miller, William A., Khoo, Christopher, Cleveland, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US11/348,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20070012376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2, 141 85- 92, 141/192, 141/198, 141/250, 141/254, 141/267, 141/269, 141/271, 141/281, 141/337, 222/148, 222597-599, 222/476, 222/528, 222/529, 222/536, 222/544, 222/212, 239/106, 239/110, 239/112
• US Class Current: 141/86
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/84 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles receiving material dispensed from several component receptacles, e.g. paint tins
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/8442 using a computer for controlling information and converting it in a formula and a set of operation instructions, e.g. on the point of sale
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/712 for feeding fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/881 by weighing, e.g. with automatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/28 with integral means for shielding the discharged liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to limit area of spray; with integral means for catching drips or collecting surplus liquid or other fluent material means for any of these purposes, per se, B05B12/16, B05B12/32, B05B14/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0814 for upside down use

Abstract

An improved multi fluid dispenser for simultaneous dispensing of a plurality of fluids shown and described. The dispenser includes a controller that is linked to a coordinator board. The controller has a memory with a plurality of recipes stored in the memory. A coordinator board is linked to a first module. The first module may include one or two pumps, each connected to a fluid reservoir. The module is then linked in series to a plurality of other modules as well as a manifold module. Each module includes a module board for controlling the pump or pumps of that module. The controller, coordinator board and module boards are all programmed for the simultaneous or sequential pumping of multiple fluids from the reservoirs through outlet nozzles of the manifold in accordance with a recipe selected by the user and retrieved from the memory of the controller.

Claims

1. A manifold and nozzle closure system for a fluid dispenser, the manifold and closure system comprising:

a manifold for supporting a plurality of downwardly directed nozzles,

a motor connected to an actuator, the actuator being threaded drive shaft that is threadably coupled to a slide block, the slide block being pivotally coupled to the drip catcher,

the motor being disposed rearwardly from the manifold, the actuator being directed towards the manifold, the actuator being pivotally coupled to the drip catcher,

the drip catcher comprising a front end that is connected to a container holder,

the actuator, drip catcher and container holder being movable by the motor between

a closed position where the drip catcher is disposed beneath the manifold and nozzles and serving as a bottom cover for the nozzles and where the container holder is disposed in front of the manifold, and

one or more open positions where the container holder is disposed beneath one or more of the nozzles and where the drip catcher has been moved pivotally downward and rearward relative to the closed position.

2. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 further comprising a catch and an abutment, the drip catcher and container holder pivoting upward to the closed position when catch engages the abutment as the drive shaft is rotated to move the slide block, drip catcher and container holder forward to the closed position.

3. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 wherein the manifold comprises an elongated plate and the nozzles are accommodated in the plate and aligned in a single row, a single staggered row or a single row of nozzles arranged in clusters.

4. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 wherein the drip catcher comprises an upwardly facing rim that can sealingly engage an underside of the manifold.

5. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 further comprising a proximity sensor disposed in front of the manifold to detect the presence of a container accommodated in the container holder when the drip catcher is in the closed position.

6. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 wherein the container holder is detachably connected to the front end of the drip catcher so the container holder can be exchanged or modified to accommodate containers of varying sizes.

7. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 further comprising a connecting block disposed beneath and connected to the slide block, the connecting block connecting the slide block to a bracket assembly, the connecting block being pivotally connected to the drip catcher by the bracket assembly.

8. The manifold and closure system of claim 2 wherein the abutment is disposed on an underside of the supporting frame.

9. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 wherein the catch is disposed on the bracket assembly.

10. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 wherein rotation of the drive shaft in an opposite direction results in rearward movement of the slide block, bracket assembly and drip catcher away from the front end of manifold.

11. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 wherein the manifold is connected to a supporting frame and the slide block is slidably supported by the supporting frame.

12. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 further comprising a connecting block disposed beneath the slide block and connecting the slide block to the bracket assembly, the connecting block being pivotally connected to the drip catcher by the bracket assembly.

13. The manifold and closure system of claim 1 wherein the manifold comprises an elongated nozzle plate aligned with the drive shaft, and wherein the nozzles are connected to the nozzle plate in a single row, a single staggered row, or a single row of nozzle clusters extending between the front and rear ends of the nozzle plate.

14. A manifold and nozzle closure system for a fluid dispenser, the manifold and closure system comprising:

a manifold for supporting a plurality of downwardly directed nozzles,

a motor connected to an actuator,

the motor being disposed rearwardly from the manifold, the actuator being directed towards the manifold, the actuator being pivotally coupled to a drip catcher,

the drip catcher comprising a front end that is connected to a container holder,

the actuator, drip catcher and container holder being movable by the motor between

a closed position where the drip catcher is disposed beneath the manifold and nozzles and serving as a bottom cover for the nozzles and where the container holder is disposed in front of the manifold, and

one or more open positions where the container holder is disposed beneath one or more of the nozzles and where the drip catcher has been moved pivotally downward and rearward relative to the closed position, and

a proximity sensor disposed in front of the manifold to detect the presence of a container accommodated in the container holder when the drip catcher is in the closed position.

15. The manifold and closure system of claim 14 wherein the actuator is a threaded drive shaft that is threadably coupled to a slide block, the slide block being pivotally coupled to the drip catcher.

16. The manifold and closure system of claim 15 further comprising a catch and an abutment, the drip catcher and container holder pivoting upward to the closed position when catch engages the abutment as the drive shaft is rotated to move the slide block, drip catcher and container holder forward to the closed position.

17. The manifold and closure system of claim 14 wherein the manifold comprises an elongated plate and the nozzles are accommodated in the plate and aligned in a single row, a single staggered row or a single row of nozzles arranged in clusters.

18. The manifold and closure system of claim 14 wherein the drip catcher comprises an upwardly facing rim that can sealingly engage an underside of the manifold.

19. The manifold and closure system of claim 14 wherein the container holder is detachably connected to the front end of the drip catcher so the container holder can be exchanged or modified to accommodate containers of varying sizes.

20. The manifold and closure system of claim 15 further comprising a connecting block disposed beneath and connected to the slide block, the connecting block connecting the slide block to a bracket assembly, the connecting block being pivotally connected to the drip catcher by the bracket assembly.