Multiple fluid dispenser

• US 7,690,405 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluid Management Operations LLC
• Original Assignee: Fluid Management Incorporated
• Inventors: Obrecht, Anton, Leider, Marty, Khoo, Christopher, Cleveland, James R., Hogan, Tim, Hanawalt, Ryan, Miller, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson; Gregory L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/183,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20070012378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 141/234, 141/18, 141/168, 141/104, 141/100, 141/83, 141/9, 141/236, 141/86, 141/87, 222/135, 222/333, 222/63, 222/383.2
• US Class Current: 141/104
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/0723 oblique with respect to the rotating axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/0724 directly mounted on the rotating axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1125 with vanes or blades extending parallel or oblique to the stirrer axis
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/80 with stirrers rotating about a substantially vertical axis
• 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 33/846 using stored recipes for determining the composition of the mixture to be produced, i.e. for determining the amounts of the basic components to be dispensed from the component receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/20 Measuring; Control or regulation
• 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: B44D 3/08 for liquid or semi-liquid paints
• 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 dispenser for dispensing a plurality of fluids, the dispenser comprising:

a controller, the controller linked to a coordinator board, the controller having a memory with a plurality of recipes stored therein,

the coordinator board linked to a first module,

the first module linked in series to a plurality of other modules,

each module comprising a module board,

the coordinator board linked to the module board of the first module, the module board of the first module being linked in series to the module boards of the other modules,

each module board linked to at least one pump,

each pump linked between its own reservoir and its own outlet nozzle,

each outlet nozzle being mounted to a manifold block, the manifold block being supported within a manifold housing, each outlet nozzle being connected to an inlet end of the manifold block, the manifold block further comprising an outlet end, the manifold housing being connected to a closure mechanism for the outlet end of the manifold block, the closure mechanism comprising a motor linked to a manifold board for moving the closure mechanism between dispense and closed positions, the manifold board being linked in series to the other module boards,

the controller, coordinator board and module boards being programmed for the simultaneous or sequential pumping of multiple fluids from the reservoirs and through the outlet nozzles in accordance with a selected recipe.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein each module further comprises

a module frame for supporting its respective module board, each module board being linked to a pair of pumps that are both supported by the module frame, the module frame also supporting each of a pair of reservoirs linked to the pumps, wherein the module board at least partially controls operation of both of said pair of pumps.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 further comprising a cabinet for housing the plurality of modules and wherein each module frame is detachably connected to the cabinet so that each module is replaceable.

4. The dispenser of claim 2 further comprising from 6 to 16 modules for the simultaneous dispensing of from 12 to 32 different fluids.

5. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the pair of reservoirs of at least one module is a pair of vertical canisters and the pair of reservoirs of at least one other module is a pair of flexible bags.

6. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the pumps of the modules are selected from the group consisting of nutating pumps, gear pumps, and piston pumps and the pumps of at least one module being different from the pumps of at least one other module.

7. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein the reservoirs of at least one module extends vertically upward from their respective pump and have a round cross section at a lower end of the reservoir and a rectangular cross section at an upper end of the reservoir.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein each pump is connected to its respective outlet nozzle by a flexible hose, each outlet nozzle being mounted to a manifold block.

9. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the closure mechanism comprises:

a supporting frame,

the supporting frame being connected to a motor,

the motor being connected to a threaded drive shaft,

the drive shaft being directed towards the outlet end of the manifold block, the drive shaft being threadably coupled to a slide block,

the slide block being slidably supported by the supporting frame, the slide block being pivotally connected to a bracket,

the bracket being connected to an upwardly facing drip catcher, the bracket comprising a catch for engaging an abutment that pivots the bracket and drip catcher upward and towards the outlet end of the manifold block as the drip catcher and bracket approach the manifold block when the drive shaft is rotated to move the slide block, bracket and drip catcher towards the manifold block.

10. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein the abutment is disposed on an underside of the supporting frame.

11. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein the drip catcher comprises an upwardly facing rim that sealingly engages the outlet end of the manifold block.

12. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the reservoir of at least one module comprises a vertical canister and the reservoir of at least one other module comprises a flexible bag.

13. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the pumps of the modules are selected from the group consisting of nutating pumps, gear pumps, piston pumps and combinations thereof and the pump of at least one module is different from the pump of at least one other module.

14. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the reservoir of at least one module extends vertically upward from its respective pump and has a round cross section at a lower end of the reservoir near said pump and a rectangular cross section at an upper end of the reservoir.

15. A dispenser for simultaneously dispensing a plurality of fluids, the dispenser comprising:

a central controller, the controller linked to a coordinator board, the controller having a memory with a plurality of recipes stored therein,

a user interface for selecting a recipe;

the coordinator board linked to a first module,

the first module linked in series to a plurality of other modules,

each module comprising a module board, a pair of pumps and pair of reservoirs,

the coordinator board linked to the module board of the first module, the module board of the first module being linked in series to the module boards of the other modules,

each module board linked to the pair of pumps of its respective module,

each pump linked between its own reservoir and its own outlet nozzle,

each outlet nozzle being mounted to a manifold block, the manifold block being supported within a manifold housing, each outlet nozzle being connected to an inlet end of the manifold block, the manifold block further comprising an outlet end, the manifold housing being connected to a closure mechanism for the outlet end of the manifold block, the closure mechanism comprising a motor linked to a manifold board for moving the closure mechanism between dispense and closed positions, the manifold board being linked in series to the other module boards,

the controller, coordinator board and module boards being programmed for the simultaneous or sequential pumping of multiple fluids from the reservoirs through the outlet nozzles in accordance with a selected recipe,

each module further comprising a module frame for supporting its respective module board, pair of pumps and pair of reservoirs,

the dispenser further comprising a cabinet for housing the modules, the module frame being detachably connected to the cabinet so that the modules are replaceable.