Fluid storage and dispensing systems and processes
First Claim
1. A fluid supply system comprising:
- a liner-based fluid storage and dispensing package including a liner adapted to contain a liquid medium in a zero or near-zero headspace condition;
a pressurized gas source adapted to exteriorly exert on the liner a gas pressure for pressure-mediated dispensing of said liquid medium from the liner; and
a monitor adapted to monitor pressure of the liquid medium dispensed from the liner in a zero or near-zero headspace condition and adapted to generate a monitor output signal indicative of a pressure droop condition of the dispensed liquid medium to indicate onset of exhaustion of liquid medium from the liner;
wherein the monitor includes a pressure transducer arranged to monitor pressure of the liquid medium dispensed from the liner, and a processor operatively coupled to the transducer to receive transducer output signals for signal processing of same and to determine, before the liner is exhausted of liquid medium, that said pressure droop condition exists.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fluid storage and dispensing systems and processes involving various structures methods for fluid storage and dispensing, including, pre-connect verification couplings that are usefully employed with fluid storage and dispensing packages to ensure proper coupling and avoid fluid contamination issues, empty detect systems (e.g., monitoring pressure of dispensed liquid medium to detect pressure droop conditions) useable with fluid storage and dispensing packages incorporating liners that are pressure-compressed in the fluid dispensing operation, ergonomically enhanced structures for facilitating removal of a dispense connector from a capped vessel, cap integrity assurance systems for preventing misuse of vessel caps, and keycoding systems for ensuring coupling of proper dispense assemblies and vessels. Fluid storage and dispensing systems achieve zero or near-zero headspace character, and prevent or ameliorate solubilization effects in liquid dispensing from liners in overpack vessels.
89 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A fluid supply system comprising:
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a liner-based fluid storage and dispensing package including a liner adapted to contain a liquid medium in a zero or near-zero headspace condition; a pressurized gas source adapted to exteriorly exert on the liner a gas pressure for pressure-mediated dispensing of said liquid medium from the liner; and a monitor adapted to monitor pressure of the liquid medium dispensed from the liner in a zero or near-zero headspace condition and adapted to generate a monitor output signal indicative of a pressure droop condition of the dispensed liquid medium to indicate onset of exhaustion of liquid medium from the liner; wherein the monitor includes a pressure transducer arranged to monitor pressure of the liquid medium dispensed from the liner, and a processor operatively coupled to the transducer to receive transducer output signals for signal processing of same and to determine, before the liner is exhausted of liquid medium, that said pressure droop condition exists. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 23, 24)
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10. A method of supplying fluid to a location of use from a liner-based fluid storage and dispensing package including a liner holding said fluid, the method comprising:
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applying exterior pressure to the liner to progressively collapse the liner and dispense fluid therefrom, monitoring pressure of the dispensed fluid during dispensing operation to generate an output signal indicative of a pressure droop condition of the dispensed fluid to indicate onset of exhaustion of fluid from the liner; and using a processor to process sensor output signals indicative of pressure of dispensed fluid and to determine, before the liner is exhausted of fluid, that said pressure droop condition exists. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26)
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Specification