Plural component pumping system

• US 9,670,919 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation (Wagner Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wagner Spray Tech Corporation (Wagner Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kieffer, Joseph W., Jerdee, Jeffrey Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Lettman, Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOLAK, TIMOTHY P
• Application Number:
  US13/285,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20120282121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 417426, 417 2, 417 3, 417286, 417293, 417 53, 417 63
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/8311 with means for controlling the motor driving the pumps or the other dispensing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/005 using synchronised pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence

Abstract

A plural component pump system is provided for delivering plural liquid components at a selected ratio. The pump system includes a first brushless DC motor configured to drive a first pump that pumps a first liquid component to an output and a second brushless DC motor configured to drive a second pump that pumps a second liquid component to the output. The pump system includes a first controller configured to control the first motor and a second controller configured to control the second motor. The pump system also includes a communication interface between the first controller and the second controller. The first controller is configured to send a signal to the second controller using the communication interface and the second controller is configured to control the second motor based on the signal to deliver the first and second liquid components to the output at the selected ratio.

Claims

1. A plural component pump system for delivering plural liquid components at a selected ratio, the pump system comprising:

a first brushless DC motor configured to drive a first pump that pumps a first liquid component to an output;

a second brushless DC motor configured to drive a second pump that pumps a second liquid component to the output;

wherein one or more of the first and second pumps comprise a reciprocating piston pump;

a first controller configured to control the first brushless DC motor;

a second controller configured to control the second brushless DC motor; and

a communication interface between the first controller and the second controller, wherein;

the first controller is configured to send a first signal to the second controller using the communication interface, the first signal being indicative of a motor characteristic corresponding to the second brushless DC motor; and

the second controller has a plurality of control modes for the second brushless DC motor, including at least;

a linked mode wherein the second controller is configured to control the second brushless DC motor based on the first signal received from the first controller, and wherein the first controller, upon detecting a change in a motor characteristic of the first brushless DC motor, is further configured to automatically send a second signal indicative of a change in the motor characteristic corresponding to the second brushless DC motor, directly to the second controller such that the ratio between a first magnitude of the first liquid component and a second magnitude of the second liquid component is maintained, and, while in the linked mode, a pressure control function of the second pump is disabled, such that the ratio between the first magnitude of the first liquid component and the second magnitude of the second liquid component is governed by a characteristic other than a pressure of the second pump; and

an unlinked mode, wherein the second brushless DC motor is operated by the second controller independent of the first signal; and

wherein the communication interface further comprises an input component configured to receive an input from a user, wherein the received input specifies switching a controller mode for the second controller from a first control mode to a second control mode, wherein the first control mode is different from the second control mode, and wherein each of the first and second control modes are selected from either the linked mode or the unlinked mode.

2. The plural component pump system of claim 1, wherein the first signal is related to an actual operating speed of the first motor.

3. The plural component pump system of claim 1, wherein the first and second controllers are configured to control the first and second brushless DC motors to drive the first and second pumps for priming and cleaning the first and second pumps.

4. The plural component pump system of claim 1, wherein the selected ratio is user-selectable using the input component.

5. The plural component pump system of claim 4, wherein first and second speed settings are selected for the first and second pumps, respectively, as a function of the user selected ratio.

6. The plural component pump system of claim 4, wherein the selected ratio is selectable using the input component in step increments of less than or equal to 0.25.

7. The plural component pump system of claim 4, and further comprising at least one user configurable pressure alarm setting.

8. The plural component pump system of claim 7, wherein the at least one pressure alarm setting is configurable by the user using the input component and comprises a user selectable pressure threshold.

9. The plural component pump system of claim 8, wherein a pressure alarm is configured to be activated based on a pressure threshold setting defined by the user.

10. A plural component pump system for delivering a plurality of liquid components at a selected ratio, the plural component pump system comprising:

a first brushless DC motor configured to drive a first pump configured to pump a first liquid component to an output;

a second brushless DC motor configured to drive a second pump configured to pump a second liquid component to the output;

a first controller configured to control the first brushless DC motor;

a second controller configured to control the second brushless DC motor;

an input component configured to receive an input from a user, wherein the received input specifies an alarm threshold, wherein the alarm threshold is a difference in pressure between the first pump and the second pump; and

an indicator component configured to provide an indication when the alarm threshold is exceeded; and

a communication interface between the first controller and the second controller, wherein;

the first controller is configured to send a first signal to the second controller using the communication interface, the first signal being indicative of a motor characteristic, corresponding to the second brushless DC motor; and

the second controller has a plurality of control modes for the second brushless DC motor, including at least;

a linked mode wherein the second controller is configured to control the second brushless DC motor based on the first signal received from the first controller, and wherein the first controller, upon detecting a change in a motor characteristic of the lust brushless DC motor, is further configured to automatically send a second signal indicative of a change in the motor characteristic corresponding to the second brushless DC motor, directly to the second controller such that the ratio between a first magnitude of the first liquid component and a second magnitude of the second liquid component is maintained, and, while in the linked mode, a pressure control function of the second pump is disabled, such that the ratio between the first magnitude of the first liquid component and the second magnitude of the second liquid component is governed by a characteristic other than a pressure of the second pump; and

an unlinked mode wherein the second brushless DC motor is operated by the second controller independent of the first signal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the indication is a visual indication.

12. A method of operating first and second pump units to deliver plural components at a particular ratio, the method comprising:

operating the first and second pump units in a first mode of operation, wherein the first mode comprises operating the first pump unit independently from the second pump unit, such that each of the first and second pump units operate independent of the particular ratio between a first magnitude of a first liquid from the first pump unit and a second magnitude of a second liquid from the second pump unit, and wherein the first pump unit is controlled by a first pump controller and the second pump unit is controlled by a second pump controller;

receiving an input on an input component, wherein the input specifies a second mode of operation;

switching an operating mode of the first and second pump units, based on the received input, from the first mode to the second mode, wherein the second mode comprises operation of the second pump unit based on the first pump unit such that the second pump controller is controlled by the first pump controller such that the particular ratio is maintained, and, wherein, a pressure control function of the second pump unit is disabled in response to operating the first and second pump units in the second mode;

sending a first signal from the first pump controller to the second pump controller based on the particular ratio in response to operating the first and second pump units in the second mode; and

sending a second signal from the first pump controller to the second pump controller based on a detected change in an operating characteristic of the first pump unit, the second signal being indicative of a change to an operating characteristic of the second pump unit; and

wherein each of the first and second pump units comprises a brushless DC motor configured to drive a fluid pump.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the first and second pump units in the first mode comprises at least one of:

priming the first and second pump units; and

cleaning the first and second pump units.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the first and second pump units in the second mode comprises:

receiving a user input indicative of a pressure setting; and

sending the first signal from the first pump unit to the second pump unit based on the particular ratio and the pressure setting.