System for blending liquids in selected ratios

• US 7,766,538 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assembled Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Assembled Products Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Daniel C., Conrad, Steven S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Soohoo; Tony G
• Application Number:
  US11/523,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 366/160.1, 366/160.2, 366/160.3, 366/160.4, 366/182.1, 366/182.2, 366/182.3, 366/182.4, 366/142, 366/152.6, 366/152.1
• US Class Current: 366/152.6
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/49 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/20 Measuring; Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2112 Level of material in a container or the position or shape of the upper surface of the material

Abstract

A system that consistently blends together liquids at a specified ratio to create a particular resultant chemical solution stops operating and notifies an operator when the level of one of the supplied liquids is low. This ensures that the proper ratio of blended liquids will be maintained during operation of the system.

Claims

1. A system for blending liquids in selected ratios to create a particular resultant solution, the system for blending liquids comprises:

a solution mixing device in which the liquids are blended;

a chemical supply device; and

a control box for operating the solution mixing device;

said system further comprises an operating mode and a disabled mode;

said solution mixing device further comprises a water proportioning pump, a valve for controlling an on/off flow of water through the water proportioning pump, and a chemical pump which inputs a selected amount of chemicals into the water within the water proportioning pump;

said valve includes an open valve position and a closed valve position;

wherein when said valve is in the open valve position, the water is allowed to flow through the water proportioning pump, and when said valve is in the closed valve position, the water is blocked from flowing through the water proportioning pump;

wherein said chemical pump includes a piston disposed within the water proportioning pump and maintains a selected ratio of water to chemicals while the system is in said operating mode.

2. The system for blending liquids of claim 1, wherein said water proportioning pump further comprises means for adjusting the water to chemical ratio.

3. The system for blending liquids of claim 1, wherein said solution mixing device comprises:

a water filter for removing particulates from water entering the system;

a backflow preventer which deters water that has passed through the water filter from flowing back into the unfiltered water.

4. The system for blending liquids of claim 1, wherein said solution mixing device further comprises:

a water entry port which transports incoming water into the solution mixing device;

a chemical entry port which transports incoming chemicals into the solution mixing device; and

a solution release port which releases the resultant solution from the system.

5. The system for blending liquids of claim 1, wherein said chemical supply device comprises:

a chemical supply container; and

a chemical monitoring system.

6. The system for blending liquids of claim 5, wherein said chemical monitoring system comprises a liquid level switch assembly that monitors the level of the chemical in the chemical supply container and controls operation of the solution mixing device.

7. The system for blending liquids of claim 6, wherein said control box comprises:

means for indicating a liquid level in the chemical supply container.

8. The system for blending liquids of claim 7, wherein said means for indicating a liquid level in the chemical supply container comprises a level indicator light.

9. The system for blending liquids of claim 8, wherein when the liquid level in the chemical supply container drops to a pre-selected level, said liquid level switch assembly actuates said level indicator light and disables the system.

10. The system for blending liquids of claim 6, wherein said control box includes a level indicator for monitoring the level of the chemical disposed in the chemical supply container.

11. The system for blending liquids of claim 10, wherein said level indicator comprises a light that is activated when the level of the chemical in the chemical supply container drops below a pre-selected level.

12. The system for blending liquids of claim 11, wherein said liquid level switch assembly comprises:

a liquid level switch; and

a float.

13. The system for blending liquids of claim 12, wherein said float rides on the surface of the chemical disposed in the chemical supply container and activates the liquid level switch.

14. The system for blending liquids of claim 13, wherein said liquid level switch further actuates the valve between said closed and opened valve positions;

when said valve is in said closed valve position the system is in the disabled mode; and

when said valve is in the opened valve position the system is in the operating mode.

15. The system for blending liquids of claim 14, wherein said liquid level switch is activated by said float between an opened switch position and a closed switch position;

when said liquid level switch is in said closed switch position, said system is in said operating mode; and

when said liquid level switch is in said opened switch position, said system is in said disabled mode.

16. The system for blending liquids of claim 15, wherein when the level of the chemical in the chemical supply container drops below a pre-selected level, said liquid level switch moves to said opened switch position, the level indicator light is activated, the valve moves to a closed valve position and the system moves into the disabled mode.

17. The system for blending liquids of claim 1, wherein said solution mixing device further comprising a ratio adjustment mechanism.

18. The system for blending liquids of claim 17, wherein said water proportioning pump includes:

an upper portion; and

a lower portion;

said solution mixing device further comprises a chemical pump which inputs a selected amount of chemical with the water.

19. The system for blending liquids of claim 18, wherein said ratio adjustment mechanism is rotatably attached to said upper portion.

20. The system for blending liquids of claim 19, wherein the ratio of water to chemicals input by the chemical pump is selectively adjusted by rotating the ratio adjustment mechanism relative to the upper portion.

21. A system for blending liquids in selected ratios to create a particular resultant solution, the system for blending liquids comprises:

(1) a solution mixing device;

(2) a chemical supply device;

(3) a control box for operating the solution mixing device;

wherein said system further comprises an operating mode and a disabled mode;

(1) said solution mixing device includes;

a water proportioning pump;

a water entry port which transports incoming water into the solution mixing device;

a chemical entry port which transports incoming chemicals into the solution mixing device;

a solution release port which releases the resultant solution from the system;

a water filter for removing particulates from the incoming water;

a backflow preventer which deters water that has passed through the water filter from flowing back into unfiltered water;

a chemical pump which inputs a selected amount of chemicals into the water proportioning pump; and

a solenoid valve disposed between the backflow preventer and the water proportioning pump;

said solenoid valve having an opened valve position and a closed valve position;

wherein when said solenoid valve is in the opened valve position, the water is allowed to flow through the water proportioning pump, and when said solenoid valve is in the closed valve position, the water is blocked from flowing through the water proportioning pump;

(2) said chemical supply device includes;

a chemical supply container; and

a liquid level switch assembly that monitors the level of the liquid in the chemical supply container and controls operation of the solution mixing device;

(3) said control box includes;

a level indicator light;

a first contact; and

a second contact;

wherein said level indicator light is activated when the liquid level in the chemical supply container drops below a pre-selected level;

wherein said first contact includes first opened and closed positions, and said second contact includes second opened and closed positions;

said water proportioning pump includes;

a lower portion;

an upper portion; and

a ratio adjustment mechanism rotatably attached to the upper portion;

wherein the ratio of water to chemicals is adjusted by rotating the ratio adjustment mechanism relative to the upper portion;

said chemical pump comprises a piston disposed within said upper portion of said water proportioning pump;

said liquid level switch assembly is disposed in the chemical supply container and comprises;

a liquid level switch; and

a float which monitors a surface level of the liquid in the chemical supply container;

wherein said float rides on the surface of the chemical in the chemical supply container and actuates the liquid level switch based on the level of the chemical in the chemical supply container;

wherein said liquid level switch has an opened switch position and a closed switch position;

when said system is in said operating mode, said liquid level switch is in said closed switch position; and

when said system is in said disabled mode, said liquid level switch is in said opened switch position;

when the system is in the operating mode, the solenoid valve is in the opened valve position and water is flowing through the water proportioning pump, the first contact is in said first opened position, the second contact is in the second closed position and the level indicator light is deactivated;

when the level of the chemical in the chemical container drops below a pre-selected level, said float signals the liquid level switch to move from the opened switch position to the closed switch position, the level indicator light is activated, the first contact moves to the first closed position, and the second contact moves to said second opened position, said solenoid valve moves to the closed valve position to cut off flow of water through the water proportioning pump, and the system moves into the disabled mode.

22. The system for blending liquids of claim 21, wherein said selected ratio of water to chemicals ranges from approximately 500:

1 to approximately 50;

1.