Dispenser and method of dispensing and controlling with a flow meter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10076765-B2
Application number	US-201715414664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2017
Priority date	Jan 7, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods related to dispensing fluid and controlling a dispensing operation. The system includes a fluid dispenser including an inlet and an outlet, the dispenser being operable to start and stop the flow of the fluid from the outlet onto a substrate. The system also includes a fluid supply reservoir adapted to hold the fluid, and having an outlet coupled in fluid communication with the inlet of the fluid dispenser to establish a flow path for the fluid between the fluid supply reservoir and the outlet of the fluid dispenser. The fluid supply reservoir further includes a pneumatic input coupled to an air flow path adapted to receive pressurized air for forcing the fluid from the outlet of the reservoir. An electronic air flow meter device is operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid dispensing system, comprising:
a fluid dispenser including an inlet and an outlet, the dispenser being operable to start and stop a flow of fluid from the outlet onto a substrate;
a fluid supply reservoir adapted to hold the fluid, and having an outlet coupled in fluid communication with the inlet of the fluid dispenser to establish a flow path for the fluid between the fluid supply reservoir and the outlet of the fluid dispenser, the fluid supply reservoir further including a pneumatic input coupled to an air flow path adapted to receive pressurized air for forcing the fluid from the outlet of the fluid supply reservoir, said fluid supply reservoir being thermally insulated;
an electronic air flow meter device operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals that are each representative of a flow rate of the air flowing through the flow path; and
a control operatively coupled to the electronic air flow meter device, the control receiving and processing the electrical output signals to determine a value associated with the fluid.

2. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical output signals produced by the electronic air flow meter device are proportional to the flow rate of the air flowing through the pneumatic input.

3. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a thermally insulated air supply line coupled between the electronic air flow meter device and the pneumatic input.

4. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the air flow path; and
a pressure low pass filter coupled downstream of the pressure regulator and upstream of the pneumatic input in the air flow path.

5. The fluid dispensing system of claim 4 , wherein the pressure regulator is adjustable and used to set an adjustable pressure in the air flow path.

6. The fluid dispensing system of claim 4 , wherein the pressure low pass filter comprises an air expansion tank or an air flow restrictor device.

7. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronic temperature detector operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals, the electronic temperature detector operatively coupled to the control for providing a temperature compensation factor used during processing of the electrical output signals from the electronic air flow meter device.

8. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronic pressure detector operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals, the electronic pressure detector operatively coupled to the control for providing a pressure compensation factor used during processing of the electrical output signals from the electronic air flow meter device.

9. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronic humidity detector operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals, the electronic humidity detector operatively coupled to the control for providing a humidity compensation factor used during processing of the electrical output signals from the electronic air flow meter device.

10. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the control receives and processes the electrical output signals to determine a volume value associated with the fluid.

11. The fluid dispensing system of claim 10 , wherein the volume value associated with the fluid is a volume of fluid in the fluid supply reservoir.

12. The fluid dispensing system of claim 10 , wherein the volume value associated with the fluid is a volume of fluid dispensed by the fluid dispenser.

13. The fluid dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the value represented by each electrical output signal is variable depending on the flow rate of the air.

14. A fluid dispensing system, comprising:
a fluid dispenser including an inlet and an outlet, the dispenser being operable to start and stop a flow of fluid from the outlet onto a substrate;
a fluid supply reservoir adapted to hold the fluid, and having an outlet coupled in fluid communication with the inlet of the fluid dispenser to establish a flow path for the fluid between the fluid supply reservoir and the outlet of the fluid dispenser, the fluid supply reservoir further including an pneumatic input coupled to an air flow path adapted to receive pressurized air for forcing the fluid from the outlet of the fluid supply reservoir, said fluid supply reservoir being thermally insulated;
an electronic air flow meter device operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals;
an electronic humidity detector operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals, the electronic humidity detector providing a humidity compensation factor; and
a control operatively coupled to the electronic air flow meter device and the electronic humidity detector, the control receiving and processing the electrical output signals from the electronic air flow meter device and the humidity compensation factor to determine a value associated with the fluid.

15. The fluid dispensing system of claim 14 , wherein the electrical output signals produced by the electronic air flow meter device are proportional to a flow rate of the air flowing through the pneumatic input.

16. The fluid dispensing system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a pressure regulator operatively coupled to the air flow path; and
a pressure low pass filter coupled downstream of the pressure regulator and upstream of the pneumatic input in the air flow path.

17. The fluid dispensing system of claim 14 , wherein the control receives and processes the electrical output signals to determine a volume value associated with the fluid.

18. The fluid dispensing system of claim 17 , wherein the volume value associated with the fluid is a volume of fluid in the fluid supply reservoir.

19. The fluid dispensing system of claim 17 , wherein the volume value associated with the fluid is a volume of fluid dispensed by the fluid dispenser.

20. A fluid dispensing system, comprising:
a fluid dispenser including an inlet and an outlet, the dispenser being operable to start and stop a flow of fluid from the outlet onto a substrate;
a fluid supply reservoir adapted to hold the fluid, and having an outlet coupled in fluid communication with the inlet of the fluid dispenser to establish a flow path for the fluid between the fluid supply reservoir and the outlet of the fluid dispenser, the fluid supply reservoir further including an pneumatic input coupled to an air flow path adapted to receive pressurized air for forcing the fluid from the outlet of the fluid supply reservoir, said fluid supply reservoir being thermally insulated;
an electronic air flow meter device operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals;
an electronic pressure detector operatively coupled to the air flow path to produce electrical output signals, the electronic pressure detector providing a pressure compensation factor; and
a control operatively coupled to the electronic air flow meter device and the electronic pressure detector, the control receiving and processing the electrical output signals from the electronic air flow meter device and the pressure compensation factor to determine a value associated with the fluid.

21. The fluid dispensing system of claim 20 , wherein the electrical output signals produced by th

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Des Jardins Stephen R
• Lewis Alan R
• Suhinin Yuriy

Classifications

• B05C5/02

  {the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g.} from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work · CPC title

• B05B12/006

  Pressure or flow rate sensors · CPC title

• B05C11/1013

  responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00) · CPC title

• B05C11/101

  responsive to weight of a container for liquid or other fluent material; responsive to level of liquid or other fluent material in a container · CPC title

• B05B12/087

  Flow or presssure regulators, i.e. non-electric unitary devices comprising a sensing element, e.g. a piston or a membrane, and a controlling element, e.g. a valve · CPC title