Free-jet dosing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11022470-B2
Application number	US-201615372683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a free-jet dosing system for dosing a free fluid jet to be dispensed. The free-jet dosing system includes, inter alia, a pump including an inlet and an outlet and configured to deliver fluid to be dispensed to the outlet. The free-jet dosing system further includes a dosage monitoring device arranged on the outlet side of the pump, the dosage monitoring device having an opening through which at least some of the fluid to be dispensed may pass, and the dosage monitoring device having a flow rate meter configured to determine the flow rate of the fluid which passes through the opening of the dosage monitoring device. In the inventive free-jet dosing system, the opening of the dosage monitoring device is configured as an outlet nozzle for ejecting the free fluid jet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A free-jet dosing system for dosing a free fluid jet to be dispensed, comprising:
a pump comprising an inlet and an outlet and configured to deliver fluid to be dispensed to the outlet,
a dosage monitoring device arranged on an outlet side of the pump, the dosage monitoring device comprising an opening through which at least some of the fluid to be dispensed may pass, and the dosage monitoring device comprising a flow rate meter configured to determine the flow rate of the fluid which passes through the opening of the dosage monitoring device,
the opening of the dosage monitoring device being configured as an outlet nozzle for ejecting the free fluid jet and for generating a defined jet breakage, wherein the outlet nozzle comprises a laterally surrounding collar,
wherein the outlet nozzle is configured within a membrane of the dosage monitoring device, wherein the laterally surrounding collar is formed in that part of the membrane which comprises a recess being etched laterally around the outlet nozzle.

2. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dosage monitoring device is configured as a semiconductor chip comprised of silicon, and wherein the membrane is configured as a membrane formed within the semiconductor chip.

3. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outlet nozzle of the dosage monitoring device is configured as a conical nozzle.

4. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outlet nozzle of the dosage monitoring device comprises, at least in sections, a hydrophobic coating, said hydrophobic coating being mounted, at least in sections, within the outlet nozzle.

5. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dosage monitoring device is arranged directly at the outlet of the pump, no elastic elements or seals or tubes, being located between an outlet valve, provided at the outlet, and the outlet nozzle.

6. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises, on the outlet side, a check valve configured to close the outlet when the pump sucks in the fluid to be dispensed, and to open the outlet when the pump dispenses the fluid to be dispensed from the outlet.

7. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a nozzle chamber arranged between the outlet of the pump and the outlet nozzle, and a check valve being arranged between the pump outlet and the nozzle chamber.

8. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a pump chamber, the free-jet dosing system comprising a nozzle chamber arranged between the outlet of the pump and the outlet nozzle, as well as a controller configured to control the flow rate meter and the pump such that the flow rate meter detects a flow of fluid from the nozzle chamber to the pump chamber when the pump sucks in the fluid to be dispensed.

9. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises, on the inlet side, a check valve configured to close the inlet when the pump dispenses the fluid to be dispensed, and to open the inlet when the pump sucks in the fluid to be dispensed.

10. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a controller configured to determine a time-variable value of a fluid pressure applied to the outlet nozzle of the dosage monitoring device arranged on the outlet side, and to determine the time-dependent flow of fluid through the outlet nozzle by means of the time-variable fluid pressure applied to the outlet nozzle and of the static characteristic of the outlet nozzle, and to integrate the fluid flow thus determined over time so as to determine the volume of the free fluid jet to be dosed.

11. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a controller configured to compare an amount of a free fluid jet dispensed, said amount having been determined by means of the flow rate meter, to an amount comparison value, and to generate a signal if the amount dispensed is smaller than the amount comparison value.

12. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a controller is configured to determine, when a free fluid jet is dispensed, a value of the amplitude of the fluid pressure applied to the outlet nozzle of the dosage monitoring device and to compare same to an amplitude comparison value and/or to measure the period of time taken for pressure equalization at the outlet nozzle and to compare same to a time comparison value so as to detect a gas bubble within the pump chamber of the pump if the determined amplitude value is smaller than the amplitude comparison value and/or if the measured time period for pressure equalization is larger than the time comparison value.

13. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a nozzle chamber arranged between the pump outlet and the outlet nozzle, and a controller being configured to determine, when a free fluid jet is dispensed, a value of the amplitude of the fluid pressure applied to the outlet nozzle of the dosage monitoring device and to compare same to an amplitude comparison value and/or to measure the period of time taken for a pressure increase at the outlet nozzle and to compare same to a time comparison value so as to thus detect a gas bubble within the nozzle chamber if the determined amplitude value is smaller than the amplitude comparison value and/or if the measured time period for the pressure increase is larger than the time comparison value.

14. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a valve arranged on the inlet side and/or the outlet side, said valve being an active normally closed valve and/or an active normally open valve and/or a valve with an operation threshold pressure which is closed below a threshold pressure, and/or a double normally closed microvalve and/or a safety valve.

15. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 1 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a flow sensor comprising an opening and a flow rate meter, the flow rate meter being configured to determine the flow rate of the fluid passing through this opening, the flow sensor being arranged on the inlet side, at the inlet of the pump, and the dosage monitoring device being arranged on the outlet side, at the outlet of the pump.

16. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 15 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a controller configured to control the pump as well as the dosage monitoring device and the flow sensor arranged on the inlet side such that both the dosage monitoring device and the flow sensor determine the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the respective opening of the dosage monitoring device and of the flow sensor when the pump sucks in the fluid to be dispensed, and wherein the controller is further configured to compare the flow rate determined by the dosage monitoring device and the flow rate determined by the flow sensor.

17. The free-jet dosing system as claimed in claim 15 , the free-jet dosing system comprising a controller configured to control the pump as well as the dosage monitoring device and the flow sensor, which is arranged on the inlet side, such that the dosage monitoring device and the flow sensor determine the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the respective opening of the dosage monitoring device and of the flow sensor when the pump dispenses the fluid to be dispensed from the outlet, and the controller further being configured to

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Richter Martin
• Wackerle Martin
• Kibler Sebastian

Classifications

• G01F11/08

  of the diaphragm or bellows type · CPC title

• F04B23/028

  the pump being mounted on top of the reservoir · CPC title

• F04B53/1037

  Flap valves · CPC title

• F04B2205/09

  Flow through the pump · CPC title

• F04B13/00

  Pumps specially modified to deliver fixed or variable measured quantities · CPC title