Operator interface device and distributed control for fluid dispensing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11815919-B2
Application number	US-202117322041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2021
Priority date	Feb 11, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A plural component dispensing system includes a dispensing device, first and second fluid component sources, a system controller, and an operator interface device. The first fluid component source is connected to the dispensing device to deliver the first fluid component to the dispensing device. The second fluid component source is connected to the dispensing device to deliver the second fluid component to the dispensing device. The system controller is connected to regulate operation of the first fluid component source and the second fluid component source to produce a target ratio of the first fluid component and the second fluid component at the dispensing device. The operator interface device is remote from and operatively connected to the system controller. The operator interface device is configured to output system state information received from the system controller and to receive operator input to control an operational state of the system controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plural component dispensing system comprising:
a dispensing device comprising:
an applicator configured to separately receive a first fluid component from a first fluid component source and a second fluid component from a second fluid component source; and
a mixer configured to receive and mix the first fluid component and the second fluid component to produce an activated component, and then deliver the activated component;

an operator interface device collocated with the dispensing device during operation of the dispensing device;
a first flow meter fluidly connected to and positioned between the first fluid component source and the dispensing device, and a second flow meter fluidly connected to and positioned between the second fluid component source and the dispensing device; and
a system controller positioned remote from the dispensing device and operatively connected to the operator interface device, the first flow meter, and the second flow meter, wherein the system controller is configured to:
receive a flow rate of the first fluid component from the first flow meter and a flow rate of the second fluid component from the second flow meter;
regulate the first fluid component and the second fluid component to produce a target ratio of the first fluid component and the second fluid component at the dispensing device;

a first pump configured to pump the first fluid component from the first fluid component source;
a first drive cycle indicator configured to output a plurality of cycle status indications of the first pump; and
control circuitry configured to receive the plurality of cycle status indicators of the first pump and determine whether the pump cycles are associated with the first pump operating in a fluid spray mode or a non-spray flushing mode;
wherein the operator interface device is configured to:
output, via at least one output device of the operator interface device, system state information received from the system controller;
receive, via at least one input device of the operator interface device, an operator input to control an operational state of the system controller; and
transmit the operator input to the system controller.

2. The plural component dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless module configured to wirelessly send and receive information;
wherein the system controller is configured to communicate with the operator interface device by the wireless module.

3. The plural component dispensing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the system state information received by the operator interface device from the system controller device comprises an indication of whether a ratio of the first fluid component and the second fluid component delivered to the dispensing device deviates from the target ratio.

4. The plural component dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the operator interface device comprises at least one of one or more indicator lights, a display device, a speaker device, and a vibration motor; and
the operator interface device is configured to provide an output based on the system state information received from the system controller via the at least one of the one or more indicator lights, the display device, the speaker device, and the vibration motor.

5. The plural component dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the operator interface device comprises at least one of one or more motion sensors and one or more orientation sensors; and
the operator interface device is configured to receive the operator input to control the operational state of the system controller via at least one of motion of the operator interface device sensed by the one or more motion sensors and an orientation of the operator interface device sensed by the one or more orientation sensors.

6. The plural component dispensing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the operator interface device comprises a scanner device;
wherein the operator interface device is configured to:
retrieve, via the scanner device, product identification information from a machine-readable product identification code; and
transmit the product identification information to the system controller; and

wherein the system controller is configured to store at least a portion of the system state information in association with the product identification information in a database.

7. The plural component dispensing system of claim 6 ,
wherein the scanner device comprises an optical scanner; and
wherein the machine-readable product identification code comprises one or more of a machine-readable barcode and a machine-readable matrix barcode.

8. The plural component dispensing system of claim 6 ,
wherein the scanner device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader; and
wherein the machine-readable product identification code comprises an RFID tag.

9. The plural component dispensing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the operator interface device is integrally formed with the dispensing device.

10. The plural component dispensing system of claim 1 ,
wherein the operator interface device is wearable by an operator.

11. A plural component dispensing system comprising:
a dispensing device comprising:
an applicator configured to separately receive a first fluid component from a first fluid component source and a second fluid component from a second fluid component source;
a mixer configured to receive and mix the first fluid component and the second fluid component to produce an activated component, and then deliver the activated component; and
an operator interface device collocated with the dispensing device during operation of the dispensing device;

a first flow meter fluidly connected to and positioned between the first fluid component source and the dispensing device, and a second flow meter fluidly connected to and positioned between the second fluid component source and the dispensing device; and
a system controller positioned remote from the dispensing device and operatively connected to the operator interface device, the first flow meter, and the second flow meter, wherein the system controller is configured to:
receive a flow rate of the first fluid component from the first flow meter and a flow rate of the second fluid component from the second flow meter;
regulate the first fluid component and the second fluid component to produce a target ratio of the first fluid component and the second fluid component at the dispensing device;

a first pump configured to pump the first fluid component;
a second pump configured to pump the second fluid component;
a first heater configured to increase a temperature of the first fluid component;
a second heater configured to increase a temperature of the second fluid component;
a communications module in communication with the system controller, the communications module including a communications module processor configured to retrieve a first data set comprising at least one of commanded pressures or temperatures of the first and second pumps or first and second heaters, respectively, and further configured to produce a second data set and transmit the second data set from a transceiver via a communication network to an end user interface;
wherein the end user interface is disposed to provide a graphical user interface for displaying the second data set;
wherein the end user interface receives the second data set sent by the transceiver; and
wherein the operator interface device is configured to:
output, via at least one output device of the operator interface device, system state information received from the system controller;
receive, via at least one i

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Vo Thomas V
• Armstrong Jeffrey S
• Bordwell David
• Mcmichael Jonathan R
• Lange Christopher M
• Pagano Nicholas A
• Godding Benjamin R
• Weinberger Mark T
• Mansheim Michael J
• Kopel Andrew J
• Reath Nicholas H

Classifications

• G05D16/2066 Primary

  using controlling means acting on the pressure source · CPC title

• B05B7/0408

  with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids · CPC title

• B05B7/166

  the material to be sprayed being heated in a container (B05B7/208 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B7/1613

  comprising means for heating the atomising fluid before mixing with the material to be sprayed · CPC title

• B05B12/006

  Pressure or flow rate sensors · CPC title