Fluid dispenser system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12129166-B2
Application number	US-202217742888-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2022
Priority date	Jun 14, 2021
Publication date	Oct 29, 2024
Grant date	Oct 29, 2024

Abstract

A fluid dispenser system is disclosed herein that is configured to switch between an open position in which fluid flows through a fluid channel and a closed position in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the fluid channel. The fluid dispenser system includes a valve disposed along the fluid channel and configured to move between the open valve position and the closed valve position, a trigger actuatable between an open trigger position and a closed trigger position which move the valve between the open valve position and the closed valve position, a trigger latch configured to move between a latched position in which the trigger latch fixes the trigger in the open trigger position and an unlatched position in which the trigger latch does not constrain movement of the trigger, and a solenoid with a solenoid pin. The solenoid is configured to translate the solenoid pin between an extended position capable of retaining the trigger latch in the latched position and a retracted position that allows the trigger latch to move into the unlatched position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid dispenser system configured to switch between an open valve position in which fluid flows through a fluid channel and a closed valve position in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the fluid channel, the system comprising:
a valve disposed along the fluid channel and configured to move between the open valve position and the closed valve position;
a trigger actuatable between an open trigger position and a closed trigger position which move the valve between the open valve position and the closed valve position, respectively;
a trigger latch configured to move between a latched position in which the trigger latch fixes the trigger in the open trigger position and an unlatched position in which the trigger latch does not constrain movement of the trigger; and
a solenoid with a solenoid pin, the solenoid configured to translate the solenoid pin between an extended position that extends the solenoid pin towards the trigger to abut the trigger latch to retain the trigger latch in the latched position and a retracted position that allows the trigger latch to move into the unlatched position.

2. The fluid dispenser system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cam connected to the trigger and configured to rotate in unison with the trigger,
wherein the valve comprises a primary plunger located in the fluid channel and in contact with the cam, and
wherein the cam pushes the plunger into the open valve position when the cam is rotated by the trigger.

3. The fluid dispenser system of claim 2 , wherein the valve further includes a main spring in contact with the primary plunger, the main spring configured to bias the primary plunger into the closed valve position when the cam is not pushing the plunger into the open valve position.

4. The fluid dispenser system of claim 1 , wherein the solenoid includes at least one seal to fluidically seal the solenoid from environmental conditions.

5. The fluid dispenser system of claim 1 , wherein the trigger latch includes at least one roller that extends substantially perpendicular to the solenoid pin, the solenoid pin being in contact with the at least one roller to hold the trigger latch in the latched position and not in contact when in the unlatched position.

6. The fluid dispenser system of claim 1 , wherein the trigger latch includes a latch spring to bias the trigger latch to move away from the trigger and the solenoid pin when the solenoid pin is retracted.

7. The fluid dispenser system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve housing that contains the valve, the solenoid, and at least a portion of the fluid channel.

8. The fluid dispenser system of claim 1 , wherein the solenoid includes a solenoid seal between the solenoid and the valve housing.

9. The fluid dispenser system of claim 8 , wherein the solenoid includes a pin guide on the solenoid pin to provide structural support to the solenoid pin.

10. The fluid dispenser system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a meter including at least one computer processor, the meter configured to instruct the solenoid to retract the solenoid pin to allow the trigger latch to move into the unlatched position and allow the trigger to move into the closed trigger position.

11. A fluid dispenser system configured to switch between an open valve position in which fluid flows through a fluid channel and a closed valve position in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the fluid channel, the system comprising:
a valve disposed along the fluid channel and configured to move between the open valve position and the closed valve position;
a trigger actuatable between an open trigger position and a closed trigger position which move the valve between the open valve position and the closed valve position, respectively;
a trigger latch configured to move between a latched position in which the trigger latch fixes the trigger in the open trigger position and an unlatched position in which the trigger latch does not constrain movement of the trigger; and
a solenoid with a solenoid pin, the solenoid configured to translate the solenoid pin between an extended position capable of retaining the trigger latch in the latched position and a retracted position that allows the trigger latch to move into the unlatched position,
wherein the trigger latch includes at least one roller that extends substantially perpendicular to the solenoid pin, the solenoid pin being in contact with the at least one roller to hold the trigger latch in the latched position and not in contact when in the unlatched position.

12. The fluid dispenser system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one roller is configured to rotate as caused by the retraction of the solenoid pin.

13. The fluid dispenser system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one roller includes a first roller, a second roller, and a third roller, the first and third rollers having a greater diameter than the second roller.

14. The fluid dispenser system of claim 13 , wherein the second roller is between the first and third rollers and is in contact with the solenoid pin when in the latched position.

15. The fluid dispenser system of claim 13 , wherein the first and third rollers are in contact with a valve housing when in the latched position.

16. The fluid dispenser system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one roller is in contact with the solenoid pin and a ramp on a valve housing when in the latched position.

17. The fluid dispenser system of claim 16 , wherein the ramp has at least one portion that is angled with respect to the solenoid pin with the angle being between seventy and ninety degrees as measured from the solenoid pin.

18. The fluid dispenser system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a fluid measurement device along the fluid channel configured to measure the volume of fluid flowing through the fluid channel and communicate that volume to the meter.

19. The fluid dispenser system of claim 18 , wherein the display of the meter visually shows a continuous measurement of the volume that has flowed through the fluid channel.

20. The fluid dispenser system of claim 16 , wherein the meter includes a display and at least one key for setting a volume of fluid that the valve allows to flow through the fluid channel, the meter configured to instruct the solenoid to retract the solenoid pin when that volume has flowed through the fluid channel.

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Bauck Mark L
• Bloom Michael E
• Kahler Bradley G

Classifications

• B67D7/426

  including means for displaying information, e.g. for advertising (B67D7/425 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D7/425

  including components powered by electricity or light · CPC title

• B67D7/303 Primary

  involving digital counting · CPC title

• B67D7/445

  after a predetermined time · CPC title

• B05B12/085

  responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material to be discharged (B05B1/3006, B05B1/323 take precedence; spray pistols designed to control volume of flow with the controlling means being fluid actuated B05B7/1254) · CPC title