Fluid management system and fluid dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12534357-B2
Application number	US-202418732062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2024
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A fluid management system includes a fluid management controller and a fluid dispenser. The controller authorizes control of the one or more fluid management components over a wireless interface. A dispensing meter can be activated by an authentication device. The fluid meter includes a cartridge valve with a valve cartridge and a valve stem. The cartridge valve guides the valve stem and provides the only sealing surface for the dynamic seals and control seal disposed on the valve stem. The handheld meter dispenses through a nozzle, which includes an overmolded stem tip that generates a laminar fluid flow as the fluid exits the nozzle. The handheld fluid meter includes circuitry configured to invert the orientation of a visual output provided by a display of the handheld fluid meter to facilitate installation of the handheld fluid meter for use in an oil bar application.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A fluid dispensing meter comprising:
a trigger control mechanism disposed in a body of the fluid dispensing meter, the trigger control mechanism controllable between an activated state, where the fluid dispensing meter can dispense fluid, and a deactivated state, where the fluid dispensing meter is prevented from dispensing fluid; a near field communications (NFC) data receiver disposed in the fluid dispensing meter, the NFC data receiver configured to receive data from an external data source, the data including dispense-authorization data that includes at least one dispense authorization for a dispense event; and a control board disposed in the fluid dispensing meter, the control board comprising:
a processor; and
a memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
recall configuration data configured to indicate a fluid type associated with the fluid dispensing meter from the memory;
compare the configuration data to dispense-authorization data received from the external data source;
control the trigger control mechanism between the activated state and the deactivated state based on the data received from the external data source, and based on the comparison of the configuration data and the dispense-authorization data; and
remove a dispense authorization from the dispense-authorization data to reduce a count of the dispense authorizations remaining in the dispense-authorization data.

2 . The fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 , wherein the dispense-authorization data includes fluid type information.

3 . The fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 , wherein the dispense-authorization data includes dispense volume information.

4 . The fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 , wherein the data from the external data source is configuration data configured to indicate a fluid type associated with the fluid dispensing meter, and wherein the configuration data is stored in the memory.

5 . The fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid inlet extending into the body; a valve chamber extending into the body, the valve chamber comprising:
a first circumferential flow passage; and
a second circumferential flow passage;
a valve inlet extending fluidly connecting the fluid inlet and the first circumferential flow passage; a valve outlet extending downstream out of the valve chamber from the second circumferential flow passage; a valve disposed in the valve chamber, the valve comprising:
a valve cartridge mounted in the valve chamber, the valve cartridge comprising:
a cartridge body extending between a first end and a second end, the cartridge body including a third circumferential flow passage in the first end and a fourth circumferential flow passage in the second end;
a radial inlet extending through the first end between the first circumferential flow passage and the third circumferential flow passage;
a radial outlet extending through the second end between the second circumferential flow passage and the fourth circumferential flow passage; and
a control seat disposed about an interior of the cartridge body between the third circumferential flow passage and the fourth circumferential flow passage; and

a valve stem disposed in the valve cartridge, the valve stem comprising:
an upper portion disposed within the first end, the upper portion including an annular control seal groove;
a lower portion disposed within the second end, the lower portion including an actuating tip extending out of the second end of the valve cartridge;
an elongate portion extending between and connecting the upper portion and the lower portion; and
a control seal disposed in the control seal groove, the control seal configured to be engaged with the control seat with the valve stem in a closed position and to be disengaged from the control seat with the valve stem in an open position.

6 . The fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid inlet extending into the body; a fluid outlet extending into the body; and a nozzle fluidly connected to the fluid outlet, the nozzle including:
a connector having a receiving end and a connector bore extending through the connector;
a nozzle body attached to the connector, the nozzle body comprising:
a receiving end;
a dispensing end disposed opposite the receiving end, the dispensing end defining a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet comprising:
an upstream portion having a first diameter;
a downstream portion having a second diameter, the second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and
a connecting portion extending between and connecting the upstream portion and the downstream portion, the connecting portion comprising a cone-shaped passage; and

a nozzle bore extending through the nozzle body between the receiving end and the dispensing end, wherein the seating end extends into the nozzle bore and is connected to the receiving end; and

a nozzle stem disposed in the nozzle bore between the seating end and the fluid outlet, the nozzle stem including an overmolded tip, the overmolded tip including a tip cone configured to mate with and seal against the cone-shaped passage with the nozzle stem in a closed position.

7 . The fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid inlet extending into a handle of the body; a fluid outlet extending out of an end of the body opposite the handle; a trigger configured to be manually displaced to control a flow of fluid between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; a bezel housing mounted on the body, the bezel housing including a display opening; a display screen mounted within the display opening; a user input mounted on the bezel housing, the user input including a plurality of buttons; display circuitry configured to provide a visual output at the display screen in a plurality of orientations; user input circuitry configured to receive inputs from a user via the plurality of buttons to modify the visual output of the display screen; and wherein the control board is connected to communicate with the display circuitry and the user input circuitry, the control board configured to receive an input regarding a desired orientation of the visual output from the user input circuitry and to provide instructions to the display circuitry to modify the orientation of the visual output based on the input regarding the desired orientation.

8 . A fluid management system comprising:
the fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 ; a near field communication (NFC) programming unit; and an NFC data source, the NFC data source configured to receive dispense data from the NFC programming unit, the dispense data including the dispense- authorization data that includes the at least one dispense authorization for the dispense event.

9 . The fluid management system of claim 8 , wherein the dispense data is stored on the NFC data source in a read-only format.

10 . The fluid management system of claim 8 , wherein the dispense data is stored on the NFC data source in a read-write format.

11 . The fluid management system of claim 8 , wherein the NFC programming unit is a system controller.

12 . A fluid management system comprising:
the fluid dispensing meter of claim 1 ; a user interface device; and a fluid management controller configured to communicate wirelessly with the fluid dispensing meter and collect data received from the fluid dispensing meter.

13 . A controller intended for use with a fluid dispensing meter including a trigger control mechanism mounted in a body of the fluid dispensing meter, the trigger control mech

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Kahler Bradley G
• Bauck Mark L
• Holmstadt Joshua R
• Highland Glenn E
• Paar Benjamin J
• Igo Chad G
• Sieckert Gregory D
• Ebben James R
• Lorden David J
• Bloom Michael E
• Norman Shane A
• Kuschel Anthony J

Classifications

• B67D7/04

  for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants · CPC title

• B67D7/163

  of fixed measuring chamber type · CPC title

• B67D7/145 Primary

  by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like · CPC title

• B67D7/348 Primary

  by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder (B67D7/145 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G07F13/025

  wherein the volume is determined during delivery · CPC title