Dosing apparatus and method for dosing a composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9290884-B2
Application number	US-201013700554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2010
Priority date	Jun 18, 2010
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

The invention refers to a dosing apparatus ( 1 ) for dosing a composition ( 31 ), comprising: at least one box ( 2 ) for keeping the composition ( 31 ) or a capsule ( 43 ) containing the composition ( 31 ), a solution reservoir ( 3 ) for preparing a composition solution ( 4 ) with a pre-defined concentration of the composition ( 31 ) in solution, wherein the composition solution ( 4 ) with said pre-defined concentration of the composition ( 31 ) in solution can be further used as a use solution ( 34 ), at least one spray means ( 5 ) coupled to the box ( 2 ) for bringing the composition ( 31 ) being in the box ( 2 ) into contact with a solvent liquid, such that an amount of the composition ( 31 ) dissolves and the thus resulting composition solution ( 4 ) flows into the solution reservoir ( 3 ), at least one spray line ( 10 ), for feeding the spray means ( 5 ) with the solvent liquid, a supply line ( 6 ) comprising a liquid connection ( 7 ), for supplying fresh liquid, preferably water, to the solution reservoir ( 3 ), measuring means ( 14 ) for measuring the conductivity of the composition solution ( 4 ), at least one motorized feed pump ( 15 ) for moving the composition solution ( 4 ), the solving liquid, the use solution ( 34 ), and/or the fresh liquid, and an electronic control unit ( 16 ) for controlling the operation of the dosing apparatus ( 1 ). The invention is especially specified in that, the dosing apparatus ( 1 ) additionally comprises: a day tank ( 39 ) for storing the use solution ( 34 ), such that the composition solution ( 4 ) with the pre-defined concentration of the composition ( 31 ) in solution can be prepared without changing the concentration of the composition ( 31 ) in solution in the use solution ( 34 ) stored within the day tank ( 39 ), a flushing out line ( 40 ), connecting the solution reservoir ( 3 ) with the day tank ( 39 ) for discharging the composition solution ( 4 ) with the pre-defined concentration of the composition ( 5 ) in solution from the solution reservoir ( 3 ) into the day tank ( 39 ), thereby refilling the day tank ( 39 ) with the use solution ( 34 ), a discharge line ( 8 ), which is connected to the day tank ( 39 ), comprising a discharge ( 9 ) for discharging the use solution ( 34 ) from the day tank ( 39 ). The invention further refers to a method for dosing a composition using said dosing apparatus ( 1 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dosing apparatus for dosing a composition, comprising:
a) at least one container for containing the composition,
b) a solution reservoir for preparing a solution with a pre-defined use-concentration of the composition in solution to be further used as a use solution,
c) at least one spray means coupled to the container for bringing the composition into contact with a solvent liquid, such that an amount of the composition dissolves and the dissolved composition flows into the solution reservoir along a flow path,
d) at least one spray line for feeding the spray means with the solvent liquid,
e) a supply line comprising a liquid connection and a solenoid valve for supplying an unused solvent to the solution reservoir,
f) a measuring device for measuring conductivity of the solution,
g) at least one motorized feed pump for pumping the solution, the solvent liquid, the use solution, and/or the unused solvent,
h) an electronic control unit for controlling the operation of the dosing apparatus,
i) a tank for storing the use solution,
j) a transfer line connecting the solution reservoir with the tank and constructed for transferring the solution with the pre-defined use-concentration from the solution reservoir into the tank, and
k) a discharge line connected to the tank, comprising an outlet for discharging the use solution from the tank.

2. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the spray line is configured to provide a liquid connection between the solution reservoir and the spray means ( 5 ).

3. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device for measuring the conductivity of the solution is comprised within the spray line.

4. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dosing apparatus further comprises a temperature measuring device for normalizing the measured conductivity with respect to temperature, and wherein the temperature measuring device is comprised within the spray line.

5. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an additional motorized feed pump for pumping the solution from the solution reservoir through the transfer line into the tank.

6. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device for measuring the conductivity is adapted for measuring inductive conductivity.

7. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for measuring the filling height of the use solution in the tank.

8. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flow path comprises a funnel positioned between the container and the solution reservoir, wherein the funnel is configured to guide the dissolved composition from the container into the solution reservoir.

9. The dosing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the supply line for supplying unused solvent to the solution reservoir further comprises an infeed configured to stream said unused solvent along an inner surface of the funnel.

10. The dosing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the infeed is a fan nozzle configured to guide the stream of unused solvent substantially perpendicular to a symmetric axis of the funnel for cleaning the inner surface of the funnel.

11. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tank and the solution reservoir are joint tanks with a partition wall for separating an interior volume of the solution reservoir from that of the tank.

12. A method for dosing a composition, comprising:
a) placing the composition or the capsule containing the composition into the container of the dosing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
b) preparing a solution with a pre-defined use-concentration of the composition in solution for use as a use solution, while essentially keeping the solution within the solution reservoir,
c) flushing the solution with a pre-defined use-concentration from the solution reservoir into the tank, thereby refilling the tank with said use solution and
d) discharging at least a portion of the use solution from the tank via the discharge line to one or several use points.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the preparing a solution with a pre-defined use-concentration further comprises
I. adding an amount of unused solvent via the supply line to the solution reservoir,
II. spraying the solution taken from the solution reservoir via the spray line onto the composition such that an amount of the composition dissolves and the dissolved composition flows back into the solution reservoir,
III. measuring the conductivity of the solution with the measuring device and
IV. determining a concentration of the composition in the solution.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising storing the measured conductivity of the solution just before, during, or just after the step of flushing the solution from the solution reservoir into the tank.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the measuring the conductivity is performed after adding unused solvent into the solution reservoir but before spraying the solution onto the composition, wherein the method further comprises
saving the thus measured conductivity as a reference value, wherein at least one further measuring of the conductivity is performed during or after spraying the solution onto the composition,
comparing the measured conductivity with said reference value, and
signalizing malfunction of the water supply when the comparing the measured conductivity with said reference value indicates that the conductivity stays approximately constant.

16. The dosing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tank and the solution reservoir are separate tanks.

17. The dosing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the means for measuring the filling height comprises at least two level gauges within the tank.

18. The dosing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solution reservoir and the tank are configured so that the solution can be prepared with the pre-defined use-concentration without affecting the concentration of the use solution stored within the tank.

19. A method for dispensing a use solution of a composition, the method comprising:
a) dispensing solution from a solution reservoir onto a concentrate comprising the composition to dissolve an amount of the composition;
b) flowing the dissolved composition and adding solvent into the solution reservoir, thereby resulting in a concentration of the composition;
c) measuring conductivity of the solution to determine the concentration of the composition;
d) when the concentration has reached a pre-determined use-concentration, transferring the solution into a tank; and
e) dispensing the solution with the pre-determined use-concentration from the tank.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein steps a)-c) are performed simultaneously with step e).

21. A dispensing apparatus comprising:
a) a tank for storing a use solution;
b) a dispenser for dispensing the use solution from the tank;
c) a preparation system for preparing the use solution, the preparation system comprising:
i) a solution reservoir constructed to store solution and in fluid connection with the tank by a transfer line;
ii) a solvent supply line in fluid connection with the solution reservoir;
iii) a container for containing a composition concentrate;
iv) a solution supply line from the solution reservoir to the container coupled with a spray nozzle configured to spray the solution onto the composition concentrate;
v) a fluid path from the container to

Assignees

• Stingl Carol
• Carlhoff Gerold
• Lohwieser Heribert
• Ruppert Andreas
• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Stingl Carol
• Carlhoff Gerold
• Lohwieser Heribert
• Ruppert Andreas

Classifications

• A47L15/4436

  in the form of a detergent solution made by gradually dissolving a powder detergent cake or a solid detergent block · CPC title

• A47L15/449

  Metering controlling devices (A47L15/4229 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T137/0335

  Controlled by consistency of mixture · CPC title

• Y10T137/4891

  With holder for solid, flaky or pulverized material to be dissolved or entrained · CPC title

• B01F1/0038

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic