System and method for generating a drive signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624084-B2
Application number	US-201614987138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 6, 2006
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A method and computer program product for defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential. The PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly. At least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal are pulse width modulated to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal. The second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid dispensing system comprising:
a control logic subsystem configured to:
define a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential, wherein the PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a first flow rate of at least one pump assembly; and
pulse width modulate at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal, wherein the second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, a percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the at least one pump assembly; and

a plumbing/control subsystem, wherein the control logic subsystem further configured to measure a second flow rate generated by the plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pump assembly is a solenoid piston pump.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a feedback controller system, wherein the control logic subsystem further configured to supply a flow feedback signal to the feedback controller system, wherein the feedback controller system compares the flow feedback signal to a desired flow volume.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the control logic subsystem for converting control signals provided by the at least one microprocessor into a form usable by the micro-ingredient subsystem.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control signals define a volume of micro-ingredients to be pumped.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pump assembly is configured for use within a beverage dispensing system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pump assembly is rigidly attached to the at least one product module assembly.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the defined voltage potential is 28 VDC.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration of approximately 15 milliseconds.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the “off” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration within a range of 15-185 milliseconds.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second duty cycle is within a range of 50-100%.

12. A fluid dispensing system comprising:
a control logic subsystem for converting control signals provided by a microprocessor into a form usable by a micro-ingredient subsystem,
wherein the control signals define a volume of micro-ingredients to be pumped, and
wherein the control logic subsystem configured to:
define a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential, wherein the PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a first flow rate of a pump assembly; and
pulse width modulate at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal, wherein the second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, a percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly; and

a plumbing/control subsystem, wherein the control logic subsystem further configured to measure a second flow generated by the plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the pump assembly is a solenoid piston pump.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a feedback controller system, wherein the control logic subsystem further configured to supply a flow feedback signal to the feedback controller system, wherein the feedback controller system compares the flow feedback signal to a desired flow volume.

15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a micro-ingredient subsystem.

16. The system of claim 15 , the micro-ingredient subsystem further comprising at least one product module assembly configured to releasably engage at least one product container.

17. The system of claim 15 , the micro-ingredient subsystem further comprising at least one product container configured to hold a micro-ingredient.

18. A fluid dispensing system comprising:
a micro-ingredient subsystem comprising at least one product module assembly configured to releasably engage at least one product container;
a control logic subsystem for converting control signals provided by at least one microprocessor into a form usable by the micro-ingredient subsystem, wherein the control logic subsystem configured to:
define a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential, wherein the PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a first flow rate of at least one pump assembly; and
pulse width modulate at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal, wherein the second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, a percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the at least one pump assembly; and

a plumbing/control subsystem, wherein the control logic subsystem further configured to measure a second flow generated by the plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the pump assembly is a solenoid piston pump.

20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a feedback controller system, wherein the control logic subsystem further configured to supply a flow feedback signal to the feedback controller system, wherein the feedback controller system compares the flow feedback signal to a desired flow volume.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the control signals define a volume of micro-ingredients to be pumped.

22. The system of claim 18 , the micro-ingredient subsystem further comprising at least one product container configured to hold a micro-ingredient.

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Beavis Russell H
• Dattolo James J

Classifications

• B67D1/0034 Primary

  for controlling the amount of each component · CPC title

• B67D1/10

  Pump mechanism (in general F04) · CPC title

• B67D1/104

  by the liquid to be dispensed · CPC title

• F04D15/0027

  Varying behaviour or the very pump (F04D15/0055 and F04D29/46 take precedence) · CPC title

• F04B13/02

  of two or more fluids at the same time · CPC title