Abstract:
A multistation liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus which substantially reduces the risk of dispensing the wrong product. A color-coded system is employed which color-coordinates the container with a chemical concentrate to the components of the mixing and dispensing apparatus. An eductor is employed to mix the chemical concentrate with a diluting liquid. The mixing and dispensing apparatus is particularly suited for mixing and dispensing cleaning products used in maintaining large institutional buildings, such as stores and offices.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates generally to liquid handling and more particularly, to combining and dispensing multiple liquids in a manner that improper usage is substantially reduced. 
     2. Background Art 
     In the maintenance of large buildings such as office buildings or stores in shopping centers, it is customary to mix the required cleaning agents from a source of concentrate with water. The resulting solutions are then filled into suitable containers such as bottles or buckets. An apparatus of this type is available from Johnson Wax Professional of Sturtevant, Wis, as the Quattro SS Solutions Center. 
     While the previously described unit affords accurate, reliable and safe dispensing of solutions, it requires the placement of bottles to be filled at an angle and in an elevated position. It would be desirable to have such an apparatus wherein the bottles could be filled in a more convenient manner. 
     There is a dispensing solution apparatus available from The Butcher Company which places a container with concentrate above an eductor. There is also a dispensing solution apparatus from the 3-M Company which places the container with the concentrate above the dispensing mechanism. However, in the two aforementioned dispensing units only a single container for concentrate is employed. 
     The objects of the invention therefore are: 
     a. Providing an improved liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus. 
     b. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus which allows for easier filling of containers. 
     c. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus which substantially reduces the risk of improper usage. 
     d. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus of the foregoing type which is easily maintained. 
     e. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus of the foregoing type which can accommodate a variety of container sizes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing objects are accomplished and the shortcomings of the prior art are overcome by the multistation liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus of the invention which includes a support member and a plurality of containers placed on the support member. There are a plurality of valve members and eductors positioned below the containers. A liquid intake manifold is connected to the valve members and the eductors. A liquid product supply line is operatively connected to each container, and a liquid product intake of the eductor. A cap member is connected to each container and the liquid supply line. A liquid outlet line is operatively connected to each eductor. Each of the containers, cap members, valve members and liquid outlet lines are color-coded. 
     In one aspect, the containers have labels which are color coded to the cap members, valve members and liquid outlet lines. 
     In another aspect, the liquid outlet lines are flexible hoses of different colors. 
     In still another aspect, one of the liquid outlet lines is of a longer length than the others. 
     In yet another aspect the support member includes color-coded labels which match the color-coded cap members, valve members and liquid outlet lines. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the support member is defined by an open shelf. 
     In another preferred embodiment, a panel member supports the eductor and the valve members with the valve members extending through the panel for access thereto. 
     These and still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in reference to the full scope of the invention. Rather, the invention may be employed in other embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the multistation liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but without the concentrate containers. 
     FIG. 4 is a back view of the apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are side views of the apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a valve member for use in the apparatus of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 10 is a view in cross-section of the valve member shown in FIG. 9 in a closed portion. 
     FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the valve member in an open position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and  6 , the mixing and dispensing apparatus generally  10  includes a housing member  12  composed of an upper panel  16  a front panel  18  and side panels  20  and  21 . A rack member  23  is connected to the top of the housing member  12  such as by the wires  22 . Containers  24 B,  24 L,  24 R and  24 G with labels  26 B,  26 L,  26 R and  26 G with concentrated cleaning chemicals are positioned in rack member  23 . In this instance and throughout the description, the letters B, L, R and G indicate the colors black, blue, red and green respectively, in conjunction with the reference numerals. 
     As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 there are four valve bodies  28  connected to housing member  12 . These valve bodies  28  are interconnected to a source of water such as by the liquid supply lines  30  which provide a manifold and the hose connection  31 . As seen in FIG. 1, there are four valve members  32 B,  32 L,  32 R and  32 G which are connected to the valve bodies  28  through apertures  36  in the front panel  18  of housing member  12 . There are four eductors  37  and  38  also attached to the valve bodies  28  by means of the nuts  40 . Liquid supply lines  42 B,  42 L,  42 R and  42 G supply liquid concentrate to the eductors  37  and  38  by means of the caps  47 B,  47 L,  47 R and  47 G attached to the containers  24 B, L, R and G. Outlet lines  50 B,  50 L,  50 R and  50 G deliver a mixed solution of water and the contents of the containers  24 B, L, R and G to appropriate containers in the instance of lines  50 L, R and G. As to line  50 B it will have a spray head attached thereto (not shown). 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, disposed on front panel  18  are also product labels  15 B,  15 L,  15 R and  15 G. These are of a different geometric configuration as well as color. 
     Eductors  37  and  38  are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,338, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Eductors  37  and  38  are available from S. C. Johnson Commercial Markets, Inc., Sturtevant, Wis. The difference between the eductor  38  and eductors  37  is that the dilution rate is much smaller. For example the dilution rate for eductor  38  and the concentrate in the container  24 R is 1:6 whereas for the eductor  37  connected to the containers  24 B,  24  L and  24 G the dilution ratios are 1:512, 1:40 and 1:64 respectively. 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 it is seen that the front panel  18  has side sections  18   a  and  18   b . These are secured to the side panels  20  and  21 , respectively, of the housing member  12  by the wing nuts  41 . 
     FIGS. 9,  10  and  11  depict the valve members  32 B, L, R and G which are all of the same construction. This valve is of the magnetic actuated type and is available from Dema Engineering Company in St. Louis, Mo. It operates in conjunction with the valve seat  55  which is part of the valve body  28 . It includes a diaphragm  57  having a pocket  59 , with an orifice  61 . A plunger  63  is constructed to seat in the pocket  59  in one position. A spring  64  biases the plunger  63  toward the diaphragm  57  and in a closed position of the valve as seen in FIG.  10 . Plunger housing  65  accommodates the plunger  63 , the spring  64  and the insert  66 . Spring  67  extends over the plunger housing  65  and biases the magnet  68  against the button  69  and the button against the valve housing  70 . Valve housing  70  is attached to the valve body  28  by the threads  71 . In order to allow flow of water through the valve body  28  and to the eductors  37  and  38 , the button  69  is pressed inwardly as shown in FIG. 11, this moves the magnet  68  in the direction of the plunger  63  to magnetically attract the metal plunger  63  drawing it away from diaphragm  57 . This allows water pressure to unseat the diaphragm  57 , thus allowing water to flow in the direction of directional arrow  75 . 
     Although not shown in the drawings, a ball check valve is located in the caps  47 B, L, R and G to prevent forward siphoning of concentrate from the containers  24 B, L, R or G when the valves  32 B, L, R and G are in a closed position. 
     An important feature of this invention is the aspect that the caps  47 B, L, R and G, the containers  24 B, L, R and G, the valve members  32 B, L, R and G are color coordinated so that the chance of any mistake in dispensing solutions is substantially reduced. For example, in this instance, the containers  24 B, L, R and G will have labels such as a black label  26 B on container  24 B, a blue label  26 L on container  24 L, a red label  26 R on container  24 R and a green label  26 G on container  24 G. These will match with the color coded valve members  32 B, L, R and G which will also be color coded black, blue, red and green, respectively. In addition, there are the label panels  15 B,  15 L,  15 R and  15 G which are also color-coded black, blue, red, and green, respectively. It should also be noted that they are also of a different geometric pattern. In addition, outlet hoses  50 B, L, R and G are also color-coded black, blue, red and green respectively. An example of the different products to be dispensed from dispensing apparatus  10  would be a floor cleaner from container  24 B, a glass and multi-surface cleaner from container  24 L, a degreaser and label remover from container  24 R and a disinfectant cleaner from container  24 G. Thus by color coordinating the containers with concentrate with the caps, valves, the panel labels and the outlet hoses any mistakes in connecting the wrong container with the wrong outlet hose or solution container is substantially reduced. 
     Another important feature is the ease by which bottles or other solution containers can be filled from outlet hoses  50 L,  50 R and  50 G. Ready access is provided at any suitable height. 
     Still another important feature is in the maintenance of the valve members  32 B, L, R and G. As shown in FIG. 1 they extend though the apertures  36  in the front panel  18 . This affords easy removal in case of repair. 
     While the operation of the multistation liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus  10  should be apparent from the previous description, a brief description is given. The operator will attach the appropriately colored cap  47 B, L, R and G to the appropriate container  24  as indicated by the labels  26 B, L, R and G. These containers arc placed in rack  23  so that they are color aligned with valve members  32 B, L, R and G, panel labels  15 B, L, R and G and outlet hoses  50 B, L, R and G. This is best seen in FIG. 2. A water supply hose will have been connected to hose connection  31 . A suitable container will, for example, be placed under outlet hose  50 L. The button  69  of valve member  32 L will be depressed which allows water to flow through valve body  28  and to eductor  37 . This creates a siphoning action in liquid supply line  42 L to siphon the contents of container  24 L with the blue label  26 L into the eductor  37  where it will mix with the water and be dispensed as a solution through outlet hose  50 L. As long as the button  69  is depressed the previously described mixing will continue. A release of the button  69  will stop the flow of water and mixing as indicated previously in conjunction with FIG.  10 . 
     The mixing in apparatus  10  has been described in conjunction with four different solution containers, valves and outlet hoses, it will be appreciated that the color coordination feature as well as the placement of the containers above eductors for easier access to the outlet hoses could be operable with as few as two concentrate containers or any practical number in excess of four. Certain colors have been designated for matching the containers with the dispensing hoses in the mixing and dispensing apparatus. These can be modified and other different colors substituted. Further while one larger hose  50 B has been described, more than one could be employed. All such and other modifications within the spirit of the invention are meant to be within its scope as defined by the appended claims.