Abstract:
A fluid regulator including compression member adapted to engage a fluid conduit, a biasing element operably connected to the compression member and producing a sufficient amount of biasing force to cause the compression member to deform the conduit to a substantially closed state, and a control device for applying a control force to the compression member. The control force may partially overcome the biasing force applied to the compression member and maintain the compression member such that the fluid conduit is maintained in a partially open state.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/760,908, filed Dec. 6, 1996, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates generally to an apparatus for controlling the flow of fluids and, more particularly, to a regulator for precisely controlling the flow rate of various fluids, such as fluid having high solid content through a flexible conduit. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Fluid regulators regulate the flow of both liquids and gasses and are used for a variety of purposes in a variety of industries. Certain fluid regulators regulate the flow of fluid through a flexible conduit by mechanically deforming the conduit so that the passage therethrough is completely closed. These regulators are often referred to as &#34;pinch-type&#34; regulators because they include a mechanism which pinches the flexible conduit. Such regulators can be generally separated into two classes. Regulators in the first class include a relatively short length of flexible conduit. Each end of the conduit includes threaded end portions, one serving as an inlet and one serving as an outlet. This allows the regulator to be spliced into an existing system. Regulators in the second class are designed to be secured, or clamped, onto a portion of a flexible conduit that is already part of the system to be regulated. As a result, pinch-type regulators in the second class are significantly easier to install than those in the first class. 
     One disadvantage associated with both classes of pinch-type fluid regulators is that they are designed to be either in an ON position, where the conduit is not substantially deformed, or an OFF position, where the passage through the conduit is completely closed. They cannot be maintained in positions therebetween. Thus, prior pinch-type fluid regulators are incapable of precisely controlling the size of the conduit passage to precisely vary (or meter) the flow of fluid therethrough. 
     As for pinch-type fluid regulators in the second class, i.e. those which are clamped onto a flexible conduit that is part of an existing system, one disadvantage associated with prior regulators is that they tend to severely deform the flexible conduit. Such severe deformation causes the conduit to deteriorate rapidly and also necessitates the use of conduit having a relatively high degree of flexibility. Highly flexible conduit is, however, susceptible to the corrosive effects of strong chemicals such as paints, solvents and acids. As a result, it has been heretofore undesirable to employ fluid regulators that are clamped onto a flexible conduit in a system involving corrosive chemicals. 
     Yet another short coming with the pinch-type fluid regulators is that flow rate of fluids having high solid content, such as paint, can not be precisely metered. As a matter of background, fluids without high solid content are considered Newtonian fluids, i.e. fluids with a constant viscosity; while fluids with high solid content, such as paint, are considered thixotropic because the viscosity of the fluid drops as the flow rate of the fluid increases. Also, fluids having lower viscosity flow more easily than fluids having higher viscosity. 
     As a result, when the conduit is initially opened to allow the paint to flow, the initial flow of the paint is substantially inhibited because of its initial high viscosity. However, as the paint starts to flow, the viscosity of the paint decreases, which further accelerates the flow of paint. By analogy, this can be seen as trying to pore ketchup out of a ketchup bottle, as the bottle is tilted, the ketchup initially does not flow, however, once the ketchup starts flowing, the ketchup all of sudden gushes out. Consequently, to precisely meter the flow of paint, the initial opening of the conduit needs to be larger, to compensate for initial slow flow rate of the paint. However, as the flow rate of the paint substantially accelerates, the conduit opening needs to be reduced so that consistent flow rate is maintained. Therefore, a pinch-type regulator, which simply opens and closes the conduit, is inadequate to precisely control the flow rate of the paint through the conduit. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A general object of the present invention is to provide a fluid regulator that is superior to those presently known in the art. In particular, one object of the present invention is to provide a pinch-type fluid regulator that is capable of precisely reducing the conduit passage to precisely meter the flow of fluid, including fluids having high solid content such as paint, therethrough. Another object of the present invention is to provide a pinch-type fluid regulator that will not severely deform the flexible conduit used therewith. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, these and other objectives are accomplished by providing a compression member adapted to engage a fluid conduit, a biasing element operably connected to the compression member and producing a sufficient amount of biasing force to cause the compression member to deform the conduit to a substantially closed state, and a control device for applying a control force to the compression member which will partially overcome the biasing force applied to the compression member and maintain the compression member such that the fluid conduit is maintained in a partially open state. As the present apparatus is capable of maintaining the flexible conduit in a partially open state, it is capable of providing more precise regulation than that presently known in the art. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, these objectives are accomplished by providing a fluid control apparatus including a guide adapted to maintain a first side of a fluid conduit on a substantially flat surface, a compression member defining a substantially flat compression surface adapted to engage the second side of the fluid conduit, a biasing element operably connected to the compression member and producing a sufficient amount of biasing force to cause the compression member to deform the conduit to a substantially closed state, and a control device for applying a control force to the compression member which will partially overcome the biasing force applied to the compression member and maintain the compression member such that the fluid conduit is maintained in a partially open state. The flat surfaces prevent the conduit from being radically deformed. As a result, the wear on the conduit is reduced and semi-rigid conduit, such as that used in conjunction with strong chemicals, may be used. 
     Yet another aspect of the invention is to provide a compression member that concurrently engages with a plurality or two, fluid conduits, that are evenly distributed to provide a balanced load on the compression member, thereby avoiding possible jamming or malfunction of the regulator. 
     Many other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of an apparatus for regulating the flow of fluid in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a section view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1 showing the apparatus in the fully closed position. 
     FIG. 3 is a section view showing the apparatus in the fully open position. 
     FIG. 4 is a partial section view showing the compression member compressing a conduit. 
     FIG. 5 is a section view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 4 showing a conduit in a fully closed state. 
     FIG. 6 is a section view showing a conduit in a fully open state. 
     FIG. 7 is a section view showing a conduit in a partially open state. 
     FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a controller monitoring the operation of the apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following is a detailed description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined solely by the appended claims. 
     As illustrated for example in FIGS. 1-3, a fluid regulator 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 12 which may consist of a top housing member 14 and a bottom housing member 16. The housing members 14 and 16 are secured to one another by a series of bolts 18 (or other mechanical fasteners). The top housing member 14 includes a relatively narrow, elongate passage 20 which is covered by a cap 22. A plunger 24 extends through the passage 20 and cap 22. In the exemplary embodiment, the plunger 24 is downwardly biased (in the orientation shown) by a compression spring 26 which rests on a plate 28 located at one end of the plunger 24. A spacer 30 may be placed between the spring 26 and the cap 22. The amount of bias created by a particular spring may be varied by varying the size of the spacer 30. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the other end of the plunger 24 extends outwardly of the housing 12 and includes a compression member 32. The compression member may be either integral with the plunger or attached thereto. The compression member 32 is used to restrict the flow of fluid (either gas or liquid) through one or more flexible conduits 34. The conduits may be secured to the exterior of the housing 12 by a pair of guides (or clamps) 36. The guides, which include grooves 38, are secured to the exterior of the housing 12 by a series of bolts 40 (or other mechanical fasteners). Absent any counteracting forces, the biasing force applied to the plunger 24 by the spring 26 will cause the compression member 32 to deform the conduits 34 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. No fluid will flow past compression member 32 when the conduits are compressed in this manner. 
     In order to overcome the biasing force exerted by spring 26 and allow fluid flow, the preferred embodiment of the present invention also includes a pneumatic actuator which applies a force to the plunger 24 opposite that exerted by the spring. More specifically, the exemplary embodiment includes a flexible diaphragm 42 that will deflect between the orientation shown in FIG. 2 and that shown in FIG. 3 in response to the input of pressurized fluid through a fluid inlet aperture 44 by way of a line 45. The pressurized fluid may be either gas or liquid, with air being the preferred gas, and water being the preferred liquid. Where further precision is required to deflect the diaphragm 42, liquid may be preferred because liquid is relatively incompressible, thus more precisely deflecting the diaphragm. 
     The diaphragm 42 includes an outer portion 42a which is sandwiched between the top and bottom housing elements (14 and 16) so as to provide both a gas-tight and liquid-tight seal and hold the diaphragm in place. The inner portion 42b of the diaphragm 42 is located between the plate 28 and a plate 46 and all three of these elements are secured to the end of the plunger 24. A pair of depressions 48 and 50, which enable to diaphragm to move within the housing, are formed in the top housing element 14 and bottom housing element 16, respectively. The area between the bottom housing member 16 and the diaphragm 42 defines a fluid storage area 47, as shown in FIG. 3, for example. 
     The flow rate through conduits 34 may be precisely controlled by controlling the pressure of the fluid pumped (discussed more fully below) into the fluid storage area 47 through the fluid inlet aperture 44 and by maintaining a particular pressure for the requisite period of time. The pressure of the fluid may be such that the biasing force of the spring 26 will be either partially or completely overcome by the force exerted on the plunger 24 by the diaphragm 42. As a result, conduits 34 may be maintained in the fully closed state shown in FIG. 5, the fully open state shown in FIG. 6, and any state in between (such as that shown in FIG. 7) for as long as the operator desires. The size of conduit opening 34a may be varied while fluid flows through the conduit or before flow begins. 
     As illustrated by way of example in FIG. 8, precise control of the fluid pressure within the fluid storage area 47 (see FIG. 3) may be accomplished through the use of a controller 60 which is communicably coupled to a compressor 62 to adjust the flow of the fluid supplied to the fluid storage area 47. In this regard, the compressor 62 may draw fluid from a first tank 66 through a line 68, then supply the fluid to the fluid storage area 47 so that precise pressure is provided within the fluid storage area 47 through the line 45. As discussed earlier, the fluid supplied from the first tank 66 may be either gas or liquid depending on the application, with air being the preferred gas and water being the preferred liquid. When further precision is required to deflect the diaphragm 42, liquid may be preferred because liquid is relatively incompressible, thus deflecting the diaphragm 42 more precisely. 
     Precision is still further improved with a flow meter 64 providing feed back information to the controller 60. The flow meter 64 is preferably coupled to the conduit 34 positioned downstream from the fluid control apparatus 10. Here, the controller 34 continuously monitors the flow rate of the fluid through the conduit 34, via the flow meter 64. The controller 60 is preferably a microprocessor-based, which compares the fed back information with the desired flow rate value. If deviations from the desired flow rate value is found, the controller 60 then makes necessary adjustments to the compressor 62 so that the pressure from the fluid supplied by the compressor 62 is adjusted to correct the deviation. An adjustment from a given flow rate to a newly desired flow rate will normally take place in less than one second using a conventional microprocessor-based controller. Preferably, the controller 60 will continuously monitor the flow rate of fluid through the conduit 34 and make necessary adjustments to precisely control the opening of the conduit 34a, thereby precisely controlling the flow rate of the fluid through the conduit 34. As a result, the present system may be used to provide a very small opening in the conduit, thereby precisely controlling even low flow rates. 
     With the present invention, even fluid having high solid content, such as paint, is precisely metered. To precisely meter the flow of paint, the initial opening of the conduit needs to be larger, to compensate for initial slow flow rate of the paint. However, as the paint starts to flow, the conduit opening needs to be reduced, because the flow of paint substantial accelerates due to decrease in viscosity. Accordingly, to precisely control the flow rate of the paint, the controller 60 continuously monitors the flow rate of the paint through the conduit 34 and make necessary adjustments to the pressure within the fluid storage area 47, to precisely control the flow rate of the paint through the conduit 34. Also, if the desired flow rate is later changed, the controller 60 will make necessary adjustments as discussed above to precisely control the flow rate of the fluid through the conduit 34. 
     It should be noted that the compressor 62 may be tied into the controls for the overall system with which the present fluid control apparatus is employed, such a painting system, or controlled separately. Alternatively, the controller 60 may be programmed remotely, i.e. wirelessly, to change any of the settings, such as desired flow rate of the fluid. 
     As illustrated for example in FIGS. 4-7, the size of the conduit openings 34a is reduced as necessary by compressing the conduit between the generally flat outer surface 12a of the housing 12 and the generally flat bottom surface 32a of the compression member 32. Even when the conduit is compressed into the fully closed state shown in FIG. 5, the centerline of the conduit is still within the perimeter defined by the conduit when it is in the fully open state shown in FIG. 6. Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the compression surface 32a is relatively is relatively wide (measured in the longitudinal direction of the conduit). The width is at least as great as any cross-sectional dimension of the conduit taken perpendicular to the conduit&#39;s length. Thus, when the conduit is flattened, there are no sharp corners where the conduit is bent inwardly and then outwardly, as would be the case if the compression surface was relatively short. 
     As the conduit will not be radically deformed by the present invention, which was the case in prior apparatus, stress related deterioration of the conduit will be reduced and the life of the conduit increased. In addition, because of the relatively low level of deformation, the present fluid control apparatus is especially useful with conduits formed from semi-rigid materials such as perfluoroalkoxy, which is sold under the trade name TEFLON™, and other similar fluoropolymers. These materials are highly resistant to the deteriorating effects of strong chemicals, such as paint. Thus, the present invention is especially useful in chemical applications when it is desirable to clamp a regulator onto a conduit without splicing the regulator into the system. 
     As illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 1-3, the present system provides smooth and evenly progressing compression to the conduit 34, to further ensure that the flow rate of fluid through the conduit 34 is precisely metered. In this regard, balanced actuation is accomplished by incorporating a conduit 34&#39; on the opposite side of the plunger 24. Accordingly, as the compression member 32 clamps down, the load is evenly distributed between the conduits 34 and 34&#39;. Also, based on the particular operation, the conduit 34&#39; may be operational, i.e., if two lines of fluids are needed, then fluid may flow from both conduits 34 and 34&#39;. On the other hand, if only one line of fluid is needed, then only one of the conduits may be operational, i.e. either conduit 34 or 34&#39;. As a further alternative, the non-operational line may serve as a spare, in case the operational conduit breaks down or is in need of maintenance. Preferably, the non-operational conduit is filled with similar fluid as the operational conduit so that substantially similar resistance is provided to the compression member 32. FIG. 8, shows an exemplary fluid tank 70 for supplying various fluids, such as paint or gas, to the fluid regulator 10, via conduit 34. 
     It should be noted, however, that the conduits 34 and 34&#39; may carry different fluids, such as different types of paint. Still further, one conduit may carry liquid, while other conduit carries gas. Also, a plurality of conduits may be regulated by the present invention, rather than just the two conduits 34 and 34&#39; as shown in FIGS. 1-3. In this instance, the plurality of conduits are preferably evenly distributed between the plunger 32, to provide balance compression. Alternatively, the compression member 32 and the plunger 24 may be designed to provide a balance load to one conduit. 
     With respect to materials, the housing 12 is preferably formed from aluminum and/or steel. The diaphragm 42 is preferably formed from neoprene, TEFLON™, or any other material that possesses suitable flexibly and strength. The materials need not necessarily be of the type that resist the corrosive effects of strong chemicals because the chemicals passing through the conduits will not come into contact with the interior of the housing. Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the diaphragm may be a multi-part assembly consisting of a number of diaphragm members. The primary benefit of the multi-part assembly is that it provides a combination of flexibility and strength that is difficult to achieve with a single-part diaphragm. Single part diaphragms that are thick enough to exhibit the requisite strength are often too stiff. 
     Mounting the present fluid regulator 10 in an existing device can be accomplished through the use of a mounting plate 52. The regulator may be mounted in the orientation shown in FIG. 2, or rotated up to 180° from the illustrated orientation. 
     Although the present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment above, numerous modifications and/or additions to the above-described preferred embodiments would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. 
     By way of example, but not limitation, the plunger may be biased by a leaf spring or other means known to those of skill in the art. The clamp may also be modified so as to be spring based, instead of bolt or fastener based. With respect to the manner in which the biasing force applied to the plunger is overcome, liquid may be used in place of gas to displace the diaphragm. Also, the entire diaphragm arrangement may be replaced by an electromechanical device, such as a solenoid, which overcomes the biasing force. 
     It is intended that the scope of the present invention extends to all such modifications and/or additions and that the scope of the present invention is limited solely by the claims set forth below. With respect to the claims, it is applicant&#39;s intention that the claims not be interpreted in accordance with the sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. §112 unless the term &#34;means&#34; is used followed by a functional statement.