Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20080173705?dq=7,403,220
Timestamp: 2015-02-27 23:18:25
Document Index: 589219672

Matched Legal Cases: ['application No. 60', 'application No. 60', 'application No. 60', 'application No. 60', 'application No. 60', 'application No. 60']

Patent US20080173705 - Liquid dispensing system - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn improved concentrate/extract cartridge is provided for dispensing a liquid in an accurate and repeatable manner. The cartridge includes an electromagnetically actuated piston connected to a valve. The piston includes an exterior ring supported by a hollow interior web that is configured to permit...http://www.google.com/patents/US20080173705?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20080173705 - Liquid dispensing systemAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20080173705 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 11/926,931Publication dateJul 24, 2008Filing dateOct 29, 2007Priority dateFeb 13, 2004Also published asUS8091735, WO2009058839A1Publication number11926931, 926931, US 2008/0173705 A1, US 2008/173705 A1, US 20080173705 A1, US 20080173705A1, US 2008173705 A1, US 2008173705A1, US-A1-20080173705, US-A1-2008173705, US2008/0173705A1, US2008/173705A1, US20080173705 A1, US20080173705A1, US2008173705 A1, US2008173705A1InventorsJeffrey J. Girard, Nasser Pirshafiey, Mario E. Vassaux, Heather B. Kay, Shlomo Greenwald, Zipora Greenwald, Paul Van Den HoonaardOriginal AssigneeIntelligent Coffee Company, LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManReferenced by (22), Classifications (27), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetLiquid dispensing system
US 20080173705 A1Abstract
An improved concentrate/extract cartridge is provided for dispensing a liquid in an accurate and repeatable manner. The cartridge includes an electromagnetically actuated piston connected to a valve. The piston includes an exterior ring supported by a hollow interior web that is configured to permit a flow of fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat. A membrane is located below the web and is in sealing contact with the internal ring when the piston is activated. This allows a precise and repeatable amount of the liquid to be dispensed with each stroke. Dispensers for dispensing the liquid from the cartridge for a number of applications are also provided. The dispensers each include an actuating coil into which the dispensing tube is inserted. A controller is connected to the coil for controlling the actuation of the piston/valve assembly for dispensing the fluid in the cartridge as required for the particular application.
a dispensing housing with a cartridge receiving opening in the dispensing housing; an electromagnetic dispensing actuator located in the dispensing housing around the cartridge receiving opening; a concentrate/extract cartridge removably insertable into the cartridge receiving opening in a position to be actuated by the dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to hold a fluid to be dispensed via the dispensing housing, the concentrate/extract container comprising:
a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port the valve stem is connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat; and a controller located in the appliance to control the actuator to discharge concentrate/extract from the cartridge. 2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein the piston comprises spaced apart internal webs with a ring connecting the webs, and the membrane seals against the ring during activation of the actuator.
3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the piston comprises an external ferromagnetic material sleeve located around the external ring.
4. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the valve seat comprises a frusto-conical sealing surface.
5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the valve body comprises an o-ring to provide a seal with the valve seat when the valve body is closed
6. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising a supply line connected to at least one of a pump and a control valve for delivering a stream of diluent to the dispensing housing, and the dispensing tube of the concentrate/extract cartridge is positioned to deliver a stream of the fluid into the stream of the diluent.
7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the dispensing housing includes a diluent receiving opening to which the supply line is connected that leads to a mixing region in proximity to a exit orifice of the dispensing tube, and the dispensing housing further includes a discharge opening extending generally axially aligned with the dispensing tube orifice.
8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the appliance is a refrigerator or a water cooler, and the dispensing tube is directed toward a fluid outlet of the dispensing housing, the controller controls the dispensing actuator such that the fluid from the concentrate/extract cartridge is dispensed as water is dispensed from the appliance.
9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the controller controls an amount of the fluid dispensed from the cartridge and a temperature of the dispensed mix of the fluid and water.
10. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the dispensing housing includes a diluent receiving opening to which the supply line is connected that leads to a mixing region in proximity to a exit orifice of the dispensing tube, and the dispensing housing further includes a outlet opening extending generally axially aligned with the diluent receiving opening.
11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the appliance is selected from the group consisting of a clothes washing machine, a dish washer, an irrigation or sprinkler system, a pool or pond chemical system, a spray gun or a multi-ingredient mixed drink dispenser.
12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the appliance is a dish washer or a washing machine, and the controller controls the washing cycle and the dispensing of a predetermined or programmable amount of fluid from the cartridge in accordance with a predetermined time in the washing cycle.
13. The appliance of claim 11, wherein there are a plurality of the electromagnetic dispensing actuators, and a separate one of the concentrate/extract cartridges is located in each of the dispensing actuators, and the controller separately controls actuation of the electromagnetic dispensing actuators to dispense predetermined or programmable amounts of different fluids from the cartridges either at the same or different times in the washing cycle.
14. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the appliance is the spray gun, and the controller and actuator are powered by a battery, and a trigger controls actuation of the electromagnetic dispensing actuator.
15. The appliance of claim 14, wherein an axis of the cartridge dispensing tube is located at an acute angle to an axis of the diluent receiving opening.
16. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the appliance is the irrigation or sprinkler system, or the pool or pond chemical system and a plurality of the electromagnetic dispensing actuators are provided, with one of the concentrate/extract cartridges being located in each of the actuators located in a common dispensing housing having a single diluent inlet opening and a single outlet opening, and the controller controls an activation time of the electromagnetic dispensing actuators.
17. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the appliance is the multi-ingredient mixed drink dispenser which includes a plurality of the electromagnetic dispensing actuators, and separate ones of the concentrate/extract cartridges with different drink ingredients are located in each of the actuators, and the controller actuates the actuators to dispense a required amount of the extracts with mixers in order to make a drink selected by a user based on a program stored in the controller.
18. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the dispensing housing includes a direct dispensing opening at a bottom of the housing, axially aligned with the cartridge receiving opening for direct discharge of liquid from the cartridge.
19. The appliance of claim 18, wherein the appliance is selected from the group consisting of a paint color pigment dispenser and a medicament dispenser.
20. The appliance of claim 19, wherein the appliance is a medicament dispenser and is controlled by the controller to dispense an amount of medicament based on a weight and or age of a user that is input into the controller.
21. The appliance of claim 19, further comprising an electronic ID tag reader located on the medicament dispenser and an electronic ID tag on the cartridge that can be read using the electronic ID tag reader, and a data reader connected to the controller that receives outside data regarding a medicament to be dispensed, and the controller using the electronic ID tag reader to verify the ID of the cartridge located in the dispensing actuator prior to activation.
22. The appliance of claim 1, wherein an exit orifice of the dispensing tube is sized between 0.04 inch and 0.12 inch in diameter, whereby a flow of concentrate/extract exiting the dispensing tube is substantially atomized.
23. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a baby formula dispenser, and the controller controls an amount of the fluid being dispensed from the cartridge, and a temperature of baby formula dispensed
24. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the electromagnetic dispensing actuators which discharge into a common mixing channel in the dispensing housing, each of the electromagnetic dispensing actuators being separately activatable by the controller, and a separate concentrate/extract cartridge being installed at each electromagnetic actuator.
a hollow body; a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body; a piston slideably contained by an interior surface of the dispensing tube; and a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, the valve stem being connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port, the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat. 26. The concentrate/extract cartridge of claim 25, further comprising an exit orifice at an end of the dispensing tube that is sized between 0.04 inch and 0.12 inch in diameter, whereby a flow of fluid exiting the dispensing tube is substantially atomized.
27. The concentrate/extract cartridge of claim 25, further comprising a shoulder located in the dispensing tube, and the valve seat being a separate part that is located against the shoulder.
28. The concentrate/extract cartridge of claim 25, further comprising a port flow through area, corresponding to a cross-sectional area through the port minus a cross-sectional area of the valve stem at the port that is between 2% and 4% of a flow area defined by the dispensing tube.
29. A method of dispensing a refrigerated drink from a refrigerator or water cooler, comprising:
providing a refrigerator or water cooler with a dispensing housing that opens into a drink dispensing area, the dispensing housing having a cartridge receiving opening, an electromagnetic dispensing actuator located in the dispensing housing around the cartridge receiving opening; a concentrate/extract cartridge removably insertable into the cartridge receiving opening in a position to be actuated by the dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to hold a fluid to be dispensed into the dispensing housing, the concentrate/extract cartridge including a hollow body, a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body, a piston located in the dispensing tube, and a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port the valve stem is connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat, and a controller to control the actuator to discharge concentrate/extract from the cartridge; a user inserting a selected cartridge with a desired beverage concentrate/extract into the dispensing housing, with the dispensing tube located in the cartridge receiving opening; pressing a button to signal the controller to activate the electromagnetic dispensing actuator; the controller sending an intermittent current to the actuator causing the piston to reciprocate back and forth and forcibly expressing a precise measured amount of the concentrate/extract from the dispensing tube and into a stream of cold water as it is being dispensed. 30. A method of dispensing a medicament, comprising:
providing a medicament dispenser with a dispensing housing that opens into a dispensing area, the dispensing housing having a cartridge receiving opening, an electromagnetic dispensing actuator located in the dispensing housing around the cartridge receiving opening; a concentrate/extract cartridge removably insertable into the cartridge receiving opening in a position to be actuated by the dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to hold a fluid medicament to be dispensed, the concentrate/extract cartridge including a hollow body, a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body, a piston located in the dispensing tube, and a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port the valve stem is connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat, and a controller to control the actuator to discharge concentrate/extract from the cartridge; a user inserting a selected cartridge with a desired medicament into the dispensing housing, with the dispensing tube located in the cartridge receiving opening; pressing a button to signal the controller to activate the electromagnetic dispensing actuator; the controller sending an intermittent current to the actuator causing the piston to reciprocate back and forth and forcibly expressing a precise measured amount of the concentrate/extract from the dispensing tube and into a stream of cold water as it is being dispensed. 31. The method of claim 30, further comprising a sensor on the medicament dispenser reading a product identification from the cartridge, and a user inputting patient information into the controller, and the controller controlling a dispensing function based on the product identification and the patient information.
32. A method of dispensing pool or pond chemicals or additives, comprising:
providing a dispensing housing that is connected into a pool or pond water feed line, the dispensing housing having at least one cartridge receiving opening with an associated electromagnetic dispensing actuator; a concentrate/extract cartridge removably insertable into each of the at least one cartridge receiving openings in a position to be actuated by the associated dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to hold a fluid chemical or additive to be dispensed into the dispensing housing, the concentrate/extract cartridge including a hollow body, a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body, a piston located in the dispensing tube, and a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port the valve stem is connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat, and a controller to control the actuator to discharge concentrate/extract from the cartridge; a user inserting a selected cartridge with a pool or pond chemical or additive into the dispensing housing, with the dispensing tube located in the cartridge receiving opening; a controller activating the electromagnetic dispensing actuator by sending an intermittent current to the actuator causing the piston to reciprocate back and forth and forcibly expressing a precise measured amount of the pool or pond chemical or additive from the dispensing tube and into a stream of water as it is being fed to the pool or pond. 34. A method of dispensing chemicals or additives through a sprinkler system, comprising:
providing a dispensing housing that is connected into a sprinkler system water feed line, the dispensing housing having at least one cartridge receiving opening with an associated electromagnetic dispensing actuator; a concentrate/extract cartridge removably insertable into each of the at least one cartridge receiving openings in a position to be actuated by the associated dispensing actuator, the concentrate/extract cartridge adapted to hold a fluid chemical or additive to be dispensed into the dispensing housing, the concentrate/extract cartridge including a hollow body, a dispensing tube connected to the hollow body, a piston located in the dispensing tube, and a valve having a valve stem that passes through a port of a valve seat connected to the dispensing tube, the port defining a flow passage through the dispensing tube, and a valve body located at a second end of the valve stem in removable contact with the valve seat, for alternately opening and closing the port the valve stem is connected to the piston at a first end of the valve stem, the piston includes a membrane configured to permit a flow of fluid into the dispensing tube when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat and to forcibly express the fluid from the dispensing tube when the piston is moved downwardly and the valve body is moved from a contact position with the valve seat, and a controller to control the actuator to discharge concentrate/extract from the cartridge; a user inserting a selected cartridge with a chemical or additive into the dispensing housing, with the dispensing tube located in the cartridge receiving opening; a controller activating the electromagnetic dispensing actuator by sending an intermittent current to the actuator causing the piston to reciprocate back and forth and forcibly expressing a precise measured amount of the chemical or additive from the dispensing tube and into a stream of water as it is being fed to the sprinkler system. Description
This application is a continuation-in-part of PCT/US2006/042878, filed Nov. 2, 2006, which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/266,695, filed Nov. 3, 2005, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Appln. No. 60/845,310, filed Sep. 18, 2006 and U.S. Provisional Appln. No. 60/794,777, filed Apr. 25, 2006. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/055,832 and 11/055,915, both filed Feb. 11, 2005, and both claiming the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/544,379, filed Feb. 13, 2004, U.S. provisional application No. 60/620,251, filed Oct. 19, 2004, and U.S. provisional application No. 60/642,311, filed Jan. 7, 2005, which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/209,016, filed Aug. 22, 2005 which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60/642,311, filed Jan. 7, 2005, U.S. provisional application No. 60/682,107, filed May 18, 2005, and U.S. provisional application No. 60/700,824, filed Jul. 20, 2005. All of these prior applications are incorporated be reference herein as if fully set forth.
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not considered limiting. Words such as �front�, �back�, �top� and �bottom� designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. This terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. Additionally, the terms �a� and �one� are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically noted. The phrase �at least one� followed by a list of two or more items, such as A, B, or C, means any individual one of A, B or C as well as any combination thereof. Additionally, while the term �concentrate/extract� has been used to describe liquid dispensed by the cartridge and dispenser system according to the invention, as use herein, �concentrate/extract� is intended to refer to any liquid that is dispensed from the cartridge, and is not limited to any specific type of concentrate or extract.
Referring to FIGS. 8-10, a refrigerator 150 in which the dispensing system 100 has been incorporated is shown. Referring in particular to FIG. 10, the dispensing system 100 is integrated into a hot and cold water dispenser located in the front of the refrigerator 150, with the dispensing opening 116 of the housing 110 being arranged to dispense the liquid concentrate extract�diluent mixture into a dispensing area 160. As shown in detail in FIG. 10, preferably sources of hot and cold water 162, 164 are connected via tubing 166, 168 and valves 170, 172 to the diluent feed tube 122. The valves 170, 172 are controlled via the controller 124′. Preferably hot and cold dispensing actuator buttons 174, 176 are provided in the front panel above refrigerator dispensing area 160. The dispensing actuator buttons 174, 176 are connected to the controller 124′. The controller 124′ is either a PLC or other type of control circuit which selectively opens the valve 170 or 172, depending upon whether the hot or cold button is depressed, so that hot or cold water is fed via the respective tubing 166, 168 to the in feed tube 122 of the dispensing system 100, while at the same time power is provided to the actuating coil 112 so that a concentrate/extract from the cartridge 10 is mixed with the hot or cold water as it is dispensed from the dispensing opening 116 into a cup or other receptacle placed in the dispensing area 160. Preferably, a control is provided for selecting a desired concentrate strength, indicated as button 178 on the control panel in order to allow a user to select a desired concentrate/extract to diluent mixing ratio for a particular beverage or flavor being dispensed.
The present system prevents or reduces the occurrences of misuse or mis-dosing of liquid medications due to a caregiver using the wrong dosing cup for a particular medication or misreading the directions and/or misreading the markings on a dosing cup. Any of these situations can result in the patient being given several times the recommended dosage of the pharmaceutical. Additionally, common tableware teaspoons come in a variety of sizes with some holding as little as 2.5 ml of liquid or as must as 9.5 ml of liquid while an exact measuring tea spoon holds exactly 5 ml of liquid. This invention is important for preventing overdosing, especially in the administration of acetaminophen products in pediatric medications such as cold and cough preparations. Such overdosing can result in damage to the patient and liability for the pharmaceutical company. Thus, the importance of providing an exact pharmaceutical dosing system which can dispense precise metered amounts of pharmaceuticals provides a tremendous advantage over the known system.
Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS8116907Jun 30, 2008Feb 14, 2012The Invention Science Fund I, LlcReordering of consumable compositionsUS8227000 *Dec 18, 2008Jul 24, 2012Whirlpool CorporationLiquid flow control and beverage preparation apparatuses, methods and systemsUS8306655Sep 4, 2008Nov 6, 2012The Coca-Cola CompanySystems and methods for providing portion control programming in a product forming dispenserUS8362914Dec 19, 2007Jan 29, 2013The Invention Science Fund I, LlcCommunication regarding aspects of a dispensed consumable compositionUS8457783Dec 18, 2007Jun 4, 2013The Invention Science Fund I, LlcCommunication regarding aspects of a dispensed consumable compositionUS8463447Sep 4, 2008Jun 11, 2013The Coca-Cola CompanySystems and methods for monitoring and controlling the dispense of a plurality of product forming ingredientsUS8528790 *Dec 6, 2007Sep 10, 2013Joseph S. KanferDispensing system with magnet and coil for power generationUS8596555Oct 22, 2009Dec 3, 2013Graco Minnesota Inc.Portable airless sprayerUS8631824Aug 25, 2010Jan 21, 2014Ecolab Usa Inc.Apparatus, method and system for dispensing liquid products to two or more appliancesUS8652412Nov 4, 2010Feb 18, 2014The Invention Science Fund I, LlcSterilization of consumable composition dispensersUS8718817Dec 7, 2007May 6, 2014The Invention Science Fund I, LlcProgrammed dispensing of consumable compositionsUS8718819May 5, 2010May 6, 2014The Invention Science Fund I, LlcProgrammed dispensing of consumable compositionsUS8742883Aug 25, 2010Jun 3, 2014Ecolab Usa Inc.Method and system for monitoring operation of a dispensing systemUS8758677Dec 31, 2007Jun 24, 2014The Invention Science Fund I, LlcSterilization of consumable composition dispensersUS8788380Nov 29, 2007Jul 22, 2014The Invention Science Fund I, LlcProgrammed dispensing of consumable compositionsUS20100154647 *Dec 18, 2008Jun 24, 2010Whirlpool CorporationLiquid flow control and beverage preparation apparatuses, methods and systemsEP2447206A2Oct 25, 2011May 2, 2012Whirlpool CorporationBeverage dispenser with multi-chambered carousel and automatic coordination of flavorant flow rateEP2447640A2Oct 25, 2011May 2, 2012Whirlpool CorporationLiquid dispenser with collapsible containerEP2447642A2Oct 25, 2011May 2, 2012Whirlpool CorporationBeverage dispensing system with automated water filter recommendationWO2010018581A1 *Aug 13, 2009Feb 18, 2010Coolmax Ltd.Apparatus for freezing and dispensing a beverageWO2011074953A2 *Dec 15, 2010Jun 23, 2011Ipn Ip B.V.Fluid dose-measuring deviceWO2012019922A1Jul 28, 2011Feb 16, 2012Aktiebolaget ElectroluxArrangement for dispensing an additive into a liquid stream* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification235/375, 222/129.1, 222/327, 62/56, 222/64, 222/130, 222/23, 222/642, 222/1, 222/54International ClassificationB65D88/54, B05B17/04, F25D9/00, G06F17/00, G05D7/06, G01F11/00, B67D7/56, B67D7/84, B67D7/14, B67D7/74Cooperative ClassificationA47J31/402, B05B7/2443, B05B7/2481, B05B7/2408European ClassificationB05B7/24A26, A47J31/40D, B05B7/24A3ALegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionApr 7, 2008ASAssignmentOwner name: INTELLIGENT COFFEE COMPANY, LLC, ARIZONAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:GIRARD, JEFFREY J.;PIRSHAFIEY, NASSER;VASSAUX, MARIO E.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:020765/0082;SIGNING DATES FROM 20071106 TO 20071204Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:GIRARD, JEFFREY J.;PIRSHAFIEY, NASSER;VASSAUX, MARIO E.;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20071106 TO 20071204;REEL/FRAME:020765/0082RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services