US3756292A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dispensing apparatus having piston and cylinder dispensing assembly with stroke adjusting means
Assignee: Grumman Corp
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Filing: 1972-01-03
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Granted: 1973-09-04
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Expires: 1992-01-03
Abstract
Abstract A dispensing apparatus is provided which has various modes of operation including automatic, manual and prime modes. The dispensing apparatus includes coarse and fine metering devices consisting of cylinders with pistons displaceable therein, the displacement of the pistons being controlled by adjustable switches in turn controlling electronic circuits which reverse the direction of movement of the pistons. The metering devices are associated with dispensing nozzles beneath which can be stepped a tray in which are positions for vials or other such receptacles. A sensing switch is provided to detect the presence or absence of receptacles in the aforesaid positions to prevent attempts to dispense fluids into positions in which there are no receptacles. The tray is electronically controlled for automatic or manual modes of operation and a cam control switch is provided which determines whether the tray has been stepped to discrete positions for which dispensing operations might be effected. The apparatus employs a bi-directional, three port valve for enabling the withdrawal of one or more fluids from a source and for dispensing the thusly withdrawn fluids into the aforenoted receptacles. The dispensing apparatus is controlled by a logic circuit involving combinations of flip flops, OR gates and AND gates, and further including decade counters for counting the number of receptacles filled and comparing the count with a selected number in an electronic comparator whereby operation can be terminated after an appropriate number of cycles. The selected quantities for dispensing are indicated on conveniently positioned indexes.
Inventors
- 👤 M Croslin
- 👤 C Blackman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:28
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/02; B01L3/0203; B01L3/0206; B65; B65B; B65B3/00; B65B3/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
Dispensing apparatus operative with a source of at least one fluid and comprising first means for drawing from said source a quantity of said fluid, dispensing means coupled to said first means for dispensing the quantity of fluid drawn from said source, and control means coupled to said first means for controllably adjusting the magnitude of said quantity; said first means including a pump including piston and cylinder members and a motor for displacing one of said members relative to the other, one of said members being fixed and the other movable and said control means including an adjustably positioned switch to limit the amount of movement of the movable member, said switch being coupled to said motor and being located in the path of movement of the movable member, said first means including a second switch coupled to said motor and also being located in the path of movement of the movable member to provide a second limit of movement for the same, and gates coupling the switches to said motor and counting means coupled to said gates and blocking said gates after a selected number of dispensing operations have been performed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
Dispensing apparatus operative with a source of at least one fluid and comprising first means for drawing from said source a quantity of said fluid, dispensing means coupled to said first means for dispensing the quantity of fluid drawn from said source, and control means coupled to said first means for controllably adjusting the magnitude of said quantity; said first means including a pump including piston and cylinder members and a motor for displacing one of said members relative to the other, one of said members being fixed and the other movable and said control means including an adjustably positioned switch to limit the amount of movement of the movable member, said switch being coupled to said motor and being located in the path of movement of the movable member, said first means including a second switch coupled to said motor and also being located in the path of movement of the movable member to provide a second limit of movement for the same, and gates coupling the switches to said motor and counting means coupled to said gates and blocking said gates after a selected number of dispensing operations have been performed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for moving a plurality of receptacles past said dispensing means, said first means including means for dispensing equal quantities of fluid into said receptacles in sequence, gate means coupled to the first said gates, and receptacle detector means coupled to said gate means to block said gates in the absence of a receptacle positioned to receive fluid from said dispensing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for moving the receptacles past said dispensing means comprises a base with an opening therethrough, a tray slidable through said opening, a toothed rack on said tray, a gear engaged with said rack, a motor for driving said gear, a cam driven by said motor, and a switch actuated by said cam to measure the movement of said tray.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first means includes a motor controlling the rate of dispensing of fluid, said apparatus further comprising a control on said base for controlling the speed of said motor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said tray has openings for the insertion of receptacles and includes spring members in positions of interference with inserted receptacles and adapted to be displaced by the latter and a switch positioned in correspondence with said dispensing means and adapted to be operated by said spring members, when the latter are displaced, to indicate the presence of a receptacle by the dispensing means, said switch being coupled to said first means to enable the selective dispensing of fluid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a rotatable lead screw supporting the first said switch for adjustable positioning the same, a dial for rotating said lead screw, and an index for indicating the position of the switch in terms of volume.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first means includes two pumps both connected to said dispensing means, said pumps including cylinders of different diameters and pistons in said cylinders, and motors to drive the pistons in said cylinder, said cylinders being coupled to said source and to said dispensing means; said control meanS including switches to limit the strokes of the pistons in said cylinders, lead screws adjustably supporting said switches for actuation of said pistons, concentric dials for adjusting said lead screws, and spur gears on said lead screws and operated by said concentric dials.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 comprising concentric shafts connected with said concentric dials and spur gears on respective of said shafts and in engagement with respective of the first said spur gears.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 comprising indices including pointers driven by respective of said dials.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 comprising separate tubes leading from said pumps to said dispensing means, said dispensing means including a nozzle into which said tubes extend.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switches are microswitches which include roller actuators.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a count selector means for selecting a number of dispensing cycles, and a comparator coupled to said selector means and counting means and to said gates which are operated by said comparator and switches.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 comprising gate means between said comparator and said gates, tray means providing a plurality of positions for receptacles adapted to receive fluid, and switch means to sense the absence of a receptacle from a position and operating said gate means to prevent dispensing fluid into a position in which there is no receptacle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 comprising a guide for said tray means and switch means to determine when said tray means is positioned in said guide, the latter said switch means being coupled to and operating said gate means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 comprising a guide for said tray means, means for stepping said tray means past said dispensing means in discrete steps to bring said positions into alignment with said dispensing means, and switch means to determine the alignment of positions with said dispensing means, the latter said switch means being coupled to and operating said gate means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 comprising end-of-cycle flip flop means coupled to said gate means to operate the same; and manual mode select means, automatic mode select means and prime mode select means also coupled to said gate means to operate the same.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 comprising an OR gate and an AND gate in series between said select means and gate means, and a flip flop providing an input signal to said AND gate, said flip flop being coupled to and controlled by the latter said switch means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for stepping said tray means includes a motor and drive means for driving the same, comprising an OR gate coupling said end-of-cycle flip flop and prime mode select means to the latter said drive means to actuate the same.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
145 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of said drive means includes a source of voltage; first, second and third transistors each comprising a base, emitter and collector in operative association; a first resistor coupling the base of the first transistor to said source, second and third resistors coupling the collectors of the second and third transistors to said source; the emitter of the first transistor being adapted to receive an input control signal, the collector of the first transistor being coupled to the base of the second transistor, the collector of the second transistor being coupled to the base of the third transistor; and a fourth transistor including a base coupled to the emitter of the first transistor, a collector coupled to said diode and an emitter coupled to ground, the collector of the fourth transistor being further coupled to the associated motor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
182 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first means includes a plurality of pumps, a plurality of motors driving the pumps and a plurality of drive means for drivinG the motors and wherein each of said drive means includes a source of voltage; first, second and third transistors each comprising a base, emitter and collector in operative association; a first resistor coupling the base of the first transistor to said source, second and third resistors coupling the collectors of the second and third transistors to said source; the emitter of the first transistor being adapted to receive an input control signal, the collector of the first transistor being coupled to the base of the second transistor, the collector of the second transistor being coupled to the base of the third transistor; a diode coupled to the emitter of the third transistor; and a fourth transistor including a base coupled to the emitter of the first transistor, a collector coupled to said diode and an emitter coupled to ground, the collector of the fourth transistor being further coupled to the associated motor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-03 | 1977-03-05 | 1977-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-03 | 1981-03-05 | 1981-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-03 | 1985-03-05 | 1985-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |