Claims
- 1. A modular system for dispensing precise quantities of fluid product comprising:
- a self-contained dispensing unit including dispensing means for dispensing the fluid product when in an open configuration and for stopping or prohibiting dispensing when in a closed configuration, said dispensing means including (i) a housing defining a reservoir for containing the fluid product under pressure, (ii) an inlet for introducing said fluid product to said reservoir under pressure, (iii) a valve means for controlling the dispensing of the fluid product from said reservoir, (iv) an end member and (v) sealing means intermediate said fluid product and an actuator means for sealingly isolating said actuator means from said fluid product;
- a self-contained actuator unit including (i) a cylindrical body having a cavity at one end and (ii) actuating means for effecting said valve means between the open and closed configurations; and
- two sets of mutually engageable locking means on said dispensing unit and on said actuator unit for releasably fixedly attaching said dispensing unit to said actuator unit, said first set of mutually engageable locking means comprising a male T-connector on said valve means and a similarly formed female receptive slot on said actuating means such tat when the end member of said dispensing unit is inserted into the cavity of said actuator unit the male T-connector, when aligned with the female slot, is received by the slot and the actuator unit is rotated 90.degree. relative to the dispenser unit, withdrawal of the male T-connector from the female slot is thereby prevented and the valve means and actuating means are locked together and operate in a unitary manner; and said second set of mutually engageable locking means comprises an annular groove formed in said end member and one or more set-screws threadingly engaged through the cylindrical body of the actuator unit into the cavity such that when the end member is inserted into the cavity, said set-screws engage the annular grove;
- said modular system characterized by the ability to readily connect and disconnect said dispensing unit from said actuator unit without loss of fluid product.
- 2. The modular system of claim 1 wherein the sealing means comprises a deformable diaphragm sealingly fixed at spaced regions to said housing and to said valve means.
- 3. A modular system set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes a piston means contained within said cylindrical body and releasably attached to said valve means, and operative means for effecting reciprocation of said piston means along an actuating axis and within said cylindrical body; and wherein said housing of said dispensing means includes an end member receivable in the cavity of said cylindrical body.
- 4. A modular system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second set of said mutually engageable locking means includes an annular groove formed in said end member and a set screw threadedly engaged with said body and engageable with said annular groove.
- 5. A modular system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said cylindrical body and said end member in the assembled form of said system define a piston cavity which is divided by said piston means contained therein and wherein the portion of said piston cavity which upon expansion thereof by movement of the piston means causes said dispensing means to assume the open configuration contains at least one inlet for the admission therein of a fluid under pressure and wherein said pressurized fluid comprises said operative means and wherein the modular system further comprises a biasing means for normally biasing said piston means to cause the dispensing means to assume the closed position, the force of said biasing means working in opposition to the force of th aforesaid pressurized fluid.
- 6. A modular system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said cylindrical body and said end member in the assembled form of said system define a piston cavity which is divided by said piston means contained therein and wherein each portion of the piston cavity, regardless of the placement of said piston means in the piston cavity, contains at least one inlet for the admission therein of a fluid under pressure and wherein said pressurized fluid comprises said operative means.
- 7. A modular system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising biasing means for normally biasing said piston means to the position at which said dispensing means assumes the closed position.
- 8. The modular system of claim 5 wherein the pressurized fluid is air.
- 9. The modular system of claim 6 wherein the pressurized fluid is air.
- 10. A modular system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a valve seat on said housing defining an outlet for dispensing the fluid product from said reservoir, a valve gate movable along an actuating axis between an open position away from said valve seat to allow for the dispensing of said fluid product and a closed position in contact engagement with said valve seat for stopping the dispensing of the fluid product from said reservoir, and a valve stem whose axis is coincident with an actuating axis and which is movable along said actuating axis for transferring the actuation from the actuating means to said valve gate.
- 11. A modular system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said housing has a longitudinal axis coincident with said actuating axis along which said reservoir, said valve stem and said valve seat are centrally disposed.
- 12. A modular system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said sealing means is a deformable diaphragm extending transversely of said actuating axis and sealingly fixed at spaced regions to said housing and to said valve stem.
- 13. A modular system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said actuator means includes a piston means contained within said cylindrical body and releasably attached to said valve stem, and operative means for effecting reciprocation of the piston means along said actuating axis and within said cylindrical body; and
- wherein said housing of said dispensing means includes an end member receivable in the cavity of said cylindrical body.
- 14. A modular system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said set of said mutually engageable locking means includes:
- an annular groove formed in said end member; and a set screw threadedly engaged with said cylindrical body and engageable with said annular groove.
- 15. A modular system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said actuator means further comprises adjustment means for selectively adjusting operation of said actuator means enabling it to move said valve gate between any one of a plurality of open positions away from said valve seat and the closed position in contact engagement with said valve seat.
- 16. A modular system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said valve means includes fastener means affixing said valve gate to an extreme end of said valve stem distant from said actuating means.
- 17. A modular system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a nozzle unit including nozzle means releasably mounted to said housing proximate said valve means for receiving fluid product from said valve means and for accurately directing the flow of the product therefrom.
- 18. A modular system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said nozzle means includes a hollow needle member and fastener means engageable with said housing for releasably joining said needle member thereto.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 176,877, filed Apr. 4, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,669, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 57,614, filed Jan. 3, 1987, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
"Operating Instructions-725D Diaphragm Valve", 16 pages, Copyrighted 1983, by Electron Fushion Devices, Inc. |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
176877 |
Apr 1988 |
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Parent |
57614 |
Jan 1987 |
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