System and method to auto-pressurize prior to dispense in a circulation dispense system
AssigneeGraco Minnesota Inc.
InventorChristopher R. Blackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for generating and dispensing plural component materials includes a controller operatively connected to dispense valves and return valves. The return valves are in respective open states to allow constituent materials to circulate back to a source and are in respective closed states to block circulation. The dispense valves are in respective open states to allow mixing of the constituent materials to form the plural component material and in respective closed states to prevent generation and dispense. The controller implements a delay between closing the return valves and opening the dispense valves to build pressure in the system prior to generating and dispensing the plural component material.
Claims21
A plural component dispensing system comprising:
- a first metering pump;
- a first feed line connected to the first metering pump to provide a first material to the first metering pump from a first material reservoir;
- a first output line connected to the first metering pump to receive the first material from the first metering pump, the first output line branching into a first dispense line and a first recirculation line, the first dispense line extending to a dispenser and the first recirculation line configured to provide the first material back to the first material reservoir;
- a first return valve configured to control flow of the first material through the first recirculation line;
- a first dispense valve configured to control flow of the first material to the dispenser from the first dispense line;
- a second metering pump;
- a second feed line connected to the second metering pump to provide a second material to the second metering pump from a second material reservoir;
- a second output line connected to the second metering pump to receive the second material from the second metering pump, the second output line branching into a second dispense line and a second recirculation line, the second dispense line extending to the dispenser and the second recirculation line configured to provide the second material back to the second material reservoir;
- a second return valve configured to control flow of the second material through the second recirculation line;
- a second dispense valve configured to control flow of the second material to the dispenser from the second dispense line;
- and
- a controller operatively connected to the first return valve, the second return valve, the first dispense valve, and the second dispense valve, the controller configured to:
- cause the first return valve and the second return valve to shift to respective closed states;
- and
- cause the first dispense valve and the second dispense valve to shift to respective open states after the first return valve and the second return valve are in the respective closed states and based on a parameter received or determined by the controller reaching a threshold.
A controller for controlling a plural component dispensing system having a first metering pump configured to pump a first material through a first output line, a second metering pump configured to pump a second material through a second output line, a first return valve configured to control material flow through a first recirculation line of the first output line, a second return valve configured to control material flow through a second recirculation line of the second output line, a first dispense valve configured to control material flow to a dispenser from the first output line, and a second dispense valve configured to control material flow to the dispenser from the second output line, the controller comprising:
- control circuitry;
- and
- memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the control circuitry,
- cause the controller, in response to a dispense signal, to:
- cause the first return valve and the second return valve to shift to respective closed states;
- and
- cause the first dispense valve and the second dispense valve to shift to respective open states after the first return valve and the second return valve shift to the respective closed states and based on a parameter received or determined by the controller reaching a threshold.
A method of dispensing a plural component material, the method comprising:
- commanding, by a controller, a first return valve downstream of a first material pump and a second return valve downstream of a second material pump to shift to respective closed states, the first return valve disposed to control recirculation of a first material output from the first material pump and the second return valve disposed to control recirculation of a second material output from the second material pump;
- and
- commanding, by the controller, a first dispense valve downstream of the first material pump and a second dispense valve downstream of the second material pump to shift to respective open states after the first return valve and the second return valve are in the respective closed states based on a parameter monitored by the controller reaching a threshold, the first dispense valve and the second dispense valve disposed to control flow of the first material and the second material to a dispenser, the dispenser configured to combine the first material and the second material to form a plural component material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.