# US 2014/0197198 A1 · Cartridge dispenser > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197198 A1 - Document ID: US20140197198A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/151,076 - Filed: 2014-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Assignees: Nordson Corporation - Applicants: Nordson Corporation - Inventors: William C. Paetow; Thomas R. Tudor; Raymond C. Phillips; Jeffry J. Grana; Herman E. Turner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197198A1 ## CPC - B05C 5/0225: {characterised by flow controlling means, e.g. valves, located proximate the outlet (B05C5/0258, B05C5/0275 take precedence; supply valves upstream the coating head B05C11/1036)} - B05B 1/30: designed to control volume of flow, e.g. with adjustable passages {(B05B11/0094 takes precedence)} - B05C 5/0237: {Fluid actuated valves} - B05C 11/1013: {responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00)} - B05C 17/00596: {The liquid or other fluent material being supplied from a rigid removable cartridge having no active dispensing means, i.e. the cartridge requiring cooperation with means of the handtool to expel the material} - F16K 7/07: by means of fluid pressure - F16K 23/00: Valves for preventing drip from nozzles - B05B 9/047: supply being effected by follower in container, e.g. membrane or floating piston {, or by deformation of container (B05B9/0838 takes precedence)} - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A cartridge dispenser generally includes an actuator, cartridge carrier, a removable cartridge, a dispenser head, and a cartridge piston. A sensor is configured to sense data and provide feedback data for controlling the actuator. The dispenser head is a multi-piece assembly allowing removal of an outlet flow tube for maintenance purposes. The tube may be a resilient tube and pinch valves are provided for fluid flow control from the dispenser. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cartridge dispenser, comprising: an actuator; a cartridge carrier configured to house a removable cartridge having a pre-proportioned amount of flowable material therein; a dispenser head mounted to said cartridge carrier, said dispenser head having an outlet port; a cartridge piston responsive to said actuator and configured to protrude into the cartridge to apply pressure to the flowable material and force an amount of flowable material from said cartridge through said outlet port of said dispenser head; and a sensor configured to sense data concerning the flowable material flowing from said cartridge through said outlet port, and to provide feedback data for controlling said actuator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cartridge dispenser of claim 1, wherein said sensor further comprises: a pressure transducer, a pressure/temperature transducer, a temperature sensor, a flow meter or combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cartridge dispenser of claim 1, wherein said sensor further comprises a pressure transducer, and further comprising a controller coupled with the pressure transducer, said controller configured to receive pressure data from said pressure transducer and perform diagnostics for detecting at least one of: a spike in pressure of the flowable material or a drop in pressure of the flowable material. ### Claim 4 A cartridge dispenser, comprising: an actuator; a cartridge carrier configured to house a removable cartridge having a pre-proportioned amount of flowable material therein; a dispenser head mounted to said cartridge carrier, said dispenser head having an outlet port for dispensing the flowable material; a pressure sensor configured to generate data indicative of the level of pressure of the flowable material at the outlet port; a controller configured to receive said pressure data and to receive data relating to the flow rate of the flowable material and to use said pressure data and said flow rate data to diagnose performance characteristics of said cartridge dispenser. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cartridge dispenser of claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to detect a plugged nozzle based on a spike in pressure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The cartridge dispenser of claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to detect a leak based on a drop in the pressure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cartridge dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: at least a first pinch valve and a resilient tube carried within said dispenser head, said resilient tube providing a flow path generally between said cartridge and said outlet port, said first pinch valve configured to move between first and second positions, wherein the resilient tube is open to allow flow of the flowable material through the resilient tube and past the first pinch valve when the first pinch valve is in the first position, and the resilient tube is pinched off to prevent flow of the flowable material to the outlet port when the first pinch valve is in the second position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cartridge dispenser of claim 1, wherein said dispenser head further comprises a multi-piece assembly including a tube which forms a flow path generally between said cartridge and said outlet port, said tube capable of being removed and cleaned and/or replaced for maintenance when the multi-piece assembly is disassembled. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The cartridge dispenser of claim 7, further comprising a second pinch valve carried by the dispenser head and movable between first and second positions, wherein the resilient tube is open to allow flow of the flowable material through the resilient tube to the outlet port when the first and second pinch valves are in their respective first positions, and the resilient tube is pinched off to prevent flow of the flowable material to the outlet port when at least one of the first or second pinch valves is in its second position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cartridge dispenser of claim 9, wherein said first pinch valve is located along said resilient tube at a position closer to said cartridge than said second pinch valve, said controller configured to operate said first and second pinch valves in succession such that at the end of a dispensing cycle, said first and second pinch valves are each placed in their second positions thereby stopping the flow of the flowable material to the outlet port, and then said second pinch valve is moved to its first position to thereby suck back flowable material from the outlet port. ### Claim 11 A cartridge dispenser, comprising: an actuator; a cartridge carrier configured to house a removable cartridge having a pre-proportioned amount of flowable material therein; a dispenser head mounted to said cartridge carrier, said dispenser head having an outlet port; a cartridge piston responsive to said actuator and configured to protrude into the cartridge to apply pressure to the flowable material and force an amount of flowable material from said cartridge through said outlet port of said dispenser head; and at least a first pinch valve and a resilient tube carried within said dispenser head, said resilient tube providing a flow path generally between said cartridge and said outlet port, said first pinch valve configured to move between first and second positions, wherein the resilient tube is open to allow flow of the flowable material through the resilient tube and past the first pinch valve when the first pinch valve is in the first position, and the resilient tube is pinched off to prevent flow of the flowable material to the outlet port when the first pinch valve is in the second position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cartridge dispenser of claim 11, wherein said dispenser head further comprises a multi-piece assembly allowing said resilient tube to be removed from said dispenser head and cleaned and/or replaced for maintenance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The cartridge dispenser of claim 11, further comprising a second pinch valve carried by the dispenser head and movable between first and second positions, wherein the resilient tube is open to allow flow of the flowable material through the resilient tube to the outlet port when the first and second pinch valves are in their respective first positions, and the resilient tube is pinched off to prevent flow of the flowable material to the outlet port when at least one of the first or second pinch valves is in its second position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The cartridge dispenser of claim 13, wherein said first pinch valve is located along said resilient tube at a position closer to said cartridge than said second pinch valve, and further comprising a controller, said controller configured to operate said first and second pinch valves in succession such that at the end of a dispensing cycle, said first and second pinch valves are each placed in their second positions thereby stopping the flow of the flowable material to the outlet port, and then said second pinch valve is moved to its first position to thereby suck back flowable material from the outlet port. ### Claim 15 A method of operating a cartridge dispenser including cartridge having a pre-proportioned amount of flowable material therein, a dispenser head mounted to the cartridge carrier and having an outlet port, a cartridge piston configured to protrude into the cartridge, and at least a first pinch valve and a resilient tube carried within the dispenser head, the resilient tube providing a flow path generally between the cartridge and the outlet port, and the method comprising: placing the first pinch valve in a first position to form a flow path within the resilient tube past the first pinch valve; moving the cartridge piston into the cartridge to apply pressure to the flowable material and thereby move the flowable material through the cartridge and through the resilient tube past the first pinch valve; and moving the first pinch valve to a second position to pinch off the resilient tube and stop the flow of flowable material past the first pinch valve. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the cartridge dispenser further includes a second pinch valve carried by the dispenser head and movable between first and second positions, and the method further comprises: placing the first and second pinch valves in their respective first positions to allow flow of the flowable material through the resilient tube to the outlet port; and placing at least one of the first or second pinch valves in its second position to pinch off the resilient tube and prevent flow of the flowable material to the outlet port. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the first pinch valve is located along the resilient tube at a position closer to the cartridge than the second pinch valve, and the method further comprises: operating the first and second pinch valves in succession at the end of a dispensing cycle, such that the first and second pinch valves are each placed in their second positions to stop the flow of the flowable material to the outlet port, and then the second pinch valve is moved to its first position to thereby suck back flowable material from the outlet port.