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US 4,874,014 AGranted
Flow control manifold
AssigneeFSI International, Inc.
InventorsRobert W. Grant, William M. Jenson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid dispensing and metering unit is described for dispensing fluids into a system without the introduction of microcontaminants into the fluid flow. This unit includes a block with a fluid conducting duct axially extending from the block's proximal face to the block's distal face. In communication with the fluid conducting duct is a combined dispensing and modulating means for regulating the amount of fluid entering the fluid conducting duct. A plurality of these units can be assembled to construct a flow control manifold, creating a single continuous duct for carrying all dispensed fluids.
Claims14
A fluid dispensing and metering unit for dispensing a desired fluid amount into a fluid conducting duct, comprising:
- (a) a block having a proximal and distal face, and a fluid conducting duct axially extending from said proximal face through said block to said distal face;
- (b) means in communication with said fluid conducting duct of said block for dispensing fluid into said duct, said dispensing means intersecting said fluid conducting duct generally intermediate to said proximal block face and said distal block face, said dispensing means comprising:
- (1) a flexible bellows mounted in said block creating a fluid tight cavity between said block and said bellows, said cavity having an aperture leading into said fluid conducting duct, said bellows having a tip sealingly engaging said aperture and extending into said duct;
- (2) a fluid port, said port extending from outside of the said block into said fluid-tight cavity;
- (3) a housing mounted on said bellows forming a chamber between said housing and said bellows, said housing having a hollow housing cavity with a proximal distal end, and a passageway from said proximal end of the hollow cavity to said bellows chamber;
- and
- (4) a piston springable mounted on said distal end of said hollow cavity of said housing, said piston having a longitudinal shaft held in a fluid-tight relation within said housing passageway and extending into said bellows chamber to threadably engage said bellows, and said piston having a larger diameter portion in fluid-tight relation with said housing, said larger diameter portion dividing the hollow housing cavity into an upper and lower portion;
- whereby retraction of the piston toward the distal end of the hollow housing cavity draws the bellows towards the housing thereby removing the bellows tip from the aperture and allowing fluids from the fluid port now residing in the fluid cavity to pass through the aperture of the cavity into the fluid conducting duct;
- and
- (c) means connected to said dispensing means for modulating the dispensing of the fluid, said modulating means using a pressurized fluid to interact with the dispensing means for controlling the amount of fluid entering the fluid conducting duct.
7 more elements
A flow control manifold for the metering and dispensing of a plurality of fluids into a single continuous duct, comprising:
- (A) a plurality of fluid dispensing units, each said fluid dispensing unit having
- (1) a block with a proximal and distal face and a fluid conducting duct extending from said proximal face through said distal face;
- (2) means in communication with said fluid conducting duct of said block for dispensing fluid into said duct, said dispensing means intersecting said fluid conducting duct generally intermediate to said proximal block face and said distal block face;
- (3) means connected to said dispensing means for modulating the dispensing of the fluid, said modulating means using a pressurized fluid to interact with the dispensing means for controlling the amount of fluid entering the fluid conducting duct;
- and
- (B) the distal face of each fluid dispensing block in sealing engagement with the proximal face of another fluid dispensing block such that the fluid conducting ducts of said fluid dispensing units generally form a single continuous duct;
- wherein said dispensing means further comprises:
- (a) a flexible bellows mounted in said block such that a fluid tight cavity is created between said block and said bellows, said cavity having an aperture leading into said fluid conducting duct, said bellows having a tip sealingly engaging said aperture and extending into said duct;
- (b) a fluid port, said port extending from outside of said block into said fluid-tight cavity;
- (c) a housing mounted on said bellows to form a chamber between said housing and said bellows, said housing having a hollow housing cavity with a proximal and distal end, and a passageway from said proximal end of the hollow cavity to said bellows chamber;
- and
- (d) a piston springably mounted on said distal end of said hollow cavity of said housing, said piston having a longitudinal shaft held in fluid-tight relation within said housing passageway and extending into said bellows chamber to threadably engage said bellows, and said piston having a larger diameter portion in fluid-tight relation with said housing, said larger diameter portion dividing the hollow housing cavity into an upper and lower portion;
- whereby retraction of the piston toward the distal end of the hollow housing cavity draws the bellows towards the housing thereby removing the bellows tip from the aperture and allowing fluids from the fluid port now residing in the fluid cavity to pass through the aperture of the cavity into the fluid conducting duct.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.