US 5,115,842 AGranted

Apparatus for delivery of a liquid

AssigneeIntel Corporation

InventorsDouglas E. Crafts, Mark A. Leonov

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An apparatus for delivery of a liquid. The apparatus includes a housing and a cradle for holding a container containing the liquid. The cradle is rotatably coupled to the housing. The cradle is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The apparatus further includes a reservoir for receiving the liquid from the container. The reservoir is coupled to the cradle and rotates with the cradle. The reservoir includes a passageway through which the liquid is able to flow downward for all positions the cradle is permitted to rotate to. The reservoir includes a cylinder for minimizing back flow of the liquid from the reservoir to the container. The reservoir also includes a first orifice for allowing the liquid to pass out of the reservoir, a second orifice for allowing an air bubble in the liquid to return to the reservoir, and a check valve for allowing air to pass into the reservoir. The second orifice is at a location higher than the first orifice for all positions between the first and second positions that the cradle is permitted to rotate to.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An apparatus for delivery of a liquid, comprising:

(a) a housing;
(b) a cradle for holding a container containing the liquid, wherein the cradle is rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the cradle is rotatable between a first position and a second position;
(c) a reservoir for receiving the liquid from the container, wherein the reservoir is coupled to the cradle and rotates with the cradle, and wherein the reservoir includes:
(1) a passageway through the reservoir through which the liquid is able to flow downward for all positions between the first and second positions, inclusive, that the cradle is permitted to rotate to;
(2) a means for minimizing back flow of the liquid from the reservoir to the container;
(3) a first orifice for allowing the liquid to pass out of the reservoir;
(4) a second orifice for allowing an air bubble in the liquid to return to the reservoir, wherein the second orifice is at a location higher relative to the first orifice for all positions that the cradle is permitted to rotate to;
and
(5) a check valve for allowing air to pass into the reservoir when the liquid flows through the passageway into the first orifice.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.