Method and apparatus for accurately dispensing liquids and solids

A dispensing system comprising

• a progressive cavity pump;
• a dispense head;
• a fluid line between the pump and the dispense head;
• a first feedback component coupled to the pump;
• and
• an output nozzle coupled to the dispense head for dispensing fluid;
• a second feedback component coupled to the fluid line, the second feedback component obtaining information about the fluid line.

A dispensing system comprising

• a progressive cavity pump;
• a dispense head;
• a fluid line between the pump and the dispense head;
• a first feedback component coupled to the pump;
• and
• an output nozzle coupled to the dispense head for dispensing fluid;
• a vat;
• an agitator in the vat;
• a motor coupled to the agitator, the motor driving the agitator;
• and
• a third feedback component coupled to the motor, the third feedback component obtaining information about the motor.

A dispensing system for dispensing a powder and a single or plural component fluid, the dispensing system comprising

• a powder hopper having a powder outlet;
• a progressive cavity pump;
• a mixer coupled to the powder outlet;
• a fluid line between the pump and the mixer;
• a first feedback component coupled to the pump and obtaining information about the pump;
• and
• an output nozzle coupled to the mixer and capable of dispensing a mixture of powder and fluid.

A dispensing system comprising

• a progressive cavity pump;
• a pump control system including a first feedback component coupled with the pump, the first feedback component being a pump movement sensor;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pump;
• a second feedback component in fluid communication between the pump and the output nozzle and in continuous fluid communication with the pump, the second feedback component being a pressure sensor.

A dispensing system comprising

• a progressive cavity pump;
• a pump control system including a first feedback component coupled with the pump, the first feedback component being a pump movement sensor;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pump
• a second feedback component in fluid communication between the pump and the output nozzle, the second feedback component being a flow meter.

A dispensing system comprising

• a progressive cavity pump;
• a pump control system including a first feedback component coupled with the pump, the first feedback component being a pump movement sensor;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pump
• a second feedback component including a scale located beneath the output nozzle and in signal communication with the pump control unit, the pump control unit being configured to compare selectively the output of the first and second feedback components for calibration.

A dispensing system comprising

• a progressive cavity pump having a motor;
• a pump control system including a master control unit, a motor controller in signal communication with the master control unit and the motor, an encoder coupled with the motor to sense movement of the motor and in signal communication with the pump control system, the master control unit calculating rate based on motion input from the encoder;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pump;
• a dispense head in the fluid communication between the pump and the output nozzle;
• a valve in the dispense head controlling the fluid communication between the pump and the output nozzle;
• a valve controller coupled with the valve, the valve controller being in signal communication with and controlled by the master control unit.

A dispensing system comprising

• a plurality of progressive cavity pumps;
• a pump control system including a plurality of first feedback components coupled with the pumps, respectively, the first feedback components being pump movement sensors;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pumps
• a plurality of second feedback components in fluid communication between the pumps, respectively, and the output nozzle, the second feedback components being in continuous fluid communication with the pumps, respectively, the second feedback components being pressure sensors.

A dispensing system comprising

• a plurality of progressive cavity pumps;
• a pump control system including a plurality of first feedback components coupled with the pumps, respectively, the first feedback components being pump movement sensors;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pumps
• a plurality of second feedback components in fluid communication between the pumps, respectively, and the output nozzle, the second feedback components being flow meters.

A dispensing system comprising

• a plurality of progressive cavity pumps;
• a pump control system including a plurality of first feedback components coupled with the pumps, respectively, the first feedback components being pump movement sensors;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pumps
• a dispense head in fluid communication between the pumps and the output nozzle, the dispense head including chambers in fluid communication with the pumps, respectively;
• a plurality of valves, the valves being in the chambers, respectively, controlling fluid communication between the pumps and the output nozzle.

A dispensing system comprising

• a plurality of progressive cavity pumps;
• a pump control system including a plurality of first feedback components coupled with the pumps, respectively, the first feedback components being pump movement sensors;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pumps
• a second feedback component including a scale located beneath the output nozzle and in signal communication with the pump control unit, the pump control unit being configured to compare selectively the output of the first and second feedback components for calibration.

A dispensing system comprising

• a progressive cavity pump having a motor;
• a pump control system including a master control unit, a motor controller in signal communication with the master control unit and the motor, an encoder coupled with the motor to sense movement of the motor and in signal communication with the pump control system, the master control unit calculating rate based on motion input from the encoder;
• an output nozzle in fluid communication with the pump;
• a dispense head in the fluid communication between the pump and the output nozzle;
• a valve in the dispense head controlling the fluid communication between the pump and the output nozzle;
• a valve controller coupled with the valve, the valve controller being in signal communication with and controlled by the master control unit.

A dispensing system comprising

• a positive displacement pump having a pump constant of flow per unit of pump displacement;
• a pump control system including a master control unit having the pump constant, receiving an input value of pump output rate and an input value of total output, and generating an output of pump velocity and timed ON and OFF signals, and a pump control unit receiving the output of pump velocity and the timed ON and OFF signals and providing power to the pump to produce the pump velocity between the ON and OFF signals;
• a nozzle;
• a dispense head in fluid communication between the pump and the nozzle;
• a valve in the dispense head controlling fluid communication between the pump and the nozzle;
• a pressure transducer between the pump and the valve and in signal communication with the master control unit, the master control unit including a maximum pressure value for the pressure transducer to actuate the OFF signal.

A calibration process for a dispensing system having a pump, a master control unit and a pump control unit controlling pump velocity, comprising

• inputting to the master control unit a flow rate and total quantity to be dispensed from the system;
• calculating a run time and velocity for the pump by the master control unit to correspond with the input flow rate and total quantity dispensed;
• providing an ON signal from the master control unit to the pump control unit;
• providing a velocity signal from the master control unit to the pump control unit;
• controlling the pump to run at the velocity of the velocity signal;
• providing an OFF signal from the master control unit to the pump control unit;
• stopping the pump;
• measuring the amount dispensed;
• inputting the amount dispensed to the master control unit;
• adjusting the calculation of run time and velocity in the master control unit.