US 6,238,081 B1 · Ultra-lean dilution apparatus

Abstract

An ultra-lean dilution apparatus is provided for proportioning minute quantities of a first fluid, such as a concentrated cleaning solution, for mixing into a second fluid, such as tap water, which provides improved performance and which can be manufactured by assembling several molded components with little or no machining. The dilution apparatus (20) provides a selective pressure drop in a conduit (22) by including a plurality of dilution disks (50a-50f), each dilution disk (50a-50f) having a tortuous path (52a-52f) of sufficient cross-sectional area to be resistant to clogging and having a sufficient number of sharp turns to create a desired pressure drop. While each disk (50a-50f) produces a predetermined drop, the serial configuration of the tortuous paths of the plurality of dilution disks is additive to produce a range of dilution suitable for the chemicals used. Advantageously, the tortuous path of a first of the plurality of dilution disks (50a) is recessed into a front face so that bringing the front face (54a) of the first dilution disk (50a) in contact with a back face (55b) of a second dilution disk (50b) completes the tortuous path (52a).

Claims16

Dependent claims

In a fluid dispensing apparatus, a proportioner for controlling the combination of one volume of a first proportioned fluid into another larger volume of a second fluid, the proportioner including:

at least two channel carriers, at least one channel carrier having a face in sliding contact with a face of another channel carrier;
each channel carrier comprising a channel segment having a tortuous path, said tortuous path having a blind end and a through port end;
each channel carrier also comprising a through port communicating with said through port end;
each channel carrier being slidably moveable with respect to another channel carrier between a channel segment engaged position and a channel segment bypass position, said carrier being in a channel segment engaged position when the blind end of the channel therein is in fluid communication with a through port of another channel carrier, said carrier being in a channel segment bypass position when the through port thereof is aligned with the through port of another channel carrier disposed operably upstream thereof;
and
an operative proportioning channel for said proportioner being defined by the channel segments in carriers disposed in the engaged position and by the through ports of carriers disposed in the channel segment bypass position, the channel segments in carriers disposed in the bypass position being operatively disconnected from said proportioning channel.

3 more elements

A method of proportioning minute quantities of a first fluid for mixing with a second fluid in a fluid dispensing apparatus including a proportioner for controlling the combination of one volume of the first proportioned fluid into another larger volume of the second fluid, wherein the proportioner includes at least two channel carriers, at least one channel carrier having a face in sliding contact with a face of another channel carrier;

each channel carrier comprising a channel segment having a tortuous path, the tortuous path having a blind end and a through port end;
each channel carrier being slidably moveable with respect to another channel carrier between a channel segment engaged position and a channel segment bypass position;
the carrier being in a channel segment engaged position when the blind end of the channel therein is in fluid communication with a through port of another channel carrier, the carrier being in a a channel segment bypass position when the through port thereof is aligned with the through port of another channel carrier disposed operably upstream thereof;
and an operative proportioning channel for the proportioner being defined by the channel segments in carriers disposed in the engaged position and by the through ports of carriers disposed in the channel segment bypass position, the channel segments in carriers disposed in the bypass position being operatively disconnected from the proportioning channel, the method comprising:
moving at least one of the plurality of channel carriers within the proportioner to vary the length of the operative proportioning channel for altering a pressure drop achieved by the operative proportioning channel during the proportioning of the first fluid into the second fluid.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ultra-lean dilution apparatus

Life of this patent

Ultra-lean dilution apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16