Constant-pressure fluid supply system with multiple fluid capability

A system for dispensing a liquid at relatively constant pressure, comprising:

• a generally hemispherical mandrel;
• a resilient membrane attached to the mandrel under tension so as to provide a chamber of varying volume between the membrane and the mandrel for holding the liquid;
• and
• a conduit for dispensing the liquid from the chamber;
• wherein the mandrel and the membrane are attached so that the membrane is under tension regardless of the volume of the chamber, so as to create a greater-than-ambient pressure within the volume, and wherein the resilient membrane is pre-tensioned beyond the point of smallest volume at which the first derivative of pressure over volume is zero.

A system for dispensing first and second liquids, comprising:

• a resilient flexible membrane defining an outer chamber of varying volume, the membrane having an inner face, exposed to the outer chamber, and an outer face, exposed to ambient pressure;
• wherein the first liquid is disposed in sufficient quantity within the outer chamber so as to stretch the resilient membrane and put it under tension, such that the resilient membrane under tension creates in the first liquid a greater-than-ambient pressure;
• an inner chamber of varying dimension for containing the second liquid, the inner chamber being disposed within the outer chamber, so that the greater-than-ambient pressure created by the stretched membrane is imparted to the second liquid in the inner chamber;
• a first conduit for dispensing the first liquid from the outer chamber;
• a second conduit for dispensing the second liquid from the inner chamber;
• an output manifold;
• and
• switch means, disposed between the output manifold and the first and second conduits, for serially permitting the liquids from the inner and outer chambers to flow into the output manifold;
• wherein the membrane becomes less stretched as the liquids flow from the chambers.

A system for dispensing different multiple fluids sequentially, comprising:

• a resilient membrane defining a first volume of varying dimension for holding one of the multiple fluids;
• at least one additional volume of varying dimension, disposed within the first volume, for holding another of the multiple fluids;
• a first fluid conduit for dispensing fluid from the first volume;
• a second fluid conduit for dispensing fluid from the additional volume;
• an output manifold;
• and
• switch means, disposed between the output manifold and the fluid conduits, for serially permitting the fluids from the first volume and the additional volume to flow into the output manifold;
• wherein the membrane is mounted so that, at all times when the first volume contains one of the multiple fluids, the resilient membrane is stretched, wherein the stretching of the membrane pressurizes the fluid in the first volume and the fluid in the additional volume, and wherein the membrane becomes less stretched as the liquids flow from the chambers.

A system for dispensing multiple fluids sequentially, comprising:

• a resilient membrane defining a first volume of varying dimension for holding one of the multiple fluids;
• a fluid conduit for dispensing fluid from the first volume;
• a plurality of additional volumes for holding one of the multiple fluids, wherein each of the additional volumes is of varying dimension and disposed within the first volume;
• a plurality of fluid conduits for dispensing fluid from each of the additional volumes;
• an output manifold;
• and
• switch means, disposed between the output manifold and the fluid conduits, for serially permitting the fluids from the first volume and the additional volumes to flow into the output manifold.

A system for dispensing multiple dispensable fluids sequentially, comprising:

• a resilient membrane;
• means for mounting the resilient membrane so as to provide a pressure chamber of varying dimension, and so as to stretch the resilient membrane and put it under tension;
• at least two volumes of varying dimension for holding the dispensable fluids, each volume being disposed within the pressure chamber, each volume being in fluid communication with a fluid output;
• an output manifold;
• and
• switch means, disposed between the output manifold and each of the fluid outputs, for serially permitting the fluids from the volumes to flow into the output manifold.

A system for dispensing multiple dispensable fluids sequentially, comprising:

• a resilient membrane;
• means for mounting the resilient membrane so as to provide a pressure chamber of varying dimension;
• at least two dispensable fluid chambers of varying dimension, each disposed within the pressure chamber, each having a fluid output;
• an output manifold;
• and
• switch means for serially switching the outputs from the at least two dispensable chambers into the output manifold, wherein the fluid output includes a spring-loaded ball valve having a preload, and the switch means includes a post, disposed in the output manifold, the post sized and positioned such that the preload is in fixed relation to the height of the post.

A system for dispensing two dispensable fluids sequentially, comprising:

• means for pressurizing a pressure chamber;
• first and second volumes of varying dimension for holding the dispensable fluids, each volume being disposed within the pressure chamber so that the pressure within each of the two volumes is substantially the same;
• an output manifold;
• first and second fluid outputs providing fluid communication from first and second volumes respectively to the output manifold;
• first and second one-way valves disposed in first and second fluid outputs respectively for preventing flow from the output manifold to the volumes and for permitting flow from the volumes to the output manifold when a pressure-differential threshold between the volume and the output manifold is reached, the first one-way valve having a smaller threshold than the second one-way valve so that fluid flows from the first volume to the output manifold before fluid flows from the second volume to the output manifold.

A system for dispensing a liquid at relatively constant pressure, comprising:

• a generally hemispherical mandrel;
• a resilient membrane attached to the mandrel and stretched over the mandrel, so as to provide a chamber of varying dimension between membrane and the mandrel for holding the liquid;
• and
• a conduit for dispensing the liquid from the chamber;
• wherein the mandrel and the membrane are attached so that the membrane is under tension regardless of the volume of the chamber;
• and so that, as the liquid is introduced into the chamber between the membrane and the mandrel, the shape of the membrane evolves from a generally hemispherical shape towards a generally spherical shape.

A system for dispensing a liquid at relatively constant pressure, comprising:

• a generally hemispherical mandrel;
• a resilient membrane attached to the mandrel under tension so as to provide a chamber of varying volume between the membrane and the mandrel for holding the liquid;
• and
• a conduit for dispensing the liquid from the chamber;
• wherein the mandrel and the membrane are attached so that the membrane is under tension regardless of the volume of the chamber.

A system for dispensing first and second liquids, comprising:

• a resilient flexible membrane defining an outer chamber of varying volume;
• wherein the first liquid is disposed in sufficient quantity within the outer chamber so as to stretch the resilient membrane and put it under tension;
• an inner chamber of varying dimension for containing the second liquid, the inner chamber being disposed within the outer chamber;
• a first conduit for dispensing the first liquid from the outer chamber;
• a second conduit for dispensing the second liquid from the inner chamber;
• an output manifold;
• and
• first and second one-way valves disposed in first and second conduits respectively, the first one-way valve having a smaller threshold than the second one-way valve.

A system for dispensing first and second liquids, comprising:

• a resilient flexible membrane defining an outer chamber of varying volume;
• wherein the flexible membrane is stretched and put under tension;
• an inner chamber of varying dimension for containing the second liquid, the inner chamber being disposed within the outer chamber;
• a first conduit for dispensing the first liquid from the outer chamber;
• a second conduit for dispensing the second liquid from the inner chamber;
• an output manifold;
• and
• valve means, disposed between the output manifold and the first and second conduits, for serially permitting the liquids from the inner and outer chambers to flow into the output manifold.

A system for dispensing first and second liquids, comprising:

• a resilient flexible membrane defining an outer chamber of varying volume;
• an inner chamber of varying dimension for containing the second liquid, the inner chamber being disposed within the outer chamber;
• a first conduit for dispensing the first liquid from the outer chamber;
• a second conduit for dispensing the second liquid from the inner chamber;
• an output manifold;
• and
• first and second one-way valves disposed in first and second conduits respectively, the first one-way valve having a smaller threshold than the second one-way valve.

A system for dispensing first and second liquids, comprising:

• a resilient flexible membrane defining an outer chamber of varying volume;
• an inner chamber of varying dimension for containing the second liquid, the inner chamber being disposed within the outer chamber;
• a first conduit for dispensing the first liquid from the outer chamber;
• a second conduit for dispensing the second liquid from the inner chamber;
• an output manifold;
• and
• at least two compressed spring-loaded ball valves disposed in the first and second conduits respectively, wherein each spring-loaded ball valve requires a different force to be opened up.

A system for dispensing first and second liquids, comprising:

• a resilient flexible membrane defining an outer chamber of varying volume;
• an inner chamber of varying dimension for containing the second liquid, the inner chamber being disposed within the outer chamber;
• a first conduit for dispensing the first liquid from the outer chamber;
• a second conduit for dispensing the second liquid from the inner chamber;
• an output manifold;
• and
• at least one duck-bill valve between at least one of the conduits and the output manifold.