US 7,070,067 B1 · Modular fluid-dispensing system

Abstract

A modular fluid-dispensing system includes a master control dispenser and/or one or more satellite dispensers that communicate bi-directionally with the master control dispenser. The master control dispenser is programmable and may dispense one or more solutions. Each satellite may dispense fluid in either a stand-alone mode or under control of another fluid-dispensing-system component, such as a master control dispenser, or a grinder/polisher. A master control dispenser may store various multi-step dispensing methods and may advance a dispensing method to a next step automatically or based on a control signal received from a grinder/polisher. A master control dispenser may perform a fluid-dispensing method that is synchronized with a corresponding grinder/polisher method performed by a grinder/polisher that is coupled to the master control dispenser.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A fluid-dispensing system comprising:

a first satellite dispenser that dispenses fluid from a fluid container;
wherein the first satellite dispenser includes:
a processor,
a pump that pumps fluid from the fluid container;
a first coupling port for accepting a coupling to one or more other fluid-dispensing-system components;
wherein the first satellite dispenser receives a query from a master control dispenser based on the master control dispenser automatically detecting that the first satellite dispenser has transitioned from being uncoupled from the master control dispenser to being coupled to the master control dispenser, and wherein the first satellite dispenser sends to the master control dispenser a response to the query thereby confirming that the first satellite dispenser has transitioned from being uncoupled from the master control dispenser to being coupled to the master control dispenser;
and
wherein the first satellite dispenser can operate in both a stand-alone mode of operation and under control of the separate fluid-dispensing-system component.

5 more elements

A fluid-dispensing method executed in a first fluid dispenser that can be configured to operate in a stand-alone mode and that can be configured to operate under control of a separate fluid-dispensing system component, the method comprising:

when the first fluid dispenser is configured to operate in a stand-alone mode,
configuring the first fluid dispenser based on at least one configuration parameter input through the first fluid dispenser's user interface, and
dispensing fluid in accordance with the at least one configuration parameter;
and
when the first fluid dispenser is configured to operate under control of a separate fluid-dispensing system component,
receiving a query from a second fluid dispenser based on the second fluid dispenser automatically detecting that the fluid dispenser has transitioned from being uncoupled from the second fluid dispenser to being coupled to the second fluid dispenser, and wherein the first fluid dispenser sends to the second fluid dispenser a response to the query thereby confirming that the first fluid dispenser has transitioned from being uncoupled from the second fluid dispenser to being coupled to the second fluid dispenser;
and
receiving from the separate fluid-dispensing system component a signal selected from the group consisting of:
electrical power from a power supply, a fluid-dispensing cycle-start signal, and a fluid-dispensing cycle-stop signal, and
dispensing fluid in accordance with the received signal.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Modular fluid-dispensing system

Life of this patent

Modular fluid-dispensing system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31