Intermittently operable recirculating control module and dispensing nozzle having internally disposed fixed orifice

A system for dispensing a fluid, and for circulating the fluid when the fluid is not being dispensed, comprising:

• a dispensing nozzle block;
• a dispensing orifice disposed upon said dispensing nozzle block and defining predetermined supply pressure characteristics;
• a fluid supply path defined within said dispensing nozzle block for supplying a fluid, to be dispensed, to said dispensing orifice;
• a first fluid inlet port defined within said dispensing nozzle block and fluidically connected to said fluid supply path so as to conduct fluid from a fluid source into said fluid supply path;
• a fluid recirculation path defined within said dispensing nozzle block for recirculating the fluid, to be dispensed, when the fluid, to be dispensed, is not being dispensed;
• a second fluid inlet port, separate from said first fluid inlet port, defined within said dispensing nozzle block and fluidically connected said fluid recirculation path so as to conduct fluid from the fluid source into said fluid recirculation path;
• a fluid outlet port defined within said dispensing nozzle block and fluidically connected to said fluid recirculation path for conducting fluid from said recirculation path back to the fluid source;
• a control module block operatively associated with said dispensing nozzle block for alternatively controlling the supply of the fluid to said first fluid inlet port of said fluid supply path and to said second fluid inlet port of said fluid recirculation path of said dispensing nozzle block;
• and
• a fixed orifice disposed within said fluid recirculation path defined within said dispensing nozzle block and defining pressure characteristics similar to said predetermined supply pressure characteristics defined by said dispensing orifice such that regardless of which one of said fluid supply and fluid recirculation paths along which the fluid is being conducted, similar pressure characteristics will be present and will prevail within said dispensing nozzle block.

A method for dispensing a fluid, and for recirculating the fluid when the fluid is not being dispensed, comprising the steps of:

• providing a dispensing nozzle block having a dispensing orifice disposed upon said dispensing nozzle block for defining predetermined supply pressure characteristics;
• defining a fluid supply path within said dispensing nozzle block for conducting a fluid, to be dispensed, to said dispensing orifice;
• defining a first fluid inlet port within said dispensing nozzle block and fluidically connected to said fluid supply path so as to conduct fluid from a fluid source into said fluid supply path;
• defining a fluid recirculation path within said dispensing nozzle block for recirculating the fluid, to be dispensed, when the fluid, to be dispensed, is not being dispensed;
• defining a second fluid inlet port, separate from said first fluid inlet port, within said dispensing nozzle block and fluidically connected said fluid recirculation path so as to conduct fluid from the fluid source into said fluid recirculation path;
• defining a fluid outlet port within said dispensing nozzle block and fluidically connected to said fluid recirculation path for conducting fluid from said recirculation path back to the fluid source;
• operatively associating a control module block with said dispensing nozzle block for alternatively controlling the supply of the fluid to said first fluid inlet port of said fluid supply path and to said second fluid inlet port of said fluid recirculation path defined within said dispensing nozzle block;
• and
• incorporating a fixed orifice within said fluid recirculation path defined within said dispensing nozzle block so as to define pressure characteristics similar to said predetermined supply pressure characteristics defined by said dispensing orifice such that regardless of which one of said fluid supply and fluid recirculation paths along which the fluid is being conducted, similar pressure characteristics will be present and will prevail within said dispensing nozzle block.