# US 9,038,650 B2 · Calibration of a chemical dispense system

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- Number: US 9,038,650 B2
- Document ID: US9038650B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/030,968
- Filed: 2013-09-18
- Published: 2014-01-16
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2008-09-26
- Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc.
- Applicants: Intermolecular, Inc.
- Inventors: Rajesh Kelekar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038650B2

## CPC

- B67D 7/085: {Testing or calibrating apparatus therefore (testing or calibrating apparatus for measuring volume flow in general G01F25/00)}
- F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers}
- H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)}
- Y10T 137/0379: By fluid pressure
- Y10T 137/0396: Involving pressure control
- Y10T 137/7761: Electrically actuated valve
- Y10T 137/85986: Pumped fluid control
- Y10T 137/86002: Fluid pressure responsive
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

In one implementation, a method for providing a fluid at a target pressure may include providing a fluid at a velocity to a supply line through a dispenser, measuring a pressure of the fluid flowing through the supply line, comparing the measured pressure with the target pressure, and adjusting the velocity based on the results of the comparison.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of dispensing a specified volume of a fluid into a destination vessel, the method comprising:
determining a flow rate in a supply line corresponding to a target pressure;
wherein determining the flow rate that corresponds to the target pressure comprises:
retrieving calibration data on a plurality of calibration pressures and corresponding calibration flow rates for a dispense path coupled to the destination vessel; and
wherein the calibration data is generated by a process comprising:
pushing a plunger in a dispenser to dispense a fluid into the supply line;
measuring a resulting calibration pressure in the supply line;
computing a corresponding calibration flow rate from a volume of the fluid dispensed into the supply line and a time elapsed in dispensing the fluid;
recording the resulting calibration pressure and the corresponding calibration flow rate;
calculating the flow rate corresponding to the target pressure from the calibration data;
calculating an amount of time required to dispense the specified volume of the fluid at the flow rate; and
dispensing the fluid at the target pressure through the supply line to the destination vessel for the amount of time.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dispense path is coupled directly to the supply line.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dispense path is coupled to the supply line through a supply manifold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
opening a valve to allow fluid flow through the dispense path; and
closing the valve after the amount of time expires.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the valve is a multi-way valve.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the valve is opened and closed by a controller.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plunger is pushed by a motor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plunger is pushed at a constant velocity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plunger is pushed with a constant acceleration.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing of the fluid volume comprises setting a pressure regulator to the target pressure; wherein the pressure regulator is coupled to a supply vessel containing a dispensed fluid; and wherein the supply vessel is coupled to the supply line.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the pressure regulator provides a pressurized gas to the supply vessel at a regulated pressure; and wherein the pressurized gas pushes fluid out of the supply vessel into the supply line.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
measuring a pressure at the supply line;
comparing the measured pressure with the target pressure; and
adjusting the pressure regulator based on the comparison.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising using a controller to adjust the regulated pressure from the pressure regulator.