Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – With testing or weighing receiver content
Patent
1998-08-12
2000-06-06
Douglas, Steven O.
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
With testing or weighing receiver content
141 2, 141 9, 141100, 141104, 141129, 141192, 141250, 141284, 1983471, B65B 130
Patent
active
06070621&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing or metering one or several constituents of flowable substances, especially of printing inks. Storage means contain a plurality of storage containers for different constituents. The storage containers each comprise outlet valve means. At least one metering station is included. The metering station receives the storage containers conveyed to it. Actuating means at the metering station actuates the outlet valve means. A conveying means conveys the storage containers to the at least one metering station.
A metering apparatus is shown in EP 0 391 286 A1. Here, a plurality of canisters are arranged on a rotary table. In order to meter and add individual constituents to a mixed product, the table is moved into a respective position where an individual canister is rotated into a dispensing and metering station. The actuating means in the metering station act on the canister so that a defined quantity of the constituent in the station, is introduced into a mixing or collecting container. Each of the canisters inserted into the rotary table is provided with integrated outlet valve means which can be controlled by actuating means associated with the metering station. In an apparatus of this type, the number of canisters for individual constituents is limited by an acceptable size of the rotary table with a given size of the individual canisters.
The canisters each comprise an outlet valve which, in the position as inserted into the rotary table, points downwards. In particular, the outlet valve means are in the form of a ball cock. At their open end opposite the outlet valve means, the canisters each have a displacement piston which is loaded and displaced by setting means in the metering station while the outlet valve is opened. Underneath the displacement piston, an air cushion is present to prevent direct contact of the flowable medium, e.g. especially printing ink, with the displacement piston.
In the rotary table, within the canister receiving means which are positioned on one diameter designed for being introduced into the metering station, a second canister receiving ring is provided on a second inner diameter to insert reserve canisters in a reversed position in which they cannot be actuated. This measure simplifies the operation of manually exchanging emptied canisters against reserve canisters.
To increase the number of addable constituents as a function of the number of canisters in the rotary table, a storage bin is provided. The storage bin is not functionally connected to the rotary table. Canisters can be manually inserted into the receiving means of the rotary table. However, the canisters have to be exchanged against canisters being present in the receiving means.
The control process is based on certain individual canisters associated with certain receiving positions in the rotary table. This is due to a home position orientating itself entirely on the position of the rotary table. A flag for a zero position is arranged directly at the rotary table. Further flags are arranged at the rotary table to measure the travel to the individual canisters.
The apparatus of the above type is thus designed for a limited number of constituents and for small quantities of constituents to be mixed.
An apparatus of a similar type is illustrated in EP 0 461 371 B1. Here, a plurality of storage containers each contain one dye substance. The containers are arranged in a predetermined number so as to be firmly associated with one another. The containers are on a rotary plate or on a slide which is movable in two directions. The storage containers are spray bottles with a sleeve containing the dye and with a gas bubble thereabove. The gas bubble may be under a pre-pressure, but the pre-pressure may also be generated entirely by the elasticity of the elastic sleeve. Pressure compensation takes place between the air bubble thereabove and the environment. Each of the storage containers is provided with integrated outlet valve means. I
REFERENCES:
patent: 4585148 (1986-04-01), Ito
patent: 4867258 (1989-09-01), Narukawa et al.
Douglas Steven O.
Maust Timothy L.
LandOfFree
Dispensing method and system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Dispensing method and system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dispensing method and system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2205987