Agitating – Having specified feed means – By suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-12
2001-11-27
Cooley, Charles E. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Having specified feed means
By suction
C222S132000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322242
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
None
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to liquid handling and more particularly, to combining and dispensing multiple liquids in a manner that improper usage is substantially reduced.
2. Background Art
In the maintenance of large buildings such as office buildings or stores in shopping centers, it is customary to mix the required cleaning agents from a source of concentrate with water. The resulting solutions are then filled into suitable containers such as bottles or buckets. An apparatus of this type is available from Johnson Wax Professional of Sturtevant, Wis, as the Quattro SS Solutions Center.
While the previously described unit affords accurate, reliable and safe dispensing of solutions, it requires the placement of bottles to be filled at an angle and in an elevated position. It would be desirable to have such an apparatus wherein the bottles could be filled in a more convenient manner.
There is a dispensing solution apparatus available from The Butcher Company which places a container with concentrate above an eductor. There is also a dispensing solution apparatus from the 3-M Company which places the container with the concentrate above the dispensing mechanism. However, in the two aforementioned dispensing units only a single container for concentrate is employed.
The objects of the invention therefore are:
a. Providing an improved liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus.
b. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus which allows for easier filling of containers.
c. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus which substantially reduces the risk of improper usage.
d. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus of the foregoing type which is easily maintained.
e. Providing a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus of the foregoing type which can accommodate a variety of container sizes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing objects are accomplished and the shortcomings of the prior art are overcome by the multistation liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus of the invention which includes a support member and a plurality of containers placed on the support member. There are a plurality of valve members and eductors positioned below the containers. A liquid intake manifold is connected to the valve members and the eductors. A liquid product supply line is operatively connected to each container, and a liquid product intake of the eductor. A cap member is connected to each container and the liquid supply line. A liquid outlet line is operatively connected to each eductor. Each of the containers, cap members, valve members and liquid outlet lines are color-coded.
In one aspect, the containers have labels which are color coded to the cap members, valve members and liquid outlet lines.
In another aspect, the liquid outlet lines are flexible hoses of different colors.
In still another aspect, one of the liquid outlet lines is of a longer length than the others.
In yet another aspect the support member includes color-coded labels which match the color-coded cap members, valve members and liquid outlet lines.
In a preferred embodiment, the support member is defined by an open shelf.
In another preferred embodiment, a panel member supports the eductor and the valve members with the valve members extending through the panel for access thereto.
These and still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in reference to the full scope of the invention. Rather, the invention may be employed in other embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3460717 (1969-08-01), Thomas
patent: 4934651 (1990-06-01), Nowicki
patent: 4998850 (1991-03-01), Crowell
patent: 5044522 (1991-09-01), Roig et al.
patent: 5123449 (1992-06-01), Nowicki
patent: 5141016 (1992-08-01), Nowicki
patent: 5174503 (1992-12-01), Gasaway
patent: 5259557 (1993-11-01), Spriggs et al.
patent: 5927338 (1999-07-01), Boticki et al.
Lang Christopher F.
Lohr James H.
Bovee Warren R.
Cooley Charles E.
Hamilton Neil E.
Rymarz Renee J.
S. C. Johnson Commercial Markets, Inc.
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