Fluid handling – Systems – Dividing into parallel flow paths with recombining
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-30
2004-09-14
Hepperle, Stephen M. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Dividing into parallel flow paths with recombining
C137S893000, C251S207000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06789571
ABSTRACT:
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 on Japanese Application Nos. 2000-020949 filed Jan. 30, 2001 and 2001-311609 filed Oct. 9, 2001, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a liquid dilution device. More specifically, it relates to a liquid dilution device for diluting a special liquid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Liquid dilution devices have been used to dilute special liquids such as a chemical liquid or detergent, with a diluent such as water. Generally, a liquid dilution device includes a diluent passage for allowing passage of water (water), a negative pressure generating section formed in order to generate negative pressure midway along the diluent passage, and a liquid introduction passage connected at one end to a special liquid tank, formed inside a body. By causing water, for example, to flow in the diluent passage due to the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure generating section, and the special liquid is mixed with the water or the like to be diluted.
In known systems, since, depending on the special liquid, it may be desirable to increase the dilution factor of that liquid, various methods having a high liquid dilution factor have been considered.
Firstly, it has been considered to fix jets inside a hose connecting a special liquid tank to the liquid dilution device, and to interchange these jets. However, the process involved in a user changing the jets is inferior, both with regard to efficiency and interchangeability. Also, in the even that dilution factor is increased, it is necessary to reduce the diameter of the jets. But the diameter of the jets can only be made so small, beyond which it is not possible to increase the dilution factor. It has also been considered to provide a dilution factor adjustment mechanism separately from the liquid dilution device. But in this case, there is the drawback that the device becomes large overall.
Secondly, it has been considered to provide dilution factor switching device in the liquid dilution device itself. A known liquid dilution device provided with dilution factor switching device is shown in FIG.
4
and
FIG. 5
, and the switching device itself is shown in FIG.
6
.
Inside the body
60
, there is formed one diluent passage
62
for introducing a diluent, such as water. This diluent passage
62
includes a venturi section
64
formed at a mid-point as a negative pressure generating section having the smallest cross sectional area, and a diffusion section
66
formed at a downstream side of this venturi section
64
. A connecting passage
68
for connecting the diffusion section
66
and the outer side of the body
60
is formed in the body
60
.
A disc
72
, held between the body
60
and a holding member
70
, is provided on the outer side of the body
60
in the vicinity of an opening section of the connecting passage
68
, as dilution factor switching device. This disc
72
is rotatably attached to the body
60
and the holding member
70
via a bearing
76
, centering around a shaft
74
as fixing element for fixing the holding member
70
to the body
60
. As shown in
FIG. 6
, a plurality of jets
78
, respectively varying in diameter, are formed in this disc
72
on the same radius from a rotation center position.
In addition to the holding member
70
, a liquid introduction device
80
is provided on an opposite side to the body
60
so as to sandwich the disc
72
. The liquid introduction device
80
is fixed to the body
60
. This liquid introduction device
80
is formed from a first body
82
and a second body
84
, and a liquid supply passage
86
connecting to a special liquid tank, not shown, is formed inside the first body
82
and the second body
84
. This liquid supply passage
86
is connected to a connecting passage
68
of the body
60
through a jet
78
formed in the disc
72
.
A ring shaped seal member
88
is attached at positions of the body
60
meeting the disc
72
and at positions surrounding the disc
72
and at positions surrounding the connecting passage
68
. This ring shaped seal member
88
is for preventing leakage of water from the diluent passage
62
from a joining surface of the body
60
and the disc
72
. A ring-shaped seal member
90
is attached at positions of the body
82
of the liquid introduction device
80
meeting the disc
72
and at positions surrounding the liquid from the liquid supply passage
86
from a joining surface of the body
82
of the liquid introduction device
80
and the disc
72
. An elastic member
92
is provided at a position of the body
60
meeting the disc
72
and at a position separated from the ring shaped seal member
88
.An elastic member
94
is provided at a position of the holding member
70
meeting the disc
72
and at a position separated from the seal member
90
These elastic members
92
and
94
act to prevent the disc
72
from leaning towards either the body
60
or the holding member
70
.
The connecting passage
68
of the body
60
and the liquid supply passage
86
of the liquid introduction device
80
are connected through the jet
78
by lining up one of the plurality of jets
70
formed in the disc
72
with the connecting passage
68
of the body
60
. In this way, if the connecting passage
68
and the liquid supply passage
86
are connected through the jet
78
. Special liquid is introduced from the liquid supply passage
86
into the diluent passage
62
by negative pressure generated in an enlarged section
66
of the diluent passage
62
. At this time, it is possible to vary the flow amount of the special liquid passing through the jet
78
to change the dilution factor, by rotating the disc
72
to line up one of the plurality of jets
78
with the connecting passage
68
and the liquid supply passage
86
.
In the case of using the disc
72
in the dilution factor switching device, the two surfaces of the disc
72
are sealed by seal members
88
and
90
. Since each of the jets
78
of the disc
72
is sealed by the ring shaped seal members
88
and
90
, it is not possible to bring each of the jets
78
close to the center of rotation of the disc
72
. This means that, as shown in
FIG. 5
, there is the drawback that the diameter of the disc
72
becomes larger than the diameter of the body
60
to increase the overall size of the device, and it becomes impossible to install a device of such a large size in a mains water tap.
Further, it is not possible to bring the jets
78
close to the center of rotation of the disc
72
, because the disc
72
swings about the rotation position. When the disc is rotated causing variations in the distance between the disc
72
and the seal members
88
and
90
, there is the drawback that sealing of the special liquid from the liquid introduction device
80
is not actually performed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve one or more of above described problems, and/or other problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid diluting device. In one embodiment, a liquid diluting device includes a small and simple structure. Preferably, the liquid diluting device is capable of performing sealing; and/or is capable of easily altering a diluent concentration.
A liquid diluting device of one embodiment of the present invention includes a diluent passage formed in a body, and a negative pressure generating section formed in the diluent passage. It further may include a connecting passage, with one end connecting to the negative pressure generating section and another end connecting to an outer side of the body, formed in the body. A cylindrical dial, for closing off the connecting passage, may be rotatably attached to the outer side of the body. Jets, including different diameters passing through from inside to outside at a plurality of positions confronting the connecting passage, may be formed in the dial. A liquid introduction device forming a liquid supply passage for special l
Harness Dickey
Hepperle Stephen M.
Mikuni Corporation
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