Modular Fluid Dispenser with Nutating Pump Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multiple fluid dispensing systems face issues with precision due to 'dripping' and clogging from viscous liquids, and lack adaptability to different packaging formats, requiring frequent cleaning and being inflexible in design.
Innovation Solution
A modular dispensing system with a motorized closure mechanism and decentralized control, allowing easy module exchange and addition, featuring a drip catcher mechanism to reduce contamination and clogging, and accommodating various fluid viscosities and packaging types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a stationary manifold with multiple nozzles is used to dispense various fluids, then the system can accommodate multiple fluid types, but the system lacks adaptability to different packaging formats and requires frequent cleaning due to dripping and clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the dispensing function into separate modular pump units, each handling a specific fluid source. These modules can be independently attached or detached, allowing the system to adapt to different packaging formats (cans, bottles, pails) without requiring redesign of the entire manifold structure. Each module includes its own pump mechanism that can accommodate various container types.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold system incorporates movable and adjustable components that allow dynamic reconfiguration. The manifold can be positioned at different locations, and the pump modules can be moved between different fluid sources. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to different packaging formats and dispensing requirements while maintaining consistent performance.
2Manufacturing precision
If nutating pumps with precise control are used for accurate volumetric dispensing, then dispensing precision is improved, but the system becomes more complex and requires sophisticated control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The nutating pump mechanism is designed to be self-regulating through its mechanical geometry. The eccentric rotation of the nutating disk automatically controls the piston motion and fluid displacement, eliminating the need for complex electronic control systems. The pump's inherent mechanical design ensures precise volumetric dispensing through fixed geometric relationships between components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex electronic control mechanisms with a mechanically precise nutating pump design. The pump uses purely mechanical means (eccentric rotation, piston motion, check valves) to achieve accurate dispensing, substituting sophisticated control electronics with a well-engineered mechanical system that is inherently precise and reliable.
3Quantity of substance
If the manifold is designed to accommodate twenty or more nozzles in a space-efficient manner, then the system can handle large varieties of fluids, but the system becomes more complex and harder to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single complex manifold to accommodate all fluid types, the system segments the dispensing function into multiple independent pump modules. Each module handles one or more fluid sources and connects to the manifold through standardized interfaces. This segmentation reduces the complexity of the manifold structure while maintaining the capability to dispense twenty or more different fluids.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold is designed with universal connection interfaces that can accommodate multiple pump modules and different fluid sources. The standardized connection system allows the same manifold structure to serve multiple functions and handle various fluid types through interchangeable modules, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high fluid capacity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If viscous liquids are dispensed through the manifold, then the system can handle diverse fluid viscosities, but dripping and clogging occur reducing dispensing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system uses dynamic control of the nutating disk rotation speed and stroke to accommodate fluids of varying viscosities. The mechanical design allows adjustment of dispensing parameters to match the specific viscosity requirements of different fluids, maintaining precise dispensing across a wide viscosity range without causing dripping or clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (rotation speed, piston stroke, pressure) based on the viscosity of the fluid being dispensed. This parameter adjustment capability allows the same pump mechanism to precisely dispense both low-viscosity and high-viscosity fluids by optimizing the dispensing conditions for each fluid type, preventing dripping and clogging.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved multi fluid dispenser for simultaneous dispensing of a plurality of fluids shown and described. The dispenser includes a controller that is linked to a coordinator board. The controller has a memory with a plurality of recipes stored in the memory. A coordinator board is linked to a first module. The first module may include one or two pumps, each connected to a fluid reservoir. The module is then linked in series to a plurality of other modules as well as a manifold module. Each module includes a module board for controlling the pump or pumps of that module. The controller, coordinator board and module boards are all programmed for the simultaneous or sequential pumping of multiple fluids from the reservoirs through outlet nozzles of the manifold in accordance with a recipe selected by the user and retrieved from the memory of the controller.