Dispenser Pump Output Detection via Current Profile Matching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users often forget to update the dispenser settings after changing the output of a pump, leading to incorrect calculations of refill and battery replacement intervals based on the previous dispensing output.
Innovation Solution
An automatic pump output detection system that uses a current sensor to generate an operating profile, which is compared to reference profiles stored in a memory unit to accurately determine the current output amount and calculate updated usage data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a manual switch is used to indicate pump output changes, then the controller can calculate usage data based on updated output, but users often forget to actuate the switch resulting in incorrect calculations
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects pump output changes by monitoring electrical current consumption and compares it against stored reference profiles, eliminating the need for manual user input. The controller self-updates the pump output amount value based on automatic detection, ensuring accurate usage data calculation without requiring user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the electrical current consumed by the pump and provides feedback to the controller. This feedback loop enables automatic detection of output changes and triggers updates to the pump output amount value, ensuring the system always operates with accurate information without manual intervention.
2Measurement precision
If automatic pump output detection is implemented using current sensing, then accuracy of usage data calculation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses electrical current as an intermediary parameter to indirectly measure pump output. Instead of directly measuring the physical output of the pump, the current sensor detects the electrical current consumed, which correlates with output amount. This intermediary approach enables accurate detection while keeping the system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates reference profiles that represent expected current consumption patterns for different pump output levels. By comparing actual current measurements against these stored reference profiles, the system can identify the current pump output level without complex measurement equipment, using simplified pattern matching instead.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures accurate calculation of refill and battery replacement intervals by automatically identifying changes in pump output, preventing incorrect service interval calculations and ensuring timely replacements.
Implementation Method 1
a current sensor coupled to the pump to generate an operating profile associated with the electrical current consumed by the operation of the pump
Data Source
AI summary
A dispenser with an automatic pump output detection system provides a pump with an adjustable output. The pump is coupled to a current sensor that generates an operating profile based on the electrical current consumed during each dispensement of material by the pump. A controller that includes one or more previously-stored reference profiles that correspond to discrete pump output amount values that are compared with each generated operating profile, whereby the discrete pump output amounts associated with the matching reference profile is used to compute various usage data associated with the operation of the dispenser.