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US3665980A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Dispensing apparatus and associated electronic control for selecting different modes of operation

Assignee: Grumman Corp
•
Filing: 1969-12-09
•
Granted: 1972-05-30
•
Expires: 1989-12-09
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Abstract

Abstract A dispensing apparatus is provided which has various modes of operation including automatic, manual and prime modes. The dispensing apparatus includes coarse and fine metering devices consisting of cylinders with pistons displaceable therein, the displacement of the pistons being controlled by adjustable switches in turn controlling electronic circuits which reverse the direction of movement of the pistons. The metering devices are associated with dispensing nozzles beneath which can be stepped a tray in which are positions for vials or other such receptacles. A sensing switch is provided to detect the presence or absence of receptacles in the aforesaid positions to prevent attempts to dispense fluids into positions in which there are no receptacles. The tray is electronically controlled for automatic or manual modes of operation and a cam control switch is provided which determines whether the tray has been stepped to discrete positions for which dispensing operations might be effected. The apparatus employs a bi-directional, three port valve for enabling the withdrawal of one or more fluids from a source and for dispensing the thusly withdrawn fluids into the aforenoted receptacles. The dispensing apparatus is controlled by a logic circuit involving combinations of flip flops, OR gates and AND gates, and further including decade counters for counting the number of receptacles filled and comparing the count with a selected number in an electronic comparator whereby operation can be terminated after an appropriate number of cycles. The selected quantities for dispensing are indicated on conveniently positioned indexes.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael E Croslin
  • 👤 Carl R Blackman

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 01:36
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B3/00; B65B3/26; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/02; B01L3/0203; B01L3/0206

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 145 words
Dispensing apparatus operative with a source of at least one fluid and comprising first means for drawing from said source a quantity of said fluid, dispensing means coupled to said first means for dispensing the quantity of fluid drawn from said source, and control means coupled to said first means for controllably adjusting the magnitude of said quantity, said apparatus further comprising means for moving a plurality of receptacles past said dispensing means, said first means including means for dispensing equal quantities of fluid into said receptacles in sequence; and electronic control means comprising automatic mode, manual mode and prime mode select means and flip flops coupled to and set by said select means to generate signals for controlling said first and supply means, said prime mode select means controlling said first means and dispensing means to flush air and foreign substances from the same.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 145 words
Dispensing apparatus operative with a source of at least one fluid and comprising first means for drawing from said source a quantity of said fluid, dispensing means coupled to said first means for dispensing the quantity of fluid drawn from said source, and control means coupled to said first means for controllably adjusting the magnitude of said quantity, said apparatus further comprising means for moving a plurality of receptacles past said dispensing means, said first means including means for dispensing equal quantities of fluid into said receptacles in sequence; and electronic control means comprising automatic mode, manual mode and prime mode select means and flip flops coupled to and set by said select means to generate signals for controlling said first and supply means, said prime mode select means controlling said first means and dispensing means to flush air and foreign substances from the same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising mode selection means coupled to said first means to enable said receptacles to be moved past said dispensing means automatically or under manual control.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising control means coupled to said first means to control the rate of dispensing of said quantity through said dispensing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first means includes a coarse fluid withdrawal means and a fine fluid withdrawal means collectively operable with at least one said source of fluid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said dispensing means includes a dispensing nozzle coupled to both said withdrawal means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said control means includes coarse and fine adjustment means respectively coupled to said coarse and fine fluid withdrawal means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for moving a plurality of receptacles comprises means for the automatic indexing of vials past said dispensing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said control means includes coarse and fine adjustments.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 45 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 comprising electronic means for counting the number of vials into which fluid has been dispensed, means for selecting a number of vials into which fluid is to be dispensed, and comparison means to compare the selected and counted numbers.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1739252A Cited
US2220707A Cited
US2658644A Cited
US3275042A Cited
US3447576A Cited
US3364959A Cited
US3525592A Cited
US3536449A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-05-30 1975-11-29 1976-05-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-05-30 1979-11-29 1980-05-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-05-30 1983-11-29 1984-05-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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