Viscous fluid dispenser with valved chamber receiving circulating viscous fluid

Abstract

Abstract A viscous fluid dispenser includes a dispenser housing with an elongated cavity divided into a pumping chamber and a viscous fluid chamber by a pumping diaphragm. An elongated dispensing slot in the housing communicates the viscous fluid chamber with the environment and is closed by a control diaphragm in response to fluid pressure supplied to a control chamber in the housing by a valved air pumping arrangement. A viscous fluid pumping arrangement circulates a viscous fluid through the viscous fluid chamber between a valve controlled inlet and a valve controlled outlet when the dispensing slot is closed by the control diaphragm. The valved air pumping arrangement is actuatable to terminate the fluid pressure supplied to the control chamber, thus opening the dispensing slot, and to subsequently supply fluid pressure to the pumping chamber which causes the valves at the inlet and outlet of the viscous fluid chamber to close and isolate a quantity of the viscous fluid within the viscous fluid chamber. The fluid pressure supplied to the pumping chamber also causes the pumping diaphragm to deflect and force a predetermined amount of the quantity of isolated viscous fluid out of the viscous fluid chamber through the open dispensing slot thereby dispensing the predetermined amount of viscous fluid. In an alternate embodiment, the dispenser housing includes first and second tubular members positioned adjacent each other and opening to each other through an elongated dispensing slot in their common wall. A tubular pumping diaphragm received within the first tubular member divides the interior thereof into the pumping chamber and the viscous fluid chamber. A tubular control diaphragm received within the second tubular member defines the control chamber which receives fluid pressure from the valved air pumping arrangement to cause the control diaphragm to close the dispensing slot. When the valved air pumping arrangement is actuated, the supply of fluid pressure to the control chamber is terminated and transferred to the pumping chamber whereupon valves at the inlet and outlet of the viscous fluid chamber isolate a quantity of the normally circulated viscous fluid. The fluid pressure in the pumping chamber also defects the tubular pumping diaphragm and forces a predetermined amount of the quantity of isolated viscous fluid through the dispensing slot into the second tubular member and to the environment through a lower dispensing slot in the second tubular member. When the valved air pumping arrangement is deactuated, the control diaphragm expands and forces the viscous fluid remaining within the second tubular member outwardly thereof through the lower dispensing slot.

Inventors

• 👤 K Smith
• 👤 L Teague

Bibliographic Details