Dispenser system

Claim 2

A dispenser system for introducing a precise amount of a material to be analyzed into a container comprising: a sample chamber, said sample chamber having a port through which material may be introduced into said chamber, apparatus for storing material in said chamber comprising a housing connected to said sample chamber, a movable member coupled to said housing, means to move said member relative to said chamber from a first position to a second position to introduce material into said chamber through said port, means for generating a series of quantity signals as a function of the movement of said member, a data record associated with said container, means responsive to said data record and said quantity signals for controlling movement of said member from said first position to said second position to store a precise amount of material in said chamber, and means to transfer said precise amount of material from said chamber to said container for analysis.

Claim 3

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said quantity signal generating means includes a flag member coupled to and movable with said movable member, and means for sensing said flag member and producing output signals as a function of the movement of said flag member, and said member movement control means includes means for comparing said output signals with said data record for controlling movement of said movable member from said first position to said second position.

Claim 4

The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said flag member includes regions of different optical characteristics and said flag member sensing means includes photoelectric means for sensing said regions and producing said output signals as a function thereof.

Claim 5

The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said flag member includes a transparent substrate and said regions are defined by opaque material on said substrate.

Claim 6

The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said photoelectric means includes a light source, a sensing photocell and a cooperating reference photocell, said regions of different optical characteristics being interposed between said light source and said sensing photocell and said reference photocell being disposed for uninterrupted viewing of said light source.

Claim 7

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member movement control means includes a counter responsive to said quantity signals, and, compare circuitry responsive to said counter and said data record for stopping movement of said movable member upon detection of a predetermined relation between data on said record and said counter.

Claim 8

The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said member is movable from said second position beyond said first position to dispense material from said chamber, and further including travel limit structure for generating a limit signal when said member has moved a predetermined distance beyond said first position, and means responsive to said limit signal to reverse the direction of movement of said member to return said member to said first position.

Claim 9

A dispenser system for introducing a precise amount of a material to be analyzed into a container comprising: a sample chamber, said sample chamber having a port through which material may be introduced into said chamber, apparatus for storing mAterial in said chamber comprising a housing connected to said sample chamber, a movable member coupled to said housing, a drive to move said movable member relative to said chamber from a first position to a second position to introduce material into said chamber through said port, a flag member having a series of regions of alternating optical characteristics, photoelectric means for sensing said regions, means to produce relative movement of said flag member and said photoelectric means as a function of movement of said movable member, a counter, means coupled between said photoelectric means and said counter for generating a counter stepping signal on each sensed predetermined optical value at the transition between adjacent ones of said regions, a data record reader for generating data signals as a function of data on a data record sensed by said data record reader, compare circuitry responsive to said counter and data signals generated by said data record reader for stopping movement of said member upon detection of a predetermined relation between said data signals and said counter to store a precise amount of material in said chamber, and means to transfer said precise amount of material from said chamber to said container for analysis.

Claim 10

A dispenser system for introducing a precise amount of a material to be analyzed into a container comprising: a sample chamber, said sample chamber having a port through which material may be introduced into said chamber, apparatus for storing mAterial in said chamber comprising a housing connected to said sample chamber, a movable member coupled to said housing, a drive to move said movable member relative to said chamber from a first position to a second position to introduce material into said chamber through said port, a flag member having a series of regions of alternating optical characteristics, photoelectric means for sensing said regions, means to produce relative movement of said flag member and said photoelectric means as a function of movement of said movable member, a counter, means coupled between said photoelectric means and said counter for generating a counter stepping signal on each sensed predetermined optical value at the transition between adjacent ones of said regions, a data record reader for generating data signals as a function of data on a data record sensed by said data record reader, compare circuitry responsive to said counter and data signals generated by said data record reader for stopping movement of said member upon detection of a predetermined relation between said data signals and said counter to store a precise amount of material in said chamber, and means to transfer said precise amount of material from said chamber to said container for analysis.

Claim 11

The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said flag member includes a transparent substrate, said regions are defined by opaque material on said substrate and said photoelectric means includes a light source, a sensing photocell and a cooperating reference photocell, said opaque material being interposed between said light source and said sensing photocell and said reference photocell being disposed for uninterrupted viewing of said light source.

Claim 12

The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said drive is reversible, and further including actuator means to control said drive, and inhibit means for disabling said actuator means when said movable member is moving from said first position toward a second position.

Claim 13

The system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said drive is an electric motor and further including synchronizing control coupled to said actuator means to energize electric motor in synchronism with the zero crossings of the alternating current power for said motor.

Claim 14

The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said housing has a bore in it and said movable member is mounted in said bore for reciprocating movement.

Claim 15

The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said counter is responsive to said signals from said sensing and reference photocells, said flag member further includes upper and lower travel limit portions and further including a limit sensor for sensing said travel limit portions, and means responsive to detection of one of said travel limit portions by said limit sensor to automatically change the direction of movement of said movable member.

Claim 16

The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said material transfer means includes a blower, means to connect said blower to said chamber, and means responsive to detection by said limit sensor of a second travel limit portion to actuate said blower for a perdetermined interval of time and then to reverse the direction of movement of said movable member to return said movable member to said first position.