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US3887110A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Dispensing methods and apparatus

Assignee: Pharmacia and Upjohn Co
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Filing: 1972-09-18
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Granted: 1975-06-03
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Expires: 1992-09-18
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Abstract

Abstract Improved methods and apparatus are provided for dispensing precisely a predetermined quantity of material. A reference value is established, preferably in binary terms, and a train of electric pulses is generated which each has a functional relationship to a preselected mass transfer unit of said material being dispensed. The pulses are counted as they are generated, and this count is continually compared with the reference value. When the number of pulses is functionally equal to the reference value, the transfer of material is halted in some suitably abrupt manner.

Inventors

  • 👤 Lawrence C Porter

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 20:59
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D7/00; G05D7/06; G05D7/0617; G05D7/0629; G05D7/0688; B; B65; B65B; B65B3/00; B65B3/26; B65B3/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 163 words
A system for dispensing a predetermined amount of material into a receptacle or the like, comprising pulse generating means for producing electrical actuating pulses, gating means interconnected with said pulse generating means and openable for passing said actuating pulses, transfer means interconnected with said gating means for dispensing a preselected discrete quantity of said material in response to each actuating pulse received from said pulse generating means, counting means interconnected with said gating means for receiving and counting pulses, preset means for providing a functional representation of a predetermined number of said actuating pulses, comparator means interconnected with said preset and counting means for providing a completion signal when the number of actuating pulses received and counted by said counting means corresponds with said functional representation, and control means for opening said gating means for passing pulses to said transfer and counting means and closing said gating means and resetting said counting means in response to said completion signal from said comparator means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 163 words
A system for dispensing a predetermined amount of material into a receptacle or the like, comprising pulse generating means for producing electrical actuating pulses, gating means interconnected with said pulse generating means and openable for passing said actuating pulses, transfer means interconnected with said gating means for dispensing a preselected discrete quantity of said material in response to each actuating pulse received from said pulse generating means, counting means interconnected with said gating means for receiving and counting pulses, preset means for providing a functional representation of a predetermined number of said actuating pulses, comparator means interconnected with said preset and counting means for providing a completion signal when the number of actuating pulses received and counted by said counting means corresponds with said functional representation, and control means for opening said gating means for passing pulses to said transfer and counting means and closing said gating means and resetting said counting means in response to said completion signal from said comparator means.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 163 words
A system for dispensing a predetermined amount of material into a receptacle or the like, comprising pulse generating means for producing electrical actuating pulses, gating means interconnected with said pulse generating means and openable for passing said actuating pulses, transfer means interconnected with said gating means for dispensing a preselected discrete quantity of said material in response to each actuating pulse received from said pulse generating means, counting means interconnected with said gating means for receiving and counting pulses, preset means for providing a functional representation of a predetermined number of said actuating pulses, comparator means interconnected with said preset and counting means for providing a completion signal when the number of actuating pulses received and counted by said counting means corresponds with said functional representation, and control means for opening said gating means for passing pulses to said transfer and counting means and closing said gating means and resetting said counting means in response to said completion signal from said comparator means.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 163 words
A system for dispensing a predetermined amount of material into a receptacle or the like, comprising pulse generating means for producing electrical actuating pulses, gating means interconnected with said pulse generating means and openable for passing said actuating pulses, transfer means interconnected with said gating means for dispensing a preselected discrete quantity of said material in response to each actuating pulse received from said pulse generating means, counting means interconnected with said gating means for receiving and counting pulses, preset means for providing a functional representation of a predetermined number of said actuating pulses, comparator means interconnected with said preset and counting means for providing a completion signal when the number of actuating pulses received and counted by said counting means corresponds with said functional representation, and control means for opening said gating means for passing pulses to said transfer and counting means and closing said gating means and resetting said counting means in response to said completion signal from said comparator means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 89 words
The system described in claim 1, wherein said gating means includes a first pulse gate interconnected with said transfer means and said pulse generating means and openable in response to said control means for passing actuating pulses to said transfer means, and a second pulse gate interconnected with said counting means and openable in response to said control means for passing pulses to said counting means, said first and second pulse gate both being closeable by said control means in response to said completion signal from said comparator means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
The system described in claim 2, wherein said second pulse gate is interconnected with said pulse generating means for passing said actuating pulses to said counting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 79 words
The system described in claim 2, wherein said pulse generating means comprises a first pulse generator interconnected with said first pulse gate for producing said actuating pulses passed to said transfer means, monitoring means for providing an indication of each discrete quantity of material dispensed by said transfer means, and a second pulse generator interconnected with said second pulse gate for providing a monitor pulse to said counting means for each of said indications provided by said monitoring means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3303967A Cited
US3559644A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-06-02 1978-12-02 1979-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-06-02 1982-12-02 1983-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-06-02 1986-12-02 1987-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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