Fluid dispenser
View Patent ↗A dispensation device having a nozzle defining a chamber and a dispensation orifice which communicates with the chamber. A transfer pin is moveably received within the chamber and moveable between a retracted position and a dispensing position. In the dispensing position, a portion of the contact end extends out of the chamber through the dispensation orifice. A driven element contacts the transfer pin, with the drive element magnetically coupled to a driven element. A drive element is oriented to magnetically move the driven element and thus magnetically position the transfer pin.
1. A liquid dispensation device, comprising:
a) a pin element moveably oriented to move between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein a portion of the pin element is in contact with a substrate; and
b) a drive element operatively coupled with the pin element, wherein the drive element is operating the pin element, wherein the drive element is not mechanically coupled with the pin element, wherein the drive element is a magnet, wherein the drive element is selectively moveable by fluid pressure.
2. The device of claim 1 further comprising an encasement defining a chamber and an orifice communicating with the chamber, wherein the pin element is slideably received within the chamber, the pin element moving between the retracted position and the extended position, the extended position describing a portion of the pin element extending out of the chamber through the orifice.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the magnet is a rare earth magnet.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein the rare earth magnet is SmCo.
5. The device of claim 3 wherein the rare earth magnet is NdFeB.
6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second drive element, the second drive element being a magnet.
7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a driven element in contact with the pin element, the driven element being magnetically coupled with the drive element, wherein the drive element is oriented to magnetically move the driven element.
8. A liquid dispensation device, comprising:
a) a contact element moveably oriented to move between a retracted position and an extended position; and
b) a drive element operatively coupled with the contact element, wherein the drive element is configured to operate the contact element into contact with a substrate, wherein the drive element is not mechanically coupled with the contact element, wherein the drive element is a magnet magnetically coupled with the contact element, wherein the drive element is selectively moveable by fluid pressure.
9. The device of claim 8 further comprising an encasement defining a chamber and an orifice communicating with the chamber, wherein the contact element is slideably received within the chamber, the contact element moving between the retracted position and the extended position, the extended position describing a portion of the contact element extending out of the chamber through the orifice.
10. The device of claim 8 further comprising a second drive element, the second drive element being a magnet.
11. The device of claim 8 further comprising a driven element in contact with the contact element, the driven element being magnetically coupled with the drive element, wherein the drive element is oriented to magnetically move the driven element.
12. A liquid dispensation device, comprising:
a) a nozzle defining a chamber;
b) a transfer pin having a contact end, the transfer pin moveably received within the chamber and moveable between a retracted position and a dispensing position, wherein a portion of the transfer pin is in contact with a substrate;
c) a drive element magnetically coupled with the transfer pin, wherein the drive element is oriented to magnetically move the transfer pin, wherein the drive element is not mechanically coupled with the transfer pin; and
d) a second drive element, the second drive element being a selectively moveable magnet.
13. The device of claim 12 further comprising a driven element in contact with the transfer pin, the driven element being magnetically coupled with the drive element, wherein the drive element is oriented to magnetically move the driven element.
14. The device of claim 12 , further comprising a liquid receiving opening in the nozzle, the liquid receiving opening being in fluid communication with the chamber.
15. The device of claim 14 wherein the liquid receiving opening is opposite the dispensation orifice.
16. The device of claim 12 wherein the transfer pin in the dispensing position disengagingly contacts a target substrate.
17. The device of claim 12 wherein the transfer pin motion is hydraulically restrained by the liquid in the chamber.
18. The device of claim 12 wherein the transfer pin inhibits any inadvertent escape of the liquid from the dispensation orifice.
19. A dispensation device, comprising
a) a nozzle defining a chamber and a dispensation orifice communicating with the chamber;
b) a transfer pin having a contact end, the transfer pin moveably received within the chamber;
c) a first drive element magnetically coupled with the transfer pin, the first drive element oriented to magnetically urge the transfer pin into contact with a substrate, wherein the first drive element is not mechanically coupled with the transfer pin, wherein the first drive element is selectively positioned by fluid pressure against an opposing spring tension, the fluid pressure increasing to bias the first drive element toward a substrate, the first drive element being biased away from the substrate by a decrease in the fluid pressure.
20. The device of claim 19 , further comprising a second drive element acting concurrently with the first drive element, the second drive element magnetically coupled with the transfer pin, the second drive element being oriented to magnetically urge the transfer pin.
21. The device of claim 19 wherein the first drive element magnetically defines a positional limit for a retracted position and a dispensing position of the transfer pin.
22. The device of claim 21 wherein the first drive element magnetically controls a contact force for the transfer pin with a target substrate.
23. A liquid dispensation device, comprising
a) a contact element moveably oriented to move between a retracted position and an extended position; and
b) a drive element operatively coupled with the contact element, wherein the drive element is not mechanically coupled with the contact element, wherein the drive element is configured to operate the contact element into contact with a substrate, the drive element being selectively moveable by fluid pressure, wherein the drive element is a magnet.
24. The device of claim 23 further comprising a second drive element, the second drive element being a magnet.
25. The device of claim 23 further comprising a nozzle defining a chamber and a dispensation orifice communicating with the chamber, wherein the contact element is slideably receivable within the chamber.
26. The device of claim 25 wherein the contact element is configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position in which a portion of the contact element extends out of the chamber through the dispensation orifice.
27. The device of claim 23 further comprising a driven element associated with the contact element, the drive element being configured to urge the driven element into contact with the substrate.
28. The device of claim 27 wherein the transfer pin is magnetically positionable by the drive element, the drive element being selectively moveable by fluid pressure.
29. A method of dispensing liquid, comprising the steps of:
a) directing a quantity of liquid into a chamber defined by a nozzle, the chamber being in fluid communication with a dispensation orifice; and
b) selectively moving a transfer pin by fluid pressure toward a substrate through the chamber, wherein the transfer pin is not mechanically coupled to any drive element, whereby the transfer pin contacts the substrate, wherein selectively moving the transfer pin by fluid pressure further comprises selectively moving a first drive element by fluid pressure, the first drive element being operably coupled with the transfer pin, wherein the first drive element is a magnet.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein selectively moving a first drive element by fluid pressure further comprises moving a driven element associated with the transfer pin, the first drive element being operably coupled with the driven element.
31. The method of claim 29 , further comprising selectively moving a second drive element by fluid pressure, the second drive element being operably coupled with the transfer pin.
32. The method of claim 29 wherein selectively moving the transfer pin further comprises magnetically moving the transfer pin.
33. The method of claim 29 wherein the transfer pin motion is hydraulically restrained by the liquid in the chamber.
34. The method of claim 29 wherein selectively moving the transfer pin by fluid pressure toward the substrate through the chamber further comprises carrying an amount of liquid from the chamber to the substrate without gravitational assistance.