Fluid dispensing apparatus and method
View Patent ↗A fluid dispenser and method of operating the same. The fluid dispenser can include a wheel driven by diluent passing along a flow path in the fluid dispenser. The wheel can be connected to a pump to pump fluid from a reservoir for dispense into the diluent. In some embodiments, the ratio of wheel rotations to pump cycles is selected to provide a desired and repeatable dilution ratio of concentrated fluid to diluent. The fluid dispenser can be portable and/or disposable, and in some embodiments is adapted for installation on an upper rim of a reservoir wall. Also, the fluid dispenser can be provided with a baffle limiting the velocity and impact of incoming diluent to the wheel driving the pump, thereby improving dosing accuracy of the dispenser in some embodiments.
1. A portable fluid dispensing apparatus for dispense of a fluid into a diluent and adapted for installation on an upper rim of a reservoir wall proximate a diluent spout, the portable dispensing apparatus comprising:
a housing;
an upwardly-oriented inlet into which diluent flows into the housing;
an outlet from which diluent exits the dispensing apparatus;
a flow path through the housing along which diluent flows from the inlet to the outlet;
a wheel within the housing and having a plurality of vanes, at least a portion of the wheel located within the flow path;
a fluid reservoir within the housing;
a pump coupled to the wheel and in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir, the pump operable to pump fluid from the fluid reservoir responsive to rotation of the wheel; and
a bearing surface positioned to contact the reservoir wall and through which the dispensing apparatus is supported upon the upper rim of the reservoir wall;
wherein the inlet, outlet, wheel, fluid reservoir, pump, and bearing surface define a portable unit removable and mountable upon a reservoir wall without the use of tools, and
wherein when the bearing surface is in contact with the reservoir wall and supports the dispensing apparatus upon the upper rim of the reservoir wall, the inlet is upwardly-oriented to receive diluent falling from the spout.
2. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an arm adjustable to different positions for receiving reservoir walls of different sizes.
3. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a protrusion, and wherein the bearing surface is a downwardly-facing surface of the protrusion in an installed position of the apparatus on the reservoir wall.
4. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a gear pump comprising first and second housing portions and a sheet of resilient compressible material compressed between the first and second housing portions.
5. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first and second housing portions are rotatable with respect to one another to change an amount of compression exerted upon the sheet.
6. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid reservoir is permanently sealed against access to an interior of the fluid reservoir from a location exterior to the portable fluid dispensing apparatus.
7. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein fluid from the pump is delivered to the wheel.
8. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
each rotation of the wheel corresponds to an amount of diluent passing the wheel along the flow path and an amount of fluid pumped from the fluid reservoir; and
a ratio of the amount of fluid pumped from the fluid reservoir per rotation of the wheel to the amount of fluid passing the wheel per rotation of the wheel is at least about 1:500.
9. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the ratio is at least about 1:1800.
10. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the ratio is at least about 1:2500.
11. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle upstream of the inlet and through which diluent flows to enter the inlet.
12. The portable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a gear train coupled to and between the wheel and the pump to drive the pump at a speed different from that of the wheel.