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 disposable fluid dispensing apparatus for dispense of a fluid into a diluent, the disposable fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a diluent flow path through which diluent moves within the disposable dispensing apparatus, the diluent flow path having a diluent inlet area, a diluent accumulation area, and a diluent outlet area, the diluent inlet area oriented to receive a free-flowing diluent;
a wheel located at least partially within the housing and driven by diluent flowing along the diluent flow path;
a reservoir in which a quantity of fluid is retained, the reservoir permanently sealed against access by a user from outside of the disposable dispensing apparatus; and
a pump in fluid communication with the fluid in the reservoir, the pump coupled to the wheel and driven by rotation of the wheel;
wherein the housing, wheel, reservoir, and pump define a portable structure installed, removable, and disposable as a single integral unit without the use of tools.
2. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an arm adjustable to different positions to mount the dispensing apparatus to structures having different sizes.
3. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a protrusion having a downwardly-facing bearing surface supporting the apparatus in an installed position of the apparatus.
4. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a gear pump comprising first and second gear pump housing portions and a sheet of resilient compressible material compressed between the first and second gear pump housing portions.
5. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first and second gear pump housing portions are rotatable with respect to one another to change an amount of compression exerted upon the sheet.
6. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a piston pump having a pump chamber, a first piston driven by the wheel to pump fluid within the pump chamber, and a second piston manually operable independently with respect to the first piston to pump fluid within the pump chamber.
7. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein fluid from the pump is delivered to the wheel.
8. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
each rotation of the wheel corresponds to an amount of diluent passing the wheel along the diluent flow path and an amount of fluid pumped from the reservoir; and
a ratio of the amount of fluid pumped from the reservoir per rotation of the wheel to the amount of diluent passing the wheel per rotation of the wheel is at least about 1:500.
9. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the ratio is at least about 1:1800.
10. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the ratio is at least about 1:2500.
11. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a baffle upstream of an inlet of the housing and through which diluent flows to enter the inlet.
12. The disposable 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.
13. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing encloses the wheel, the reservoir, and the pump, and the housing is constructed to permanently seal the reservoir against access by a user from outside of the disposable dispensing apparatus.
14. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a bearing surface, the portable structure configured to be mounted on a surface via the bearing surface such that a portion of the portable structure is disposed above the bearing surface and a portion of the portable structure is disposed below the bearing surface.
15. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the diluent inlet, the diluent accumulation area, the wheel, and the diluent outlet are oriented in a vertical relationship relative to each other.
16. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein user access to an interior of the reservoir is only possible by permanently damaging or destroying the reservoir.
17. A disposable fluid dispensing apparatus for dispense of a fluid into a diluent, the disposable fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a diluent flow path through which diluent moves within the disposable dispensing apparatus;
a wheel located at least partially within the housing and driven by diluent flowing along the diluent flow path;
a reservoir in which a quantity of fluid is retained, the reservoir permanently sealed against access by a user from outside the disposable dispensing apparatus; and
an arm coupled to a portion of the housing and adjustable relative to the housing to different positions to mount the dispensing apparatus to structures having different thicknesses;
wherein the housing, wheel, reservoir, and arm define a portable structure installed, removable, and disposable as a single integral unit without the use of tools.
18. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the housing encloses the wheel, the reservoir, and the pump, and the housing is constructed to permanently seal the reservoir against access by a user from outside of the disposable dispensing apparatus.
19. A disposable fluid dispensing apparatus for dispense of a fluid into a diluent, the disposable fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a diluent flow path through which diluent moves within the disposable dispensing apparatus;
a wheel located at least partially within the housing and driven by diluent flowing along the diluent flow path;
a reservoir in which a quantity of fluid is retained, the reservoir permanently sealed against access by a user from outside the disposable dispensing apparatus; and
a baffle upstream of an inlet of the housing and through which diluent flows to enter the inlet;
wherein the housing, wheel, reservoir, and baffle define a portable structure installed, removable, and disposable as a single integral unit without the use of tools.
20. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the housing encloses the wheel, the reservoir, and the pump, and the housing is constructed to permanently seal the reservoir against access by a user from outside of the disposable dispensing apparatus.
21. The disposable fluid dispensing apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the baffle defines a plurality of apertures having different sizes through which diluent flows to enter the inlet.