Multiple-fluid injection pump

1. A pump ( 100 ) for dispensing predetermined volumes of at least a first fluid ( 11 A) and a second fluid ( 11 B), the pump comprising:

one or more first syringe units ( 55 A), each first syringe unit ( 55 A) comprising a first plunger ( 50 A) and a first chamber ( 80 A) within which the first plunger ( 50 A) slides;

a first inlet channel ( 10 A) fluidly connected to the first chamber ( 80 A) of each first syringe unit ( 55 A) and configured to receive the first fluid ( 11 A);

one or more first discharge ports ( 20 A) located in the first syringe unit ( 55 A) at a location different from a location of the first inlet channel ( 10 A) in the first syringe unit ( 55 A), each first discharge port ( 20 A) fluidly connected to the first chamber ( 80 A) of a corresponding first syringe unit ( 55 A), wherein each first syringe unit ( 55 A) is operable to receive the first fluid ( 11 A) via the first inlet channel ( 10 A) and dispense a corresponding first predetermined volume of the first fluid ( 11 A) via the corresponding first discharge port ( 20 A) with every cycle of the corresponding first plunger ( 50 A) sliding within the corresponding first chamber ( 80 A);

one or more second syringe units ( 55 B), each second syringe unit ( 55 B) comprising a second plunger ( 50 B) and a second chamber ( 80 B) within which the second plunger ( 50 B) slides;

a second inlet channel ( 10 B) fluidly connected to the second chamber ( 80 B) of each second syringe unit ( 55 B) and configured to receive the second fluid ( 11 B);

one or more second discharge ports ( 20 B) located in the second syringe unit ( 55 B) at a location different from a location of the second inlet channel ( 10 B) in the second syringe unit ( 55 B), each second discharge port ( 20 B) fluidly connected to the second chamber ( 80 B) of a corresponding second syringe unit ( 55 B), wherein each second syringe unit ( 55 B) is operable to receive the second fluid ( 11 B) via the second inlet channel ( 10 B) and dispense a corresponding second predetermined volume of the second fluid ( 11 B) via the corresponding second discharge port ( 20 B) with every cycle of the corresponding second plunger ( 50 B) sliding within the corresponding second chamber ( 80 B), such that:

the one or more first syringe units ( 55 A) and the one or more second syringe units ( 55 B) are configured to be operated by a single actuator in parallel such that when the first plunger ( 50 A) moves to cause the first fluid ( 11 A) to fill the first chamber ( 80 A) the second plunger ( 50 B) moves to cause the second fluid ( 11 B) to discharge from the second chamber ( 80 B), and

when the second plunger ( 50 B) moves to cause the second fluid ( 11 B) to fill the second chamber ( 80 B) the first plunger ( 50 A) moves to cause the first fluid ( 11 A) to discharge from the first chamber ( 80 A),

the one or more first discharge ports ( 20 A) and the one or more second discharge ports ( 20 B) fluidly configured to deliver the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) to one or more common locations, whereby each common location receives both the first predetermined volume of the first fluid ( 11 A) and the second predetermined volume of the second fluid ( 11 B).

2. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein, during every cycle of the sliding of the first plunger ( 50 A) and the second plunger ( 50 B), the fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are delivered to the one or more common locations at a constant volume ratio.

3. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the first and second discharge ports ( 20 A, 20 B) are connected to tubes configured to direct the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) to the one or more common locations.

4. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein:

the first inlet channel ( 10 A) is fluidly connected to the first chamber ( 80 A) of each first syringe unit ( 55 A) through a first input channel ( 60 A); and

the second inlet channel ( 10 B) is fluidly connected to the second chamber ( 80 B) of each second syringe unit ( 55 B) through a second input channel ( 60 B).

5. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein:

each first discharge port ( 20 A) is fluidly connected to the first chamber ( 80 A) of a corresponding first syringe unit ( 55 A) through a corresponding first discharge channel ( 70 A); and

each second discharge port ( 20 B) is fluidly connected to the second chamber ( 80 B) of a corresponding second syringe unit ( 55 B) through a corresponding second discharge channel ( 70 B).

6. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 5 , further comprising a shut-off valve ( 30 ) that is configurable at (i) a first position at which the shut-off valve ( 30 ) shuts off all of the discharge channels ( 70 A, 70 B) and (ii) a second position at which the shut-off valve ( 30 ) opens all of the discharge channels ( 70 A, 70 B).

7. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 6 , further comprising:

a first recirculating channel ( 90 A) fluidly connecting each first discharge channel ( 70 A) to the first inlet channel ( 10 A); and

a second recirculating channel ( 90 B) fluidly connecting each second discharge channel ( 70 B) to the second inlet channel ( 10 B), wherein the first and second recirculating channels ( 90 A, 90 B) are configured to recirculate the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) back to the first and second inlet channels ( 10 A, 10 B), respectively, when the shut-off valve ( 30 ) shuts off the discharge channels ( 70 A, 70 B).

8. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the syringe units ( 55 A, 55 B) are configurable with plungers ( 50 A, 50 B) having different diameters to dispense different volumes of the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B).

9. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more first syringe units ( 55 A) comprise at least a pair of first syringe units ( 55 A) located on two opposing sides of the pump and having plungers ( 50 A) that slide reciprocally within their corresponding first chambers ( 80 A); and

the one or more second syringe units ( 55 B) comprise at least a pair of second syringe units ( 55 B) located on the two opposing sides of the pump and having plungers ( 50 B) that slide reciprocally within their corresponding second chambers ( 80 B).

10. The pump ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the pump ( 100 ) is configured such that at least one of the fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) is a gas.

11. A method of dispensing predetermined volumes of at least a first fluid ( 11 A) and a second fluid ( 11 B) to a common location using the pump as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising:

withdrawing the first plunger ( 50 A) within the first chamber ( 80 A) to fill ( 200 ) the first chamber ( 80 A) of the first syringe unit ( 55 A) with the first fluid ( 11 A) while simultaneously advancing the second plunger ( 50 B) within the second chamber ( 80 B) to discharge a second predetermined volume of the second fluid ( 11 B) out of the second chamber ( 80 B) of the second syringe unit ( 55 B);

advancing the first plunger ( 50 A) within the first chamber ( 80 A) to discharge ( 300 ) a first predetermined volume of the first fluid ( 11 A) out of the first chamber ( 80 A) while simultaneously withdrawing the second plunger ( 50 B) within the second chamber ( 80 B) to fill the second chamber ( 80 B) of the second syringe unit ( 55 B) with the second fluid ( 11 B); and

directing ( 400 ) the first and second predetermined volumes of the discharged first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B), respectively, to the common location.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, during every cycle of the sliding of the first plunger ( 50 A) and the second plunger ( 50 B), the fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are delivered to the common location at a constant volume ratio.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising replacing the plunger ( 50 A) of the first syringe unit ( 55 A) with another plunger ( 50 A) of different diameter to change the first predetermined volume of the first fluid ( 11 A) dispensed by the first syringe unit ( 55 A).

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising adjusting stroke length of the first plunger ( 50 A) of the first syringe unit ( 55 A) to change the first predetermined volume of the first fluid dispensed by the first syringe unit ( 55 A).

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) is a gas.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are injected into a softgel capsule at the common location.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are separately injected into the softgel capsule ( 216 ).

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are injected into opposite lateral sides of the softgel capsule ( 216 ) using a wedge ( 210 ) having two injection channels ( 212 A, 212 B).

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are mixed after being discharged from the pump and before being injected into the softgel capsule ( 216 ).

20. The method of claim 19 , where the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are mixed using an inline mixer.

21. The method of claim 19 , where the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) are mixed using a T mixer or a Y mixer.

22. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the pump comprises a plurality of instances of the first syringe unit ( 55 A) and a plurality of instances of the second syringe unit ( 55 B); and

the pump directs ( 400 ) the first and second predetermined volumes of the discharged first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B), respectively, to a plurality of common locations, wherein each common location receives both the first predetermined volume of the first fluid ( 11 A) and the second predetermined volume of the second fluid ( 11 B).

23. A pump ( 100 ) for dispensing predetermined volumes of at least a first fluid ( 11 A) and a second fluid ( 11 B), the pump comprising:

one or more first syringe units ( 55 A), each first syringe unit ( 55 A) comprising a first plunger ( 50 A) and a first chamber ( 80 A) within which the first plunger ( 50 A) slides;

a first inlet channel ( 10 A) fluidly connected to the first chamber ( 80 A) of each first syringe unit ( 55 A) and configured to receive the first fluid ( 11 A);

one or more first discharge ports ( 20 A), each first discharge port ( 20 A) fluidly connected to the first chamber ( 80 A) of a corresponding first syringe unit ( 55 A), wherein each first syringe unit ( 55 A) is operable to receive the first fluid ( 11 A) via the first inlet channel ( 10 A) and dispense a corresponding first predetermined volume of the first fluid ( 11 A) via the corresponding first discharge port ( 20 A) with every cycle of the corresponding first plunger ( 50 A) sliding within the corresponding first chamber ( 80 A);

one or more second syringe units ( 55 B), each second syringe unit ( 55 B) comprising a second plunger ( 50 B) and a second chamber ( 80 B) within which the second plunger ( 50 B) slides;

a second inlet channel ( 10 B) fluidly connected to the second chamber ( 80 B) of each second syringe unit ( 55 B) and configured to receive the second fluid ( 11 B);

one or more second discharge ports ( 20 B), each second discharge port ( 20 B) fluidly connected to the second chamber ( 80 B) of a corresponding second syringe unit ( 55 B), wherein each second syringe unit ( 55 B) is operable to receive the second fluid ( 11 B) via the second inlet channel ( 10 B) and dispense a corresponding second predetermined volume of the second fluid ( 11 B) via the corresponding second discharge port ( 20 B) with every cycle of the corresponding second plunger ( 50 B) sliding within the corresponding second chamber ( 80 B); and

a slide valve ( 40 ),

wherein, the one or more first syringe units ( 55 A) and the one or more second syringe units ( 55 B) can be operated in parallel with the one or more first discharge ports ( 20 A) and the one or more second discharge ports ( 20 B) fluidly configured to deliver the first and second fluids ( 11 A, 11 B) to one or more common locations, wherein each common location receives both the first predetermined volume of the first fluid ( 11 A) and the second predetermined volume of the second fluid ( 11 B); and the slide valve (40) is configurable at:

a first position at which the discharge channels ( 70 A, 70 B) are open and the input channels ( 60 A, 60 B) are closed; and

a second position at which the discharge channels ( 70 A, 70 B) are closed and the input channels ( 60 A, 60 B) are open.