TW202231571A - Pneumatic system for fluid mixture dispensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

Fluid mixture dispensing systems, devices and methods are disclosed. A device includes a set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs, a mixing area configured to receive at least one ingredient from the set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs, a pressure source, an accumulator chamber, a set of valves, and a controller. The controller is programmed to operate the set of valves to pressurize the accumulator chamber using the pressure source. The controller is further programmed to operate the set of valves to set a pressure in at least one of the set of pressurized ingredient reservoirs using the accumulator chamber.

Description

Pneumatic systems for fluid mixture dispensing devices

This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application No. 63/146,461 filed on February 5, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to pneumatic systems for fluid mixture dispensing devices.

Background of the Invention

A typical beverage dispensing system combines a diluent (eg, water) with a base beverage ingredient such as a concentrate or syrup composed of numerous other ingredients. However, these basic beverage ingredients often require a lot of storage space and may even need to be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. Accordingly, these basic beverage components may not even be stored in the same room as the dispenser, let alone the dispensing container itself. Additionally, each individual beverage may require its own unique base beverage composition further increasing the storage space and overall footprint of the beverage dispensing system. Furthermore, typical beverage dispensing systems do not allow for customized beverages and home use.

Summary of Invention

The present disclosure relates generally to fluid mixture dispensing systems, devices, and methods, and more particularly, to aerodynamics for fluid mixture dispensing systems, devices, and methods.

According to one aspect, fluid mixture dispensing can be accomplished with an all-in-one automated fluid mixture dispensing system. The system can produce beverage mixes, cleaning products, cosmetic compounds, and various other fluid mixes. Based on user selections that can be tailored by them, the system can prepare and dispense various fluid mixtures based on a basic set of mixtures and compounds. In order for the system to prepare a fluid mixture, the system can rely on the predefined chemical composition of the mixture. For example, chemical analysis of a particular wine or perfume yields a list of chemical materials or components that make up the particular wine or perfume. The systems disclosed herein may rely on a predetermined list of chemical ingredients for a particular end-user-specified fluid mixture (eg, Chardonnay) to prepare the fluid mixture. Some chemical materials may be dispensed in relatively large volume percentages into the final mixture (eg, a glass of wine may be about 10 to 15% ethanol), while other components may be dispensed in less than 0.1 milliliters.

Accordingly, the systems disclosed herein can form fluid mixtures based on predetermined quantities of the individual chemical feedstocks that make up the fluid mixture, rather than from concentrates or syrups, which allows for a degree of customization and selection, which is The current beverage system cannot be found. Since small amounts (eg, less than 0.1 milliliters) of individual chemical materials can have a large impact on fluid mixture properties (eg, taste), the overall storage or footprint of the system can be significantly smaller than those that rely on syrups and/or concentrates distribution system.

FIG. 1 illustrates, by way of example, a fluid mixture dispensing system in the form of a device 100 in accordance with several specific embodiments of the present invention. Picture 150 illustrates by way of example the appearance of device 100 , and picture 160 illustrates some of the internal components that may be part of device 100 . In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may be used for beverage dispensing as well as a wide variety of other fluid mixture dispensing. The fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may be a countertop or consumer electronic device or a larger device installed in a restaurant or other commercial location.

The fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may include a housing 102 . The housing may be a protective enclosure that houses various internal components of the system, such as the components shown in picture 160 . These internal components may include solvent reservoir(s) such as solvent reservoirs 108a and 108b (eg, water reservoir(s) and/or alcohol reservoir(s)), raw material reservoirs such as raw material reservoir 106, A cartridge, mixing channels, mixing chambers, heat exchangers (eg, heaters/chillers), and/or dissolution chamber(s) in such feedstock receptacles such as cartridge 105 , and various fluid movement mechanisms (eg, valves, actuators, pumps, etc.). The fluid mixture dispensing system 100 may also include a user interface 103 to allow a user to control the device. For example, a user may select a beverage to be made from device 100 via user interface 103 . The fluid mixture dispensing system 100 may also include one or more controllers configured to execute a number of instructions to control various components of a device and cause the device to perform the functions described in this disclosure.

The block diagram 200 of FIG. 2 illustrates several exemplary components of a fluid mixture dispensing device, such as the fluid mixture dispensing device 100 of FIG. 1 . Block diagram 200 includes the components illustrated in FIG. 1 and additional exemplary components of the system, and possible connections therebetween, in accordance with several specific embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the system 100 may include an air pressure generation and storage module 250 . In certain embodiments of the present invention, module 250 may be a pneumatic system for device 100 and includes a pressure source for generating pressure and a pressure reservoir for storing pressure. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the pressure reservoir is an accumulator chamber.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the pneumatic system may be used to maintain pressure in a pressurized cartridge/chamber, such as at least one of the raw material cartridge 105 or the raw material reservoirs 106 . Additionally, air from the pneumatic system can be used as a purge for a flow line, mixing zone, mixing chamber, dissolution chamber, and/or a mixing channel so that before starting the next fluid mixture No starting material, solvent or solvent mixture remained. Additionally, air from the pneumatic system can be used to assist in dispensing solvent and/or feedstock from the reservoir. Alternatively or in combination, air from the pneumatic system can be used to control a pneumatic valve to control flow or to aid in ejecting a cartridge. In certain embodiments of the present invention, pressure from the pressure source may be stored in the accumulator chamber such that each time the system requires pressure, the accumulator does not need to operate the pressure source. A pressure chamber can provide pressure to the system.

In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, a fluid mixture dispensing device is provided. The devices include a set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs, a mixing zone configured to receive at least one feedstock from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs, a pressure source, an accumulator chamber, a set of valves, with a controller. The controller is programmed to operate the set of valves to: use the pressure source to pressurize the accumulator chamber; and use the accumulator chamber to set at least one of the set of pressurized raw material reservoirs a pressure in.

In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, a method of operation for a fluid mixture dispensing device is provided. The method includes using a pressure source to pressurize an accumulator chamber. The method also includes dispensing at least one feedstock from a set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs to a mixing zone. The method also includes using the pressure in the accumulator chamber to set a pressure in at least one of the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs.

In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, a fluid mixture dispensing device is provided. The apparatus includes a mixing zone, at least one solvent reservoir, a pneumatic system, a solvent pump, and a three-way valve fluidly connected to the at least one solvent reservoir, the mixing zone, and the pneumatic system. The solvent pump moves a solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir toward the three-way valve. The pneumatic system moves the solvent through the mixing zone.

Implementations and specific embodiments of various aspects and variations of the systems and methods described herein will now be described in detail. Although several exemplary variations of these systems and methods are described herein, other variations of these systems and methods may include aspects in which the systems and methods described herein are combined in appropriate ways, with combinations of all or some of the described aspects .

This disclosure will detail various components and methods for use in a fluid mixture dispensing system, such as the device 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The methods and systems disclosed in this paragraph are non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, which are used for explanation only, and should not be used to limit the full scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the specific embodiments disclosed may or may not overlap with each other. Thus, an embodiment or a portion of that particular embodiment may or may not fall within the scope of another embodiment or that particular embodiment, and vice versa. Different specific embodiments from different aspects may be implemented in combination or separately. The many different combinations and sub-combinations of the representative embodiments shown within the broad framework of the invention, although obvious to those skilled in the art but not explicitly shown and described, should not be construed as excluded.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the fluid mixture dispensing device 100 may include one or more feedstock reservoirs, such as feedstock reservoir 106 . The raw material receptacle can be any of the raw material receptacles described in: US Provisional Patent Application No. 63/146,461, filed February 5, 2021, US Patent Application No. 63/146,461, filed December 9, 2021 US Patent Application Serial No. 17/547,081, and US Patent Application Serial No. 17/545,699, filed December 8, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The feedstock receptacle may contain "feedstock", which is also referred to herein as a "feedstock mix." The feedstock mixture may include at least one primary/functional feedstock. The primary/functional raw material can be at least one of the following: solid, liquid or gas. An example of a primary/functional raw material may be a chemical compound.

In some embodiments, the feedstock mixture may include various concentrations of chemical compounds. In some embodiments, the feedstock mixture can include at least one solvent. The at least one solvent can be any combination of solvents disclosed herein. For example, the feedstock mixture in the feedstock reservoir may be a mixture of citric acid (primary/functional feedstock) and water at a specific concentration. Another feedstock mixture may be a mixture of potassium sulfate (primary/functional feedstock), water and ethanol. As described herein, these feedstocks/feedstock mixtures can be dispensed into a fluid stream (which can be a mixture in a solvent (eg, water and/or ethanol) itself) and combined together to form an intermediate fluid mixture. In some embodiments, the feedstock mixture may also include at least one of a solvent (eg, water and/or alcohol) and an additional feedstock. Additional raw materials may be at least one of surfactants, preservatives, or emulsifiers/stabilizers.

The feedstock or feedstock mixture may be stored in a feedstock reservoir, such as feedstock reservoir 106 . In some embodiments, the material reservoirs may include pouches, syringes, gravity dispensing chambers, particle dispensers, and/or pierceable volumes. In some embodiments, the feedstock reservoirs may be the same, different, or a combination thereof in the system. In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system may include a plurality of raw material reservoirs.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system may cause a predetermined amount of at least one feedstock to flow from a plurality of feedstock reservoirs to at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate fluid mixture. An example of this is illustrated in FIG. 2 , wherein, in some embodiments, a predetermined amount of at least one feedstock may flow from feedstock reservoir 106 (eg, located within cartridge 105 ) to at least one mixing channel 211 . The device may include multiple mixing channels. The term "mixing zone" is used in this disclosure to refer to any region in which an intermediate fluid mixture is mixed, including, for example, one or more mixing channels in which one or more feedstocks and one or more solvents are mixed. The predetermined amount of the at least one feedstock may be mixed with at least one solvent (eg, water from a water reservoir and/or alcohol from an alcohol reservoir) in the at least one mixing channel before flowing to the mixing chamber. The at least one solvent can dissolve the at least one raw material and/or carry the at least one raw material to the mixing chamber.

As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system may cause a predetermined amount of at least one feedstock to flow from at least one feedstock reservoir to other components of the system, such as mixing chamber 207 , or flow to at least one dissolving chamber such as the solid dissolving chamber 12a and the gas dissolving chamber 12b to form an intermediate mixture. In some embodiments, the at least one feedstock reservoir configured to flow the feedstock directly to the mixing chamber 207 and/or the dissolution chamber may not be the feedstock fluidly connected to the at least one mixing channel as shown in FIG. 2 . one of the receptacles.

In some embodiments, the predetermined quantity(s) of feedstock may be specific to the requested fluid mixture. In other words, whether flowing directly to the mixing chamber or to an intermediate mixture or mixture from a mixing zone, the predetermined amount of the feedstock(s) flowing to the mixing chamber may correspond to the feedstock(s) in the predefined fluid mixture , such as a fluid mixture selected from a library of predefined fluid mixtures.

In some embodiments, a predetermined amount of a feedstock is dispensed from a feedstock reservoir via at least one microfluidic pump into a mixing zone comprising at least one mixing channel, or into a mixing chamber and/or At least one dissolution chamber. In some embodiments, each feedstock reservoir may be fluidly connected to a microfluidic pump for dispensing a feedstock in a feedstock reservoir to a mixing channel, the mixing chamber, and/or at least one dissolution chamber . In some embodiments, a plurality of feedstock reservoirs may be fluidly connected to a microfluidic pump for dispensing feedstock from the feedstock reservoirs.

The raw material receptacles may be provided in one or more cartridges, such as cartridge 105 . The cartridge may include a pressurized chamber to maintain the material reservoirs under pressure and to facilitate dispensing of the material. The cartridge may be any of the cartridges described in: US Provisional Patent Application No. 63/146,461, filed Feb. 5, 2021, US Patent Application No. 17, filed Dec. 9, 2021 /547,081, US Patent Application Serial No. 17/547,612, filed December 10, 2021, and US Patent Application No. 17/545,699, filed December 8, 2021, all of which are incorporated in their entirety. Incorporated herein as a reference.

1 and 2 illustrate a set of material receptacles, such as several material receptacles 106, packaged in the material cartridge body 105. FIG. In some embodiments, the system may include one or more cartridges. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates at least one of 0-N solid feedstock cartridges, 0-N gas feedstock cartridges, 0-N multiple feedstock cartridges, and 0-N liquid feedstock cartridges. In some embodiments, the raw material cartridge 105 may include a plurality of raw material receptacles 106 .

In some embodiments, at least one cartridge can be configured to dispense a predetermined amount of at least one feedstock from at least one feedstock reservoir into a mixing zone (including one or more mixing channels), a mixing chamber, and/or At least one dissolution chamber. In some embodiments, the at least one cartridge is removably attached to the fluid mixture dispensing system such that it is replaceable, serviceable (refill/replacement), and recyclable. In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system can still operate without the cartridge or exhausted.

In some embodiments, a predetermined amount of at least one feedstock can be dispensed into the mixing zone, mixing chamber, and/or at least one dissolution chamber via at least one valve. In some embodiments, each feedstock reservoir may have individual valves and actuators. In some other embodiments, more than one feedstock reservoir may be associated with the same valve and/or actuator. In some embodiments, each valve assembly can be configured to control the flow of feedstock from the feedstock reservoir to the mixing zone, mixing chamber, and/or at least one dissolution chamber.

In some embodiments, the at least one cartridge, such as cartridge 105, may include a pressurized chamber inside the cartridge. In certain specific embodiments, the pressurized chamber may be formed by the cartridge itself. This pressurized chamber can house a plurality of feedstock reservoirs, such as feedstock reservoir 106, so that pressure can be applied to the feedstock reservoirs. In some embodiments, the system (eg, a controller, pressure regulator, or other elements as will be described in detail below) can be configured to control the pressure of the pressurized chamber. Accordingly, the cartridge can be pressurized so that, when the valve of the raw material reservoir is open, the raw material stored in the raw material reservoir can flow from the raw material reservoir to the mixing channel, the mixing chamber and/or the at least one dissolution chamber. These feedstock reservoirs can be loaded into or attached to a pressurized chamber with a controlled pressure to provide a discharge force.

The mixing zone (including one or more mixing channels), mixing chamber, and/or at least one dissolution chamber may be fluidly connected to the valve outputs of the feedstock reservoirs such that any valve openings may result in feedstock flow to the mixing zone (including a or multiple mixing channels), a mixing chamber and/or at least one dissolution chamber. In some embodiments, the controller can be configured to open at least one valve for a period of time based at least on the pressure of the pressurized chamber, the physical flow characteristics of the particular feedstock in the feedstock reservoir, and/or the The opening diameter of the at least one valve to control the flow of a predetermined amount of the at least one material to be dispensed. Accordingly, for a particular feedstock in a feedstock reservoir, the system can be calibrated to dispense/flow a predetermined amount of a particular feedstock to a mixing zone (including one or more mixing channels), a mixing chamber, and/or at least one The dissolution chamber is based on the pressure of the pressurized chamber, the physical flow characteristics (eg, viscosity) of the particular feedstock in the feedstock reservoir, and/or the diameter of the valve opening (or the diameter of the orifice as explained below). Likewise, the time interval at which the at least one valve is opened may be proportional to the quantity/concentration of at least one feedstock in the feedstock list (from chemical analysis) of the predefined fluid mixture. Dispensing the desired amount of feedstock is controlled by the time the valve is open, so using the approach disclosed in this paragraph is referred to in this disclosure as a time-based feedstock dispensing method.

In some embodiments, the feedstock stored in the feedstock reservoir may be ported to a valve below the feedstock reservoir. In some embodiments, the feedstock reservoirs (and their valves) may open to a mixing zone (eg, 211). In some embodiments, a plurality of feedstock reservoirs may be fluidly connected to a mixing zone comprising a single mixing channel. In some embodiments, a mixing channel may be fluidly connected to a plurality of mixing channels and a second mixing channel may be fluidly connected to a second plurality of mixing channels. For example, a first mixing channel may have 5-20 feedstock reservoirs fluidly connected to it and a second mixing channel may have 5-20 identical or different feedstock reservoirs fluidly connected to the second mixing channel. In these embodiments, the mixing zone may include a plurality of mixing channels. Accordingly, at least one solvent (eg, water and/or ethanol) can flow through the mixing zone and collect any feedstock dispensed into the mixing channels. In some embodiments, at least one solvent can also be dispensed into the mixing zone in order to remove any residual feedstock.

In some embodiments, the mixing channel(s) may be formed at the bottom of the plate body 140 . All mixing channels may be fluidly connected to the solvent reservoir(s) and the mixing chamber. Likewise, a solvent can enter at least one mixing channel and at least one feedstock from at least one mixing reservoir can flow into the mixing channel to form an intermediate mixture with the solvent.

In several specific embodiments of the present invention, the solvent used may be water, alcohol, ethyl lactate, and/or propylene glycol. At least one solvent reservoir can supply at least one solvent to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. For example, at least one solvent reservoir 108a is shown in FIG. 1 and may be, for example, a water reservoir as shown in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system can include a plurality of solvent reservoirs (eg, one or more water reservoirs, one or more alcohol reservoirs, one or more propylene glycol reservoirs, one or more one ethyl lactate receptacle, and/or a mixture of alcohol and water receptacles, and other variants). In some embodiments, any one (or several) of the water reservoirs may include a water filter such that, before the water in the water reservoir(s) is allowed to flow to other components of the system (eg, the mixing chamber) , the water filter can remove impurities in the water.

The at least one solvent reservoir can supply solvent to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. For example, any water reservoir can supply water to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. In some embodiments, the solvent reservoir is a solvent container housed within the fluid mixture dispensing system to supply solvent(s) to the system. The solvent(s) can be used to dissolve or carry various other raw materials to form the desired fluid mixture. In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system (eg, a controller of the system) may cause a predetermined amount of at least one solvent to flow from at least one solvent reservoir to at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate fluid mixture .

In some embodiments, the water reservoir is a water container housed within the fluid mixture dispensing system. In other embodiments, the water reservoir may be a standard water outlet such as a faucet or water pipe, which may be connected to a fluid mixture dispensing system to supply water to the system. Additionally, water can be used as a solvent to dissolve various other feedstocks to form the desired fluid mixture. In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system (eg, a controller of the system) may cause a predetermined amount of water to flow from the water reservoir to at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate fluid mixture. An example of this is illustrated in Figure 2, wherein, in some embodiments, a predetermined amount of water may flow to at least one mixing channel 211 in the mixing zone. The predetermined amount of water may be mixed with alcohol from the alcohol reservoir and/or feedstock from the plurality of feedstock reservoirs (ie, feedstock mixture) in at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate mixture before flowing to the mixing chamber.

As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system may cause a predetermined amount of at least one solvent to flow from at least one solvent reservoir to other components of the system, such as mixing chamber 207. Likewise, the mixing chamber may be fluidly connected to a water reservoir.

The predetermined amount of at least one solvent may be specific to the requested fluid mixture. In other words, whether flowing directly to the mixing chamber or to an intermediate mixture or mixtures, the predetermined amount of solvent(s) flowing to the mixing chamber may correspond to the amount of solvent(s) that flows from the predefined fluid mixture program Quantity in library selected predefined fluid mixtures. In some embodiments, the predetermined amount of the at least one solvent may flow from the at least one solvent reservoir through the system via at least one pump.

In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system may include more than one solvent reservoir, such as a second solvent reservoir, such as the second solvent reservoir 108b shown in FIG. 1 . The second solvent reservoir can be used for the same or a different solvent than the first solvent reservoir. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the second solvent reservoir, such as 108b, can be an alcohol reservoir as shown in FIG. 2 . In some embodiments, the fluid mixture dispensing system may include a plurality of alcohol reservoirs. The alcohol reservoir can supply alcohol to the fluid mixture to be dispensed. As noted above, the solvent reservoirs may include alcohol (eg, ethanol), water, ethyl lactate, propylene glycol, and/or a wide variety of other alcohols and/or solvents and various combinations thereof. The alcohol in the alcohol receptacle can actually be a mixture of alcohol. In some embodiments, the alcohol mixture may include alcohol and water. For example, the alcohol may be a 10-100% alcohol by volume (0-90% water by volume) alcohol mixture.

In some embodiments, the alcohol reservoir(s) is an alcohol container(s) housed within the fluid mixture dispensing system. In addition to supplying alcohol to the fluid mixture, alcohol may also be used to dissolve various other materials to form an intermediate fluid mixture as part of the requested fluid mixture. Alcohol can also be used as a system disinfectant.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system (eg, a controller of the system) may cause a predetermined amount of alcohol to flow from the alcohol reservoir to at least one mixing channel to form an intermediate fluid mixture. An embodiment thereof is illustrated in FIG. 2 , wherein, in some embodiments, a predetermined amount of alcohol may flow to at least one mixing channel 211 . The predetermined amount of alcohol may be mixed in at least one mixing channel with water from a water reservoir and/or feedstock from a plurality of feedstock reservoirs to form an intermediate mixture before flowing to the mixing chamber. In some embodiments, the water and alcohol may be mixed prior to entering the at least one mixing channel.

In some embodiments, in response to receiving a request for a fluid mixture, the system may cause a predetermined amount of alcohol to flow from the alcohol reservoir to other components of the system, such as mixing and/or dissolution chambers, eg, 12a and 12b. An example of this is illustrated in FIG. 2 where, in some embodiments, a predetermined amount of alcohol from alcohol reservoir 108b may flow to mixing chamber 207 . Likewise, the mixing chamber can be fluidly connected to an alcohol reservoir and the alcohol reservoir can be fluidly connected to the at least one dissolution chamber, which in turn can be fluidly connected to the mixing chamber.

The predetermined amounts of alcohol may be specific to the requested fluid mixture. In other words, whether flowing directly to the mixing chamber or to an intermediate mixture or mixtures, the predetermined amount of alcohol flowing into the mixing chamber may correspond to the alcohol being in a predefined fluid mixture selected from a library of predefined fluid mixtures quantity. For example, if a glass of Chardonnay is selected and the predefined formula for Chardonnay has 14% alcohol by volume, the system will cause a predetermined amount of ethanol to be added to the mixing chamber so that, based on the volume of other ingredients, The Chardonnay had 14% alcohol by volume in the final dispensing fluid mixture. In some embodiments, the predetermined amount of alcohol can be flowed from the alcohol reservoir through the system via at least one pump. In some embodiments, the system (eg, controller) can be configured to monitor the amount of alcohol or other solvent and/or feedstock in the alcohol, solvent, and/or feedstock reservoir.

3 illustrates a simplified block diagram of exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing system, such as fluid mixture dispensing device 100, in accordance with several specific embodiments of the present invention. For simplicity, this figure omits some components of the apparatus, such as solvent reservoirs. However, components of the fluid mixing device, such as those mentioned in the description of device 100, may all be present in this embodiment in configurations similar to those previously described. Elements with the same or similar characteristics are represented by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of feedstock receptacles, such as feedstock receptacle 106 , in feedstock cartridge body 105 . As mentioned above, any number of raw material receptacles and/or cassettes may be installed in the apparatus. The feedstock cartridge 105 may be or include a pressurized chamber to maintain the feedstock reservoirs under pressure. FIG. 3 also illustrates a set of valves 307 . The valves in the set of valves 307 may correspond one-to-one with the feedstock reservoirs such that, as previously explained, each feedstock reservoir has its own valve. In several specific embodiments of the present invention, two or more feedstock reservoirs may be associated with the same valve. When the valves in the set of valves 307 are open, the feedstocks may each be dispensed into the mixing zone 211 due to the pressure of the pressurized cartridge 105 . There may be a pressure drop within at least one of the cartridge or the material reservoir as the valves open to dispense the material.

Several specific embodiments of the present invention include means for controlling and/or setting the pressure of the cartridge body 105 . The means for controlling and/or setting the pressure may include a pneumatic system, such as the pneumatic system 250 shown in FIG. 2 . As previously mentioned, the pressure of the cartridge facilitates dispensing of the material and thus facilitates maintaining the pressure of the cartridge at a level that allows the dispensing effect to occur. Additionally, when the valves in the set of valves 307 are opened to dispense one or more materials, the pressure within the cartridge 105 may drop. The pressure in the cartridge can thus be set with a pneumatic system, such as pneumatic system 250 of Figure 2, so that pressure changes in the cartridge do not interfere with the overall process of preparing the fluid mixture with the device.

FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary components of a pneumatic system, such as system 250, in accordance with several specific embodiments of the present invention. As previously described in this disclosure and further illustrated in Figure 3, the pneumatic system may include a pressure source 301 that generates pressure for the system. The pressure source may be an air pump, compressor, high pressure air tank, or some other pressure source.

The pneumatic system may also include an accumulator chamber, such as accumulator chamber 302 . The accumulator chamber may be used to store the pressure provided by the pressure source 301 and supply such pressure to the system at a later stage or in a more controlled manner. In the particular embodiment shown, the pressure source 301 is an air pump that must be energized in order to establish a pressure differential. Embodiments utilizing an accumulator chamber in combination with a pressure source may be advantageous for a number of reasons, as will be detailed in this disclosure. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the accumulator chamber 302 operates like a battery in that it stores pressure that will be used by the system when the pressure source 301 is unavailable (eg, when the air pump is de-energized) . In certain embodiments of the present invention, the accumulator chamber is an intermediary between the pressure source and device components that consume such pressure, thereby providing pressure to such components in a more controlled manner. Accordingly, and as will be described in more detail below, the accumulator chamber may provide significant advantages over the use of the pressure source alone.

The accumulator chamber may be a solid chamber made of suitable materials and dimensions. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the material of the accumulator chamber may be stainless steel, plastic, titanium, aluminum, or the like. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the accumulator chamber may have an elongated shape such as a cylindrical tank, a rectangle, or any other shape. The size of the accumulator chamber may vary with the type of device (eg, a countertop device may have a smaller accumulator chamber than a freestanding device for footprint issues). A larger accumulator provides a larger volume for storing pressure, which can be advantageous because the air pump can be off for a longer period of time. However, a smaller accumulator chamber facilitates fitting into a smaller device. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the accumulator may be an off-the-shelf tank suitable for this purpose.

The accumulator may be pressurized by a target pressure level determined by the system manufacturer and/or the operator. The pressure in the accumulator may range between a minimum threshold (eg, 50 kPa or less) that causes the gas pump to switch on and a maximum threshold (eg, 190 kPa or more) that causes the gas pump to switch off . In certain embodiments of the present invention, the accumulator is pressurized to about 190 kPa. The following table illustrates the measurements used for accumulator leak characterization. This accumulator blow-off characteristic analysis can indicate how well the accumulator maintains pressure, eg, how often the air pump needs to be turned on during normal operation of the device. As shown in the test results below, around 190 kPa, an accumulator under test with a configuration comparable to the embodiment of FIG. 3 deflated at about 2.5 kPa/min. Initial pressure [ kPa ] time [ min ] End pressure [ kPa ] Pressure drop [ kPa / min ] 187 6 172 2.5 189 5 177 2.4 186 5 174 2.4 186 4 177 2.25

4 illustrates a block diagram of additional exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing system, such as fluid dispensing system 100, in accordance with several specific embodiments of the present invention. As shown in this embodiment, the interface between the air pump 301 and the accumulator chamber 302 may include various components. For example, the interface may include one or more valves, such as valve 401 . In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, valve 401 is a check valve. These valves can be used to control pressure flow from the pump to the accumulator chamber. These valves can also be used to prevent backflow and thus protect the pump 301 . The interface may also include one or more filters, such as filter 402 . In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, filter 402 is an air filter. These filters can be used to prevent unwanted elements from penetrating the accumulator chamber and/or system. These filters can also be used to filter condensate from fluid lines. For example, an air filter can be used to filter the air whereby any undesired particles such as dust can be removed before the air is further used by the system. More specific filters, such as purifiers, can be used to clean the air of any potential contaminants that could damage the system and/or the resulting fluid mixture. This is particularly relevant for embodiments where the device is used to prepare a mix that will be ingested, in which case the composition of the beverage becomes more important, including cleaning, filtering and/or purifying potential contact with certain ingredients air. This may also affect the quality and stability of mixtures created using pneumatic systems. The connections between the elements may be tubes made of suitable materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, plastic, and the like.

As also shown in FIG. 4, the interface of the accumulator chamber 302 and the cartridge body 105 may also include various components. For example, the interface may include one or more valves, such as valve 403 . These valves can be used to control pressure flow from the accumulator chamber to the cassette. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, valve 403 is a two-way valve. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the two-way valve allows for blocking flow downstream of the accumulator, which helps achieve higher pressures at the accumulator without pressurizing the rest of the system.

The interface of the accumulator chamber 302 and the cassette 105 may also include one or more pressure regulators, such as pressure regulator 404 . The pressure regulator 404 may control the pressure applied to the system from the accumulator chamber 302 . For example, pressure regulator 404 may regulate the pressure of pressurized cartridge 105 and/or feedstock reservoir 106 . The pressure regulator may also regulate the pressure applied to the system for other functions, such as dispensing and cleaning, as described below in this disclosure. The pressure regulator 404 ensures that the pressure supplied to the device is sufficiently stable. In order to accurately determine the amount of material dispensed during a mixing operation (eg, the time-based dispensing method described above), in embodiments that rely on the pressure of the material reservoir, in order to maintain the accuracy of the determination, the pressure regulator may ensure that The pressure is set to an amount dependent on this determination.

The pneumatic system may also include or otherwise operate in conjunction with one or more sensors. The sensors may be pressure sensors that measure pressure at various points in the system. For example, one or more pressure sensors, such as pressure sensor 405 , may be located in accumulator chamber 302 or otherwise used to measure the pressure in accumulator chamber 302 . Measurements from a pressure sensor, such as pressure sensor 405, may be used by a controller in the system, such as controller 350, to determine if the pressure in the accumulator chamber is appropriate. For example, the controller may determine whether the pressure in the accumulator chamber is below a certain minimum threshold based on measurements from the sensors, and responsively actuate the pressure source 301 to pressurize the accumulator chamber 302, eg, by By switching the pump to the ON state. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the minimum threshold (ie, the pressure measured in the accumulator to trigger the air pump) may be a value between 50 and 75 kPa. Based on measurements from the sensors, the controller may also determine whether the pressure in the accumulator chamber exceeds a certain maximum threshold, and in response actuate the pressure source 301 to stop pressurizing the accumulator chamber 302, eg, by by switching the pump off. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the maximum threshold (ie, the pressure measured in the accumulator to turn off the air pump) may be a value between 50 and 190 kPa. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, this value may be between 80 and 190 kPa. In this way, the pressure in the accumulator chamber can be maintained within allowable limits so that the power storage capacity of the system is available when needed. Reference values such as the aforementioned maximum and minimum thresholds can be stored in memory accessible to the controller of the system so that the controller can access them and use them to compare the reference values with values from sensor measurements to determine whether Action is required (eg, pump on/off, one or more valves on/off, etc.).

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the controller may use other factors to determine when to actuate the pressure source, such as when to switch the air pump to an on/off state. For example, the controller may switch the pump to the off state based on the time the pump has been on, or switch the pump to the on state when a certain amount of time has elapsed since the pump was last turned on. The controller may also or alternatively be configured to bring the pump to a closed state regardless of the pressure in the accumulator after the pump has provided a certain amount of air/pressure to the accumulator. In some specific embodiments of the present invention, the air pump can reach a maximum of about 190 kPa and enter a flow-stop state. These and other alternative mechanisms can be used as safety measures, such as to avoid overpressurizing the accumulator chamber in the event that the sensor fails to function properly.

One or more pressure sensors may also be located in, or otherwise measure pressure in, at least one of the cartridge 105 and/or the feedstock reservoir 106 . Measurements from these sensors can be used by the controller to determine if the pressure in the pressurized cartridge/reservoir is at a target value, such as to allow material to be dispensed from the reservoir when the valves in the set of valves 307 are open. numerical value. This target value can be stored in memory accessible to the controller and can be set/adjusted by the system operator or the system itself.

As previously described in this disclosure, when valve 307 is opened to dispense material from the reservoir, the pressure in the reservoir and/or cartridge may drop. The controller can detect pressure fluctuations from measurements of sensors such as sensor 407 and actuate the valves and components of the system thereby restoring and/or setting the pressure in the cartridge/reservoir to a target value. For example, the controller may actuate a valve, such as valve 403 , from the accumulator chamber to the cartridge to allow pressurized air to flow to the cartridge 105 . A pressure regulator, such as pressure regulator 404, can be configured to provide pressure thereby setting the pressure of the cartridge to a target value. Pressure regulator 404 may also be controlled by controller 350 .

The cartridge body 105 may include at least one inlet valve, such as valve 408, to control inlet flow from the pneumatic system. The inlet valve can also be controlled by the controller 350 so that it can be automatically actuated and used in conjunction with the sensors and pressure regulators described herein. For example, when the pressure within the cartridge 105/feedstock reservoir 106 falls below a certain level, the inlet valve may open to allow pressure from the pneumatic system to enter the cartridge. After the pressure in the cartridge reaches the target level, the inlet valve can be closed. These pressure levels can be determined via a pressure sensor in the cartridge, such as sensor 407 .

The pneumatic system can provide pressure to the system for various purposes. As previously explained in the description of Figures 3 and 4, the pneumatic system may be used to provide pressure to the system to maintain pressurized material cartridge 105/reservoir 106. As another example, the pneumatic system can be used to force air into certain areas of the system. Forced air may be used, for example, to move contents such as raw materials and mixtures within the system. Forced air can also be used for cleaning procedures. For example, forced air may be used to remove residues in the channel after the mixture has been prepared after the mixture has been dispensed outside the mixing zone. This is particularly relevant for fluid mixtures that do not use the same solvent/feedstock, as the solvent from the previous mixture can be removed before the next mixture is prepared. Forced air can be used to move the cleaning agent through the channel. The cleaning agent can be a solvent from a solvent tank, such as alcohol, and the process can be the same as dispensing alcohol for the mixture. Forced air can be used to blow air, water, or any other substance to flush and clean the mixing area.

The systems disclosed herein may dispense air (via various air nodes) at various points in the system, as shown in FIG. 2 . As explained herein, air may be used to maintain pressure in pressurized cartridges, such as feedstock cartridge 105 and/or feedstock reservoir 106 . Additionally, air can be used as a purge for the flow lines, mixing zones, mixing chambers, dissolution chambers, and/or mixing channels so that no solvent or solvent mixture remains before the next fluid mixture is started. Additionally, air can be used to assist in dispensing solvent and/or feedstock from the feedstock reservoir. Air can also be used to control a pneumatic valve to control flow or to help eject the cartridge.

5 illustrates a block diagram of additional exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing system and various pressure channels for various purposes, such as fluid mixture dispensing system 100, in accordance with several specific embodiments of the present invention. This embodiment illustrates how pressure/air from a pneumatic system can be used not only to pressurize the cartridge 105/reservoir 106, but also to provide air to other components of the system for various purposes. The components of the pneumatic system 250 may be those previously mentioned in the description of FIGS. 1-4 .

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the cartridge 105/reservoir 106 may be pressurized via the first channel 501 in the manner mentioned in the description of FIGS. 1-4. Additional pressure passages to other components of the system can come from the pneumatic system. FIG. 5 illustrates at least a second pressure passage 502 from a pneumatic system (eg, from an accumulator chamber) to a three-way valve 503 . The different channels may be branched from a common channel and may include at least one valve common to all channels, such as valve 403 common to channels 501 and 502 (mentioned when describing FIG. 4 ), and may include one or more valves, respectively, specific to each channel multiple valves. For example, the three-way valve 503 may be dedicated to the second channel and need not be associated with the pressurization of the cartridge 105/reservoir 106 . In the same way, valve 408 (mentioned in the description of FIG. 4 ) may be dedicated to the pressurization of cartridge 105 /reservoir 106 via channel 501 and need not be associated with channel 502 . Channel diversion can be used to pressurize the cartridge (105) or to allow pressurized air to purge the channel (air purging/purging) after dispensing or during normal cleaning cycles. This function may depend on the pressurized state of the surrounding two-way and three-way valves.

Three-way valve 503 may be connected to mixing zone 211 and to one or more solvent reservoirs, such as reservoirs 108a and 108b. Three-way valve 503 may be connected to mixing zone 211 via inlet line 506 and to at least one solvent reservoir via at least one solvent line 505 . When in the first configuration, three-way valve 503 may allow solvent to flow into mixing zone 211 from one or more solvent reservoirs via inlet line 506 . In this configuration, inlet line 506 may be a solvent inlet line. As used in this disclosure, solvent line 505 can be an upstream solvent line because it connects upstream of the three-way valve, and inlet line 506 can be a downstream solvent line because it connects downstream of the three-way valve. Mixing zone 211 may include at least a portion of line 506 . In this way, feedstock from feedstock reservoir 106 may be dispensed directly into solvent line 506 .

When in the second configuration, the three-way valve 503 may allow the passage of air from a pneumatic system (eg, from an accumulator chamber). In this configuration, inlet line 506 may be an air inlet line. In this way, air from the pneumatic system can be forced into the mixing zone 211 via the three-way valve 503 . This air can be used to move the mixture of the mixing zone 211 around the mixing zone, for example to agitate the mixture or dispense it outside the mixing zone. The mixture may be dispensed from the mixing zone into the mixing chamber or final dispensing chamber 207 . Once the mixture is mixed there, the air can also be used to clean the mixing zone, for example by forcing air into the channels to remove mixture residues.

As described herein, the three-way valve may allow solvent to flow through solvent reservoirs such as 108a and 108b and create a solvent flow through mixing zone 211 . In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, the solvent flow is provided via one or more solvent pumps 504 that allow solvent from the solvent reservoir to enter the mixing zone 211 via the three-way valve 503 . In certain embodiments of the present invention, the solvent stream may comprise solvent from a single solvent reservoir. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the solvent stream may comprise solvent from a combination of solvent reservoirs such as 108a and 108b. In this case, the mixed solvent line 505 may be connected upstream of the three-way valve 503 . The one or more solvents can be dispensed into such mixed solvent lines, and a three-way valve can provide solvent flow (mixed or unmixed) in the downstream solvent flow to the mixing zone. The feedstock from feedstock reservoir 106 may then be dispensed directly into the solvent stream in mixing zone 211 to form a mixture. This mixture may be an intermediate mixture and further mixed/combined with other raw materials in other components of the system, such as the mixing chamber of final dispensing chamber 207 .

In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, solvent flow through three-way valve 503 and into mixing zone 211 may be stopped before or when feedstock is dispensed from feedstock reservoir 106 into the solvent flow. The solvent flow can be stopped by turning the solvent pump(s) 504 off, by turning the three-way valve 503 into an alternate configuration that does not allow such flow, or by controlling any other valves and components of the system. In this way, the solvent stream may be held in mixing zone 211 for a period of time as one or more feedstocks are dispensed from one or more reservoirs 106 into such streams. The solvent flow can be controlled by the controller of the system so that, for example, an appropriate amount of solvent for the mixture flows to the mixing zone 211 before stopping the flow. The controller can be programmed to change the three-way valve 503 to a configuration that allows solvent to flow from the solvent reservoir through it, or to turn the solvent pump(s) on, or to control any other valve or component of the system The appropriate amount of solvent is allowed to flow to the mixing zone 211 for a period of time. Thereafter, the controller can be programmed to stop the solvent flow and allow the feedstock required for the mixture in feedstock reservoir 106 to be dispensed into the solvent flow held in the mixing channel.

After the desired feedstock is dispensed from the feedstock reservoir into the solvent stream held in the mixing channel, the three-way valve 503 can then be switched to allow forced air from the pneumatic system (eg, accumulator chamber) into the mixing zone 211 A configuration that agitates the mixture and/or pushes it out of the mixing channel. Furthermore, after the mixture has been removed from the mixing zone, strong winds may be allowed into the mixing zone, eg via three-way valve 503, to remove any residues in the mixing channel from the previous mixture before making a new mixture. This avoids cross-contamination between mixtures. In this way, air from the pneumatic system can also be used to clean at least a portion of the device. The cleaning may also include dispensing the cleaning agent into the mixing channel and using forced air to agitate and drain the cleaning area.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram and flow chart of a method of operation for a group of three-way valves, such as three-way valve 503, according to certain specific embodiments of the present invention. As previously explained in the description of Figure 5, the three-way valve can operate in various configurations. When in the first configuration 601 , the three-way valve may allow solvent "S" from one or more solvent reservoirs to flow through it to deliver solvent flow to the mixing zone 211 . When in the second configuration 603, the three-way valve may allow air "A" from the pneumatic system to flow into the mixing zone. As explained herein, this air can be used to move the mixture in the mixing channel, to push the mixture through and out of the mixing channel and/or to clean the mixing channel.

The three-way valve may have one or more additional configurations, such as a "locked" configuration 602, wherein neither solvent nor air can flow through it. As previously explained, while the feedstock from the feedstock reservoir is being dispensed, the solvent flow can be stopped and held in the mixing channel. During this time, the three-way valve may be in the "locked" configuration. Once the feedstock has been dispensed into the solvent stream, the valve can be switched to configuration 603 so that the gas flow moves the mixture through the mixing zone. When the three-way valve is in a configuration that does not allow air from the pneumatic system to enter the mixing zone, such as configurations 601 and/or 602, air from the pneumatic system can be used to pressurize the cartridge rather than via passage 501, As explained herein when describing FIG. 5 .

Flowchart 605 includes step 606 of allowing solvent to flow through the valve in a first configuration (eg, configuration 601). At this step, solvent may be provided to the mixing zone for the mixture. Flowchart 605 further includes an optional step 607 of "locking" the valve to prevent any fluid from passing through the valve. At this step, while the feedstock from the feedstock reservoir is dispensed into the solvent flow, the solvent flow may be stopped so that the solvent provided at step 606 is retained in the mixing zone. Flowchart 605 also includes a step 608 of allowing air flow in a second configuration (eg, configuration 603). During this step, the mixture of solvent and feedstock may be moved through the mixing zone for agitation or final dispensing outside the mixing zone. Step 608 may also include allowing air to clean the mixing zone after dispensing the mixture, as previously described in this disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart 700 for a set of methods in accordance with several specific embodiments of the present invention. 7 provides a plurality of methods that may be performed by different elements of the system and at different times. Therefore, certain steps may or may not be present in all methods described. The method steps described in FIG. 7 may be performed individually and are provided in a single flowchart to illustrate the interrelationship between the different functions that the system may include. However, according to the methods in the set of methods in flowchart 700, the order of the steps may be changed and the performance of some of the steps may be omitted. All steps of the method may be performed by executing instructions stored in memory under the control of one or more controllers in the system.

Flowchart 700 begins with step 701 of pressurizing the accumulator chamber. This step may be performed by pressure source 301 . This step may be preceded by a step of turning the pressure source 301 into an on state. The pressure source can be turned on under the control of the controller of the system. Flowchart 700 continues with step 702 of providing pressure to the system. Once the accumulator chamber has been pressurized or is being pressurized, this step can be performed by it, in conjunction with other elements of the system, such as valves, pressure regulators, and the like.

As previously explained in this disclosure, the pressure from the accumulator chamber can be used for various purposes in the system. Step 703 shows the use of accumulator pressure to pressurize the feedstock cartridge and/or feedstock reservoir. This step can be carried out via the pressure channel 501 mentioned in the description of FIG. 5 . Step 706 shows the use of accumulator pressure to force air into the mixing zone. This step can be carried out via the pressure channel 502 mentioned in the description of FIG. 5 .

Step 703 may be followed and/or preceded by a step 704 of dispensing one or more feedstocks from one or more feedstock reservoirs. As explained previously in this disclosure, this dispensing step may result in pressure changes in the pressurized cartridge. Step 705 of monitoring the pressure in the cartridge/reservoir may be performed using one or more sensors, such as sensor 407 mentioned in the description of FIG. 4 . In order to keep the pressure of the cartridge/reservoir stable, step 705 connects back to step 703 so that these steps can be performed in a loop.

On the other hand, step 706 is followed by a step 707 of moving the mixture through the mixing zone and a step 708 of cleaning the mixing zone. As previously described in this disclosure, these steps may all include the use of forced air from a pneumatic system through the mixing zone. Steps 707 and 708 may be performed separately and/or in any order. In several specific embodiments of the invention, the system may first move the mixture through the mixing zone and finally dispense it out of the mixing zone, and continuously clean the mixing zone using forced air. These two steps can be performed with two different strong winds, for example by stopping the forced air after dispensing the mixture and before cleaning, or using the same strong wind immediately.

Flowchart 700 further includes a step 709 of monitoring the pressure in the accumulator chamber. One or more sensors may be used to implement this step, such as sensor 405 mentioned in the description of FIG. 4 . As shown in the flow chart, this step may cause the air pump or other pressure source to switch on to pressurize the accumulator, or off to correspondingly stop pressurizing the accumulator. As previously explained in this disclosure, the pump can be turned on when the pressure in the accumulator falls below a minimum threshold and can be turned off when the pressure in the accumulator reaches a maximum threshold. The results of monitoring step 709 can be used by the controller to determine whether the min/max thresholds have been reached, and operate the pump accordingly. Once the accumulator is pressurized at step 701, the pump can be turned off and while the pump is in the off state, the accumulator can provide pressure to the system for various purposes, as shown in steps 703-708. When the pressure in the accumulator detected by step 709 decreases, the pump can be turned back on to repressurize the accumulator and store more pressure as needed. In certain specific embodiments of the present invention, steps 702-708 may be performed while the accumulator is being pressurized. In other words, the accumulator can also provide pressure to the system when the pump is on.

8 illustrates an expanded view of a system illustrating some of the components of a pneumatic system in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention. Some of the components previously mentioned in the description of FIGS. 1-7 are illustrated in this view. For example, this view illustrates air pump 301 and accumulator chamber 302 . It also shows pressure regulator 809 , air filter 402 , valve 403 , valve 408 , three-way valve 503 and solvent pump 504 . Other components of the system are illustrated by way of example with fluid valve 801, which may be, for example, a valve for a solvent line used in one of the solvent reservoirs. Also shown is a flow sensor 802, which may be used in conjunction with the fluid valve 801 of the solvent line, eg, to measure solvent flow. Also shown is a pump 803, which may be a mass dispensing pump, such as a sugar pump, to dispense sugar for mixing fluids. An additional three-way valve 805 is also shown. This valve can be used as a solvent bypass in the solvent line, making it possible to dispense solvent not only to the mixing zone, but also directly to the end user or other target, such as when the user wants to dispense water from the device under the circumstances. Other elements in the figure are connectors, such as pneumatic connectors 807 and 808, and brackets for the components described above, such as bracket 804 for solvent pump 504. All components may be attached to a panel such as panel 806 and further assembled with other components of fluid mixture dispensing system 100 . 9 illustrates the assembly of FIG. 8 assembled in a fluid mixture dispensing system according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

As demonstrated by the present disclosure above, embodiments of the present invention utilizing an accumulator chamber as part of a pneumatic system are advantageous for several reasons. One of the advantages may be that the accumulator chamber can act like a battery for the system and store pressure for use when the pressure source is turned off. In this way, the pressure source does not need to be turned on as frequently as when the accumulator chamber is not in use. On the other hand, it is possible to automatically restore the pressure of the accumulator chamber by means of an air pump combined with the accumulator chamber, as opposed to a system in which the pressure source is a pressurized cylinder that needs to be replaced.

Another advantage is that the accumulator chamber can provide pressure to the system in a more controlled manner because the pressure from the accumulator chamber can be monitored and regulated prior to being provided to the system. In this way, the use of an accumulator facilitates precise control of pneumatic systems as it allows for very low flow rate fixed pressure control of the feedstock cartridge pressure and also allows for rapid and violent wind removal A mixing zone (eg, mixing channel) of the device.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the valves of the system, such as the set of valves 307 of the feedstock reservoir, may be motor valves, such as solenoids, and consume electrical power when actuated to dispense feedstock. In these embodiments, the power supplied to the system for actuating the valves can be conveniently stored, and when the valves are actuated, the other components of the system can be shut down. Because the accumulator stores pressure for the system, the pressure source does not need to be turned on when the valves are actuated, and power otherwise consumed by the power source for actuating the valves can be saved. In this way, the accumulator can compensate for power fluctuations in the stock cartridge due to valve opening without the need to use power to feed the pressure source at critical times. Not only the motor valve, but also other power-consuming components of the device can benefit from this feature because the accumulator can be pressurized when these other components are not in use.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, dispensing a feedstock from the feedstock cartridge may result in a pressure drop across the feedstock cartridge of approximately 2-10 kPa. The mixed fluid produced by this system can include any number of feedstocks, so the overall pressure drop across the feedstock cartridge may vary with the mixed fluid. In any event, the accumulator chamber may provide pressure to keep the cartridge pressurized and provide strong winds to dispense fluid out of the mixing zone. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the preparation of the mixed fluid in the device may result in a pressure drop in the accumulator chamber of about 50-75 kPa. In several specific embodiments of the present invention, providing high winds to the system may cause a pressure drop in the accumulator chamber of about 30-70 kPa. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the accumulator chamber stores sufficient pressure to produce two to three mixed fluids, each of which may include dispensing multiple feedstocks and forcing air into the mixing zone To dispense individual mixes and clean between mixes without turning on the air pump.

A controller, such as controller 350 used in this disclosure, may include one or more processors that may be distributed locally within a system or remotely. For example, one or more components of the system, such as valves, pumps, and sensors, may be associated with several individual microcontrollers, which may control the operation and interaction with other components of the system. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the controller may be a control system for the entire device, even though the various control elements are individually programmed and not part of a common control hierarchy. The controller can access one or more memories that store instructions for the controller. These memories may also store system information, such as formula libraries, such as reference values for pressure thresholds and/or target pressure values mentioned in this disclosure, and any other necessary such as sensor data and the like News.

Although this specification has been described in detail with reference to several specific embodiments of the invention, modifications, variations and equivalents of these specific embodiments will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon understanding the foregoing. In conjunction with the above-described hardware elements, any of the methods disclosed herein may be performed by a processor in conjunction with a computer-readable medium storing method instructions. These and other modifications and variations of the present invention may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as more specifically set forth in the appended patent claims.

100: Device/System 102: Shell 103: Interface 105: Box body 106: Reservoir 140: Board body 150: Pictures 160: Pictures 200: Block Diagram 207: Chamber 211: Mix Zone/Mix Channel 250:Module 250: System 301: (Pressure) Source 302: Chamber 307: A set of valves 350: Controller 401: (check) valve 402: Filter 403: (two-way) valve 404: Regulator 405, 407: Sensors 408: Valve 501, 502: Channel 503: Three-way valve 504: Pump 505: Solvent Line 601: First configuration 603: Second configuration 605: Flowchart 606 to 608: Steps 700: Flowchart 701 to 709: Steps 801: Fluid Valve 802: Sensor 803: Pump 804: Bracket 805: Additional three-way valve 806: Panel 807: Connector 809: Pressure regulator 106: Raw material receptacle 108a: Solvent Receptacles 108b: Second solvent reservoir 405: Pressure Sensor 407: Sensor 602: Lock Configuration 702-708: Steps 706: Steps 809: Regulator S: solvent A: air

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a fluid mixture dispensing system according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

2 illustrates a block diagram of several exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing device according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

3 illustrates a simplified block diagram of several exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing system and a pneumatic system according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

4 illustrates a block diagram of several additional exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing system and a pneumatic system according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

5 illustrates a block diagram of several additional exemplary components including a fluid mixture dispensing system having various pressure channels according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

6 illustrates a schematic diagram and flow chart of a method of operation for a group of three-way valves in accordance with several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

7 illustrates a flow diagram of a set of methods for a fluid mixture dispensing system according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

8 illustrates an expanded view of some components in a pneumatic system according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

9 illustrates the assembly of FIG. 8 installed in a fluid mixture dispensing system according to several specific embodiments disclosed herein.

Similar components in the drawings are represented by the same reference numerals unless otherwise indicated.

100: Device

105: Box body

301: (Pressure) Source

302: Chamber

402: Filter

403: (two-way) valve

408: Valve

504: Pump

805: Additional three-way valve

809: Pressure regulator

Claims (30)

A fluid mixture dispensing device comprising: A set of pressurized raw material receptacles; a mixing zone configured to receive at least one feedstock from the set of pressurized feedstock receptacles; a source of stress; an accumulator chamber; a set of valves; with a controller programmed to operate the set of valves to: using the pressure source to pressurize the accumulator chamber; and The accumulator chamber is used to set a pressure in at least one of the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the set of valves to: The accumulator chamber is used to force air into the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 2, wherein: The controller is further programmed to force the air into the mixing zone to dispense the at least one feedstock out of the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 2, wherein: The controller is further programmed to force the air into the mixing zone to clean the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 2, wherein: The accumulator chamber provides pressure to the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs via a first passage; the accumulator chamber provides pressure to the mixing zone via a second passage; and The first channel is not the same as the second channel. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 5, wherein: the first channel includes at least one valve in the set of valves that is dedicated to the first channel; the second passage includes at least one valve of the set of valves that is specific to the second passage; and The first channel and the second channel include at least one valve in the set of valves that is common to both the first channel and the second channel. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising: at least one solvent reservoir; and a three-way valve between the at least one solvent reservoir and the mixing zone; wherein the three-way valve is in the group of valves; and Wherein the controller is further programmed to use the three-way valve to force air into the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 7, wherein: the at least one solvent reservoir is connected upstream of the three-way valve; the three-way valve moves solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir to a downstream solvent line; and The mixing zone includes the downstream solvent line. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 7, further comprising: a second solvent reservoir; and a mixed solvent line configured to receive solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir and the second solvent reservoir; Wherein, the mixed solvent pipeline is connected upstream of the three-way valve. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 9, wherein: The three-way valve connects the mixed solvent line to a downstream mixed solvent line, wherein the downstream mixed solvent line is connected downstream of the three-way valve; and The mixing zone includes the downstream mixed solvent line. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 2, wherein the mixing zone comprises: a set of mixing channels; with a solvent inlet line fluidly connected to a solvent reservoir to receive a solvent; wherein the set of mixing channels receives feedstock from the set of pressurized feedstock as the at least one feedstock from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs is dispensed into the solvent by the pressure in the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs the at least one material of the receptacle; and Therein, the air forced into the mixing zone is forced into the solvent inlet line. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 11, wherein: At least one channel of the set of mixing channels is configured to receive at least two different feedstocks from at least two different feedstock reservoirs of the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 1, wherein: The at least one feedstock is dispensed from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs via at least one motor solenoid. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 13, wherein: the pressure source is off when the at least one raw material is dispensed from the set of pressurized raw material reservoirs; and When the at least one raw material is dispensed from the set of pressurized raw material reservoirs using the at least one motor solenoid, the controller is programmed to operate the set of valves to use the accumulator chamber to control the pressure in the set pressure in the raw material reservoir. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising: an inlet valve; wherein the set of pressurized raw material receptacles are in a pressurized cartridge; wherein the at least one inlet valve is in the set of valves; and Among them, the controller is further planned as: The pressure in the at least one of the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs is set using the at least one inlet valve. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further programmed to: opening the at least one inlet valve when the pressure in the at least one feedstock reservoir reaches a first level; and closing the at least one inlet valve when the pressure in the at least one feedstock reservoir reaches a second level; Wherein, the at least one inlet valve receives pressure from the accumulator chamber. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 15, wherein: The pressurized cartridge further includes a pressure sensor; and The controller is further programmed as: receiving a number of measurements from the pressure sensor; and The pressure in the at least one of the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs is set using the measurements. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 1, wherein: Dispensing a fluid mixture with the fluid mixture dispensing device results in a pressure drop in the set of pressurized raw material reservoirs; and The accumulator chamber stores pressure to pressurize the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs to dispense at least two fluid mixtures without using the pressure source. A method of operation for a fluid mixture dispensing device, the method comprising: using a pressure source to pressurize an accumulator chamber; dispense at least one feedstock from a set of pressurized feedstock receptacles to a mixing zone; and The pressure in the accumulator chamber is used to set a pressure in at least one of the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs. The method of claim 19, further comprising: The pressure in the accumulator chamber is used to force air into the mixing zone. The method of claim 19, wherein: The at least one feedstock is dispensed from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs via at least one motor solenoid. The method of claim 21, further comprising: maintaining the pressure source in a closed state when the at least one raw material is dispensed from the set of pressurized raw material reservoirs; and The pressure in the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs is controlled when the at least one feedstock is dispensed from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs using the at least one motor solenoid. The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving a solvent from at least one solvent reservoir; wherein the mixing zone preserves the solvent; and Wherein, the at least one raw material is dispensed to the solvent while the solvent is stored in the mixing zone. A fluid mixture dispensing device comprising: a mixed zone; at least one solvent reservoir; a pneumatic system; a solvent pump; and a three-way valve fluidly connected to the at least one solvent reservoir, the mixing zone, and the pneumatic system; wherein the solvent pump moves a solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir toward the three-way valve; and Therein, the pneumatic system moves the solvent through the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 24, wherein the three-way valve: in the first configuration, allowing the solvent to flow from the at least one solvent reservoir to the mixing zone; and In the second configuration, air is allowed to flow from the pneumatic system to the mixing zone. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 24, further comprising: a second solvent reservoir; and a mixed solvent line configured to receive solvent from the at least one solvent reservoir and the second solvent reservoir; Wherein, the mixed solvent pipeline is connected upstream of the three-way valve. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 24, further comprising: A set of pressurized raw material receptacles; Among them, the mixed zone includes: a set of mixing channels; with a solvent inlet line fluidly connected to the at least one solvent reservoir to receive a solvent stream; wherein the set of mixing channels receives the at least one feedstock from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs as the at least one feedstock from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs is dispensed into the solvent stream; and Therein, the pneumatic system moves the solvent stream through the mixing zone by forcing air through the solvent inlet line. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 27, wherein: At least one channel of the set of mixing channels is configured to receive at least two different feedstocks from at least two different feedstock reservoirs in the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 27, wherein: The at least one feedstock is dispensed from the set of pressurized feedstock reservoirs via at least one motor solenoid. The fluid mixture dispensing device of claim 24, wherein: The pneumatic system includes a pressure source and an accumulator chamber; the pressure source pressurizes the accumulator chamber; and The accumulator chamber provides pressure to the fluid mixture dispensing device.

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