Abstract:
A condiment dispensing apparatus for dispensing condiments from a bag-in-box type container (108). There is a high durometer compressible elastomeric liquid flow tube (14), an infeed and outfeed thereto and therefrom, and a movable anvil (26) with a round surface to compress the tube. There is an opposed stationary anvil (28) which holds the tube for compression by the movable anvil. The tube is held between the anvils (26, 28) in a slightly compressed state even when the anvil is retracted. There is a control assembly (FIG. 15) that causes extension and retraction of the movable anvil to cause flow through the tube, and subsequent delivery of condiment to a dispensing fixture (110).
Abstract:
A linear compressor is provided which may be employed in refrigerators or air conditioners. The linear compressor includes a compressor mechanism disposed within a hermetic casing. The compressor mechanism includes a linear motor which makes a piston reciprocate within a cylinder and a piston oscillation controller. The piston oscillation controller controls oscillations of the piston so as to bring an actual top dead center position of the piston into agreement with a reference top dead center position and alters the reference top dead center position based on a given parameter such as an ambient temperature or a required thermal load of, for example, a refrigerator. An improved structure of the linear motor is also provided.
Abstract:
A diaphragm pump is provided with a diaphragm defining a pump chamber and a drive chamber in the pump housing, a driving fluid is supplied to the drive chamber and a pump fluid is expelled from the pump chamber. The diaphragm pump is provided with pressure control means which, when the pressure in the pump chamber surpasses the pressure in the drive chamber neighboring the pump chamber across the diaphragm, controls the pressure of the driving fluid based upon output signals from pressure sensors in such a manner that the pressure in the fluid chamber will become higher than the pressure in the neighboring drive chamber. This makes it possible to prevent a diaphragm reversal phenomenon, wherein a diaphragm that should expand toward the pump chamber contracts toward the drive chamber instead during reciprocation of the diaphragm.
Abstract:
A fluid delivery method and apparatus implementing active phasing to actively restore the substantially exact mechanical positions of driven components in a delivery system in order to precisely reproduce the mechanical signature and hydraulic characteristics of the system from run to run without perturbing output flow. The delivery system is configured to intelligently drive pump pistons to a known position and to delivery fluid(s) at a known pressure, and includes a plurality of pump modules each including motor driven syringes having respective pistons configured to reciprocate under control of a control mechanism. Pump phasing is accomplished through a mechanism of compensation delivery of the syringes. An independent, motor-driven syringe of any given pump in a plurality of pumps in a system has the ability to act as a delivering syringe to maintain a prescribed output flow while one other syringe of each of the plurality of pumps is repositioned under load. With the delivering syringe maintaining output flow, the syringe which is repositioning, i.e. being phased, can substantially simultaneously arrive at a destination position and at a destination pressure.
Abstract:
A linear compressor is provided which may be employed in refrigerators or air conditioners. The linear compressor includes a compressor mechanism disposed within a hermetic casing. The compressor mechanism includes a linear motor which makes a piston reciprocate within a cylinder and a piston oscillation controller. The piston oscillation controller controls oscillations of the piston so as to bring an actual top dead center position of the piston into agreement with a reference top dead center position and alters the reference top dead center position based on a given parameter such as an ambient temperature or a required thermal load of, for example, a refrigerator. An improved structure of the linear motor is also provided.
Abstract:
A hydraulic motor has a longitudinally extended piston cylinder divided longitudinally into two separate and distinct fluid passages by a central divider. Longitudinally midway about the extended piston cylinder is attached a large center piston which provides the primary driving force for operation of the hydraulic motor. Pressurized fluid passes through one fluid passageway formed by the extended cylinder and central divider, and then through ports formed in the piston cylinder into a chamber. The pressurized fluid drives the large center piston, and therefore the piston cylinder, towards the source of fluid pressure being admitted into the piston cylinder. Pressurized fluid is thereby ported from a pressure chamber through the cylinder beyond the longitudinal midway point, and then passed through the cylinder wall to the power piston surface. In a similar manner, vacuum fluid is admitted into the remaining fluid passageway within the piston cylinder from an end opposite of the pressure fluid, and passed beyond the longitudinal midway point where it passes through the cylinder wall to the power piston on a surface opposite of the pressurized fluid. A power plant using the motor and an energy converter are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A linear actuator and pump unit for precision displacement of fluids in which a positive displacement, piston pump is coupled to an actuator mechanism having a carriage on a guide that is displaced by a rotary drive connected to a take-up drum on an anchor structure that has a pulley line anchored to the anchor structure looped around a first idler pulley on the carriage, looped around an idler pulley on the anchor structure, looped around a second anchor structure on the carriage, and connected to the take-up drum, the positioning of the carriage being detected by a sensor and the rotary drive that controls the precision operation of the piston pump.
Abstract:
A system for the transport of high solids sludge includes a positive displacement pump for pumping sludge through a pipeline. The volume of sludge transported is accurately measured by determining the fill percentage by using a material flow signal, measured time intervals, hydraulic fluid pressure, or hydraulic fluid flow rate during each pumping cycle.
Abstract:
A system and method for controlling operation of a sludge material handling system is disclosed. The sludge material handling system includes a positive displacement piston/cylinder pump, a sludge material feed system which delivers sludge material to the pump, and a sludge material disposal system which receives and disposes of sludge material from the pump. A first parameter is sensed, the first parameter bearing a known relationship to an actual volume of sludge material delivered during a pumping cycle. An output value is determined from the first parameter. A control signal is provided as a function of the output value.
Abstract:
A system for the transport of high solids sludge includes a positive displacement pump for pumping sludge through a pipeline. The volume of sludge transported is accurately measured by determining the fill percentage during pumping cycle.