Metered Dispensing System

Abstract

An improved flow rate metering device that provides for the mixing and dispensing of two or more fluids to form final mixture, for example, for automatic washing of cars and trucks. More specifically, the invention is a system that mixes and ejects chemicals, creating a very precise mixture of one or more chemicals with a dilutant, such as water. The device also has the capability of monitoring an entire chemical dilution and release system, comprising multiple chemicals, and using software to document past and current usage rates, along with predicting future usage rates based upon both past usage rates and environmental conditions.

Claims

1. A device for delivery of chemicals, consisting of a cloud database, a power source, a smart dispenser, and an internet connection, where the smart dispenser consists of a monitoring system, a delivery system and a carwash controller, where the smart dispenser consists of a manifold, a water bullet valve, a chemical bullet valve, an air stepper valve and a volumetric pump, where the carwash controller sends a signal to the smart dispenser, where the signal comprises a plurality of wash figures relating to a chemical signal, a wash package signal, and a wash counter signal, where the smart dispenser analyzes the chemical signal, the wash package signal and the wash counter signal, and sends a cloud database signal to the cloud database, and creates a plurality of valve controls for the water bullet valve, the chemical bullet valve and the air stepper valve, where the manifold distributes a quantify of water from the water bullet value, a quantity of chemical from the chemical bullet valve, and a quantity of air from the air stepper valve into a quantity of car wash liquid, where the quantity of car wash liquid is directed onto a car at a carwash.

2. The device of claim 1, where the device relates to the cleaning of a plurality of cars in a car wash, where the device additionally comprises a plurality of monitoring probes, where each of the plurality of monitoring probes measures a tank level for each of a plurality of chemical boxes, where the tank levels are transmitted to the cloud, and where the smart dispenser receives the tank levels from the cloud, and where the smart dispenser estimates a number of car washes remaining for a particular chemical that is uses for a particularly type of car wash.

3. The device of claim 2, where the number of car washes is used to create a purchasing estimate for each of the particular chemicals, which gives the car wash owner a realistic estimate on when he/she should be placing one or more orders for one or more additional containers of each particular chemical.

4. The device of claim 3, where the air stepper regulates air pressure and flow between 3 and 60 psi.

5. The device of claim 4, where the chemical bullet valve requires a constant chemical pressure when in operation of between 10 and 50 psi.

6. The device of claim 5, where the chemical bullet valve needs the chemical pressurized between 30 and 40 psi.

7. A device for delivery of chemicals, comprising a cloud database, a power source, a smart dispenser, and an internet connection, where the smart dispenser comprises a monitoring system, a delivery system and a carwash controller.

8. The device of claim 7, where the smart dispenser additionally comprises a manifold, a water bullet valve, a chemical bullet valve, an air stepper valve and a volumetric pump, where the carwash controller sends a signal to the smart dispenser, where the signal comprises a plurality of wash figures relating to a chemical signal, a wash package signal, and a wash counter signal, where the smart dispenser analyzes the chemical signal, the wash package signal and the wash counter signal, and sends a cloud database signal to the cloud database, and creates a plurality of valve controls for the water bullet valve, the chemical bullet valve and the air stepper valve, where the manifold distributes a quantify of water from the water bullet value, a quantity of chemical from the chemical bullet valve, and a quantity of air from the air stepper valve into a quantity of car wash liquid, where the quantity of car wash liquid is directed onto a car at a carwash.

9. The device of claim 8, additionally comprising a plurality of monitoring probes, where each of the plurality of monitoring probes measures a tank level for each of a plurality of chemical boxes, where the tank levels are transmitted to the cloud, and where the smart dispenser receives that tank levels from the cloud, and where the smart dispenser estimates a number of car washes remaining for a particular chemical that is uses for a particularly type of car wash.

10. The device of claim 9, where the number of car washes is used to create a purchasing estimate for each of the particular chemicals, which gives the car wash owner a realistic estimate on when he/she should be placing one or more orders for one or more additional containers of each particular chemical.

11. The device of claim 10, where the air stepper regulates a level of air pressure and where the level of air pressure is a flow between 3 and 60 psi.

12. The device of claim 11, where the chemical bullet valve requires a constant chemical pressure when in operation of between 10 and 50 psi.

13. The device of claim 12, where the chemical bullet valve needs the chemical pressurized between 30 and 50 psi.

14. The device of claim 13, where the air stepper regulates air pressure and flow between 3 and 60 psi.

15. The device of claim 14, where the stepper uses an inlet of 90 to 125 psi.

16. The device of claim 15, where the chemical bullet valve has a constant chemical pressure when in operation of between 10 and 50 psi.

17. The device of claim 15, where the chemical bullet valve needs the chemical pressurized between 30 and 40 psi.

18. The device of claim 7, where the smart dispenser analyzes the chemical signal, the wash package signal and the wash counter signal, and sends a cloud database signal to the cloud database, and creates a plurality of valve controls for the water bullet valve, the chemical bullet valve and the air stepper valve, where the manifold distributes a quantify of water from the water bullet value, a quantity of chemical from the chemical bullet valve, and a quantity of air from the air stepper valve into a quantity of car wash liquid, where the quantity of car wash liquid is directed onto a car at a carwash.

19. The device of claim 18, where the monitoring system comprises a carwash controller and a smart dispenser, and where the smart dispenser comprises a water bullet valve, a chemical bullet valve, an air stepper valve and a volumetric pump, where the air stepper regulates air pressure and flow between 3 and 60 psi.

20. The device of claim 19, where the chemical bullet valve requires a constant chemical pressure when in operation of between 10 and 50 psi, where the chemical bullet valve has the chemical pressurize between 30 and 50 psi, where the air stepper regulates the air pressure and the flow between 90 to 125 psi.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the assembly of the various components into the final product, and how this assembly is monitored.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the relationship between the various bullet valves.

[0027] One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0028] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative systems embodying the principles of the present subject matter. Similarly, it will be appreciated that any flow charts, flow diagrams, state transition diagrams, pseudo code, and the like represent various processes which may be substantially represented in a computer-readable medium and executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0029] Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0030] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0031] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.

[0032] In the present document, the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0033] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

[0034] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the tennis “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

[0035] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may, in fact, be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood byone of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the assembly of the various components into the final product, and how this assembly is monitored. At the carwash, a carwash controller controls a chemical signal, the wash package and the wash counter, which keeps track of how many of what type of car washes have occurred that day. The carwash controller combines with a cloud holding inventor-owned data and historical data relating to this particular carwash to control Smart Dispenser programmable logic controller (PLC). The Smart Dispenser then uses this data to control the water bullet valve, the chemical bullet valve, and the air stepper valve. The history of adjustments made to these devices are then stored in the cloud.

[0038] With respect to controlling the chemical dispensing, the Smart Dispenser causes the water bullet valve, the chemical bullet valve and the air stepper valve to affect the production of one or more products for the Water and Chemical Arch and the Air for Arch. The arch is a customer-supplied piece of equipment, usually a metal arch that has a series of nozzles imbedded into it. These nozzles are what sprays the chemical(s)/mixture(s) onto the car.

[0039] Smart software provides Data in the form of reports, live data, chemical controls and the results

[0040] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the relationship between the various bullet valves. The water pressure is stabilized by the bladder pump. Water can be obtained from city water supplies or well water. A pressure transducer reads the water pressure after it is pushed out of the bladder pump and passes on the reading of the constant line pressure to the programmable logic controller (PLC). The software component of the invention recognizes any variances in pressure.

[0041] The air pressure is mainly used for “foaming” the chemical and water components into a foam when it is applied to the car. The stepper motor controls how much PSI or air flow is needed to make the chemical more or less foaming. Chemical pump pressure can be created in two ways. First, the use of a volumetric pump with an internal piston that is air pressure driven. Second, a pressure vessel (“Smart Tank”) with an internal piston and piston return spring that constantly keeps the chemical under pressure for the delivery system, and auto-refills itself with chemical through air pressure.

[0042] The chemical pressure pump is preset and maintained, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, at 30-40 psi. This pressure is created by volumetric pressure pump that is backed by a check valve. A bullet control valve that has been properly sized for functionality in this invention regulates release of the chemical(s).

[0043] The PLC emits output pulses to control an on/off cycle, with a preferred embodiment teaching each 500 m/s on and 0.5 m/s off. The total flow is calculated by how many cycles the valve turned on and off during the product run time from the wash controller.

[0044] The air pressure to the stepper motor is controlled by the PLC, and can be adjusted by the user. Air is dispensed directly to the arch manifold. An air pressure transducer installed on the incoming air pressure line notifies the system if a loss in pressure occurs.

[0045] The size of the water bullet valve is determined from the arch properties, such as the number of nozzles, flow rate of each nozzle, size of arch pipes, size of delivery tubing, length of run, etc. The nominal output GPM is 2-15@15-60 psi. Multiple water and chemical distribution blocks are connected for single chemical use. Different blocks are setup in the same fashion for other applications.

[0046] Ambient temperature inside mechanical room or wash bay (where ever the dispensing unit is located) is measured. An algorithm determines chemical viscosity per degree of temperature change, and adjusts for the flow rate of the chemical through the chemical bullet valve to change as temperature changes.

[0047] The PLC controller receives one or more chemical demand signals from the carwash controller. A system of events then initiates the water and chemical bullet valves, controlling the stepper bullet valve the air to mix with the chemical(s). The software contains a parameter setup for the chemical bullet valve flow rate. On/off cycles build a usage report for that chemical used.

[0048] It should be noted that the present disclosure is not restricted to be used with a single vehicle-wash bay. Indeed, it is anticipated that the present disclosure will be used in conjunction with multiple vehicle-wash bays, wherein the variation of demand might be even greater and wherein the need for and desirability of the present inventive apparatus and method will be even greater.

[0049] The inventive system and device 100 and associated method for metering quantity of fluid supplied through the device 100 are intended to be widely used in the vehicle wash industry. In particular, the present disclosure is particularly applicable to vehicle washes, wherein a great quantity of chemicals is used and, thus, it is extremely important to keep the ratio of chemical to water solvent at an ideal proportion. It should be noted that the method and device proposed herein will work with almost any viscosity of chemical/product/fluid, and that the method and device can be adapted for use with a great variety of vehicle-washing facilities.

[0050] All of the above are only some of the examples of available embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous other modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the present disclosure may be used in systems other than vehicle-washing systems, such as conveyor-type vehicle wash systems, drive-through wash systems, or other types of stationary, variable demand spray-wash systems. Accordingly, the disclosure herein is not intended as limiting and the appended claims are to be interpreted as encompassing the entire scope of the invention.

[0051] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present disclosure when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

[0052] All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved.