FLUID DISPENSING DEVICE ACTUATED BY PRESSURE VARIATIONS IN A MAIN CIRCUIT

Abstract

The dispensing device is comprised of a hollow body, divided into a pressurisation chamber and a dispensing chamber using conversion media of the pressure variations into volume variations of the dispensing chamber designed as an elastomer, which has a cavity constituting the actual dispensing chamber, whilst the pressurisation chamber is connected to an inlet tap which has a restriction and ends with an inlet valve and the dispensing chamber to an intermediate section of a secondary circuit which ends at each end in check valves which extend the secondary circuit with a downstream section and an upstream section, the latter being connected to a tank with the product to be dispensed. The closing of the inlet valve leads to a reduction in the volume of the dispensing chamber due to the compression of the elastomer, ejecting the fluid to be dispensed.

Claims

1. Fluid dispensing device operated by pressure variations in a main circuit, characterised by comprising; an inlet tap (5), fitted with a restriction (6), and ending at one end at a connection to the main circuit (12) and at the opposite end with an inlet valve (13); a hollow body (1), divided into a pressurisation chamber (2) and a dispensing chamber (3) using conversion of the pressure variations in the pressurisation chamber (2) to volume variations in the dispensing chamber (3), whilst the pressurisation chamber (2) is connected to the inlet tap (5) in the restriction zone (6), and the dispensing chamber (3) to the intermediate section (7) of a secondary circuit, with each intermediate section (7) ending at each end in check valves (8) which extend with a downstream section (9) and an upstream section (10), whilst the latter is connected to a tank (11) which contains the fluid to be dispensed, in such a way that the fluid dispensing occurs when the inlet valve (13) closes, the means of converting the pressure variations in the pressurisation chamber (2) are an elastomer (4) with a cavity constituting the actual dispensing chamber (3).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] To supplement the description given above, and in order to help a better understanding of the invention features, a detailed description will be given of the preferred design based on a set of drawings accompanying this descriptive report and where, by way as a guideline and by no means exhaustive, the following has been depicted.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a diagram section of the invention device with the inlet valve closed.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a diagram section of the invention device with the inlet valve open.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows the application to a toilet with cistern from an external tank of the product to be dispensed.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows the application to a toilet including the tank of the product to be dispensed inside the cistern.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a variant using a spring-loaded floating piston.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a variant using bellows.

[0030] FIG. 7 shows a diagram of a variant using a spring-loaded membrane.

[0031] FIG. 8 shows a diagram of a variant using an elastomer fitted with a cavity.

[0032] In the above figures, the numerical references correspond to the following parts and components: [0033] 1 Hollow body [0034] 2 Pressurisation chamber [0035] 3 Dispensing chamber [0036] 4 Elastomer [0037] 5 Inlet tap [0038] 6 Restriction [0039] 7 Intermediate section of the secondary circuit [0040] 8 Check valves [0041] 9 Downstream section of the secondary circuit [0042] 10 Upstream section of the secondary circuit [0043] 11 Tank [0044] 12 Connection to the main circuit [0045] 13 Inlet valve [0046] 14 Float [0047] 15 Cistern [0048] 16 Flush [0049] 17 Bottom valve [0050] 18 Floating piston [0051] 19 Bellows [0052] 20 Membrane

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE PREFERRED EXECUTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the dispensing device in the invention is comprised of a hollow body (1), advantageously cylindrical, divided into a pressurisation chamber (2) and a dispensing chamber (3) using an elastomer (4) which has a cavity constituting the actual dispensing chamber (3), whilst the pressurisation chamber (2) is connected to an inlet tap (5) which has a restriction (6), and the dispensing chamber (3) to an intermediate section (7) of a secondary circuit which terminates at each end in the check valves (8) which extend the secondary circuit with a downstream section (9) and an upstream section (10), which itself is connected to a tank (11) of the product to be dispensed. The inlet tap (5) starts at a connection to the main circuit (12) and ends at an inlet valve (13).

[0054] With regard to FIGS. 3 and 4, a description will be given of the application of the dispensing device in the invention to a toilet with cistern (15) in which, to expound on the general case, the inlet valve (13) is operated using a float (14), and a flush (16) operates a bottom valve (17) to produce the conventional flushing of the cistern (15). The tank (11) can be fitted inside the cistern (15) or outside it. If selecting the last option, the one tank (11) only can supply various toilets, with or without cistern.

[0055] The operation of the device is as follows. When the inlet valve (13) opens, a flow is established in the restriction (6) which causes a pressure drop. As a result, the elastomer (4) expands, increasing the volume of the dispensing chamber (3), which causes it to fill from the tank (11) using an upstream section (10) of the secondary circuit. See FIG. 2.

[0056] When the inlet valve (13) closes, the pressure increases in the restriction (6) and in the pressurisation chamber (2), compressing the elastomer (4), which reduces the volume of the dispensing chamber (3) and causes the injection of the product to be dispensed in the downstream (9) secondary circuit. See FIG. 1.

[0057] As far as industrial implementation is concerned, for experts in the field a series of variants will be obvious which, whilst respecting the essence of the invention, adapt the execution of the device to the properties of the fluids to be handled, the available pressures and the fluid volume to be dispensed. As such, the conversion of the pressure variations in the pressurisation chamber to variations in volume in the dispensing chamber will be advantageously carried out using an elastomer (4) however, depending on requirements, a spring-loaded floating piston (18) (FIG. 5), bellows (19) or elastic buffer accumulator (FIG. 6), a membrane (20), (FIG. 7) or any functionally similar mechanism could be used.

[0058] Advantageously, the device in the invention will be incorporated in the inlet tap (5), connected to the inlet valve (13) and to the float (14) to form a monoblock set which replaces the conventional devices in existing installations (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4).

[0059] The sizing of the restriction (6), could be easily optimised using the trial and error method applied to the specific system conditions.