Abstract: A dispensing unit for a fluid dispensing machine comprises at least an inlet duct (35) and an outlet duct (36) for fluid products, connected to a variable-volume pumping chamber (30) comprising at least one flexible wall (30a). Two non return valves mounted in counter-phase are located in the inlet and outlet ducts (35, 36), respectively. The pumping chamber is coupled to actuator means comprising a stepper motor (20) a screw-nut screw unit and a carriage (28). The carriage moves the pumping chamber from a zero position in which the chamber has a maximum volume to an upper limit in which the chamber has a minimum volume. An optic sensor (40) defines the zero point of the pumping chamber (30) so as to guarantee precision and repeatability of the dispensing operations.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 19, 2002
Publication date:
December 26, 2002
Applicant:
COROB INTERNATIONAL AG
Inventors:
Andrea Parrino, Giorgio Manfredini, Leopoldo Mazzalveri
Abstract: A dispensing unit for a fluid dispensing machine comprises at least an inlet duct and an outlet duct for fluid products, connected to a variable-volume pumping chamber comprising at least one flexible wall. Two non return valves mounted in counter-phase are located in the inlet and outlet ducts, respectively. The pumping chamber is coupled to actuator means comprising a stepper motor, a screw-nut screw unit and a carriage. The carriage moves the pumping chamber from a zero position in which the chamber has a maximum volume to an upper limit in which the chamber has a minimum volume. An optic sensor defines the zero point of the pumping chamber so as to guarantee precision and repeatability of the dispensing operations.