Abstract: A hand held dispenser system with associated dispensed material supply assembly as in separate source chemical foam precursor feeding into, for example, streamlined chemical passageways preferably each comprised of, in series, a castellated swivel hose filter, a valve assembly housing, a wing extensions of a manifold, which manifold supports a high efficiency drive system and is supported by a handle that provides for a compact assembly and receives a rugged trigger assembly. The manifold design provides for elongated filter and, temperature controlled cartridge heater insertion. There is further provided in a preferred embodiment a readily releasable electric source feed line plug connection at the butt end of the dispenser. The dispenser is well suited for the dispensing of methane foam as in a product packaging setting.

Abstract: A sealer to bond film having a high temperature resistance (e.g., ceramic) substrate with properly sized groove receiving a heater element as in a flat faced wire band in a tight, flush to adjacent film presentation surface arrangement. A stacked ceramic plate set with wire band within a groove defined by an intermediate stack insert is a suitable substrate. The band is retained flush by a positioner securely locking down one end while the other end is provided at a housing body access location. The sealer is suited for use as a product-in-bag sealing device (products such as air, foam, foodstuff, etc.) with the heater element in contact with film to form a seal. A drag seal arrangement, where film layers are drawn past a fixed or adjustably mounted heater element is an example.

Abstract: An in-line chemical feed pump for a foam dispenser system that has an inlet conduit for receiving chemical fluid, a pump head in chemical fluid communication with the inlet conduit, an outlet conduit in chemical fluid communication with the pump head, and a driver. In addition, there is provided a pump drive transmission system positioned in drive transmission communication between the driver and pump head, with the pump drive transmission system including a magnetic coupling with first and second magnetic coupling members placed to opposite sides of an intermediate protective shroud, and with the shroud having a coupling reception cavity which receives one of said first and second magnetic coupling members. A method of dispensing foam using an in-line chemical feed pump is also featured including use of a system where two chemical lines are involved each with the in-line pump assembly and each line feeding to a mixing module of a dispenser.

Abstract: A material spill prevention system with feed location sensing system to reduce the possibility of material spillage relative to the film being utilized for bag formation. The material spill prevention system monitors whether there is a proper film feed situation and, if not, precludes the release of material from the dispenser as in by precluding a flow controller opening and the release of material to the bag intended to receive the release chemical (e.g., a foam packaging bag). The prevention system is applicable to a variety of film feed arrangements as in a C-fold film drawn by a nip roller arrangement from a roll source with the dispenser mechanism positioned intermediate the nip and film source relative to film travel. An embodiment of the spill prevention system also features an absolute position transducer for monitoring position of a flow controller which controls output of material from the dispenser.

Abstract: A foam chemical dispenser apparatus having a chemical supply device and a dispenser device with housing and foam chemical output. A chemical passageway is provided from the source to the output. In a preferred embodiment, the passageway is at least partially defined by a hose and a chemical conduit formed in the dispenser housing. A heating system is included having a first heater element extending within the hose from a first end positioned closer to the chemical supply device to a second feedthrough supported end positioned closer to the dispenser device, and a second heating element is provided in the dispenser device. A temperature sensor system is included with a first temperature sensor positioned for sensing temperature of chemical in the hose and a second temperature sensor positioned for sensing chemical temperature in the dispenser device.

Abstract: A hand held dispenser system with associated dispensed material supply assembly as in separate source chemical foam precursor feeding into, for example, streamlined chemical passageways preferably each comprised of, in series, a castellated swivel hose filter, a valve assembly housing, a wing extensions of a manifold, which manifold supports a high efficiency drive system and is supported by a handle that provides for a compact assembly and receives a rugged trigger assembly. The manifold design provides for elongated filter and, temperature controlled cartridge heater insertion. There is further provided in a preferred embodiment a readily releasable electric source feed line plug connection at the butt end of the dispenser. The dispenser is well suited for the dispensing of methane foam as in a product packaging setting.

Abstract: A foam chemical dispenser apparatus having a chemical supply device and a dispenser device with housing and foam chemical output. A chemical passageway is provided from the source to the output. In a preferred embodiment, the passageway is at least partially defined by a hose and a chemical conduit formed in the dispenser housing. A heating system is included having a first heater element extending within the hose from a first end positioned closer to the chemical supply device to a second feedthrough supported end positioned closer to the dispenser device, and a second heating element is provided in the dispenser device. A temperature sensor system is included with a first temperature sensor positioned for sensing temperature of chemical in the hose and a second temperature sensor positioned for sensing chemical temperature in the dispenser device.

Abstract: A venting device with base and an adjuster supported by the base, and a driver driving the adjuster. The adjuster includes a film vent former moved by the driver between vent formation mode and non-vent formation mode. The adjuster includes an adjustable blade moving from non-vent mode position with the blade on a first side of the film to vent mode position with a segment of the blade positioned on an opposite film side. The blade has a blade segment traveling within a nip region of the film driver of a foam-in-bag dispenser, where the venting device is nestled in a film drive component slot in the nip zone, and an opposite nip zone roller across the film path has a reception groove receiving the blade segment. The blade is contained in a housing shaped to perform a film wrap around prevention function relative to the bag forming assembly.

Abstract: A foam-in-bag assembly with a film feed mechanism which feeds film with a film driver and a bag forming assembly which includes an edge sealer that contacts film being fed by the film driver and which is supported on a moving member of the film feed mechanism and retains a fixed position relative to the moving member while in sealing engagement with the film being fed by the film driver. The edge seal assembly is preferably for use with a nip roller set and has a bearing through which a driving shaft of the nip roller extends and an edge wire is received on an edge wire support of the edge sealer. The support for the edge wire retains a fixed edge seal position while the driving member rotates within the sleeve.

Abstract: A sealing device with film sealer for localized heating to bond film material as in one having a high temperature resistance (e.g., ceramic) substrate with a properly sized groove for receiving a heater element as in a flat faced wire band in a tight, flush to adjacent film presentation surface arrangement. A stacked ceramic plate set with a wire band received within a groove defined by a smaller height intermediate stack insert is a suitable substrate. The band is retained flush by a positioner fixer system that securely locks down one end for band tightening and the other end is provided at an access location of said housing body for clamping and tensioning the heater element into ready for use position within the groove. The edge sealer is suited for use as a product-in-bag sealing device (products such as air, foam, foodstuff, etc.) with the heater element placed in contact with film material to form a seal.

Abstract: A venting device with base and an adjuster supported by the base, and a driver driving the adjuster. The adjuster includes a film vent former moved by the driver between vent formation mode and non-vent formation mode. In the vent formation mode, the vent former is positioned to an opposite film side as when in the non-vent formation mode. Preferred is an adjuster with an adjustable, base supported blade moving from non-vent mode position with blade on a first side of the film closest to a support point of the blade on the base, to vent-mode position, where the blade includes a segment positioned to an opposite film side. Preferred is a blade segment traveling within a nip region of the film driver of a foam-in-bag dispenser, where the venting device is nestled in a film drive component slot in the nip zone, and an opposite nip zone roller across the film path has a reception groove receiving the blade segment.

Abstract: A foam-in-bag assembly with a film feed mechanism which feeds film with a film driver and a bag forming assembly which includes an edge sealer that contacts film being fed by the film driver and which is supported on a moving member of the film feed mechanism and retains a fixed position relative to the moving member while in sealing engagement with the film being fed by the film driver. The edge seal assembly is preferably for use with a nip roller set and has a bearing through which a driving shaft of the nip roller extends and an edge wire is received on an edge wire support of the edge sealer. The support for the edge wire retains a fixed edge seal position while the driving member rotates within the sleeve.

Abstract: An in-line chemical feed pump for a foam dispenser system that has an inlet conduit for receiving chemical fluid, a pump head in chemical fluid communication with the inlet conduit, an outlet conduit in chemical fluid communication with the pump head, and a driver. In addition, there is provided a pump drive transmission system positioned in drive transmission communication between the driver and pump head, with the pump drive transmission system including a magnetic coupling with first and second magnetic coupling members placed to opposite sides of an intermediate protective shroud, and with the shroud having a coupling reception cavity which receives one of said first and second magnetic coupling members. A method of dispensing foam using an in-line chemical feed pump is also featured including use of a system where two chemical lines are involved each with the in-line pump assembly and each line feeding to a mixing module of a dispenser.

Abstract: A fan control system uses a closed loop system to adjust the actual operating speed of a fan or fans to a desired operating speed. The desired speed and actual speed are compared in a high gain amplifier to generate a control signal to adjust the actual operating speed of the fan given the feedback.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for increasing the bandwidth of an optocoupler includes cascode coupling the optocoupler driver transistor with a buffer so as to reduce voltage variations across the driver transistor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for increasing the bandwidth of an optocoupler includes cascode coupling the optocoupler driver transistor with a buffer so as to reduce voltage variations across the driver transistor.

Abstract: A fan control system uses a closed loop system to adjust the actual operating speed of a fan or fans to a desired operating speed. The desired speed and actual speed are compared in a high gain amplifier to generate a control signal to adjust the actual operating speed of the fan given the feedback.

Abstract: A low cost differential voltage limiter circuit provides a feedback to regulate a voltage output of a voltage source. In one embodiment, the limiter circuit includes a transistor coupled to outputs of first and second voltage sources. If a differential voltage between the two sources exceeds a predetermined threshold, the output voltage of the higher source is reduced. In one embodiment, a PNP transistor is used to regulate the high voltage source.

Abstract: A management system and method are provided to adjust fans used for cooling equipment. The system includes one or more electric fans. The operational speed of the fan(s) is adjusted as the environmental parameters change. For example, the fan speed is increased as the temperature and elevation increase. In addition, fan failure circuitry provides a safe operation feature that increases fan supply voltage when a performance failure is detected.