Abstract: A system for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable materials having a wide range of viscosities, such as food condiments, caulking or adhesives, from a flexible-walled container or bag includes a housing for holding the flexible-walled container and a piston positioned within the housing to apply pressure to a wall of the flexible-walled container. An enfitment, which has a piercing member and sealing mechanism, is positioned adjacent an opposite wall of the flexible-walled container. By rotating the enfitment about a rotational axis generally normal to the wall of the first container, the enfitment forms an opening in the flexible-walled container and a seal with the container. The flowable material can then be forced through a hollow tube of the enfitment and an exit nozzle coupled to the enfitment.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods that control motor power in an electric motor such as a stepper motor, advantageously allow improved open-loop motor performance, allow reduced motor hunting, detect stalls, detect out-of-synchronization errors, control and synchronize multiple motors, and can automatically configure motor parameters to provide a motor with a power and load combination that gives an optimized performance. In one embodiment, an EMF commutation circuit detects a rotor position at which to sequence the motor to provide an optimized performance from the motor. In another embodiment, pulse width modulation (PWM) controls power, and the embodiment measures the rotor position within a detent position. Particular embodiments of the invention utilize a motor controller adapted to respond to a commutation signal, a pulse, or both in conjunction with a sensing device, such as an EMF detector or an optical encoder.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods that control motor power in an electric motor such as a stepper motor, advantageously allow improved open-loop motor performance, allow reduced motor hunting, detect stalls, detect out-of-synchronization errors, control and synchronize multiple motors, and can automatically configure motor parameters to provide a motor with a power and load combination that gives an optimized performance. In one embodiment, an EMF commutation circuit detects a rotor position at which to sequence the motor to provide an optimized performance from the motor. In another embodiment, pulse width modulation (PWM) controls power, and the embodiment measures the rotor position within a detent position. Particular embodiments of the invention utilize a motor controller adapted to respond to a commutation signal, a pulse, or both in conjunction with a sensing device, such as an EMF detector or an optical encoder.

Abstract: This computer controlled positive displacement shutter valve dispenser comprises a piston housing, pistons, shutter valves, linear or rotational drive servomechanisms, and a computer controller. The piston housing configuration can be cylindrical or non-cylindrical. Either configuration can have multiple input or output ports selected by the travel of the shutter valve. In addition the non-cylindrical configuration can have a multitude of shapes, allowing for single piston or multiple piston designs. The multiple piston arrangement can have equal or nonequal displacements from the pump cavity of each piston. The computer controls all aspects of the dispenser, including the forward and retract distance, speed and timing of the piston and shutter valves. The amount dispensed can vary between the maximum volume of the pump cavity to a small fraction of its volume as set by the resolution of the controller and linear drive mechanism.

Abstract: A system for dispensing controlled amounts of flowable materials having a wide range of viscosities, such as food condiments, from a flexible-walled container or bag includes a second container for holding the flexible-walled container and a piston positioned within the second container to apply pressure to a wall of the flexible-walled container. An enfitment, which has a piercing member and sealing mechanism, is positioned adjacent an opposite wall of the flexible-walled container. By rotating the enfitment about a rotational axis generally normal to the wall of the first container, the enfitment forms an opening in the flexible-walled container and a seal with the container. The flowable material can then be forced through a hollow tube of the enfitment and an exit nozzle coupled to the enfitment.

Abstract: This invention includes apparatus that circulates and agitates a liquid cleansing solution in a sink by means of gas jet bubbles, in order to clean dirty articles therein. The basic device comprises a base structure, a pressurized gas supply, hollow jet nozzle means disposed in the sink, the jet nozzle means having a sealed end and a plurality of apertures thereon for gas ejection, so as to produce gas bubble jet streams which scrub and clean the articles by both article impact and agitation of the liquid cleansing solution. Preheating of the pressurized gas, coupled with a manifolded heat exchanger in the cleansing solution, provides the means for heating the cleansing solution. Temperature control means are then used to maintain the temperature of the cleansing solution against cooling. Alternately, the heat source may include a separate liquid heater. The warmed gas may also be used to dry the articles after washing.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a pump that dispenses controlled amounts of flowable material by computer controlling both the displacement and angular position of the piston with servomechanism means. The system includes container means to hold a supply of flowable product material to be dispensed; cylindrical piston and piston housing means having a plurality of inlet porting means adapted to receive said flowable product material from the container means, and a plurality output porting means adapted to dispense said product from said container; piston rod means connected to the piston means so as to impart linear and rotary motion to said piston means. Rotary and linear drive means are connected to the piston rod means and adapted to alternately cause surface apertures to align with the inlet porting means while causing surface lands to restrict flow from the outlet porting means, then cyclically reversing said process.

Abstract: A device for pumping controlled amounts of flowable materials having a wide range of viscosities, such as condiments for food, from a bag having flexible walls. The device is comprised of a container to hold the flexible bag, a piston to drive a controlled motion mechanism to compress the bag, a sealing mechanism to seal the bag to constrain flow through a wide range of nozzles, a cutting device to pierce the bag when a seal has been obtained, an exit nozzle(s) to discharge the fluid and to maintain the temperature of the exit nozzle(s). Multiple connections may be made to multiple dispensing points. Dispensing of exact quantities of the flowable material is accomplished by controlling the position of the piston by a stepping servomechanism to displace an exact volume of the flowable material at the exit nozzle. Nozzle temperature is equalized to that of the material in the container by provision of air passages through the nozzle.

Abstract: A control circuit for operating a stepping motor from a DC power source by switching current successively through four stator windings. Switching time in relation to shaft position is controlled by sensing the back EMF in the stator coils, the sensing circuit including a transformer having a first winding connected in series with two windings and the second winding connected in series with the other two windings of the stator. The voltages across the two windings at the transformer are used to generate a commutation pulse each time the voltages are equal. Each commutation pulse is generated in this manner at predetermined angular positions (phase) of the stepping motor independently of motor speed or supply voltage. The commutation pulses are then used to generate clock pulses for sequencing the switching of the stator windings.

Abstract: A control circuit for operating a stepping motor from a DC power source by switching current successively through four stator windings. Switching time in relation to shaft position is controlled by sensing the back EMF in the stator coils, the sensing circuit including a transformer having a first winding connected in series with two windings and the second winding connected in series with the other two windings of the stator. The voltages across the two windings at the transformer are used to generate a commutation pulse each time the voltages are equal. Each commutation pulse is generated in this manner at predetermined angular positions (phase) of the stepping motor independently of motor speed or supply voltage. The commutation pulses are then used to generate clock pulses for sequencing the switching of the stator windings.