Abstract: A dispensing system for dispensing material onto a substrate. In one embodiment, the material is dispensed into a cavity of the substrate, the cavity having an unknown volume. The dispensing system includes a housing, a dispensing apparatus, coupled to the housing, that dispenses a metered quantity of material, and a volumetric measuring probe, coupled to the housing, and positionable over the cavity of the substrate to measure the volume of the cavity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring and controlling the size of drops of viscous material dispensed from a dispensing system. A dispensing apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes a housing, a dispenser that dispenses a quantity of the viscous material, a measuring apparatus having a bottom plate to receive the viscous material, a top plate that is positioned over the bottom plate after the viscous material has been dispensed, and a compressing apparatus that compresses the material between the top and bottom plates. The dispensing apparatus further includes a viewing system that views the compressed material to determine the quantity of material dispensed by the dispenser. In one embodiment, the dispensing apparatus includes a controller that controls the quantity of viscous material dispensed based on the quantity of material determined by the viewing system.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser has an augering screw that serves both a metering function and a valving function. The augering screw is axially movable between a position in which fluid can flow and a sealing position in which liquid flow through the nozzle is substantially prevented. The screw is preferably designed with a curved contour between the threads and with a plurality of thread-defining channels to allow liquid to fill more completely around the screw and to dispense more liquid with fewer screw turns than prior screw designs.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing system has a number of cartridges, preferably two or four, selectively coupled to a single motor with a respective clutch for dispensing dots of liquid at high speed. The motor drives a spur gear that meshes with individual spur gears associated with each of the clutches. Multiple cartridges are thus activated with a single motor and are housed together in one housing. Each cartridge is movable relative to the housing and is biased downward to a dispensing position with a spring. Air is selectively provided between the dispensers and the housing to drive the cartridges upward to a non-dispensing position. When the air is not provided, the spring returns the cartridge to its downward position. By moving the cartridge relative to the housing, the assembly can dispense at different locations without it being necessary to move the entire pump assembly every time a dot is dispensed.

Abstract: A positive displacement shuttle pump having a cylinder with axially displaced and mutually isolated inlet and outlet portions; a shuttle piston having a reservoir for accepting pressurized feed from the inlet port in the feed cycle and for dispensing feed to the outlet port in the dispensing cycle; a displacement piston extending longitudinally in the shuttle piston and communicating with the reservoir; an actuator for extending the displacement piston into the reservoir to pressurize the feed and urge the feed through the outlet port during the dispensing cycle; the displacement piston is responsive to the pressurized feed in the reservoir for retracting during the feed cycle; the displacement piston driving the shuttle piston through the feed and dispensing cycles.