Plug and play fluid dispensing technology

Abstract

A plug and play system of fluid dispensing and auxiliary modules that use motors with integrated drivers, controllers and the capability of using an internal or external encoder where any one of several modules can be substituted into a base dispensing unit. In the case of positive displacement piston drives, a first motor can be used for the rotary valve operations and a second motor used to position the pump piston. The piston can be very accurately positioned by the second motor that can use an external linear coding system electrically coupled to the motor controller. The invention allows coordination between the two motors of a positive displacement piston system, as well as being able to work with several pump systems linked together in a liquid filling application or other application. The use of a motor system with a common user interface for different types of pump drives allows for “plug and play” capability for liquid filling and other applications. The easy changing of pump drives is often necessary because applications that use positive piston pump dispensing may need to be replaced with peristaltic or rolling diaphragm pumps if the product being dispensed is shear sensitive. The present invention allows changes of pumps with minimal difficulty.

1 . A plug and play system of precision fluid dispensing modules comprising, in combination:
 a plurality of modules, each module having a common electrical interface with each module including at least one stepper motor, said stepper motor having an internal programmed controller with said controller coupled to either an external or internal position encoder, said controller capable of being programmed to interpolate between encoder steps to allow said module to provide precision linear or rotary mechanical motion.   
   
   
       2 . The plug and play system of  claim 1  wherein each of said modules contains two stepper motors, a first stepper motor providing linear motion and a second stepper motor providing rotary motion. 
   
   
       3 . The plug and play system of  claim 2  wherein said first stepper motor drives a positive displacement piston pump. 
   
   
       4 . The plug and play system of  claim 2  wherein said second stepper motor provides rotation to select valves on a positive displacement piston pump. 
   
   
       5 . The plug and play system of  claim 1  wherein said module contains a peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       6 . The plug and play system of  claim 1  wherein said module contains a pump selected from the group consisting of positive displacement piston pump, rotating diaphragm pump and peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       7 . The plug and play system of  claim 1  further comprising a programmable logic controller (PLC) to at least command motion of said stepper motor. 
   
   
       8 . The plug and play system of  claim 7  further comprising a human machine interface (HMI) in communication with said PLC. 
   
   
       9 . The plug and play system of  claim 1  wherein said module drives one of a diving needle, screw capper, pick and place, indexer, vertical pump drive or peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       10 . A plug and play precision fluid dispensing system comprising a plurality of modules each having a common electrical interface with each of said modules containing at least two stepper motors, a first stepper motor for providing linear motion and a second stepper motor for providing rotary motion, each of said first and second stepper motors containing an internal programmable controller, wherein said first stepper motor is connected to an external linear encoder and said second stepper motor has an internal rotary encoder, said internal controller of said first stepper motor being programmed to interpolate between steps of said external linear encoder. 
   
   
       11 . The plug and play precision fluid dispensing system of  claim 10  wherein said common electrical interface includes an RS-485 interface. 
   
   
       12 . The plug and play precision fluid dispensing system of  claim 10  wherein said first stepper motor drives a positive displacement pump. 
   
   
       13 . The plug and play precision fluid dispensing system of  claim 10  wherein said second stepper motor provides rotary motion to valves of a positive displacement pump. 
   
   
       14 . The plug and play precision fluid dispensing system of  claim 10  wherein said second stepper motor drives peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       15 . The plug and play precision fluid dispensing system of  claim 10  wherein said motor controllers are programmed by an RS-232 interface. 
   
   
       16 . A plug and play system for precision fluid dispensing comprising:
 a plurality of electrically interchangeable modules, each containing at least one stepper motor, said stepper motor having an internal controller and either an internal or an external encoder, wherein said controller can be programmed to interpolate between steps of said encoder;   a programmable logic controller (PLC) in communication with at least one of said modules;   a human machine interface (HMI) in communication with said PLC;   wherein each of said internal controllers is separately programmed, and wherein each of said internal controllers is commanded by the PLC. and wherein total system control and coordination is reported to said HMI.   
   
   
       17 . The plug and play system for precision fluid dispensing of  claim 16  wherein at least one of said modules drives a positive displacement piston pump. 
   
   
       18 . The plug and play system for precision fluid dispensing of  claim 16  wherein at least one of said modules drives a peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       19 . The plug and play system for precision fluid dispensing of  claim 16  wherein at least one of said modules drives a pump chosen from the group consisting of a positive displacement piston pump, a rotating diaphragm pump and a peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       20 . The plug and play system for precision fluid dispensing of  claim 16  wherein at least one of said modules has two stepper motors, a first stepper motor providing linear motion and using an external linear encoder and a second stepper motor providing rotary motion and using an internal rotary encoder.