Hydra-Flex Inc.

Gp Companies, Inc.

Jaime Leonard Harris

Karl J Fritze

Gary Allen Brown

David George Kensinger

Bryan Flood

Christopher Molitor

Zachary Cornett

Joel T Fisher

Chris Molitor

Brad S Kessler

Steven Christensen

Dave Kennsinger

A manifold for use with a fluid delivery system includes a fluid inlet defining a portion of a common channel, a fluid nozzle outlet, a plunger housing of an integrated valve, a collar of a coupling mechanism, and a mounting structure. The fluid inlet, fluid nozzle outlet, plunger housing, collar and mounting structure of the manifold are integrally-constructed. A manifold assembly for use with a fluid delivery system includes at least a first and a second manifold. Each manifold includes a fluid inlet defining a portion of a common channel, a fluid nozzle outlet, a plunger housing of an integrated valve, and a collar of a coupling mechanism. The fluid inlet, fluid nozzle outlet, plunger housing, and collar are integrally-constructed, and the fluid inlet of the first manifold is received by a portion of a common channel of the second manifold.

Manifold with integrated valve

An oscillating spray nozzle and related methods for providing spray patterns in a variety of oscillating patterns by driving movement of the nozzle with a progressing cavity displacement motor. By varying the design of the progressing cavity displacement motor, a variety of spray pattern geometries can be generated and a speed of the nozzle as it travels through the spray pattern geometries can be controlled. The oscillating spray nozzle can include a housing enclosing a progressing cavity motor that is operably connected to a spray nozzle. The progressing cavity motor includes a rotor member that is caused to rotate and oscillate within a stator member. The rotor member is operably linked to the spray nozzle, whereby the movement of the rotor member is communicated to the spray nozzle.

Oscillating nozzles

A chemical dispensing system including a rack based system that can hold a plurality of chemical dispensing containers. The chemical dispensing containers can make use of concentrates or hyper concentrates of chemicals allowing smaller capacity containers. The rack based system can include a modular rack that is configurable to hold a desired number of containers. Using the modular rack, the containers can be easily ganged together to increase capacity or build in redundancy for one or more of the chemicals through the configuration of a rack manifold constructed of individual manifold segments. Within the manifold, various flow paths can be linked or terminated between adjacent manifold segments and chemical containers.

Modular chemical dispensing assembly

A system for controlling and monitoring the chemical usage in a car wash systems that form an aqueous cleaning solution by diluting a cleaning chemical concentrate in a process water stream to form. Level sensors are mounted to the bulk containers containing the chemical concentrate to measure and track the usage of the chemical concentrates. The usage data is collected and used to adjust flow rate controllers controlling the dilution of the concentrate into the process water stream. The system can be integrated into continuous processes where the aqueous cleaning solution is dispensed immediately after production and batch processes where the cleaning solution is stored temporarily before being dispensed onto a vehicle.

Chemical delivery data acquisition system

A chemical dispensing assembly having injector assemblies that combine a solvent stream with a concentrate stream within a Venturi injector assembly to produce a chemical solution outlet stream. Each injector assembly has an interchangeable metering assembly that limits the flow of concentrate into the Venturi injector assembly to change the resulting concentration of the concentrate within the solution outlet stream. The chemical dispensing assembly also has a keyed connector system that prevents the connection of the wrong concentrate container to the wrong injector assembly.

Chemical dispensing apparatus and related methods

An improved venturi-style eductor apparatus for dispensing chemicals into a motive fluid stream where an eductor body FIG.is manufactured by molding a chemically inert polymer material FIG.around and inside a metallic insert FIG.. Opposing ends of the metallic insert may be threaded, flanged, or machined for push-in connection to facilitate mating with a motive fluid source and a dispensing device. By manufacturing an eductor assembly using a single-piece metal insert over-molded with an inert polymer provides improved chemical resistance for aggressive applications and allows improvements in venturi geometry not achievable using traditional machined components. This apparatus reduces manufacturing cost over current state-of-the-art eductor assemblies by using a single molding step to create flow-path geometry in the eductor body while retaining mechanical strength with the metallic insert FIG.

Eductor assembly with dual-material eductor body

Chemical dispensing systems and related methods for precision handling of fluids including water and bulk chemicals. Representative chemical dispensing system can include wall mounted dispensing panels or portable, frame mounted dispensing units. These chemical dispensing systems provide easy access to all required interfaces including water, chemical, air, electrical and solution. The wall mounted dispensing panel can include a molded routing panel having molded recesses for mounting and managing specific air, fluid and control modules. The portable, frame mounted dispensing unit can include an onboard pump assembly for pressurizing a motive fluid. The frame assembly can include one or more lifting handles and adjustable feet to allow for easy transportation and placement of the portable dispensing unit.

Micro dosing panel system

Apparatus and related methods for continually measuring and dispensing precise amounts of bulk chemical in a car wash application. A gravimetric dispensing assembly can include a load cell and a syringe dosing pump that is suspended below the load cell such that an entire mass of the syringe dosing pump is communicated to the load cell. In this manner, the load cell can measure the actual mass of chemical being dispensed from the syringe dosing pump on a continuous basis without solely relying on the rated volumetric capacity of the syringe dosing pump. The syringe dosing pump can be driven by a stepper motor that can be pulsed as directed by a controller so as to maintain, increase or decrease an amount of bulk chemical being dispensed from the syringe dosing pump.

Gravimetric dispensing system

A configurable rotary spray nozzle having lower manufacturing and maintenance costs through the use of an external shell providing strength and resistance to damage such that molded internal components can be utilized to provide the desired spray characteristics. The molded internal wet components can comprise molded polymeric structures that allow for the formation of complex flow geometries and structures that are either impossible or economically impractical to achieve with conventional tooling and machining operations. The use of an external shell provides for use of replacement kits to maintain or otherwise replace worn and/or damaged internal wet components while reusing the external housing. The use of the external shell also allows a user to customize and change spray performance of the configurable rotary spray nozzle by swapping internal wet components having selected flow geometries and characteristics so as to provide a desired spray performance.

Configurable rotary spray nozzle

An expandable chemical delivery system sharing a common bulk fluid inlet and bulk fluid flow path to direct a bulk fluid through one or more selected chemical eductors. Each chemical eductor is slidably insertable into an eductor port on the manifold body such that rotation of the chemical eductor is not required for installation. After installation, the orientation of the chemical eductor can be rotatably adjusted so as to avoid interference with adjacent chemical eductors. Delivery of a bulk fluid to each chemical eductor is controlled via a corresponding valve assembly that selectively allows or blocks flow of the bulk fluid from the bulk fluid flow path to the corresponding chemical eductor. The manifold body can include a plurality of individual manifold bodies approximated with a coupling system to define the bulk fluid flow path. Alternatively, the manifold body can comprise a single fabricated body for high pressure operation.

Chemical delivery system

A high-pressure rotary nozzle includes a magnetic coupling for the purposes of driving a rotor body within the nozzle housing. The nozzle housing defines an internal chamber, and a propulsion ring is retained within the housing such that a liquid introduced into the propulsion ring causes the propulsion ring to rotate and passes into the chamber. The rotor body is pivotally supported within the chamber and is operably coupled to the propulsion ring such that the rotor body moves along with the propulsion ring. The rotor body rotates about the housing, such that the liquid exits the chamber in a rotating jet.

Magnet-driven rotary nozzle

A flow switch for a high pressure washing system or other flow-related system is disclosed. The flow switch switches from an open to a closed position in the presence of adequate flow in a water or other fluid-carrying pipe. The flow switch includes a housing with a tubular bore, an inlet port and an outlet port which allow fluid to flow through the housing. Within the housing is a plunger with an attached plunger magnet. The plunger is responsive to fluid flow. A sensor is situated proximate to the housing. A sensor magnet is placed in position near the sensor and opposes the plunger magnet. A third magnet (the alignment magnet) is placed proximate to the housing. When there is no flow within the housing, the plunger is at its rest position as the alignment magnet attracts the plunger magnet to correctly align and position the plunger within the housing. When a threshold rate of flow is present, the force from the flow overcomes the attractive force of the alignment and plunger magnets and the plunger is moved to its secondary position. In this position, the plunger magnet trips the sensor when it repels the sensor magnet. In some embodiments, a display unit visually indicates that the microswitch has been triggered.

In-line flow switch assembly including magnetic sensitive plunger and microswitch actuator

A flow switch for a high pressure washing system or other flow-related system is disclosed. The flow switch switches from an open to a closed position in the presence of adequate flow in a water or other fluid-carrying pipe. The flow switch includes a cartridge body, a sensor, a plunger, a magnet, and a spring. The cartridge body has an inlet port and an outlet port which allows fluid to flow into the cartridge body, through a flow chamber, and out of the cartridge body. The cartridge body also has a sensor chamber for accommodating the sensor. The sensor is positioned within the sensor chamber and is used to determine whether fluid is flowing through the flow chamber. A plunger is positioned within the flow chamber, and is responsive to fluid flow. Between the plunger and the sensor is a spring. The spring prevents the plunger from coming in close proximity to the sensor absent fluid flow. However, when there is fluid flow, the spring is compressed and the plunger comes in close proximity to the sensor and communicates with the sensor to allow the sensor to determine that fluid is flowing through the flow chamber. The flow switch can also include a housing, which accommodates the cartridge, sensor, plunger, and spring.

Growing community of inventors

Rosemount, MN, United States of America

Jaime Leonard Harris