The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 21, 1991
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1989
John E Thomas, River Falls, WI (US);
Darrell Saby, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Richard Mehus, Bershire, GB;
Ecolab Inc., St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid detergent solution using a timing fluid is disclosed. A preferred cleaning system (10) includes a fluid-operated solvent metering apparatus (38). The metering apparatus (38) preferably includes a normally-closed valve (16) and a timing device (40). The timing device (40) preferably includes a cylinder (52) and a piston (54), wherein the piston (54) forms a pair of subchambers (56, 58) which are interconnected by a flow control device (68). The flow control device (68) serves to restrict the flow of a timing fluid from one subchamber (56) to the other subchamber (58) so as to hold the valve (16) in its open position for a period of timing following its initial manual opening. A return spring (48) in the normally closed valve (16) urges the valve (16) toward its closed position, and the spring (48) also acts against the piston (54) to cause the timing fluid to flow from the first subchamber (56 ) to the second subchamber (58). A water source 12 and a detergent source 14 are in fluid communication for the period of time that the valve (16) is held open.