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EP-4512768-B1 - DISPENSING METER FOR FLUID DISPENSING

EP4512768B1EP 4512768 B1EP4512768 B1EP 4512768B1EP-4512768-B1

Inventors

  • BLOOM, MICHAEL E.
  • BAUCK, MARK L.
  • EBBEN, JAMES R.
  • HIGHLAND, GLENN E.
  • KAHLER, BRADLEY G.
  • KUSCHEL, ANTHONY J.
  • LORDEN, DAVID J.
  • NORMAN, SHANE A.
  • PAAR, BENJAMIN J.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20180322

Claims (15)

  1. A nozzle (16) for a fluid meter, the nozzle comprising: a connector (170) having a seating end (178) and a connector bore (180) extending through the connector (170); a nozzle body (172) attached to the seating end (178) of the connector (170), the nozzle body (172) comprising: a receiving end (188); a dispensing end (190) disposed opposite the receiving end (188), the dispensing end (190) defining a fluid outlet, the fluid outlet comprising: an upstream portion (196) having a first diameter; a downstream portion (198) having a second diameter, the second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and a connecting portion (200) extending between and connecting the upstream portion (196) and the downstream portion (198), the connecting portion (200) comprising a cone-shaped passage; and a nozzle bore (192) extending through the nozzle body (172) between the receiving end (188) and the dispensing end (190), wherein the seating end (178) extends into the nozzle bore (192) and is connected to the receiving end (188); a nozzle stem (174) disposed in the nozzle bore (192) between the seating end (178) and the fluid outlet, characterized in that the nozzle stem (174) includes an overmolded tip (216), the overmolded tip (216) including a tip cone (222) configured to mate with and seal against the cone-shaped passage with the nozzle stem (174) in a closed position.
  2. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the tip cone (222) includes a first cone angle and the cone-shaped passage includes a second cone angle, and wherein the first cone angle is smaller than the second cone angle.
  3. The nozzle of claim 2, wherein a ratio of the first cone angle to the second cone angle is about 5:6.
  4. The nozzle of claim 3, wherein the first cone angle is about 25 degrees.
  5. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the overmolded tip (216) further comprises a sealing portion disposed at an upstream end of the tip cone (222), the sealing portion configured to engage the connecting portion with the nozzle stem (174) in the closed position.
  6. The nozzle of claim 5, wherein the tip cone (222) extends into the downstream portion (198) with the nozzle stem (174) in the closed position.
  7. The nozzle of claim 6, wherein a ratio of a tip cone volume to a downstream portion volume is about 1:2.
  8. The nozzle of any of claims 1-5, wherein the overmolded tip (216) comprises an elastomer.
  9. The nozzle of any of claims 1-7, wherein a ratio of an offset length between the distal portion of the tip cone (222) and the nozzle outlet with the valve stem (66) in the open position to a diameter of the downstream portion is about 2:1.
  10. The nozzle of any of claims 1-7, wherein the nozzle stem (174) further comprises: an inlet tube (204) extending into the connector bore (180) through the seating end (178); a stem flange (206) extending radially from the inlet tube (204), the stem flange (206) configured to abut the seating end to limit upstream displacement of the nozzle stem (174); at least one flow passage extending through a wall of the inlet tube (204) on a downstream side of the stem flange (206); a stem tip (210) extending downstream from the inlet tube (204), the stem comprising: a main tip body (212) extending from the inlet tube (204); a reduced diameter portion (214) extending from the main tip body (212); and an elastomer tip overmolded on the reduced diameter portion (214), the elastomer tip including a tip cone (222) configured to mate with and seal against the cone-shaped passage in a closed position.
  11. The nozzle of claim 10, further comprising: a flange groove extending into an outer edge of the stem flange (206); and a flange seal disposed in the flange groove between the stem flange (206) and the nozzle body (172).
  12. The nozzle of claim 11, further comprising: a spring (176) disposed in the nozzle body (172) between the seating end (178) and the stem flange (206).
  13. The nozzle of claim 12, wherein the seating end (178) comprises: a shoulder (182); and a neck (184) extending from the shoulder (182), the neck (184) configured to abut the stem flange (206); wherein the spring (176) extends around the neck (184) and abuts the shoulder (182).
  14. A handheld fluid meter for use in an oil bar, the handheld meter (10) comprising: a meter body (12) comprising: a handle (32); a fluid inlet (36) extending into the handle (32); a fluid outlet (38) extending out of an end of the meter body opposite the handle; the nozzle (16) of any one of claims 1-13 mounted to the fluid outlet; a trigger (18) configured to be manually displaced to control a flow of fluid between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; a bezel housing (20) mounted on the meter body, the bezel housing (20) including a display opening; a display screen (46) fixedly mounted within the display opening; a user input (44) fixedly mounted on the bezel housing (20), the user input (44) including a plurality of buttons; display circuitry (244) configured to provide a visual output at the display screen (46) in a plurality of orientations; user input circuitry (246) configured to receive inputs from a user via the plurality of buttons to modify the visual output of the display screen (46); and control circuitry (42) connected to communicate with the display circuitry (244) and the user input circuitry (246), the control circuitry (242) configured to receive an input regarding a desired orientation of the visual output from the user input circuitry (246) and to provide instructions to the display circuitry to (244) modify the orientation of the visual output.
  15. A handheld fluid meter comprising: a meter body (12); a fluid inlet (36) extending into the meter body (12); the nozzle (16) of any one of claims 1-13 connected to the meter body (12); a valve chamber extending into the meter body (12), the valve chamber comprising: a first circumferential flow passage (100); and a second circumferential flow passage (102); a valve inlet fluidly connecting the fluid inlet (36) and the first circumferential flow passage (100); a valve outlet extending downstream out of the valve chamber from the second circumferential flow passage(102); a valve (50) disposed in the valve chamber, the valve comprising: a valve cartridge (68) mounted in the valve chamber, the valve cartridge (68) comprising: a cartridge body (77) extending between a first end and a second end, the cartridge body (77) including a third circumferential flow passage in the first end and a fourth circumferential flow passage in the second end; a radial inlet (82) extending through the first end between the first circumferential flow passage (100) and the third circumferential flow passage; a radial outlet (84) extending through the second end between the second circumferential flow passage (102) and the fourth circumferential flow passage; and a control seat (128) disposed about an interior of the cartridge body (77) between the third circumferential flow passage and the fourth circumferential flow passage; a valve stem (66) disposed in the valve cartridge (68), the valve stem (66) comprising: an upper portion (116) disposed within the first end, the upper portion (116) including an annular control seal groove; a lower portion (118) disposed within the second end, the lower portion (188)including an actuating tip extending out of the second end of the valve cartridge; an elongate portion (120) extending between and connecting the upper portion (116) and the lower portion (118); and a control seal (108) disposed in the control seal groove (124), the control seal configured to be engaged with the control seat with the valve stem (66) in a closed position and to be disengaged from the control seat with the valve stem (66) in an open position.

Description

BACKGROUND This disclosure relates generally to fluid dispensing. More particularly, this disclosure relates to dispensing meters. Automotive fluids, such as antifreeze, transmission fluid, and engine oil, are typically dispensed from bulk containers. For example, automotive service stations typically dispense small amounts of engine oil from a large drum using a handheld meter. The handheld meter receives fluid from the bulk storage drum and dispenses a desired volume of the fluid at a desired location. The user can use the user interface of the handheld meter to communicate with a central fluid monitoring computer to track and record the volume of fluid dispensed from the bulk containers. In current handheld meters, the user interface includes a button elevated above the handle, such that users typically set the handheld meter on the ground prior to inputting information. In addition, the display screen is susceptible to damage if the handheld meter is dropped or otherwise collides with an object. A valve is disposed within the handheld meter and controls the flow of fluid through the device. The valve can be controlled by a trigger. The valve can be a manual valve, controlled on and off by a manual trigger; a pre-set metered valve, which includes a manual trigger but the valve automatically closes after a pre-set volume of fluid has been dispensed; or a metered valve, where the trigger cannot activate the valve until the handheld meter receives a dispense authorization. When the valve is initially activated, a control seal can shift into the fluid inlet, where high-velocity fluid impingement can cause the control seal to become displaced and unseated. When the valve closes, the control seal can experience scarfing when the control seal encounters a sharp edge geometry. Scarfing most commonly occurs when the valve is quickly modulated between slightly-open and slightly-closed positions, such as when the user is topping off the fluid at the end of a fluid dispense event. The valve also includes a top dynamic seal that can have minor leaking during valve reciprocation. The minor leakage can occur due to seal cross-sectional rotation due to valve reciprocation and because the top dynamic seal is always experiencing fluid pressure. In addition, the top dynamic seal contacts the cast housing of the handheld meter and can experience leakage due to the porosity of the cast housing. Dynamic pressure forces can also exert a higher force on an upper portion of the valve than the lower portion of the valve, which can overcome the spring force that shifts the valve to the closed position. The valve can thus become stuck in the open position due to pressure imbalances within the valve chamber. To replace the valve, the trigger is removed from the trigger control mechanism. The electronics bezel housing must be removed to provide access to the trigger mechanism pivot point. As such, the bezel housing and various other components of the handheld meter must be removed prior to replacing the valve. In addition, residual oil can remain in the valve cavity during valve replacement. The residual oil can migrate through the valve when the valve is reinstalled and can appear to the user as a new leak, even where there is no leak in the valve. The fluid is dispensed out of the handheld meter through a nozzle. The nozzle includes an acetal seat on which a rounded, steel nozzle stem seats. The nozzle can experience leakage when contaminants are present in the fluid. In addition, the nozzle can experience fluid sputtering and/or stream fanning at high flow rates, and the nozzle can experience latent dripping of the fluid that remains in the nozzle tip when the nozzle stem shifts to the closed position. A control valve according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from FR 2 183 355 A5. SUMMARY The invention is defined solely by claims 1, 14 and 15. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a control valve for a handheld fluid meter includes a valve cartridge and a valve stem disposed in the valve cartridge. The valve cartridge includes a cartridge body extending between a first end and a second end and having a first circumferential flow passage in the first end and a second circumferential flow passage in the second end, a radial inlet extending through the first end into the first circumferential flow passage, a radial outlet extending through the second end into the second circumferential flow passage, and a control seat disposed about an interior of the cartridge body between the first circumferential flow passage and the second circumferential flow passage. The valve stem includes an upper portion disposed within the first end, a lower portion disposed within the second end, an elongate portion extending between and connecting the upper portion and the lower portion, and a control seal. The upper portion includes an annular control seal groove. The lower portion includes an actuating tip extending out of the second end of the