Fluid dosing system

Abstract

A dosing engine including a framework, fluid drivers, and a flow control device. The framework has an inlet that receives a fluid and an outlet that dispenses the fluid. The fluid drivers are supported by the framework and pump fluid toward the outlet. The flow control device is coupled to the framework and is in fluid communication with the inlet, the outlet, and the fluid drivers. The fluid drivers are cooperatively driven by a motive force from fluid flow through the inlet to dispense fluid via the outlet, and to drive the flow control device to distribute diluent to the diluent drivers in a coordinated manner.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A dosing system comprising:
 a framework including an inlet configured to receive a fluid and an outlet configured to dispense the fluid;   at least three fluid drivers supported by the framework, each of the at least three fluid drivers cooperating with the framework to define respective pump chambers;   a drive mechanism coupled to the at least three fluid drivers and configured to sequentially move the at least three fluid drivers to pump fluid toward the outlet; and   a flow control device in fluid communication with the inlet, the outlet, and the at least three fluid drivers to control flow of fluid relative to the inlet, the outlet, and each of the pump chambers.   
     
     
         22 . The dosing system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the at least three fluid drivers are movable in a first manner and the flow control device is movable in a second manner different from the first manner. 
     
     
         23 . The dosing system of  claim 22 , wherein each of the at least three fluid drivers are reciprocally movable and the flow control device is rotatable. 
     
     
         24 . The dosing system of  claim 21 , wherein the flow control device includes an inlet valve mechanism and an outlet valve mechanism interconnected with the inlet valve mechanism to coordinate flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         25 . The dosing system of  claim 24 , wherein the inlet valve mechanism is positioned to distribute fluid to each of the at least three fluid drivers in a coordinated manner. 
     
     
         26 . The dosing system of  claim 24 , wherein the inlet valve mechanism and the outlet valve mechanism rotate together. 
     
     
         27 . The dosing engine of  claim 21 , wherein the flow control device is disposed between the at least three fluid drivers. 
     
     
         28 . The dosing system of  claim 21 , wherein the drive mechanism is operatively coupled to the flow control device, and wherein a motive force from fluid flow through the inlet acts on the fluid drivers and is transferred to the flow control device by the drive mechanism. 
     
     
         29 . A dosing system comprising:
 a framework including an inlet configured to receive a fluid and an outlet configured to dispense the fluid;   fluid drivers supported by the framework, each of the fluid drivers cooperating with the framework to define respective pump chambers; and   a drive mechanism coupled to the fluid drivers and configured to move the fluid drivers out-of-phase with each other to pump fluid toward the outlet such that the fluid drivers are in different states of pumping, the out-of-phase movement of the fluid drivers continuously driving fluid from the inlet and continuously driving fluid to the outlet.   
     
     
         30 . The dosing system of  claim 29 , wherein the fluid drivers include three fluid drivers and the three fluid drivers are ⅓ rd  out-of-phase with each other such that when a first fluid driver of the three fluid drivers is in a diluent intake position, a second fluid driver of the three fluid drivers is in a diluent discharge position, and a third fluid driver of the three fluid drivers is in a position between the diluent intake position and the diluent discharge position. 
     
     
         31 . The dosing system of  claim 29 , wherein the fluid drivers are defined by respective piston-cylinder arrangements, and wherein the drive mechanism is defined by a linkage mechanism configured to transfer linear movement of the piston-cylinder arrangements to rotation of the flow control device. 
     
     
         32 . The dosing system of  claim 29 , further comprising one or more chemical drivers coupled to the framework, wherein the one or more chemical drivers are configured to pump chemical in response to movement of the drive mechanism. 
     
     
         33 . The dosing system of  claim 29 , further comprising a flow control device in fluid communication with the inlet, the outlet, and the fluid drivers to control flow of fluid relative to the inlet, the outlet, and each of the pump chambers. 
     
     
         34 . The dosing system of  claim 33 , wherein each of the fluid drivers are movable in a first manner and the flow control device is movable in a second manner different from the first manner. 
     
     
         35 . The dosing system of  claim 34 , wherein each of the at least three fluid drivers are reciprocally movable and the flow control device is rotatable. 
     
     
         36 . The dosing system of  claim 29 , wherein the drive mechanism includes a linkage mechanism operably coupled to each of the fluid drivers, wherein the fluid drivers are reciprocally movable by the linkage mechanism, and wherein the out-of-phase movement is configured to continuously drive fluid from the inlet and continuously driving fluid to the outlet without all of the fluid drivers in a dead-center state. 
     
     
         37 . A dosing system comprising:
 a framework including an inlet configured to receive a fluid and an outlet configured to dispense the fluid;   fluid drivers supported by the framework, each of the fluid drivers having a discharge position and an intake position and cooperating with the framework to define respective pump chambers;   a drive mechanism coupled to the fluid drivers and including a linkage mechanism operatively connecting the fluid drivers to each other for cooperative movement of the fluid drivers between the discharge positions and the intake positions; and   a flow control device coupled to the framework and configured to control flow of fluid between the inlet and the outlet.   
     
     
         38 . The dosing system of  claim 37 , wherein the flow control device is positioned to control flow of fluid into and out of the fluid drivers. 
     
     
         39 . The dosing system of  claim 37 , wherein the linkage mechanism is operatively coupled to the flow control device to transfer reciprocal movement of the fluid drivers to rotational movement of the flow control device. 
     
     
         40 . The dosing system of  claim 37 , wherein the linkage system is configured to drive the fluid drivers out-of-phase with each other to pump fluid toward the outlet such that the fluid drivers are in different states of pumping.