USRE35010E — Method of compensating for changes in the flow ch…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of compensating for changes in the flow characteristics of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle under the control of a metering valve in order to maintain the volume of fluid dispensed over a predetermined time interval at a desired setpoint, said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring the volume of fluid delivered to the metering valve during at least one said interval; (b) calculating a correction factor correlated to the difference between said measured volume and said setpoint, (c) multiplying a signal by said factor to generate a driving signal, and (d) controlling said valve in accordance with at least said driving signal to maintain the volume of fluid dispensed at said desired setpoint.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of compensating for changes in the flow characteristics of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle under the control of a metering valve in order to maintain the volume of fluid dispensed over a predetermined time interval at a desired setpoint, said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring the volume of fluid delivered to the metering valve during at least one said interval; (b) calculating a correction factor correlated to the difference between said measured volume and said setpoint, (c) multiplying a signal by said factor to generate a driving signal, and (d) controlling said valve in accordance with at least said driving signal to maintain the volume of fluid dispensed at said desired setpoint.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said controlling step includes the step of applying a signal correlated to said driving signal to a closed-loop feedback system coupled to said metering valve.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said correction factor comprises a quotient whose dividend is said setpoint and whose divisor is said measured volume of fluid.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 124 words

A method for compensating for changes in the flow characteristics of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle, said method comprising the steps of: (a) delivering the fluid under pressure to a metering valve located upstream of the nozzle, said metering valve being operable to modulate the flow of fluid to the nozzle in response to a control signal; (b) measuring the volume of fluid delivered to said metering valve over an interval of time and generating a corresponding measurement signal, and (c) adjusting the control signal in accordance with the difference between said measurement signal and a setpoint representing a desired volume of fluid to be dispensed during said interval so that said valve maintains the volume of fluid dispensed at said setpoint.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 124 words

A method for compensating for changes in the flow characteristics of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle, said method comprising the steps of: (a) delivering the fluid under pressure to a metering valve located upstream of the nozzle, said metering valve being operable to modulate the flow of fluid to the nozzle in response to a control signal; (b) measuring the volume of fluid delivered to said metering valve over an interval of time and generating a corresponding measurement signal, and (c) adjusting the control signal in accordance with the difference between said measurement signal and a setpoint representing a desired volume of fluid to be dispensed during said interval so that said valve maintains the volume of fluid dispensed at said setpoint.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 4 wherein said adjusting step comprises the steps of: calculating a correction factor correlated to the difference between said measurement signal and said setpoint; multiplying a driving signal by said correction factor, and generating Said control signal from at least said driving signal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 5 wherein said generating step comprises the step of algebraically combining the difference between said driving signal with a signal correlated to the flow rate of the fluid dispensed from the nozzle.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of: generating said driving signal in accordance with at least a toolspeed signal of a robot for effecting relative movement between the nozzle and a workpiece.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The step of claim 7 wherein said signal correlated to the flow rate of the fluid dispensed from the nozzle comprises a signal representing the pressure drop across said nozzle.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 4 wherein said interval is a job cycle.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of: locating said valve and said nozzle in sufficiently close proximity to one another that very little fluid pressure drop occurs between said valve and said nozzle; sensing, at a location between said valve and said nozzle, a parameter correlated to the rate of flow of the fluid discharged from the nozzle and generating a corresponding flow rate signal, and generating said control signal from at least said flow rate signal and a driving signal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of: calculating a correction factor correlated to the difference between said measurement signal and said setpoint; multiplying a driving signal by said correction factor, and generating said control signal from at least said driving signal. .Iadd.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 101 words

A method of compensating for dynamic flow characteristics of a non-newtonian fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle being in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, and the dynamic flow characteristics representing flow non-linearities introduced by the non-newtonian fluid, said method comprising the steps of: generating the control signal to produce a desired flow of the fluid through the nozzle, said control signal being correlated to at least a flow rate of the non-newtonian fluid; and linearizing said control signal to reduce the flow non-linearities introduced by the non-newtonian fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 101 words

A method of compensating for dynamic flow characteristics of a non-newtonian fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle being in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, and the dynamic flow characteristics representing flow non-linearities introduced by the non-newtonian fluid, said method comprising the steps of: generating the control signal to produce a desired flow of the fluid through the nozzle, said control signal being correlated to at least a flow rate of the non-newtonian fluid; and linearizing said control signal to reduce the flow non-linearities introduced by the non-newtonian fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 110 words

The method of claim 12 wherein said step of linearizing said control signal further comprises the steps of: determining flow linearizing factors based on known flows of the non-newtonian fluid from the nozzle as a function of the control signal for a given set of conditions; selecting a first flow linearizing factor; altering said control signal as a function of said first flow linearizing factor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of determining said flow linearizing factors further comprises the step of determining a series of flow linearizing factors based on known flows of the non-newtonian fluid from the nozzle as a function of said control

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 158 words

signal for given sets of conditions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of generating said control signal further comprises the steps of: providing a tool speed signal correlated to relative motion between the nozzle and the workpiece; selecting said first flow linearizing factor as a function of the tool speed signal; and multiplying said tool speed signal by said first flow linearizing factor to produce a linearized tool speed value. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of generating said control signal further comprises the steps of: producing a feedback signal representing a fluid pressure correlated to a flow rate of the non-newtonian fluid; and producing said control signal as a function of said feedback signal and said linearized tool speed value, thereby compensating said control signal as a function of the flow non-linearities introduced by the non-newtonian fluid and causing the metering valve to dispense the desired flow of the

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 130 words

non-newtonian fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A method of compensating for dynamic flow characteristics and intrinsic viscosity changes of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle being in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, and wherein the intrinsic viscosity changes are caused by phenomena other than shear effects, and the dynamic flow characteristics representing pressure flow non-linearities introduced by non-newtonian viscosity characteristics in the fluid, the method comprising the steps of: generating the control signal to provide a desired flow of the fluid through the nozzle, said control signal being correlated to at least a flow rate of the fluid; and modifying said control signal to reduce the pressure flow non-linearities introduced by the dynamic flow characteristics and to compensate for the

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 130 words

non-newtonian fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A method of compensating for dynamic flow characteristics and intrinsic viscosity changes of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle being in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, and wherein the intrinsic viscosity changes are caused by phenomena other than shear effects, and the dynamic flow characteristics representing pressure flow non-linearities introduced by non-newtonian viscosity characteristics in the fluid, the method comprising the steps of: generating the control signal to provide a desired flow of the fluid through the nozzle, said control signal being correlated to at least a flow rate of the fluid; and modifying said control signal to reduce the pressure flow non-linearities introduced by the dynamic flow characteristics and to compensate for the

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 157 words

intrinsic viscosity changes of the fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of modifying said control signal further comprises the steps of: providing a tool speed signal correlated to relative motion between the nozzle and the workpiece; altering said tool speed signal as a function of the dynamic flow characteristics of the fluid to produce a linearized tool speed value; and adjusting said linearized tool speed value as a function of the intrinsic viscosity changes of the fluid to produce a driving signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of generating the control signal further comprises the steps of: producing a feedback signal representing a fluid pressure correlated to a flow rate of the fluid; and producing said control signal as a function of said feedback signal, said driving signal and effects of the dynamic flow characteristics and the intrinsic viscosity changes thereby causing the metering valve to dispense

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 141 words

the desired flow of fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of adjusting said tool speed signal further comprises the steps of: selecting a flow linearizing factor based on a known flow of fluid from the nozzle as a function of said control signal for a given set of conditions.; and multiplying said tool speed signal by said flow linearizing factor to produce said linearized tool speed value. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of adjusting said linearized tool speed value further comprises the steps of: measuring a first volume of fluid delivered to the metering valve during an interval of time; calculating a flow compensation factor as a function of a difference between the first volume of fluid and a reference; and multiplying said linearized tool speed value by said flow compensation

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 151 words

factor to produce said driving signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A method of compensating for intrinsic viscosity changes of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, and wherein the intrinsic viscosity changes are caused by phenomena other than shear effects, said method comprising the steps of: supplying the fluid under a pressure to the metering valve; providing a tool speed signal representing a varying relative speed between the nozzle and the workpiece; adjusting said tool speed signal as a function of the intrinsic viscosity changes of the fluid to produce a driving signal; producing a feedback signal representing a fluid pressure correlated to a flow rate of the fluid; and producing the control signal as a function of said feedback signal and said driving signal to cause the metering valve to dispense a desired flow of

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 151 words

factor to produce said driving signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A method of compensating for intrinsic viscosity changes of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, and wherein the intrinsic viscosity changes are caused by phenomena other than shear effects, said method comprising the steps of: supplying the fluid under a pressure to the metering valve; providing a tool speed signal representing a varying relative speed between the nozzle and the workpiece; adjusting said tool speed signal as a function of the intrinsic viscosity changes of the fluid to produce a driving signal; producing a feedback signal representing a fluid pressure correlated to a flow rate of the fluid; and producing the control signal as a function of said feedback signal and said driving signal to cause the metering valve to dispense a desired flow of

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 104 words

fluid. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of adjusting the tool speed signal further comprises the steps of: measuring a first volume of fluid delivered to the metering valve during an interval of time; calculating a flow compensation factor as a function of a difference between the first volume of fluid and a reference; and adjusting said tool speed signal as a function of said flow compensation factor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of adjusting the tool speed signal further comprises the step of multiplying said tool speed signal by said flow compensation factor. .Iaddend.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 148 words

.Iadd. . A method of compensating for effects of pressure flow non-linearities of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, said method comprising the steps of: supplying the fluid under a pressure to the metering valve; providing a tool speed signal representing a relative speed between the nozzle and the workpiece; determining a flow factor as a function of the effects of the pressure flow non-linearities of the fluid; adjusting said tool speed signal as a function of the flow factor to produce a driving signal; producing a feedback signal representing a fluid pressure correlated to a flow rate of the fluid; and producing the control signal as a function of said feedback signal and said driving signal to cause the metering valve to dispense a desired flow of fluid. .Iaddend.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 148 words

.Iadd. . A method of compensating for effects of pressure flow non-linearities of a fluid being dispensed from a nozzle onto a workpiece, the nozzle in fluid communication with a metering valve responsive to a control signal, said method comprising the steps of: supplying the fluid under a pressure to the metering valve; providing a tool speed signal representing a relative speed between the nozzle and the workpiece; determining a flow factor as a function of the effects of the pressure flow non-linearities of the fluid; adjusting said tool speed signal as a function of the flow factor to produce a driving signal; producing a feedback signal representing a fluid pressure correlated to a flow rate of the fluid; and producing the control signal as a function of said feedback signal and said driving signal to cause the metering valve to dispense a desired flow of fluid. .Iaddend.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-08-07	1999-02-06	1999-08-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-08-07	2003-02-06	2003-08-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-08-07	2007-02-06	2007-08-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of compensating for changes in the flow characteristics of a dispensed fluid to maintain the volume of dispensed fluid at a setpoint

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