CA1156035A - Dispensing valve to be used with bottles of fluid developer - Google Patents
Dispensing valve to be used with bottles of fluid developerInfo
- Publication number
- CA1156035A CA1156035A CA000370582A CA370582A CA1156035A CA 1156035 A CA1156035 A CA 1156035A CA 000370582 A CA000370582 A CA 000370582A CA 370582 A CA370582 A CA 370582A CA 1156035 A CA1156035 A CA 1156035A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- valve
- spindle
- spider
- bottle
- cap
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
- G03G15/10—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a liquid developer
- G03G15/104—Preparing, mixing, transporting or dispensing developer
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Closures For Containers (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A dispensing valve to be used with a bottle of fluid developer. The valve is so structured that it can be assembled more rapidly and easily than existing dispensing valves used for the same purpose. The new valve holds the valve plug and the biasing spring in proper relative position on the actuating spindle without the use of retain-ing rings and does not require a jig for its assembly.
A dispensing valve to be used with a bottle of fluid developer. The valve is so structured that it can be assembled more rapidly and easily than existing dispensing valves used for the same purpose. The new valve holds the valve plug and the biasing spring in proper relative position on the actuating spindle without the use of retain-ing rings and does not require a jig for its assembly.
Description
0 ~ ~
A dispensing valve adap-ted to dispense fluids used in electrostatographic copying machines, the valve being designed -to be attached to the downwardly faciny rnouth of an inverted bottle containing such a fluid.
Dispensing valves are well known in the industry.
It is a valve which customarily is attached to the mouth of a fluid containing hottle when the bottle is erect, that is to say, when its ~outh faces upwardly. At this time the valve is biased to closed position. The bottle then i~ inverted. ~o fluid will flow out of the bottle because the valve is biased to closed position. The bottle with the valve attached and in upside down position is placed on a support in conjunction with a machine in which the bottled fluid is designed to be employed. The support holds the bottle upside down. Within the receptacle an element engages an actuating member of the dispensing valve to displace a valve plug upwardly and thereby open the valve. In one mode of use the dispensing valve re-mains open during its period of operation and will automa-tically dispense fluid, usually liquid, into the machineas a function of the prevailing hydrostatic pressures. In this mode the valve some-timQs is referred to as a bird~eeder.
Hexeto~ore such a valve ha~ cons-tituted a plug mounted on a spinclLe and bia~ed to closed position against a valve ~eat in the valve body~ ~he plug frictionally engages the spind~e~ Move~en-t of the pl~g off khe spindle was pre-vented by a re~ainer ring. ~he dqgree o~ compression o~
the spring was ~ixed by the position o~ another retainer ring on the ~plndle. The two retainer rings had to be located on the ~pindle with a rea~onable degree of pre-cision in order to properly position the plug and to im-part the proper degree o~ compression to the spring.
1 15~035 Bec~use several elernents had to be manipulated duriny assembly of the components of the dispensing valve and because the plug and spring had to be correctly located, it has been necessary to assemble the parts of the valve with the aid of a jig. This had unduly raised the cost of assembly and unduly slowed the product:ion line, ~oth factors having tended to increase the production cost of the valve. The prior art birdfeeder valve is detailed in a later portion of this specification with relationship to a figure that shows the structure. In another mode of use the dispensing valve is intermittently opened and closed by a member, e.g. a flipper, that periodically presses up against the lower end of the spindle to lift the plug when a sensing element determines that additional fluid is required and allows the spindle and plug to drop either after a predetermined period of time or after the need for additional fluid has been supplied.
It is an object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which is not subject to the ~oregoing drawbacks.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which employs a lesser mlmber of parts than prior art dispensing valves.
It is another ob~ect of the invention ta provide a di~penslng valve of the character described which is ,~impler and ~equires less manpower -to assemble than the prior art dispensing valves and can be put together with the aid of automatic machinery.
It is another object o~ the inventlon to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which can be made and sold at a lower cost than prior art dispensing valves.
1 15~35 It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which can be as~embled without the use of a jig.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which is so structured that the assembly thereo~ predeterminedly locates -the valve plug and cornpresses the spring to a predetermined degree.
Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter~
The dispensing valve of the present invention is mounted on and, in use, forms an integral part of the bottle of fluid with which it is used. The bottle of fluid conventionally is supplied to the customer in a supply container, usually plastic, whose mouth is closed for storage and shipment by a weak disc affixed as by adhesive or plastic welding onto the finish of the receptacle.
The fluids conventionally employed in such a container for use with a dispensing valve in the field of electro-statographic copies are liquid concentrate, working liquidtoner, liquid carrier for the working liquid toner,s, this sornqtimes being referred to as a diluen~, ancl dry tonqr powcler. Sucll powd~r has but little resistance to ~hear and there~ore has flow characteri,stlcs similar to those o~ a liquid. Thes~ can be enhan~Qd, if desired by employ-incJ a vibrator in operative relationship to the supply container, The neck of ~uGh container is provided with one hal~ o~ a coupling sllch as a male thread which cooper-a-tes with a ~emale throad ~ a prot~ctive shipment cap that insures that the disc will not be ruptured in transit ox in storage and until the disc is deliberately broken.
The liquid concentrate is viscous, somewhat less viscous 1 ~56~35 tharl ho~ey at roorn temE~erature. The liquid concentrate conventionally includes a volatile liquid carrier, e.g.
Isopar G or H. It contains a higher percentage of solids, both dissolved and insoluble in the liquid carrier.
working liquid toner is composed of the same materials but has a much higher percentage by volume of the liquid carrier.
A conventional liquid toner copyiny machine of the type which ernploys a dispensing valve has a compart-ment in which the container of liquid is adapted to beplaced in inverted position, mouth down, with the pro-tective cap removed and with a birdfeeder valve substituted for the cap. The birdfeeder valve is so designed that attaching the valve to the neck of the container will cause point of the valve to penetrate the protective disc.
The valve also includes a female threaded cap which is screwed onto the neck of the container after the shipment cap has been removed. The shipment cap is removed from the container and replaced with the cap of the birdfeeder valve while the container is erect, and it is only after such replacement that the container is inverted and in-,serted in the liquid toner copying machine.
When the inver-ted container with its birdEeeder valve is in~erted in -the machine a support in the machine engages the container to hold the ,same in fixQd posi-tion~
Wittl the contalner thus engaged, an actuator for the bird-feeder valve c~u~e~ the valve -to opqn. The lowex part of -the valve is submerged in a liquid sump and liquid will flow ~rom -the bottle into the g~np under the pxevailing hydrosta~ic forcesl being supplied essentially by demand without changing the position o~ the opened components of the valve.
The same valve, without modification, can be used for intermittent feed of liquid or of any toner powder.
As observed previously, prior art dispensing valves in the field of electrostatographic copying machines have been composed of a large number of parts, have required a jig for their assernbly and needed delicate positioning of retainer rings to precisely locate the valve plug and to precisely compress a biasing spring to a desired degree.
The present invention avoids these drawbacks by use of a structure which sub~equently will be detailed and which Utilizes a lesser number of parts and by the unique con-figuration and relative positioning of these paxts all of which enable the new dispensing valve to be assembled without a jig and with automatic machinery, to locate the valve plug very simply and to automatically obtain a predetermined degree of compression o~ the spring.
Additionally, there are other structural novel arrangement~ which will be appreciated from the reading of the appended specification.
The invention accordingly consists in the feature of construct.ion, combinations of elements, arrangement~ of parts and series of steps which will be exemplified in the di~pensin~ valvq mounted as hereinafter described and o~
which thq ~cope of the application will bq indicated in the ap~ended claim~
In olle aspect of the pre~qnt invqntion, thqre i~
provided a dispen~ing valvq tQ be used on a ~upply bottle containing a fluid adap-tqd -to be employ~d in an qlectro-statographic copying machine, said bottlq including a male hal~ o~ a coupling mean~, said valve comprising: a) a valvq cap having a ~kixt that is provided internally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half l 15~3'5 of the coupling means on -the bottle neck, b) the valve cap having a central opening for passage of fluid from the bottle therethrouyh, c) a spider in said opening, i) the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, d) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, e~ a spindle extending through the bore in the spider, i) a flange permanently ~ixed on and carried by the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, f) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, g) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the re-mainder of the spindle, h) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bo-ttle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, and j) a resilient centrally bored valve plug on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper and lower ends butting against said shouldQrs.
In a further aspect o~ the present inven-tion, thQre i~ provldecl a dispensing valvs to bs used on a supply hottls containing a fluid aclapted to b~ employsd in an electrostatographic copying machine, said bottle lncluding a male half o~ a couplinc~ means, said valvs comprising:
a~ a valvs cap having a skirt that is provided internally with a ~smale ha:lf o~ a coupling mean~ adapted to me~h with the male half of the coupling means on the bottle neck, b) the valve cap having a central opening for passage o~
I 1 56~35 fluicl from the bottle therethrouyh, c) a .spindle extending through said opening in the cap, d) a valve seat carried by the cap, e) a resilient centrally bored valve plug threaded on the spindle, f) spring means to bias the valve plug against the seat, g) said spindle having an end that protrudes through the discharge end of the central opening in the cap, h) an enlargement on the spindle, said enlargement being disposed ou-t-side of the cap, and j) a retaining clip having a diame-tral slot with an open end at the periphery of the clip and the closed end within the clip, said lip being disposed between said spring and said enlargement, said disc being seated on the discharge end of said cap whereby the spindle is locked in place against open-ing movement to prevent inadvertent lifting of the valve plug off its seat.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling a dispensing valve for a supply bottle containing a fluid for use with an electrostatographic copying machine, said bottle having a neck which includes a male half of a coupling means an which neck in use is lowermost, said dispensing valve com-prising: a) a cap having a skirt that is provided inter-nally with a female half of a coupling means adapked to mesh with the male half on the bottle neck, said cap having a centra:l opening for passage of fluid Erom the bottle t~ere-through, b) a splder in said opening, the spider havin~ a bore coaxial w.ith the opening in the cap, c) a valve seat at the end of the central openlng in the cap and facing the ih-ter:Lor of the bo-ttle, d) a spindl~ ex-tending through the bore in the spider, a flange per--manently carxied by the spindle on the side o~ the spiderremote frorn the valve seat, e) a helical coTnpression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, ~) the spindle having on the side of the spider rernote from the 1 15S03~
spring a portion of reduced diameter ~o form a first shoulder where it joins the remalncler of the spindle, g) the spindle further ha~ing a top portion abvve the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispen.sing valve is mounted thereon, ~aid top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, and h) a resilient central bore valve plug on the reduced diameter por-tion of the spindle, sa.id method comprising: i) sliding thehelical compression spring along the spindle from the top until the spring abuts the flange, ii) inserting the top of the spin-dle through the bore in the spider until the spring is under compression between the spider and the flange, and iii~ thread-ing the valve plug over the top of the spindle until the bottom of the valve plug abuts the ~irst shoulder and the top of the valve plug abuts the second shoulder, whereby to locate the valve plug in a predetermined position on the spindle and to predeterminately compress the spring so as to exert a prede-termined biasing force on the valve plug that forces thevalve plug against the seat.
In a further aspect o~ the-invention there is -provided a dispensing valve to be used on a ~upply bottle containing a fluent imaging material adapted to be employqd in an elect~o3tatoc3raphic copying machine, the bottle in-clu~ing a male hal~ of a coupling mqans, the valve compri~es a valve cap having a skirt that is provicled internally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to me~h with the male half o~ the coupling mean~ on the bottle neck, the valve cap having ~ central opening ~or pa~sage of fluent imaging material ~rom the bottle therethrough, a ~p:ider in the opening, the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, a 1 1S~03'5 valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap andfaciny the interior of the bottle, a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, a flanye molded in one piece with the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and -the flange, the spi.ndle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, the spindle further havincl a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received w.ithin the bottle when dispensing valve is mounted thereon, the top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, a resilient centrally bored valve plug friction fitted on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against the second shoulder, the space between the two shoulders being slightly less than the axial length of the valve plug so as to hold the valve ~ plug under compression between the shoulders, the top and bottom of the valve plug being substantially flat where they butt against the shoulders, the reduced diameter portion of the spindle including at least one annular rib to engage the cqn~ral bore oE the valve plug and inhibit axial shi~ting o~
~aid plug, and the rib having a steeply inelined side ~acing the ~pi.der.
In a still Purther aspect o~ the present invention, there is provided a dispensing valve to bq used on a 3upply kot~le containing a ~luent imaging material adapted to be employed in an electxostatographic copyi.ng machine, the bottle including a male halE oP coupliny mean~, the valve compri~es;
a valve cap having a ~irt that .is provided internally with a ~8a-. . . .. .
1 1560~5 fem~le half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half of the coupling rneans on the bottle neck, the valve cap having a central opening for pa~sage o~ f].~ent imaging material from the ~ottle therethrouyh, a spider in said opening, the ~pider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, a valve ~eat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, a flange rnolded in one piece with the spindle on the ~ide of the spider remote from the valve seat, a helical compre~ion spring under compression between the spider and the flange, the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and ad-apted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve i8 mounted thereon, the top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, a resilient centrally bored valve plug friction fitked on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against the second shoulder, and the reduced diameter of the ~pinclle includiny at least one annular rib to engaye the central bore of the valve plug and inhibit axial ~hiftiny o~ the plug4 In the accompanying drawinys in which i~ ~hown one of ~he variou~ po3~ible embodiments o~ thi~ invent.ion, accord-inyly ~he invention i~ illu~trated by way of example in the accompanying drawing~ where:in~-~igure 1 i~ an axial ~ectional view through a prior art bird~eeder valve, on a fragmentarily shown bottle of liquid and located in a liquid copying machine;
-8b-1 1560~
Figure la is a per~pective view of a retainer ring used with the prior art valve;
Figure 2 is an axial secti.onal view through a valve of the present inventiGn, on a fragmentarily shown bottle and located in a liquid copying ~achine;
-8c-l 1S60~
Figure 3 i~ a bottom view of the valve shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a retaining clip;
E~igure 5 is an axial sectional view of the new valve with the retaining clip and an overcap mounted thereon, and Figure 6 i9 a fragmentary sectional view taXen substantially along the line 6--6 of Figure 5.
Referring now to figures 1 and la there is illus-trated a prior art bird~eeder valve 10 for dispen~ing aliquid in an electrostatographic liquid copying machine.
The valve is used in conjunction with a bottle B of liquid.
The contents of the bottle may be a liquid toner concentrate, a working liquid toner or a carrier for a working liquid toner. The birdfeeder valve 10 includes seven components~
In particular, the birdfeeder valve 10 includes a cap 12 ~one component~, made of a material which is inert to the organic liquid carrier and other components that are pre-sent in the liquid toner concentrate or in the working liquid toner. Such liquid usually is an "Isopar"* such as "Isopar G or H". An acceptable material from which to mold the cap 12 i~ a polyacytal. The skirt of the cap is formed with a ~emale thread 14 dq~igned ~o me~hingly en~age khe male thrqad on thq neck o~ the bottle B. A~ pointed ouk e~rlier herqin, khe cap i~ ~crqwed onto an upright full ~ottlq B ~P li~uid, the mouth oE which is closed for ~hi~ment and storage by a frac~lle di~, e.g, a metal ~oil di~c, ~ecured acros~ ~he sam~. qlhe cap include3 an inkernally directed mid flange 16 ~rom which ~leeve 18 ~xtend~ upwardly~ q'he re~erqnce pQint ~or "upwardlyl' i9 the ~ottom o~ thc valve 10 attachqd to an inverte~d bottle which is its position in an operating liquid copy-* Trademark owned by Exxon Corp~, U.S.A.
.
115~035 ing machine. The upper end of the sleeve constitutes a valve seat 20. A spider 22 is situated at the bottom of the sleeve 18. The hub 24 of the spider is formed with a central bore 26. A second sleeve 28 is formed inte-grally with the flange 16 and extends downwardly therefrom.
The sleeves 18 and 28 are coaxial: however, the sleeve ~-28 may have an internal dia~eter somewhat larger than that of the sleeve 18. An annular well 30 is formed between the sleeve 18 and the ~kirt o~ the cap 12.
Another annular well 32 formed between the low~r end of the cap and the sleeve 28, beneath the flange 16.
: ~.
The second component of the birdfeeder valve 10 is a valve plug 34. The~valve plug is made of an elastomeric material which ls inert to the liquid carrier and other ingredients of the toner concentrate and the working toner that lS in the bottle B, a useful material being Buna-~. The lower end of the valve plug 34 is of spherical domed configuration. The upper end of the valve plug is of upwardly tapering frustoconical con-figuration. Optionally, as illustrated, the upper endmay include two segments of different angular inclinations, , the lower segment being steeper and the upper segment bein~ ttex. ~he v~lve plug 3~ is ~ashioned with a cent~al a~ial box~ 36, Pr~rahly th~ upper and l~wer ~ur~aGes ~ ~h~ valv~ plU~ ~r~ ~la~ and pe~pqndicula~ to ~he lon~itudin~l axi~ h~ ~o~e~ -The kh~i~d compona~ h~ hlrd~eeder valvq 10 is a stainles~ ~k~l s~indle 3~ o~ uni~rm diamqtqx ~rom end to ~nd ~xaqpk at the top which is point~d and th~ b~tkom whia~ i~ ch~nfered. ~he ~pindle ~xtends khrough the bore 36 o~ t~e plug 34, projecting both above and below the plug. The plug i8 a friction fit ::~
:l 15~35 on the spindle, The spindle pas3es fxeely through the bore 26 in the hub of the spider 22, The valve plug 34 is located above the spider and is designed to be biased against the valve seat 20, The fourth component is a stain:Less steel helical compression spring 40 which encircles the spindle 28 below the spider 22. One end of the spring is seated against the lower face of the spider hub 24, The fifth and sixth elements of the birdfeeder valve 10 are stainles.s steel female friction push~type retainer rings 42 and 44, respectively, (see also Fig. la).
One such ring 42 frictionally engages the spindle 38 above the valve plug, the other ring 44 frictionally engages the spindle 38 below the spring 40, The spring 40 is held under compression between the spider hub 24 and the ring 44. The ring 42 defines the upper location of the upper surface of the valve plug 34.
The rings are pushed into place and cannot readily back of~. They tend not to be precisely positioned, ~0 The seventh and last component is a sealing gasket 46 seated at the bottom o~ thP well 30 to prevent leakaye o~ liquid when the cap 12 is screwed on the mouth of the liquid containing bottle B~ The gasket i~
~ormed of a re3ilient material such a~ ~oamed polyurethane which 1~ inext to the liquid carrier.
~ he 3pring ~0 bia3e3 the plu~ 34 to closed po3ition again~t the ~eat 20, 'l~ereby when the bird~eeder valv~ i9 in place on the threaded neck o~ the hottle B
aXter the Eragile disc ha~ been pierced by the pointed end oX the spindlc 38, thc bottle i~ maintained closed and will stay clo~ed even upon inversion o~ the bottle.
In operation, the bird~eeder valve 10 is screwed ~, _ 1. :1 5~035 on the finish of a full bottle and upon so doing the poir1ted end of the spinclle will pierce the protective disc. Then the bottle is -turned upside down and is in-serted in a copying machine. A typical copying machine has a support 48 into which the dispensing valve is inserted thereby serving to hold the valve and the bottle upside down. Associated with the support is a sump 50 having a bottom wall 52. The bottom wall is so situated as to be engaged by the lower chamEered end of the lO spindle 38. This will shift the spindle upwardly to raise the valve plug 34 oEf its valve seat 20 and there-upon liquid will flow out of the bottle through the birdfeeder valve into the sump. When the liquid reaches a certain level in the sump the hydrostatic forces acting on the liquid are in balance. As liquid is drawn out of the sump for use in the electrostatographic toner machine the hydrostatic balance will be disturbed causing further liquid to flow out of the bottle until equili-briurn is re-established. In some machines an element 20 such as a flipper, intermittently opens the valve and 1:hen allows it to close, under the control o E a sensing ele--ment that dete~mines the need ~or addi tional liquid .
I'o assemhle the prior art birdfeeder valve lO, -the vaLve plug 3~ i~ t'hraaded on the splndle 38 to i ts approximate location and khe spindle is :inserted through -l~he ~ore 2 6 ~ The spring 40 threacled OII the 1 ower end o*
the spindle. ~he -two retainer rin~s must be positioned on the spindle 38 . q'his can be done a ~ter the plug and the cap and the 3pring are positioned on the spindle or 30 one of k'he rinc,,,~s can be emplaced Eirst, therea~ter the plug, cap and sprinc,~ rnounted on the spindle and Elnally t:he other ring emplaced. Regardless o~ the sequence oE
~ 15~03~
assembly of the components, the positioning of the rings is critical. The upper ring 42 must be so located that the valve plug 34 i.5 correctly situated on the spindle to correctly engage -the valve seat 20, The lower ring 44 must be so positioned with respect to the upper ring that the spriny 40 is compress~d to a desired degree.
If the spring is incorrectly compressed the force it exerts on the valve plug may not be suitable to maintain the birdfeeder valve closed under all conditions and if the degree of cornpression is too great it may not allow the birdfeeder valve to open correctly. Furthermore, there is a problem in putting the two rings on a spindle inasmuch as an operator would require three hands to hold both rings and the spindle at the same time. To encourage correct placement of the rings and to assist the operator in assembly, the prior art birdfeeder valve 10 conventionally employes a jig which usually holds the spindle at one end while one or both rings are being mounted. Even with the assistance of the jig correct placement o~ the rings is most di~ficult, it has not been possible to automate assembly.
Turning now to figures 2 - 6, the reference numeral 60 denotes a dispensing valvR embodying the prcsent invention and de~igned and adapted to dispense a liquid conccntrake, or a working toner, or a diluen-t, or a dry torler ~wder in an electro~katographic copying machine.
~ikR the prior art dispensing valve 10, khe valve ~0 i9 u~Rd in conjunction with a bottle B of fluid. The dis-pen~ing valve 60 of the prqsent invenkion includes only fivc component~, in contra~t to the ~even components of the prior art dispensing valve 10.
The first component o~ the dispenslng valve 60 1 1~6035 is a cap 62 composed of d material inert -to -the organic llquid carrier in the bo-ttle B, if it is liquid being dis-pensed, and to other cornponents that are present in the liquid toner concen-trate or in the working liquid toner should they be the contents of the bottle. An acceptable material for the cap 62 is a polyacetal. rrhe skirt of the cap is formed with a female thread 64 designed to thread onto the male thread on the neck of the bottle B.
The cap is screwed onto an upright full bottle B, the rnouth of which is closed ~or shipment and storage by rl fragile disc, e.g. a metal foil disc secured across the same. The cap includes an internally directed mid-flange 66 from which a sleeve 68 extends upwardly. The upper end of the sleeve constitutes a valve seat 70, A spider 72 is situated at the bottom of the sleeve 68. The hub 74 of the spider is formed with a central bore 76. A
second sleeve 78 is formed integrally with the flange 66 and depends therefrom. The sleeves 68 and 78 are coaxial.
However, the sleeve 78 may have an internal diameter so~ewhat larger than that of the sleeve 68. An annular well 80 is formed between -the sleeve 68 and the skirt of the cap 62. The neck of the bottle B is received in thi~ wQll. Another annular well 8~ ormed betwe~ln the lower end o e the Gap 62 and the ~leeve 78, beneath the flange 66.
rrhe ~econd corllponent o~ thq dispensing valve 60 1~ a valve plug 8~n rrhe valve pluy i~ madQ o~ an elasto~
meric material which is inert -to the fluid in the bottle B, a use~ul material being Buna-N. q'he lower end of the valve plug ~4 i~ o~ spherical domed configwration~ The upper end of said plug is of upwardly tapering frusto-conical configuration. Optionally, as illustrated the 1 15~035 upper end may inclucle two segments of differen-t angular inclinations, the lower segment being steeper and the upper segment being flatter, this does not affect the operation of the invention. The valve plug 84 is fashioned with a central axial bore 86 Preferably, the upper and lower surfaces of the valve plug are flat and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bore.
As will be appreciated from the description of the new valve 60 as thus Ear set forth, the cap 62 and plug 84 of the new valve are identical to the cap 12 and plug 34 of the prior art dispensing valve 10. A minor difference may reside in the configuration of the plug 84, the height of which is slightly greater than that of the plug 34. This i5 a trivial design change. The differ-ences between the valve 60 and the valve 10 reside in the spindle of the valve 60 and the manner of attachment of the plug 84 to such spindle which now will be pointed out.
rrhe third component of the new dispensing valve 60 embodying the present invention is a plastic spindle 88. Unlike the spindle 38 of the valve 10, the spindle 88 is not of unifo~n diameter from end to end.
Li~e the spindle 38, the spindle 88 is pointed at the top ~nd ~ham~e~ed at the bot-tom. How2ver, the ~pindle 88 ha~ an upper scction 90 Q~ a diameter srnaller than that o~ the LQWer portion o~ said spindle wher~h~ -to pxovide an upwardly ~acing shoulder 92 at the lower end of -the ~ectiQn 90~ rrhe lower end of the plug 84 is seatRd on this shoulder so that the shoulcler precisely de-Eines the location oE said lower end, with khi~ arrangement, the position of the plug on the spindle is exactly predeter-mined~ The pointed top 94 o~ the spindle has a base ~ 1S~3~
whose diameter is in excess of the reduced diameter section 90 of the spindle, thereby providing a down-wardly facing 3houlder 96 where the redllced diameter portion 90 joins the pointed top. The shoulder 96 abuts the upper sur~ace of the plug 84. Hence, the plug 84 is held between the shoulders 92 and 96~ As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawinys these shoulders are spaced a distance apart slight-ly less than the relaY.ed height of the pluy 84, .so that when the plug i~ located bet~/een the two shou~ders with the reduced dia-rneter section 90 the plug is under slight axial pressure whichsuffices to maintain the plug in its predetermined position de-fined by said two shoulders. Preferably however, the sh~ulder 96 is spaced slightly from the upper surface-of the plug 84. It is able to assume and maintain this position without the use of an assembly jig, the shoulders serving an equivalent function~ The reduced diameter section 90 of the spindle extends through the bore 86 of the plug 84. The plug is a friction fit on the re-duced diameter section 90. If desired, and in order to minimize any tendency of the plug to shift on the reduced diameter sec-tion said section is provided with one or more annular ribs 98of buttress shape, with the flat sides that are perpendicu-lar to the spindle facing downwardly toward the cham-fered end of the spindle. ~he une~ual inclination for the two sides of e~ch rib is preferxed since the pres~
sure exer~d on the spindle with respect to the plug is ~ownward and the tendency for the plug to shift is upwardly, this being inhibited by the mentioned con-~ r~tion o~ ~he rib~, The valve plug 8~ i~ located above the spider 72 and is designed -to be biased to closed po~ition a~ain~t the valve seat 70.
The Eourth component is a stainle~s steel helical compres~ion spring 100. One end of the spriny is seated 1 1~603'j ayainst the lower face oE the spide.r hub 74~ The other end of the spring is seated on a flanye 102, either molded with or cons-tituting a ring fixedly secured to the spindle 88. The position of the ring is predetermined, that is to say, fixed be~ore assembly of the valve 60. Thereby the degree of compression of the spring between said ring and the spider can be deterrnined ancl fixed in advance of assembly, bearing in mind that the position o the plug likewise is fixed, so that the distance between the seat 70 and the flange 102 is a predetenmined fixed distance.
By way of contrast with the prior art dispensing valve 10, the new dispensing valve of the present inven-- tion does not utilize the fifth and sixth elements of said dispensing valve 10. These are wholly dispensed with, their function being provided by the shoulders 92, 96 and the flange 102 which are a part of the spindle 88.
The fifth and last component of the valve 60 is a sealing gasket }04 seated at the bottom of the well 80 to prevent leakage of liquid when the cap 62 is screwed on the mouth of the bottle B. The gasket is fo.rmed of a resilient material such as foamed polyurethane which is inert to the liquid carrier and to the other components of the liquid toner concentrate.
The spring 100 biases the plug 84 to clo~ed pC?~i tion a~ains~ the ~ea-~ 70. Thereby when the dispcnsing valve is in place on khe threaded neck on the bottle B
a:Eter the ~ragile disc has been pierced by -t~e pointed tip 94 o~ thQ .spindle 88, the bottle i~ maintain~d closed and will stay closed even upon inversion o~ the bot~le.
In operation as a hirdfeeder valve, the d;.s-pensing valve is screwed on the finish of a full hot:tle B
and, upon 90 doing, the pointed tip 94 of the spindl.e will ~15~5 pierce the protective disc. Then the bottle i~ turned upside down and is in~erted in a copylng machine. As noted previousl-~, a typical copying machine has a support 48 into which the dispensing valve -- in this instance, the valve 60 -- is inserted, thereby serving to hold the valve and the b~ttle upside down. The support is so positioned as to hold the valve in the s~p 50 having the bottom wall 52, with the bottom wall so situated as to be engaged by the lower charnfered end of the spindle 88 when the bottle is in~erted into the machine on the support.
This will shift the spindle 88 upwardly so as to raise the valve plug 84 off its valve seat 70 and thereupon liquid will flow out of the bottle through the bird-feeder valve 60 into the sump. When the lic~id reaches a certain level in the s~np, the hydrostatic forces act-ing on the liquid are in balance. As liquid is drawn out of the sump for use in the electrostatographic liquid copy machine, the hydrostatic balance will be disturbed, causing further liquid to flow out of the bottle until hydrostatic equilibriurn is re-established. The valve 60 in the foregoing respects functions no differently ~rorn the valve 10.
When usecl as an irltermittently opened valve, the valve 60 normally i~ closed. When there is demand fo~ ~ddit:ional fluid determined by a sen~sing element, a mern~er e.g. a flipper, normally ou-t of contact with the lower end of the spindle, raise~ to lift the ~pindle and open the valve. When the member drop~, ei-ther after a period of time or under thR control of the sensory elernent, the valve rec:lo~ses.
To a~semble the valve 60, the spring 100 is threaded on the ~pindle 88 over the point 94 until it 11560~S
abuts the flange 102. Thcn the upper portion of the spindle is inserted through the bore 76 until the point 94 extends beyond the seat 70. Thereafter, the plug 84 i5 pushed over the point 94 until its lower flat surface butts against the shoulder 92 and its upper flat surface clears the shoulder 96. At this time, the plug is properly located without the use of a jig, and the spring 100 is properly compressed likewise without the use of a j.ig~ The valve 60 now is ready for use. rrhis assembly operation lends itself to the use of automatic machinery.
A full bottle having a dispensing valve mounted on its neck is vulnerable in a certain respect, namelyl the disc on the mouth of the bottle has been pierced by the pointed tip of the spindle so that when the bottle is in-verted the only thing that stops the contents of the bottle from flowing out through the dispensing valve is the closed position of the plug. Due to the manner in which the dis-pensing valve is used, to wit, so structuring the same that pressure on the chamfered end of the valve mounted on an inverted bottle will open the valve, if through mischance, as sometimes occurs, the cham~ered end inadvertently is brought to bear upon an object, or vice versa, the contents o~ the bot~le will ~low out o~ the valve intQ the open. r~his i~
unde~irable because the contents are expensive, hecause they rnay stain ~abrics, and because the liquid carrier, i~ it is present, act~ as a solvent ~or sorne types of pla~ic~. To prevent this from happeninc~, pursuant to an ancillary ~eature o-~ the invention, p.ro-tective means may be supplied, As illustrated in ~igures 4, 5 and 6, certain adclitional el~ments are included. rrhe~e constitwte a clip 106 and an overcap 108. I'he purpose of the clip is t:o pre-vent shifting of the spindle into a valve-open posi.tion.
1 156~3~
The purpose of the overcap i5 to prevent the protruding ch~nfered end of the spindle from being pressed away from the valve-closed position. Together, the clip and overcap prohibit inadvertent opening of the valve. The clip and overcap are made of plastic. The clip is in the form of a disc 110, the diameter of whose periphery is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the lower ~nd of the sleeve 78. The clip is aclapted to be seated on the lower sleeve end as shown in figure 5. The clip is ~ormed with a dia-metrical slot 112 extending inwardly from the circumference of the disc to somewhat past its center. The width of the slot is in excess of the diameter of the unreduced section of the spindle 88. The disc further includes manipulating means in the shape of one or more protuberances 114 extend-ing away from the surface of the disc that is remote from the sleeve 78. These protuberances are adapted to be grasped by an operator's hands for manipulation of the disc. It is contemplated that only a single protuberance can be used which can be grasped between a user's thumb and forefinger, or that, as shown, two protuberances are included, the same being parallel and on opposite sides of the slot 112. These protuberances are formed in the cross-section of arrows, both pointing in the same directi4n. The purpose of this will be immedia-tely apparent. ~he disc i9 located between the flan~e 102 and the lower end of the spring 100 as best shown in figure 5, ~o that the spring 100 i8 under compre~ion hetween the hub 74 and the di~c, rather than between the hub and tha flange 102. ~hereafter, assembly o~ the valve proceeds a~ described above.
However, now the spindle ex~ends through the slot, and the disc is held between the lower end of the spring and the ~lan~e 102 which preqs against opposite sicles of 3 ~
the disc~ Due to the presence of the disc, the valve plug cannot be shifted away from its closed position. It is prevented from so doir~g by abutment of the flange 102 against the underside of the disc while the disc is seated on the lower end of the sleeve 78r This prevents inadvertent opening of the valve, but when it is desired to use the valve, the operator simply slides the disc 110 off the spindle in the direction of the arrows, using the protu-bexances 114 as, in efEect, a handle.
Finally, to provide further protection against inadvertent striking of the spindle 88 and opening of the valve 60, the overcap 108 is applied to the valve to form a complete cover therefor. The overcap is shaped to fit nestedly over the cap 62. It will be seen that the cap 62 is formed with a fluted exterior constituting ribs 116.
The interior of the overcap is shaped to snugly fit over the cap and is formed with internal ribs 118 that are disposed to enter between spaced ones of the ribs 116. This enables the overcap to be rotated and to rotate the valve 60 when it is desired to apply this valve to the threaded neck of a bottle B. Thus, the overcap does not have to be removed in order to cause the valve 60 to engag~ with or disengage from the bottle. The open mouth of the over-cap i9 ~ormed with a squat flanye 120 which engages the uppex end o e the cap 6~ to maintain the overcap in pOSitiQn on the valve 60. The retention afforded hy ~he -flange i9 quite slight, so that a-fter the valve 60 is moun-ted on a bot-tle B, the overcap easily can be pulled oef to expo~e the clip 106 which thereupon is slid ofE
-to render the dispensing valve 60 fully opera-tive.
As mentioned earlier, if the fluid being dis-pensed is dry toner powder, it is advantageous to have a 1 156~35 vibrator opera-tively coupled to the powder container to encourage fluid flow and preven-t bridging.
It thus will be seen that there is provided a valve and method for assembling same which achieve the various objects of the invention and which are well adapted to meet the conditions practical use.
As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be under-stood that all matter herein described or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitiny sense.
A dispensing valve adap-ted to dispense fluids used in electrostatographic copying machines, the valve being designed -to be attached to the downwardly faciny rnouth of an inverted bottle containing such a fluid.
Dispensing valves are well known in the industry.
It is a valve which customarily is attached to the mouth of a fluid containing hottle when the bottle is erect, that is to say, when its ~outh faces upwardly. At this time the valve is biased to closed position. The bottle then i~ inverted. ~o fluid will flow out of the bottle because the valve is biased to closed position. The bottle with the valve attached and in upside down position is placed on a support in conjunction with a machine in which the bottled fluid is designed to be employed. The support holds the bottle upside down. Within the receptacle an element engages an actuating member of the dispensing valve to displace a valve plug upwardly and thereby open the valve. In one mode of use the dispensing valve re-mains open during its period of operation and will automa-tically dispense fluid, usually liquid, into the machineas a function of the prevailing hydrostatic pressures. In this mode the valve some-timQs is referred to as a bird~eeder.
Hexeto~ore such a valve ha~ cons-tituted a plug mounted on a spinclLe and bia~ed to closed position against a valve ~eat in the valve body~ ~he plug frictionally engages the spind~e~ Move~en-t of the pl~g off khe spindle was pre-vented by a re~ainer ring. ~he dqgree o~ compression o~
the spring was ~ixed by the position o~ another retainer ring on the ~plndle. The two retainer rings had to be located on the ~pindle with a rea~onable degree of pre-cision in order to properly position the plug and to im-part the proper degree o~ compression to the spring.
1 15~035 Bec~use several elernents had to be manipulated duriny assembly of the components of the dispensing valve and because the plug and spring had to be correctly located, it has been necessary to assemble the parts of the valve with the aid of a jig. This had unduly raised the cost of assembly and unduly slowed the product:ion line, ~oth factors having tended to increase the production cost of the valve. The prior art birdfeeder valve is detailed in a later portion of this specification with relationship to a figure that shows the structure. In another mode of use the dispensing valve is intermittently opened and closed by a member, e.g. a flipper, that periodically presses up against the lower end of the spindle to lift the plug when a sensing element determines that additional fluid is required and allows the spindle and plug to drop either after a predetermined period of time or after the need for additional fluid has been supplied.
It is an object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which is not subject to the ~oregoing drawbacks.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which employs a lesser mlmber of parts than prior art dispensing valves.
It is another ob~ect of the invention ta provide a di~penslng valve of the character described which is ,~impler and ~equires less manpower -to assemble than the prior art dispensing valves and can be put together with the aid of automatic machinery.
It is another object o~ the inventlon to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which can be made and sold at a lower cost than prior art dispensing valves.
1 15~35 It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which can be as~embled without the use of a jig.
It is another object of the invention to provide a dispensing valve of the character described which is so structured that the assembly thereo~ predeterminedly locates -the valve plug and cornpresses the spring to a predetermined degree.
Other objects of the invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter~
The dispensing valve of the present invention is mounted on and, in use, forms an integral part of the bottle of fluid with which it is used. The bottle of fluid conventionally is supplied to the customer in a supply container, usually plastic, whose mouth is closed for storage and shipment by a weak disc affixed as by adhesive or plastic welding onto the finish of the receptacle.
The fluids conventionally employed in such a container for use with a dispensing valve in the field of electro-statographic copies are liquid concentrate, working liquidtoner, liquid carrier for the working liquid toner,s, this sornqtimes being referred to as a diluen~, ancl dry tonqr powcler. Sucll powd~r has but little resistance to ~hear and there~ore has flow characteri,stlcs similar to those o~ a liquid. Thes~ can be enhan~Qd, if desired by employ-incJ a vibrator in operative relationship to the supply container, The neck of ~uGh container is provided with one hal~ o~ a coupling sllch as a male thread which cooper-a-tes with a ~emale throad ~ a prot~ctive shipment cap that insures that the disc will not be ruptured in transit ox in storage and until the disc is deliberately broken.
The liquid concentrate is viscous, somewhat less viscous 1 ~56~35 tharl ho~ey at roorn temE~erature. The liquid concentrate conventionally includes a volatile liquid carrier, e.g.
Isopar G or H. It contains a higher percentage of solids, both dissolved and insoluble in the liquid carrier.
working liquid toner is composed of the same materials but has a much higher percentage by volume of the liquid carrier.
A conventional liquid toner copyiny machine of the type which ernploys a dispensing valve has a compart-ment in which the container of liquid is adapted to beplaced in inverted position, mouth down, with the pro-tective cap removed and with a birdfeeder valve substituted for the cap. The birdfeeder valve is so designed that attaching the valve to the neck of the container will cause point of the valve to penetrate the protective disc.
The valve also includes a female threaded cap which is screwed onto the neck of the container after the shipment cap has been removed. The shipment cap is removed from the container and replaced with the cap of the birdfeeder valve while the container is erect, and it is only after such replacement that the container is inverted and in-,serted in the liquid toner copying machine.
When the inver-ted container with its birdEeeder valve is in~erted in -the machine a support in the machine engages the container to hold the ,same in fixQd posi-tion~
Wittl the contalner thus engaged, an actuator for the bird-feeder valve c~u~e~ the valve -to opqn. The lowex part of -the valve is submerged in a liquid sump and liquid will flow ~rom -the bottle into the g~np under the pxevailing hydrosta~ic forcesl being supplied essentially by demand without changing the position o~ the opened components of the valve.
The same valve, without modification, can be used for intermittent feed of liquid or of any toner powder.
As observed previously, prior art dispensing valves in the field of electrostatographic copying machines have been composed of a large number of parts, have required a jig for their assernbly and needed delicate positioning of retainer rings to precisely locate the valve plug and to precisely compress a biasing spring to a desired degree.
The present invention avoids these drawbacks by use of a structure which sub~equently will be detailed and which Utilizes a lesser number of parts and by the unique con-figuration and relative positioning of these paxts all of which enable the new dispensing valve to be assembled without a jig and with automatic machinery, to locate the valve plug very simply and to automatically obtain a predetermined degree of compression o~ the spring.
Additionally, there are other structural novel arrangement~ which will be appreciated from the reading of the appended specification.
The invention accordingly consists in the feature of construct.ion, combinations of elements, arrangement~ of parts and series of steps which will be exemplified in the di~pensin~ valvq mounted as hereinafter described and o~
which thq ~cope of the application will bq indicated in the ap~ended claim~
In olle aspect of the pre~qnt invqntion, thqre i~
provided a dispen~ing valvq tQ be used on a ~upply bottle containing a fluid adap-tqd -to be employ~d in an qlectro-statographic copying machine, said bottlq including a male hal~ o~ a coupling mean~, said valve comprising: a) a valvq cap having a ~kixt that is provided internally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half l 15~3'5 of the coupling means on -the bottle neck, b) the valve cap having a central opening for passage of fluid from the bottle therethrouyh, c) a spider in said opening, i) the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, d) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, e~ a spindle extending through the bore in the spider, i) a flange permanently ~ixed on and carried by the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, f) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, g) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the re-mainder of the spindle, h) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bo-ttle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, and j) a resilient centrally bored valve plug on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper and lower ends butting against said shouldQrs.
In a further aspect o~ the present inven-tion, thQre i~ provldecl a dispensing valvs to bs used on a supply hottls containing a fluid aclapted to b~ employsd in an electrostatographic copying machine, said bottle lncluding a male half o~ a couplinc~ means, said valvs comprising:
a~ a valvs cap having a skirt that is provided internally with a ~smale ha:lf o~ a coupling mean~ adapted to me~h with the male half of the coupling means on the bottle neck, b) the valve cap having a central opening for passage o~
I 1 56~35 fluicl from the bottle therethrouyh, c) a .spindle extending through said opening in the cap, d) a valve seat carried by the cap, e) a resilient centrally bored valve plug threaded on the spindle, f) spring means to bias the valve plug against the seat, g) said spindle having an end that protrudes through the discharge end of the central opening in the cap, h) an enlargement on the spindle, said enlargement being disposed ou-t-side of the cap, and j) a retaining clip having a diame-tral slot with an open end at the periphery of the clip and the closed end within the clip, said lip being disposed between said spring and said enlargement, said disc being seated on the discharge end of said cap whereby the spindle is locked in place against open-ing movement to prevent inadvertent lifting of the valve plug off its seat.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling a dispensing valve for a supply bottle containing a fluid for use with an electrostatographic copying machine, said bottle having a neck which includes a male half of a coupling means an which neck in use is lowermost, said dispensing valve com-prising: a) a cap having a skirt that is provided inter-nally with a female half of a coupling means adapked to mesh with the male half on the bottle neck, said cap having a centra:l opening for passage of fluid Erom the bottle t~ere-through, b) a splder in said opening, the spider havin~ a bore coaxial w.ith the opening in the cap, c) a valve seat at the end of the central openlng in the cap and facing the ih-ter:Lor of the bo-ttle, d) a spindl~ ex-tending through the bore in the spider, a flange per--manently carxied by the spindle on the side o~ the spiderremote frorn the valve seat, e) a helical coTnpression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, ~) the spindle having on the side of the spider rernote from the 1 15S03~
spring a portion of reduced diameter ~o form a first shoulder where it joins the remalncler of the spindle, g) the spindle further ha~ing a top portion abvve the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispen.sing valve is mounted thereon, ~aid top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, and h) a resilient central bore valve plug on the reduced diameter por-tion of the spindle, sa.id method comprising: i) sliding thehelical compression spring along the spindle from the top until the spring abuts the flange, ii) inserting the top of the spin-dle through the bore in the spider until the spring is under compression between the spider and the flange, and iii~ thread-ing the valve plug over the top of the spindle until the bottom of the valve plug abuts the ~irst shoulder and the top of the valve plug abuts the second shoulder, whereby to locate the valve plug in a predetermined position on the spindle and to predeterminately compress the spring so as to exert a prede-termined biasing force on the valve plug that forces thevalve plug against the seat.
In a further aspect o~ the-invention there is -provided a dispensing valve to be used on a ~upply bottle containing a fluent imaging material adapted to be employqd in an elect~o3tatoc3raphic copying machine, the bottle in-clu~ing a male hal~ of a coupling mqans, the valve compri~es a valve cap having a skirt that is provicled internally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to me~h with the male half o~ the coupling mean~ on the bottle neck, the valve cap having ~ central opening ~or pa~sage of fluent imaging material ~rom the bottle therethrough, a ~p:ider in the opening, the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, a 1 1S~03'5 valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap andfaciny the interior of the bottle, a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, a flanye molded in one piece with the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and -the flange, the spi.ndle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, the spindle further havincl a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received w.ithin the bottle when dispensing valve is mounted thereon, the top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, a resilient centrally bored valve plug friction fitted on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against the second shoulder, the space between the two shoulders being slightly less than the axial length of the valve plug so as to hold the valve ~ plug under compression between the shoulders, the top and bottom of the valve plug being substantially flat where they butt against the shoulders, the reduced diameter portion of the spindle including at least one annular rib to engage the cqn~ral bore oE the valve plug and inhibit axial shi~ting o~
~aid plug, and the rib having a steeply inelined side ~acing the ~pi.der.
In a still Purther aspect o~ the present invention, there is provided a dispensing valve to bq used on a 3upply kot~le containing a ~luent imaging material adapted to be employed in an electxostatographic copyi.ng machine, the bottle including a male halE oP coupliny mean~, the valve compri~es;
a valve cap having a ~irt that .is provided internally with a ~8a-. . . .. .
1 1560~5 fem~le half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half of the coupling rneans on the bottle neck, the valve cap having a central opening for pa~sage o~ f].~ent imaging material from the ~ottle therethrouyh, a spider in said opening, the ~pider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, a valve ~eat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, a flange rnolded in one piece with the spindle on the ~ide of the spider remote from the valve seat, a helical compre~ion spring under compression between the spider and the flange, the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and ad-apted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve i8 mounted thereon, the top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, a resilient centrally bored valve plug friction fitked on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against the second shoulder, and the reduced diameter of the ~pinclle includiny at least one annular rib to engaye the central bore of the valve plug and inhibit axial ~hiftiny o~ the plug4 In the accompanying drawinys in which i~ ~hown one of ~he variou~ po3~ible embodiments o~ thi~ invent.ion, accord-inyly ~he invention i~ illu~trated by way of example in the accompanying drawing~ where:in~-~igure 1 i~ an axial ~ectional view through a prior art bird~eeder valve, on a fragmentarily shown bottle of liquid and located in a liquid copying machine;
-8b-1 1560~
Figure la is a per~pective view of a retainer ring used with the prior art valve;
Figure 2 is an axial secti.onal view through a valve of the present inventiGn, on a fragmentarily shown bottle and located in a liquid copying ~achine;
-8c-l 1S60~
Figure 3 i~ a bottom view of the valve shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a retaining clip;
E~igure 5 is an axial sectional view of the new valve with the retaining clip and an overcap mounted thereon, and Figure 6 i9 a fragmentary sectional view taXen substantially along the line 6--6 of Figure 5.
Referring now to figures 1 and la there is illus-trated a prior art bird~eeder valve 10 for dispen~ing aliquid in an electrostatographic liquid copying machine.
The valve is used in conjunction with a bottle B of liquid.
The contents of the bottle may be a liquid toner concentrate, a working liquid toner or a carrier for a working liquid toner. The birdfeeder valve 10 includes seven components~
In particular, the birdfeeder valve 10 includes a cap 12 ~one component~, made of a material which is inert to the organic liquid carrier and other components that are pre-sent in the liquid toner concentrate or in the working liquid toner. Such liquid usually is an "Isopar"* such as "Isopar G or H". An acceptable material from which to mold the cap 12 i~ a polyacytal. The skirt of the cap is formed with a ~emale thread 14 dq~igned ~o me~hingly en~age khe male thrqad on thq neck o~ the bottle B. A~ pointed ouk e~rlier herqin, khe cap i~ ~crqwed onto an upright full ~ottlq B ~P li~uid, the mouth oE which is closed for ~hi~ment and storage by a frac~lle di~, e.g, a metal ~oil di~c, ~ecured acros~ ~he sam~. qlhe cap include3 an inkernally directed mid flange 16 ~rom which ~leeve 18 ~xtend~ upwardly~ q'he re~erqnce pQint ~or "upwardlyl' i9 the ~ottom o~ thc valve 10 attachqd to an inverte~d bottle which is its position in an operating liquid copy-* Trademark owned by Exxon Corp~, U.S.A.
.
115~035 ing machine. The upper end of the sleeve constitutes a valve seat 20. A spider 22 is situated at the bottom of the sleeve 18. The hub 24 of the spider is formed with a central bore 26. A second sleeve 28 is formed inte-grally with the flange 16 and extends downwardly therefrom.
The sleeves 18 and 28 are coaxial: however, the sleeve ~-28 may have an internal dia~eter somewhat larger than that of the sleeve 18. An annular well 30 is formed between the sleeve 18 and the ~kirt o~ the cap 12.
Another annular well 32 formed between the low~r end of the cap and the sleeve 28, beneath the flange 16.
: ~.
The second component of the birdfeeder valve 10 is a valve plug 34. The~valve plug is made of an elastomeric material which ls inert to the liquid carrier and other ingredients of the toner concentrate and the working toner that lS in the bottle B, a useful material being Buna-~. The lower end of the valve plug 34 is of spherical domed configuration. The upper end of the valve plug is of upwardly tapering frustoconical con-figuration. Optionally, as illustrated, the upper endmay include two segments of different angular inclinations, , the lower segment being steeper and the upper segment bein~ ttex. ~he v~lve plug 3~ is ~ashioned with a cent~al a~ial box~ 36, Pr~rahly th~ upper and l~wer ~ur~aGes ~ ~h~ valv~ plU~ ~r~ ~la~ and pe~pqndicula~ to ~he lon~itudin~l axi~ h~ ~o~e~ -The kh~i~d compona~ h~ hlrd~eeder valvq 10 is a stainles~ ~k~l s~indle 3~ o~ uni~rm diamqtqx ~rom end to ~nd ~xaqpk at the top which is point~d and th~ b~tkom whia~ i~ ch~nfered. ~he ~pindle ~xtends khrough the bore 36 o~ t~e plug 34, projecting both above and below the plug. The plug i8 a friction fit ::~
:l 15~35 on the spindle, The spindle pas3es fxeely through the bore 26 in the hub of the spider 22, The valve plug 34 is located above the spider and is designed to be biased against the valve seat 20, The fourth component is a stain:Less steel helical compression spring 40 which encircles the spindle 28 below the spider 22. One end of the spring is seated against the lower face of the spider hub 24, The fifth and sixth elements of the birdfeeder valve 10 are stainles.s steel female friction push~type retainer rings 42 and 44, respectively, (see also Fig. la).
One such ring 42 frictionally engages the spindle 38 above the valve plug, the other ring 44 frictionally engages the spindle 38 below the spring 40, The spring 40 is held under compression between the spider hub 24 and the ring 44. The ring 42 defines the upper location of the upper surface of the valve plug 34.
The rings are pushed into place and cannot readily back of~. They tend not to be precisely positioned, ~0 The seventh and last component is a sealing gasket 46 seated at the bottom o~ thP well 30 to prevent leakaye o~ liquid when the cap 12 is screwed on the mouth of the liquid containing bottle B~ The gasket i~
~ormed of a re3ilient material such a~ ~oamed polyurethane which 1~ inext to the liquid carrier.
~ he 3pring ~0 bia3e3 the plu~ 34 to closed po3ition again~t the ~eat 20, 'l~ereby when the bird~eeder valv~ i9 in place on the threaded neck o~ the hottle B
aXter the Eragile disc ha~ been pierced by the pointed end oX the spindlc 38, thc bottle i~ maintained closed and will stay clo~ed even upon inversion o~ the bottle.
In operation, the bird~eeder valve 10 is screwed ~, _ 1. :1 5~035 on the finish of a full bottle and upon so doing the poir1ted end of the spinclle will pierce the protective disc. Then the bottle is -turned upside down and is in-serted in a copying machine. A typical copying machine has a support 48 into which the dispensing valve is inserted thereby serving to hold the valve and the bottle upside down. Associated with the support is a sump 50 having a bottom wall 52. The bottom wall is so situated as to be engaged by the lower chamEered end of the lO spindle 38. This will shift the spindle upwardly to raise the valve plug 34 oEf its valve seat 20 and there-upon liquid will flow out of the bottle through the birdfeeder valve into the sump. When the liquid reaches a certain level in the sump the hydrostatic forces acting on the liquid are in balance. As liquid is drawn out of the sump for use in the electrostatographic toner machine the hydrostatic balance will be disturbed causing further liquid to flow out of the bottle until equili-briurn is re-established. In some machines an element 20 such as a flipper, intermittently opens the valve and 1:hen allows it to close, under the control o E a sensing ele--ment that dete~mines the need ~or addi tional liquid .
I'o assemhle the prior art birdfeeder valve lO, -the vaLve plug 3~ i~ t'hraaded on the splndle 38 to i ts approximate location and khe spindle is :inserted through -l~he ~ore 2 6 ~ The spring 40 threacled OII the 1 ower end o*
the spindle. ~he -two retainer rin~s must be positioned on the spindle 38 . q'his can be done a ~ter the plug and the cap and the 3pring are positioned on the spindle or 30 one of k'he rinc,,,~s can be emplaced Eirst, therea~ter the plug, cap and sprinc,~ rnounted on the spindle and Elnally t:he other ring emplaced. Regardless o~ the sequence oE
~ 15~03~
assembly of the components, the positioning of the rings is critical. The upper ring 42 must be so located that the valve plug 34 i.5 correctly situated on the spindle to correctly engage -the valve seat 20, The lower ring 44 must be so positioned with respect to the upper ring that the spriny 40 is compress~d to a desired degree.
If the spring is incorrectly compressed the force it exerts on the valve plug may not be suitable to maintain the birdfeeder valve closed under all conditions and if the degree of cornpression is too great it may not allow the birdfeeder valve to open correctly. Furthermore, there is a problem in putting the two rings on a spindle inasmuch as an operator would require three hands to hold both rings and the spindle at the same time. To encourage correct placement of the rings and to assist the operator in assembly, the prior art birdfeeder valve 10 conventionally employes a jig which usually holds the spindle at one end while one or both rings are being mounted. Even with the assistance of the jig correct placement o~ the rings is most di~ficult, it has not been possible to automate assembly.
Turning now to figures 2 - 6, the reference numeral 60 denotes a dispensing valvR embodying the prcsent invention and de~igned and adapted to dispense a liquid conccntrake, or a working toner, or a diluen-t, or a dry torler ~wder in an electro~katographic copying machine.
~ikR the prior art dispensing valve 10, khe valve ~0 i9 u~Rd in conjunction with a bottle B of fluid. The dis-pen~ing valve 60 of the prqsent invenkion includes only fivc component~, in contra~t to the ~even components of the prior art dispensing valve 10.
The first component o~ the dispenslng valve 60 1 1~6035 is a cap 62 composed of d material inert -to -the organic llquid carrier in the bo-ttle B, if it is liquid being dis-pensed, and to other cornponents that are present in the liquid toner concen-trate or in the working liquid toner should they be the contents of the bottle. An acceptable material for the cap 62 is a polyacetal. rrhe skirt of the cap is formed with a female thread 64 designed to thread onto the male thread on the neck of the bottle B.
The cap is screwed onto an upright full bottle B, the rnouth of which is closed ~or shipment and storage by rl fragile disc, e.g. a metal foil disc secured across the same. The cap includes an internally directed mid-flange 66 from which a sleeve 68 extends upwardly. The upper end of the sleeve constitutes a valve seat 70, A spider 72 is situated at the bottom of the sleeve 68. The hub 74 of the spider is formed with a central bore 76. A
second sleeve 78 is formed integrally with the flange 66 and depends therefrom. The sleeves 68 and 78 are coaxial.
However, the sleeve 78 may have an internal diameter so~ewhat larger than that of the sleeve 68. An annular well 80 is formed between -the sleeve 68 and the skirt of the cap 62. The neck of the bottle B is received in thi~ wQll. Another annular well 8~ ormed betwe~ln the lower end o e the Gap 62 and the ~leeve 78, beneath the flange 66.
rrhe ~econd corllponent o~ thq dispensing valve 60 1~ a valve plug 8~n rrhe valve pluy i~ madQ o~ an elasto~
meric material which is inert -to the fluid in the bottle B, a use~ul material being Buna-N. q'he lower end of the valve plug ~4 i~ o~ spherical domed configwration~ The upper end of said plug is of upwardly tapering frusto-conical configuration. Optionally, as illustrated the 1 15~035 upper end may inclucle two segments of differen-t angular inclinations, the lower segment being steeper and the upper segment being flatter, this does not affect the operation of the invention. The valve plug 84 is fashioned with a central axial bore 86 Preferably, the upper and lower surfaces of the valve plug are flat and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bore.
As will be appreciated from the description of the new valve 60 as thus Ear set forth, the cap 62 and plug 84 of the new valve are identical to the cap 12 and plug 34 of the prior art dispensing valve 10. A minor difference may reside in the configuration of the plug 84, the height of which is slightly greater than that of the plug 34. This i5 a trivial design change. The differ-ences between the valve 60 and the valve 10 reside in the spindle of the valve 60 and the manner of attachment of the plug 84 to such spindle which now will be pointed out.
rrhe third component of the new dispensing valve 60 embodying the present invention is a plastic spindle 88. Unlike the spindle 38 of the valve 10, the spindle 88 is not of unifo~n diameter from end to end.
Li~e the spindle 38, the spindle 88 is pointed at the top ~nd ~ham~e~ed at the bot-tom. How2ver, the ~pindle 88 ha~ an upper scction 90 Q~ a diameter srnaller than that o~ the LQWer portion o~ said spindle wher~h~ -to pxovide an upwardly ~acing shoulder 92 at the lower end of -the ~ectiQn 90~ rrhe lower end of the plug 84 is seatRd on this shoulder so that the shoulcler precisely de-Eines the location oE said lower end, with khi~ arrangement, the position of the plug on the spindle is exactly predeter-mined~ The pointed top 94 o~ the spindle has a base ~ 1S~3~
whose diameter is in excess of the reduced diameter section 90 of the spindle, thereby providing a down-wardly facing 3houlder 96 where the redllced diameter portion 90 joins the pointed top. The shoulder 96 abuts the upper sur~ace of the plug 84. Hence, the plug 84 is held between the shoulders 92 and 96~ As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawinys these shoulders are spaced a distance apart slight-ly less than the relaY.ed height of the pluy 84, .so that when the plug i~ located bet~/een the two shou~ders with the reduced dia-rneter section 90 the plug is under slight axial pressure whichsuffices to maintain the plug in its predetermined position de-fined by said two shoulders. Preferably however, the sh~ulder 96 is spaced slightly from the upper surface-of the plug 84. It is able to assume and maintain this position without the use of an assembly jig, the shoulders serving an equivalent function~ The reduced diameter section 90 of the spindle extends through the bore 86 of the plug 84. The plug is a friction fit on the re-duced diameter section 90. If desired, and in order to minimize any tendency of the plug to shift on the reduced diameter sec-tion said section is provided with one or more annular ribs 98of buttress shape, with the flat sides that are perpendicu-lar to the spindle facing downwardly toward the cham-fered end of the spindle. ~he une~ual inclination for the two sides of e~ch rib is preferxed since the pres~
sure exer~d on the spindle with respect to the plug is ~ownward and the tendency for the plug to shift is upwardly, this being inhibited by the mentioned con-~ r~tion o~ ~he rib~, The valve plug 8~ i~ located above the spider 72 and is designed -to be biased to closed po~ition a~ain~t the valve seat 70.
The Eourth component is a stainle~s steel helical compres~ion spring 100. One end of the spriny is seated 1 1~603'j ayainst the lower face oE the spide.r hub 74~ The other end of the spring is seated on a flanye 102, either molded with or cons-tituting a ring fixedly secured to the spindle 88. The position of the ring is predetermined, that is to say, fixed be~ore assembly of the valve 60. Thereby the degree of compression of the spring between said ring and the spider can be deterrnined ancl fixed in advance of assembly, bearing in mind that the position o the plug likewise is fixed, so that the distance between the seat 70 and the flange 102 is a predetenmined fixed distance.
By way of contrast with the prior art dispensing valve 10, the new dispensing valve of the present inven-- tion does not utilize the fifth and sixth elements of said dispensing valve 10. These are wholly dispensed with, their function being provided by the shoulders 92, 96 and the flange 102 which are a part of the spindle 88.
The fifth and last component of the valve 60 is a sealing gasket }04 seated at the bottom of the well 80 to prevent leakage of liquid when the cap 62 is screwed on the mouth of the bottle B. The gasket is fo.rmed of a resilient material such as foamed polyurethane which is inert to the liquid carrier and to the other components of the liquid toner concentrate.
The spring 100 biases the plug 84 to clo~ed pC?~i tion a~ains~ the ~ea-~ 70. Thereby when the dispcnsing valve is in place on khe threaded neck on the bottle B
a:Eter the ~ragile disc has been pierced by -t~e pointed tip 94 o~ thQ .spindle 88, the bottle i~ maintain~d closed and will stay closed even upon inversion o~ the bot~le.
In operation as a hirdfeeder valve, the d;.s-pensing valve is screwed on the finish of a full hot:tle B
and, upon 90 doing, the pointed tip 94 of the spindl.e will ~15~5 pierce the protective disc. Then the bottle i~ turned upside down and is in~erted in a copylng machine. As noted previousl-~, a typical copying machine has a support 48 into which the dispensing valve -- in this instance, the valve 60 -- is inserted, thereby serving to hold the valve and the b~ttle upside down. The support is so positioned as to hold the valve in the s~p 50 having the bottom wall 52, with the bottom wall so situated as to be engaged by the lower charnfered end of the spindle 88 when the bottle is in~erted into the machine on the support.
This will shift the spindle 88 upwardly so as to raise the valve plug 84 off its valve seat 70 and thereupon liquid will flow out of the bottle through the bird-feeder valve 60 into the sump. When the lic~id reaches a certain level in the s~np, the hydrostatic forces act-ing on the liquid are in balance. As liquid is drawn out of the sump for use in the electrostatographic liquid copy machine, the hydrostatic balance will be disturbed, causing further liquid to flow out of the bottle until hydrostatic equilibriurn is re-established. The valve 60 in the foregoing respects functions no differently ~rorn the valve 10.
When usecl as an irltermittently opened valve, the valve 60 normally i~ closed. When there is demand fo~ ~ddit:ional fluid determined by a sen~sing element, a mern~er e.g. a flipper, normally ou-t of contact with the lower end of the spindle, raise~ to lift the ~pindle and open the valve. When the member drop~, ei-ther after a period of time or under thR control of the sensory elernent, the valve rec:lo~ses.
To a~semble the valve 60, the spring 100 is threaded on the ~pindle 88 over the point 94 until it 11560~S
abuts the flange 102. Thcn the upper portion of the spindle is inserted through the bore 76 until the point 94 extends beyond the seat 70. Thereafter, the plug 84 i5 pushed over the point 94 until its lower flat surface butts against the shoulder 92 and its upper flat surface clears the shoulder 96. At this time, the plug is properly located without the use of a jig, and the spring 100 is properly compressed likewise without the use of a j.ig~ The valve 60 now is ready for use. rrhis assembly operation lends itself to the use of automatic machinery.
A full bottle having a dispensing valve mounted on its neck is vulnerable in a certain respect, namelyl the disc on the mouth of the bottle has been pierced by the pointed tip of the spindle so that when the bottle is in-verted the only thing that stops the contents of the bottle from flowing out through the dispensing valve is the closed position of the plug. Due to the manner in which the dis-pensing valve is used, to wit, so structuring the same that pressure on the chamfered end of the valve mounted on an inverted bottle will open the valve, if through mischance, as sometimes occurs, the cham~ered end inadvertently is brought to bear upon an object, or vice versa, the contents o~ the bot~le will ~low out o~ the valve intQ the open. r~his i~
unde~irable because the contents are expensive, hecause they rnay stain ~abrics, and because the liquid carrier, i~ it is present, act~ as a solvent ~or sorne types of pla~ic~. To prevent this from happeninc~, pursuant to an ancillary ~eature o-~ the invention, p.ro-tective means may be supplied, As illustrated in ~igures 4, 5 and 6, certain adclitional el~ments are included. rrhe~e constitwte a clip 106 and an overcap 108. I'he purpose of the clip is t:o pre-vent shifting of the spindle into a valve-open posi.tion.
1 156~3~
The purpose of the overcap i5 to prevent the protruding ch~nfered end of the spindle from being pressed away from the valve-closed position. Together, the clip and overcap prohibit inadvertent opening of the valve. The clip and overcap are made of plastic. The clip is in the form of a disc 110, the diameter of whose periphery is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the lower ~nd of the sleeve 78. The clip is aclapted to be seated on the lower sleeve end as shown in figure 5. The clip is ~ormed with a dia-metrical slot 112 extending inwardly from the circumference of the disc to somewhat past its center. The width of the slot is in excess of the diameter of the unreduced section of the spindle 88. The disc further includes manipulating means in the shape of one or more protuberances 114 extend-ing away from the surface of the disc that is remote from the sleeve 78. These protuberances are adapted to be grasped by an operator's hands for manipulation of the disc. It is contemplated that only a single protuberance can be used which can be grasped between a user's thumb and forefinger, or that, as shown, two protuberances are included, the same being parallel and on opposite sides of the slot 112. These protuberances are formed in the cross-section of arrows, both pointing in the same directi4n. The purpose of this will be immedia-tely apparent. ~he disc i9 located between the flan~e 102 and the lower end of the spring 100 as best shown in figure 5, ~o that the spring 100 i8 under compre~ion hetween the hub 74 and the di~c, rather than between the hub and tha flange 102. ~hereafter, assembly o~ the valve proceeds a~ described above.
However, now the spindle ex~ends through the slot, and the disc is held between the lower end of the spring and the ~lan~e 102 which preqs against opposite sicles of 3 ~
the disc~ Due to the presence of the disc, the valve plug cannot be shifted away from its closed position. It is prevented from so doir~g by abutment of the flange 102 against the underside of the disc while the disc is seated on the lower end of the sleeve 78r This prevents inadvertent opening of the valve, but when it is desired to use the valve, the operator simply slides the disc 110 off the spindle in the direction of the arrows, using the protu-bexances 114 as, in efEect, a handle.
Finally, to provide further protection against inadvertent striking of the spindle 88 and opening of the valve 60, the overcap 108 is applied to the valve to form a complete cover therefor. The overcap is shaped to fit nestedly over the cap 62. It will be seen that the cap 62 is formed with a fluted exterior constituting ribs 116.
The interior of the overcap is shaped to snugly fit over the cap and is formed with internal ribs 118 that are disposed to enter between spaced ones of the ribs 116. This enables the overcap to be rotated and to rotate the valve 60 when it is desired to apply this valve to the threaded neck of a bottle B. Thus, the overcap does not have to be removed in order to cause the valve 60 to engag~ with or disengage from the bottle. The open mouth of the over-cap i9 ~ormed with a squat flanye 120 which engages the uppex end o e the cap 6~ to maintain the overcap in pOSitiQn on the valve 60. The retention afforded hy ~he -flange i9 quite slight, so that a-fter the valve 60 is moun-ted on a bot-tle B, the overcap easily can be pulled oef to expo~e the clip 106 which thereupon is slid ofE
-to render the dispensing valve 60 fully opera-tive.
As mentioned earlier, if the fluid being dis-pensed is dry toner powder, it is advantageous to have a 1 156~35 vibrator opera-tively coupled to the powder container to encourage fluid flow and preven-t bridging.
It thus will be seen that there is provided a valve and method for assembling same which achieve the various objects of the invention and which are well adapted to meet the conditions practical use.
As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be under-stood that all matter herein described or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitiny sense.
Claims (4)
1. A dispensing valve to be used on a supply bottle containing a fluent imaging material adapted to be employed in an electrostatographic copying machine, said bottle in-cluding a male half of a coupling means, said valve comprising;
a) a valve cap having a skirt that is provided in-ternally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half of the coupling means on the bottle neck;
b) the valve cap having a central opening for pas-sage of fluent imaging material from the bottle therethrough;
c) a spider in said opening, i) the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, d) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap facing the interior of the bottle, e) a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, i) a flange molded in one piece with the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, f) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, g) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, h) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder;
j) a resilient centrally bored valve plug friction fitted on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against said second shoulder;
k) the space between the two shoulders being slightly less than the axial length of the valve plug so as to hold the valve plug under compression between said shoulders, l) the top and bottom of the valve plug being sub-stantially flat where they butt against said shoulders, m) the reduced diameter portion of the spindle in-cluding at least one annular rib to engage the central bore of the valve plug and inhibit axial shifting of said plug, and n) said rib having a steeply inclined side facing the spider.
a) a valve cap having a skirt that is provided in-ternally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half of the coupling means on the bottle neck;
b) the valve cap having a central opening for pas-sage of fluent imaging material from the bottle therethrough;
c) a spider in said opening, i) the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, d) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap facing the interior of the bottle, e) a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, i) a flange molded in one piece with the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, f) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, g) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, h) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder;
j) a resilient centrally bored valve plug friction fitted on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against said second shoulder;
k) the space between the two shoulders being slightly less than the axial length of the valve plug so as to hold the valve plug under compression between said shoulders, l) the top and bottom of the valve plug being sub-stantially flat where they butt against said shoulders, m) the reduced diameter portion of the spindle in-cluding at least one annular rib to engage the central bore of the valve plug and inhibit axial shifting of said plug, and n) said rib having a steeply inclined side facing the spider.
2. A dispensing valve to be used on a supply bottle containing a fluent imaging material adapted to be employed in an electrostatographic copying machine, said bottle in-cluding a male half of a coupling means, said valve comprising:
a) a valve cap having a skirt that is provided in-ternally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half of the coupling means on the bottle neck;
b) the valve cap having a central opening for passage of fluent imaging material from the bottle therethrough, c ) a spider in said opening, i) the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, d) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, e) a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, i) a flange molded in one piece with the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat;
f) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange;
g) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle;
h) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder;
i) a resilient centrally bore valve plug friction fitted on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against said second shoulder, and j) the reduced diameter of the spindle including a least one annular rib to engage the central bore of the valve plug and inhibit axial shifting of said plug.
a) a valve cap having a skirt that is provided in-ternally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half of the coupling means on the bottle neck;
b) the valve cap having a central opening for passage of fluent imaging material from the bottle therethrough, c ) a spider in said opening, i) the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, d) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, e) a plastic spindle extending through the bore in the spider, i) a flange molded in one piece with the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat;
f) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange;
g) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle;
h) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder;
i) a resilient centrally bore valve plug friction fitted on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle with its upper end butting against said second shoulder, and j) the reduced diameter of the spindle including a least one annular rib to engage the central bore of the valve plug and inhibit axial shifting of said plug.
3. A dispensing valve as set forth in claim 2 wherein said rib has a steeply inclined side facing the spider.
4. A method of assembling a dispensing valve for a supply bottle containing a fluid for use with an electrostato-graphic copying machine, said bottle having a neck which in-cludes a male half of a coupling means and which neck in use is lowermost, said dispensing valve comprising:
a) a cap having a skirt that is provided internally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half on the bottle neck, said cap having a central opening for passage of fluid from the bottle therethrough, b) a spider in said opening, the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, c) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, d) a spindle extending through the bore in the spider, a flange permanently carried by the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, e) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, f) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, g) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, and h) a resilient central bore valve plug on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle, said method comprising:
i) sliding the helical compression spring along the spindle from the top until the spring abuts the flange, ii) inserting the top of the spindle through the bore in the spider until the spring is under compression between the spider and the flange, and iii) threading the valve plug over the top of the spindle until the bottom of the valve plug abuts the first shoulder and the top of the valve plug abuts the second shoulder, whereby to locate the valve plug in a predetermined position on the spindle and to predeterminately compress the spring so as to exert a predetermined biasing force on the valve plug that forces the valve plug against the seat.
a) a cap having a skirt that is provided internally with a female half of a coupling means adapted to mesh with the male half on the bottle neck, said cap having a central opening for passage of fluid from the bottle therethrough, b) a spider in said opening, the spider having a bore coaxial with the opening in the cap, c) a valve seat at the end of the central opening in the cap and facing the interior of the bottle, d) a spindle extending through the bore in the spider, a flange permanently carried by the spindle on the side of the spider remote from the valve seat, e) a helical compression spring under compression between the spider and the flange, f) the spindle having on the side of the spider remote from the spring a portion of reduced diameter to form a first shoulder where it joins the remainder of the spindle, g) the spindle further having a top portion above the seat and adapted to be received within the bottle when the dispensing valve is mounted thereon, said top portion being pointed and having a base with a diameter greater than that of the reduced diameter portion of the spindle to form with the reduced diameter portion of the spindle a second shoulder facing the first shoulder, and h) a resilient central bore valve plug on the reduced diameter portion of the spindle, said method comprising:
i) sliding the helical compression spring along the spindle from the top until the spring abuts the flange, ii) inserting the top of the spindle through the bore in the spider until the spring is under compression between the spider and the flange, and iii) threading the valve plug over the top of the spindle until the bottom of the valve plug abuts the first shoulder and the top of the valve plug abuts the second shoulder, whereby to locate the valve plug in a predetermined position on the spindle and to predeterminately compress the spring so as to exert a predetermined biasing force on the valve plug that forces the valve plug against the seat.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US15751080A | 1980-06-09 | 1980-06-09 | |
| US157,510 | 1980-06-09 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1156035A true CA1156035A (en) | 1983-11-01 |
Family
ID=22564047
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000370582A Expired CA1156035A (en) | 1980-06-09 | 1981-02-11 | Dispensing valve to be used with bottles of fluid developer |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1156035A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3122293A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2077886B (en) |
| IE (1) | IE50690B1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4886193A (en) * | 1986-07-08 | 1989-12-12 | Creanova Ag. | Container closure cap with metering appliance |
| US4813463A (en) * | 1987-07-22 | 1989-03-21 | Huang Chen Correction Fluid Industry Co. Ltd. | Instantly applicable correction fluid container structure |
| US4972976A (en) * | 1989-05-23 | 1990-11-27 | Romero Robert A | Dispensing unit for bottled water |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5556136Y2 (en) * | 1976-05-04 | 1980-12-26 |
-
1981
- 1981-02-11 CA CA000370582A patent/CA1156035A/en not_active Expired
- 1981-02-23 GB GB8105651A patent/GB2077886B/en not_active Expired
- 1981-02-24 IE IE37581A patent/IE50690B1/en unknown
- 1981-06-04 DE DE19813122293 patent/DE3122293A1/en active Granted
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| IE50690B1 (en) | 1986-06-11 |
| GB2077886B (en) | 1983-10-26 |
| GB2077886A (en) | 1981-12-23 |
| IE810375L (en) | 1981-12-09 |
| DE3122293A1 (en) | 1982-06-09 |
| DE3122293C2 (en) | 1987-07-23 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |