DE102021119144B3 - Doser with encapsulated functional elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A dosing device (1) for viscous material requires an upstream (4) and a downstream (6) shut-off valve- a dosing element (5) in between Have metering direction, which is typically the case with membrane valves. Furthermore, the metering device (1) should be as simple and inexpensive to produce as possible, ideally either partially - e.g. with regard to the blocking elements (4, 6) and the metering element (5) - or be designed entirely as a one-way part so that it is disposed of after each batch of material (M) to be dispensed.

Description

I. Field of application

The invention relates to a dosing device for the metered dispensing of liquid and, above all, pasty material.

II. Technical background

A very frequently used design of dosing devices are piston dosing devices.

In the case of piston dosing devices, the respective, usually pasty, component is drawn up from a storage tank in a dosing cylinder, which takes up the desired dosing quantity when the dosing piston is retracted, by retracting the dosing piston via a connected inlet line, or it flows into the dosing cylinder due to the overpressure in the reservoir and the dosing cylinder is filled . The metering quantity contained in the metering cylinder is then fed and metered out by pushing the metering piston forward via an outlet line to the desired outlet opening, usually a nozzle or an upstream mixing tube.

This is often done for two dosing cylinders next to each other, e.g. for binder and hardener of a two-component adhesive. For this purpose, an inlet valve is installed in each inlet line and an outlet valve, usually I/O valves, in each outlet line, in order to keep the outlet line closed when filling the dosing cylinder and to keep the inlet line closed when dosing to the outlet opening.

The inlet and outlet valves are often designed as membrane valves, in which the material or the component to be metered is only on one side of the membrane, which can be pressed from the other side of the membrane by means of a closing cylinder against a pressing surface in order to Block flow through the valve for the respective component.

A sometimes occurring source of error can be the rupture of the diaphragm, which is subject to relatively rapid wear, especially when dosing components containing abrasive particles. If excessive wear is not noticed in good time, a rupture or even a slight leak can result.

Diaphragm valves also include so-called pinch valves or tube valves, in which the membrane consists of a peripherally closed tube through which the material flows.

Diaphragm valves have the disadvantage, however, that when they close, they cause a delivery process, even if only in the form of a very small volume, also in the outlet direction, which can impermissibly change the metered volume.

Valve forms are well known which do not have this disadvantage, but which are considerably more complex to manufacture and in some cases have a shorter service life, for example seat valves, plug valves, slide valves, etc.

In this context, from the DE20 2012 003 048 U1 as well as the DE 4420694 A1 Metering devices are known in which the functional elements - inlet valve, metering unit, outlet valve - are encapsulated on a contact level between housing parts that can be screwed together tightly and, by removing one housing part, all of them containing the material to be conveyed in Parts that have come into contact can be removed and replaced with a new part.

From the DE 20 2007 014 286 U1 as well as the DE 102 47 778 A1 Dosers are known in which individual dosing units, each having an inlet valve, outlet valve and dosing unit, are housed in their own functional housings on a central housing part and are easily interchangeable.

Above all, the functional elements are encapsulated next to each other in separate functional housings for each of the several dispensers.

III. Presentation of the invention

a) Technical task

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a metering device that is simple and inexpensive to produce, in particular wearing parts are easy to replace or the entire metering device or just one functional element can be used as a disposable part and the blocking elements of which have no conveying effect when they are actuated effect.

b) Solution of the task

This object is solved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

With regard to the metering device, the existing task is solved in that at least one of the functional elements contained in a metering device—the inlet valve, the metering unit and the outlet valve—is an encapsulated radio tion element is present in a functional housing and the entire functional elements in a simple manner, preferably without special tools and/or in less than 2 minutes, better in less than 1 minute, better in less than 30 seconds, on or in the dispenser housing is interchangeable.

Encapsulated means that it is a completely pre-assembled unit that is sealed except for the inflow and outflow openings and can be handled as one part.

In this way, a functional element, which is usually a wearing part, can be replaced very quickly and easily without having to remove the entire metering device. This avoids longer downtimes of the corresponding dosing system.

Such an encapsulated functional housing can preferably be introduced into or removed from the metering device housing transversely to the flow direction of the metering device housing. Since the sides of the dispenser housing are generally easily accessible, this avoids having to dismantle other components before replacing a functional element.

In order to facilitate sealing, the functional housing preferably has a cross section that decreases in the direction of insertion, transverse to this direction of insertion, and is preferably designed conically, preferably with a round cross section. The functional recess in the doser housing, into which the functional housing is inserted, is designed in the same way.

As a result, a high sealing effect can be generated with a simple O-ring between these conical surfaces, depending on the applied insertion force and subsequent holding force in this direction.

If the valve body and the valve seat in the functional housing also have a similar cross section in the direction of insertion, the valve body can be compensated for wear on the valve body or valve seat by further tracking or retensioning in the direction of insertion.

To fasten the functional housing to the metering device housing, all common, quickly detachable types of fastening, such as screwing, latching or otherwise positively locking, can be considered. A type of attachment should preferably be used in which the functional housing does not rotate about the direction of insertion relative to the dosing device housing during insertion, in order to avoid wear that has already occurred.

Screwing the functional housing into the dispenser housing is therefore not preferred.

Since the individual parts in the form of the functional elements and their individual parts are structurally very simple, they can be manufactured using cost-effective manufacturing processes such as injection molding or even 3D printing, and are made of plastic, ceramic or metal, depending on the required resilience.

This means that the production costs of a functional element can be so low that, for example, there is no need to readjust the valves and they are always replaced in the event of wear.

Outlet valve and inlet valve are preferably of identical design, which means that they can be manufactured in larger quantities and thus more cost-effectively.

In a preferred design, such a valve is designed as a rotary valve, such as a plug valve, or as a slide valve.

In this case, such a valve can also contain a reservoir with flushing liquid, which absorbs and transports away material that has undesirably migrated between the valve body and the valve seat.

In the case of a type of valve in which two components of the valve are moved relative to one another along their contact surfaces and wear will therefore occur, a hard/soft material pairing is preferably selected between these two components, i.e. one component is chosen to be hard and the other much softer, in particular with a difference in Shore hardness of at least 30, better at least 40.

In this case, the wear will primarily occur on the softer component, but in the case of the functional elements according to the invention both components are often part of the functional element and are usually replaced together.

In the case of a valve shape in which, on the other hand, a surface of the dosing device housing is always used as the valve seat, this valve seat is made of hard material or coated with hard material, while the valve body, which is then part of the valve functional element, is made of soft material exists.

With regard to the metering unit, a design is preferably selected in which one of the outer sides of the functional housing, which is in contact with the material flowing through the metering housing during operation, is designed as an elastic membrane on which the material is thus attached to a side.

This membrane closes the front side of the cylinder space of a dosing cylinder, which is designed as the inner circumference in the functional housing of the dosing unit, while the other front side is closed by a dosing piston that can be moved tightly in the cylinder space.

Because the cylinder chamber is completely filled with a transfer liquid, i.e. a non-compressible medium, retracting the dosing piston causes the membrane to bulge more and more into the material in the dosing device housing and thus an ejection of material - corresponding to the product Travel and cross-sectional area of the metering piston - over the outlet opening of the metering housing.

For this, of course, the inlet opening, i.e. the inlet valve, must be closed and the outlet valve open.

c) exemplary embodiments

• 1a: einen Längsschnitt durch eine 1. Bauform eines modular aufgebauten Dosierer mit Einlassventil, Dosier-Einheit und Auslassventil, im Ausgangs-Zustand,
• 1b: den Längsschnitt gemäß 1a, jedoch im Dosier-Zustand,
• 1c, d: alternative Bauformen einer Dosier-Einheit, insbesondere für den Dosierer aus 1a, b,
• 2: eine Frontansicht des Dosierers gemäß 1a, b,
• 3a, b: eine alternative Bauform einer Ventil-Einheit, insbesondere für den Dosierer aus 1a, b, in Durchgangstellung sowie in Sperrstellung
• 3c: eine stirnseitige Ansicht eines der Ventil-Teile der Ventil-Einheit aus 3a, b,
• 4a, b: einen Längsschnitt durch eine 2. Bauform eines modular aufgebauten Dosierer mit Einlassventil, Dosier-Einheit und Auslassventil, im Ausgangs-Zustand sowie im Dosier-Zustand,
• 4c, 4d:eine der Ventil-Einheiten aus 4a, b im axialen und radialen Schnitt,
• 5: einen Längsschnitt durch eine 2. Bauform eines modular aufgebauten Dosierers für zwei Komponenten mit Einlassventil, Dosier-Einheit und Auslassventil, im Ausgangs-Zustand.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. Show it:

• 1a : a longitudinal section through a 1st design of a modular dosing device with inlet valve, dosing unit and outlet valve, in the initial state,
• 1b : according to the longitudinal section 1a , but in dosing state,
• 1c, i.e : alternative designs of a dosing unit, especially for the dosing device 1a, b ,
• 2 : a front view of the doser according to 1a, b ,
• 3a, b : an alternative design of a valve unit, especially for the dosing device 1a, b , in pass-through position and in blocking position
• 3c : an end view of one of the valve parts of the valve unit 3a, b ,
• 4a, b : a longitudinal section through a 2nd design of a modular dosing device with inlet valve, dosing unit and outlet valve, in the initial state and in the dosing state,
• 4c , 4d :one of the valve units off 4a, b in axial and radial section,
• 5 : a longitudinal section through a 2nd design of a modular dosing device for two components with inlet valve, dosing unit and outlet valve, in the initial state.

1a shows the metering device 1 in a longitudinal section through the metering device housing 2, cut along the direction of the flow channel 3 of the metering device housing 2 and through the middle of the flow channel 3.

In the doser housing 2 there are three functional recesses 2a, 2b, 2c, spaced one above the other, which are all open here on the right side of the doser housing 2 and which are connected to the flow channel 3.

At the upper and lower end of the metering device housing 2, a connecting piece with an external thread can be seen concentrically around the inlet opening 3a or outlet opening 3b of the flow channel 3, to which further elements, be it a hose line at the top or a nozzle tube at the bottom, can be screwed on.

Since the functional recesses 2a to 2c are all open to the same side of the metering device housing 2, they are viewed from this side according to FIG 2 all three to see and shown one below the other.

In each of the functional recesses 2a to 2c there is a functional element 7, which can be used as a whole in the insertion direction 11+ or can be removed in the removal direction 11-.

The flow channel 3 has according to 1a, b , such as 2 an upper inlet opening 3a and a lower outlet opening 3b from the metering device housing 2, since material M is to be metered out via the lower opening and thus the flow direction 10 runs from top to bottom, ie from the inlet opening 3a to the outlet opening 3b.

Accordingly, there is a functional element 7.4 in the uppermost functional recess 2a in the form of a chick valve and also in the lowermost functional recess 2c, of which during operation the upper functional element 7.6 has the function of the inlet valve 4 and the lower functional element 7.6 the function of the outlet valve 6 Fulfills.

Both are constructed identically as functional elements 7.4=7.6 and also the corresponding functional recesses 2a and 2c.

The functional recess 2a or 2c is rotationally symmetrical and has a cross section that decreases inward from the outer surface of the metering device housing 2 in the transverse direction 11 to the flow direction 10 and is preferably frustoconical, i.e. rotationally symmetrical around the outer surface. These functional recesses 2a, 2c extend across the cross section of the flow channel 3 as blind holes.

Each functional element 7.4 to 7.6 has a functional housing 7a or 7b or 7c, the outer contour of which fits into the inner contour of the corresponding functional recess.

On the outer circumference of this functional housing 7a or 7c, in particular in the shape of a truncated cone, there is a circumferential O-ring 16 in a corresponding receiving groove at different axial positions along its length at least one O-ring 16 is arranged in the transverse area between the flow channel 3 and the open side of the functional recess 2a, 2c, preferably - also for reasons of the additional guidance of the functional housing 7a or 7c - a second one on the other side of the flow channel 3.

The functional housing 7a or 7c also has a recess which is open towards its wider side and which serves as a valve seat and also has a rotationally symmetrical, truncated cone-shaped cross section which decreases rotationally symmetrically from the outside in the direction of the flow channel 3 and into which a valve body 8 with analogous design of the outer circumference fits in, which can be rotated about the transverse direction 11, the axis of symmetry and the direction of insertion of the functional housing 7a, 7c into the functional recess 2a or 2c.

The functional housing 7a, c has a flange 17 protruding outwards from its axis of symmetry 7' or individual extensions for screwing opposite the side surface of the metering device housing 2, so that by increasingly tightening the functional housing more and more in the insertion direction 11+ in the functional -Recess is pushed in and the seal between them is improved.

From the rear, the outside, of the valve body 8 protrudes through a valve cover 9, with which the valve body 8 can be rotated about its axis of symmetry 8' by means of a valve drive attached thereto.

The connecting piece extends through the valve cover 9, which can be screwed tight opposite the open side of the recess in the functional housing 7a or 7c, with increasing tightening of the valve body 8 exerting more pressure against the valve seat in the form of the inner circumference of the functional housing 7a or 7c can be pressed to compensate for wear or to avoid leakage between them.

As is usual with a chick valve, its valve body 8 has a transverse bore 18 - i.e. transverse to its axial direction, the axis of rotation 8' - penetrating, preferably straight through, which, by rotating the valve body 8 about its axial direction, the transverse direction 11, can be brought into alignment with the adjacent openings of the flow channel 3 and the analogous positions in the functional housing 7a, 7c of the two through-flow openings as well as the adjacent sections of the doser housing 2 and then acts as a valve-internal flow channel 33 - the open valve position - and can be rotated by twisting, for example, 90 ° in the blocking valve position.

The functional housing 7a, 7c, on the other hand, remains firmly mounted in such a position that its two flow openings are aligned with the adjacent openings of the flow channel 3 in the metering device housing 2.

If such a valve 4, 6 is to be replaced, only the screw connection of the functional housing 7a, c relative to the metering device housing 2 must be loosened, and then the entire encapsulated functional element 7.4 or 7.6 can be removed with the functionality of a valve and replaced with a new to be exchanged.

If, on the other hand, wear has occurred between the valve seat and the valve body 8, this play can be eliminated by further tightening the valve cover 9 relative to the functional housing 7a, 7c.

Between inlet valve 4 and outlet valve 6 is dosing unit 5, with which defined amounts of material M are to be discharged downwards from outlet opening 3b.

Here, too, the corresponding functional recess 2b is open to the side and extends as far as, i.e. into, the flow channel 3, but preferably not through it, and increases in cross-sectional area from the outside of the metering device housing 2 to the flow channel 3 and is preferably rotationally symmetrical.

The dosing unit 5 also has a functional housing 7b which fits into the functional recess 2b. The cross-sectional area of the outer circumference of its functional housing 7b is generally larger than that of the functional housing of the valves 4, 6.

This functional housing 7b is also screwed to the doser housing 2, as its side surface, by means of a flange 19 projecting radially on the outside or individual extensions.

This functional housing 7b has a cylindrical cylinder space 20 running in its axial direction, the direction of insertion 11+, with a graduated diameter, so that the section with the larger diameter opens towards the flow channel 3 in the inner, front end face of the functional housing 7b Section with the smaller diameter in the outside, the back of the function housing 7b. This functional housing 7b can also be sealed off from the metering device housing 2 on its outer circumference by means of O-rings 16 let into grooves.

The front opening of the cylinder chamber 20 facing the flow channel 3, which is the dosing cylinder 14, is closed by an elastic membrane 13 tightly fastened therein, which is thus on one side in contact with the material M located in the flow channel 3 .

There is a dosing piston 15 between the membrane 13 and the diameter paragraph, which can be moved back and forth in the transverse direction 11 tightly in the dosing cylinder 14 by an extension on its back through the section with the smaller diameter to the outside of the functional housing 7b and can be connected there to a dosing drive.

By moving the dosing piston 15 by a defined dosing distance ΔS corresponding to a certain dosing volume in the direction of the flow channel 3, the membrane 3 bulges in the direction of the flow channel 3 and displaces the analog dosing volume ΔV of material M there, namely according to the Dosing distance ΔS multiplied by the cross-sectional area of the cylinder space 20 and thus the cross-sectional area of the dosing piston 15 on the end face facing the membrane 13, since the space between the membrane 13 and the dosing piston 15 is completely filled by a non-compressible fluid, a transfer liquid T, is filled.

It is important that the membrane 13 and/or the metering volume ΔV displaced with each stroke of the metering piston 15 does not result in the membrane 13 reaching the opposite end of the cross section of the flow channel 3 and blocking it completely.

This is because the metering volume ΔV is metered downwards out of the outlet opening 3b only if the upstream inlet valve 4 is closed and the downstream outlet valve 6 is open when the metering unit 5 is actuated, with no material between the closed inlet valve 4 and the membrane 13 may be imprisoned.

If, for example, the dosing piston 15 is coupled to a pneumatic piston-cylinder unit whose working cylinder moves back and forth by the same distance with each working stroke, this dosing unit 5 delivers a volume corresponding to this displacement multiplied with each working stroke with the cross-sectional area of the dosing cylinder 15 at the membrane-side end.

The dosing piston 15 can in turn be sealed off from the dosing cylinder 14 by means of an O-ring, especially if the transfer fluid T has sufficient lubricating properties. Otherwise, a sealless guidance of the dosing piston 15 in the dosing cylinder 14 is preferred.

If the membrane 13 tears or the dosing piston 15 in relation to the dosing cylinder 14 leaks, the entire dosing unit 5 can be removed after loosening the screw connection of the functional housing 7b in relation to the dosing device housing 2 and fitted with a new dosing unit 5 to be replaced.

• Die Bauform der 1c ist ähnlich derjenigen der 1a, 1b, wobei in diesem Fall der Dosier-Kolben 15 quer, beispielsweise in Querrichtung 12 zur Einschubrichtung 11+ des Funktions-Gehäuses 7b in das Dosierer-Gehäuse 2, in den Zylinderraum 20 einschiebbar ist, sodass für die Form und Ausrichtung des Zylinderraumes keine Vorgaben bestehen.

the 1c and 1b show alternative designs of dosing unit 5:

• The shape of the 1c is similar to that of 1a , 1b In this case, the dosing piston 15 can be inserted into the cylinder chamber 20 transversely, for example in the transverse direction 12 to the insertion direction 11+ of the functional housing 7b into the metering device housing 2, so that there are no specifications for the shape and orientation of the cylinder chamber .

The cylinder chamber 20 is closed off by the membrane 13 on the one hand and the functional housing 7b on the other hand, which in this case passes through the cylinder chamber 20 on the outside opposite the membrane 13 .

The shape of the 1d has in the cylinder chamber 20 an elastic, stretchable hollow body 21, shown here in dashed lines in the unloaded initial state in the form of a hollow sphere a tube-shaped attachment piece 21a which is thickened circumferentially in a flange-like manner at the free end.

The connecting piece 21a extends tightly through the opening on the side of the functional housing 7b facing away from the flow channel 3, and its one-sided, flange-like thickening rests on the outside of the functional housing 7b. Slipping through into the cylinder chamber 20 is not possible, since a dosing piston 15 extends through the connecting piece 21a with a precise fit and tightly,

The further this dosing piston 15 is retracted, the more the hollow body 21 expands in the direction of the flow channel 3 and also into it, since expansion radially to the direction of insertion 11 is not possible due to the corresponding design of the inner contour of the functional housing 7b , which for this purpose is cylindrical, with an axis of rotation in the direction of insertion 11 and a semicircular conclusion - is designed on the side facing away from the flow channel 3 - except for the through-opening to the outside

In this case, according to the upper half of the 1d like the 1a until 1c a membrane 13 fixed tightly in the functional housing 7b may be present, against which the hollow body 21 then presses and which is in contact with the material in the flow channel 3 . Or there is according to the lower half of the 1d no such membrane and the hollow body 21 itself is in contact with the material in the flow channel 3 on its side facing away from the dosing piston 15 .

• Zum einen besitzt diese Ventil-Einheit 7.4 keine Kegelstumpf-förmige, sondern eine im Wesentlichen zylindrische Außenkontur, die in den 3a, b in axialer Richtung geschnittenen ist entlang ihrer Symmetrieachse 7.4'
• Zum anderen strömt das zu dosierende Material nicht in der gleichen Richtung wie der Strömungskanal 3 des Dosierer-Gehäuses 2 auch in die Ventil-Einheit 7.4, sondern im Winkel dazu.

the 3a , 3b show the upper, inlet-side end of a metering device 1, the inlet valve 4 - the outlet valve 6, not shown, can also be designed - is designed differently in several different points than the valve unit 7.4 in the 1a , 1b :

• On the one hand, this valve unit has no truncated cone-shaped 7.4, but a substantially cylindrical outer contour in the 3a, b is cut in the axial direction along its axis of symmetry 7.4'
• On the other hand, the material to be metered does not flow in the same direction as the flow channel 3 of the metering device housing 2 into the valve unit 7.4, but at an angle thereto.

The inflow opening into the valve unit 7.4 is located in the bottom of the cylindrical valve unit 7.4, and the outflow opening is also opposite with respect to its axis of symmetry 7.4'. Accordingly, the part of the flow channel in the base body 2 coming from the inlet opening 3a is bent to this inflow opening, and also bent from the outflow opening in the general flow direction 10 of the metering device 1.

The valve unit 7.4 consists of a valve unit housing 22 in the form of a tube-shaped socket with a jump in the inside and outside diameter near the outer actuating end, with this step in the outside diameter being used to be able to place an annular valve cover 9 there. which protrudes outwards beyond the valve unit housing 22 and can be screwed to the outer surface of the doser housing 2 .

At the opposite, inner end, the valve unit housing 22 is closed by a valve unit base 25, in particular an axially inserted base 25, which of course has two valve-internal flow channels 33 running through it, the outer end of which has the inflow opening and the outflow opening in or represent from the valve unit 7.4.

Of course, the outer circumference of the valve unit housing 22 must be sealed off from the surrounding metering device housing 2, in which the valve unit housing 22 is seated in a corresponding recess open to the outside.

In the axial direction, i.e. here from left to right, a seat plate 27, which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner on the valve unit base 26, is seated, which has a material that has an optimal material pairing of the mutual contact surfaces with the plate-shaped valve body that is seated on it in the axial direction and can be rotated relative to this 8, while the valve unit housing 22 and valve unit base 25 can be made of a standard material such as aluminum, ceramic or plastic.

In the contact surface of the plate-shaped valve body 8 , a flow passage 33 inside the valve, which is U-shaped in this side view, opens into two openings whose distance is aligned with the two internal flow passages 33 of the valve unit base 25 and the axially adjoining seat plate 27 .

The valve body 8, which is designed to be rotatable about the axis of symmetry 7.4', is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to an axially adjoining rotary actuator 24, which is supported on the diameter step of the inner diameter of the valve unit housing 22 and is also sealed against it and has an actuating attachment has on its outside, which is not illustrated for one th valve drive for rotating the valve body 8 is accessible.

Since the valve body 8 has a smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of the valve unit housing 22, the free space radially in between is available as a rinsing chamber 23, in which there is a rinsing liquid that mainly contains abrasive particles of the material being conveyed, which are the contact surface between the seat plate 27 and the contact surface of the valve body 8 is intended to overcome, absorb and bind.

3a shows the valve unit 7.4 in the open position, in which the valve body 8 has such a rotational position that the openings of its internal flow channels are connected to the flow channel 3 in the metering device housing 2 via the seat plate 27 and the valve unit floor 25 3b 4 shows the valve unit 7.4 with the valve body 8 twisted into the blocking position, in which this is not the case.

3c shows that the openings of the internal flow channels 33 of the valve body 8 are each in the area of an elevation - here in each case kidney-shaped - compared to the rest of the end face, and the end faces of these elevations serve as a contact surface to the seat plate 27, so that apart from these elevations also the recessed one The rest of the end face is available as a delimitation of a washing chamber 23 .

the 3a, b also show that the valve body 8 can be designed in two parts with an outer part 8a and an inner part 8b that functions as a cover and is inserted on the end face facing away from the openings of the internal flow channel 33 in order to be able to produce the U-shape of the internal flow channel 33 . In this case, the valve body 8 can also be produced from two such ceramic parts, for example by gluing.

With regard to the pre-assembly of the valve unit 7.4, which can be inserted as a whole into the dosing device housing 2 and is to be secured by means of the annular cover 9, the plate-shaped rotary actuator 24 is - of course outside of the dosing device housing 2 - first of all from the still open bottom side, then in a form-fitting , non-rotatable connection with it, the valve body 8 and then the valve unit base 25 - with the seat plate 27 already placed in a form-fitting manner on its front end face in the insertion direction 11+ - pushed axially into 11+ until the locking lugs 26 of the valve unit base 25 with the valve unit housing 22 locked in corresponding recesses both axially and non-rotatably.

In this way, a dosing device 1 is created in which the inlet opening 3a and the outlet opening 3b face each other on the front side, i.e. above and below, but the actuation of the inlet valve 4 and outlet valve 6 takes place from one of the side surfaces connecting the positioning surfaces.

the 4a, b show another design of a dosing device 1 in a longitudinal section along the flow channel 3, with first an inlet valve 4, then a dosing element 5 and then an outlet valve 6 being arranged from the inlet opening 3a to the outlet opening 3b along the flow channel 3, again as a preassembled function -Units 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, which can be assembled and disassembled in a simple manner in the dispenser body 2.

In 4a are these three functional elements 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 in the initial position, so the valves 4, 6 in the flow position, in which the valve-internal flow channels 33 of the two valve units 4.6 with the adjacent mouths of the flow channel 3 are aligned in the dosing device housing 2, and the dosing element 5 is in the unloaded, non-pumping position.

In 4b the metering device 1 is shown in the pumping position, the inlet valve 4 being in the blocking position, the outlet valve 6 being in the through-flow position and the metering unit 5 in the pumping position.

While the flow channel 3 passes through the doser body 2 straight from top to bottom, ie from face to face, takes place in contrast to the 1a , 1b the actuation of the valve unit 5 from another of the outer faces, such as that from which the valves 4 and 6 are actuated, or even from one of the end faces.

The valves 4 and 6 can be identical, but have a different design than in the 1a, b and dosing unit 5 also has a different design compared to the 1a, b

The dosing unit 5 extends from one side surface over the flow channel 3, and its functional housing 7b is pot-shaped with a truncated cone-shaped lateral surface, as is the case with FIGS 1a, b .

However, in the installed state, in alignment with the flow channel 3, an attachment piece 28 extends inward from one side of the peripheral wall of the functional housing 7b and also from the opposite side wall, the inner diameter of which preferably corresponds to that of the flow channel 3 .

One end of an elastic piece of tubing 29 connecting the two connecting pieces 28 can be tightly attached to this connecting piece 28 and secured—for example by gluing—so that its entire outer circumference is arranged in the interior of the functional housing 7b.

This interior space, which is tightly closed on the open side of the functional housing 7b and the dosing piston 15 penetrating the interior space is guided tightly at the passage - regardless of whether it runs parallel to the flow channel 3 and can be displaced or transversely to it, like both alternatively drawn - is completely filled with non-compressible transfer liquid T.

Starting from the initial state 4a By pushing in the dosing piston 15 - by means of a dosing drive (not shown) - it can be brought about that the free interior space becomes smaller, with the result that the tube piece 29 is compressed by the transfer liquid T, in particular compressed radially inwards from all sides is, however, not on the passage zero, so its inner free cross-section is not completely closed. In this way, the material inside the tube piece 29 is transported along the flow channel 3 . Since the inlet valve 4 is closed in this pumping state, the material can only move forward in the conveying direction 10, ie to the outlet valve 6 and through it.

Here, too, the entire functional unit 7.5 in the form of the dosing unit 5 can be removed after unscrewing the functional housing 7b, either the separate, ring-shaped cover 9 or the extensions of the functional housing 7a that project radially outwards in a flange-like manner and serve the same purpose .

One of the valve units 4, 6, in contrast to the 1a, b are cylindrical in shape is in 4c in axial section and in 4d shown in radial section.

From this it can be seen that the functional housing 7a of the functional unit 7.4, i.e. the valve 4, consists of a pot-shaped base body 31, which is closed by a functional housing cover 32 which tightly seals the open end face and has a central passage to reach the end face of the valve body 8 arranged in the cylindrical functional housing 7a and rotatable about its axis of symmetry 4'.

It can be seen that in this case - see 4c - not just one, but two flow channels 33 inside the valve are offset axially, for example for synchronous conveying of two components of a material, and accordingly also a total of four passages in the wall of the pot-shaped base body 31, which is non-rotatably in the metering device housing 2 is mounted by the cover 30, which also has a central passage, which protrudes outwards beyond the functional housing 7a, is screwed with its overhang relative to the corresponding outside of the dosing device housing 2 and also the functional unit cover 32 and is sealed.

In this case, rinsing chambers 23 for a rinsing liquid are worked into the inner circumference of the peripheral wall of the pot-shaped base body 31 in the shape of a circular segment away from the through-openings in this peripheral wall, so that solid particles, e.g 4' of the valve unit 4 can reach the peripheral area of these rinsing chambers 23 and be absorbed by the rinsing liquid present there.

5 shows a doser 1, which differs from that of 1a until 1d differs in that it has two flow channels 3 and accordingly two inlet openings 3a and two outlet openings 3b, which can be used for dosing out two components of a material.

Furthermore, the respective flow channel 3 does not pass straight through the metering device housing 2, and its inlet opening 3a and outlet opening 3b are located on opposite sides of the metering device housing 2, but each of the two flow channels 3 is double-headed, i.e. on average U- shaped, and its inlet opening 3a and its outlet opening 3b are located on the same outside of the doser housing 2.

The inlet valve 4 and outlet valves 6 are each chick valves with a truncated cone-shaped valve body 8, either in the design of 1a, b or, as shown, without a functional housing, so that the valve body 8 rests directly in a corresponding valve recess in the metering device housing 2 and is held there by a valve cover 9 that is screwed to the metering device housing 2 with appropriate seals in between.

Here, too, the valve cover 9 has a central passage in order to be able to rotate the valve body 8 about its axis of rotation 8′ between a blocking and an open position by means of a valve drive (not shown).

The valve-internal flow channel 33 in the valve body 8 is not straight, but beheaded with an orifice in its front end face and an orifice in its lateral surface, which can be brought into alignment with corresponding orifices of the flow channel 3 in the metering device housing 2 by means of a corresponding rotational position of the valve body 8.

Between the inlet valve 4 and the outlet valve 6, which is fluidically connected to it via the same flow channel 3, the same functional element 7.5 is inserted and used as the metering unit 5 in the metering device housing 2 as in FIG 1a, b .

Accordingly, the valve gears must be attached to two opposite end faces of the metering device housing 2, the metering drive, not shown, on the other hand, to the outer surface that extends between these two end faces, but to two such outer surfaces opposite one another, on which an inlet opening 3a and an outlet opening 3b of the flow channel 3 are located in each case.

Reference List

1

dispenser

2

doser housing

2a,b,c

function exception

3

flow channel

3a

intake port

3b

exhaust port

4

intake valve

5

dosing element

6

outlet valve

7

functional element

7'

axis of symmetry

7a,b,c

functional housing

7.4, 7.6

Functional unit = valve unit

7.5

Functional unit = dosing unit

8th

valve body

8a

outer part

8b

inner part, ceiling

8th'

axis of symmetry, axis of rotation

9

valve cover

10

flow direction

11+

transverse direction, insertion direction

11-

Transverse direction, direction of removal

12

transverse direction

13

membrane

14

dosing cylinder

15

dosing piston

16

O ring

17

flange

18

cross bore

19

flange

20

cylinder space

21

stretchable hollow body

21a

nozzle

22

valve unit housing

23

dishwashing room

24

rotary actuator

25

valve unit floor

26

detent

27

seat plate

28

nozzle

29

piece of tubing

30

lid

31

body

32

Functional element cover

33

internal flow channel

M

material

T

transfer fluid

ΔS

dosing line

ΔV

dosing volume

Claims (8)

Metering device (1) for dispensing liquid or pasty material (M) in a predetermined volume, with - a metering device housing (2) with an inlet opening (3a) and an outlet opening (3b) and a flow channel (3) in between, - wherein an inlet valve (4), a metering unit (7.5) and an outlet valve (6) are arranged one behind the other in the flow direction (10) in the flow channel (3) of the metering device housing (2) as functional elements (7), - at least one, preferably all, functional elements (7) are encapsulated in a separate or common functional housing (7a) and - the at least one encapsulated functional housing (7a) is designed and arranged in such a way that it can be quickly and easily - the at least one encapsulated functional element (7) can be inserted into the doser housing (2) in a direction transverse (11) to the direction of flow (10) in an insertion direction (11+) or in the opposite direction (11 -) can be removed from this, - the functional housing (7) on the outer circumference has a cross-section decreasing in the direction of insertion (11+) transversely to its direction of insertion (11+), - a functional recess (7) accommodating the functional housing (7) 2a, b, c) in the metering device housing (2) has an analogous cross-section that decreases in the direction of insertion (11+) transversely to the direction of insertion (11+). Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a functional element (7) in the metering device housing (2) in less than 2 minutes, in particular less than 1 minute, in particular less than 30 seconds and in particular without a special tool, in particular completely can be assembled or disassembled without tools. Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the functional housing (7) is screwed, latched or held in a form-fitting manner relative to the metering device housing (2), - in particular with such a fastening method that during the insertion of the functional element (7) the function housing (7) does not rotate about the insertion direction (11+) relative to the metering device housing (2). Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the individual parts of the functional element (7) and/or the metering device housing (2) are made of plastic, ceramic or metal, - produced in particular by injection molding or 3D printing are. Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the inlet valve (4) and the outlet valve (6) are of identical design, - are designed in particular as a rotary valve, preferably a plug valve, or as a slide valve, - in particular that Valve (4, 6) has a clearance (23) with a reservoir of sealing liquid. Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a valve body on the outer circumference has a cross-section decreasing in the direction of insertion (11+) transversely to its direction of insertion (11+), - a valve seat accommodating the valve body in the functional The housing (7a) has an analogous cross-section that decreases in the direction of insertion (11+) transversely to the direction of insertion (11+). Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - in the case of a valve design with components which can be moved relative to one another and which in particular are both in contact with the material (M), one of the two components has a contact surface made of a hard material and the another contact surface made of a material that is softer than that, in particular as a coating, - in particular with a difference in shore hardness of the two contact surfaces of at least 30, better 40. Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - in the case of a functional element (7) in the form of a metering unit (7.5), one of the outer sides is in contact with the material (M) flowing through a metering device base body (2) (31). is formed by an elastic membrane (13), - the membrane (13) closes the front end of a dosing cylinder (14), and the rear end of which is closed by a dosing piston (15) which can be displaced therein, the interior space of the cylinder (14) is completely filled with a transfer liquid (T), - the dosing piston (15) is operatively connected to a dosing drive.

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