DE20103988U1 - Filling head for filling containers with a fluid medium - Google Patents

Abstract

Filling head (10) comprises a piston (60) which moves relative to the filling head between a first closing position and a second opening position. The piston is pretensioned using a spring (64) in its first closing position. The head has a first bearing region (52) for an element of a container to be filled. The head is constructed so that a gap remains between the bearing region of the piston in its first closing position and an upper side of a valve dome. Preferred Features: The filling head is essentially cylindrical. The bearing region of the head has an annular surface extending about a longitudinal axis.

Description

Seaquist Perfect Dispensing GmbH

Hildebrandstrasse 20

44319 Dortmund

S1-162Gbm

Filling head for filling containers with a fluid medium

The present invention relates to a filling head for filling containers with a fluid medium, in particular for filling aerosol containers and corresponding cans, with a valve device which is attached to a valve dome by means of crimping. . .

Such containers are used in a variety of designs both in the home and in the commercial sector. They can hold different media, which are usually filled into the corresponding containers with excess pressure. Depending on the application, both single-chamber systems and multi-chamber systems are used for the containers, whereby multi-chamber systems are particularly necessary when different media are only to be mixed with one another when the media are dispensed or delivered, but also when a useful medium and a separate pressure medium are to be provided, whereby the useful medium to be dispensed or delivered is usually stored in an elastic or deformable chamber, while the pressure medium is arranged in a second chamber, whereby pressure is exerted on the first chamber and the useful medium is dispensed when a valve is opened.

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Numerous different fluid media are filled into such containers, both liquids and gases. In individual cases, small, free-flowing solids can also be contained in a useful medium. The fluid media can have different chemical properties; they can be essentially harmless, but can also have corrosive properties or contain flammable, irritating and/or toxic substances.

The containers to be filled are generally first manufactured in a substantially complete state and then filled with the fluid medium using filling machines and appropriate filling heads. It is essential that the gas loss during the filling process is as low as possible and that filling of faulty or incompletely prepared containers is avoided.

Devices with filling locks are known which prevent the containers from being filled if a valve is missing. Special devices are also known which have a gas extraction system and/or a fresh air supply. Devices with alarm systems are also known which report any gas leakage or loss and, if necessary, stop the filling process.

Although devices are known that prevent a filling process from starting if the necessary valve has not been installed in the container to be filled, there is still a risk that if a valve is installed but not clinched to the can, a filling process will take place, whereby after filling the contents will flow out through or past the valve that is not clinched, or even the incorrectly attached valve will be pushed out of the container due to the high pressure of the medium, which leads to a high loss of medium and, depending on the medium, also poses corresponding risks.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a filling head, in particular a safety quick-fill head, in which incorrect filling of a container provided with a valve is avoided, in which the valve is not securely attached to the container by means of clinching.

This object is achieved by a filling head according to claim 1, claims 2 to 9 relate to particularly preferred embodiments of the filling head according to the invention.

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According to the invention, the filling head comprises a movable piston which is movable between a closed position in a first end position and an opening region, the opening region extending over a longer distance in which the piston is movable to a second end position. The filling head has a first contact region for contacting at least one element of the container, for example a valve plate, for positioning the filling head relative to the container. The filling head is in a filling position when the first contact region is completely in contact with the intended element or elements of the container. The movable piston of the filling head according to the invention has a second contact region which, depending on the operating position and condition of the container to be filled, contacts a surface of a valve dome in which a valve device is fastened.

The term "valve dome" is understood to mean a projection in the container or in an element of the container, for example the above-mentioned valve plate, which protrudes at least beyond the areas of the container directly surrounding it. The valve dome preferably has a surface and side surfaces that can also merge into one another, with a valve device being inserted into the valve dome, which is firmly connected to the valve dome by means of crimping.

When crimping the valve dome, one or more crimp notches are pressed into the side walls or side surfaces of the valve dome, through which the valve device is reliably fastened in the valve dome.

Due to the mechanical deformation of the valve plate during clinching, the height of the valve dome increases, so that the surface of the valve dome is pressed upwards or outwards by a distance x relative to the areas of the container surrounding it, and thus also relative to the above-mentioned at least one element of the container for contact with the first contact area of the filling head.

According to the invention, the filling head is designed so that in the filling position of the filling head between the second contact area of the piston, which is pre-tensioned in its first end position by a spring device, and

a gap remains on the surface of the dome if the valve device is not secured to the container by means of clinching. Since in this case no force is exerted on the movable piston in the filling position, it remains in its first end position and thus in the closed position due to the pre-tension of the spring device, so that a filling process is prevented if the valve is not properly secured to the can by means of clinching.

According to the invention, the filling head is further designed such that only by raising the valve dome by the distance x, which, as described above, is caused by the clinching process, the second contact area of the piston rests on the surface of the valve dome and the movable piston is pressed by the surface of the valve dome against the force of the prestressing spring from its first end position into an open position, so that filling of the container is possible.

The filling head according to the invention thus ensures that, even if the filling head is in the filling position, the piston is only pressed from a closed position into its first end position into an open position if the valve is properly attached to the container by clinching, whereas if the valve plate is not sealed and the valve is therefore not reliably attached, the piston remains in a closed position and a filling process is prevented.

The filling head according to the invention therefore meets increased safety requirements and in particular prevents filling of a faulty container, which would be associated with a high loss of media and possible hazards to the environment.

In a preferred embodiment, the filling head is essentially cylindrical, with its first contact area preferably being essentially an annular surface that extends around a longitudinal axis of the filling head and runs essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A filling head designed in this way is particularly suitable for the widely used

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mainly cylindrical containers, especially aerosol cans, which are mainly used in the home.

In one embodiment, the movable piston is a servo piston which is movable essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filling head between a first end position (the closure position) and a second end position. Such an embodiment facilitates the filling operation, since the filling head is placed on the can to be filled essentially in the direction of its longitudinal axis, so that the filling head can be placed on quickly and easily, which is particularly important for accelerated mass production.

The spring device which pre-tensions the movable piston in its first end position, the closed position, is preferably a spiral spring, but other spring devices can also be provided, in particular spring plates, but also other elastic materials. The spring force can be adapted to the corresponding application, in particular to the desired filling pressures, so that perfect functioning of the filling head according to the invention is always ensured.

The filling head can be attached to a filling machine using a machine connection thread, so that depending on the type of container to be filled, only the filling head needs to be replaced, but the filling machine can be used for different containers.

Instead of the machine connection thread, other fastening means can also be used, for example the filling head can be provided with a bayonet lock, which ensures a quick and safe connection of the filling head to the filling machine.

In a preferred embodiment, the filling head has at least one media supply channel which extends essentially in a radial edge region of the filling head. As a result, the media supply can be essentially

independent of the geometric design of the movable piston, which is preferably located in the region of the longitudinal axis of the filling head.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the filling head has several media supply channels that are evenly distributed in the radial direction around the circumference of the filling head. Preferably, three media supply channels are used, each of which is arranged at an angle of approximately 120° apart from one another.

Filling pressures occur in a range of 30 to 60 bar, preferably in a range of 40 to 50 bar, while filling pressures in the container are preferably in a range between 2 and 10 bar, in particular between 4 and 6 bar. The filling machines to which the filling head according to the invention can be connected are preferably designed so that the filling pressures can be adjusted over a wide range, so that they can be used for different applications and different containers as well as different media.

The filling machines preferably have control devices and sensors that monitor the filling process in detail and take over the control of the filling machine.

These and other features and advantages of the invention are explained with reference to the schematic drawings which show embodiments of the filling head according to the invention. They show:

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a filling head according to the invention in a filling position on a container, in which the valve is not attached to the container by clinching;

Figure 2 shows the embodiment of a filling head according to the invention in a filling position on a container, in which the valve is attached to the container by means of clinching and in which the piston is in a first operating position;

Figure 3 shows the embodiment of a filling head according to the invention in a filling position on a container, in which the valve is attached to the container by means of clinching and in which the piston is in a second operating position which ensures the fastest possible filling of the container; and

Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of a filling head according to the invention in the state shown in Figure 2.

Figure 1 shows schematically a first embodiment of a filling head 10 according to the invention, with a housing 20 which is connected to a nut 40. The nut 40 has an annular groove 42 in which an annular sealing element 44 is arranged, so that the housing 20 and the nut 40 are connected to one another in such a way that no medium can escape even at high filling pressures.

The housing 20 has in its upper region a machine connection 22 which has an upper, cylindrical recess 24 and a lower, cylindrical recess 26, the lower recess 26 being provided with a machine connection thread 28. The filling head 10 can therefore be placed on a filling nozzle of a filling machine (200, see Fig. 3).

Adjacent to the lower recess 26, a further cylindrical recess 30 is provided, the radial extent of which is greater than the radial extent of both the upper recess 24 and the lower recess 26.

A media supply channel 32 extends from the recess 30 essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis 12 of the filling head 10, wherein the media supply channel 32 and an adjoining recess 34 extend to a disk

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formed sealing element 46 which, in the state of the filling head shown in Figure 1, rests against a sealing surface 62 of the piston 60, so that the media supply channel 32 is closed at this point and neither filling can take place nor a medium can escape.

In the state of the filling head shown in Figure 1 (caused by the non-performed clinching and thus a lower valve dome 84 of a valve plate 82), the movable piston 60 is preloaded in its first end position, which is a closed position, by a spring device 64 designed as a spiral spring, which is arranged in an inner region of the housing 20 in a cavity 66. The sealing surface 62 of the piston rests against the sealing element 46 in this closed position, so that, as described above, the media feed channel 32 or the annular recess 34 into which the media feed channel 32 opens is sealed off.

The recess or cavity 66 in which the piston 60 moves and in which the spring device 64 is arranged is sealed against the media supply channel 32 or the annular recess 34 adjoining it by means of a sealing element 68 designed as a sealing sleeve, so that medium or gas cannot get into the cavity 66 either.

The cavity 66 is connected to the outside area via a channel 70, so that pressure equalization can take place within the cavity 66 when the piston 60 moves. Due to the sealing element 68 just described, it is ensured that no medium with which a container 80 is to be filled can escape via the cavity 66 and the channel 70.

Furthermore, the nut 40 has a further, essentially annular groove 48 in its lower region, into which an annular valve sealing element 50 is inserted, so that the filling head can be placed precisely and easily on the container. The rounded edges in the lower region of the filling head also serve as a centering aid for precise positioning.

The container 80, which is only partially shown, comprises a valve plate 82 which has an annular shoulder 86 around an approximately centrally arranged, essentially cylindrical valve dome 84.

The annular shoulder 86 forms the counter element to a first contact area 52 of the filling head 10, which is provided in the form of a step on the nut 40.

By placing the first contact area 52 of the filling head 10 on the annular shoulder 86 of the container 80, the filling position of the filling head 10, i.e. the relative position of the filling head 10 to the container 80, is determined.

The cylindrical valve dome 84 has a tapered foot region 88 so that a smooth transition of the valve dome 84 into a base region 90 of the valve plate 82, which is surrounded by the annular shoulder 86, is achieved.

The valve dome 84 contains a valve device 100 which comprises a valve stem 102 and a valve housing 104. In the container 80 shown in Figure 1, the valve device 100 is not firmly connected to the container 80 by means of clinching.

As can be seen in Figure 1 and in particular in the partial enlargement in Figure 1, a gap 110 is formed between a second contact area 72 of the piston 60 and a surface 92 of the valve dome 84, which gap here has a thickness of approximately 0.3 to 0.4 mm. However, it is also possible to design the filling head so that with a non-clinched valve plate 82 there is only a gap of 0.2 mm or even 0.1 mm, as long as it is ensured that the valve dome 84 does not exert any force on the piston 60 as long as the valve plate has not been clinched.

The surface 92 of the valve dome 84 therefore does not press against the second contact area 72 of the piston 60, so that the piston 60 is also not pressed against the spring force of the spring device 64 from its first end position, which represents a closed position. The media supply channel 32 and the recess 34 (Figure 2) into which the media supply channel opens are therefore closed off by the sealing surface 62 of the piston 60 and the sealing element 46.

Since the media supply channel 32 and the recess 34 are tightly sealed, filling of a container 80 in which a valve has not been attached by clinching is reliably prevented, so that undesirable filling of a faulty container or unwanted leakage of a medium is avoided.

Figure 2 shows the embodiment of the filling head 10 shown in Figure 1, but in this case the filling head 10 is placed on a container 80', in which the valve device 100 is securely fastened to the container 80' by means of clinch marks 85. The clinch notches 94 are clearly visible in Figure 2, which are pressed into the previously mentioned approximately cylindrical valve dome wall of the valve dome 84' of the valve plate 82. In this embodiment, a total of 6 clinch notches 94 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the valve dome 84'. The size of the clinch notches 94 is not shown to scale relative to the valve plate 82.

As can be clearly seen in comparison with Figure 1, the height of the valve dome 84 has increased due to the introduction of the clinch notches 94 into the valve dome wall, so that the surface 92" of the valve dome 84' has shifted upwards. The surface 92' of the valve dome 84 is now approximately at the same height as the upper edge of the shoulder 86' of the valve plate 82', against which the first contact area 52 of the filling head 10 rests, while in Figure 1 the surface 92 of the valve dome 84 is clearly visible lower than the upper edge of the shoulder 86 of the valve plate 82.

In this embodiment of the container 80', the displacement of the surface 92' caused by the clinching in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 12 of the filling head 10 is approximately x = 0.8 mm (upwards in the illustration in Fig. 2).

As can be clearly seen in Figure 2 in comparison to Figure 1, the elevation of the valve dome 84' does not create a gap between the surface 92' of the valve dome

84' and the second contact area 72 of the piston 60, rather the elevation of the valve dome 84' caused by the clinching is so large that not only is the gap that occurs in the state shown in Figure 1 bridged, but in addition the piston 60 is pressed upwards against the prestress of the spring device 64 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12 of the filling head 10 in Figure 2, in the embodiment shown by a distance of approximately 0.4 to 0.5 mm.

As a result, the sealing surface 62 of the piston 60 is lifted off the sealing element 46, so that the media supply channel 32 and the annular recess 34 are connected to at least one edge region of the valve dome 84'. The annular recess 34 is in turn connected via an opening (74, see Fig. 3) to the recess 36 in the vicinity of the valve stem 102, so that a fluid medium can now be filled into the container 80' by a filling machine (200, see Fig. 3) through the upper recess 24, the lower recess 26, the recess 30, the media supply channel 32, the recess 34, the opening 74 and the recess 36 in a manner then known, either through the valve stem 102 and/or past the valve stem 102.

While Figure 2 shows the state of the filling head 10 according to the invention directly after it has been placed on the container 80', Figure 3 shows a second operating state in which a fluid medium is filled into the container 80'. The inflowing flowable medium pushes the piston 60 even further upwards against the spring force of the spring device 64. The annular recesses 34, 36 are further enlarged. The sealing surface 62 of the piston 60 is lifted even further away from the surface 92' of the valve dome 84, so that the full and rapid flow of the medium is released and rapid filling of the container 80' is possible.

Figure 3 also shows the opening 74 mentioned in connection with Figure 2, through which, in the situation shown in Figure 2, the medium can flow into the recess 36 even before the second contact area 72 of the piston 60 is lifted off the surface 92' of the valve dome 84'.

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A filling head 10 without the opening 74 can also be provided, although in the state shown in Figure 2, filling is not yet possible. However, by lifting the sealing surface 42 from the sealing element 46, the media flow presses under the sealing surface 42, which then, as in the embodiment shown, acts as an active surface and presses the piston 60 upwards against the spring force of the spring device 64 to enable filling.

Figure 3 also shows a schematic view of a nozzle 202 of the filling machine 200, via which the medium to be filled is fed to the filling head. The nozzle 202 of the filling machine 200 comprises a machine thread 204 that interacts with the machine connection thread 28 of the machine connection 22, so that the nozzle 202 can be securely and tightly connected to the filling head 10. As explained above, other connection devices known in the prior art, for example a bayonet connection, can also be used instead of the machine connection thread.

Finally, Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of a filling head 10' according to the invention, which is essentially identical to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, wherein Figure 4 shows a situation corresponding to Figure 2 directly after the filling head 10" has been placed in place.

In addition to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the filling head 10' shown in Figure 4 has a sensor 122 to determine whether a filling machine is connected to the filling head 10". If the sensor 122 determines that no filling machine is connected or that the filling machine is inadequately or incorrectly connected, the filling process can be interrupted on the basis of a signal transmitted by the sensor 122.

The filling head 10" further comprises a second sensor 124 which determines whether a valve device 100 is installed in the valve dome 84'. Here too, the filling process can be interrupted according to an electrical signal if the sensor 124 signals that no valve device 100 is connected.

All commercially available sensors can be used as sensors 122, 124, for example magnetic sensors, touch sensors, etc. It is also possible to use photo sensors.

The sensors can also be connected to optical or acoustic signaling devices, such as lamps or loudspeakers, to indicate the operating status.

These and the other features can be important both individually and in combination for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.

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S1-162Gbm Filling head List of reference symbols Longitudinal axis Housing 10, 10" Machine connection 12 upper recess 20 lower recess 22 Machine connection thread 24 Recess 26 Media feed channel 28 Recess 30 Recess 32 Mother 34 Groove 36 Sealing element 40 Sealing element 42 Groove 44 Valve sealing element 46 Investment area 48 Pistons 50 Sealing surface 521. Spring device 60 cavity 62 Sealing element 64 channel 66 Investment area 68 breakthrough 70 722. 74

80.80' container

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• * Valve plate 15 82, 82' Valve dome 84, 84' Clinch marks 85 shoulder 86, 86' Foot area 88 Floor area 90 Surface (valve dome) 92, 92' Clinch notches 94 Valve device 100 Valve stem 102 Valve housing 104

110 gap

122, 124 Sensors 200 Filling machine 202 Support 204 Connection thread

Claims (9)

1. Filling head ( 10 , 10 ") for filling containers ( 80 , 80 ') with a fluid medium with a valve device ( 100 , 102 , 104 ) which is attached to a valve dome ( 84 , 84 ') by means of crimping, characterized in that
the filling head ( 10 , 10 ") comprises a piston ( 60 ) which is displaceable relative to the filling head ( 10 , 10- ) and which is displaceable between a first end position defining a closure position and an opening area up to a second end position located in the opening area, wherein the piston ( 60 ) is prestressed in its first end position by means of a spring device ( 64 ), wherein the filling head ( 10 , 10 ") has a first contact area ( 52 ) for contacting at least one associated element ( 86, 86') of the container (80 , 80 ' ) in a filling position for positioning the filling head ( 10 , 10 ") relative to the container ( 80 , 80 '), and wherein the piston ( 60 ) has a second contact area ( 72 ),
wherein the filling head ( 10 , 10 ") is constructed in such a way that, on the one hand, in the filling position, a gap ( 110 ) remains between the second contact area ( 72 ) of the piston ( 60 ) in its first end position and a surface ( 92 , 92 ') of the valve dome ( 84 , 84 ') when the valve device ( 100 , 102 , 104 ) is not attached to the container by means of clinching, and, on the other hand, the second contact area ( 72 ) of the piston ( 60 ) rests against the surface ( 92 , 92 ') of the valve dome ( 84 , 84 ') and the piston ( 60 ) is automatically and forcibly displaced by the valve dome ( 84 , 84 ') against the pretension of the spring device ( 64 ) from its first end position into the opening area when the Filling head ( 10 , 10 ") is in the filling position and the valve device ( 100 , 102 , 104 ) is attached to the container 80 by means of clinching. 2. Filling head according to claim 1, characterized in that it is substantially cylindrical. 3. Filling head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first contact region ( 52 ) of the filling head ( 10 , 10 ") comprises a substantially annular surface which extends around a longitudinal axis ( 12 ) of the filling head ( 10 , 10 ") and substantially perpendicular to this longitudinal axis ( 12 ). 4. Filling head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable piston is a servo piston ( 60 ) which can be moved essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis ( 12 ) of the filling head ( 10 , 10 "). 5. Filling head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring device ( 64 ) is a spiral spring. 6. Filling head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filling head ( 10 , 10 ") further comprises a machine connection ( 22 ) for a filling machine ( 200 ). 7. Filling head according to claim 6, characterized in that the machine connection ( 22 ) comprises a machine connection thread ( 28 ). 8. Filling head according to claim 6, characterized in that the machine connection ( 22 ) comprises a bayonet closure. 9. Filling head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filling head ( 10 , 10 ') further comprises at least one media supply channel ( 32 ) which runs essentially in the radial edge region of the filling head ( 10 , 10 ").