EP0033274B1 - Pourer with controllable delivery - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a controllable flow pourer mechanism. This pourer mechanism comprises a valve mounted on an actuating device, of such construction that in closed position, the valve is kept in fluid-tight contact upon the lip of the pourer spout and that, from this position, in a first phase, the valve slides upon the lip of the pourer spout and, in a second phase, the valve carries out a rocking movement. The invention is applied especially to effect mixtures of liquid products.

Description

The present invention relates to a pourer with controllable flow intended in particular, but not exclusively, for equipping the covers with which the boxes of basic colors used for automobile bodies and which are used in stirring machines are fitted.

At present, in these pourers, the adjustment of the flow rate is obtained by means of two main types of shutters, namely, a shutter of the "guillotine" type and a model of the "valve" type.

The shutters of the guillotine type usually involve a shutter member such as a pull tab, slidably mounted on the edge of the pourer outlet orifice, on which it is kept in tight contact, for example by means of a spring. blade. This shutter is requested to close (position in which it closes the entire section of the pouring orifice) under the effect of a return spring and can be actuated, in the direction of opening by means of a lever. whose action is antagonistic to that of said spring. To make a payment or a metering, the operator acts on the control lever so as to cause a retraction of the shutter which releases a more or less small opening depending on the position of the lever. In the case where the pourer has in its front part a dihedral shaped spout, it is possible to carry out a very precise metering because the triangular opening thus obtained can be small enough to obtain a drip rate.

On the other hand, at full opening, the released surface is not very large so that the maximum flow rate of the pourer is limited.

Another drawback of this type of shutter lies in the fact that it is difficult to economically achieve a good seal between the pull tab and its seat, taking into account the length of this pull pull and of its control device. In addition, these pourers are particularly sensitive to fouling.

From patent US-A-1,788,181 there is also known a pourer with controllable flow rate of the "valve" type, the characteristics of which are set out in the preamble to claim 1. Such a pourer comprises a shutter, a device for actuation comprising a lever pivotally mounted about an axis located on the wall of the pourer and an elastic member maintaining the shutter in sealed contact on the edge of the orifice of the pourer. The shutter has a circular profile centered on said axis and comes to bear on the edge of the pourer orifice which also has an appropriate circular profile. Thus, by acting on the actuating member, the shutter slides on the wafer from a closed position in which the shutter completely covers the pourer orifice to an open position in which said orifice finds it completely free.

This device therefore makes it possible to release a large opening allowing a high flow rate and good visibility inside the pot in order to monitor the arrival of the liquid.

However, this device does not make it possible to guarantee a good seal because it is conditioned by the perfect indentity of the circular profiles of the shutter and of the edge of the pouring orifice, this identity being very difficult. to obtain.

The subject of the invention is a pourer with controllable flow which makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks mentioned above.

• - une ouverture et une fermeture très progressives permettant un dosage précis goutte à goutte,
• - une fermeture instantanée dès que l'on atteint la quantité désirée, mesurée sur un dispositif volumétrique ou sur une balance,
• - une bonne étanchéité sur la périphérie de l'ouverture du couvercle,
• - un gros débit comparable à celui que l'on obtient avec l'ouverture totale du clapet,
• - une bonne visibilité à l'intérieur du bec verseur,
• - une bonne tenue à l'encrassement.

More specifically, it aims to obtain:

• - a very gradual opening and closing allowing precise drip dosing,
• - instant closure as soon as the desired quantity is reached, measured on a volumetric device or on a scale,
• - a good seal on the periphery of the opening of the cover,
• - a large flow comparable to that obtained with the total opening of the valve,
• - good visibility inside the spout,
• - good resistance to fouling.

To achieve this result, the pourer with controllable flow rate according to the invention firstly comprises in a conventional manner an actuating device comprising a lever carrying the shutter, this lever being pivotally mounted on the wall of the pourer and at least one elastic member intended to maintain the shutter in leaktight contact on the edge of the mouth of the pourer.

This pourer is more particularly characterized in that the shutter is mounted on the pivoting lever by means of an articulation allowing the shutter to slide and pivot relative to the lever and in that it further comprises stop members carried by the pivoting lever, which make it possible to block the position of the shutter relative to the pivoting lever at the end of the opening stroke of said shutter.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the pourer according to the invention comprises, as a pivoting lever, an angled lever whose tilting can be controlled by means of a rod. This bent lever comprises, in its free end, a bore through which can freely slide and swivel a rod carrying at its lower end the shutter and, at its upper part, a stop member intended to limit the relative stroke of the rod crooked its piercing; in addition, the elastic member which acts on the shutter rests on the bent lever and tends to move it downwards.

Thus, in the closed position, the shutter is applied to the edge of the pourer mouth thanks to the action of the elastic member such as a spring.

To open the pourer, a tilting of the lever is caused, for example by means of the above rod. Under the effect of this tilting, the shutter is first of all driven backwards while remaining applied to the edge of the mouthpiece thanks to the action of the elastic member. During this movement, the shutter axis slides in the hole until its end of travel stop comes to bear on the lever. From this moment, the shutter is raised and rocked with the lever.

We thus obtain, in a single operation, the combination of the effects produced by the two types of shutters previously mentioned, the first phase corresponding to the operation of the shutter of the "guillotine" type and the second phase to the operation of the shutter of the "clamshell" type.

It is clear that in such a system, the sealing of the closure is greatly improved by the fact that the elastic member applies the shutter uniformly on the edge of the mouth. It is therefore no longer a function, as previously, of the position of the axis of the valve or of the flatness of a long zipper. Furthermore, the effect of ball joint obtained between the axis of the shutter and the bent lever, makes it possible to compensate for any differences in parallelism.

Embodiments of the invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting examples, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• - en position fermée, figure 1,
• -en fin de la première phase d'ouverture, figure 2,
• - en position ouverte, figure 3;

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are three schematic axial sections of a pourer with controlled flow:

• - in the closed position, Figure 1,
• -at the end of the first opening phase, Figure 2,
• - in the open position, Figure 3;

• - en position fermée, figure 4,
• - en position intermédiaire, figure 5, et
• - en position ouverte, figure 6;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show in axial section another embodiment of the invention:

• - in the closed position, Figure 4,
• - in the intermediate position, Figure 5, and
• - in the open position, Figure 6;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are front views of the controlled flow pourer shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, in the intermediate position in FIG. 7, and in the open position in FIG. 8.

As shown in the drawings, the pourer equips a box cover 1 of the type used in stirring machines. It consists of a tubular mouthpiece 2 made integrally with the cover 1 and which is preferably provided in its front part with a dihedral spout. The edge 3 of this blister 2, which serves as a sealing surface, is strictly planar.

At the base of this mouth 2, on the side located towards the center of the cover 1, is articulated a bent lever 4 which can switch between a closed position, in which the free arm 5 comes to extend parallel above the mouth 2, and an open position in which it is completely offset relative to said mouth 2.

The free arm 5 of the lever 4 comprises, near its end, a bore 6 through which a rod 7 can slide and swivel, integral, at its lower part, with a shutter pallet 8 having a strictly flat lower face and which comprises, at its upper part, a split or similar pin 9 serving as a limit stop retaining on one side, the rod 7 trapped inside the bore 6; on the other hand, two stops 7 bis hold the pallet 8 in the fully open position.

This pallet 8 is preferably covered with a non-stick protection of the polytetrafluoroethylene type and can also be entirely made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

Furthermore, between the arm 5 of the lever 4 and the shutter pallet 8 is arranged, coaxially with the rod 7, a helical spring 10 of conical shape.

The tilting of the lever 4 can be controlled by means of a trigger mounted on the handle of the cover (not shown) by means of a control rod 11 articulated on the lever 4, for example by means of a yoke hinge 12.

Thus, in the closed position shown in FIG. 1, the shutter pallet 8 is kept applied uniformly on the flat edge 3 of the mouth 2, under the effect of the spring 10, the control rod 11 then preventing any lever tilting 4.

From this position, the pourer is opened by pulling on the rod 11, so as to tilt the lever 4.

At the start of this tilting, the lever 4 will carry out, via the rod 7, a rearward pull of the shutter pallet 8, which remains applied to the edge 3 of the mouthpiece 2 under the effect of the spring 10. During this movement, the end of the arm 5 rises relative to the rod 7 until it comes into abutment on the pin 9 (FIG. 2). From this moment there, the arm 5 while continuing its tilting, lifts the assembly formed by the shutter plate 8 and the spring 10 and offset it laterally relative to the mouth 2, until it reaches the open position shown in Figure 3, the pallet resting on the stops 7a.

With reference to Figures 4 to 8, which represents feel an embodiment derived from that previously described, the pourer with flow control comprises a straight lever 15, articulated at the base of the mouth 16 and which comprises, near its free end, two lateral protrusions 17 as well as an articulation piece 18 in which the control rod 19 is journalled. On this free end, there is also articulated a cap 20 provided with two lateral flanges 21 which, in the closed position, comes to extend above the opening of the mouth 16.

In the front part of this cap 20, is articulated, by means of a pivot 22 constituted by a stud with rivet or stop ring, a sealing pallet 23, for example made of polytetrafluoroethylene. The cap 20 is also subjected to the action of two lateral springs 26 respectively fixed, at each of their ends, at the base of the mouth 16 and on the lateral edges 21. The position of these springs 26 is more particularly provided in such a way that they exert, in the closed or partially closed position of the pourer, a pressure for plating the pallet 23 on the mouth 16 as well as a restoring pressure tending to close the pallet 23, and during the end of the opening stroke, a lower force component in the closing direction, which reduces the effort that the operator must produce on the trigger.

The right lever 15 further comprises, on the side of the mouth 16, a striker device 27 intended to open an air inlet hole 28 formed in the mouth 16, in the event that this hole is closed by dried paint. This device proves to be necessary, because in the event of the hole 28 being blocked, it can be seen that the flow rate is carried out in jerks when the device with small aperture is used.

It will be noted that this striker 27 which comprises a base 29 terminated by a point 30, serves at the same time as a stop for the pallet 23 when the pourer is in the fully open position.

• - En position de fermeture (figure 4) la palette d'étanchéité 23 se trouve fermement appliquée 'contre la tranche de l'embouchure 16 sous l'effet des ressorts de traction 26. Grâce à l'effet de rotule obtenu au moyen du pivot 22, les différences éventuelles de parallélisme sont compensées et la palette se trouve bien appliquée sur la tranche de l'embouchure 16.

The operation of the pourer previously described is then as follows:

• - In the closed position (Figure 4) the sealing pallet 23 is firmly applied 'against the edge of the mouthpiece 16 under the effect of the traction springs 26. Thanks to the ball joint effect obtained by means of the pivot 22, any differences in parallelism are compensated for and the pallet is properly applied to the edge of the mouthpiece 16.

The pourer is opened by exerting traction on the lever 15 by means of the control rod 19. During a first phase, FIGS. 5 and 7, this traction causes a displacement towards the rear of the cap. 20 as well as the sealing pallet 23 which remains in leaktight contact with the edge of the mouth 16, thanks to the action of the springs 26 and the relative angular play of the cover 20-pallet 23 due to the effect of the ball joint obtained by pivot 22.

This process continues until the lateral flanges 21 of the cap 20 come into contact with the lateral protuberances 17 of the lever 15. From this moment, the cap 20 and the sealing pallet 23 pivot together with the lever 15 in the manner of a valve (Figures 6 and 8).

It will be noted that the right lever 15 could include, instead of the articulation piece 18, a lever arm which can be pressed to cause the pourer to open.

Claims (7)

1. A controllable delivery pourer of the type comprising a shutter member (8, 23), an actuating device comprising a lever (4, 15) supporting the shutter member (8, 23), this lever (4, 15) being pivotably mounted on the wall of the pourer and at least one resilient member (10, 26) for holding the shutter member (8, 23) in sealing contact on the edge of the mouth of the pourer, which pourer is characterized in that the shutter member (8, 23) is mounted on the pivoting lever (4, 15) through a hinge means allowing the shutter member (8, 23) to pivot and slide with respect to the lever (4, 15) and in that it further comprises a stop means (7 bis, 9, 17) supported by the pivoting lever (4, 15), which allow the position of the shutter member (8, 23) to be locked with respect to the pivoting lever (4, 15) at the end of the opening travel of said shutter member (8, 23).

2. The pourer according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivoting lever (4) is a crank lever whose pivoting motion may be controlled by means of a linkage (11), in that said crank lever (4) comprises at its free end a bore (6) through which a rod (7) may slide and swivel, bearing at its lower end the shutter member (8) and at its upper end a stop means (9) for limiting the relative travel of the rod (7) through its bore (6) and in that the resilient member (10) which acts on the shutter member (8) bears on the crank lever (4) and tends to move it downwards.

3. The pourer according to claim 2, characterized in that the resilient member (10) is a conical shaped helical spring.

4. The pourer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shutter member (8) consists of a vane either coated with an anti-adhesive protection such as poly- tetrafluorethylene or is entirely made from poly- tetrafluorethylene.

5. The pourer according to claim 1, characterized in that the hinge means allowing the shutter member (23) to slide and pivot with respect to the lever (15) is disposed between said shutter member (23) and a cap (20) pivotably mounted on the lever (15).

6. The pourer according to claim 5, characterized in that the pivoting lever (15) is a straight lever comprising in the vicinity of its free end, two lateral protuberances (17) as well as a hinge piece (18) in which pivots a hinge linkage (19), in that on this free end is also pivotably mounted the cap (20) having two lateral flanges (21) which, in the closed position, extend above the opening of the mouth (16), in that, in the front part of this cap (20), is slidably and pivotably mounted (pivot 22) the shutter member (23) consisting of a sealing vane, and in that the resilient members (26) acting on the shutter member (23) are formed by two lateral springs fixed respectively at each of their ends to the base of the mouth (16) of the pourer and to the lateral flanges of the cap (20).

7. The pourer according to claim 6, characterized in that the straight lever (15) further comprises a striker device (27) for unblocking the air intake hole (28) provided in the mouth (16).

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