EP0095651B1

EP0095651B1 - Filler means for charging containers

Info

Publication number: EP0095651B1
Application number: EP19830104840
Authority: EP
Inventors: Badruddin K. Rangwala; Toney S. Flack
Original assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corp
Current assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corp
Priority date: 1982-05-28
Filing date: 1983-05-17
Publication date: 1988-12-28
Also published as: NO159007B; NO831865L; EP0095651A3; DK239083A; NO159007C; DE3378757D1; DK239083D0; CA1204712A; JPS58216587A; JPH0479918B2; EP0095651A2

Description

This invention relates to a filler valve assembly forfilling containers with liquid products, said filler valve assembly comprising an upper body, a main body, a pressure-responsive assembly mounted so as to separate said upper and main bodies, spring means cooperating with the pressure-responsive assembly and mounted between the pressure-responsive assembly and the upper end of said upper body, an inlet connection connected to an opening in the side of the main body; nozzle means connected to the lower end of said main body, a valve connected by rod means to said pressure-responsive assembly, a valve seat formed so as to cooperate with the valve and orifice means including a cylindrical surface formed in said main body for a predetermined height the adjacent valve member secured to said rod means accommodating the flow therepast of a selected volume of fluid products.
Generally, this invention relates to filler valves for liquids and, more particularly, to a diaphragm actuated filling valve including a sleeve nozzle which is adaptable to being inserted into a container to fill the container with a liquid as the container and sleeve nozzle are separated from one another at a predetermined rate.
Heretofore, container filler mechanisms have generally included nozzle means disposed above an open-top container which drop the liquid product the full depth of the container, resulting in the formation of foam when the container is full, which tends to interfere with the top sealing operation.
Other known filler units are adapted to either being inserted into a container or to having a container fitted around the filler unit in order to progressively fill the container as the filler unit is removed relative thereto, thereby tending to minimize the formation of foam. Hereinafter, such filler units will be referred to as "bottom up" filler valves.
A filler valve assembly of the type described at the outset is known from DE-A-23 58 157. In this known filler valve assembly the pressure responsive assembly is quite complicated and comprises two separate diaphragms being arranged at the top of the main body and in the upper body, respectively. Further, in the known valve assembly a pressure fluid acting upon the upper one of the two diaphragms is needed for actuating the valve and orifice means, respectively.
Another known filler valve assembly is disclosed in GB-A-2 043 604. In this known valve assembly a dish is lowered to open an annular part between two chambers for the passage of the fluid to be dispensed through a nozzle and a valve when the pressure of the incoming fluid overcomes the back pressure of a spring. Thus, the dish merely serves as an opening and closing valve there being no variable orifice means operable depending on the pressure of the fluid to be dispensed.
A general object of the invention is to provide an improved bottom-up type filler valve.
Another object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm actuated, bottom-up filler valve.
A further object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm actuated, bottom-up filler valve including interchangeable sleeve nozzles suitable, respectively, for milk or clear juice products and buttermilk or pulpy products such as orange juice.
These objects are accomplished by means of a filler valve assembly of the type indicated at the outset and being characterized according to the second-part of claim 1 in that said orifice means includes a frustoconical surface formed just above the cylindrical surface for a second predetermined height for cooperation with the adjacent valve member to accommodate the flow therepast of a larger selected volume of fluid products than that which occurs between the cylindrical surface and the adjacent valve member; in that said nozzle means is a sleeve nozzle and in that said pressure responsive assembly is designed so as to be urged upwardly by the pressure of said liquid products.
Preferred embodiments of the inventive valve assembly are the subject of the dependent claims.
The above and other objects and advantages will become more apparent when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.
In the drawings

Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an inventive filler valve assembly;
Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of alternate nozzle arrangements which may be interchanged with the lower body portion of the Figure 1 structure; and
Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an alternate arrangement of the valve and seat portion of the Figure 1 structure.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, Figure 1 illustrates a filler valve assembly 10 including a main body section 12, an upper section 14 and a lower section 16. The main body section 12 includes a cylindrical housing 18 having an inlet connection 20 formed in a side wall adjacent the upper end thereof. A frusto-conically shaped seat 22 is formed on the inner lower portion of the body section 12 just below an orifice area consisting of a substantially cylindrical surface 23a adjacent the seat 22, and a steeper frusto-conical surface 23b above the surface 23a, for a purpose to be described. A valve member 24 having a frusto-conically shaped peripheral edge is mounted on a valve rod 26 for axial movement within the body section 12. A guide member 28 is formed on the valve rod 26 for cooperation with the housing 18 to retain the valve rod in axial alignment in the section 12 such that, when closed, the valve member 24 engages the seat 22 in a sealing relationship.
A lightweight diaphragm 30 preferably formed of a suitable fabric material covered with a rubber compound, such as silicon, is confined at its peripheral edge between the upper and main body sections 14 and 12, respectively. The upper end of the valve rod 26 extends through an opening 32 formed in the center of the diaphragm 30. The latter is confined between a retainer flange 34 formed on the valve rod 26 and a centrally perforated cup-shaped piston member 36 secured around the valve rod and against the diaphragm 30 by a locknut 38. A vent hole 39 is formed in a wall of the upper body section 14. A spring 40 is mounted between the member 36 and an end wall 41 of the upper body section 14. If desired for particular products, a pneumatic or other type pressure means may be used in lieu of, or in addition to, the spring 40 to assure faster response time.
Three types of lower body section 16 are interchangeably connected to the housing 18 of the main body section 12 via a suitable snap-on pin and groove or bayonet-type connection 42. An "O" ring seal 44 is mounted between the lower and main body sections in a groove 45 formed in the main body section. One type of lower body section 16, which shall hereinafter be referred to as sleeve nozzle 16a, includes an outlet opening 46 defines by an internal flange 48 formed at the lower end thereof. A diffuser 50 is removeably mounted on the inner surface of the flange 48 and retained there against by a spring 52 mounted between the diffuser and the lower edge of the main body section 12. This sleeve nozzle 16a is preferred for use with regular milk and clear juices. The diffuser 50 may consist of a screen pack including a plurality of openings (not shown) small enough to hold liquid thereabove by virtue of capillary action until such time as a pressure is directed to the liquid. It should be noted that a sleeve nozzle of the type described is adaptable to the above referenced bottom-up type filling arrangements for containers, such as that represented at 53 and shown surrounding the sleeve nozzle 16b in Fig. 2.
The second type of lower body section 16, which shall hereinafter be referred to as sleeve nozzle 16b, shown in Figure 2, includes an outlet opening 54 defined by an internally tapered flange 56 formed at the lower end thereof. A conically shaped enlargement 57 formed on the lower end of a rod 58 terminates in a cylindrical lip seal surface 60. The rod 58 includes a flat extension 62 at its upper end adapted to being mounted in a slot 64 formed in the end of the upper valve rod 26 by a pin 66 extended through aligned openings 68 and 70 formed in the respective rods 26 and 58. A guide member 72 is formed on the rod 58 for cooperation with the wall of the lower section 16 such that the lip seal surface 60 is aligned so as to fit just inside the outlet opening 54 in a capillary seal relationship therewith. A spherical extension 74 is formed on the outer face of the lip seal surface 60 to aid in shaping the liquid flow pattern when the lip seal surface 60 is open with respect to the opening 54. The sleeve nozzle 16b is preferred for use with heavy and pulpy products, such as buttermilk and orange juice.
The third type of lower body section 16, which shall hereinafter be referred to as sleeve nozzle 16c, shown in Figure 3, includes a valve 76 formed on the end of the rod 58 and which cooperates with a seat 78 formed at the lower end of the sleeve nozzle. In this embodiment when the valve 76/78 is-closed, the upper valve 22/24 is open, serving as an orifice. The spherical extension 74 now serves as the sealing surface in addition to shaping the liquid flow pattern.
In operation, the valve assembly 10 is first primed such that the main body 12 and the lower nozzle section 16 are filled with a selected liquid product. The assembly is then ready for a production run, whereupon a measured volume of fluid product is communicated from a tank (not shown) via a timed piston or other suitable arrangement (not shown) to the inlet connection 20 and, thence, into the main body section 12. Upon entering the latter section, the assembly consisting of the diaphragm 30, the retainer flange 34 and the piston member 36 are urged upwardly against the force of the spring 40, the air therein being purged through the vent hole 39. This causes the valve member 24 to be lifted from the - seat 22, within the orifice surface 23a for small volumes, such as about 0.25 I (half pints), or upwardly within the orifice surface 23b for larger volumes, such as about 0.5 or 1 I (pints or quarts). This causes the incoming product to be directed through the valve area 22/24, thereby urging an equivalent measured volume of fluid which was confined in the lower and main body to be urged through the diffuser 50 sections 16 and 12 into a selected size container positioned therebelow by the usual indexing conveyor (not shown). Conventional external means may be employed to raise and lower the container 53 relative to the sleeve nozzle 16. Once the pumping stroke is completed, the spring 40 urges the diaphragm 30 and, hence, the valve 24 downwardly until the latter once again is seated on the seat 22. The incoming liquid replaces the volume of liquid in the main and lower body section 12 and 16, ready for the next cycle.
Similarly, a fluid product is contained in the main body 12 and between the valve member 24 and the lower lip seal surface 60 of the sleeve nozzle 16b as a result of the capillary seal effect between the lip seal surface 60 and the adjacent opening 54. The operation is the same as described above relative to the sleeve nozzle 16a once a timed pulse of liquid is communicated through the inlet connection 20.
When the sleeve nozzle 16c is used, there likewise is a full column of liquid product above the closed bottom valve 76/78. When a measured volume of new liquid product is pumped into the main body 12, the resultant force against the diaphragm assembly 30/34/36 lifts the rods 26 and 58 and, hence, opens the lower valve 76/78 to discharge the designated volume of fluid into the awaiting container, as the latter is lowered from around the sleeve nozzle 16c.
Referring now to Figure 4, it may be noted that the main body section 12 includes the frusto-conically shaped valve 24 and the valve rod 26 as in the Figure 1 arrangement, and a valve seat 22 which differs from the valve seat 22 of Fig. 1 in that the frusto-conical surface thereof extends into the wall of the main body housing 18 to blend into an annular groove 82 forming an annular cavity in the wall of the housing intermediate the seat 22 and the cylindrical surface 23a. Such an arrangement is compatible with the function of the diffuser 50 of the Figure 1 sleeve nozzle 16a. An advantage resulting from having the annular cavity 82 is that the vertical travel distance of the valve 24 and valve rod 26 is substantially reduced, thereby resulting in the valve 24 being more responsive for both its closing and opening functions, the closing action functioning on the order of a "sink stopper" effect, i.e., the suction and/or inertial effects of the moving liquid serving to speed up the closing. An additional advantage is minimizing wear of the diaphragm due to the reduced flexing thereof.
It should be noted that, while the annular cavity 82 alteration would not be compatible with the lip seal arrangement of the Figure 2 embodiment, the sleeve nozzle 16c and valve 76 and seat 78 of the Figure 3 embodiment could be interchanged with the sleeve nozzle 16a without any ill effect.
It should be apparent that the invention provides a versatile filler valve arrangement for various liquid products, as well as for various size containers, and one which is highly efficient in operation so as to be capable of meeting the fast production requirements of today's conventional forming, filling and sealing machines.

Claims

1. A filler valve assembly (10) for filling containers (53) with liquid products, said filler valve assembly comprising an upper body (14), a main body (12), a pressure-responsive assembly (30, 34, 36) mounted so as to separate said upper and main bodies (12, 14), spring means (40) cooperating with the pressure-responsive assembly (30, 34, 36) and mounted between the pressure-responsive assembly (30, 34, 36) and the upper end (41) of said upper body (14), an inlet connection connected to an opening (20) in the side of the main body (12), nozzle means (16) connected to the lower end of said main body (12), a valve (24, 57, 76) connected by rod means (26, 58) to said pressure-responsive assembly (30, 34, 36), a valve seat (22, 56, 78) formed so as to cooperate with the valve (24, 57, 76) and orifice means including a cylindrical surface (23a) formed in said main body (12) for a predetermined height, the adjacent valve member (24) secured to said rod means (26, 58) accommodating the flow therepast of a selected volume of fluid products, characterized in that said orifice means includes a frustoconical surface (23b) formed just above the cylindrical surface (23a) for a second predetermined height for cooperation with the adjacent valve member (24) to accommodate the flow therepast of a larger selected volume of fluid products than that which occurs between the cylindrical surface (23a) and the adjacent valve member (24); in that said nozzle means is a sleeve nozzle (16) and in that said pressure responsive assembly (30, 35, 36) is designed so as to be urged upwardly by the pressure of said liquid products.

2. The filler valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said pressure-responsive assembly (30, 34, 36) includes a diaphragm (30) confined between a retainer flange (34) and a piston member (36) secured adjacent the upper end of said rod means (26, 58) just above said inlet opening (20), and retained at its peripheral edge between said upper and main bodies (12, 14) with said spring means (40) being mounted between said piston member (36) and said upper end (41).

3. The filler valve assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that said diaphragm (30) consists of a fabric material covered with a rubber compound.

4. The filler valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said sleeve nozzle (16) is of a predetermined length and is releasably connected to said main body (12).

5. The filler valve assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that said filler valve and its sleeve nozzle (16) comprise a bottom-up type filler arrangement, insertable into a container (53) for filling the same with a liquid product and being movable during the filling operation from the bottom of said container (53) in the direction of the top end thereof.

6. The filler valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that an annular chamber (82) is formed adjacent said cylindrical surface (23a) for reducing the travelling distance and the opening and closing times of said adjacent valve member (24).

7. The filler valve assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said valve (57, 76) and said valve seat (56, 78) are provided at the bottom end of said sleeve nozzle (16b, 16c).

8. The filler valve assembly according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said valve seat (56, 78) is an internally tapered flange at the bottom end of said sleeve nozzle (16b, 16c).

9. The filler valve assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that said internally tapered flange (56) and said valve (57) provide a capillary seal means positioned at the lower end of said sleeve nozzle (16b).

10. The filler valve assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that said valve includes an enlarged member (57) formed on the lower end of said rod means (26, 58) in a lip seal relationship with said internal tapered flange (56) of said sleeve nozzle (16b).

11. The filler valve assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said valve seat (22) is formed just below the cylindrical surface (23b), and wherein said valve comprises a portion of said adjacent member (24) cooperating with said valve seat (22).

12. The filler valve assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that an internally tapered flange (56, 78) is formed at the lower end of said sleeve nozzle (16b, 16c), that a second valve (57, 76) is connected by said rod means (26, 58) to said pressure-responsive assembly (30, 34, 36) for . cooperation with said internally tapered flange (56, 78), that only one of said first and second valves (24; 57, 76) is urged by said spring means - (40) into engagement with one of said respective valve seat (22) and said internally tapered flange (56, 78) until such time as a measured volume of fluid product is communicated through said inlet opening (20) and that a column of fluid product is retained intermediate said first and second valve (24; 57, 76) until said measured volume of fluid product is communicated from said source of fluid product through said inlet opening (20) to said main body (12) to raise said pressure-responsive assembly (30, 34, 36).

13. The filler valve assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that said second valve (57) and said internally tapered flange (56) serve as a capillary seal means.

14. The filler valve assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that said second valve (76) and said internally tapered flange (78) serve as a valve means.

15. The filler valve assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that a spherical extension (74) is formed on the outer face of said second valve (76) to aid in shaping the liquid flow pattern when said second valve (76) is lifted above said internally tapered flange (78).