EP1473246B1 - Assembly comprising a dispensing valve and a pouch sealingly connected therewith - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an assembly consisting of a dispensing valve for the delivery of pressurized liquids, foams, gels od. Like. And a fluid-tight connected bag made of flexible film material, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a structural unit is known from the applicant's EP 0 697 348 B1. In particular, it is also a preferred construction of the dispensing valve known the shape that a dispensing tube is axially displaceably mounted in the valve body, namely from a closed position against the action of an elastic element, in particular a helical compression spring in a fluid delivery position. Between the edge of the lid opening and the valve body, the dispensing tube od of a rubber ring seal. The like. Elastic sealing material tightly enclosed, in such a way that the ring seal closes in the closed position of the dispensing tube or dispensing valve access to a dispensing channel formed in the dispensing tube. Within the bag, a discharge tube is arranged, which is connectable through the bag film and with the interposition of a sealing ring with the valve body of the dispensing valve, in such a way that a fluid connection is obtained between the bag interior and the valve body of the dispensing valve. The discharge tube and / or the valve body are made of unbreakable material and in particular not permeable to organic media material. The dispensing tube has a disk, in particular cylinder-shaped widening, extending around the bag opening mentioned in the bag. As a result, the bag film from the inner Keep the section of the dispensing tube away. This is important both for the filling of the bag and for the delivery of fluid from the bag.

Filled bag drop tests have shown that the bag may rupture around the bag opening upon direct welding to the dispensing tube or widening it. In order to avoid this, the bag film has hitherto been welded to the circumference of the cylinder-cap-shaped widening. This method is relatively expensive and beyond also not 100% tear resistant.

The present invention is therefore an object of the invention to eliminate the aforementioned vulnerability of the bag film and the connection thereof with the discharge tube and valve body.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1, wherein preferred structural details are described in the subclaims.

The core of the present invention thus lies in an additional reinforcement of the peripheral edge of the bag opening, through which the discharge tube extends, before it is locked in a fluid-tight manner with the valve body. Preferably, the bag is placed on the widening of the discharge tube with the interposition of an annular disc delimiting the bag opening.

In this particular embodiment, the bag opening is thus stabilized by an annular disc, which is preferably welded to the inside of the bag with the bag film. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the annular disc also made with the bag film well weldable material, for example polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide od. Like. Due to the stabilization of the bag opening according to the invention, through which the Austragsröhrchen extends from the bag interior to the outside, the The above-mentioned cracks in drop tests no longer on.

Preferably, the bag film is attached to the pre-welded ring disk on the discharge tube, before then the bag film is welded edge to a fluid-tight bag. It is also conceivable to weld or bond the annular disk with the widening of the discharge tube arranged inside the bag. Regardless of the above-mentioned mounting options, the passage for the discharge tube out of the bag is stabilized by the bag opening limiting annular disk, so that no more cracks occur in case of drop tests at this point. It should also be mentioned at this point that the welding of the bag film with the broadening in the prior art also led to relatively high stresses in the film after filling the bag, which then just vacated in case trials and led to the aforementioned tears.

As in the prior art, the portion of the dispensing tube extending through the bag opening is preferably latchable into a corresponding opening of the valve body, particularly the bottom thereof, such that the valve body is fluid-tight with the interior of the bag fluid tight with respect to the interior of the outer container is.

Furthermore, the valve body of the dispensing valve and the dispensing tube including broadening as well as in the prior art preferably made of polyacetal, which is very resistant to breakage.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht einer in einem Behälter befindlichen Baueinheit, wobei der Behälter im Längsschnitt dargestellt ist;

Fig. 2

eine Ansicht entsprechend Fig. 1, wobei der innerhalb des Behälters angeordnete Beutel im Bereich des Abgabeventils teilweise weggebrochen und das Abgabeventil im Schnitt dargestellt ist;

Fig. 3

eine vergrößerte schematische Detail-Schnittansicht, wobei u.a. der Ventilkörper vergrößert im Schnitt dargestellt und eine Befüllkappe für die Befüllung des Behälterinnenraums auf dem Abgabeventil aufgesetzt ist;

Fig. 4

eine vergrößerte schematische Detail-Schnittansicht ähnlich wie Fig. 3, wobei auch das Austragsröhrchen im Beutelinneren im Schnitt dargestellt und auf dem Abgabeventil eine Befüllvorrichtung für die Befüllung des Beutels angeordnet ist.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a structural unit according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. This shows in:

Fig. 1

a side view of a unit contained in a container, wherein the container is shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2

a view corresponding to Figure 1, wherein the arranged inside the container bag in the region of the dispensing valve partially broken away and the dispensing valve is shown in section.

Fig. 3

an enlarged schematic detail sectional view, among other things, the valve body enlarged shown in section and a filling cap for filling the container interior is placed on the dispensing valve;

Fig. 4

an enlarged schematic detail sectional view similar to FIG. 3, wherein the discharge tube in the bag interior is shown in section and arranged on the dispensing valve, a filling device for filling the bag.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a structural unit 10 consisting of a dispensing valve 11 and a bag 12 connected to it in a fluid-tight manner. An outer container 15, which may for example consist of tinplate or plastic, surrounds the bag 12 such that a receiving space between these two components is defined. The container 15 has at its upper end an opening 14 through which the bag 12 is inserted into the container 15 and in the inserted state, the discharge valve 11 projects beyond the container 15. The opening 14 is closed by means of a cover 13 in the usual way. In the lid 13, in turn, a lid opening 17 is formed. In this lid opening 17, a valve body 18 of the dispensing valve 11 is held by its edge 16 such that a dispensing valve 11 associated dispensing tube 25 passes through the lid opening 17. The dispensing tube 25 can thus be actuated from the outside.

Bag 12 and container 15 thus represent a two-chamber package, wherein in the bag 12 (in the present embodiment), a liquid or pasty filling material and in the container 15, a pressure medium, such as air or butane, are filled or filled.

First, as will be explained in more detail below, the above-mentioned bag and container contents can be filled via the dispensing valve 11 in the bag or in the container. In this case, the bag 12 expands in the container 15 and occupies a substantial part of the container volume. When emptying the bag is the bag contents with appropriate expansion of the pressure medium in the container 15th auspreßbar via the dispensing valve 11, through the dispensing tube 25 therethrough.

The bag 12 is made of a flexible sheet material which is composed of several layers. In the present case, the film comprises three layers, namely an outer polyamide or polyester layer, a middle aluminum layer and an inner polyethylene or polypropylene layer.

The bag 12 extends substantially over the entire length of the interior of the container 15. Concretely, it is formed by a folded over one another and at the edges welded together or sealed film of the type mentioned above.

As will be explained in more detail below, the bag 12 is kept fluid-tight at a portion of the dispensing valve 11.

In the valve body 18 is received in the axial direction from a closed to an open position and vice versa displaceably mounted dispensing tube 25, which can be moved against the action of a helical compression spring 26 from a closed position. The helical compression spring 26 is supported on the one hand on a seat in the lower region of the valve body 18 and on the other hand on the delivery tube 25 itself.

Between the edge 16 of the lid opening 17 and the valve body 18 is a ring seal 27, for example made of rubber, is provided, which also surrounds the dispensing tube 25 fluid-tight. This ring seal 27 closes the cylindrical and open-topped valve body 18 from above. So it has a double function. First, it prevents material from leaking out of the bag unintentionally over the interior of the valve body; on the other hand, no medium can inadvertently escape from the container interior into the external environment. By applying the dispensing tube 25 in the direction opposite to the action of the helical compression spring 26 is an access 28 - as shown in particular in FIG. 4 - released by an upper peripheral edge of the valve body 18 on the inside of the ring seal 27 lifts. In this case there is a fluid connection between the discharge channel 29 in the delivery tube 25 and the valve body interior created, which - as will be explained later - in turn fluidly connected to the bag interior. Reference is made in this regard to the corresponding fluid arrow 30 in FIG. 4.

The valve body 18 has at its - in the illustrated figures - the lower end of a bore 31 which defines an access to the inner cavity of the valve body 18. Through this bore 31, a portion or part of a discharge tube 20 is inserted, which engages in the fully inserted state. The latching effect is achieved in that a radially outwardly projecting annular flange is formed at the discharge valve end of the mentioned tube portion, which engages behind the bore 31 within the valve body 14 in the mounted state.

The tube portion 20 has been inserted through an opening of the bag film before insertion into the bore 31 of the valve body 18, so that the bag 12 is clamped with the interposition of a further sealing ring 24 between the discharge tube 20 and the valve body 18. By the intermediate sealing ring 24 a complete seal against the container interior is achieved.

The dispensing tube 20, which is located in the bag interior, immediately adjacent to the bag 12, a cylindrical cap-like widening 21, which defines an annular disc-like support surface for the trapped between the dispensing tube 20 and the valve body 18 bag film. To significantly reduce the risk of the bag tearing out at this point, the bag opening 19 is inboard by an annular disc 22, i. limited within the bag 12 and stabilized accordingly. The bag opening 19 delimiting annular disc 22 is made with the bag film well weldable material and is accordingly welded to this around the bag opening 19 around. Preferably, the annular disc 22 made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide od. Like. Material.

The plant of the valve body 18 and the bag 12 facing the bottom of the same thus lies with the interposition of the bag opening 19 limiting Ring disc 22 on the cylinder cap-like widening 21 of the discharge tube 20, wherein the fluid seal between the bag interior and the interior of the valve body 18 is ensured by the aforementioned sealing ring 24. The latching between the discharge tube 20 and valve body 18 within the bore 31 is carried out under axial bias, the od through the sealing ring 24, which is made of rubber. Like. Made of material is permanently ensured.

Between the cylinder-cap-like widening 21 and the discharge tube 20 continuing into the bag 12, an annular space 32 is defined which opens (towards the bottom in FIG. 4) to the interior of the bag.

As already stated above, the dispensing valve 11, namely the valve body 18, the dispensing tube 25 and the dispensing tube 20 are made of a material which is both break-resistant and impermeable to organic media. For example, polyacetal is suitable for this purpose.

In contrast, the sealing ring 24 consists of a good with the bag material weldable material, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene od. Like ..

Overall, a high resistance to breakage is ensured with the construction described. Furthermore, it is prevented that a media exchange between container and bag takes place. In addition, a lasting seal of the bag on the dispensing valve 11 and thus a correspondingly durable connection between the bag and the dispensing valve can be achieved. Finally, it is still ensured by the sealing ring 24 that the bag opening 19 does not tear even at high load (drop test), even if the bag is not additionally welded on the outer circumference of the cylinder-cap-like widening 21. Such additional welding is dispensable according to the invention, with the result that a corresponding coating of the outer circumference of the cylinder-cap-like widening 21 can be dispensed with in order to obtain a good welded connection between the widening 21 and the bag film.

At the lower end of the Austragsröhrchens 20 a riser 33 is connected, which extends to near the bottom of the bag 12 out. This riser 33 also has a stabilizing function for the bag 12, in particular when the bag 12 is inserted in the container 15.

In the following it will be explained briefly how the space between the bag 12 and container 15 and the interior of the bag 12 can be filled.

According to FIG. 3, a filling cap 34 is attached to the dispensing valve 11 or the upper end of the container 15, which is suitable for filling the container 12. In this case, seals in the form of O-ring seals between the filling cap 34 and the cover 13 on the one hand and the filling cap 34 and the dispensing tube 25 on the other effective. Within the filling cap 34, a flow path is formed such that a medium in the region can be introduced by the dispensing tube 25 protrudes from the lid opening 17. If a medium is supplied under pressure via the flow paths formed in the filling cap 34, then the ring seal 27 is pressed down as shown in FIG. 3 or pushed away from the lid edge 16 into the container interior, so that a flow path between the ring seal 27 and lid 13 and then between the valve body 18 and cover 13 is formed. A fluid connection between the filling cap 34 and the container interior is defined via this flow path, so that the medium provided via the filling cap 34 can be introduced into the container 15. In the present case, a propellant or gas is introduced into the container interior, wherein preferably air, butane or another environmentally friendly propellant is used. The aforementioned flow path is indicated by the reference numeral 35 in FIG.

When filling the bag 12, a filling cap 36 shown in Fig. 4 is used, which has an O-ring seal for sealing between the dispensing tube 25 and filling cap 36. When placing the Befüllkappe 36, the dispensing tube 29 is moved against the direction of the compression spring 26 from its closed position to an open position. In this position, the discharge channel 29 is fluidly connected to the interior of the valve body 18, which in turn via the discharge tube 20 in the interior of the bag 12 opens. The mouth takes place on the one hand at the lower end of the riser 33, ie in the lower region of the bag 12, and on the other side openings 37 of the Austragsröhrchens 20 in the region of the annular space 32 in the upper part of the bag 12th

If now filled in the space between the bag 12 and container butane or is taken in the bag, for example, a gel with isopentane, so takes place in the above-described unit no exchange of organic media. It can therefore take place no more pressure compensation, which would lead to a functional inabilities of the entire device.

When emptying the bag, the dispensing tube 25 is pressed against the action of the helical compression spring 26 down so that the bag contents is expelled under expansion of the pressurized gas in the container 15.

With this assembly, a device is created, which is both breakage and tear resistant in terms of dispensing valve as well as bag.

In a simplified embodiment, the cylinder-cap-like widening 21 is replaced by a simple disc which extends transversely to the discharge tube 20 and forms a ring-shaped bearing surface for the bag or for the annular disc 22 welded to the bag.

reference numeral

10

unit

11

dispensing valve

12

bag

13

cover

14

opening

15

outer container

16

Peripheral edge of the lid opening

17

lid opening

18

valve body

19

bag opening

20

discharge tube

21

Widening (disk or cylinder cap shaped)

22

washer

24

seal

25

dispensing tube

26

Helical compression spring

27

ring seal

28

Access

29

discharge channel

30

fluid arrow

31

drilling

32

annulus

33

riser

34

filling cap

35

flow

36

filling cap

37

lateral opening

Claims (7)

1. Assembly (10) comprised of a dispensing valve (11) for discharging pressurized liquids, foams, gels or other such similar substances and a pouch (12) made of flexible film material connected thereto in leak-proof manner which can be positioned through an opening (14) coverable by a lid (13) of an outer container (15) whereby said dispensing valve (11) exhibits a valve body (18) affixable to the rim (16) of a lid opening (17) configured in container lid (13) so as to be leak-proof, to which a discharge tube (20) extending through pouch opening (19) is connectable in leak-proof manner, whereby discharge tube (20) exhibits a discoidal, in particular cylindrical cap-shaped widening (21) within pouch (12) around pouch opening (19),
   characterized in that
   the circumferential rim of said pouch opening through which discharge tube (20) extends is reinforced by an annular disk (22) limiting said pouch opening (19), whereby said annular disk (22) limiting said pouch opening (19) is made of a material which is readily weldable to the pouch film and which is welded thereto around pouch opening (19) in order to stabilize same.
2. Assembly in accordance with claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the inner diameter of said annular disk (22) limiting pouch opening (19) is larger than the outer diameter of the portion of discharge tube (20) extending outward through pouch opening (19).
3. Assembly in accordance with claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that
   annular disk (22) limiting pouch opening (19) at the inside of said pouch (12) is welded to same.
4. Assembly in accordance with one of claims 1 to 3,
   characterized in that
   annular disk (22) limiting pouch opening (19) is welded to the discoidal widening (21) of discharge tube (20).
5. Assembly in accordance with one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterized in that
   the part of discharge tube (20) extending into pouch opening (19) can lock into a corresponding bore (31) of valve body (18) such that said valve body (18) is in fluid communication with the interior of pouch (12) in leak-proof fashion relative the interior of outer container (15).
6. Assembly in accordance with one of claims 1 to 5,
   characterized in that
   a sealing ring (24) extending around discharge tube (20) is arranged between valve body (18) and pouch (12).
7. Assembly in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6,
   characterized in that
   said valve body (18) of said dispensing valve (11) as well as said discharge tube (20) including widening (21) are made of polyacetal, while the annular disk (22) readily weldable to the pouch film is made from polyethylene, polypropylene or other such similar material.

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