EP1805096B1

EP1805096B1 - Dosing valve for automated filling with liquids

Info

Publication number: EP1805096B1
Application number: EP05787131A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Petar Georgiev Spasov; Evgeni Minchev Ivanov
Original assignee: "INDEX-6" Ltd; INDEX 6 Ltd
Current assignee: "INDEX-6" Ltd; INDEX 6 Ltd
Priority date: 2004-10-27
Filing date: 2005-09-08
Publication date: 2008-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-08
Also published as: EP1805096A1; WO2006045165A1; PL1805096T3; BG65401B1; BG108913A; ATE385995T1; DE602005004813D1; DE602005004813T2

Abstract

(57) The dosing valve is composed of a hollow main body (1); where a stem (2) is placed and guiding gills (3) are mounted on its lower end; there is a replaceable, closing cap (4) under them. A replaceable cap (5) with a hemispherical channel, ending with conical opening is mounted in the lower part of the main body. The closing cap is axially movable fixed in the opening of the replaceable cap. The main body is mounted to the lower part of the liquid reservoir (6). Each of the guiding gills has stream-lined, drop-like shape and is composed of three parts: receiving (13), leading (14) and bottom part (15). Each leading part touches the inner cylindrical surface of the hollow cylindrical body. The upper part of the stem is linked with the pneumatic-driving part (8), commanding the reciprocating movement of the stem.

Description

Field of the invention

This invention is associated to a dosing valve that could be applied in machinery and equipment, used mainly in the food processing industry and designed for automated filling of liquids in different types of package.

Description of the related art

A dosing valve for automated filling of liquids in different types of package is well-known and widely used. Regarding EP 1 000 898 A1 , it is composed of a hollow main body with inside diameter decreasing immediately in its lower part, down to a drain outlet. There is a stem in the main body that moves in it. The stem forms a seal on the drain outlet in its lower part and it is equipped with fins that serve for taking the stem to the main body. The dosing valve also has a mechanism for axial driving of the stem between upper and lower position for opening and closing the drain outlet. The seal is composed of a solid body that is co-axial towards the above-mentioned stem and that has a decreasing section from the middle part down to its lower sharp part. The lowest part of the seal that in closed position is outside the drain outlet of the dosing valve has a stepped form and the diameters of the separate steps decrease downwards. The beveller surfaces of the stepped part go down obliquely under acute angle to the central stem axle.
Another dosing valve for automated filling of liquids in different types of package is also known. Regarding EP 0 480 346 A2 which corresponds to the preamble of claim 1, it is composed of a hollow main body with inside diameter decreasing immediately in its lower part, down to a drain outlet. There is a stem in the main body that moves in it. The stem forms a seal on the drain outlet in its lower part and it is equipped with fins that serve for taking the stem to the main body. The seal is made up of a solid body that is co-axial towards the above-mentioned stem and that has a decreasing section from the middle part down to its lower sharp part. The inner surface of the main body, which is in immediate proximity to the drain, outlet has a form that enables it to fit closely to it in the lower part of the above-mentioned seal. In any position of the above-mentioned seal towards that inner surface, a groove is formed between them, whose cross-section and outline do not change sharply.
The longitudinal fins are posed radially along the length of the stem and prolong the length of the stem so that they could partly reach the upper part of the above-mentioned seal. The fins have a sharp longitudinal section both from their upper and lower part. The fins also have a middle part of permanent height, measured in radial direction and in any movement they are always in contact with the cylindrical inner surface of the main body. The thickness of the fins is diminishing by the drifting of the axle away from the above-mentioned stem.
The dosing valve also has a mechanism for axial driving of the stem between upper and lower position for opening and closing the drain outlet. The mechanism for axial driving is made up of an electromagnet, which can drive axially the stem, and a bearing element, equipped with a great number of bearings, set at different distances parallel to the axle of the stem. The bearings of the bearing element are designed for blocking directly or indirectly the above-mentioned stem that moves towards them by means of the mentioned mechanisms for axial driving.
By means of the mentioned above dosing valves filling with different types of products (fluids) in different packages is performed; for example a bottle that is placed under the drain outlet of the dosing valve. There are however a number of requirements ensuing from the stability and velocity of the fluid flush, so that its foaming in the packing could be reduced to a minimum and the time for its filling could be shortened, there are requirements for hygiene, easy and quick washing up of the valve as well.

Description of the invention

The purpose of this invention is to create a dosing valve with larger productivity - a great velocity of the non-drop filling on laminar stream of the liquid and with technological and easy for maintenance construction.
This purpose is achieved by a dosing valve for automated filling of liquids in different types of packing, containing a hollow main body, where a movable stem is placed. At least three fins are mounted in the lower end of the movable stem, radially towards it, and under them there is a replaceable shutter. A replaceable cap with a channel axle formed in its bottom, ending with the drain outlet of the dosing valve, is mounted in the lower end of the hollow cylindrical body. An axial movable part of the replaceable shutter, functioning as a closure of the drain outlet of the dosing valve, is placed in the drain outlet of the replaceable cap. The hollow cylindrical body is mounted in the lower part of a liquid reservoir, so that the upper part of the stem is placed axially - movable in the reservoir and it is socket-joined in its upper end with a driving part, commanding the reciprocating movement of the stem. Each of the fins has a stream-line and drop-like shape and is composed of three parts which in a descending line are: receiving, leading and bottom, so that each leading part touches the inner cylindrical surface of the hollow cylindrical body. In accordance with the character of the invention the shutter is replaceable and with a compound drop-like shape, that is, two upturned cones, connected at their bottoms. The angle at the apex of the upper cone is α = 55° - 65 °, and the angle at the apex of the lower, closing cone is β= 40° - 50°. The heights of the two upturned cones L 1 (mm) and L2 (mm) are in correlation L1: L2 = 3:2.
The channel, formed in the replaceable cap is hemispherical with a diameter equal to the diameter of the cross section of hollow of the main body and it ends with a cone-shaped outgoing opening, which is the outgoing opening of the dosing valve. The angle of the cone-shaped opening is equal to the angle at the apex of the lower closing cone β= 40° - 50°.
Only the lower cone of the shutter is placed axially-movable in the cone-shaped opening of the replaceable cap.
The leading parts of the fins are placed only in the hollow cylindrical body and the fins create in its upper part a solid cone with an angle at the apex γ = 55° - 65°. ,
A cylindrical body with diameter larger than that of the stem is welded to the upper part of the stem. The cylindrical body is linked in its upper part with the driving part, commanding the reciprocating movement of the cylindrical body and the stem connected to it.-A weight is mounted to the cylindrical body under the driving part that assists the closing of the valve. The cylindrical body is placed axially-movable under the weight, in a guide, mounted in the upper part of the reservoir. An upper and lower cleaning hoops are placed in the guide, which envelop the cylindrical body.
Another characteristic feature of the invention is that the stem is connected to the cylindrical body linked to the driving part, which is of a pneumatic kind and is placed under the cover of the reservoir.
The advantages of the invention are that the shape of the conical shutter enables an easy change of the flow upon opening/closing the valve, reducing the initial impact of the liquid on the bottom of the filling vessel and thus avoiding the forming of foam. At the same time drops are not held on the conical replaceable shutter upon closing of the outgoing outlet.
The construction of the valve enables its easy cleaning by automatic cleaning systems, without dismantling.

Description of the figures attached

The sample implementation of the invention is shown in the figures enclosed, where:

the dosing valve and the liquid reservoir are shown on Fig. 1
the longitudinal section of the working part of the dosing valve is shown on Fig. 2
Fig. 3 shows a side view of one of the fins.

Exemplary embodiment of the invention

The dosing valve is composed of a hollow cylindrical main body 1; a movable oblong cylindrical body is placed in the cylindrical channel of the main body - stem 2 (Fig. 1). Several, but no less than three, guiding mechanisms are mounted radially towards the stem 2; in its lower end - the fins. 3 and under them there is a replaceable shutter 4, made of a suitable material. The shutter 4 (Fig. 2) has a compound drop-like shape, forming to upturned an linked in their bottoms cones, whereas the angle at the apex of the upper cone is α = 60°, and the angle at the apex of the lower closing cone is β = 45°. The heights of the two upturned cones L1 (mm) and L2 (mm) are in correlation L1: L2 = 3:2. The parts of the stem 2, together with the fins 3 and the replaceable shutter 4 are placed precisely in the hollow cylindrical body 1, at the lower end of which a replaceable cap 5 is mounted. A hemispherical channel is made in the replaceable cap 5, ending at the bottom of the replaceable cap with cone-shaped opening that is the outgoing outlet of the dosing valve. The angle of the conical opening at the bottom of the replaceable cap 5 is equal to the angle at the apex of the lower, closing cone β = 45°. The diameter of the hemispherical channel is equal to the diameter of longitudinal section of the hollow of the main body 1. The conical opening of the replaceable cap 5 is co-axial to the cylindrical channel of the main body 1. The lower cone of the shutter 4 is placed axially-movable in the conical opening of the replaceable cap 5, which functions as a closure to the drain outlet of the dosing valve.
The main body 1 is mounted to the lower part of a liquid reservoir 6, so that the liquid passes easily from the reservoir 6 to the main body 1. The upper part of the stem 2 is placed axially-movable in the liquid reservoir 6 - Fig. 1.
The upper part of the stem 2 is welded to the cylindrical body 7, having a diameter larger than that of the stem 2. The cylindrical body 7 in its upper end is linked with the pneumatic-driving part 8, commanding the reciprocating movement of the cylindrical body 7 and the connected to it stem 2. A weight 9 enabling the closing of the valve is mounted under the pneumatic-driving part 8, to the cylindrical body 7. Under weight 9 the cylindrical body 7 is fixed axially-movable in guide 10, mounted to the upper part of reservoir 6. Upper 11 and lower 12 cleaning hoops are fixed to the guide 10. The cleaning hoops 11 and 12. envelop the cylindrical body 7.
Each of the fins 3 (Fig.3) has stream-lined, drop-like shape and is composed of three parts which in a descending line are receiving 13, leading 14 and bottom part 15 (Fig.3). The leading parts 14 of the fins 3 touch the inner cylindrical surface of the hollow cylindrical body 1. In working position the leading parts of the fins 3 are placed in the hollow cylindrical body and the fins create in its upper part a solid cone with an angle at the apex γ = 55°-65°.
The filling with different products (fluids) in different package is done by means of the dosing valve. For example - bottles fixed on assembly lines that are placed under the outgoing outlet of the dosing valve.

Claims

A dosing valve for automated filling of liquids in different types of package, consisting of a hollow cylindrical body (1) having a cavity therein, into which a movable stem (2) is placed with at least three fins (3) mounted in its lower end, radially with respect to said stem, and under them there is a shutter (4), where in the lower end of the hollow cylindrical body (1) is mounted a replaceable cap (5) with an axially formed channel in its bottom, ending with a drain outlet in which axially-movable is placed part of the shutter (4), functioning as a closure of the drain outlet of the dosing valve, where the hollow cylindrical body (1) is mounted to the lower part of a liquid tank (6), in such a way that the upper part of the stem (2) is placed axially-movable in the tank (6) and is hinge-joined in its upper end with a driving part (8), commanding the reciprocating motion of said stem(2), where each of said fins (3) has a stream-lined, drop-like shape and is composed of a receiving part (13) a leading part (14), and a bottom part (15), said leading part (14) being located under said receiving part (13), and said bottom part being located under said leading part (14), so that each leading part (14) of said fins (3) touches the inner cylindrical surface of the hollow cylindrical body (1), characterized in that the shutter (4) is replaceable has a compound drop-like shape composed of two cones which are connected to each other, namely an upper cone and a lower, closing cone, whereby the angle α at the apex of the upper cone is comprises between 55° and 65°, and the angle β at the apex of the lower, closing cone is comprised between 40° and 50°, wherein the respective heights L₁ and L₂ of the two cones are in correlation L1 : L2 = 3:2, and said channel formed in said replaceable cap (5) is hemispherical with diameter equal to the diameter of the cross section of the cavity of said hollow cylindrical body (1) and it ends with a cone-shaped outgoing opening, that is the outgoing opening of the dosing valve, wherein the angle of the cone-shaped opening is equal to the angle at the apex of said lower closing cone wherein the lower cone of the shutter (4) fits in the cone-shaped opening of the replaceable cap (5) wherein said leading parts (14) of the fins (3) are placed in the hollow cylindrical body (1) and the receiving parts of said fins (3) form a solid angle γ at the apex comprised between 55° and 65°.
A valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper part of the stem is (2) is welded to a second cylindrical body (7) with diameter larger than that of the stem (2), wherein said second cylindrical body (7) is hinge-joined in its upper part with the driving part (8), commanding the reciprocating motion of said second cylindrical body (7) and the connected to it stem (2), and under the driving part (8) a weight (9) is mounted to said second cylindrical body (7) to assist the closing of the valve, and under the weight (9) said second cylindrical body (7) is placed axially-movable in a guide (10), mounted in the top of the reservoir (6) and upper (11) and lower (12) cleaning hoops enveloping said second cylindrical body (7) are placed in the guide.
A valve, according to claim 2, characterized by that the stem (2) is connected through the second cylindrical body (7) to the driving part that is of a pneumatic kind and is placed under the top of the reservoir (6).