EP1986948A1

EP1986948A1 - Variable flow valve of a filling machine

Info

Publication number: EP1986948A1
Application number: EP07704631A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexandre Morand
Original assignee: Sidel Participations SAS
Current assignee: Sidel Participations SAS
Priority date: 2006-02-23
Filing date: 2007-02-19
Publication date: 2008-11-05
Also published as: WO2007096321A1; FR2897607B1; US8109416B2; US20090166386A1; CN101389563A; JP2009527710A; JP4891350B2; FR2897607A1; CN101389563B

Abstract

The invention concerns a filling device (10) comprising a tubular body (12) including, in an upper section (14), a feeding chamber (18), and provided with a nozzle (20) for the flow of the liquid, of the type wherein a liquid feeding conduit (22) leads into into the feeding chamber (18) through a feeding orifice (24), and of the type including a plug(26) which is controlled in axial sliding inside the tubular body (12), between an open position and a closed position. The invention is characterized in that it comprises a servo valve (42, 142) coaxial to the plug (26) which is arranged in the upper section (14) of the tubular body (12), in that the servo valve (42, 142) includes a wall (44, 144) which partly closes the feeding orifice (24), and in that the servo valve (42, 142) is pivotingly controlled about its axis (A1) so as to regulate the feeding flow rate by modifying the closure area of the wall (44, 144).

Description

VARIABLE FLOW VALVE OF A FILLER

The invention relates to a device for filling containers with a liquid. The invention relates more particularly to a device for filling containers with a liquid, comprising a generally tubular body which comprises, in an upper section, a liquid supply chamber, and which is provided, at its lower axial end, with a nozzle for the flow of liquid from the supply chamber to a container, of the type in which a liquid supply duct opens into the supply chamber through a supply port, and of the type comprising a shutter which is controlled by axial sliding inside the tubular body, between an open axial position and a closed axial position, and which comprises an annular bearing which bears axially against a complementary seat arranged between the feed chamber and the nozzle , in closed position.

This type of device is used, in particular, in automatic filling systems for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.

When filling a container with a liquid, one is generally faced with the problem of foaming on the surface of the liquid. Most liquids have a greater or lesser propensity to foam when introduced into a container. For a given liquid, the magnitude of the foaming phenomenon depends on the filling rate and the shape of the container. For the same container, the higher the flow rate, the more the formation of foam is important. When the foam is absorbed, the container contains less liquid than it should, resulting in inaccuracy of dosage.

In addition, the volume left free in the container, after resorption of the foam, contains air, therefore oxygen, which can affect the good conservation of the liquid: the smaller the free volume, the better the preservation.

The formation of foam therefore constitutes a constraint which leads to reducing the filling rate, which is penalizing in terms of filling rate, or which leads to causing overflow of the liquid, which is not a satisfactory solution.

To solve these problems, WO-A-00/27743 proposes a filling device capable of operating with two discrete filling rates. The filling device comprises a shutter having two distinct open positions corresponding to the two filling rates, which makes it possible to reduce the value of the flow rate at the end of the filling operation to reduce the formation of foam.

Although this filling device has been satisfactory, it does not minimize the free volume in the container in all configurations, for example containers of different shapes. The invention proposes to solve these problems by means of a filling device comprising means for varying the filling rate continuously.

For this purpose, the invention proposes a filling device of the type described above, characterized in that it comprises a plug coaxial with the shutter which is arranged in the upper section of the tubular body, in that the plug has a wall shutter device which is able to partially close the supply port, when the shutter is in its open position, the closing area of the peripheral wall being a function of the angular position of the plug, and in that the plug is pivotally controlled about its axis so as to regulate the value of the feed rate by changing the closure area of the peripheral wall. According to other features of the invention: - The plug has a tubular section coaxial with the shutter and outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper section of the tubular body, which is closed upwards and which is open downwards, the supply port opens radially. in the upper portion of the tubular body, the closing peripheral wall is constituted by the external axial wall of the tubular section, and the tubular section comprises a radial slot which is positioned generally facing the supply orifice when the shutter is in its open position, so as to communicate the supply duct with the feed chamber through the central duct of the tubular section;

- The plug has a tubular section coaxial with the shutter having a closing finger of outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper section of the tubular body, in that the peripheral closure wall is constituted by the outer axial wall of the finger, and in that the supply duct is closed when, with the shutter occupying its closed position, the finger of the tubular section is positioned angularly generally facing the supply orifice so as to interrupt the communication with the chamber feeding;

- The plug is connected in axial displacement with the shutter; - The plug is pivotally connected to the shutter so that the angular pivoting of the plug is controlled by the angular pivoting of the shutter;

the shutter comprises a plunger core which extends axially downwards, from the span, into the nozzle; - The lower end portion of the nozzle comprises a concave frustoconical wall whose inner diameter is decreasing downwards, the plunger core comprises, at its lower axial end, a convex frustoconical surface substantially parallel to the concave frustoconical wall, the end lower axial axis of the convex frustoconical surface is substantially radially aligned with the lower axial end of the concave frustoconical wall when the shutter occupies its closed position, and the diameter of the lower axial end of the convex frustoconical surface is smaller than the diameter of the the lower axial end of the concave frustoconical wall so as to provide an annular space of radial dimension just sufficient to cause a rise of the liquid by capillarity, when the shutter closes; - The scope is arranged on a ring of elastomeric material which is attached to the body of the shutter.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is an axial sectional view along the plane 1 -1 which shows the filling device according to the invention when its shutter occupies a closed axial position and when its plug occupies an angular position partial shutter;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 along section plane 2-2 which represents the filling device of FIG. 1 when the shutter occupies an open axial position and when the plug occupies an angular position in FIG. which light is aligned with a liquid supply line;

- Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the plane 3-3 which shows the filling device of Figure 1 in the configuration of Figure 2; FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 which represents the filling device of FIG. 1 when the plug occupies an angular position of partial closure;

FIG. 5 is a view in axial section analogous to FIG. 1 which illustrates a variant embodiment of the bushel and which represents the filling device according to the invention when its shutter occupies a closed axial position and when its plug occupies an angular position of total closure;

- Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the plane 6-6 which shows the filling device in the configuration of Figure 5;

- Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 6 which shows the filling device of Figure 5 when its plug occupies an angular position of full opening.

In the remainder of the description, similar or identical elements will be designated by the same references.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a device 10 for filling containers with a liquid which is produced in accordance with the teachings of the invention.

The filling device 10 comprises a generally tubular body 12 which extends here along a vertical axis A1 and which comprises, in an upper section 14, a generally cylindrical bore 16. In the remainder of the description, without limitation, we will use a vertical axial orientation along the axis A1 of the body

12 tubular.

The bore 16 is closed at its upper axial end by a transverse cover 19 which is fixed on the tubular body 1 2. The tubular body 12 has, at its lower axial end, a generally tubular section forming a nozzle 20 for the flow of liquid, from a feed chamber 18 to a container (not shown) intended to be arranged under the filling device 10 . A liquid supply conduit 22 opens into the supply chamber 18, here through a radial supply orifice 24 which is pierced in the outer axial wall of the upper section 14 of the tubular body 12. The filling device 10 comprises a shutter 26, or valve, which is controlled by axial sliding inside the tubular body 12.

The shutter 26 globally has a shape of revolution around its axis A1.

The shutter 26 slides between two extreme axial positions: an open upper position, which is shown in FIG. 2, and a closed lower position, which is represented in FIG. The shutter 26 has an annular bearing surface 28 which is provided to bear axially against a complementary seat 30, when the shutter 26 is in its closed position, so as to seal the annular passage 32 allowing the liquid to flow towards the nozzle 20. The seat 30 is arranged in an intermediate portion 34 of the tubular body 12 which is located between the feed chamber 18 and the nozzle 20.

The seat 30 has generally a concave frustoconical shape, of decreasing internal diameter downwards. The bearing surface 28 is here made in a ring 36 of elastomeric material which is attached to the body 38 of the shutter 26. The ring 36 forms an outer bead which crushes against the seat 30, by elastic deformation, in position closed, which ensures the tightness of the closure. The body 38 of the shutter 26 is here fixed on the lower axial end of a control rod 40 which extends axially upwards, through the cover 19.

The rod 40 is connected to control means (not shown), for example to a pneumatic cylinder which is capable of causing the sliding of the rod 40 upwards and downwards.

According to the teachings of the invention, the filling device 10 comprises a plug 42, coaxial with the shutter 26, which is arranged in the feed chamber 18. The plug 42 has a closure peripheral wall 44 which is capable of partially closing the supply orifice 24, when the shutter 26 is in its open position.

The closing area of the wall 44 is a function of the angular position of the plug 42.

The plug 42 is pivotally controlled about its axis A1 so as to regulate the value of the feed rate by modifying the closure area of the peripheral wall 44.

According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, the plug 42 comprises a tubular section 46 coaxial with the shutter 26 and outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the feed chamber 18.

The tubular section 46 of the plug 42 is closed, at its upper axial end, by a transverse wall 48 and is open downwards, that is to say towards the nozzle 20.

The tubular section 46 of the plug 42 comprises a radial slot 50 which is positioned generally facing the supply orifice 24, when the shutter 26 is in its open position, so as to make the supply duct 22 communicate with the supply chamber 18 through the central duct 52 of the tubular section 46.

Advantageously, the radial lumen 50 has a circular passage section and its diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of the feed orifice 24. The closing peripheral wall 44 is formed by the external axial wall of the tubular section 46, around the light 50.

Advantageously, the plug 42 is fixed on the control rod 40, so that it is connected to the shutter 26, both in axial displacement and pivoting.

Thus, the shutter 26 and the plug 42 can be controlled simultaneously in the correct axial and angular position. It can be seen that the plug 42 slides axially in the bore 16 with the shutter 26.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the upper section of the nozzle 20 has a concave cylindrical wall 54 and the lower end section of the nozzle 20 has a concave frustoconical wall 56 whose internal diameter is decreasing downwards.

The shutter 26 has a plunger core 58 extending axially downwardly from the bearing surface 28 inside the nozzle 20.

The plunger core 58 has, at its lower axial end, a convex frustoconical surface 60 substantially parallel to the concave frustoconical wall 56 of the nozzle 20.

The axial length of the convex frustoconical surface 60 is less than the axial length of the concave frustoconical wall 56.

The lower axial end 62 of the convex frustoconical surface 60 is substantially aligned radially with the lower axial end 64 of the concave frustoconical wall 56, when the shutter 26 is in its closed position.

The diameter of the lower axial end 62 of the convex frustoconical surface 60 is smaller than the diameter of the lower axial end 64 of the concave frustoconical wall 56, which accommodates an annular space 66 of radial dimension just sufficient to cause a rise in the liquid by capillarity, at the moment when the shutter 26 closes.

Advantageously, the core 58 plunger comprises a convex frustoconical intermediate section 68, of diameter increasing towards the bottom. The operation of the filling device 10 according to the invention is now described.

Before filling, the shutter 26 occupies its closed position (FIG. 1). When a bottle is placed axially under the nozzle 20, the shutter 26 is controlled in the open position (FIG.

2) by means of the rod 40, so that the liquid situated above the seat 30, in the feed chamber 18 and in the feed duct 22, goes down into the nozzle 20.

The liquid flows along and around the core 58. It is noted that the core 58 guides the flow of liquid so as to produce a flow of the laminar type, which minimizes the production of foam and accelerates the filling of the bottle.

Advantageously, at the beginning of filling, the plug 42 is controlled in the angular position of full opening, which is shown in Figures 2 and 3, that is to say that the light 50 is aligned with the feed orifice 24. Towards the end of filling, the plug 42 is pivotally controlled about its axis A1, to a final angular position such as that shown in FIG. 4. During the pivoting of the plug 42, the the liquid passage section between the supply duct 22 and the lumen 50 decreases progressively, because the peripheral wall 44 of the plug 42 closes more and more the supply orifice 24, so that the liquid filling rate gradually decreases.

Note that the substantially continuous decrease of the filling rate minimizes turbulence in the liquid flow, which minimizes the production of foam.

At the end of filling, the shutter 26 is controlled in the closed position, which stops the flow of liquid to the nozzle 20 almost instantaneously. Due to the structure of the lower end section of the core 58 and the structure of the lower end section of the nozzle 20, the stop of the filling is complete since the liquid which reaches the lower end of the nozzle 20 tends to to rise by capillarity in the annular space 66. Hereinafter, in comparison with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, will be described an alternative embodiment of the plug 142 that comprises the filling device 10 according to the invention. Advantageously, the plug 142 is coaxial with the shutter 26 and is arranged in the feed chamber 18. Thus, the plug 142 has a closure peripheral wall 144 which is capable of partially closing the supply orifice 24, when the shutter 26 is in its open position. The closing area of the wall 144 is a function of the angular position of the plug 142.

The plug 142 is pivotally controlled about its axis A1 so as to regulate the value of the feed rate by modifying the closing area of the peripheral wall 144. According to the embodiment variant shown in FIGS.

7, the plug 142 comprises a tubular section 146 from which radially extends a closure pin 143.

The tubular section 146 is coaxial with the shutter 26 and is preferably centered on the axis A1 of the shutter 26. The tubular section 146 has an outer cylindrical surface 145 determining its outer diameter which is smaller than the internal diameter of the supply chamber 18 that determines with the cylindrical bore 16 of the upper portion 14 of the body 12. The upper portion of the annular shaped feed chamber 18 is delimited radially by the outer cylindrical surface 145 and the bore 16 and is open downwards, that is to say towards the nozzle 20.

The peripheral wall 144 of closure is constituted by the outer axial face of the closure finger 143 extending vertically and whose outer diameter is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the chamber 18 supply.

As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the plug 142 is in angular position of total closure which corresponds to a position of the plug 142 in which the shutter pin 143 is angularly positioned generally facing the supply orifice 24 of the supply duct 22.

The supply orifice 24 is then closed by the peripheral wall 144 of the finger 143 whose width is at least equal to the diameter of the supply orifice 24.

When the shutter 26 is in its open position, the angular displacement of the tubular section 146 of the plug 142 and the finger 143 causes a total or partial opening of the supply orifice 24, so as to communicate the supply conduit 22 with the upper part of the feed chamber 18 surrounding the section 146.

Advantageously, the plug 142 is fixed on the control rod 40, so that it is connected to the shutter 26, both in axial displacement and in pivoting and that it slides axially in the bore 16 with the shutter 26.

Thus, the shutter 26 and the plug 142 can be controlled simultaneously in the correct axial and angular position. The operation of the filling device with the plug 142 is therefore similar to that described above.

Before filling, the shutter 26 occupies its closed position shown in FIG. 5. When a bottle is placed axially under the nozzle 20, the shutter 26 is controlled in the open position (not shown which is similar to that shown). in FIG. 2) by means of the rod 40, so that the liquid situated above the seat 30, in the feed chamber 18 and in the feed duct 22, goes down into the nozzle 20.

The liquid flows along and around the core 58 which guides the flow of liquid so as to produce a laminar-type flow to minimize foam production and to speed up the filling of the bottle. Advantageously, at the beginning of filling, the plug 142 is controlled in the full-open angular position, which is shown in FIG. 7, that is to say that the position in which the finger 143 is angularly offset so that the closing wall 144 being opposite the bore 16, the supply orifice 24 communicates completely with the chamber 18.

Towards the end of filling, the plug 142 is pivotally controlled about its axis A1 so as to return to the previous total shutter position which, shown in FIG. 6, constitutes its final angular position.

During the pivoting of the plug 142, the area of the liquid passage section between the supply duct 22 and the chamber 18 decreases progressively, since the peripheral wall 144 of the finger 143 of the plug 42 closes more and more the orifice supply 24, so that the liquid filling rate gradually decreases.

At the end of filling, the shutter 26 is controlled in the closed position, which stops the flow of liquid to the nozzle 20 almost instantaneously.

Claims

1. Device (10) for filling containers with a liquid, comprising a generally tubular body (12) which comprises, in an upper section (14), a liquid supply chamber (18), which is provided at its end lower axial axis, a nozzle (20) for the flow of liquid from the supply chamber (18) to a container, of the type in which a conduit (22) for supplying liquid flows into the chamber (18) supplying through a supply port (24), and of the type comprising a shutter (26) which is controlled in axial sliding inside the tubular body (12), between an open axial position and a closed axial position , and which comprises an annular bearing surface (28) which bears axially against a complementary seat (30) arranged between the feed chamber (18) and the nozzle (20), in the closed position, characterized in that it comprises a plug (42, 142) coaxial with the shutter (26) which is arranged in the upper portion (14) of the tubular body (12), in that the plug (42, 142) has a peripheral closure wall (44, 144) which is capable of partially closing off the supply orifice (24). ), when the shutter (26) is in its open position, the closing area of the peripheral wall (44, 144) being a function of the angular position of the plug (42), and in that the plug (42, 142) is pivotally controlled about its axis (A1) so as to regulate the value of the feed rate by modifying the closing area of the peripheral wall (44, 144).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the plug (42) comprises a tubular section (46) coaxial with the shutter (26) and of outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the upper section (14). the tubular body (12), which is closed upwards and is open downwards, in that the supply opening (24) opens radially into the upper section (14) of the tubular body (12), that the wall (44) closure device is constituted by the wall external axis of the tubular section (46), and in that the tubular section (46) has a radial slot (50) which is positioned generally facing the supply orifice (24) when the shutter (26) occupies its open position, so as to communicate the conduit (22) supply with the chamber (18) supply through the central conduit (52) of the section (46) tubular.

3. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the plug (142) comprises a tubular section (146) coaxial with the shutter (26) having a closure pin (143) of external diameter substantially equal to inner diameter of the upper portion (14) of the tubular body (12), in that the peripheral sealing wall (144) is constituted by the external axial wall of the finger (143), and in that the conduit (22) is supply is closed when, with the shutter (26) in its closed position, the finger (143) of the tubular section (146) is positioned angularly generally facing the supply orifice (24) so as to interrupt the communication with the supply chamber (18).

4. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug (42, 142) is connected in axial displacement with the shutter (26).

5. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug (42) is pivotally connected to the shutter (26) so that the angular pivoting of the plug (42, 142) is controlled by the angular pivoting of the shutter (26).

6. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shutter (26) comprises a core (58) plunger which extends axially downwards, from the bearing surface (28), in the nozzle (20).

7. Device (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the lower end portion of the nozzle (20) comprises a concave wall (56) whose concave internal diameter is decreasing downwards, in that the plunger core (58) has, at its lower axial end, a convex frustoconical surface (60) substantially parallel to the concave frustoconical wall (56), in that the end (58) 62) of the convex frustoconical surface (60) is substantially radially aligned with the lower axial end (64) of the concave frustoconical wall (56) when the shutter (26) is in its closed position, and that the diameter of the lower axial end (62) of the convex frustoconical surface (60) is smaller than the diameter of the lower axial end (64) of the concave frustoconical wall (56) so as to provide an annular space (66) of radial dimension just sufficient to cause a rise of the liquid by capillarity, when the shutter (26) closes.

8. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing surface (28) is arranged on a ring (36) of elastomeric material which is attached to the body (38) of the shutter (26). ).