Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
  • F17C13/002—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels for vessels under pressure
  • F17C13/003—Means for coding or identifying them and/or their contents
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
  • F17C2205/05—Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
  • F17C2205/05—Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels
  • F17C2205/055—Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels by magnetic means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
  • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
  • F17C2221/011—Oxygen
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
  • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
  • F17C2221/013—Carbone dioxide
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
  • F17C2221/01—Pure fluids
  • F17C2221/014—Nitrogen
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/03—Control means
  • F17C2250/034—Control means using wireless transmissions
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/04—Indicating or measuring of parameters as input values
  • F17C2250/0404—Parameters indicated or measured
  • F17C2250/0478—Position or presence
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2270/00—Applications
  • F17C2270/07—Applications for household use

Definitions

• the present invention describes a system for recognizing auihenuicity for compresse ⁇ refill Dottles, used in particular in the food field, for example containing nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, gas fuel, etc., in order to assure, through the certification of a supplier, the origin and the quality of a gas or liquid contained inside.
• EP1447769A1 for detecting gas or liquid bottles which use a system consisting of a transponder mounted on the body of the bottle and an antenna that receives the electromagnetic signal.
• the transponder consists of a micro-chip and an antenna, as well as a condenser, in case of passive transponders, or a battery, in case of active transponders.
• the transponders if forced by a magnetic field, allows receiving and transmitting data at a short distance .
• the quantity of data that such a system can send and receive spans from zero, in a read only configuration, to different thousands of bits, which correspond up to 1000 alphanumeric characters.
• a system of this type has some drawbacks, such as a constructional and structural complexity of each single component, a breakable body and need of a set up of the sender/receiver member on each single bottle.
• a further drawback is that, being compressed gas refill bottles, a large number of compressed fluid bottles is needed, generally with small capacity and to be replaced on a daily basis, so that this transponder recognigion system bears high costs for each single bottle.
• a device for recognizing authenticity of compressed refill bottles said compressed fluid bottles having a mouth portion cooperating with a connection member located on a machine that uses said fluid, said device comprising:
• a magnetic body in particular a permanent magnet, with a predetermined electromagnetic intensity, located on the bottle mouth portion;
• connection member mounted on said connection member, which detects the presence of said magnetic body when said connection member and said mouth portion are coupled to each other; - means for blocking the delivery of said fluid from said bottle when said sensor does not detect the presence of said magnetic body.
• said sensor is calibrated in order to detect, once said connection member and said mouth portion are coupled, the presence of the predetermined magnetic field, with specific intensity, provided by the magnetic body.
• said sensor is calibrated in order to detect, once said connection member and said mouth portion are coupled, the presence of the predetermined magnetic field at a distance defined and chosen by the designer.
• connection member can be screw threaded with a pitch defined such that the bottle and the magnetic body, once reached a limit stop, they are at a predetermined distance such that the sensor detects the magnetic field.
• said sensor is a reed switch mounted in the mouth portion of the bottle.
• said magnetic body is protected and hidden by a cover element of a metal or plastic material, located on the bottle mouth portion in a fixed way so that it cannot be removed without damaging it.
• said body is a magnetic ring.
• it can comprise at least one plate member of magnetic material.
• several plate members can be provided distanced from each other in a predetermined way in order to form a recognition code.
• the device according to rhe invention allows an easy and cheap installation and set up, and once calibrated it has a good reliability.
• FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the device of figure 1, with a part of it integral to the bottle and a part of it integral to a connection member of a machine which uses the gas contained in the bottle;
• FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional detailed view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a device, according to the invention, in a position similar to the zone indicated as III in figure 1;
• FIG. 4 shows an exploded cross sectional view of the device, according to the invention, where the bottle and the connection member are also partially shown, and, in particular, it shows a mouth portion of the bottle; a magnetic ring fitted on the bottle; a cover fitting element; a reed switch; a connection member that brings the reed switch to a position and distance adapted to detect the field of the magnetic ring; a collecting valve for the pressurized fluid .
• FIG. 1 an elevational side view is shown of a device for recognizing authenticity of a bottle 1 of pressurized fluid, indicated in figure 1 with 4 and comprising:
• a magnetic ring 12 (visible in figure 2), made for example of a permanent magnet; - a connection member 21 engageable with cover element 14;
• a sensor 22 for example a reed switch, mounted, in a preferred exemplary embodiment, outside and integral to connection member 21.
• a valve portion 24 is shown of a pressure reducing valve 30 (partly visible in figure 3) .
• Figure 2 in an exploded view, shows in detail the elements of device 4 for recognition of authenticity of compressed refill bottles, consisting of:
• a bottle unit 10 that remains always integral to the bottle, both when packaged and in use, consisting of magnetic ring 12 and cover element 14,
• connection unit 20 which comprises connection member 21 and reed switch 22 that remains always integral to the machine that uses the bottle as refill of gas, for example a machine to use in the food or medical fields, with a gas such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide or oxygen.
• connection member 21 for example a machine to use in the food or medical fields, with a gas such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide or oxygen.
• magnetic ring 12 is shown located in a housing 13 made in cover element 14. Always in figure 2 it is visible how cover element 14 is kept integral to refill bottle 1 at neck 3 of mouth portion 2.
• Cover element 14 for magnetic ring 12 has also the function to guide the coupling with connection member 21, according to the axis of the bottle so that threads 15 and
• FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view of the device for recognition of authenticity of a bottle, according to the invention.
• the cross section shows the arrangement of the various parts when the two groups of components 10 and 20 are coupled, as shown in figure 2 in the zone indicated as III in figure 1.
• connection in one desired form, can be of a following type: -screw type;
• a screw coupling with fluid tight screw thread 15, 25 is possible.
• another possible exemplary embodiment provides, for example, the construction of a frustoconical profile of cover element 14 that engages with connection member 21 with corresponding shape.
• reed switch 22 is shown associated to element 21 in an external zone, and, according to possible arrangements, it can be coupled by a connection of the type: - snap fit type; - screw type;
• figure 3 shows in detail; - a zone of connection, by a fixing screw 41, between element 21 and a structure 40 integral to the machine that uses the fluid;
• figure 4 shows an exploded and cross sectional view of the elements of the device among which those adapted to recognition of authenticity of compressed refill bottles.
• mouth portion 2 of the bottle bottle neck 3 is visible, which in use is perforated by means not shown when engaging connection member.
• Neck 3 can have an external thread enabling the connection to cover element 14.
• FIG 4 an exploded view is shown of the device, depicting magnetic ring 12, cover element 14 having a cylindrical shape where housing 13 of magnetic ring 12 is made, connection member 21 having a shape compatible to cover element 14 connected to each other as above described or in another way. In the configuration, depicted in the drawing, the fluid tight thread indicated as 15,25 is visible.
• Reed switch 22 located on element 21 and connected to it, shows a sensor supply cable 19 for sending electric pulses to a control system of the machine.
• a sensor with wireless transmission can be provided instead of a reed switch with cable transmission.
• an solenoid valve not shown can be provided, connected to reed switch 22, mounted downstream of the device of the invention .
• connection member 21 In figure 4, hole 26 made in connection member 21 is also shown that allows the fluid to flow towards pressure reducing valve 30, visible in part in figure 3.
• seal element 23 engages for defining tightly the fluid between elements 21 and 24 in housing 27, when valve element 24 is kept integral, for example by a screw coupling 31, to connection member 21.
• coupling means 33 are provided that are put on the neck of the bottle and work for collecting the fluid; moreover, a thread 32 for coupling to connection member 21 and a connection zone 29 for coupling to pressure reducing valve 30 are shown.
• the operation of the device is the following.
• the manufacturer of the machine arranges connection member 21 with sensor 22 on the machine in the zone of fastening to the bottle. Furthermore, the manufacturer of the bottle provides cover element 14 with magnetic ring 12 fixed to the bottle.
• Sensor 22 is connected, by cable 19, to a control system (not shown) that operates a solenoid valve (not shown) for blocking/releasing the flow of the fluid to the machine . If the bottle 1 is not recognized by sensor 22, which does not detect the magnetic field generated by ring 12, the machine blocks the fluid supply. This function is useful to ensure the quality and the nature of the supplied fluid, such as a gas, by the manufacturer of the machine .
• cover element 14 it is possible to arrange several magnetic plate members, in special housings.
• magnet 12 can be chosen with a predetermined intensity, and sensor 22 is calibrated to detect the magnetic field within a predetermined range of intensity. Furthermore, also the distance between sensor 22 and ring 12 can be chosen suitably sizing the connection member and the cover element screwed to each other. All these features can increase the recognition reliability and then the authenticity of the refill bottle.
• the foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment.
• the means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=39323010

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (17)

• 2007
  • 2007-09-24 WO PCT/EP2007/008269 patent/WO2009039869A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-09-24 EP EP07818357A patent/EP2203676A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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