EP2945754B1 - Metering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a metering device, in particular a metering device with a long service life for delivering free-flying drops of low to high viscosity liquid media.

The exact dosage of liquid media is a task that many fields of technology are faced with. The spectrum ranges from inkjet printing applications in the areas of medicine, pharmacy and biochemistry, which mostly involve the dispensing of aqueous or other low-viscosity media, to the dosing of highly viscous media such as sealants and adhesives.

Following the general trend towards miniaturization, dosing devices must be able to dispense ever smaller quantities precisely. In order to achieve the frequently also required higher throughput rates, a non-contact drop dispensing is used in many cases, eliminating the time required for a method of metering device for discontinuing the metered liquid. Dosing devices that deliver the amount of liquid to be dosed as free-flying drops are known for low-viscosity media, especially in the field of inkjet printers, see, for example EP 0 422 870 B1 . US Pat. No. 4,509,057 and WO 2013/013983 A1 ,

• Dosiervorrichtungen für niederviskose Medien benötigen wegen des geringen Strömungswiderstands nur einen sehr geringen bis gar keinen Druck, um das Dosiermedium aus einem Vorratsbehälter in die eigentliche Dosiervorrichtung zu fördern. Folglich ist es vielfach nicht notwendig, die Austrittsöffnung der Dosiervorrichtung aktiv zu verschließen, um das Austreten des Dosiermediums im inaktiven Zustand zu verhindern. Häufig reicht die Oberflächenspannung aus, um das Medium in der Austrittsöffnung zurück zu halten.

However, drop dispensers for high and low viscosity media differ in how the dosing is controlled and how free-flying single drops are generated:

• Dosing devices for low-viscosity media require only a very little to no pressure due to the low flow resistance in order to promote the dosing from a reservoir into the actual metering device. Consequently, it is often not necessary to actively close the outlet opening of the metering device in order to prevent the leakage of the metering medium in the inactive state. Frequently, the surface tension is sufficient to retain the medium in the exit opening.

On the other hand, highly viscous media can only be conveyed from a reservoir when pumped or pressurized fluid, e.g. Compressed air, pressure is applied to the medium. As long as the medium is dispensed and nachgefördert from the reservoir, a pressure difference between the reservoir and metering device remains and ensures that a sufficiently high flow rate is maintained. However, if the metering is interrupted, the pressures within the overall system are equal, so that the media delivery pressure is applied directly to the discharge opening of the metering device. In an open system, this pressure ensures that the surface tension of the dosing liquid is overcome and uncontrolled medium flows out of the discharge opening of the dosing device. Therefore, it is essential for metering devices for highly viscous media that either the delivery pressure taken from the system or the channel from the reservoir to the outlet of the metering device is actively closed when the dosage ends. If in the second case, e.g. a high-viscosity adhesive containing solid fillers are metered at a high repetition rate from a drop metering device, the metering device must contain a closure device which is fast on the one hand, but on the other hand also releases a sufficiently large passage opening so that the filler particles can flow through unhindered.

For the production of a single, free-flying droplet, it is generally sufficient for low-viscosity media to give a pressure pulse to the liquid to be metered, so that a drop is ejected from the outlet opening. The damping of such a pressure pulse, for example, a shock wave generated by a piezoelectric actuator or a gas bubble is so low that the surface tension is overcome at the outlet opening and a drop detaches. The location where the pressure pulse is generated, and the outlet opening can therefore be relatively far apart.

For high-viscosity media, this approach does not work. To separate a single drop of the dosing medium from the rest, strong cohesive forces must be overcome. A shockwave that is generated remotely in the dosing medium is damped too fast. The most promising approach would be to accelerate the medium to be ejected to a high enough velocity with respect to the rest of the medium so that the kinetic momentum of the droplet can overcome the restraining forces in the medium. In this case, the higher the viscosity - and thus the cohesive force - of the dosing medium, the higher the impulse must be. The velocity that a flowing liquid reaches in a flow channel, such as an outlet opening, depends on the viscosity and the pressure difference between the ends of the channel. High viscosities therefore provide, in two respects, that high pressures must be built up at the outlet to produce a single drop: first, because the viscosity reduces the flow rate, and second, because the flow rate must be higher, the higher which are cohesive forces in the medium.

One approach to solving these problems is in GB 1 055 267 , In the dosing device disclosed therein, a valve tappet is moved up and down via an engine and a crankshaft, which closes an elongated cylindrical outlet opening in the lowest position and releases it upwards during the stroke. The rapid downward movement during the closing operation, the highly viscous medium is compressed at the inlet of the outlet opening and thus generates a high pressure, which can flow out of the dosing medium with high flow velocity from the outlet, so that it comes to the formation of individual drops. The valve stem thus simultaneously assumes the two described tasks of closing the metering device and building up the pressure required to produce individual drops. A disadvantage of this design, however, is that the motor continuously passes through and forms the droplets of the metering medium only with a fixed or slowly variable repetition rate. Also, the repetition rate must not be too low, since then the plunger moves too slowly and does not cause sufficient pressures. Because of the inertia of the drive thus the production of individual drops is not possible as needed. Finally, the crankshaft causes the speed of the valve tappet to have a sinusoidal course, so that the speed and therefore the compression at zero is just at the moment of closing in which the highest pressure in the medium should be built up.

Based on the same basic principle, further solutions are based on drop metering devices, but instead of using the motor-driven crankshaft, they use other actuators.

So revealed EP 1 414 080 B1 a piezoelectric actuator for a valve. Since piezoelectric ceramic elements, as used in such actuators have only small strokes, a lever system is described, which increases the stroke. However, such a system is complicated to manufacture and adjust and the gap between the outlet opening and the valve needle with the valve open is still too small for metering media with larger filler particles.

In EP 1 437 192 A2 a drop dispenser is disclosed which includes a pneumatically driven valve lifter. The actuator includes a piston that can move within a cylinder. If compressed air is injected into the volume under the piston, the piston and the valve tappet firmly connected to it are pushed upwards, thereby opening the outlet opening of the metering device for the metering medium. If the cylinder is then vented again, a spring pushes the piston down again from the opposite side and the outlet opening is closed again. The disadvantage of this solution, however, is that the pressure chamber of the cylinder and piston is sealed by a fixedly connected to the piston seal that slides during the lifting movement along the cylinder inner wall. This sliding movement creates friction that reduces the speed of the piston and thus the valve stem and causes wear of the seal, which must then be replaced in regular cycles, resulting in undesirable meter downtime and maintenance costs. For the acceleration of the valve stem is further disadvantageous that the Return movement is mediated by a compression spring whose strength decreases, the closer the valve stem comes to the closed position. That is, just at the moment of the highest pressure required at the outlet opening, the spring support is the lowest and the speed of the valve lifter insufficient. Also US Pat. No. 6,715,506 B1 and DE 43 34 082 A1 show dosing devices with compressed-air piston.

DE 199 40 055 C1 and US 4,803,393 disclose fuel injectors with piezoelectric actuators, each sealed by a bellows against the attack of the piezoelectric element by the fuel. Because of the mentioned disadvantages of piezoelectric actuators, such valves are unsuitable for metering highly viscous media or such media with filler particles.

DE 2 553 163 A1 discloses a pressure-controlled shut-off valve for blocking the flow of a cryomedium, in which a bellows separates the space of the cryomedium from the space of the control pressure. This valve is not suitable for dropping doses of liquids or even for dosing highly viscous liquids.

CH 678 754 A5 discloses a shut-off valve in a conduit. A part of the conduit wall is formed by a bellows, which is moved to actuate the valve disposed inside. In one variant, the bellows is concentrically surrounded by another bellows and the actuation is done by injecting compressed air into the annular chamber between the two bellows. This valve is also unsuitable for drop dosing of liquids or even for dispensing high-viscosity media. Because the contact of the bellows with the medium in the line makes the movement sluggish. In addition, media such as adhesives, which cure under certain conditions, can adhere the bellows. Because of the wave or fold shape of the bellows wall, cleaning in such cases is difficult or impossible.

In fully automated industrial manufacturing, it is desirable to reduce maintenance to a minimum. At the same time, it is desirable to set the viscosity upper limit of the metered media upwards, so that the advantages of a contactless drop metering for a broad spectrum of dosing media (dosing) including adhesives can be used.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a metering device which has an actuator which is virtually maintenance-free, can also dose highly viscous media as free-flying single drops and can also dispense mixed metering media with larger filler particles. Preferably, the metering device should be as compact as possible in order to be able to easily integrate it into production systems.

The solution of this problem is achieved with the metering device specified in the independent claim 1. The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the invention.

The metering device according to the invention is largely low maintenance. It can impart a high impulse and a high speed to a closing unit, such as a valve tappet, in order to dose even highly viscous media as free-flying single drops. It can reach a large stroke to dispense metered media even with larger filler particles.

The embodiment of the invention solves the above problem by using an actuator which completely dispenses with sliding sealing elements. Such a metering device comprises an outlet unit with an outlet opening, through which the metering medium is ejected in the form of individual free-flying drops. With this outlet unit, a feed channel is connected, via which the metering medium is conveyed from a storage container by a pump or by applying a delivery pressure to the outlet opening. On the side of the feed channel, the outlet opening is closed or opened by a movable closing unit, so that the flow of the metering medium through the outlet opening can be controlled by means of the movement of the closing unit. The movement of the closing unit is by an actuator or a Actuator having a housing, one or more Metallbälge and a power transmission element for transmitting the force to the clamping unit. The metal bellows are hermetically sealed on one side and tightly and firmly connected to the actuator housing on the other side. Channels are provided in the actuator housing establish a connection between at least one control valve and the interior of the metal bellows. By switching the control valve, a pressurized fluid is directed into the interior of the hermetically sealed metal bellows so that the metal bellows can expand. Since the outside of the metal bellows, the ambient atmosphere is applied to this expansion from the outside no friction, so that the speed on the part of the actuator essentially by the pressure force, the restoring forces of the metal bellows, the internal friction of the pressurized fluid and the masses of the moving elements is determined , Preferably, a gas is used as the pressure fluid, so that the internal friction of the pressure fluid is minimized and the speed is increased accordingly. The hermetically sealed end of the metal bellows is connected to the power transmission element, which transmits the movement and force of the pressurized metal bellows to the closing unit. If the pressurized fluid is allowed to escape from the metal bellows via a control valve, the metal bellows retract again. This return movement can be generated either by the restoring forces of the metal bellows itself or preferably by an additional spring, a return spring, which counteracts the expansion of the metal bellows supported. Preferably, the spring acts on the power transmission element or the closing unit such that the closing unit closes the outlet opening when the metal bellows are not under pressure.

Advantageously, the closing unit is thus arranged on that side of the outlet opening, from which the supply of the metering medium takes place. As it closes, it moves towards the outlet opening and then sits on its edge to close it. Thus it supports the ejection of a drop of the dosing medium from the outlet opening.

Since the ejection speed of the metering medium is higher, the greater the pulse that the closing unit exerts on the outlet opening during the closing operation, the closing movement can be assisted by an additional magnetically acting element. In one embodiment of the metering device, which contains pressurized fluid loaded metal bellows as motion-generating actuators and a return spring, the magnetically acting element exerts an additional force on the force transmission element. Preferably, this force acts in the closing direction of the closing element. Preferably, the force curve of the magnetically acting element is such that the force increases, the closer the closing element comes to the closed position. In this way, the magnetically acting element compensates for the release of the spring force of the return spring and thus unfolds maximum support of the pressure fluid discharge.

In a preferred embodiment, the magnetically acting element has one or more permanent magnets.

In a further preferred embodiment, the magnetically acting element has one or more electromagnets.

In a further preferred embodiment, the magnetically acting element has a combination of an electric and a permanent magnet, wherein the electromagnet is controlled such that the force effect of the combination only supports one or, if the electromagnet is reversed, both directions of movement of the force transmission element.

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Schnittansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Dosiervorrichtung vor Beginn des Dosiervorgangs,
• Fig. 2 eine schematische Schnittansicht der Dosiervorrichtung von Fig. 1 während des Dosiervorgangs mit Auslassöffnung in geöffnetem Zustand,
• Fig. 3 eine schematische Schnittansicht der Dosiervorrichtung von Fig. 1 und Fig. 2 nach Abschluss des Dosiervorgangs,
• Fig. 4 schematisch eine seitliche Schnittansicht eines Ausschnitts einer Aktoreinheit mit einer größeren Anzahl Metallbälge gemäß einer Variante der Dosiervorrichtung von Fig. 1,
• Fig. 4a eine schematische Aufsicht auf ein Kraftübertragungselement mit vier linear angeordneten Metallbälgen gemäß einer Variante der Dosiervorrichtung von Fig. 1,
• Fig. 4b eine schematische Aufsicht auf ein Kraftübertragungselement mit drei auf einem Kreis angeordneten Metallbälgen gemäß einer Variante der Dosiervorrichtung von Fig. 1,
• Fig. 4c eine schematische Aufsicht auf ein Kraftübertragungselement mit vier als Rechteck angeordneten Metallbälgen gemäß einer weiteren Variante der Dosiervorrichtung von Fig. 1,
• Fig. 5 die Weg-Kraft-Kennlinien einer Spiralfeder und eines Permanentmagneten,
• Fig. 6 eine schematische Schnittansicht einer Dosiervorrichtung mit einem zusätzlichen magnetisch wirkenden Element nach einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, und
• Fig. 7 eine schematische Schnittansicht einer Dosiervorrichtung mit einem zusätzlichen Elektromagneten gemäß einer Variante der Dosiervorrichtung von Fig. 6,

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a schematic sectional view of a metering device according to the invention before the start of dosing,
• Fig. 2 a schematic sectional view of the metering of Fig. 1 during the dosing process with outlet opening in the opened state,
• Fig. 3 a schematic sectional view of the metering of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 after completion of the dosing process,
• Fig. 4 schematically a side sectional view of a section of an actuator unit with a larger number of metal bellows according to a variant of the metering device of Fig. 1 .
• Fig. 4a a schematic plan view of a power transmission element with four linearly arranged Metallbälgen according to a variant of the metering device of Fig. 1 .
• Fig. 4b a schematic plan view of a power transmission element with three arranged on a circle Metallbälgen according to a variant of the metering device of Fig. 1 .
• Fig. 4c a schematic plan view of a power transmission element with four arranged as a rectangle Metallbälgen according to another variant of the metering of Fig. 1 .
• Fig. 5 the path-force characteristics of a spiral spring and a permanent magnet,
• Fig. 6 a schematic sectional view of a metering device with an additional magnetically acting element according to an embodiment of the invention, and
• Fig. 7 a schematic sectional view of a metering device with an additional electromagnet according to a variant of the metering device of Fig. 6 .

Identical elements in the figures are each provided with the same reference numerals. By way of example, exemplary embodiments, which are a variant of another exemplary embodiment and to which the figures specifically show the features of the variant, correspond to this other exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a metering device 1 in the sectional side view. The metering device has an actuator unit or an actuator with an actuator housing 2, a force transmission element 3 and at least one bellows 4 (bellows), which is hermetically sealed by a closure piece 5 at one end and at its opposite end in the longitudinal direction and tight is firmly connected to the actuator housing 2. In the figure, two such bellows 4 are shown and the power transmission element 3 is a Traverse, which connects the end pieces 5 of the bellows 4 together. In the actuator housing 2 are channels 6, which connect the interior of the bellows 4 with a (not shown) valve. This valve is designed to direct a pressurized fluid into the interior of the bellows 4 as needed.

As long as the bellows 4 are not filled with the pressurized fluid, the power transmission element 3 is in the lower starting position, as in Fig. 1 shown. With the force transmission element 3, a valve stem or a valve needle 10 is connected as a closing unit, which is movable in the longitudinal direction and protrudes down between the bellows 4 in a feed unit 9 for the metering 14. The feed unit 9 contains a channel 11, via which the metering medium 14 is conveyed from a storage container 13 to an outlet unit 15 or nozzle with an outlet opening 16 which has the shape of a short channel (outlet channel 16) passing through the wall of the outlet unit 15 passes. The valve needle 10 protrudes into the channel 11, immersed in the dosing and presses in the lower starting position with its tip against the inlet of the outlet 16 and thus closes the metering device 1. A sealing element 12 between the feed unit 9 and actuator housing 2, the valve needle 10 encloses, seals the channel 11 of the feed unit 9, which contains the dosing medium 14, against the actuator housing 2 from. Since the valve needle 10 is relatively thin, the friction during movement of the valve needle 10 relative to the sealing element 12 is low.

The next step in the dosing process is the filling of the bellows 4 with the pressurized fluid, so that the in Fig. 2 shown state is reached.

In principle, both liquids and gases are considered as pressurized fluid. Liquid, less compressible pressure fluids have the advantage that only small volumes would have to flow in or out to build up a high pressure in the interior of the bellows 4. To be able to perform the pressurization or discharge of the bellows as quickly as possible, however, the internal friction of the pressurized fluid should be as low as possible. Therefore, gaseous pressurized fluids such as air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen or other gases are preferable.

A static sealing element or a welding, gluing or similar ensures that the bellows 4 are tightly connected to the actuator housing 2 and there is no loss of pressure fluid at this junction. The end piece 5 at the other end of the respective bellows 4 is also by an additional sealing element or a Welding, gluing or similar tightly and firmly connected to the bellows 4. All these Seals are loaded purely statically and in particular are not subjected to any rubbing or sliding load during operation.

Once there is a positive differential pressure between the inner and outer space of the bellows 4, a resulting radially outwardly acting force component on the walls of the bellows 4 and a force component in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the bellows 4 on the end piece 5. In order to maximize the efficiency of the actuator to achieve, the bellows 4 should each be designed so that the radially outward force causes only a small radial extent and consequent increase in volume of the bellows 4 and substantially only by the force on the end piece 5 a desired increase in length of the bellows 4 along the longitudinal axis takes place. Preferably, this is achieved by making the bellows 4 of a preferably inelastic material, e.g. be made of a metal that counteracts a radial expansion. At the same time, the walls of the bellows 4 should be as thin as possible, so that a deformation along the axis is as little resistance as possible. Even if metal such as e.g. Stainless steel is the preferred material for the bellows 4 and therefore the term metal bellows is possible, it should be noted that other materials such. Plastics come into question, especially if by additional constructive measures such. Stiffening rings made of the same material as the wall or a combination of different materials outside or inside of the ribs of the bellows 4 a radial stabilization is made.

As long as the stroke of the bellows 4 is not too large, the bellows can withstand proper dimensioning of a very high number of load changes, which is equal to a virtually unlimited life of the actuator. Despite this stroke limitation, the travel ranges which can typically be achieved are at the same dynamics and size but many times greater than the achievable with a piezoelectric actuator with leverage strokes.

The outer space of the bellows 4 is connected to the ambient atmosphere, which may possibly also be a vacuum or an overpressure compared to normal atmosphere. Due to the largely constant ambient pressure and the gaseous environment, the end pieces 5 of the metal bellows 4 exert on the force transmission element 3 a defined force which ensures largely friction-free elongation of the metal bellows 4 along their axis.

The termination pieces 5 may e.g. be firmly connected by a screw or a material connection with the power transmission element 3. However, if, as in this preferred embodiment, devices 7 such as e.g. Springs (return springs) are present, which exert a counter force to the force transmission element 3 to the bellows 4, also extends a non-positive connection of the end piece 5 and the power transmission element. 3

Due to the elongation of the bellows 4 and the resulting displacement of the force transmission element 3, the valve needle 10 is retracted (lifted) in the longitudinal direction and releases the outlet channel 16 of the outlet unit 15 for the discharge of the metering medium 14.

The last phase of the dosing process is in Fig. 3 shown. Through the channels 6 in the actuator housing 2 and a (not shown) fluid valve, the pressurized fluid flows rapidly from the interior of the bellows 4. Preferably, the fluid valve that accomplishes the emptying of the bellows 4, a 3-way valve, the also controls the filling. However, separate fluid valves for filling and emptying are also conceivable. In order to allow the emptying process to take place quickly and thus rapidly reduce the pressure forces in the bellows 4, the fluid valves should have typical switching times in the lower millisecond range. In principle, by the spring action of the bellows 4 alone, but better by the force of the additional acting springs 7, the bellows 4 go back to their original length, so that the power transmission element 3 and the valve needle 10 again in Fig. 1 reach shown starting position. In this case, the tip of the valve needle 10 performs a fast forward movement, by means of which the dosing medium 14 is compressed in the region of the outlet opening 16 and the dosing medium 14 accelerated in the outlet channel by the build-up dynamic pressure and finally as free flying drop 57 is expelled from the outlet opening 16. At the end of the closing movement, the tip of the valve needle 10 sits in the interior of the outlet unit 15 again on its seat on the edge of the outlet opening 16 and closes it as in Fig. 1 shown, so that no further dosing medium 14 can flow out until the next Dosierhub.

Since the actuator contains no sliding sealing elements in the metering device 1 just described, it works in contrast to the prior art friction and wear, which ensures a long life and high speeds of the valve needle 10.

In addition, since the bellows 4 do not come directly into contact with the metering 14 and thus the pressure chambers for the metering 14 and for the fluids inside and outside of the bellows 4 are consistently separated from each other, the force that the force transmission element 3 on the valve needle 10, and thus the dynamic behavior of the actuator, in contrast to the prior art, regardless of the pressure of the metering 14. An attenuation of the actuator movement by high-viscosity metering hardly occurs. With the separation of the pressure chambers and the associated viscosity regime thus the ratios between driving and braking forces can be optimized because the metal bellows 4 large effective cross-sections can be selected at low friction and for the valve needle 10 small cross-sections with high viscous friction. As a result, the high speeds mentioned above for metering free-flying drops are achieved.

In addition, a contamination of the Aktorbälge is avoided with the dosing, which is advantageous because in media such as adhesives, which may also partially cure in the metering device, a cleaning, e.g. the undercuts of the bellows would be almost impossible.

In the Fig. 1-3 shown arrangement of two symmetrically about the attachment point of the valve needle 10 on the force transmission element 3 arranged bellows 4 is favorable to keep the lateral extent of the metering device 1 as small as possible. In addition, the introduction of force from each other point-symmetrical directions of the bellows 4 to the attachment point of the valve needle 10 ensures that no bending moment is exerted on the valve needle 10, which would additional friction and wear for the valve needle 10 result. A direct comparison of the metal bellows 4 and the return springs 7 as in Fig. 1-3 on the other hand, it is not absolutely necessary. Likewise, any other arrangement of metal bellows and return springs can be selected as long as the introduction of force takes place in each case symmetrically about said attachment point. This means that it is also possible, for example, to place two return bellows against two metal bellows.

In order to increase the accelerating forces on the valve needle 10, it is necessary to increase the effective forces of the metal bellows 4. This can be achieved either by increasing the pressure of the pressurized fluid, but natural limits are set by the stability of the metal bellows, or by an increase in the effective cross-sectional area. A large cross-sectional area may be provided by one or a few large bladders or multiple smaller bladders 4. Several smaller bellows 4 have the advantage over one or a few larger ones that they can be arranged compactly around the attachment point of the valve needle 10 on the force transmission element 3. Also, the radius of curvature of the wall of smaller bellows is small and thus their rigidity against unwanted radial expansion relatively large. Corresponding variants of the embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 4c described.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a section of an actuator housing 2 with a linear arrangement of four bellows 4. The associated plan view of the force transmission element 3 and the bellows 4 can be found in Fig. 4a , Without enlarging the lateral extent of the metering device is so compared to the arrangement in Fig. 1-3 the double actuator power available. The Figures 4b and 4c show further symmetrical arrangements of several bellows 4, here three or four bellows 4 around the attachment point of the valve needle 10 on the power transmission element 3 around. When viewed from above, the arrangement is point-symmetrical or two-fold ( Fig. 4a and 4c ), triple ( Fig. 4b ) or generally multiple rotationally symmetrical about the attachment point. The attachment point is located in Focus of the forces exerted by the bellows (4) when filled with the same pressure fluid to the power transmission element.

Even if bellows 4 with round cross sections were always assumed in the previous description for reasons of easier manufacturability, it should be expressly pointed out that a metering device according to the invention can advantageously also be constructed with metal bellows 4 with other than circular cross sections. For example, bellows with rectangular or circular segment-shaped cross sections are conceivable in order to optimize the ratio between effective area and installation space. Likewise, it should also be mentioned that the sectional views in Fig. 1-3 not only to be understood to mean that two separate, equal sized metal bellows are shown with different axes, but the same sectional view also applies to a variant with two concentric bellows of different diameters, between which an annular pressure chamber is formed.

Furthermore, it should also be mentioned that in the context of this invention, arrangements can be used in which the axes of the metal bellows 4 are not parallel to one another and / or to the axis of the valve needle 10. So it is e.g. conceivable to provide the metal bellows 4 obliquely to the axis of the valve needle 10 in order to achieve lateral stabilization of the force transmission element 3.

For the purposes of the present invention, the power transmission element 3 also does not have to be completely free to move. It is also conceivable that the force transmission element 3 is designed as a lever, which on one side via a joint, e.g. a non-sliding solid joint, is connected to the actuator housing 2 and is moved on the other side of one or more Metallbälgen 4. Depending on whether an amplification of the stroke or an amplification of the force acting on the valve needle 10 is to be achieved, the point of attachment of the valve needle 10 may be arranged on the force transmission element 3, viewed from the joint, beyond the metal bellows 4 or between metal bellows 4 and joint.

Finally, the closing unit 10 for the outlet opening 16 does not necessarily have to have the illustrated needle shape. It is also conceivable to use a pressure piece which only traces the contour of the outlet unit 15 in the region of the outlet opening 16.

Even if the above description is based on the fact that the outlet opening 16 is opened by filling the bellows 4 with the pressurized fluid and closed again by the emptying, the reverse arrangement of bellows 4 and return element 7 is also conceivable. Although it is disadvantageous in this case that the outlet opening 16 of the metering device is open without applied pressure fluid, but with a time-variable pressure of the pressure fluid during the closing process, the force development and thus the acceleration of the valve needle 10 can be influenced. In particular, by briefly applying an increased pressure fluid pressure of the closing operation can be accelerated.

As described above, the interior of the bladders 4 can be filled with pressurized fluid for actuating the metering device, while the outer space of the bladders 4 remains essentially at constant pressure, in particular at atmospheric pressure. In another variant, conversely, however, inside the actuator housing 2, the outer space of the bellows 4 can be filled with pressurized fluid in order to actuate the metering device, while the interior space remains essentially at constant pressure. However, a variant is also possible in which the pressure fluid is passed through corresponding passages in the actuator housing alternately in the interior of the bellows 4 and in the outer space to move the valve needle 10 back and forth. This variant can achieve particularly fast opening and closing operations even with high-viscosity metering media and large stroke of the valve needle 10 and is also advantageous to accelerate the closing process and the tearing of a drop from the outlet opening 16 of the outlet 15 by the pulse of the valve needle 10 during the closing process to favor.

In order for the valve needle 10 in a drop metering device to generate the highest possible back pressure in the metering medium at the outlet opening 16, it is necessary for the valve needle to be as close as possible to the edge of the outlet opening 16 at the moment of impact has high speed. If the closing operation as described above accomplished by a mechanical spring 7 such as a screw or a plate spring, then this has the advantage that the outlet opening 16 of the metering device is closed without applied pressure fluid, but has the disadvantage that the Spring force is the lowest even when the closing position is reached.

This connection is made from the in Fig. 5 shown force-displacement characteristic 71 of a spring visible. The more the spring strives towards the unloaded state, the lower the associated force effect. It should be noted that the deflection and the force of a spring act in opposite directions.

According to a further embodiment, which is a variant of the previously described embodiments, this disadvantage of the spring 7 can be compensated or even overcompensated by a magnetically acting element is installed in addition to or even completely in place of the mechanical spring 7. As an example, in Fig. 5 the force-displacement characteristic 72 of a magnet is shown, which is attracted by a ferromagnetic body or another magnet. The attractive force is greater, the more the magnet approaches the zero position, ie its contact with the ferromagnetic body or other magnet. The same applies to the repulsive forces of two magnets whose poles face each other. The characteristic of the magnet thus shows the reverse slope of the characteristic of a mechanical spring. Therefore, combining a mechanical spring with a magnet, one obtains the combined force-displacement curve 73, which shows a much more constant force or related to a drop metering even at the end of the closing process by the action of the magnet in a particularly advantageous manner can have the highest accelerating forces. In practical application, the zero positions of the characteristic curves do not have to match. The zero position of the magnetic characteristic curve 72, ie the point at which the magnet and the ferromagnetic body touch, and the point at which the spring is completely relaxed can and must possibly be different. In the characteristic diagram, this means that the characteristic curves 71 and 72 are horizontally shifted from one another and consequently a correspondingly different sum characteristic 73 results.

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a corresponding metering device 1, which has a magnet 98 as a magnetically acting element. With the actuator housing 2, an actuator 84 is connected, which is a metal bellows 4 as described above. With the actuator 84, the power transmission element 3 is again connected, with which the valve needle 10 is connected, which opens or closes the outlet opening 16 of the outlet unit 15 depending on the position of the force transmission element 3. By activating the actuator 84, the outlet opening 16 is opened, during the subsequent deactivation of the actuator 84, springs 7 (restoring spring) ensure that the force transmission element 3 and with it the valve needle 10 are returned to the starting position. In addition, to the actuator housing 2, a magnet 98 is connected, which serves as an anchor serving as an anchor member connected to the force transmission element ferromagnetic element or magnet 99 or, if the force transmission element 3 consists of a ferromagnetic material, the armature serving as an element 3 directly opposite so that both dress and support the spring force. Typically, the force-displacement characteristic curve of the springs 7 does not select an area from the zero point, but only a certain section by biasing the respective spring, so that a minimum spring force is not undershot even in the closed position. Accordingly, on the choice of a minimum distance between magnet 98 and ferromagnetic element 99 in the closed state and the maximum stroke of the power transmission element 3, a range of the force-displacement curve are chosen so that in the combination of spring 7 and magnet 98 of the desired total force curve adjusts, in which the power transmission element 3 to the closing position driving force increases shortly before reaching the closed position. Although the maximum force of the magnet 98 and the ferromagnetic element 99 is achieved when both in the closed position in to be in direct contact. Nevertheless, the magnet 98 and the ferromagnetic element 99 should not drive during the closing process to stop, but also in the closed position leave a small gap between them, otherwise the valve needle 10, the outlet opening 16 no longer tightly closes. When lifting the power transmission element 3, the attracting force between magnet 98 and ferromagnetic element 99 or armature decreases and increases in the subsequent closing operation again, the more the force transmission element 3 approaches the closed position.

If the strokes of the power transmission element 3 are low, can even be completely dispensed with a spring 7 as a return element, since then the kurzreichweitigen magnetic forces alone sufficient to restore the starting position.

If only permanent magnets 98 are used, this means that the actuator 84 must also overcome the magnetic force during the opening stroke. It is therefore more favorable if, instead of the permanent magnet 98, an electromagnet 118 is used which is switched off during the opening stroke and is active only during the closing stroke.

Fig. 7 shows such an arrangement in which an annularly shown here solenoid 118 is connected to the actuator housing 2. For its counterpart 99, which is firmly connected to the power transmission element 3, either a ferromagnetic material can be used, which then act only attractive forces, or a permanent magnet, so that the electromagnet 118 depending on polarity attractive or repulsive forces on the counterpart 99th exercises. The advantage of such a construction is that by appropriate polarity of the electromagnet 118, both the opening and the closing stroke of the force transmission element 3 and the valve needle 10 connected to it can be accelerated. Incidentally, this applies to FIG. 6 Also said here.

The preferred embodiments thus have the following aspects:

• die Aktoreinheit ein Gehäuse 2 beinhaltet, das mit der Auslasseinheit in einer festen räumlichen Beziehung steht,
• die Aktoreinheit ein aktives Ausdehnungselement 4 beinhaltet, dessen eines Ende mit der Schließeinheit in Verbindung steht und dessen anderes Ende mit dem Gehäuse in Verbindung steht und das sich durch die Zufuhr von Energie in einer zur Schließeinheit nicht senkrechten Richtung ausdehnt,
• die Aktoreinheit ein Federelement 7 beinhaltet, das mit dem Gehäuse und der Schließeinheit in Verbindung steht und dessen Kraftwirkung der zur Schließeinheit nicht senkrechten Ausdehnung des aktiven Ausdehnungselements entgegen wirkt, und
• die Aktoreinheit zusätzlich ein magnetisch wirkendes Element 98, 99, 118 beinhaltet, das mit dem Gehäuse und der Schließeinheit in Verbindung steht und dessen magnetische Kraftwirkung eine Komponente parallel zur Ausdehnungsrichtung des aktiven Ausdehnungselements besitzt.

The metering device comprises the outlet unit 15 with the outlet opening 16, through which the metering medium flows out of the metering device, the channel 11 for feeding the metering medium from a reservoir to the outlet unit, the movable closing unit 10, whose one end closes the outlet opening in a first position and in a second position releasing the connection between the channel for supplying the metering medium and the outlet opening of the outlet unit, and an actuator unit with the actuator, which moves the closing unit back and forth between the two said positions, wherein:

• the actuator unit includes a housing 2 in a fixed spatial relationship with the outlet unit,
• the actuator unit includes an active expansion element 4 having one end communicating with the closing unit and the other end communicating with the housing and extending through the supply of energy in a direction not perpendicular to the closing unit,
• the actuator unit includes a spring element 7, which is in communication with the housing and the closing unit and whose force acts counter to the non-perpendicular to the closing unit expansion of the active expansion element, and
• the actuator unit additionally includes a magnetically acting element 98, 99, 118, which is in communication with the housing and the closing unit and whose magnetic force has a component parallel to the extension direction of the active expansion element.

Advantageously, the magnetically acting element includes a permanent magnet.

A component of the magnetic force of the magnetically acting element counteracts the expansion of the active expansion element 4 and decreases the further the active expansion element expands in the direction not perpendicular to the closing unit.

The magnetically acting element may also include an electromagnet. The electromagnet is energized variable in time and the polar direction of the energization is chosen so that its force effect contains a component parallel to the Öffungshub and / or the closing stroke of the expansion element 4.

Claims (8)

1. A metering apparatus for dispensing a liquid medium to be metered, comprising
   an outlet unit (15) having an outlet opening (16) for dispensing the medium from the metering apparatus,
   a movable closing unit (10) which can assume positions for closing and for unblocking the outlet opening, and
   an actuator (2, 3, 4, 7, 84) having an actuator housing (2), a bellows (4) which is disposed therein and has its one end tightly connected to the actuator housing and its other end hermetically sealed by a movable end piece which is connected to the closing unit, and a passage (6) in the actuator housing through which a pressure difference between the interior and exterior of the bellows can be applied by a pressure fluid, whereby the bellows (4) extends or contracts and moves the end piece and the closing unit back and forth between said positions,
   characterised in that
   the actuator housing (2) encloses the bellows (4) such that the interior and exterior of the bellows are kept free from the medium to be metered, and
   the closing unit extends from its connection with the end piece (5) through a sealing member (12) and out of the actuator housing to the outlet opening (16) of the outlet unit (15).
2. A metering apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein
   said bellows (4) is one of a plurality of bellows of the actuator which are arranged next to each other and each have one end tightly connected to the actuator housing and their other end hermetically sealed by a movable end piece,
   the movable end pieces (5) of the plurality of bellows (4) are coupled to each other by a force transfer member (3), and
   said closing unit (10) is connected to the force transfer member (3) at the balance point of the forces exerted from the bellows (4) to the force transfer member (3).
3. A metering apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said plurality of bellows (4) are arranged to surround the connection of the closing unit (10) to the force transfer member (3), and said closing unit (10) is disposed between the bellows in said exterior space of the bellows.
4. A metering apparatus in accordance with any of claims 1 to 3, wherein
   the actuator comprises a spring (7) connected to the actuator housing (2) and disposed such that its spring force counteracts against movement of the closing unit (10) into the position for unblocking the outlet opening (16).
5. A metering apparatus in accordance with any of claims 1 to 4, wherein
   the passage (6) is connected to the interior of each bellows (4), and the bellows (4), when being filled with the pressure fluid, move the closing unit (10) to the position for unblocking the outlet opening (16).
6. A metering apparatus in accordance with any of claims 1 to 5, wherein
   a first said passage (6) in the actuator housing (2) is connected to the interior of each bellows (4) and a second passage in the actuator housing (2) is connected to the exterior space of the bellows within the actuator housing, so that the bellows (4) extends or contracts in accordance with the pressure difference between a first pressure fluid guided through the first passage and a second pressure fluid guided through the second passage, and thereby moves the closing unit (10) back and forth between said positions.
7. A metering apparatus in accordance with any of claims 1 to 6, wherein
   the actuator comprises a magnet (98, 118) which generates a force that supports movement of the closing unit (10) into the position for closing the outlet opening (16).
8. A method for dispensing a liquid medium to be metered from a metering apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, in which there is a pressure difference applied between the interior and the exterior of the bellows (4) by means of the pressure fluid, and the closing unit (10) is moved back and forth between said positions for closing and for unblocking the outlet opening (16), wherein
   the closing unit (10) is moved to said position for closing the outlet opening (16) so quickly that the medium to be metered is given an impulse by which a free droplet of the medium breaks away from the outlet opening (16).

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