Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
  • G01F11/02—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement
  • G01F11/021—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
  • G01F11/10—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers moved during operation
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F11/00—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
  • G01F11/02—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement
  • G01F11/021—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type
  • G01F11/029—Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with measuring chambers which expand or contract during measurement of the piston type provided with electric controlling means

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to a device for delivering dosed quantities of liquid or pasty product, comprising at least one metering and product delivery equipment which comprises a metering chamber in which a piston is movable back and forth between a position filling in product and a position of expulsion of the product.
• the liquid or pasty product is a product that generally behaves like a more or less viscous fluid that can be delivered as a liquid or a paste through a nozzle. It is in particular a food product, such as a drink, a yogurt, a compote or the like. However, this product may include pieces embedded in the fluid. These are, for example, pieces of fruit or cereals. These pieces may be solid, such as cereals or dried fruit, or semi-solid, such as undried fruit, marshmallow, or a product having a similar consistency.
• the metering chamber comprises an inlet and an outlet located at the same end of this chamber, the inlet and the outlet being in turn disengaged and closed with a rotary plug to respectively allow the supply of the chamber when the piston is in the filling position and allow the expulsion of the product when the piston moves towards his expulsion position.
• the opening of the bushel is necessarily relatively small in size to be completely masked or completely open in turn.
• the product contains solid or semi-solid pieces, they can get stuck in this opening, either when feeding the chamber or during the expulsion of the product, which poses operational problems. .
• a liquid product dispenser comprising an assembly of a first and a second piston separated from each other by a separation spring, the second piston forming a cylinder wherein the first piston can move.
• the set is arranged in a tank.
• a return spring disposed between the first piston and the outlet of the reservoir, the assembly is moved upwards to allow filling of the metering chamber located under the first piston by an opening of the wall of the cylinder which is then released.
• the assembly Under the effect of the hydrostatic pressure in the tank, the assembly is then biased downwards to plug this opening. Then, the separation spring moves the first piston away from the second piston, so that the first piston pushes the product to deliver it.
• This system is complicated to implement because the stiffness and the relative races of the two pistons must be chosen carefully. It also requires adjusting and varying the hydrostatic pressure in the tank using a pressurizing gas, to allow the recovery of all the two pistons after the delivery of the product, then the descent of this set after the filling of the metering chamber, even though this filling has in principle caused a decrease in the pressure in the tank.
• the volume of product to be distributed is not modifiable since the stroke of the springs is not easily modifiable.
• this device can not be used to deliver a highly viscous product or containing pieces, because a such a product could harm the elasticity of the springs by locking between their turns. Finally, it is difficult to ensure proper cleaning of the device, in particular the springs.
• the invention aims to provide a device for metering a product of the aforementioned type, free in all or part of the disadvantages of the state of the art mentioned above.
• the present disclosure relates to a device for delivering dosed quantities of liquid or pasty product, comprising at least one metering and product delivery equipment which comprises a metering chamber in which a piston is movable back and forth between a filling position produced by a supply opening and a product expulsion position by a product outlet, the dosing chamber being at least partly defined in a cylinder having the feed opening and in which the piston moves, the cylinder being disposed in a product reservoir and itself being movable back and forth between an open position in which a supply opening is disengaged and a closed position in which the opening of supply is closed off, the piston comprising a head carried by a control rod which passes into an extension of the cylinder and which is connected to a movement mechanism of piston capable of being controlled to cause the displacement of the piston back and forth.
• the kinematics of the device is extremely simple, since both the piston and the cylinder move axially in translation back and forth, to allow the supply opening of the cylinder and, therefore, the dosing chamber. alternatively cleared and closed.
• This opening may have large dimensions, depending on the position reached by the cylinder in the open position.
• the volume of the metering chamber can be adjusted by changing the piston displacement stroke.
• the cylinder is connected by an arm to a cylinder displacement mechanism, able to be controlled to cause the movement of the cylinder back and forth.
• the dimensions of the opening can be easily adjusted by changing the stroke of the movement back and forth of the cylinder.
• the risk that pieces get stuck in the opening is extremely low.
• these would be easily sheared when the cylinder is moved to its closed position, so that they would not permanently block the opening.
• the latter communicates, on the side opposite the piston, with a product outlet, which allows the evacuation of the product from the metering chamber.
• the above-mentioned rod and arm may extend partially into the reservoir; these elements can be formed by parts having a simple geometry and therefore be easy to clean.
• the rod extends away from the product outlet.
• the arm extends away from the product outlet.
• the equipment comprises a first sealing surface secured to the reservoir and the cylinder has a second sealing surface, the first and second closure surfaces cooperating with each other in the closed position to close the opening and being spaced apart. one of the other in the open position.
• the supply opening is formed or disengaged due to the spacing between the sealing surfaces.
• the second sealing surface is located at one end of the cylinder.
• the cylinder carries at least one guide member cooperating with a guiding surface integral with the reservoir during movements of the cylinder between its open and closed positions.
• the guide member is formed by at least one extension of the second sealing surface.
• the metering chamber further comprises a cavity, integral with the reservoir and located in the continuity of the cylinder.
• the feed opening is formed, in the open position of the cylinder, between the cylinder and an edge of the cavity.
• the first sealing surface is formed on an inner surface of the cavity.
• the metering chamber has a product outlet equipped with an outlet valve.
• the product outlet is disposed at one end of the cavity.
• FIG. 1 is an axial section of an equipment according to the invention, showing the situation at the beginning of the filling phase of the cylinder product;
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, showing the situation during the filling of the cylinder product;
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of Figures 1 and 2, showing the situation at the beginning of the expulsion phase of the product after filling the cylinder;
• Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figures 1 to 3, showing the situation towards the end of the expulsion phase of the product.
• the figures show a device for delivering quantities of liquid or pasty product, which comprises a reservoir 10, fed with the product to be metered by an inlet 12.
• this reservoir supported by a support plate 14, to which it is fixed in this case, the reservoir is delimited between an upper plate 18 fixed to the support rods 16, a lower plate 20 which carries an outlet nozzle 22 for the product and a side wall 23 which extends between the plates 18 and 20.
• the plate 20 has an opening 20A, in which the outlet of the tank 10 is formed and which communicates with the outlet nozzle 22.
• the cylinder 24 is aligned with this opening .
• a piston 26 Inside the reservoir is a cylinder 24 in which a piston 26 is movable back and forth.
• the piston 26 comprises a rod 26A which passes into an extension of the cylinder; in this case, the rod passes through a tubular extension 24B of the cylinder 24. In this case, this tubular extension 24B through a bore 18A of the upper plate 18, to slide in a sliding bearing 28 disposed in this opening 18A .
• the piston 26 also has a head 26B, carried by the rod 26A and able to slide against the inner cylinder wall 24A of the cylinder 24.
• the rod 26A has an internal bore 26 ⁇ whose end remote from the cylinder is connected to the ambient air by one or more openings 26'B while the other end, located in the cylinder behind the head 26B, is connected to the internal space of the cylinder 24 by one or more holes 26'B.
• the position "behind” is appreciated here as opposed to the direction of advancement of the head 26B of the piston inside the cylinder 24 in the direction F expulsion of the product contained in this cylinder.
• a clearance may be provided between the outer surface of the rod and the inner surface of the tubular extension 24B of the cylinder in which it slides.
• the space in which the reference point of reference 24B in FIG. 1 points may be formed by one or more longitudinal grooves intended to balance the pressure between the inside and the outside of the cylinder, on the opposite side to the head 26B of the piston 26.
• the rod 26A of the piston is connected to a piston movement mechanism M, carried in this case by the support plate 14 and adapted to cause the displacement of this rod back and forth.
• This mechanism M can be of any known type that can be controlled by a control unit; for example, this mechanism may be an electric motor belt or worm, or a cylinder.
• the piston is axially movable back and forth in the direction F expulsion of the product from the piston (in this case downwards) and in the direction G of withdrawal of the piston in the cylinder (in the species upwards) allowing a supply of the cylinder product.
• the rod 26A of the piston passes through the tubular extension 24B of the cylinder
• this tubular extension 24B is carried by an arm 30, itself in this case connected to the support plate 14 by a reciprocating cylinder movement mechanism 33.
• this mechanism comprises a jack whose rod 32 is connected to the arm 30 and whose body 34 is carried by the support plate 14. It is for example a hydraulic cylinder or compressed air.
• any other reciprocating means that can be controlled by a control unit could be envisaged such as, for example, an electric motor belt or worm.
• the cylinder 24 is also movable axially back and forth respectively in the directions F and G previously mentioned.
• the arm 30 is attached to the tubular extension 24B of the cylinder. It could be rigidly connected to any other part of the cylinder.
• FIG. 1 shows a situation in which the piston occupies a position of expelling the product from the cylinder, its head 26B being located at the end of the cylinder opposite to the arm 30.
• the cylinder 24 is meanwhile in an open position in which an opening 36 for supplying the cylinder is disengaged. More specifically, this opening is formed at the end 24 'of the cylinder 24 opposite the tubular extension 24B and the arm 30. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that this end 24' is spaced from the plate 20, which releases the opening 36 and thus allows the passage of the product in the outlet nozzle 22.
• the piston has reached the filling position of the cylinder product, the position in which it is farthest from the end 24 'of the cylinder.
• this cylinder has itself moved in the direction F to reach its closed position in which the feed opening 36 of the cylinder is closed.
• the metering chamber 38 is closed.
• This chamber comprises a first portion 38A formed by the internal volume of the cylinder located between its end 24 ⁇ and the head 26B of the piston, and a second portion 38B formed in a cavity 40 which is integral with the reservoir.
• this cavity 40 is formed in a portion of the outlet nozzle 22.
• the cylinder 24 is aligned with the opening 20A of the plate 20, so that the cavity 40 is located in the continuity of the cylinder.
• the outlet nozzle 22 comprises an outlet valve 42, for example formed by a membrane or by any other appropriate means.
• this valve 42 is closed. It opens from the moment when the feed opening 36 of the cylinder product has been closed, that is to say when, the piston having reached its filling position, the cylinder reaches its closed position shown on Figure 3.
• the valve 42 is open, and the piston is being moved in the direction F, to its position of expulsion of the product out of the cylinder.
• the volume of product dosed in the metering chamber 38 is then expelled from this chamber by the outlet nozzle 22, for example to fill the containers such as yoghurt pots or the like.
• the volume of dosed product corresponds to the internal volume of the first portion 38A of the metering chamber defined, inside the cylinder, by the stroke of the piston.
• each dosage cycle comprises successively the following operations:
• actuations of the various mechanisms necessary for carrying out this cycle in particular the opening control of the valve 42, the mechanism M of displacement of the piston and the mechanism 33 of movement of the cylinder, can be controlled and synchronized by a control unit such as an electronic control unit ECU, programmed to control the sequence of operations mentioned above.
• a control unit such as an electronic control unit ECU, programmed to control the sequence of operations mentioned above.
• the ECU can act directly on these mechanisms, that is to say give them on / off instructions.
• the use of a control unit ensures these cycles of sequences at high rates.
• FIGS. 3 and 4 it can be seen that the opening 36 (visible in FIGS. 1 and 2) is closed by the cooperation between a first sealing surface 40A integral with the reservoir 10 and a second surface.
• the first closure surface 40A is formed by an inner cylindrical surface portion of the cavity 40
• the second closure surface 24C is formed by a cylindrical portion the outer periphery of the cylinder 24, near its end 24 '.
• FIGS. 3 and 4 show that these two surfaces cooperate with each other by shear because they are in axial overlap and in sliding contact or almost in sliding contact, to close the opening 36.
• these sealing surfaces are spaced from each other and the opening 36 is thus formed.
• Axially oriented and axially cooperating closure surfaces have the advantage of effectively closing the opening 36 at very high cylinder displacement rates without having to stop at a precise position, but it would of course be possible to envisage that the sealing surfaces have a component perpendicular to the axis A of displacement of the piston and the cylinder.
• the cylinder 24 carries guide members 44 cooperating with a guide surface integral with the reservoir.
• this guide surface is formed on the inner cylindrical surface 40B of the cavity 40.
• the first sealing surface 40A previously mentioned and the guide surface 40B form a single surface.
• the cylinder carries several guide members 44 formed by extensions of the second closure surface 24C above. These extensions form in a way legs that extend the cylinder beyond its edge 24 '.
• the tabs can be widely spaced from each other, so that, when the opening 36 is formed, the passages 37 of large section are formed between the tabs 44, which allows to feed quickly the metering chamber even if the product is very viscous, or if it comprises more or less solid pieces.
• these tabs or extensions 44 cooperate permanently with the guide surface 40A, 40B, since we see that they are in axial overlap with this surface as well when the cylinder is in its open position (see figures 1 and 2) only when in its closed position (see Figures 3 and 4).
• the guide member in the sense of the present disclosure would be formed by an axial surface of the cylinder in the vicinity of its end 24 ', for example its external axial surface, and the guide surface would be formed by an axial surface of the extensions. , for example their internal axial surface.
• the reservoir comprises an outlet nozzle 22 which is attached to the pierced plate 20.
• the outlet 22 'of this nozzle thus forms a product outlet for the metering chamber.
• This outlet 22 ' disposed at the end of the cavity 40 opposite the cylinder 24, is equipped with the valve 42, downstream of which is an outlet nozzle (not shown).
• the device of the invention may comprise one or more dosing and product delivery equipment. If it comprises several devices, their respective cylinders can of course be arranged in the same tank or in separate tanks. Moreover, if there is more equipment, they can be carried by the same support plate 14 or by different plates; a same arm 30 and a same mechanism 33 may be provided for carrying and moving their respective cylinders, or they may each have their cylinder support arm and their cylinder moving mechanism; the same mechanism M can be used to move their respective pistons, or they can each have their piston movement mechanism.
• a common support arm for the various cylinders this arm being disposed in a common reservoir and rigidly connected to a control rod which leaves the common reservoir to be connected to the cylinder displacement mechanism. The axial bearing for guiding the translation of the rolls can cooperate with this control rod.
• the rods of these pistons can be linked to the same piston support arm, the arm being moved back and forth by the movement mechanism.
• upstream guiding means such as a surface cooperating with the cylinder support arm 30, to guide the movement of this arm back and forth.
• the upstream guide surface is formed on a guide rod, carried by a stationary element, for example by the support plate 14, and passing through a hole in the arm 30.
• This guide surface can in particular be used when the arm is common to several cylinders, as explained below. It can also promote the guidance of the piston. In particular, the same guide rod can be used to guide the movement of the piston support arm, when present.
• the cylinder may be fully disposed in the tank or only partially disposed in the tank. It suffices that the opening 36 formed in the open position of the cylinder can be fed with product located in the reservoir.

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• 2015
  • 2015-11-02 FR FR1560456A patent/FR3043072A1/fr active Pending
  • 2015-11-13 FR FR1560899A patent/FR3043073A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 2016
  • 2016-10-25 CA CA3003811A patent/CA3003811A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-10-25 US US15/772,295 patent/US20180321069A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-10-25 CN CN201680077518.2A patent/CN108474680A/zh active Pending
  • 2016-10-25 EP EP16809929.9A patent/EP3371557A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-10-25 BR BR112018008748A patent/BR112018008748A8/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2016-10-25 WO PCT/FR2016/052764 patent/WO2017077218A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2016-10-25 JP JP2018522633A patent/JP2018536159A/ja active Pending
  • 2016-10-25 MX MX2018005436A patent/MX2018005436A/es unknown
  • 2016-11-01 AR ARP160103325A patent/AR106541A1/es unknown

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