FI69517B - ANORDINATION FOR RANSONERING AV VISKOSISKA KONCENTRATER MED FOERAENDERLIG VISKOSITET I EXAKTA MAENGDER MED VARIERANDE VOLUMER - Google Patents

Description

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APPARATUS FOR THE ADAPTATION OF VISCOSE CONCENTRATES OF VARIOUS VISCOSES IN ACCURATE, DOSES OF VARIOUS VOLUME -

The invention relates to a device for dispensing viscous concentrates of varying viscosity in precise, volume-adjustable amounts, in particular for vending machines, comprising an annular control device, in particular an electromagnetically operated control device, an axially movable control part, and a pump to be connected to the concentrate , a first region extending through an opening in the center of the control device and a spherical, flexible, axially compressible second region extending axially compressible by means of a control part and extending axially by means of a biasing device, in which a non-return valve is arranged at least on the inlet side.

Several embodiments of dosing pumps are already known; e 1 uo s i s ca with two rear panels or one, one for suction and the other for ejection. Thus, for example, GB 827 778 discloses a dosing pump in which the dispensing part consists of a hose which is compressed together by a control device and which, due to its own elasticity, returns to its original cross-section. Depending on the pressure fluctuation in the distribution section, the inlet or outlet valve opens. Such a device is difficult to handle and can only achieve relatively inaccurate dosing. Such devices are therefore suitable for soap dispensers or the like which do not require such high dosing accuracy. In addition, the equipment required to adjust the distribution section is very bulky.

Also known is a dispensing part provided with outwardly directed bellows-like corrugations which can be pressed together in the axial direction by means of two plate-like adjusting parts, whereby the function 1 as a submersible is provided. Here, too, the distribution part can be in the form of a rubber bellows in which the corresponding mouthpiece-based rubber boats are placed in the rubber bellows as non-return valves (cf. US 25 54 570). This previously known device also requires considerable space and is therefore not suitable for construction inside vending machines or the like. The volume of the doses is also relatively inaccurate and therefore accurate dosing is very difficult.

Very high accuracy is required for the dosing of some very viscous concentrates. Since the interior space available in beverage vending machines, for example, is very small, the dispensing device must be as bulky as possible. A particular problem is that concentrates of degradable organic substances are cumbersome from a hygienic point of view, especially if droplets of such substances contaminate the dosing device or related parts. As a result, frequent maintenance and cleaning of equipment is very complex and difficult and strict controls are required if all hygienic requirements are to be taken into account.

In known dosing devices with front-shaped distribution parts of a hose pump 11a or the like 1, the auturnic force of the hose part pa 1 caused by small deformations of the elastic hose material is relatively small. Only in larger deformations does the recovery force increase. The magnitude of the recovery force also affects the exact reproducibility of the deformation and thus also the accuracy of the dosing. Thus, only relatively large volumes can be achieved with these devices and only relatively low repetition frequencies can be used. Relatively large volumes mean, for example, 0.4 cm3 volumes. Prestressing is also not possible in the initial position sa of the filled hose 1, because the hose must be threaded into a control device, e.g. a hose pump, so that no deformation takes place and thus no liquid droplets can escape.

Another factor which has an unfavorable effect on the dosing accuracy of the previously known devices is that during the reduction of the pumping volume, the tubular distribution part is subjected to uncontrolled deformation forces due to the increased pressure inside. These uncontrolled changes can be allowed or if a relatively large dose volume is eliminated in each cycle and thus the effect of these changes remains small.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve the device described in more detail at the outset so as to avoid said disadvantages and to be able to dispense very small amounts with very high accuracy and high frequency. At the same time, the device must be very bulky in structure so that it can be easily built in or retrofitted in a small space, such as a vending machine.

This object is solved according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

According to the invention, the pumping effect takes place by reducing the cylindrical pumping volume in the axial direction, which during the reduction is simultaneously supported for the purpose of shape retention so that the increasing pumping pressure does not cause uncontrolled deformations and thus no dose rate changes occur. Thus, even at low doses per cycle, very high dosing accuracy is achieved. Through the axial compression of the cylindrical dosing space, a precondition is created that the cylindrical hollow body limiting the pumping volume can be prestressed to the selected axial prestressing starting point in the volume growth direction. This results in sufficiently high recovery forces even with very small volume changes. The axial compression of the pump flow volume and the simultaneous very high accuracy, even in the case of very small volumes, make it even possible for the dosing cycle to be carried out at the mains frequency, i.e. in the range from 50 to 60 Hz. The high frequency and the very small volumes that can be dispensed make it possible to adjust the total dose only by controlling the number of dose pulses. This control can be achieved very simply and reliably, * 69517 when using mains-operated control devices.

Despite the prestressing of the pumping volume, the dispensing part can be easily and simply threaded into the control device without the liquid droplets being removed without purpose. This also eliminates hygiene problems that would otherwise occur due to contamination of the device. The device is further improved considerably because all functionally important parts are enclosed in a rigid guide tube which can be fixedly or detachably connected, preferably to a disposable container for transporting, storing and dispensing liquid.

With a high heart rate, an almost "fluid", i.e. almost continuous, fluid flow is achieved, as the dose cycles follow each other quickly, adjusted to the desired length.

The sleeve-shaped part can only be flexible, so that additional parts, such as springs, etc., take care of the necessary prestressing and recovery. In the preferred case, however, the sleeve body is made of an elastically deformable material and bonded to the non-return valves by rigid, hub-shaped bodies.

The small dimensions of the dispensing section make it possible to place them in vending machines in a very space-saving manner. Another advantage of the new device is that the present dispensing devices can be surrounded by an electromagnetic ring coil so that a transition from time-controlled dosing to volume-controlled or volume-controlled dosing can be made, as time-controlled dosing can lead to dosing inaccuracy due to changes in fluid consistency. Such changes in the stent in the container holder according to the invention have no effect on the dosing accuracy.

The invention will now be illustrated in more detail by means of schematic drawings and an example of an embodiment.

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Figure 1 shows a vertical cross-section of a container for storage, transport and dispensing provided with a dispensing part according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows the distribution part on a larger scale and disassembled.

Figure 3 shows a vertical cross-section of a modification of the dispenser implementation method mark.

According to a preferred embodiment, the object of the invention is a disposable container for storage, transport and dosing. It is advantageous to permanently attach the dispensing part to the container already at the manufacturing stage and to throw it away together with the container. The tank is thus a mass-produced article.

In this case, the container can be assembled from an outer shell and a liquid-filled bag inside, which is made of a flexible material and goes into the pile as the bag empties. In this case, the container does not need ventilation when the contents are removed. However, a substantially stiffer container with an adjustable ventilation device when the contents are removed may also be possible.

In addition, the tank is primarily suitable as a filling tank for organic concentrates and for their storage, transport and dosing.

The example according to Figure 1 shows a container with an outer shell 1 and a flexible, collapsible filling container 2. Here is a mouthpiece 3, to which a dispensing part A is preferably permanently attached. Figure 1 shows the container in an upright position when dispensing liquid. In this position, the dispensing part 6 is threaded through an electromagnetic ring coil 5, which is, for example, fixedly built inside a beverage dispenser or dispenser. The electromagnetic ring coil 5 is connected to a corresponding control device 6951 7, which makes it possible, for example, for the electromagnetic ring coil 5 to be operated at mains frequency and the control device to adjust the frequency oscillation number to be monitored by the ring coil 5.

The dispensing part 4 has a rigid plastic guide tube 6, the upper end of which is permanently attached to the mouthpiece 3 of the container. The guide tube 6 has a shoulder 35 at the longer end (Fig. 2), in which the tube expands downwards and its lower end is open in cross section. At the lower end of the guide tube 6 there is a rigid cover 26 with an outlet neck 27 in the middle. Each part 6 and 26 belonging to the guide tube communicates with each other through a polar valve body 20 surrounded by an annular flange 22 up to which the ends of the guide tube In this way, the polar valve body 20 is also firmly attached to the guide tube 6 and the closing cover 26.

Another similar free-movement, polar valve body 8 is further away in the guide tube 6 so that it can move freely in the axial direction in this guide tube. At the neck-like end of the plastic valve body 8 facing the container 1 is a fixed magnetizable sleeve part 7 in the form of an annular anchor, the annular lower end of which rests on the shoulder 9 of the valve part 8. The valve body 8 and the ring anchor 7 thus form a rigid assembly which as such is able to move up and down in the guide tube 6.

The opposite ends of the valve pieces 8, 20 have insertion and fastening parts 10, '11 and 19, 21 for the sleeve-like ends 16 and 18 of the cylindrical, hollow body 15. In the example shown, there is a hollow body of elastic material and thus at the same time forms an elastic spring part. The body 15 shown has thick ends 16 and 18 for attachment to the valve bodies 8 and 20 and a thinner, radially inwardly corrugating portion 17. When the pole-like valve bodies 8 and 20 are joined together by the body 15, a defined volume of 7 6951 7 is obtained. The magnitude of the initial volume is determined by the restoring effect of the body 15 according to the inner shoulder 35 of the guide tube 6, in which the annular upper end of the anchor ring 7 rests in the rest position.

In the example shown, each of the valve bodies 8 and 20 has a hole 12, 24 drilled in the middle, in each of which the stem of a sponge-shaped valve part 14 or 25 of elastic material can be inserted by clicking. This beam-shaped thick stem end locks the valve part to the polar valve body. The lip-like circumference of the disc-shaped end of the valve part 14, 25 settles against the inner surface of the polar valve body 8, 20 as the pressure varies. In this inner part, a plurality of through-bore holes 13, 23 are arranged in the ring, through which the liquid enters or leaves the dosing space. The prestressing of the elastic material of the sponge-shaped valve parts 14, 25 is sufficient to prevent the liquid from penetrating out of the holes 13, 23 under static conditions. flow.

In the upward direction, the pitch of the structural unit formed by the valve body 8 and the ring anchor 7 is determined by the inner shoulder 35 of the guide tube 6. In the downward direction, the pitch of this unit is determined by the lower end of the part 10 of the polar valve body 8 colliding with the annular upper end of the part 21 of the polar valve body 20. Otherwise, without changing the structure, the pitch 30 of the movable unit 7, 8 can be easily modified and adjusted by selecting the length of the parts 10 and 21. Due to the relative movement of the valve bodies 8 and 20, the parts 10 and 21 enclose expand the radio outwardly.

Figure 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the parts in approximately the original size, and the pitch height is selected in practice to be slightly lower than that shown in Figure 2. The amount of liquid leaving the neck 27 is determined by the number of rises of the pump 8 6951 7 __ T "corresponding to the mains frequency. This amount can be adjusted very precisely, Thus, it is to be understood that the device can be manufactured very simply and inexpensively and its operation is very reliable, and in particular the handling is very simple and safe, and the surrounding parts cannot become dirty in any way.

The rise height can also be adjusted by means of other connecting parts, eg a guide tube.

Above all, it may be particularly advantageous if the corrugated brush is allowed to proceed helically. In this case, the brush can act as a support part which extends in the form of a helical spring part which can only be compressed axially and which thus at the same time gives an axial prestress to the cylindrical hollow body 15. In this case, the piece itself does not have to be elastically deformable, as long as it is made of a sufficiently flexible material.

The output-side takaiskuventtii1istä 25 can also be waived under certain conditions.

The non-return valve can be replaced by an outlet neck which closes from outside the pumping space and which is in free contact with the pumping space. The internal width and length of this discharge neck are such that the internal friction of the concentrate and the surface tension in the discharge neck are sufficient to hold the concentrate axially in place in the discharge neck as the pumping volume remains constant or increases. Pumppaustilavuudella constant refers to a situation in which the inlet-side check valve is closed. As the pumping volume increases, the concentrate is sucked from the tank into the pumping space.

In this modified embodiment of the device, the inner inner width of the pumping space was 8-12 mm. The lifting height could be adjusted between 9 6951 7 1-2 mm. The Nostof frequency was 50 Hz, but it can be between 10 and 100 Hz without any malfunctions. Liquids with viscosities ranging from 1 to 100 centipoise were used in the experiments. The inlet-side non-return valve was läpikulkuauk-koina in the form of a semi-circular slots, which could be revealed venttii1ilevyistä. It was found that with a length of 10-40 mm and an internal width of 1-3 mm replacing the outlet valve replacement, no concentrate dripped out at all.

If the bellows is not supported by a corset, it will have curves that impair dosing accuracy. With this new corset-like support, volume tolerances were achieved that were barely measurable in size.

A modification of the components forming the pumping capacity is shown in Figure 3. The cylindrical cover 40, which can be attached at its upper end to the concentrate container, houses an upper box 42 with an outwardly directed flange. At the lower end of the cover 40 there is a corresponding lower box 43 which is firmly attached to the lid containing the outlet neck 49. The example shown requires that the lower box 43 be able to slide at the lower end of the housing 40 by means of a margin of movement. The lower box 43 also has an outwardly directed flange. There is an intermediate space 47 between the lower part of the housing 40 and the two boxes 42, 43 made of rigid material, e.g. plastic, which are approximately aligned with respect to each other.

An expansion or prestressing spring 48 is placed in this space, the ends of which are supported on the flanges of the boxes 42 and 43, and which is intended to hold both boxes in the expansion position shown in Fig. 3. In the embodiment shown, the lower box is connected to an anchor ring 45 which can be controlled by an electromagnetic device (not shown) so that the lower box 43 can be lifted up to the upper box 42 to provide a pump lift. The opposite ends of the boxes are tightly bonded to each other via a corrugated film 44, but essentially without any acting forces. When the boxes 42, 43 are closed to each other, the corrugation 44 is almost completely closed.

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In order to avoid pressure fluctuations caused by the pumping rhythm in the intermediate space 47, the intermediate space 47 communicates with the outside air through slots or holes 50 located as close as possible to the pump head height end point. The upper flange region of the box 42 has an inlet valve (not shown) leading to the pump chamber, which may be similar in structure to the embodiment described above. 46 through 43 of the lifting movement of the double arrow shown in the lower box. The device can also be designed so that the boxes move towards or away from each other. The embodiment shown has the advantage that no concentrate can penetrate the intermediate space 47. The neck 49 may be designed so that a non-return valve is not required at all on the outlet side of the pumping space.

It is clear that such a device, which operates independently of the elastic recovery force of the rubber bellows, is also suitable for the dosing of almost pasty substances, which cannot be achieved by the recovery force of normal elastically deformable parts. In this case, the magnetic forces must be of the same order of magnitude. The spring force must also be determined accordingly.

The dosing device is also suitable for other liquids, such as syrups, etc. It offers the advantage of pumping parts built into the disposable unit, especially in the case of perishable liquids, that certain intentional precautions can be taken to limit thus, at the same time, the tank quickly becomes unusable. In this way, hygienic problems can be combated effectively.

Il

Claims (8)

1. Apparatus for dispensing viscosity varying in its viscosity in precise, to its volume, adjustable quantities, especially for beverage dispensers, to which the device includes an annular, preferably electromagnetically functioning control device (5), an axially movable guide portion (7). and a pump and dispensing portion (4) connectable to the concentrate container having a first opening (6; 40) extending through the aperture at the center of the control device, and a volume-limiting, spring-like bale-like limiting portion, axially compressible and with the aid of a biasing device axially extensible second region, in which at least at the input side, a check valve (14), characterized in that the second region limiting the pump volume consists of a connecting part (15) and of two rigid, hollow cylindrical portions (10,21; 42,43), which are interconnected by the interconnection of the bandage and support the bandage n during the stroke of the pump radially from the outside to the shape changes, whereby the dressing part forms a radially inset protruding fold with the aid of its bead portion (17, 44), that the second area which limits the volume of the pump together with the control part (7) is arranged inside the first part. the region (6; 40) extending through the heel located at the center of the control device (5) and the stroke length and the biasing device being adjustable so that the pump volume is compressible with a period frequency of 10-100 Hz. 2. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the rigid hollow cylindrical parts (10,21; 42,43) are formed at the impact end as an opposing impact limiting counter.