GB2138544A

GB2138544A - Valve

Info

Publication number: GB2138544A
Application number: GB08409827A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael George Green; John Alexander Haggart; Edward Kenneth Munday
Original assignee: Corrugated Products Ltd
Current assignee: Corrugated Products Ltd
Priority date: 1983-04-21
Filing date: 1984-04-16
Publication date: 1984-10-24
Also published as: GB8409827D0; GB2138544B

Abstract

A valve for a bag for storing and dispensing liquids has a passage therethrough which forms a valve seat 30. A valve stem 14 extends through the passage and carries at its end a valve member 12, the other end of the stem being connected with a dome-shaped operating button 38 which biasses the stem in such a direction that the valve member is always urged towards the valve seat. The valve seat is located at the inlet to the valve and the valve seat and member are so arranged that an increase in pressure within the bag forces the member into closer engagement with the seat. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to valves The present invention concerns improvements in or relating to valves. Especially but not exclusively the invention relates to valves for use in storage and dispensing containers for drinks of the type comprising a plastics material bag supported within a board container.

Present valves employed in conjunction with plastics bags, particularly when the bags are adapted to contain wine or the like, have suffered from certain disadvantages. For example if for any reason the interior of the bag is subjected to a pressure increase leakage can occur across the valve. Further in the case of carbonated products loss of carbonation can occur. Additionally any air, or more especially oxygen, in the bag, particuiarly when the bag is holding wine, can result in deterioration of the product.

A further disadvantage of existing valves is that they are relatively difficult to use, do not pour evenly and often allow drips to fall after the main pouring operation has been concluded.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a valve for use in dispensing the contents of a container, comprising means for attaching the valve in an aperture in the container, a passage in the valve through which the product may be dispensed and valve means in said passage for controlling the flow of the fluid therethrough, said valve means comprisiiig a valve member movable in the passage towards and away from a valve seat formed in the passage, the valve member and seat being so arranged that any tendency for the valve to be moved out of the passage in the direction of the product urges the body against the seat.

Preferably the passage has a circular crosssection and includes a frusto-conical portion defining said valve seat.

Preferably said valve member has a corresponding frusto-conical outer surface. The valve member may be hollow and is manufactured from a resilient material such that it may deform to take up any irregularities in the valve seat.

Preferably said passage is substantially Lshaped and the outlet from the passage faces downwardly.

Preferably that portion of the passage including the valve seat is provided with an extension having an apertured end wall, a valve stem carrying the valve member passing through the aperture and terminating in an operating button.

Preferably said operating button is domeshaped and is manufactured from resilient material such that it urges the valve stem and the valve member towards the valve seat.

Preferably a circular recess is provided in said end wall to accommodate the rim of the domeshaped button.

The aperture in the end wall may be provided with a keyway to accommodate a key on the valve stem.

Preferably the valve body is formed from two interfitting portions, each being made at least in part from a resilient material and being interconnectable in a fluid-tight manner.

A first portion of the valve body is preferably provided with a circular recess adapted to accommodate a circular boss projecting from the second portion of the valve body.

Preferably said circular recess and boss are provided with corresponding ribs and grooves.

A flange may be provided outstanding from said second portion to provide an abutment for the base of said first portion.

Preferably said second portion includes a further flange at its outer end to which the container may be attached by any suitable method, for example wedding.

Preferably the valve seat is located at the inlet to said passage so that on presenting the first portion to a second portion attached to a filled container air trapped in the valve upstream of the valve member is minimised.

Preferably a cylindrical member is fixed to the valve stem between the valve body and the apertured end wall, the length of said member being greater than the diameter of the downwardly directed portion of the valve passage and the member being so positioned on the stem that when the valve member is in the closed position the cylindrical member closes off said downwardly directed portion of the passage.

Preferably the outlet end of the downwardly directed portion of the passage has a horizontal portion extending over half of its area and an upwardly sloping portion over the remaining area.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a first portion of the valve body showing a valve member, stem and operating button in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is an end view of said first portion; Fig. 3 is an elevation of a valve member and stem for fitment in the body; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the valve member; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line X-X of Fig.

3.

The valve of the present invention is intended especially for use in a laminated plastics material bag carried in a corrugated board carton, the bag being intended to contain wine, beer or any other liquid product which has to be protected from oxygen ingress or from egress of carbon dioxide and to be dispensed in a clean and simple manner at will.

The valve comprises a body having two portions, a first portion as illustrated in Fig. 1 and a second interfitting portion, not shown in the drawings.

The second portion is cylindrical and has two flanges projecting therefrom, the larger diameter flange being adapted for attachment by welding in a suitably formed aperture in the bag. It is the intention that the bag is filled with the product and the first portion 10, fitted with a valve member 12 and stem 14 is interfitted to the second portion to seal the bag and provide a dispensing valve. The second flange is intended to provide an abutment for the rear face of the first portion 10 after its fitment to the second portion, and to provide a support for the bag as it is being filled on machinery.

The first portion 10 has an L-shaped passage 1 6 formed therethrough, the upper horizontal section 1 8 of the passage being provided with an extension 20 which terminates in an end wall 22.

The first portion has a circular rear face 24 into which extends a circular recess 26 concentric with the first section 18 of the passage 1 6. The recess 26 has two projecting annular ribs 28 formed on one side and complementary recesses are formed on a cylindrical boss-like end of the second portion. It will be realised, therefore, that the cylindrical end can be press-fitted into the recess 26 with the corresponding ribs and recesses providing a labyrinth-like seal.

The first section 1 8 of fhe passage 1 6 has a frusto-conical valve seat 30 at the inlet to the passage. The valve member 1 2 is adapted to seat against the valve seat 30, the valve member being carried on the end of the valve stem 14 which extends through the passage and the aperture in the end wall 22 to terminate at a point beyond the end wall 22. The valve member 12 has a complementary hollow frusto-conical shape the walls of which are relatively thin such that the result of the resilience of the material from which the member is made can form a good fluid seal with the seat 40. The seal is enhanced by a raised rim 32 on the member. A groove 34 is formed in the valve stem adjacent its outer end for accommodating a collar 36 projecting from a socket 40 formed in the underside of a resilient dome-shaped actuating button 38 (Fig. 5).The rim 42 of the button is accommodated in an annular recess 46 formed around the end face 44 of the first portion and the dimensions of the dome are so chosen that when it is fitted to the valve stem the resilience of the dome always urges the valve member 12 against the valve seat 30 to close the valve.

A cylindrical member 48 is formed on the valve stem 14 and has an external diameter equal to the internal diameter of the passage 1 8. The member 48 is so positioned on the valve stem that when the valve is closed it completely covers the entrance to the downwardly positioned portion 19 of the passage 1 6 thereby forming a secondary seal. The member 48 is a hollow cylinder fixed to the stem 1 4 by four spiders 50.

To provide for easy actuation of the button 38 a projecting lug 52 is formed on the first portion of the valve body. A finger of the user's hand can be placed behind the lug while the thumb pushes the button.

It is preferable that the four components of the valve are all manufactured from suitable plastics materials by injection moulding.

It will be realised that when the bag with the second portion fitted thereto is filled to the brim of the second portion and the first portion is interfitted with the second portion, in view of the configuration of the first portion, especially that shown in Fig. 1, very little air is entrapped and introduced into the product. In addition that portion of the passage from which the product is finally dispensed i.e. the downwardly directed portion has no obstacles therein such that the flow of liquid therethrough is uninterrupted and products from the valve without turbulence.

To obviate the formation of drips at the outlet and to improve the pouring characteristics the outlet is horizontal over its forward half 54 and upwardly sloping over its rearward half 56.

If the contents of the bag are subjected to pressure, for example if the product is carbonated or secondary fermentation has taken place the increase in pressure tends to force the valve member into closer engagement with the valve seat thereby increasing rather than decreasing its efficiency as would be experienced with presently utilised valves.

The design of the valve member and the cooperating valve seat is such that a good seal is always obtained due to the gravimetric pressure of the bag contents and the possibility of air leaking past the valve seat into the product is minimised.

Similarly the snap fitting arrangement of the first and second portions is so designed that not only is a good seal obtained to retain products in the bag but also air is kept out of the product as a result of the labyrinth passage formed by the corresponding ribs and projections. Alternatively the joint may be rendered airtight by use of an '0' ring.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, for example different means could be employed for attaching the bag to the second portion, the means for interfitting the first and second portions could be changed, the configuration of the valve member and valve seat could be changed a spring could be incorporated around the valve stem to provide the biassing action rather than the resilient dome. A diaphragm could be fitted on the valve stem in place of the cylindrical member and the valve seat could be relocated in the passage.

Claims

1. A valve for use in dispensing the contents of a container, comprising means for attaching the valve in an aperture in the container, a passage in the valve through which the product may be dispensed and valve means in said passage for controlling the flow of the fluid therethrough, said valve means comprising a valve member movable in the passage towards and away from a valve seat formed in the passage,the valve member and seat being so arranged that any tendency for the valve to be moved out of the passage in the direction of the product urges the body against the seat.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1, in which the passage has a circular cross-section and includes a frusto-conical portion defining said valve seat.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 2, in which said valve member has a corresponding frusto-conical outer surface.

4. A valve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the valve member is hollow and is manufactured from a resilient material such that it may deform to take up any irregularities in the valve seat.

5. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which said passage is substantially L-shaped and the outlet from the passage faces downwardly.

6. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which that portion of the passage including the valve seat is provided with an extension having an apertured end wall, a valve stem carrying the valve member passing through the aperture and terminating in an operating button.

7. A valve as claimed in claim 6, in which said operating button is dome-shaped and is manufactured from resilient material such that it urges the valve stem and the valve member towards the valve seat.

8. A valve as claimed in claim 7, in which a circular recess is provided in said end wall to accommodate the rim of the dome-shaped button.

9. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the valve body is formed from two interfitting portions, each being made at least in part from a resilient material and being interconnectable in a fluid-tight manner.

10. A valve as claimed in claim 9, in which a first portion of the valve body is provided with a circular recess adapted to accommodate a circular boss projecting from the second portion of the valve body.

11. A valve as claimed in claim 10, in which said circular recess and boss are provided with corresponding ribs and grooves.

12. A valve as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, in which a flange is provided outstanding from said second portion to provide an abutment for the base of said first portion.

13. A valve as claimed in claim 12, in which said second portion includes a further flange at its outer end to which the container may be attached by any suitable method, for example welding.

14. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the valve seat is located at the inlet to said passage so that on presenting the first portion to a second portion attached to a filled container air trapped in the valve upstream of the valve member is minimised.

1 5. A valve as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 14, in which a cylindrical member is fixed to the valve stem between the valve body and the apertured end wall, the length of said member being greater than the diameter of the downwardly directed portion of the valve passage and the member being so positioned on the stem that when the valve member is in the closed position the cylindrical member closes off said downwardly directed portion of the passage.

16. A valve as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 1 5, in which the outlet from the downwardly directed portion of said passage has a horizontal portion extending over half of its area and an upwardly sloping portion extending over the remaining area.

1 7. A valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 8. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.