JP2003335304A - Filling device and filling method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce stocks of cans, processes and cost for their treatment by repeatedly filling a filler and a promotor in an aerosol can and reusing the can. <P>SOLUTION: The filling device for filling fluid or powdery material stored in a storage vessel 3 into a container 4 by compressed air supplied from a compressed air supply means 2 is equipped with a measuring vessel 5 capable of storing the fluid or powdery material, a passage connecting the measuring vessel 5 with the storage vessel 3 to transport the fluid or the powdery material, a passage disconnecting means, a joint structure 6 jointed to an outlet for taking out the content in the container 4, a passage connecting the joint structure 6 with the measuring vessel 5 to transport the fluid or the powdery material, a passage connecting the measuring vessel 5 with the compressed air supply means 2 to transport the fluid and a passage connecting the storage vessel 3 with the compressed air supply means 2 to transport the fluid. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a filling device and a filling method, and more particularly to a filling device and a filling method capable of repeatedly filling a pressure container such as an aerosol can with a fluid, a powder, and a compressed gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Aerosol cans are widely used as spray cans for spraying liquids or powders toward an object.

FIG. 10 (a) is a sectional view showing the structure of a general aerosol can, and FIG. 10 (b) is an enlarged sectional view around the valve body of the aerosol can. The aerosol can includes a pressure-resistant container 60 having a substantially cylindrical shape with one end open, and the pressure-resistant container 60.
And a valve body 61 fitted in the opening of the valve.
Further, the valve body 61 includes a mounting cup 62 having a through hole at the center, a housing 67 having one end fixedly fitted to the mounting cup 62, and a housing concentrically arranged in the through hole of the mounting cup 62. A gasket 69 crimped and fixed to the mounting cup 62 by 67, a substantially cylindrical shape, a content ejection hole 64, and a through hole 65 penetrating the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the content ejection hole 64 are formed. And the valve stem 63 disposed in a state of being inserted into the through hole of the mounting cup 62, and the valve stem 63 disposed in the housing 67 and biasing the valve stem 63 toward the outside of the pressure resistant container 60 to fix it. Spring 66 and a generally flexible tube, one end of which is connected to the housing 67 and the other end is near the bottom of the pressure vessel 60. Composed of a dip tube 68. which is arranged so as to be located. The interior space of the pressure vessel 60 is filled with the filler 70, which is a fluid or powder, which is the object of ejection, and the propellant, which is a compressed gas or a liquefied gas, under pressure as the contents.

In a normal state, since the valve stem 63 is biased and fixed by the spring 66 so as to be pressed against the gasket 69, the gasket 69 and the valve stem 63 are crimped, and the valve stem 6
Since the opening on the outer peripheral surface side of the through hole 65 formed in No. 3 is closed by the gasket 69, the inside of the pressure resistant container 60 and the outside air are not spatially connected and airtightness is maintained.

When the valve stem 63 is pushed toward the inside of the pressure resistant container 60 against the biasing force of the spring 66, a protrusion 63a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem 63.
Since the gasket 69 presses and deforms the gasket 69, the inner peripheral surface of the gasket 69 separates from the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem 63, and the opening of the through hole 65 on the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem 63 is exposed in the pressure resistant container 60. The internal space of the pressure-resistant container 60 and the outside air are spatially connected via the dip tube 68, the through hole 65, and the content ejection hole 64, and the propellant and the filler 70 are formed by the pressure difference between the internal pressure and the external pressure of the pressure-resistant container 60. In a mixed state, they are jetted into the outside air through the above-mentioned route. Since the propellant sprayed into the outside air expands rapidly due to a decrease in atmospheric pressure, the filler 70 is finely atomized or foamed by the action of the propellant and uniformly sprayed on the object.

As described above, the aerosol can has an extremely simple structure and a low manufacturing cost, the content is ejected only by the pressing operation of the valve stem 63, and the handling is easy, and the filler and the propellant are pressure resistant. Since it is hermetically sealed in the container 60, it has advantages such as being hygienic, and is widely used as an injector for insecticides, paints, cleaning agents, etc. from home to factory production sites. It is used. Especially in factories such as machine production, a large amount of aerosol cans using degreasing / cleaning liquid as a filler and air as a propellant are used for degreasing and cleaning of manufactured machine parts and removal of chips and the like.

However, as described above, the aerosol canister ejects the filler together with the propellant due to the pressure difference between the propellant in the pressure vessel 60 and the external pressure.
Normally, it is used only once until the atmospheric pressure inside the pressure vessel 60 becomes approximately the same as the atmospheric pressure due to the release of the propellant, and the used aerosol can and the filler 7 remaining in the pressure vessel 60 are used.
0 will be discarded. Therefore, it has the following problems.

The first is the problem of inventory management and disposal of aerosol cans. When used in large quantities at the production site of a factory, it is necessary to hold a large amount of stock, and after use, it is necessary to store a large number of used aerosol cans (empty cans) before disposal. Since the pressure container 60 of the aerosol can is kept airtight and the internal pressure of the pressure container 60 may abnormally rise due to temperature rise and the like, the aerosol can may burst. Therefore, a space for safety is secured in storage. There is a need. Furthermore, it is necessary to completely release the propellant remaining in the pressure container of the aerosol can after use in order to prevent the pressure container from bursting at the time of disposal. There is. Therefore, purchase, inventory and disposal management is required, which is a factor of cost increase.

The second problem is the disposal of residual filler. From the viewpoint of environmental protection, when disposing of a used aerosol can, it is necessary to remove the filler remaining in the pressure resistant container and dispose of it separately from the used aerosol can.
It is desirable to completely use up the filler before the disposal of the aerosol can, and the propellant is filled in an amount sufficient and necessary for the complete discharge of the filler.For example, use it with the aerosol canister in a slanted or sideways orientation. If you do,
Only the propellant may be ejected to lower the pressure in the pressure resistant container, and the propellant may become unusable even though the filler remains.

When disposing of the residual filler, it is necessary to extract the residual filler from the pressure resistant container by a vacuum pump or the like, which increases the number of disposal processes and also requires a facility for extracting, which is a factor that hinders reduction of production cost. Further, the extracted residual filler is usually disposed of as waste from the viewpoint of maintaining the quality, resulting in waste. Further, when the filler is one that becomes highly viscous or solidifies with the lapse of time, it is necessary to remove the filler by opening the can and the like, which requires a great deal of labor for disposal.

Therefore, in a production site or the like where a large amount of aerosol cans are used, the inventory number of aerosol cans is kept to a necessary minimum, and the space required as a storage place is greatly increased by repeatedly filling and using a small number of aerosol cans. There has been a demand for establishment of means for reducing the amount of labor and cost for inventory management and disposal of used aerosol cans, and for preventing the generation of residual filler.
In this case, since a device that is not directly involved in the production is installed on the production site, it is desirable that the device is compact and can be installed anywhere, and that it is easy to handle.

In order to pass such a problem, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-159392 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-20605.
An apparatus, such as the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7, which allows an aerosol can to be repeatedly filled with contents, has been developed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-159392 discloses a spray can having at least one refillable injection port (valve) and at least one ejection port, a propellant container, and a pipe connecting them. The following configuration is described. That is, it is composed of a spray can having a plurality of inlets for refilling the filler and the propellant, a filler container and a propellant container, and a hose, a valve and a holder for guiding the propellant and the like from these containers to the spray can. It is something.

Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-206057, a spray container capable of refilling a liquid medium, particularly an aerosol can, is constructed in which a spray valve on an upper part is only for spraying the contents of the container. , The spray container has two valves, and the second valve describes a configuration in which the spray container is replenished with a liquid medium and a pressurized gas. In the construction described in this publication, the filling valve is provided at the bottom of the container, and the container is filled by engaging the can with the filling connection for the liquid medium and the pressurized gas.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These inventions use an aerosol can equipped with a valve for filling the contents, which is separate from a valve for jetting, and repeatedly fills the contents into the aerosol can via the filling valve. It is a configuration that can be used.
For this reason, the required number of aerosol cans in stock can be reduced, and the labor and cost of purchasing management, inventory management, and disposal management of aerosol cans can be reduced.

However, in any of the inventions described in the above-mentioned publications, a dedicated aerosol can equipped with a filling valve separately from the ejection valve is used, and a commercially available aerosol can cannot be used, so that it is general-purpose. It has a problem of poor sex.

Further, the invention described in JP-A-8-159392 is configured such that the atmospheric pressure in the pressure vessel of an empty aerosol can is once lowered below the atmospheric pressure, and the filler is filled with the difference in atmospheric pressure. -The extraction mechanism and the vacuum pump for performing the extraction process are required, and the device becomes complicated and large. Further, it is necessary to treat the filler that has been removed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-206057 discloses a structure in which the height difference between a storage tank and a dosing container is used as a means for transmitting the filler from the storage tank of the packing to the dosing container.
It describes a means for lowering the atmospheric pressure in the dosing container and utilizing its back pressure to transmit to the dosing container. In the configuration utilizing the height difference between the storage tank and the dosing container described in the publication, it is necessary to dispose the storage tank at a higher position than the dosing container, and the location of the storage tank is limited, and as a result, the installation location of the filling device main body. However, there may be cases where the limitation is imposed. In addition, the structure in which the air pressure in the dosing container is reduced and the pressure is transmitted by the back pressure has a sliding part and the structure is complicated.In addition, the filler and the propellant are overcome by the biasing force of the spring during filling. For filling, it is necessary to apply a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure in the pressure resistant container after filling to the propellant and the filler.

As described above, the inventions described in the above publications solve the problem of disposal of used aerosol cans, but do not solve the problem of disposal of residual contents, and the structure is complicated. Therefore, downsizing is difficult and the problem of installation location is still unsolved.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that a general-purpose aerosol can can be repeatedly filled with a filler and a propellant by a simple operation, and in addition, the propellant alone causes a residue. It is an object of the present invention to provide a filling device and a filling method that can use up the contents, eliminate the waste of the filling material and the need to dispose of the remaining filling material, have a simple structure, and can be downsized, and can be installed and used at any place.

[0021]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 receives the supply of the compressed gas from the compressed gas supply means and stores the fluid or powdery substance stored in the storage tank. A filling device for filling a container, wherein a measuring tank capable of storing a fluid or powder, a path connecting the measuring tank and the storage tank so that the fluid or the powder can be transmitted, and the path Means for connecting and disconnecting, a connection structure that joins the content outlet of the container, a path that connects the connection structure and the measuring tank so that a fluid or powder can be transmitted, the measuring tank and the The gist of the present invention is to provide a path for connecting the compressed gas supply means so that the fluid can be transmitted and a path for connecting the storage tank and the compressed gas supply means for the fluid.

With such a structure, the metering, transmission and filling of the filler can be realized only by the operation of switching the path of the compressed gas, so that the filling can be performed by a simple operation. In addition, since there is no operating mechanism or sliding parts other than the route switching means, the structure is simple and the size can be reduced, there are few places where failures occur, and general-purpose parts can be used for the mechanical elements that make up the device. A filling device can be provided at low cost.

In this case, it is desirable to further include a path for connecting the compressed gas supply means and the connection structure so that a fluid can be transmitted. With this configuration, the aerosol can can be filled with only the compressed gas. For example, the propellant alone is released even though the filler remains, and the aerosol can is filled with only the compressed gas. By doing so, it can be restored to the usable state again. For this reason, the filler can be used up, the filler is not wasted, and the steps for extracting and disposing of the residual filler and the equipment required for these steps are not required, and it is possible to save cost and time. Become.

In this case, a general-purpose aerosol can can be preferably applied to the container. Further, it is desirable that the compressed gas supply means be any one of an air compressor, an air cylinder, and compressed air supply piping. The compressed gas is air extracted from the atmosphere, and the fluid or powder is one or more of a degreasing cleaning liquid for machine parts, a lubricant, a penetrant, a rust preventive, a disinfectant, and an agricultural chemical. It is desirable to select and apply.

The invention described in claim 5 is from claim 1 to claim 4.
In the invention described in any one of the above, the step of transmitting the compressed gas supplied from the compressed gas supply means to the storage tank to make the pressure inside the storage tank higher than the external pressure, and the pressure inside the storage tank The gist of the present invention is to have a step of transmitting a fluid or powder to a measuring tank and storing it in the measuring tank, and a step of filling the container with the fluid or powder stored in the measuring tank.

According to this structure, the operations of measuring, transmitting, and filling the filler can all be performed by using the compressed gas as a medium, and the operation and the switching of the operation can be performed by the opening / closing operation of the valve. Since it is only control, it can be realized by a combination of simple mechanisms, and the filling process can be automated and operated easily, and the filling operation can be simplified.

[0027]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a filling device according to the present invention for filling a general-purpose aerosol can with a filler and a propellant under pressure.
It is the schematic diagram which showed 1st Embodiment connected with a compressed gas supply means and a filler storage tank.

The main body 1 of the filling device is a filler measuring tank 5 which is a container capable of temporarily storing a filler which is a fluid or powder, and a filler measuring tank 5 which is joined to a valve stem of an aerosol can 4. The filler temporarily stored in the aerosol can 4
Connection structure 6 to be filled in the pressure resistant container, a compressed gas supply pipe 8 which is a conduit capable of transmitting compressed gas, a filler storage tank pressurizing pipe 9, a propellant transmission pipe 12, a filler measuring tank pressurizing pipe 11
And the filler measuring pipe 10 which is a pipe capable of transmitting the filler.
And a filling pipe 13 that is a pipe line capable of transmitting compressed gas and a filler, and valves (first two-way valve 15, second two-way valve 16, second two-way valve) arranged in each pipe line. 17, air cock 18, first
A three-way valve 19, a second three-way valve 20) and an operation unit 7 for operating the opening and closing and switching operations of the valves, and the compressed gas supply means 2, the packing material reservoir 3, the packing metering tank 5, and the connection structure. 6 and 6 are connected by the above-mentioned respective pipelines.

The compressed gas supply means 2 is a medium for measuring or filling the filler and a supply source of the compressed gas as the filler. For example, when air is used as the compressed gas, an air compressor, an air cylinder, or the like. Is preferably used,
It is also possible to receive air as compressed gas directly from the compressed air supply pipe arranged in the factory. A specific type of gas other than air, such as an inert gas, such as nitrogen gas,
When carbon dioxide gas, helium gas, CFC substitute gas, or the like is used, a cylinder filled with a suitable gas or a gas generator is preferably used.

The filler storage tank 3 is a sealable container for storing the filler to be filled in the pressure resistant container of the aerosol can 4, and its type, shape and location are not limited. That is, it may be a dedicated filler storage tank or a general-purpose container such as a resin container or a drum can that is directly used as the filler storage tank when the filler is purchased.
Further, the filler storage tank 3 does not necessarily have to be arranged in the vicinity of the filling device main body 1, and it is preferable that the filler storage tank 3 can be arranged at a location where it is easy to refill the filler without hindering on-site work. .

Next, the detailed connection structure and function of each of the pipes will be described.

The compressed gas supply pipe 8 is a compressed gas supply means 2
And a branching source side of the first manifold 25 disposed inside the filling device main body 1 so as to transmit gas, and the compressed gas supplied from the compressed gas supply means 2 is supplied to the filling device main body 1 It is a pipe line for supplying to. The first manifold 25 is a branch pipe that branches one pipeline (the branch source side) into three pipelines (the branch destination side). A first regulator 21 that adjusts the compressed gas to a predetermined pressure is disposed in the middle of the pipe line to adjust the supplied compressed gas to a necessary pressure and to fill the compressed gas with a pressure higher than necessary. Prevents damage to the equipment that is transmitted inside and ensures the safety of operation.

The filler storage tank pressurizing pipe 9 is a pipe line that connects the branching side of the first manifold 25 and the internal space of the filler storage tank 3 so that compressed gas can be transmitted, and is distributed by the first manifold 25. The compressed gas thus compressed can be transmitted to the internal space of the filler storage tank 3. A first two-way valve 15 that connects and disconnects the pipeline is arranged in the middle of the pipeline. Also,
A second regulator 22 is provided to adjust the pressure of the compressed gas to be transmitted and maintain the inside of the filler storage tank 3 at a predetermined atmospheric pressure.

The filler measuring pipe 10 is a path for connecting the filler storing tank 3 and the filler measuring tank 5 so that the filler can be transmitted, and the filler stored in the filler storing tank 3 is used to measure the filler. It is configured so that it can be transmitted to the tank 5. A third two-way valve 17 for connecting and disconnecting the pipe is arranged in the middle of the pipe, and a filling pipe 1 to be described later is provided between the third two-way valve 17 and the filler measuring tank 5.
A second three-way valve 20 that branches 3 is provided. The second three-way valve 20 is on the side of the filler measuring tank 5 (d side in the figure, the same applies hereinafter).
And the filler storage tank 3 side (e side) or the d side and the filling pipe 13 side (f side) are selected so that the connection can be configured as a conduit.

The filler metering tank pressurizing pipe 11 is a pipe line for connecting the branching side of the first manifold 25 and the filler metering tank 5 so that compressed gas can be transmitted, and the compressed gas distributed by the first manifold 25. Is transmitted to the filler measuring tank 5 to increase the internal pressure of the filler measuring tank 5.
A first three-way valve 19 is arranged in the middle of the pipe, and branches an exhaust pipe 14 described later. The first three-way valve 19 is provided on the filler metering tank 5 side (a side) and the first manifold 25 side (b).
Side), or the side a and the side of the exhaust pipe 14 described later (side c).
And either of them are selected and arranged so that the connection can be configured as a conduit.

The filling pipe 13 is a pipe line for connecting the second three-way valve 20 arranged in the middle of the filler measuring pipe 10 and the connecting structure 6 so as to transmit the filler and compressed gas, and the filler measuring pipe 10 The filler stored in the tank 5 is transferred to the connection structure 6 and can be filled in the pressure resistant container of the aerosol can 4 joined to the connection structure 6. A third manifold 27 for branching a propellant transmission pipe 12 described later is provided in the middle of the pipe.
Is provided. The third manifold 27 is a branch pipe that branches one pipeline (branch source side) into two pipelines (branch destination side), and one of the branch destination sides and the branch source side are filling pipes. Thirteen
Is connected, and the propellant transmission pipe 12 is connected to the other one on the branch destination side. Further, a second check valve 24 is provided between the third manifold 27 and the second three-way valve 20, and the compressed gas / filler from the side of the third manifold 27 to the side of the second three-way valve 20. Are prohibited from moving.

The propellant transmission pipe 12 is the first manifold 2
5 is a pipe line connecting the branching side of 5 and the branching side of the third manifold 27 arranged in the filling pipe 13 so that compressed gas can be transmitted, and the compressed gas distributed by the first manifold 25 is filled in the filling pipe. It is configured so that it can be transmitted to the connecting structure 6 via 13 and only the compressed gas can be filled into the pressure resistant container of the aerosol can 4. An air cock 18, which is a valve for connecting and disconnecting the pipeline, is disposed in the middle of the pipeline, and is closed except when the compressed gas is filled in the pressure resistant container of the aerosol can 4, and the propellant transmission pipe 12 is closed. Maintain the condition. Further, the first check valve 23 is arranged between the air cock 18 and the third manifold 27, and the movement of the compressed gas / filler from the side of the third manifold 27 toward the side of the air cock 18 is prohibited. To do.

The exhaust pipe 14 is composed of a first three-way valve 19 arranged in the middle of the filler metering tank pressurizing pipe 11, a first two-way valve 15 of the filler reservoir tank pressurizing pipe 9, and a filler reservoir tank. 3 is a pipe line that branches from the second manifold 26 disposed between the filler metering tank 5 and the filler storage tank 3 and connects to the outside air.
The internal space and the outside air are movably connected to each other to prevent an abnormal increase in the internal pressure of each tank 3, 5. In the present embodiment, the fourth manifold 28 joins and shares one exhaust pipe 14, but each exhaust pipe 14 may have a separate and independent exhaust pipe.

Next, the structure of the operating unit 7 and the filling operation of the filling device in the first embodiment will be described. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an operation circuit of the operation unit 7 of the filling device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a view showing an operation timing chart thereof. In FIG. 3, “OFF” of each switch represents a state in which the circuit is opened and the connection is not configured, “IN” represents a state in which the circuit is closed and the connection is configured, and “open” of each valve indicates the valve. The state where the valve is opened and the spatial connection of the pipeline is configured, and the state of “closed” is the state where the valve is closed and the spatial connection of the pipeline is not configured. Also, the first
“A-b” of the three-way valve 19 indicates a state in which a pipeline is formed on the a side and the b side in FIG. 1, and “ac” indicates a pipeline on the a side and the c side in FIG. 1. "D-e" of the second three-way valve 20 indicates a state in which a pipeline is formed on the d side and the e side.
"D-f" represents a state in which a conduit is formed on the d side and the f side.

The operation circuit of the operation unit 7 includes a circuit t ₁ -t ₂ for driving and controlling the first two-way valve 15 and a second two-way valve 16.
For operating the circuit t ₅ -t ₆ and the circuit for operating the third two-way valve 17, the second two-way valve 17 and the relay operation switch 4
6 and the circuit _t 11 _{-t 12} connected in series, a circuit for operating a relay operation switch 46 disposed to the circuit _t 11 _{-t 12,} the metering switch 42a and a timer operation switch 45 is parallel Circuit t ₁₄ -t connected to
A circuit t ₉ -t in which a circuit ₁₅ , a circuit 43 in which the timer 43 and the relay 44 are connected in parallel, and a circuit t ₁₆ -t ₁₃ in series are connected.
_10, a circuit for operating the first three-way valve 19 and the second three-way valve 20, circuit _t 3 -t ₄ in which the first three-way valve 19 and the second three-way valve 20 and the filling switch 41 is connected in series And each circuit is connected to the main switch 40 in parallel.

Main switch 40 and filling switch 41
A switch for manual return operation that can switch the opening and closing of the circuit is preferably applied. The metering switch 42a is an automatic resetting switch that is in the "ON" state only during operation to configure the circuit connection and maintains the "OFF" state while the operation is not performed. A button switch or the like is preferably applied. The timer 43 is an element provided with a time measuring means, and keeps the timer operation switch 45 in the “ON” state only within a set time (during the time counting operation) from the start of the time counting. Relay 44 is an element for operating the relay operation switch 46, in the state in the relay 44 is actuated (the main switch is "ON", the circuit _t 9 _{-t 16} - closed (relay ₄₄₎ -t 13 _{-t 10} The relay operation switch 46 is maintained in the "ON" state only during the period (while being on).

The operation of the filling device by the operation unit 7 is as follows. In the following series of operating states, the air cock 18 is maintained in the closed state.

Operation state 1: Not activated state The main switch 40 of the operation unit 7 is in the "OFF" state, the filling device is not activated, and the compressed gas supply means 2
It is in a state where the compressed gas is not supplied. First
The two-way valve 15 is closed to prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the compressed gas supply pipe 8 and the filler storage tank pressurizing pipe 9.
The second two-way valve 16 is opened, and the internal space of the filler storage tank 3 and the outside air are connected via the exhaust pipe 14 to prevent an abnormal rise in the internal pressure of the filler storage tank 3. 3rd two-way valve 1
7 is closed to prevent the filler from flowing into the filler measuring tank 5. The first three-way valve 19 has a pipe line on the “ac” side, and the inside of the filler measuring tank 5 and the outside air are exhaust pipe 1
4 to prevent an abnormal rise in the internal pressure of the filler measuring tank 5. The second three-way valve 20 has a pipeline on the "d-e" side in preparation for subsequent operations.

Operation state 2: Weighing preparation operation The main switch 40 shifts to the "on" state,
The compressed gas is being supplied from the compressed gas supply means 2. The circuits t ₁ -t ₂ and t ₅ -t ₆ are closed to open the first two-way valve 15 and close the second two-way valve 16. The third two-way valve 17 is maintained in the closed state. As a result, the connection between the internal space of the filler storage tank 3 and the outside air is cut off, and the connection between the compressed gas supply means 2 and the filler storage tank 3 is configured so that the compressed gas is compressed by the compressed gas supply pipe 8. 1 manifold 25, filler storage tank pressurizing pipe 9
And is transmitted to the filler storage tank 3 to increase the internal pressure of the filler storage tank 3. The measurement preparation operation is completed when the internal pressure of the filler storage tank 3 reaches the atmospheric pressure set by the second regulator 22. The space from the first manifold 25 to the air cock 18 arranged in the propulsion transmission pipe 12 and the first three-way valve 19 arranged in the filler metering tank pressurizing pipe 11 is filled with compressed gas.

Operating state 3: weighing operation When the weighing switch 42a is turned on, the weighing operation is started. When the circuit _t 9 _{-t 10} is closed, the timer 43 timer operation switch 45 to start the counting operation is "ON"
Transition to the state of. At the same time, the relay 44 operates and the relay operation switch 46 shifts to the “ON” state to cause the circuit t ₁₁
-T ₁₂ is closed and the third two-way valve 17 is opened, so that the filler storage tube 3 and the filler measurement tank 5 are connected by the filler measurement pipe 10. The atmospheric pressure inside the filler storage tank 3 is higher than the external atmospheric pressure due to the transmission of the compressed gas in the measurement preparation operation,
On the other hand, in the filler measuring tank 5, the first three-way valve 19 connects the line “a-
The internal pressure is substantially the same as the external pressure because it is configured on the “c” side and is connected to the outside air, and the filler stored in the filler storage tank 3 passes through the filler measuring pipe 10 and the filler measuring tank 5 due to the atmospheric pressure difference.
Flow into. And terminate the operation of the metering switch 42a "OFF" state and becomes circuits t _{1 4} of _- (Weighing switch 42
even after the transition to a state in which a) _{-t 15} is open, timer 4
3 keeps the timer operation and the timer operation switch 45 keeps the circuits t ₉ -t ₁₀ closed.
4 continues to operate and maintains the relay operation switch 46 in the "ON" state, so that the inflow of the filler into the filler measuring tank is continued. Thereafter, the timer 43 elapses set time timer operation switch 45 Upon completion of the counting operation to open the circuit t ₉ -t ₁₀ moves to a state of "OFF". Therefore, the relay 44 finishes its operation, the relay operation switch 46 is shifted to the “OFF” state, the third two-way valve 17 is closed, and the filler storage tank 3 and the filler measuring tank 5 are disconnected. Filler inflow stops. This ends the weighing operation. Since the amount of the filler stored in the filler measuring tank 5 is mainly determined by the opening time of the third two-way valve 17 and the pressure of the compressed gas, the amount of the filler required at the end of the filling operation is The combination of the time measured by the timer 43 and the pressure of the compressed gas is set so as to be stored in the filler measuring tank 5.

The operating state 4: by introducing the filling operation the filling switch 41 state that the circuit _t 3 -t ₄ is closed the "ON", the first three-way valve 19 is "a-b" side, the second three-way The valve 20 shifts to a state in which a conduit is formed on the "df" side. For this reason, the compressed gas supply means 2, the compressed gas supply pipe 8, the first manifold 25, the filler measuring tank pressurizing pipe 11, the filler measuring tank 5, the filler measuring pipe 10, the second three-way valve 20, the filling pipe 13 and the connection. The path of the structure 6 is configured. The compressed gas distributed from the first manifold 25 is transmitted to the filler measuring tank 3 through the filler measuring tank pressurizing pipe 11 to raise the internal pressure of the filler measuring tank 5. The filler temporarily stored in the filler measuring tank 5 is pushed out by the pressure of the compressed gas and is transmitted to the connection structure 6 via the filler measuring pipe 10, the second three-way valve 20, and the filling pipe 13. Here, when the valve stem of the aerosol can is joined to the connection structure 6, the pressure vessel is filled with the filler by the pressure of the compressed gas. When all of the filler stored in the filler measuring tank 5 is filled in the pressure resistant container, the compressed gas is subsequently filled in the pressure resistant container. When the atmospheric pressure inside the pressure vessel and the atmospheric pressure of the compressed gas inside the filling pipe 13 become substantially the same, the filling automatically ends. Then, the aerosol can is separated from the connection structure 6, and the filling operation is completed.

After the filling operation is completed, when the filling switch 41 is switched to the "OFF" state, the first three-way valve 19 is set to "a-
On the "c" side, the second three-way valve 20 constitutes a pipe line on the "d-e" side, and the filling device shifts to the operating state 2. In order to repeat the filling thereafter, operating state 2 to operating state 3 and operating state 4 are repeated. With this configuration, it is possible to continuously fill a plurality of aerosol cans with substantially the same amount of the filler by a simple operation, and it is possible to repeatedly fill the aerosol can with the filler by a simple operation. Become.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the operating circuit of the operating unit 7 in the second embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing its operation timing chart (symbols in FIG. 5). Etc. have the same meaning as in FIG. 3). Second
Since the configuration of the filling device in this embodiment is the same as the configuration of the filling device in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are used in the following description, and the description of the filling device is omitted. Also, with respect to the configuration of the operation circuit of the operation unit 7, common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

Operation unit 7 in the second embodiment
The operating circuit is a circuit t ₇ -t _{8 in} which the metering switch 42b and the third two-way valve 17 are connected in series, a circuit t ₁ -t ₂ having the same configuration as that of the first embodiment, and a circuit t ₁ -t ₂ . t ₃ −
t _4, includes a circuit _t 5 -t _6, constructed are connected in parallel to the main switch 40. The measuring switch 42b is the first
Similar to the embodiment described above, a switch for automatic return operation that maintains the “on” state only during operation and a spring return type push button switch or the like is preferably used. The filling operation of the filling device by the operation unit according to the second embodiment is as follows. The operating states 1, 2, and 4 are the first
Since it is the same as the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted and only the operation state 3 will be described.

The operating state 3: measurement operation measuring switch 42b is turned state when it comes to circuit t ₇ -t ₈ of "ON" closed, filled with the filler metering tube 10 is opened third two-way valve 17 is The agent storage tank 3 and the filler measuring tank 5 are connected. The internal pressure of the filler storage tank 3 is higher than the external pressure due to the compressed gas, and the internal pressure of the filler metering tank 5 is because the first three-way valve 19 forms a pipe line on the “ac” side to connect to the external air. The filler is substantially the same as the external pressure, and the filler stored in the filler storage tank 3 flows into the filler measuring tank 5 through the filler measuring pipe 10 due to the atmospheric pressure difference. After a predetermined amount of filler flows into filler weighing tank 5, the metering switch 42b to stop the operation of the metering switch 42b is automatically restored to the state of "OFF", the circuit t ₇ -t ₈ is opened As a result, the third two-way valve 17 closes the pipeline and the inflow of the filler is stopped.

According to this structure, an arbitrary amount of the filler can be filled in the pressure container of the aerosol can, and even when a plurality of types of aerosol cans having different capacities are mixed, the capacity of each aerosol can can be mixed. It is possible to simply and reliably fill the amount of the filler according to the above. Further, even when a plurality of aerosol cans having the same capacity are used, it is possible to fill only the amount necessary for use, for example, the amount used up for each use, and it is possible to prevent the waste of the filler. In addition, there is no need to store the pressure-resistant container under pressure due to residual filler and propellant after use,
It is also possible to ensure safety during storage.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the operation circuit of the operation unit 7 according to the third embodiment. The configuration of the filling device according to the third embodiment is the first and the second.
The description is omitted because it is the same as the embodiment. Also,
With respect to the circuit configuration of the operation unit, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

Of the operation unit in the third embodiment
The operation circuit includes the relay operation switch 46 and the third two-way valve 17
Circuit t in which and are connected in series₂₁-T₁₈And a timer
Circuit t in which 43 and relay 44 are connected in parallel₂₇-T
₂₂And timer operation switch 45 are connected in series
Circuit t₁₉-T₂₀In series with the weighing switch 42c.
And the circuit t₂₁-T₁₈Relay movement installed in
T between the work switch 46 and the third two-way valve 17₂₅And the circuit
t₁₉-T₂₀Timer operation switch 45
And the parallel connection circuit t of the timer 43 and the relay 44₂₇−
t₂₂Between t ₂₆Mode selection switch that selectively connects and
And the switch 47. The mode selection switch 47 is 2
Switching operation to select and connect one of the contacts
Switch, for example, a twist operation switch for manual restoration.
Switch and toggle switch are applied. Weighing switch 4
2c configures circuit connection only when it is in the "ON" state
However, automatic operation that keeps the "off" state while no operation is performed
This is a switch for return operation, and it is returned by a spring, for example.
A push button switch or the like is preferably applied.

By the mode selection switch 47, t ₁₇ and t
_{When a} circuit is formed on the ₂₆ side, the weighing switch 4
2c, circuit _t 21 _-t 25 _{-t 18,} circuit _t 17 -t
_26, metering switch 42a according to the first embodiment circuit _t 19 _{-t 26,} respectively, circuit _t 11 _{-t 12,} the circuit _{t 14} - (Weighing switch 42a) _{-t 15,} the circuit _{t 1
4} - corresponds to (timer operation switch 45) _{-t 15,}
Since all other circuits are the same as those in the first embodiment, they function as the filling device in the first embodiment. Therefore, the operation of the filling device in this case is the same as the operation in the first embodiment.

By the mode selection switch 47, t ₁₇ and t
_{When the} circuit is configured on the ₂₅ side, the weighing switch 42c,
Weighing switch 42b of the circuit _t 17 _-t 25 _{-t 18} in the second embodiment corresponds to a circuit _t 7 -t _8, the circuit _t 19 _{-t 20} and the circuit _{t 2} 1 _{-t 25} is closed Since it does not function as an operation circuit without it, as a result, it has the same circuit configuration as that of the second embodiment and functions as the filling device in the second embodiment. Therefore, the operation of the filling device in this case is the same as the filling operation in the second embodiment.

According to this structure, both the structure according to the first embodiment and the structure according to the second embodiment are provided, and it becomes possible to selectively use the functions by operating the mode selection switch 47. As a result, in addition to exhibiting the effects of both the first and second embodiments, when a large number of aerosol cans having the same capacity and a small number of aerosol cans having different capacities are mixed, for example, a large number of the same capacities are used. The first embodiment is selected when filling the aerosol can of the above, and the second embodiment is selected when filling the aerosol can of a small number of different volumes, thereby efficiently filling. You can

In any of the above-mentioned embodiments, when only compressed gas is filled, the air cock 18 is opened in the operating state 2 and the valve stem of the aerosol can is joined to the connection structure 6. Thereby, the compressed gas supply means 2 to
Since the path of the compressed gas supply pipe 8 to the first manifold 25 to the propellant transmission pipe 12 to the third manifold 27 to the filling pipe 13 to the connection structure 6 is configured, the compressed gas supplied from the compressed gas supply means 2 is It is filled in the pressure resistant container of the aerosol can 4.

According to this structure, it is possible to fill only the compressed gas into the pressure container of the aerosol can as a propellant, and the propellant is completely discharged even though the filler remains, which is used. The aerosol can which has become impossible can be filled with only compressed gas and can be restored to a usable state again. Therefore, the waste of the filler is eliminated, and the equipment and process for extracting and discarding the filler are not required, and the cost can be reduced.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of the filling device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a connecting structure arranged in the filling device. The main body 1a of the filling apparatus in this embodiment is an aerosol can for injecting a degreasing cleaning liquid for machine parts with air (normal pressure is 10 kgf.
/ Cm ² or less), and the pressure of the air to be filled is 6 to 7 kgf / cm ² . The pressure of the air transmitted to the filler storage tank can be adjusted to 0.2 to 4.0 kgf / cm ² by the second regulator, and is appropriately set according to the pressure resistance of the filler storage tank. This filling device is used in a building such as a factory, and compressed air piping in the building is used as a compressed gas supply means, and a dedicated tank body having pressure resistance is used as a filler storage tank.

The compressed air supplied from the compressed gas supply pipe 8 made of a flexible tube (for example, a resin tube) is arranged inside the filling apparatus main body 1a, and is not shown in the drawing.
It is distributed by a manifold to a filler storage tank pressurizing pipe (not shown) made of a flexible tube, a filler measuring tank pressurizing pipe 11, and a propellant transmission pipe 12. The filler measuring tank 5 is disposed outside the filling device main body 1a, and the filler measuring tank 5 can be easily changed / replaced according to the change in the capacity of the aerosol can to be used. Since the main body is made of a transparent or translucent material, the metering and filling of the filler can be visually confirmed, and the filling operation can be ensured. In addition, a flexible tube is applied to each of the conduits extending from the filling device main body 1a to the outside so that they can be easily handled. A solenoid valve is applied to the valve provided inside the filling device main body 1a, and is electrically controlled by a switch provided in the operation unit 7. In this example, the air cock 18 is manually operated.

The connecting structure 6 comprises a connecting structure body 30, a valve 31, a spring 32, and O-rings 33 and 34. The connecting structure body 30 has a filling pipe connecting portion 37 for connecting to the filling pipe 13 and an aerosol. A body opening 35 is formed into which the valve stem of the can is inserted and joined. The structure and operation principle of the connection structure 6 are substantially the same as those of the valve body of the aerosol can. That is, the valve 32 is normally provided by the spring 32.
1 is urged and fixed so as to be pressed against the connection structure 6, and airtightness is maintained by the O-rings 33 and 34, and the filler / propellant does not spout. Here, when the valve stem of the aerosol can is inserted into the main body opening 35 provided in the connection structure main body 30 and pushed down against the biasing force of the spring 32, the opening of the through hole 36 penetrating the valve 31 is opened. At the same time as being exposed in the internal space of the connection structure body 30, the valve stem of the aerosol can is also pressed down, and the through hole of the valve stem is exposed in the pressure resistant container. As a result, a spatial connection is formed between the internal space of the connection structure body 30 and the pressure container of the aerosol can, and the pressure of the compressed gas fills the filler or the compressed gas into the pressure container of the aerosol can. In this case, the spring constant of the spring 32 is preferably higher than that of the spring of the aerosol can. With this configuration, since the valve 31 of the connection structure 6 is pressed after the valve stem of the aerosol can is pressed, the spatial connection between the internal space of the connection structure body 30 and the pressure container of the aerosol can. It is possible to prevent the filler and the compressed gas from being ejected from the valve 31 of the connection structure 6 before the structure is formed. Further, since the connection structure 6 is also connected by a flexible resin tube, the connection structure 6 may be installed at any place apart from the filling device body 1a other than the upper surface of the filling device body 1a shown in the embodiment. Is possible.

FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment having a plurality of filler storage tanks.
It is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a filling device according to the embodiment of.
Pipe line selecting means 1 such as a valve provided in the filler measuring pipe 10
01 allows a plurality of types of fillers to be filled with one filling device. The filling operation of the filler or the compressed gas in the present embodiment is the same as the filling operation of the filling device in the first to third embodiments.

An example of application of the configuration of the filling device according to the fourth embodiment is, for example, confirmation of material cracking by welding. In welding, in order to confirm cracks in the welded parts, remove oxides etc. from the surface of the parts, wash and apply a penetrant, then apply a developing solution and allow the developing solution to penetrate into the cracks and make it visible. The work is being done. In this case, three filler storage tanks 103a, 103
b, 103c, the filler storage tank 103a stores a cleaning liquid, the filler storage tank 103b stores a penetrant, and the filler storage tank 103c stores a developer, and the filler storage pipe 10 is provided with the cleaning liquid. When the pipeline selecting means 101 capable of selectively selecting a pipeline such as a valve is configured to select the filler to be filled, the confirmation work can be performed using only one aerosol can. Therefore, it is not necessary to use different aerosol cans for each type of filler, and the number of aerosol cans in stock can be further reduced.

Although various embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various embodiments are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention. Can be implemented in For example, the pressure-resistant container is not limited to an aerosol can, but can be applied to various other pressure-resistant containers.

Further, in the first, third and fourth embodiments, the filler measuring means is composed of a combination of a timer and a relay operation switch. It is used as a means for simplifying and miniaturizing the device in applications where strict control is not required. Therefore, when it is necessary to measure the filling amount strictly, it is possible to apply a combination of a flow meter and a valve (two-way valve, etc.), and after closing the valve after opening the valve, close the valve. is there. In addition, the structure may be provided with a plurality of connection structures 6, and the number of filler storage tanks is not limited to one or three.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the propellant transmission pipe 12 for filling only the compressed gas is provided, but even if the propellant transmission pipe 12 is not provided, the filling switch 41 is turned on in the operating state 2. The same operation and effect can be obtained by shifting to the operating state 4, and the pressure propellant transmission pipe 12 can be omitted.

The schematic diagrams of the operation circuit shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6 are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation and operation of each operation element, and do not show actual circuits.

Further, in the above description, only the structure necessary for obtaining the effect of the present invention has been described, and in addition, a structure for ensuring the safety of use and the like are actually added. For example, a retainer to prevent the aerosol can from coming off from the connection structure while the aerosol can is being filled with the filler / propellant, and a safety valve to prevent an abnormal rise in the atmospheric pressure in each pipeline or tank. Etc. are appropriately attached.

[0070]

As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, since a general-purpose aerosol can can be repeatedly filled with a filler and a propellant and used, the number of required inventory of aerosol cans is reduced. Therefore, the labor and cost required for purchasing, inventory and disposal management of used aerosol cans can be significantly reduced. Further, since the same amount of filler can be repeatedly filled by a simple operation, it becomes easy to fill a large amount of aerosol cans of the same volume or repeatedly to the same can, and the filling amount can be arbitrarily adjusted. Therefore, even when the aerosol cans having different capacities are mixedly used, the cans can be filled according to the capacities of the aerosol cans, and the work efficiency is improved. Also, the mechanical operation part is only opening and closing of the valve or the selection of the pipeline, there is no sliding part, and no power source other than the operation of the valve is required, so the structure can be simplified and the size can be reduced. It does not need to be installed near the storage tank or the compressed gas supply means, so it can be installed anywhere. Furthermore, the connecting structure can be excluded and only general-purpose parts can be used, and the manufacturing and maintenance costs of the filling device itself can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the container can be filled with only compressed gas as a propellant. For example, even though the filler remains, only the propellant is released and it cannot be used. The aerosol can can now be filled with compressed gas and restored to a usable state again. For this reason, the filler can be used up, the filler is not wasted, and the residual filler extraction process and disposal process and the equipment required for these processes are not required. It is possible to save time.

As the compressed gas supply means, an air compressor, an air cylinder, a compressed air pipe arranged in a building, or the like can be preferably used, and the compressed gas is air extracted from the atmosphere. Therefore, it can be suitably applied to a general-purpose aerosol can using a degreasing / cleaning liquid for machine parts as a filler. In addition to using a dedicated storage tank as the filler storage tank, a general-purpose portable container such as a drum can or a resin container can be applied by lowering the pressure of the compressed gas transmitted to the filler storage tank. In this case, by using a structure in which the filler storage tank pressurizing pipe and the filler measuring pipe are inserted into the lid material that can seal these portable containers, the container at the time of purchasing the filler can be used as it is. When the container becomes empty, it is only necessary to replace the structure with another container, and the step of supplementing the filler can be omitted.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, all the operations of measuring, transmitting and filling the filler can be performed using the compressed gas as a medium, and the operation and the switching of the operations are performed by the valve opening / closing operation. Since only the gas flow path is controlled, it can be realized by a combination of simple mechanisms, and the filling process can be automated and operated easily, and the filling operation can be simplified. Further, the pressure of the compressed gas may be substantially the same as the pressure in the container after filling, and does not require a higher pressure than that, so that the device can be downsized and the safety during use can be improved. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a filling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a filling device and an operation circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a filling device and operation timing chart according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a filling device and an operation circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an operation timing chart of the filling device and the filling device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a filling device and an operation circuit of the filling device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of the filling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a cross section of the connection structure of the filling device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a filling device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a view showing the structure of an aerosol can, (a) is a sectional view of the entire aerosol can, and (b) is an enlarged sectional view of a valve body.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Filling device body in the first embodiment 2 compressed gas supply means 3 Filler storage tank 4 aerosol cans 5 Filler measuring tank 6 connection structure 7 Operation unit 8 Compressed gas supply pipe 9 Filler reservoir tank pressure pipe 10 Filler measuring tube 11 Filler measuring tank pressure pipe 12 Propellant transmission pipe 13 Filling tube 14 Exhaust pipe 15 First two-way valve 16 second two-way valve 17 Third two-way valve 18 Air cock 19 First three-way valve 20 Second three-way valve 21 First regulator 22 Second regulator 23 First check valve 24 Second check valve 25 1st manifold 26 Second manifold 27 Third Manifold 28 Fourth Manifold

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A filling device that receives a supply of compressed gas from a compressed gas supply means and fills a container with a fluid or powder that is stored in a storage tank, and is capable of storing the fluid or powder. A measuring tank, a path connecting the measuring tank and the storage tank so that a fluid or powder can be transmitted, a means for connecting and disconnecting the path, and a connection structure for joining the content outlet of the container. A path for connecting the connection structure and the measuring tank so that a fluid or powder can be transmitted, and a path for connecting the measuring tank and the compressed gas supply means so that a fluid can be transmitted.
A filling device comprising: a path connecting the storage tank and the compressed gas supply means so that a fluid can be transmitted. 2. The filling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a path that connects the compressed gas supply means and the connection structure so that a fluid can be transmitted. 3. The filling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is a general-purpose aerosol can. 4. The compressed gas supply means is any one of an air compressor, an air cylinder, and compressed air supply piping, the compressed gas is air extracted from the atmosphere, and the fluid or powder is a machine. The filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a degreasing cleaning liquid for parts, a lubricant, a penetrant, a rust preventive, a disinfectant, or an agricultural chemical. 5. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the compressed gas supplied from the compressed gas supply means is transmitted to the storage tank so that the atmospheric pressure in the storage tank is higher than the external pressure. The step of transmitting the fluid or powder in the storage tank to the measuring tank by the increased atmospheric pressure in the storage tank and storing it in the measuring tank, and the step of filling the fluid or powder in the measuring tank into the container A method for filling a container, comprising: