JP2009516805A - Capacity metering pump device - Google Patents

Abstract

The volume-metering pump device comprises a pump member associated with a manifold member comprising a body containing a manifold chamber having ports providing connections with the pump member, with an admission duct connected to a feed vessel, and with a discharge duct, and in which a manifold control element is mounted to move along a longitudinal axis of the manifold chamber, the ports providing connections with the admission duct and with the discharge duct being disposed facing each other and being coaxial about the longitudinal axis of the manifold chamber on either side of the port providing a connection with the pump member, and being adjacent to seats facing towards the inside of the manifold chamber with which valve-member forming portions made at the ends of the manifold control element co-operate to enable one or the other of the ports to be closed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a capacity-measuring pump device comprising a dispensing device without a gasket.

  A pump member, a suction duct connected to the supply tank, and a body housing a distribution chamber having a port for providing a connection with the discharge duct, are moved in the longitudinal direction of the distribution chamber and actuated by a control device to suck the pump member A capacity-measuring pump device is known which comprises a pump member associated with a distribution device in which a distribution element is provided which circulates alternately with ducts or discharge ducts.

  In the existing device, particularly the device described in Patent Document 1, the distribution element is installed to reciprocate and slide in the distribution chamber, and has an annular rubber valve member installed in the distribution device outside the distribution chamber. is doing. When the pump device is activated, the pump chamber circulates with the suction duct or the discharge duct depending on the position of the distribution element. As the dispensing element is displaced, a portion of the pumped fluid accumulates between the annular valve member and the dispensing element. Since it is difficult to remove this fluid during cleaning, in practice it cannot be pumped aseptically using existing equipment.

British Patent GB-A-968 452

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a capacity metering pump device that can be easily operated under aseptic conditions.

  To achieve this object, the present invention is a volumetric pump device comprising a pump member to which a distributor is coupled, the distributor being a main body, connected to the pump member and a supply tank. A body housing a distribution chamber having a port providing a connection between a suction duct and a discharge duct; and a distribution element, installed and controlled to move along a longitudinal axis of the distribution chamber A distribution element actuated by a device, wherein the port providing a connection with the suction duct and the port providing a connection with the exhaust duct are opposed to each other and the pump member Arranged coaxially along the longitudinal axis of the distribution chamber on both sides of the port providing a connection, adjacent to each sheet, the sheet facing the interior of the distribution chamber; The dispensing element has an end that is shaped to form a valve member that is liquid-tightly pressed against one or the other sheet by a drive force from the control device of the dispensing element. A pump device is provided.

  That is, when the pump device is operated, even when one or the other port is liquid-tightly closed, the valve element is moved away from the seat, and the cleaning liquid is allowed to flow around the valve member so that the distribution element is moved. Easy to clean.

  In an advantageous version of the invention, the pump member has a cylindrical pump chamber in which a gasketless piston connected to an actuator member for moving the piston along the axial direction of the pump chamber is installed. The pump chamber is connected to the supply tank at the end away from the port that provides the connection between the distribution chamber and the pump chamber, so that the fluid contained in the supply tank does not flow around the piston The piston is installed in the pump chamber with a sufficiently small gap.

  That is, when pumping fluid, a thin film of fluid is formed between the piston and pump chamber, providing a seal between the piston and pump chamber, which can be easily removed during cleaning. .

  According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pump member comprises a subchamber coaxial with the pump chamber and opening into the supply tank, the stroke of the piston actuator member being preferably fully within the subchamber. It is of sufficient length and the subchamber has a diameter large enough to allow fluid to flow around the piston. The subchamber performs three functions. That is, when the poston is located in the pump chamber, the subchamber serves to seal the piston.When the piston is in the subchamber during cleaning, the piston is completely under the action of the cleaning liquid. Functions as a washing room. Furthermore, when the piston is in this position, the pump chamber is disengaged and is itself thoroughly cleaned with the cleaning liquid. Finally, when initially filling the packaging with a fluid product for packaging, the piston is in the secondary chamber, so the fluid product flows around the piston to fill the pump chamber and distribution chamber, and the bubbles rise into the supply tank. The sub chamber can also function as a gravity feed chamber.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred non-limiting embodiments of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the pump device 1 includes a pump member 1 connected to a supply tank 2 and coupled to a distribution device 3. The pump body has a pump body having a pump chamber 5 in which the piston 6 is installed without a gasket or piston ring so as to slide with a very small gap, for example, a gap of 2 to 10 mm. 4 is provided. The piston 6 is actuated by a rod 7 connected to an actuator member 8.

Between the pump chamber 5 and the supply tank 2, the pump member 1 is coaxial with the pump chamber 5, has a transverse dimension D that is considerably larger than the transverse dimension d of the pump chamber 5, and opens in the supply tank 2. 9

  The dispensing device 3 includes a body 10 that houses an elongated cylindrical dispensing chamber 11 having a longitudinal axis 36. The distribution chamber 11 includes a port 12 leading to the pump chamber 1. The port 12 opens on the side surface of the distribution chamber 11. At its respective ends, the distribution chamber 11 has respective ports 13 and 14 that are coaxial with the longitudinal axis 36 and face each other on one side of the port 12. Adjacent to ports 13 and 14, the distribution chamber includes a zone configured to provide respective sheets 33 and 34 that are coaxial with longitudinal axis 36 and face the interior of the distribution chamber. The sheets 33 and 34 are shaped to form valve members, and the respective end portions 15 and 16 belonging to the cylindrical distribution element 17 installed so as to slide in the longitudinal direction in the distribution chamber are respectively connected to the sheets 33 and 34. Is arranged to receive. That is, the valve members 15 and 16 are located between the seats 33 and 34.

  The distribution element 17 has a control rod 18 that extends in the bore 27 and is connected to a control device 19. The control device 19 includes an actuator member 35 and a member 20 for coupling through the wall without making a hole in the wall. For example, the coupling member may be coupled to the actuator member 35 in a conventional manner, with a magnet 21 supported on a rod 22 that is positioned to move within the globe finger 23, and a non-magnetic material globe finger 23. And a magnetic ring 24 connected to the control rod 18 by a U-shaped bracket 25. The distribution element 17 is distributed by a guide fin 26 that slides in a bore 27 on the same axis as the distribution chamber 11 and a guide fin 28 that also slides in a bore 29 on the same axis as the distribution chamber 11. It is held coaxially in the chamber 11. The port 14 is connected to the suction duct 30 via the bore 27 and a suction chamber 31 surrounding the coupling member 20. At its upper end, the suction duct 30 opens at the lower end of the sub chamber 9.

  The port 13 is connected to the exhaust duct 32 by a bore 29. The discharge duct 32 is connected to a measuring spout (not shown).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the actuator member 8 not only drives the piston 6 back and forth within the pump chamber 5, but also provides a stroke sufficient to pull the piston 6 from the pump chamber 5 into the sub chamber 9.

  The valve member 15 of the distribution element 17 is shaped to close the port 13 in a liquid-tight manner when the valve member 15 is pressed against the seat 33 adjacent to the port 13. Similarly, the valve body 16 is shaped to close the port 14 in a liquid-tight manner when the valve member 16 is pressed against the seat 34 adjacent to the port. The distance between the valve members 15 and 16 is shorter than the distance between the seats 33 and 34 so that when one of the ports closes, the other opens wide. Furthermore, the transverse size of the dispensing element 17 is considerably smaller than the transverse size of the dispensing chamber 11 so that the dispensing product can easily flow around the dispensing element 17 when one of the ports 13 or 14 is open.

  When the equipment including the pump device of the present invention is first started, the valve member 16 is pressed against the seat 34 so that the port 13 is opened wide. As shown in FIG. 2, the piston 6 rises into the sub chamber 9. In this position, the product for packaging flows into the sub-chamber 9 by gravity and flows around the piston 6, thereby first filling the suction duct 30, then filling the pump chamber 5, Fills with the discharge duct 32. The sub chamber 9 functions as a gravity feed chamber.

  Then, after the piston 6 is lowered to the stroke end in the pump chamber 5, the piston 6 is reciprocated over the stroke for holding the piston 6 in the pump chamber 5. With each rising stroke of the piston, the valve member 15 is pressed against the seat 33 adjacent to the connection opening 13 and closes it. Then, the connection opening 14 opens widely, and the product for packaging is sucked into the pump chamber 5 through the sub chamber 9, the suction duct 30, the suction chamber 31, and the distribution chamber 11. With each downward stroke of the piston 6, the dispensing element 17 moves to close the port 14 and open the port 13, so that an amount of product corresponding to the stroke of the piston 6 is sent by the piston 6 to the discharge duct 32. The sub chamber 9 functions as a seal chamber for the piston.

  When the supply tank 2 is empty, the cleaning liquid is introduced into the supply tank 2 and the pump device is placed at the position shown in FIG. That is, the piston 6 rises and extends in the seal chamber 9, and the distribution element 17 is placed in an intermediate position in which both ports 13 and 14 are open. The cleaning liquid flows into the discharge duct 32 and simultaneously passes through the suction duct 30 and the pump chamber 5. The subchamber 9 performs a cleaning function. In addition, the system can purge all air while washing the spout by raising the air into the container.

  Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and variations that do not exceed the scope of the invention as defined by the claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  That is, the described device combines a gasketless dispensing device and a gasketless pump member, but the gasketless dispensing device is combined with a pump member of conventional construction in which the suction duct is directly connected to the supply tank. Also good.

  In the illustrated embodiment, a sub chamber is interposed between the pump chamber and the supply tank. However, the present invention is configured so that the pump chamber opens directly into the supply tank and is used for gravity feeding, pumping and cleaning. You may implement | achieve so that it may function as a subchamber which aimed at both.

  Conversely, the sub chamber may be separated from the supply tank and connected to the supply tank by a duct.

FIG. 4 is an axial cross-sectional view on a vertical plane of the device of the invention and the supply tank coupled thereto, with the dispensing element in the suction position. It is sectional drawing similar to FIG. 1 with a pump apparatus in a washing | cleaning position.

Claims (7)

A capacity metering pump device,
An intake duct comprising a pump member (1) to which a distributor (3) is coupled, the distributor (3) being a main body (10) and connected to the pump member (1) and a supply tank (2) A main body (10) containing a distribution chamber (11) having ports (12, 14, 13) that provide a connection between (30) and a discharge duct (32), a distribution element (17), A dispensing element (17) installed to move along the longitudinal axis of the dispensing chamber (11) and actuated by a control device (19);
The port (12) providing the connection with the suction duct and the port (13) providing the connection with the discharge duct are opposed to each other and provide the connection with the pump member (12 ) On the opposite sides of the distribution chamber along the longitudinal axis of the distribution chamber and adjacent to the respective sheets (34, 33),
The sheet faces the inside of the distribution chamber; and
The distribution element (17) is shaped to form a valve member (16, 15) that is pressed against one or the other of the sheets by a driving force from the control device of the distribution element. Having an end,
A capacity-measuring pump device characterized by that.   The pump device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device (19) is a magnetic member capable of controlling the displacement of the distribution element (17) through the wall without making a hole in the wall. A cylindrical pump in which the piston without gasket connected to an actuator member (8) for moving the piston (6) along the axial direction of the pump chamber is installed inside the pump member (1) Has a chamber (5), and
At the end remote from the port (12) that provides a connection between the distribution chamber and the pump chamber, the pump chamber is connected to the supply tank (2) and accommodated in the supply tank (2) The piston is installed in the pump chamber with a gap that is small enough to prevent the generated fluid from flowing around the piston (6),
The pump device according to claim 1, wherein Between the pump chamber and the supply tank (2), the pump member comprises a subchamber (9) having a transverse dimension (D) larger than the transverse dimension ( d ) of the pump chamber. The pump device according to claim 3.   The pump device according to claim 4, wherein the sub chamber (9) is coaxial with the pump chamber (5) and opens into the supply tank (2).   The actuator member (8) is long enough to move the piston to a position where it can be drawn into the subchamber enough to allow fluid to flow around the piston (6) into the pump chamber. The pump device according to claim 5, wherein a stroke of the length is presented.   The pump device according to claim 6, characterized in that the suction duct (30) opens into the subchamber (9).

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