WO2002007867A1

WO2002007867A1 - Dispenser device

Info

Publication number: WO2002007867A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/006673
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Emilio Pirovano
Original assignee: Pirovano S.R.L.
Priority date: 2000-07-21
Filing date: 2001-06-13
Publication date: 2002-01-31
Also published as: AU2001285739A1; ITMI20001681A0; ITMI20001681A1; IT1318228B1

Abstract

A dispenser device for fluid products, of the type comprising a plurality of dispensing terminals (2), each comprising a dispensing valve (5), said terminals (2) being rotationally movable, independently of each other, between an operative position (P) and an inoperative position (N), a control member (3) for said valve (5), which controls this latter when the terminal is in its operative position and said valve lies in a position corresponding with a discharge port (4) common to all the terminals, and means for moving said terminals (2) between said two positions; in which when the relative terminal (2) is in its operative position said valve (5) lies at a height (A1) above said discharge port (4) which is less than the height (A2) of said valve (5) when the relative terminal is in its inoperative position (N), the control member (3) being movable between a position of non-interference with said valve (5) or with the rotational movement of the terminals (5) and a control position (M) in which it is in contact with said valve in order to be able to control it.

Description

DISPENSER DEVICE

The present invention relates to a dispenser device for fluid products in accordance with the precharacterising part of the main claim.

In known devices in which the dispensing terminals are movable rotationally, these terminals when in their operative position present their dispensing valve spaced from a central discharge port common to all the valves. It therefore f equently happens that the fluid stream leaving the valves soils the walls of the discharge port provided in a drip collection plate which lowerly delimits the dispenser device in which the dispensing valves are located, and/or the fluid stream leaving the dispensing valves soils the walls of a container positioned below said discharge port in order to be filled with a dispensed quantity of fluid.

These known devices can therefore cause considerable damage and inconvenience if the walls bounding the discharge port provided in the drip collection plate are soiled with a product which subsequently percolates into a different container which had been later placed in the dispensing position, below the dispenser device, for making up a new formulation.

Another limit of these devices is identifiable during the cleaning of the dispensing valves, which is effected simultaneously on all valves present in the dispenser device on termination of each formulation, and hence involves not only those valves which have dispensed the respective product but also the remainder.

This method when implemented on known devices is not only poorly effective but is also the cause of considerable wastage of the detergent used for the cleaning, with consequent need to dispose of large quantities of pollutant effluents: the problem is moreover mostly felt in plants provided for dispensing solvent-based products requiring the use of solvents for cleaning the dispensing valves.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser device for fluid products which comprise a plurality of dispensing elements rotationally movable each independently of the others, which do not soil the walls of the discharge port and which optimize the cleaning of the dispensing valves present on each terminal, by making it more effective and reducing the quantity of detergent used. This and further objects which will be apparent to an expert of the art are attained by a device in accordance with the characterising part of the main claim.

The present invention will be more apparent from the accompanying drawing, which is provided by way of non-limiting example and in which:

Figure 1 is a simplified schematic cross-section through a device of the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are a lateral and, respectively, a perspective schematic view of a teπ inal according to the invention; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 1.

With reference to said figures, a device of the invention comprises a support structure, indicated overall by 1, to which a plurality of dispensing termimals 2 are secured (in Figure 1, only two are shown for simplicity) disposed along one and the same circumference, through the centre of which there passes a longitudinal axis L of the device. The support structure presents an upper headframe 1 A to which a control member 3 movable rectilinearly along the longitudinal axis L is secured; from said headframe there extend a plurality of columns IB, to act as a support for the dispensing terminals and for horizontal arms 1C to which there is fixed a cover plate ID presenting, centrally and coaxially to the longitudinal axis L, a discharge port 4 common to all the dispensing valves. This port advantageously presents an annular support and centering disc 4A for the dispensing valves 5 provided at the free ends of the terminals 2. The dispensing terminals 2 are connected to the fixed structure 1 of the device in such a manner as to be all disposed along one and the same circumference and to be able to be moved rotationally between an inoperative position N and an operative position P. According to the invention, when in its operative position P the dispensing valve 5 provided on each dispensing terminal 2 is at a level Al less than the level A2 of said valve when in its inoperative position N.

To enable it to move rotationally between the two positions N and P, each of the terminals 2 is hinged to one of the columns IB, to which it is connected for example by plates ID, and is secured to conventional mover means 6, for example to usual hydraulic or pneumatic actuators. The terminals 2 are connected to usual flexible pipes 7 to enable the terminals to rotate between the two working positions.

All the dispensing terminals 2 have the same length B, equal to the distance between their hinging axis and the centre of the discharge port 4. Preferably the hinging point P of the dispensing terminals 2 is provided just above the plane ID in which the discharge port 4 lies, so that when in their operative position the terminals 2 are substantially parallel to said plane ID. The terminals 2 are of conventional type and comprise a rigid pipe 2A for fluid passage, at one end of which there is provided a conventional dispensing valve 5, and possibly a rigid recycle pipe 2B connected in the conventional manner to a flexible pipe, not shown.

The control member 3 presents a conventional gripper 3A comprising usual means 3B, 3B' for moving the actuators 5 A of the dispensing valve 5. As the gripper 3 A is of conventional type it will not be further described in detail, neither will the actuators 3C housed in the intermediate part 3D rigidly secured to the gripper 3 A. The combined gripper 3A and intermediate part can be moved rectilinearly, parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the device, to enable the head 3 A to be brought into an operative position M in which it cooperates with the dispensing valve 5, or into an inoperative position (not shown) to enable the terminal elements 2 to be rotated. For moving the head 3 A and the intermediate part 3C there are provided an actuator 9 with its rod 9 A fixed to the intermediate part 3C, and guide elements 10. Advantageously, the movable member presents a cylindrical guard 11 within which a portion of the intermediate part 3C and the head 3 A can slide telescopically when they are raised.

Because of the particular positioning of the dispensing terminals 2, these when in their operative position present the end part of the dispensing valve substantially projecting from the surface bounding the discharge port 4, i.e. the annular centering disc 4A. Consequently, when the valve delivers the desired quantity of fluid, it can no longer in any way soil the surface ID in which the port 4 is provided, and, at the same time, as the valve 5 is closer to the container 15 to be filled (shown schematically in Figure 1), the side walls of this latter are less soiled than with known devices. Moreover, an individual valve 5 can be cleaned directly when in its operative position on termination of the dispensing operation, as that part of it to be cleaned lies precisely at the discharge port and can hence be easily reached by the cleaning members.

Finally, it should be noted that the aforedescribed embodiment has been provided by way of example only, and that numerous variants are possible all falling within the same inventive concept. For example, the terminals 2 could comprise hinging means able to enable the terminals to undergo rotational movement between operative and inoperative positions different from those illustrated hereinbefore. In particular, said hinging means could comprise a fluid-tight rotary joint (not shown). By means of this variant the flexible pipes feeding the fluid to the terminal could be eliminated, and be replaced by rigid pipes. This solution would have the advantage of eliminating the problems deriving from accidental breakage of the usual flexible pipes by wear caused by the continuous flexure and twisting to which they are subjected in moving the dispensing valves from their rest position to their dispensing position.

Claims

1. A dispenser device for fluid products, of the type comprising a plurality of dispensing terminals (2), each comprising a dispensing valve (5), said terminals (2) being rotationally movable, independently of each other, between an operative position (P) and an inoperative position (N), a control member (3) for said valve (5), which controls this latter when the terminal is in its operative position and said valve lies in a position corresponding with a discharge port (4) common to all the terminals, and means for moving said terminals (2) between said two positions; characterised in that when the relative terminal (2) is in its operative position said valve (5) lies at a height (Al) above said discharge port (4) which is less than the height (A2) of said valve (5) when the relative terminal is in its inoperative position (N), the control member (3) being movable between a position of non-interference with said valve (5) or with the rotational movement of the terminals (5) and a control position (M) in which it is in contact with said valve in order to be able to control it.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the valve (5) when in its operative position (P) is positioned directly above the discharge port (4).

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the valve (5) when in its operative position (P) rests on a plate (ID) in a position corresponding with a central hole bounding the port (4), such that an end part of said valve projects.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the hinging and rotation axis of the terminals (2) is provided between the two working positions (N, P).

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the hinging axis of the terminals (2) is coplanar with the operative position (P) of the terminals (2).

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that all the teπninals (2) are connected to a support structure (IB) along one and the same circumference or circumferential arc.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that when in their operative position (P) the terminals (2) are substantially parallel to the plane (ID) in which the discharge port (4) lies.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the discharge port (4) comprises a centering element (4A) which makes contact with the valves (5) when these are in their operative position (P).

9. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the control member (3) comprises automatic mover means (9. 9A) and guide means (10) for moving the control member between its operating position (M) and the position of noninterference

10. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the terminals (2) comprise, as members for their hinging to a support structure (IB) of the device, a rotary joint enabling them to rotate between the two working positions (N, P).

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that the rotary joint is connected to fluid feed pipes constructed of a rigid material.