WO2019108088A1

WO2019108088A1 - Valve structure for a container

Info

Publication number: WO2019108088A1
Application number: PCT/RU2018/000227
Authority: WO
Inventors: Сергей Владимирович КНЯЗЕВ
Original assignee: Сергей Владимирович КНЯЗЕВ
Priority date: 2017-12-01
Filing date: 2018-04-10
Publication date: 2019-06-06

Abstract

The invention relates to container closure structures which can be mounted on the necks of containers for storing and dispensing a liquid housed in a container under pressure, and can be used for storing and dispensing beverages from PET kegs and carboys designed for automated filling. The claimed invention addresses the technical problem of creating a valve structure that provides pressure sealing of a container during the beverage filling process and depressurization of the container after emptying, and, accordingly, a drop in residual pressure after first use by a consumer. The technical result is the safe storage and use of containers. This technical result is achieved in that a valve structure for a container comprises a cover having a central opening and a means for connection to the neck of a container, a ring nut, a spring, a hollow rod, and a valve element movable along said rod, wherein a locking ring is disposed on reinforcing ribs in the bottom part of the ring nut, said locking ring being capable of traveling in the direction of the top end of the cover and engaging with the lower and upper edges of a valve seal.

Description

VALVE DESIGN FOR CAPACITY

The invention relates to closure structures for containers mounted on the necks of containers for storing and dispensing liquid in a pressure vessel and can be used for storing and dispensing PET beverages made from PET and intended for automated bottling.

Containers with valve constructions mounted on them are used for storing and bottling beverages, such as beer, for example. These valve constructions have several channels that allow the passage of fluid and gas. When filled, when the container is usually in an upside-down state, the beverage is introduced through the first channel of the valve construction, while the gas displaced from the container leaves the second channel. For the purpose of filling the beverage, the filling head is hermetically connected to the valve design, through which gas (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) is fed into the container through the first channel in order to force the beverage out of the container through the second channel. The filling head attached to the valve structure acts on the spring-loaded elements of the valve structure and then opens the channels. The sealing element of the valve construction serves to maintain the created overpressure inside the container when removing (dismantling) the casting head. As a rule, in the case of beer loading and storage, the overpressure is approximately 2.5 - 3.0 bar. The specified pressure is the working pressure of the PET tank. At the same time PET capacity withstands a pressure of about 7-8 bar.

After complete bottling of the beverage, according to the instruction manual, such containers must be freed from excessive pressure. However, there are cases of improper use of such containers in which, after emptying the container, remain under pressure, which, if handled carelessly, may lead to rupture of the container.

The solution to this problem is possible due to the violation of the integrity of the valve structure, violation of the tightness of the valve structure, as well as by fixing the valve structure in the ajar position after removing the filling head. In the latter two cases, a channel is formed to allow the gas to exit from the tank and, accordingly, to gradually release excess pressure.

Famous cover for a sealed container (patent for invention RU2555137, publ. 05/20/2014), comprising a housing, at least one valve element configured to move relative to the housing between closed and open positions; and a locking mechanism configured to hold the valve member in the open position; moreover, the locking mechanism has first and second parts, where the first part can move due to the impact of the valve element and contains a locking element that can engage with a counter element on the body to hold the valve element in the open position; and the second part can move due to the impact on it of the first part, when the valve element is moved from the closed position to the open position; however, when the valve member returns from the open position to the closed position, the first part can move relative to the second part; moreover, the specified relative movement of the first and second parts provides the coupling of the locking element with the counter element on the housing to hold the valve element when it returns to the open position.

The known design of the cover for the container has a complex structure. Known capacity (patent for invention RU2466085, publ. 10.11.2012g.) Of plastic with valves and seals, in which valves and / or seals are made with the possibility of forming a non-closing through hole to release pressure inside the vessel after the previously performed opening process during the subsequent automatic closing process. A non-closing through hole is formed due to the deformation of the stop of the shut-off valves in contact with the seal during container closing (taken as a prototype). The main difference of the claimed invention from the prototype is the absence of destructible components of the container lid.

The technical problem of the claimed invention is to create a valve structure that ensures the tightness of the container in the process of pouring the drink and the depressurization of the container after emptying the container, and accordingly discharge the residual overpressure after the first use at the consumer.

The technical result is the safety of storage and disposal of used containers.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the valve design for the tank contains a lid with a central hole with means for connecting to the neck of the tank, an annular nut, a spring, a hollow rod and a valve element arranged to move along the stem, while in the bottom part of the annular nut on the ribs a retaining ring adapted to move in the direction of the upper end of the cover and engage with the lower and upper edges of the valve seal.

The invention is illustrated by drawings: Figure 1 - valve construction in section in the assembly;

Figure 2 - valve design in section in the process of filling the tank;

Fig.Z - valve design in section after filling the tank;

Figure 4 - valve design in section in the process of bottling (under the influence of the attached filling heads);

5 is a valve design in section after removing the filling head;

6 is a view of the locking ring.

The valve design includes a cover 1 with a central bore, a hollow rod 2 mounted along the longitudinal axis, a valve element 3, a spring 4 and an annular nut 5 providing its preload (FIGS. 1-5).

Valve design can be connected to the neck of the container 6 as a locking and threaded connection. To ensure the tightness of the connection valve design with the neck of the container on the end of the neck of the tank 6 is installed annular seal 7.

The rod 2 is made hollow in the form of a tube. One end of the stem is made open and passes through the hole of the ring nut 5, protruding beyond its limits. The second end of the rod 2 is made closed and provided with a protrusion. At the top of the hollow stem 2 is placed at least one window for the passage of the beverage during bottling.

On the rod 2, with the ability to move along it, a valve element 3 is installed with a central bore, provided with an annular ledge arranged to interact with the protrusion of the hollow rod 2. Pressed valve element 3 to the annular protrusion of the cover 1 is a spring 4, installed between the ring nut 5 and the valve element 3. To prevent the material surface of the valve element 3 from being pushed, a sealing ring 8 is installed between it and the spring 4.

The fastening ring nut 5 to the cover 1 is a threaded connection. The annular nut 5 at the bottom is provided with openings for the passage of liquid or gas.

In the bottom part of the ring nut 5, stiffeners 9 are also provided, on which a retaining ring 10 is installed, made in the form of a split ring with perpendicularly arranged protrusions 11, provided with teeth 12 and 13 in the upper and middle part (Fig. 6). The number of projections may be one or more. For a uniform centering of the ring in the housing, it is optimal to perform three protrusions that are equally spaced from each other.

The height of the protrusions 11 of the locking ring 10 is determined by the stroke of the sealing element, which depends on the type of casting head used, and the distance between the teeth 12 and 13 of the thickness of the sealing element 3, which is in contact with the inner wall of the cover 1.

The ribs 9 have the shape of rectangular plates with a rectangular recess in the middle evenly spaced along the inner diameter in the bottom part of the ring nut and fastened with crossbars between themselves and with the nut body. The lower end of the spring 4 is installed in the inner rectangular recess, and the retaining ring 10 is installed on the upper outer edge of the stiffeners 9. Such a construction with a small weight provides a rigid the design of the entire ring nut 5, allowing for tightening to create sufficient force for the tight connection of the ring nut 5 with the housing.

During assembly, the retaining ring 10 is compressed and, in compressed form, is mounted on stiffeners 9 in the bottom part of the ring nut 5 with abutment to the inner surface of the ring nut 5.

The implementation of the invention

Polymeric materials are used for the manufacture of valve construction, in particular, the cover, stem, retaining ring and ring nut of the valve construction are made of polyacetal, and the valve element is made of thermoplastic elastomer (TEC), or rubber based on ethylene-propylene diene rubber (EPDM), or silicone .

The filling of the container with the drink, as well as the filling of the drink from the container, is carried out by means of a valve construction installed on the neck of the container 6 by means of a threaded or locking connection.

To ensure the filling of fluid to the open end of the hollow stem 2 is connected to the tube issuing the drink.

Filling capacity is as follows:

The filling head of the automatic filling line (not shown in FIG.) Has a circular ledge that presses on the surface of the spring-loaded valve element 3 that is open from the side of the cover 1 (FIG. 2). When this occurs, the opening of the first annular channel between the valve element 3 and the inner side of the cover 1, as well as the second channel formed by the internal channel of the hollow rod 2 with an open window on its forming surface. At the same time, the upper tooth 13 of the protrusion 11 of the locking ring 10 engages into the lower the edge of the valve element 3. The filling of the container with liquid is carried out through the second channel, while the gas in the container is displaced through the first channel.

After removing the pressure from the side of the casting head to the valve element 3, it returns to its original position, blocking both channels. In the process of returning the valve element 3, the retaining ring 10 moves, coupled with the lower edge of the valve element 3 upwards. At the same time, the lower part of the split ring 10 tends to expand, due to the elasticity of the material and the fact that its diameter is larger than the internal diameter of the housing 1. the retaining ring expands and is pressed against the internal wall of the housing 1 (Fig.Z). The tightness is not disturbed, since the parts of the retaining ring are not in the area of abutment of the element 3 and the body 1.

Storage and transportation of containers filled with a drink, is carried out with the valve element 3 closed.

Pouring liquid from the tank is carried out in the same way.

The circular protrusion of the casting head (not shown in FIG.) Presses on the surface of the spring-loaded valve element 3 that is open from the side of the cover 1 (FIG. 4). When this occurs, the opening of the first annular channel between the valve element 3 and the inner side of the cover 1, as well as the second channel formed by at least one window on the forming surface of the hollow rod 2. The sealing element is lowered, and the retaining ring 10 remains in place since its lower edge rests against the protrusion formed by the threaded connection of the upper edge of the ring nut 5 and the housing 1. In this case, the upper tooth 13 of the locking ring 10 engages the upper sealing bevel of the element 3, and the lower tooth 12 is a stopper The foot ring 10 engages the lower edge of the sealing element 3, ensuring a reliable connection of the retaining ring 10 with the sealing element 3. An inert gas is fed into the container through the first annular channel under excessive pressure from the external container, which displaces the liquid inside the container through a tube, a hollow rod 2 connected to it and a window 14 on the forming surface of the hollow rod 2.

After the filling and disconnection of the filling head, the valve element 3 returns to its initial closed position. When this snap ring, coupled with the sealing element 3 at two points of the same protrusion, moves up and clamped between the inner side of the housing 1 and the side of the sealing element 3, and the upper tooth 13 of the locking ring 10, coupled with the upper edge of the sealing ring 3, is above cover surface. Thus, the tightness of the valve structure is disrupted and with further storage there is a gradual release of pressure in the tank.

In the absence of pressure in an empty container, it can be easily and safely crumpled and subsequently disposed of as a plastic bottle.

Benefits:

- manufacturability by providing the ability to customize automated filling lines so that you can repeatedly press on the sealing element, if the stroke during pressing will be less than the stroke of the stem of the filling head by 3-5 mm, which allows you to perform standard operations to check the pressure in the tank, pre-injection carbon dioxide, to create pressure in the keg before pouring.

- provision of a separate assembly of valve construction elements, installation of it in assembled form on a container and subsequent filling of the container on an automatic production line; - ensuring the reliability and integrity of the product during storage and transportation of the filled container due to the use of a threaded connection of the lid and the ring nut, as well as sealing the neck of the container at its end when connecting to the valve structure;

- safety of storage and disposal of used containers.

Claims

CLAIM

1. Valve construction for a container, comprising a lid with a central hole with a means for connecting to the container neck, an annular nut, a spring, a hollow rod and a valve element arranged to move 5 along the stem, characterized in that the bottom of the annular nut is placed on the ribs a retaining ring adapted to move in the direction of the upper end of the cover and engage with the lower and upper edges of the valve seal.

W 2. Valve construction for the container according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for connecting the cover to the neck container are threaded or locking.

3. Valve design for the container according to claim 1, characterized in that the stiffeners are made in the form of rectangular plates with

15 with a rectangular notch in the middle evenly spaced around the inner diameter at the bottom of the ring nut and fastened with cross-beams between themselves and with the nut body.

4. Valve design for the container according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining ring is made split with one or more 0 perpendicularly located protrusion with two teeth.

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