EP0634326A1 - Soupape de remplissage - Google Patents

Soupape de remplissage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0634326A1
EP0634326A1 EP94305193A EP94305193A EP0634326A1 EP 0634326 A1 EP0634326 A1 EP 0634326A1 EP 94305193 A EP94305193 A EP 94305193A EP 94305193 A EP94305193 A EP 94305193A EP 0634326 A1 EP0634326 A1 EP 0634326A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
filling valve
container
filling
valve
filled
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP94305193A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Neil Doggett
Thomas Mcmillan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BARRY WEHMILLER INTERNATIONAL PLC
Original Assignee
BARRY WEHMILLER INTERNATIONAL PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by BARRY WEHMILLER INTERNATIONAL PLC filed Critical BARRY WEHMILLER INTERNATIONAL PLC
Publication of EP0634326A1 publication Critical patent/EP0634326A1/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B39/00—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers
    • B65B39/001—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers with flow cut-off means, e.g. valves
    • B65B39/004—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers with flow cut-off means, e.g. valves moving linearly
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C2003/2668—Means for adapting the filling head to various sizes of containers

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a valve for use in bottle and container filling equipment.
  • the first force is that which is required to seal the top of the container against the filling unit.
  • the second force is that which is required to open the valve. This second force is generally high in order to prevent leakage through the filling valve when closed.
  • a filling valve which comprises a filling member provided with movable closure means, which closure means are urged by resilient means to close the filling valve, characterised in that there is provided:
  • a filling valve provided with movable closure means, which closure means are biassed to close the filling valve, characterised in that the filling valve further comprises:
  • the flexible sealing member is arranged so that a container to be filled may be held against the filling valve in an air-tight manner without the need for a force whose magnitude would be likely to cause distortion of the container.
  • the flexible sealing member is arranged to enable an airtight seal to be maintained over a predetermined range of positions of the container relative to the filling valve.
  • the controllable filling valve opening mechanism is preferably controlled by way of a cam rail.
  • the valve opening mechanism moves relative to the cam rail in such a way that the elevation of the cam rail relates to the degree by which the valve opening mechanism moves the closure means of the filling valve.
  • the closure means are thereby moved against the resilient means to open the filling valve without the need for a large force to be applied through the container which is to be filled.
  • the opening mechanism is adjustable to move the closure means by a distance delimited by the range of flexibility defined by the flexible sealing member. This allows the fill level to be altered during the operation of the bottling plant without the need to halt production. This adjustment may be carried out simply by raising or lowering the cam rail.
  • override means are provided which prevent the valve opening mechanism from opening the filling valve unless a container is sealed against the flexible sealing member.
  • These override means preferably comprise a cam which may be actuated so as to compensate for the elevation of the cam rail, thereby preventing the valve opening means from moving the closure means and thereby opening the filling valve.
  • the override means may also be used to provide a further degree of fill level control if desired.
  • weighing means are provided which allow the weight of the container and hence the volume of product to be monitored while the container is being filled.
  • the weighing means are linked to the opening mechanism by way of control means.
  • the control means advantageously incorporate a feedback system through which the opening mechanism may be continuously adjusted in response to the fill volume monitored by the weighing means.
  • a conventional filling valve as shown in Figure 1, is sealed by closure means comprising a sleeve 4 which is urged by resilient member 1 to cover the air tube 3 of the filling member 8. This prevents product flow from tank 5.
  • closure means comprising a sleeve 4 which is urged by resilient member 1 to cover the air tube 3 of the filling member 8. This prevents product flow from tank 5.
  • a number of fill level spacers 2 are situated underneath a collar 9 which protrudes from the sleeve 4.
  • the container 6 is lifted up to form a seal with the fill level spacers 2 as shown in Figure 2.
  • sleeve 4 is lifted against the force of resilient member 1 and allows the air in the container 6 to exhaust up the air tube 3. This allows product to flow around the outside of the fill member 8 from the tank 5 into the container 6.
  • the product fill level in the container 6 is determined by the distance between the fill level spacers 2 and the bottom of the sleeve 4. In order to adjust this fill level it is necessary to vary the number of spacers 2 fitted. It is therefore not only difficult to achieve fine fill level accuracy, but also time consuming on a continuous multiple head filler which has to be stopped and have a large number of valves adjusted. Furthermore, with such existing valves, it is possible for the seal between the top of the container 6 and the fill level spacers 2 to break before the sleeve 4 seals the air tube 3.
  • Figure 3 shows the filling valve of the present invention when closed.
  • the closure means consisting of sleeve 4 is urged by resilient member 1 to cover the air tube 3 of the filling member 8.
  • a light flexible seal In place of the fill level spacers 2 of Figures 1 and 2, there is provided a light flexible seal 10.
  • An controllable valve opening mechanism of which only the lifting arms 7 are shown, is also provided.
  • the container 6 to be filled is brought up to the light flexible seal 10 and thereby forms an air-tight seal with the filling valve without the need for any great force to be exerted.
  • Container 6 is then lifted further, and at the same time the arms 7 of the controllable valve opening mechanism lift sleeve 4 against the force of resilient member 1, allowing the air in the container 6 to exhaust up the air tube 3 which then allows product to flow down the outside of the air tube 3 and into the container 6.
  • the liquid level in the container 6 reaches the bottom of sleeve 4, preventing further air from being exhausted up the air tube 3, the flow of product into the container 6 ceases.
  • the liquid fill level in the container 6 is partially determined by the range of flexibility of the light flexible seal 10, i.e. the degree of seal deformation as shown in Figure 4.
  • the range of adjustment required would be around ⁇ 2mm, but this range may be extended for larger containers (for example up to ⁇ 50mm) and reduced for smaller ones (for example down to ⁇ 0.1mm).
  • FIG. 5 Six steps in the process of filling a container using a filling valve according to the present invention are shown in Figure 5.
  • a container 6 is lined up beneath a filling valve.
  • the container 6 is then lifted so that a seal is formed between the mouth of the container 6 and the light flexible seal 10.
  • the container 6 is lifted further, and the controllable valve opening mechanism simultaneously lifts the sleeve 4 upwards against the force of the resilient member 1 so as to allow product to flow into the container.
  • the final fill level may be finely regulated by adjusting the controllable valve opening mechanism.
  • the container and its contents may be weighed at this point, and the controllable valve opening mechanism adjusted accordingly by way of a feedback control arrangement (not shown).
  • the container 6 is lowered while the controllable valve opening mechanism simultaneously allows the sleeve 4 to be pushed back down over the air tube 3 by the resilient member 1. Finally, the container 6 is lowered further so as to break the seal between the mouth of the container and the light flexible seal 10.
  • FIG. 6 A suitable arrangement for the controllable valve opening mechanism is shown in Figures 6 and 7.
  • the arms 7 of the controllable valve opening mechanism are mounted on a platform 11 which is urged upwards by springs 12.
  • the platform 11 also includes a roller 13 which runs against a cam rail 14. In use, the valve opening mechanism moves along the cam rail. If a container 6 is correctly sealed against the filling valve when the valve opening mechanism moves onto the elevated portion of the cam rail 14, then the platform 11 will be lifted by the springs 12, and the arms 7 of the valve opening mechanism will thereby lift the sleeve 4 and open the filling valve.
  • a control cylinder 15 is actuated.
  • the control cylinder 15 moves cam 16 so that it pushes platform 11 down against the springs 12, thereby preventing the arms 7 from lifting the sleeve 4, as shown in Figure 7.
  • the cylinder 15 may also be used in a finely controlled manner to actuate cam 16 in order to give a further degree of fill level control. Any convenient control and/or sensing means may be used to operate the control cylinder 15.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
EP94305193A 1993-07-15 1994-07-15 Soupape de remplissage Ceased EP0634326A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB939314684A GB9314684D0 (en) 1993-07-15 1993-07-15 Improved filling valve
GB9314684 1993-07-15

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0634326A1 true EP0634326A1 (fr) 1995-01-18

Family

ID=10738893

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94305193A Ceased EP0634326A1 (fr) 1993-07-15 1994-07-15 Soupape de remplissage

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0634326A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB9314684D0 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2016378A (en) * 1931-07-09 1935-10-08 Leonard James Can filling machine
FR2126870A5 (fr) * 1971-02-11 1972-10-06 Stork Amsterdam
DE3022413A1 (de) * 1980-06-14 1982-01-07 H. Strunck GmbH + Co Maschinenfabrik, 5000 Köln Vorrichtung zum abfuellen von fluessigkeiten nach dem gewicht

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2016378A (en) * 1931-07-09 1935-10-08 Leonard James Can filling machine
FR2126870A5 (fr) * 1971-02-11 1972-10-06 Stork Amsterdam
DE3022413A1 (de) * 1980-06-14 1982-01-07 H. Strunck GmbH + Co Maschinenfabrik, 5000 Köln Vorrichtung zum abfuellen von fluessigkeiten nach dem gewicht

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9314684D0 (en) 1993-08-25

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