Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means – With puncturing connecting means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-01
2001-07-03
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means
With puncturing connecting means
C141S009000, C141S100000, C222S081000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253808
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1.0 Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a device for metering a pasty product and mixing the same with a solvent, and more specifically so such a device having an exchangeable storage container which is arranged in a dimensionally stable vessel and holds the pasty product, and having a metering arrangement which is arranged beneath the vessel and performs a feeding action by means of negative pressure.
2.0 Discussion of Related Art
Liquid to pasty detergents are known. These detergents are generally used for to domestic requirements, which means that they are to be sufficiently free-flowing and can be easily poured out and metered. Since, moreover, they are intended to be stable under storage conditions within a relatively large temperature range, it is typically necessary to use organic solvents and/or hydrotopic additives. However, these additives do not have any washing action, are comparatively costly, and take up additional packaging volume as well as additional transporting and storage capacity. Also problematic, in particular, is use of inflammable solvents which, on account of the comparatively high throughput of detergents in laundries, require additional safety precautions. Detergent concentrates of this type therefore cannot be used, or can only be used with very heavy restrictions, in laundries.
It is mainly pulverulent detergents which are thus used in laundries. Since, in particular in large concerns with wide-scale automation, precise metering of such media is labor-intensive, the media are usually stored, and metered, in predissolved form as mother liquors, i.e. an aqueous concentrate is made up and is then supplied to the individual locations of use. However, the detergents which are usually used in laundries contain relatively high proportions of wash alkalis which are only soluble to a limited extent in cold water and, furthermore, result in salting-out effects. They cause phase separation, with the result that the organic components, in particular the nonionic surfactants and soaps, separate out and cream up. It is therefore necessary to work with relatively strong aqueous dilution, and the mother liquors additionally must be constantly mixed and circulated, in order to prevent individual components from separating out in the supply lines to the locations of use. Such processes thus require expensive large-volume mixing vessels, and the associated statics for mixers and feed devices, as well as a constant supply of energy for the temperature control and pumped circulation of the mother liquors.
A detergent which fulfills these requirements is described in EP 0 295 525 A1. This is a pasty detergent which requires special handling for the metering and mixing with water serving as a solvent. Such detergent pastes are transported and stored in large containers. It is proposed for these storage containers to be positioned in a dimensionally stable vessel arranged above the metering arrangement, and for the paste to be guided in a downwardly sloping manner. It is necessary at this point, prior to the insertion of the storage container, for the latter to be opened in the region of its outlet, which may result in the pasty product emerging from the storage container, and coming into contact with the operating staff, even during the operation of inserting the supply container. However, since such detergent pastes may constitute a hazardous substance, the situation where the pasty product emerges in an uncontrolled manner from the storage container is to be reliably avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to develop a device of the generic type further such that it is reliably ensured that the pasty product emerges from the storage container, without coming into contact with the operating staff, when the storage container has been coupled to the metering arrangement.
This object is achieved according to the invention, by a device of the type described above, wherein the outlet of the storage container is designed as an outlet nozzle, and provided in the region of the product inlet is a tubular nozzle holder equipped with an interior cutting element, and into which the outlet nozzle can be inserted such that the cutting element pierces the sealed free end of the outlet nozzle.
A device designed in this way reliably avoids the situation where the pasty product can emerge in an uncontrolled manner from the storage container before the storage container has been coupled to the metering arrangement. The storage container is simply positioned in the dimensionally stable vessel above the metering arrangement, as a result of which the outlet nozzle of the storage container automatically passes into the tubular nozzle holder and finally, during or after full insertion, the sealed outlet nozzle is pierced open by the cutting element of the nozzle holder, with the result that the storage container is thus only opened when the storage container has already been fully inserted into the vessel.
A particularly advantageous configuration provides that the cutting element is designed as a hollow needle which is tapered and provided with a particular ground finish. This ensures that the outlet nozzle is cut or pierced open in a controlled manner, which provides the essential advantage that when the storage container is removed before it has been fully emptied, e.g. in the event of disruption, the pierced-open outlet-nozzle part springs back into its starting position and the pasty product is thus prevented from emerging.
It is advantageously provided that the nozzle holder can be inserted in the form of an adapter into the product inlet of the metering arrangement. It is possible for the nozzle holder, for example, to be screwed in or inserted into the product inlet in the manner of a bayonet closure. This means that the nozzle holder can easily be exchanged or removed in order for the cutting element to be changed or repaired, if necessary.
It is further advantageously provided that a sealing element is arranged between the nozzle holder and the product inlet and/or the nozzle holder and the outlet nozzle, which reliably ensures that the metering arrangement, which performs a feeding action by means of negative pressure, operates fully satisfactorily, i.e. it is not possible any ambient air to pass into the product inlet.
Moreover, it is advantageously provided that the outlet nozzle has a stop collar at the free end, the stop collar bounding the introduction path of the outlet nozzle in the nozzle holder.
It is further advantageously provided that arranged in the region of the product inlet is a movable closure plunger which, in the closure position, seals the through-passage opening of the nozzle holder, said opening being formed by the hollow needle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2584167 (1952-02-01), Sundholm et al.
patent: 4699188 (1987-10-01), Baker et al.
patent: 4889644 (1989-12-01), Amberg et al.
patent: 4905904 (1990-03-01), Ohara et al.
patent: 4998850 (1991-03-01), Crowell
patent: 295525 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 0428451B1 (1989-06-01), None
Amberg Guenther
Huber Wolfgang
Rutz Klaus
Wolf Karsten
Douglas Steven O.
Henkel-Ecolab GmbH & Co. OHG
Jaeschke Wayne C.
Murphy Glenn E. J.
Watov Kenneth
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