Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Filling means with receiver or receiver coacting means – With receiver and supply securing means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-23
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 receiver and supply securing means
C141S291000, C141S292000, C141S386000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253811
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to container-filling apparatus, such as are employed for automatically filling containers with fluids, including consumables such as juice and dairy products. More particularly, the present invention concerns an improved fluid-dispensing valve for such container-filling apparatus, the valve being characterized by reduced assembled contact between the several fluid-contacting components thereof so as to minimize valve contamination by fluids dispensed through the valve.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automated fluid container-filling apparatus have long been known, and provide efficient and economical means for the mass packaging of various consumer goods, including bottled beverages such as juice and milk.
In the container-filling industry, one common automated container-filling apparatus is the rotary or turret type machine, which operates to precisely fill a series of bottles from a common fluid supply via a plurality of valves.
Conventional turret-type container-filling apparatus most generally comprise an elevated fluid storage receptacle, or bowl, for holding a desired fluid to be dispensed into containers. The fluid storage receptacle may be in fluid communication with a larger supply of the fluid to be dispensed, so that the same may be refilled with fluid as necessary. A plurality of fluid-outlet openings are provided through the bottom wall of the fluid storage receptacle, arranged equidistant from both each other and the central axis of the receptacle. Each such opening is surrounded by a generally cylindrical metal collar depending from the storage receptacle. A fluid-dispensing valve is secured to the collar of each fluid outlet opening by any suitable means.
Generally speaking, the container-filling cycle in turret type fluid-dispensing apparatus comprises elevating an empty container from a position below each dispensing valve until a portion of the valve has entered the container, opening a fluid supply passage to permit the fluid to accumulate in the container while simultaneously evacuating air from the container, lowering the container and closing the fluid supply passage to cease filling the container with fluid. Exemplary turret-type fluid-dispensing machine are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,038 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,264, both incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Several and varied valves are known for use in conjunction with the aforedescribed container-filling apparatus. One conventional fluid-dispensing valve, shown in
FIGS. 1-4
, incorporates a resilient, deformable bellows or diaphragm
10
to effect selective valve operation. The bellows-type valve most generally comprises a vent tube
20
and a nozzle
30
moveably interconnected by means of the bellows or diaphragm
10
. Referring particularly to
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the vent tube
20
comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical rod, a portion of which extends upwardly into the fluid storage receptacle
40
. An air passage (not shown) through the interior of the vent tube
10
functions to allow air to escape from the container being filled, and to evacuate that air to the storage receptacle
40
. Exemplary vent tubes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,425, U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,264, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,593, which references are incorporated herein in their entirety.
Still referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the vent tube
20
extends through a radially expanded cylindrical portion
21
defining a fluid passageway
22
therethrough for a fluid to be dispensed by the valve. An annular rim or flange
23
projecting radially outward from this cylindrical portion
21
is of similar dimensions to a corresponding flange
41
on the collar
42
of the storage receptacle
40
. A clamp
50
is receivable over and captures the flanges
23
and
41
therein to secure the vent tube
20
to the storage receptacle
40
, as shown in
FIG. 3. A
gasket
60
between the cylindrical portion
21
and collar
42
improves sealing efficiency.
At its lower-most end the vent tube
20
terminates in tip comprising a fluid dispensing passageway
24
and an air inlet port communicating with the air passage (not shown). This portion of the vent tube
20
is dimensioned to be slidingly received in the generally cylindrical, valve-actuating nozzle
30
. A sealing O-ring
70
positioned in an annular groove
25
in the tip of the vent tube seals the valve against leakage in the closed position thereof, and further restrains the nozzle
30
against axial disengagement with respect to the vent tube
20
. (
FIG. 3.
) Axial movement of the nozzle
30
relative to the vent tube
20
defines the opened (
FIG. 2
) and closed (
FIG. 1
) positions of the valve. Particularly, the valve is in an opened position when the nozzle
30
moves axially upwards along the shaft of the vent tube
20
to expose the fluid dispensing passageway
24
and the air inlet port (not shown); when the nozzle
30
is positioned over the fluid dispensing passageway
24
, conversely, the valve is in the closed position.
Referring again to
FIG. 3
, the diaphragm or bellows
10
defines a passageway
11
therethrough for communicating the fluid to be dispensed from the storage receptacle
40
to the nozzle
30
. The diaphragm
10
is a unitary element of a suitably resilient, deformable plastic, such as rubber, to thereby permit axially upward movement of the nozzle
30
towards the open position of the valve, while also serving to bias the nozzle
30
axially downwards towards the closed position of the valve. As shown, the diaphragm
10
is characterized by a generally conical central portion
12
, as well as oppositely arranged first
13
and second
14
cylindrical sections. The interior dimensions of the first
13
and second
14
sections are adapted to receive therein the cylindrical portion
21
of the vent tube
20
, and a portion of the nozzle
30
, respectively, in a friction-fit relationship to define the assembled valve.
Sterility in fluid-dispensing is particularly important in relation to packaging consumables, such as milk, orange juice, and other beverages. Milk, for instance, is a carbohydrate source for bacteria. Because fluids are communicated through the valves during dispensing, the various valve components are inevitably exposed to, and become covered with, the dispensed fluid. It is consequently necessary to undertake routine maintenance and cleaning of the valve components. Particularly as to the conventional valve of
FIGS. 1-4
, daily cleaning of valve components is frequently necessary as the fluid being dispensed tends to migrate between the longitudinal sections of the valve components where they are in frictional engagement, such as between the diaphragm
10
and each of the nozzle
30
and vent tube
20
. (See
FIG. 3.
) Without such routine maintenance, bacteria would rapidly thrive in such fluid deposits and compromise sterility.
Consequently, it would be efficient and economical to provide a fluid-dispensing valve that reduced the aforementioned fluid contamination of valve components, as well as the consequent need for frequent, typically daily, valve cleaning.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention provides a fluid-dispensing valve for a container-filling apparatus, the valve comprising a vent tube having an axial mating surface, a nozzle positionable over and axially moveable in relation to the vent tube to define open and closed conditions of the fluid-dispensing valve, the nozzle including an axial mating surface, a biasing member for biasing the nozzle in a closed condition of the fluid-dispensing valve, the biasing member having a fluid passageway therethrough, and further including at least two axial mating surfaces, one axial mating surface axially abutting with an axial mating surface of each of the vent tube and nozzle to define an axially mated condition of the fluid-dispensing valve, and means for maintaining the vent tube, nozzle, and biasing member in the axially mated condition of the fluid-dispensing valve.
According to one feature of t
Douglas Steven O.
Filler Specialties, Inc.
Huynh Khoa
Young & Basile P.C.
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