Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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_'E N CAL FIELD
Thls invention relates genera]ly to filler valves for
liquids and, more particu]arly, to a diaphragm actuated
fi].ling valve lncluding a s].eeve nozz]e which is adaptable to
being inser~ed into a container to fil]. the container with a
liquid as the container and sleeve nozzle are separated from
one another at a predetermined rate.
~CKGROUND ~RT
Heretofore, container filler mec}lanisms have
generally included nozz]e means disposed above an open-top
container which drop the liquid product the full depth of
the container, resulting in the formation of foam when the
container is Eull, which tends to interfere with the top
sealing operation. Other known filler units are adapted to
either being inserted into a container or to having a
container fitted around the filler unit in order to
progressively fill the container as the filler unit is
removed relative thereto, thereby tending to minimize the
forma~ion of foam. Hereinafter, such filler uni~s will ~e
referred to as "bottom-up" fi]ler valves.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking the present invention may be
considered as providing a filler valve assembly for filling
containers with liquid produc~s, the filler valve assembly
comprising an upper body; a main body; a pressure-responsive
assembly mounted so as to separate the upper and main bodies;
spring means mounted between the pressure-responsive assembly
and the upper end of the upper body; an inlet connection and
opening in a side of the main body; a sleeve nozzle connected
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to the LOW~L- elld of the main body; a valve seat formed at the
lower end ~f the sleeve nozzle; a valve connec-ted ~y rod means
to the E)ressure-responsive assembly; orifice means formed i,n the
main body, the ori.fice means inc]uding a cylindrical surface
formed in tale main body Eor a predetermined height and an
adjacent me~lber secured to the rod means -to accommodate the flow
tilerepast ~f a selected volume of fluid products, and a frusto-
conical sur~ace formed just above the cyl.indrical surface for a
second predetermined height for cooperation with the adjacent
member secu~ed to the rod means to accommodate the flow there-
past of a larger selected volume of fluid produc-ts; the valve
bein~ urge~ by the spring means into engagement with the val.ve
seat untîl such time as a measured volume of f]uid product is
communicate~ from a source of fluid product through the inlet
opening to ~he main bodyl to thereby urge the pressure-
responsiv~ assembly upwardly against the force of the spring
means and ~ereby lift the valve from the valve seat and
providing the pressure to vary the ori,fice means as required
to correspond to the measured volume per unit time and to force
an equiva~ent measured volume of fluid product through the
space between the valve and valve seat into the containers.
These and other features and advantages will become more
apparent when reference is made to the following description
and accomp~nying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TI~E DRAWINGS
Fiyure 1 is a side cross-secti.onal view of the invention;
Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectiona] views of alternate
nozzle arrangements which may be interchanged with the lower
body portion of the Figure 1 structure; and
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Figure 4 is a ~ragmentary cross-sectional view of an
alternate arrangement of the valve and seat portion of the
Figure 1 structure~
~est Mode of Ca rying Out the Invention
Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, Figure 1
illustrates filler valve assembly 10 including a main body
section 12, an upper sec~ion 14 and a lower sec~ion 16. The
main body section 12 includes a cylindrical housing 18 having
an inlet connection 20 formed in a side wall adjacent the
upper end ~hereof. A ~ -conically shaped seat 22 is
formed on the inner lower portion of the body section 12 just
below an orifice area consis~ing of a substantially
c~lindrical surface 23a adjacent ~he seat 22, and a steeper
E~s~-conical surface 23b a~ove the surface 23a, for a
purpose to be described. A valve member 24 having a
~ ~e-conically shaped periph~ral edge is mounted on a valve
rod 26 for axial movement within the body section 12. A guide
member 28 is formed on the valve rod 26 for cooperation with
the housing 18 to retain the valve rod in axial alignment in
the section 12 such that, when closed, the valve member 24
engages the seat 22 in a sealing relationship.
A lightweight diaphragm 30 prererably formed of a
suitable fabric material covered with a rubber compound, such
as silicon, is confined at its peripheral edge between the
upper and main body sections 14 and 12, respectively. The
upper end of the valve rod 26 extends through an opening 32
formed in the center of the diaphragm 30. The latter is
confined between a rPtainer flange 34 formed on the valve rod
26 and a centrally perforated cup-shaped piston member 36
secured around the valve rod and against the diaphragm 30 by a
locknut 38. A vent hole 39 is formed in a wall of the upper
body section 14. A spriny 40 is mounted between the member 36
and an end wall 41 of the upper body section 14. I desired
fox par~icular products, a pneumatic or other type pressure
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means may be used in lieu of, or in addition to, the spring ~0
to assure faster response time.
Three types of lower body section 16 are interchangeably
connected to the housing 18 of the main body section 12 via a
suitable snap-on pin and groove or bayonet~type connection 42.
An "O" ring seal 44 is mounted between the lower and main body
sections in a groove 45 formed in the main body section. One
type of lower body section 16, which shall hereinafter be
referred to as sleeve nozzle 16a, includes an outlet opening
46 de~ined by an internal flange 48 formed at the lower end
thereof. A diffuser 50 is removeably mounted on the inner
surface of the flange 4~ and retained thereagainst by a spring
52 mounted between the diffuser and the lower edge of the main
body section 12. This sleeve nozzle 16a is preferred for use
with regular milk and clear juices. The diffuser 50 may
consist of a screen pack including a plurality of openings
(not shown) small enough to holcl liquid thereabove by virtue
of capillary action until such time as a pressure is directed
to ~he li~uid. It should be noted that a sleeve nozzle of the
type described is adaptable to the above referenced bottom-up
t~pe ~illlnc arrangements fcr containers~ such as hat
represented at 53 and shown surrounding the sleeve nozzle 16a.
The second type of lower body section 16, which shall
hereinafter be referred to as sleeve nozzle 16b, shcwn in
Figure 2, includes an outlet opening 54 defined by an
internally tapered flange 56 formed at the lower end thereof.
A conically shaped enLargement 57 formed on the lower end of a
rod 58 terminates in a cylindrical lip seal surface 60. The
rod 58 includes a flat extension 62 at its upper end adapted
to belng mounted in a slot 64 formed in the end OL the upper
valve rod 26 by a pin 66 extended through aligned cpenings 68
and 70 formed in the respective rods Z6 and 58. A guide
member 72 is formed on the rod 58 for cooperation with the
wall of the lower section 16 such that the lip seal sur ace 60
is aligned so as to fit just inside the outlet opening 54 in a
capillary seal relationship therewith. A spherical extension
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74 is formed on the outer face of the lip seal surface 60 to
aid in shaping the liquid flow pattern when the lip seal
surface 60 i5 open with respect to the opening 54. The sleeve
nozzle 16b is preferred for use with heavy and pulpy products,
su~h as buttarmilk and orange juice.
The third type of lower body section 16, which shall
hereinaftex be referred to as sleeve nozzle 16c, shown in
Figure 3, includes a valve 76 formed on the end of the rod 58
and which cooperates with a seat 78 formed at the lower end of
the sleeve nozzle. In this embodiment when the valve 76/78 is
closed, the upper valve 22/24 is open, serving as an orifice.
The spherical extension 74 now sexves as the seallng surface
in addition to shapincr the liquid flow pattern.
In operation, the valve assembly 10 is first primed such
that the main body 12 and the lower nozzle section 16 are
filled with a selected liquid product. The assembly is then
ready for a production run, whereupon a measured volume of
fluid product is communicated from a tank (not shown) via a
timed piston or other suitable arrangement ~not shown) to the
inlet connection 20 and, thence, into the main body section
12. Upon enterlng the latter sect~on, the asse~bly consistlns
of the diaphragm 30, the retainer flange 34 and the piston
member 36 are urged upwardly against the force of the spring
40, the air therein being purged through the vent hole 39.
This causes the valve member 24 to be lifted from the seat 22,
within the orifice surface 23a for small volumes, such as half
pints, or upwardly within the orifice surfa~e 23b for larger
volumes, such as pints or quarts. This causes the incoming
product to be directed through the valve area 22/24, thereby
urging zn equivalent measured volume of fluid which was
confined in the lower and main body to be urged through the
diffuser 50 sections 16 and 12 into a selected size ccntainer
positioned therebelow by the usual indexing conveyor ~not
shown). Conventional external means may be employed to raise
and lower the container 53 relative to the sleeve nozzle 16.
Once the pumping stroke is completed, the spring 40 urges the
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diaphragm 30 and, hence, the valve 24 downwardly until the
latter once again is seated on the seat 22. The incoming
liquid replaces the volume of liquid in the main and lower
body section 12 and 16, ready for the next cycle.
Similarly, a fluid product is contained in the main body
12 and between the valve member 24 and the lower lip seal
surface 60 of the sleeve nozzle 16b as a result of the
capillary seal effect between the lip seal surface 60 and the
adjacent opening 54. The operation is the same as described
above relative to the sleeve nozzle 16a once a timed pulse of
liquid is communicated through the inlet connection 20.
When the sleeve nozzle 16c is used, there likewise is a
full column of liquid product above the closed bottom valve
76/78~ When a measured volume of new liquid product is pumped
into the main body 12, the resultant force against the
diaphragm assembly 30/34/36 lifts the rods 25 and 58 and,
hence, opens the lowex valve 76/78 to discharge the designated
volume of fluid into the awaiting container, as the latter is
lowered from around ~he sleeve nozzle 16c.
Referring now to FigurP 4, it may be noted that the main
body section 12 includes the frusto~conically shaped valve 24
and the valve rod 26 as in the Figure 1 arrangement, and a
valve seat 80 which differs from the valve seat 2~ in that the
frusto-conical surface thereof extends into th~ wall of the
main body housing 18 to blend into an annular groove 82
forming an annular cavity in the wall of the housing
intermediate the seat 80 and the cylindrical surface 23a.
Such an arrangement is compatible with th~ function of the
diffuser 50 of the Figure l sleeve nozzle 16a. An advantage
resulting from having the annular cavity 82 is that the
vertical travel distance of the valve 24 and valve rod 26 is
substantially reduced, thereby resulting in the valve 24 being
more responsive for both its closing and opening functions,
the closing action functioning on the order of a "sink
stopper" effect, i.e., the suction and/or inertial effects or
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the moving liquid serving to speed up the closing. An
additional advantage is minimizing wear of the diaphragm due
to the reduced flexing thereof.
It should be noted that, while the annular cavity 82
alteration would not be compatible with the lip seal
arrangement of ~he Figure 2 embodiment, the sleeve nozzle 16c
and valve 76 and seat 78 of the Figure 3 embodiment could b~
interchanged with the sleeve nozzle 16a without any ill
effect.
Industrial APPlicability
It should be apparent that the invention provides a
versa~ile filler valve arrangement for various liquid
products, as well as for various size containers r and one
which is highly efficient in operation so as ~o be capable of
meeting the fast production requirements of today's
conventional forming, filling and sealing ma~hinesO
While but three general embodiments of the invention have
been shown and described, other modifications thereof are
possible.
