Field of the invention

This invention is associated to a dosing valve that could be applied in machinery and equipment, used mainly in the food processing industry and designed for automated filling of liquids in different types of package.

Description of the related art

A dosing valve for automated filling of liquids in different types of package is well-known and widely used. It is composed of a hollow main body with inside diameter decreasing immediately in its lower part, down to a drain outlet. There is a stem in the main body that moves in it. The stem forms a seal on the drain outlet in its lower part and it is equipped with guiding gills that serve for taking the stem to the main body. The dosing valve also has a mechanism for axial driving of the stem between upper and lower position for opening and closing the drain outlet. The seal is composed of a solid body that is co-axial towards the above-mentioned stem and that has a decreasing section from the middle part down to its lower sharp part. The lowest part of the seal that in closed position is outside the drain outlet of the dosing valve has a stepped form and the diameters of the separate steps decrease downwards. The beveller surfaces of the stepped part go down obliquely under acute angle to the central stem axle. (1)

Another dosing valve for automated filling of liquids in different types of package is also known. It is composed of a hollow main body with inside diameter decreasing immediately in its lower part, down to a drain outlet. There is a stem in the main body that moves in it. The stem forms a seal on the drain outlet in its lower part and it is equipped with guiding gills that serve for taking the stem to the main body. The seal is made up of a solid body that is co-axial towards the above-mentioned stem and that has a decreasing section from the middle part down to its lower sharp part. The inner surface of the main body, which is in immediate proximity to the drain, outlet has a form that enables it to fit closely to it in the lower part of the above-mentioned seal. In any position of the above-mentioned seal towards that inner surface, a groove is formed between them, whose cross-section and outline do not change sharply.

The guiding longitudinal gills are posed radially along the length of the stem and prolong the length of the stem so that they could partly reach the upper part of the above-mentioned seal. The gills have a sharp longitudinal section both from their upper and lower part. The gills also have a middle part of permanent height, measured in radial direction and in any movement they are always in contact with the cylindrical inner surface of the main body. The thickness of the guiding gills is diminishing by the drifting of the axle away from the above-mentioned stem.

The dosing valve also has a mechanism for axial driving of the stem between upper and lower position for opening and closing the drain outlet. The mechanism for axial driving is made up of an electromagnet, which can drive axially the stem, and a bearing element, equipped with a great number of bearings, set at different distances parallel to the axle of the stem. The bearings of the bearing element are designed for blocking directly or indirectly the above-mentioned stem that moves towards them by means of the mentioned mechanisms for axial driving. (2)

By means of the mentioned above dosing valves filling with different types of products (fluids) in different packages is performed; for example a bottle that is placed under the drain outlet of the dosing valve. There are however a number of requirements ensuing from the stability and velocity of the fluid flush, so that its foaming in the packing could be reduced to a minimum and the time for its filling could be shortened, there are requirements for hygiene, easy and quick washing up of the valve as well.

Description of the invention

The purpose of this invention is to create a dosing valve with larger productivity - a great velocity of the non-drop filling on laminar stream of the liquid and with technological and easy for maintenance construction.

This purpose is achieved by a dosing valve for automated filling of liquids in different types of packing, containing a hollow main body, where a movable stem is placed. At least three guiding gills are mounted in the lower end of the movable stem, radially towards it, and under them there is a closing cap. A replaceable cap with a channel axle formed in its bottom, ending with the drain outlet of the dosing valve, is mounted in the lower end of the hollow cylindrical body. An axial movable part of the closing cap, functioning as a closure of the drain outlet of the dosing valve, is placed in

the drain outlet of the replaceable cap. The hollow cylindrical body is mounted in the lower part of a liquid reservoir, so that the upper part of the stem is placed axially - movable in the reservoir and it is socket-joined in its upper end with a driving part, commanding the reciprocating movement of the stem. Each of the guiding gills has a stream-line and drop-like shape and is composed of three parts which in a descending line are: receiving, leading and bottom, so that each leading part touches the inner cylindrical surface of the hollow cylindrical body. In accordance with the character of the invention the closing cap is replaceable and with a compound drop-like shape, that is, two upturned cones, connected at their bottoms. The angle at the apex of the upper cone is α = 55° - 65 °, and the angle at the apex of the lower, closing cone is β= 40° - 50°. The heights of the two upturned cones Ll (mm) and L2 (mm) are in correlation Ll: L2 = 3:2.

The channel, formed in the replaceable cap is hemispherical with a diameter equal to the diameter of the cross section of hollow of the main body and it ends with a cone-shaped outgoing opening, which is the outgoing opening of the dosing valve. The angle of the cone-shaped opening is equal to the angle at the apex of the lower closing cone β= 40° - 50°.

Only the lower cone of the closing cap is placed axially-movable in the cone-shaped opening of the replaceable cap.

The leading parts of the guiding gills are placed only in the hollow cylindrical body and each pair of opposite gills create an angle γ = 55° - 65°.

A cylindrical body with diameter larger than that of the stem is welded to the upper part of the stem. The cylindrical body is linked in its upper part with the driving part, commanding the reciprocating movement of the cylindrical body and the stem connected to it. A weight is mounted to the cylindrical body under the driving part that assists the closing of the valve. The cylindrical body is placed axially-movable under the weight, in a guide, mounted in the upper part of the reservoir. An upper and lower cleaning hoops are placed in the guide, which envelop the cylindrical body.

Another characteristic feature of the invention is that the stem is connected to the cylindrical body linked to the driving part, which is of a pneumatic kind and is placed under the cover of the reservoir.

The advantages of the invention are that the shape of the conical cap enables an easy change of the flow upon opening/closing the valve, reducing the initial impact of the liquid on the bottom of the filling vessel and thus

avoiding the forming of foam. At the same time drops are not held on the conical cap upon closing of the outgoing outlet.

The construction of the valve enables its easy cleaning by automatic cleaning systems, without dismantling.

Description of the figures attached

The sample implementation of the invention is shown in the figures enclosed, where:

- the dosing valve and the liquid reservoir are shown on Fig. 1

- the longitudinal section of the working part of the dosing valve is shown on Fig. 2

- Fig. 3 shows a side view of one of the guiding gills.

Exemplary embodiment of the invention

The dosing valve is composed of a hollow cylindrical main body 1; a movable oblong cylindrical body is placed in the cylindrical channel of the main body - stem 2 (Fig. 1). Several, but no less than three, guiding mechanisms are mounted radially towards the stem 2; in its lower end - the guiding gills 3 and under them there is a replaceable closing cap 4, made of a suitable material. The closing cap 4 (Fig. 2) has a compound drop-like shape, forming to upturned and linked in their bottoms cones, whereas the angle at the apex of the upper cone is α = 60°, and the angle at the apex of the lower closing cone is β = 45°. The heights of the two upturned cones Ll (mm) and L2 (mm) are in correlation Ll: L2 = 3:2. The parts of the stem 2, together with the guiding gills 3 and the closing cap 4 are placed precisely in the hollow cylindrical body 1, at the lower end of which a replaceable cap 5 is mounted. A hemispherical channel is made in the replaceable cap 5, ending at the bottom of the replaceable cap with cone-shaped opening that is the outgoing outlet of the dosing valve. The angle of the conical opening at the bottom of the replaceable cap 5 is equal to the angle at the apex of the lower, closing cone β = 45°. The diameter of the hemispherical channel is equal to the diameter of longitudinal section of the hollow of the main body 1. The conical opening of the replaceable cap 5 is co-axial to the cylindrical channel of the main body 1. The lower cone of the closing cap 4 is placed

axially-movable in the conical opening of the replaceable cap 5, which functions as a closure to the drain outlet of the dosing valve.

The main body 1 is mounted to the lower part of a liquid reservoir 6, so that the liquid passes easily from the reservoir 6 to the main body 1. The upper part of the stem 2 is placed axially-movable in the liquid reservoir 6 - Fig. 1.

The upper part of the stem 2 is welded to the cylindrical body 7, having a diameter larger than that of the stem 2. The cylindrical body 7 in its upper end is linked with the pneumatic-driving part 8, commanding the reciprocating movement of the cylindrical body 7 and the connected to it stem 2. A weight 9 enabling the closing of the valve is mounted under the pneumatic-driving part 8, to the cylindrical body 7. Under weight 9 the cylindrical body 7 is fixed axially-movable in guide 10, mounted to the upper part of reservoir 6. Upper 11 and lower 12 cleaning hoops are fixed to the guide 10. The cleaning hoops 11 and 12 envelop the cylindrical body 7.

Each of the guiding gills 3 (Fig.3) has stream-lined, drop-like shape and is composed of three parts which in a descending line are receiving 13, leading 14 and bottom part 15 (Fig.3). The leading parts 14 of the gills 3 touch the inner cylindrical surface of the hollow cylindrical body 1. In working position the leading parts of two opposite guiding gills close an angle γ = 60°.

The filling with different products (fluids) in different package is done by means of the dosing valve. For example - bottles fixed on assembly lines that are placed under the outgoing outlet of the dosing valve.