JP5359717B2 - Filling valve - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a liquid from dripping from the tip of a nozzle 6 after filling is completed. <P>SOLUTION: There are provided a valve housing 4 having a liquid passage 2 formed inside and the nozzle 6 formed to connect with the end of the valve housing. A first valve element 20 capable of seating on a first valve seat 22 on an internal surface of the valve housing 4 opens/closes the liquid passage 2, and in addition a second valve element 36 provided on a rod 34 liftably inserted into the first valve element 20 is inserted into the nozzle 6, so that a liquid passage 10 can be opened/closed below the first valve element 20. After the first valve element 20 is seated on the first valve seat 22 and the second valve element 36 is inserted into the nozzle 6 to have the liquid passages 2 and 10 closed, and thus the filling is completed, the second valve element 36 is slightly moved up. Capacity on an outlet of the nozzle 6 increases to have remaining filler liquid sucked, preventing it from dripping. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a filling valve that fills a container with liquid, and more particularly to a filling valve that prevents liquid remaining at the tip of a nozzle from dripping after filling.

  A filling valve that prevents the occurrence of dripping is conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The “large-flow filling valve” described in Patent Document 1 is connected to a supply cylinder in which a supply passage is formed in a side portion of a case body in which a cylindrical filling chamber is formed, and in a lower portion. A nozzle cylinder having a passage space formed therein is provided, and a cylinder case is attached to the upper part. A seat receiving surface is formed in the lower portion of the filling chamber and communicates with the passage space of the nozzle cylinder through a filling port in the seat receiving surface. In this filling chamber, a first valve body that is lifted and lowered via a valve cylinder by a valve body drive cylinder provided in the cylinder case is disposed, and the first valve body abuts against the seat receiving surface at the lower limit. The filling port can be closed.

  A shaft center hole is formed in the shaft center portion of the valve cylinder, and a valve housing hole is formed in the first valve body continuously to the shaft center hole. The valve shaft and the tip portion thereof are provided in the shaft center hole and the valve housing hole. The integrally formed second valve body is housed and is driven out and withdrawn by a valve body drive cylinder provided in the upper cylinder case. In the filling valve according to the invention described in Patent Document 1, after the first valve body is pressed against the seating surface and fully closed, the second valve body is moved backward to make the passage space have a negative pressure. I try to prevent anyone.

JP 2000-229602 A

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, after the first valve body is pressed against the valve receiving surface to complete the filling, the second valve body provided in the first valve body is retreated upward to move into the nozzle cylinder. Since the negative pressure state is maintained, dripping can be prevented. However, the sliding portion between the first valve body and the valve cylinder and the valve shaft and the second valve body inserted through the shaft center hole and the valve housing hole formed in the first valve body and the valve cylinder are in the passage of the filling liquid. Since it is exposed, there is a problem that sanitary properties may be impaired.

  The present invention includes a valve housing having a liquid passage formed therein, a nozzle provided at a lower portion of the valve housing, and a first valve body that can be seated on a first valve seat formed on an inner surface of the liquid passage. A second valve body, which is inserted in the first valve body so as to be movable up and down, and capable of opening and closing the liquid passage below the first valve body, first driving means for operating the first valve body, A second driving means for operating the second valve body and a bellows covering between the first valve body and the second valve body are provided, and the liquid passage is closed by the first valve body to complete the filling. Thereafter, the second valve body is retracted upward to increase the volume in the nozzle.

  The liquid passage is closed by the first valve body, and the liquid passage is closed by the second valve body below the first valve body, and then the suck back that raises the second valve body and expands the volume in the nozzle is performed. By doing so, it is possible to prevent dripping from the tip of the nozzle after completion of filling. Moreover, since the space between the first valve body and the second valve body is covered with a bellows and the valve-side sliding portion and the liquid passage are shut off, sanitary properties can be improved.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a filling valve, and particularly shows a state where filling is performed at a large flow rate. Example 1 FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the liquid valve of the filling valve according to this embodiment is closed. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the filling valve according to this embodiment is filled at a small flow rate. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where suck back is performed after the filling is completed with the filling valve according to this embodiment.

  A liquid supply pipe for supplying a filling liquid into the liquid passage is connected to a side portion of the valve housing in which a liquid passage is formed, and the liquid supply is performed via a nozzle provided continuously at the lower end of the valve housing. The filling liquid supplied from the tube is filled into the container. A first valve body is disposed in the valve housing and is moved up and down by the first driving means. The first valve body is seated on and separated from the first valve seat formed on the inner surface of the liquid passage. As a result, the liquid passage is opened and closed. A second valve body is inserted into the first valve body so as to be movable up and down, and is moved up and down by the second drive means, and opens and closes the liquid passage below the first valve body. After the first valve body and the second valve body are respectively seated and the liquid passage is closed, the volume in the nozzle is increased by raising the second valve body, so that it remains in the nozzle after completion of filling. The purpose of preventing the filling liquid from flowing down is achieved.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. A filling valve according to this embodiment (indicated by reference numeral 1 as a whole) includes a valve housing 4 in which a passage 2 for filling liquid is formed. This valve housing 4 has an upper large-diameter portion 4a and a tapered portion 4b that tapers downward from the upper large-diameter portion 4a. Further, a small-diameter nozzle 6 continues to the lower end of the tapered portion 4b. Are integrally formed. A liquid supply port 8 is provided in the side wall of the upper large diameter portion 4a of the valve housing 4, and a liquid supply pipe (not shown) connected to the filling liquid tank is connected to the liquid supply port 8. At the time of filling, the filling liquid sent from the filling liquid tank is supplied into the liquid passage 2 through the liquid supply port 8. The filling liquid supplied into the valve housing 4 passes from the liquid passage 2 in the large diameter portion 4a and the taper portion 4b to the liquid passage in the lower nozzle 6 (the portion in the nozzle of the liquid passage 2 is indicated by reference numeral 10). And filled in a container (not shown) supplied downward.

  A cylinder housing 12 is fixed to the upper end of the valve housing 4, and first driving means (first air cylinder 13) is provided in the fixed cylinder housing 12. The first air cylinder 13 includes a first piston 16 slidably accommodated in a circular space 14 formed in the fixed cylinder housing 12. The first piston 16 is integrally provided on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical member 18 that is arranged to be movable up and down at the axial center of the filling valve 1, and the entire cylindrical member 18 is moved by the vertical movement of the first piston 16. Goes up and down. The upper portion of the cylindrical member 18 protrudes upward through the upper wall surface 12 a of the fixed cylinder housing 12, and the lower portion extends through the lower wall surface 12 b of the fixed cylinder housing 12 into the valve housing 4. Yes. The circular space 14 in the fixed cylinder housing 12 is partitioned by the first piston 16 into an upper pressure chamber 14A on the upper side and a lower pressure chamber 14B on the lower side, via the upper air passage 14Aa and the lower air passage 14Ba. Pressure air is supplied and discharged respectively. While supplying pressure air to one of these pressure chambers 14A and 14B and discharging air from the other, the first piston 16 and the cylindrical member 18 are moved up and down.

  A large diameter portion 18a is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical member 18, and an annular valve body (hereinafter referred to as the first valve body 20) is attached to the outer periphery of the lower end of the large diameter portion 18a. When the first piston 16 and the cylindrical member 18 are moved up and down, the first valve body 20 comes into contact with the inner surface of the tapered portion 4b and is separated to cut off the communication of the liquid passage 2. The first fluid valve 24 is configured by the first valve body 20 and the inner surface of the tapered portion 4b of the valve housing 4 (the portion where the first valve body 20 abuts on the inner surface is the first valve seat 22). . A slightly larger diameter portion 16 a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 18 above the first piston 16, and this large diameter portion 16 a hits the lower surface of the upper wall surface 12 a of the fixed cylinder housing 12. The rising limit of one piston 16 is restricted. Further, the lower limit of the first piston 16 is regulated by the first valve body 20 being seated on the first valve seat 22.

  A movable cylinder housing 26 is attached to the upper end of the cylindrical member 18 protruding upward from the upper wall surface 12 a of the fixed cylinder housing 12. A second drive means (second air cylinder 27) is provided on the lower side of the movable cylinder housing 26, and a third drive means (third air cylinder 29) is provided on the upper side. In the movable cylinder housing 26, two upper and lower circular spaces 28 and 30 are formed. A second piston 32 constituting the second air cylinder 27 is fitted in the lower circular space 28 so as to be slidable up and down. The lower circular space 28 in which the second piston 32 is accommodated is divided into an upper pressure chamber 28A and a lower pressure chamber 28B by the second piston 32, and the upper and lower pressure chambers 28A, 28B In addition, pressure air is supplied and discharged by the upper air passage 28Aa and the lower air passage 28Ba, respectively. The second piston 32 is moved up and down by supplying pressure air to one of the pressure chambers 28A and 28B and discharging air from the other. A rod 34 is provided on the lower surface side of the second piston 32, and this rod 34 penetrates the bottom wall surface 26 a of the movable cylinder housing 26 and the inside of the cylindrical member 18 fixed to the bottom wall surface 26 a. As the second piston 32 moves up and down, the lifting rod 34 moves up and down inside the cylindrical member 18. A step portion 28a is formed near the upper portion of the circular space 28 in which the second piston 32 is accommodated, and the rising limit of the second piston 32 is restricted by the step portion 28a. The means for restricting the lowering limit of the second piston 32 will be described later.

  A second valve body 36 is provided at the lower end portion of the elevating rod 34 protruding from the lower end of the cylindrical member 18. The second valve body 36 has a portion 36a having a larger diameter than the upper lifting rod 34 and a conical portion 36b below the portion 36a. The nozzle 6 provided in the lower portion of the valve housing 4 has a liquid passage 10 formed therein, and the inner surface of the nozzle 6 forming the liquid passage 10 has an upper small-diameter hole portion 6a and a lower portion thereof. It is provided with an enlarged diameter portion 6b that is provided and has an inner diameter that gradually increases downward, and a large diameter hole portion 6c that is continuous with the lower end thereof. The outer diameter of the large-diameter portion 36a of the second valve body 36 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the small-diameter hole 6a formed in the upper part of the inner surface of the nozzle 6, and the second piston 32 and the lifting rod 34 are lowered. When the second valve body 36 is fitted into the small diameter hole 6a in the nozzle 6, the liquid passage 2 in the upper tapered portion 4b and the liquid passage 10 in the nozzle are blocked. A second liquid valve 38 is constituted by the second valve body 36 and the upper portion of the small-diameter hole 6a in the nozzle. A plurality (three in this embodiment) of mesh screens 40 are attached in the lower portion (large diameter hole portion 6c) of the liquid passage 10 in the nozzle 6. A mesh screen 40 is also attached to the outlet of the nozzle 6 (the lower end of the nozzle).

  The upper end of the filling liquid passage 2 in the valve housing 4, the outer peripheral surface of the first valve body 20, and the outer peripheral surface of the second valve body 36 are covered with a bellows 42. The upper end 42 a of the bellows 42 is sandwiched between the inner surface of the upper end portion of the valve housing 4 and the step portion formed on the lower surface side of the lower wall surface 12 b of the fixed cylinder housing 12, and the intermediate portion 42 b is the first valve body 20. Is fitted into an annular groove 18b formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 18a, and the lower end portion 42c is fixed to the upper portion of the second valve body 36. Thus, by covering with the bellows 42, the sliding part of the cylindrical member 18 and the raising / lowering rod 34 in the inside, and the penetration formed in the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 18, and the bottom wall surface 12b of the fixed cylinder housing 12 are formed. A sliding portion with the inner surface of the hole 12 c is blocked from the liquid passage 2.

  A third piston 44 constituting the third air cylinder 29 is fitted in the circular space 30 above the movable cylinder housing 26 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The upper circular space 30 is divided into an upper pressure chamber 30A and a lower pressure chamber 30B by the third piston 44, and the upper air passage 30Aa and the lower air passage 30Ba are located in the upper and lower pressure chambers 30A, 30B. Thus, the pressure air is supplied and discharged respectively. The third piston 44 is moved up and down by supplying pressure air to one of the pressure chambers 30A and 30B and discharging air from the other. A cylindrical portion 46 is provided at the center of the lower surface side of the third piston 44 and penetrates through the partition wall 26b that partitions the lower circular space 28 and the upper circular space 30, and the lower circular space. 28 (in the second cylinder 27).

  A mechanism (hereinafter referred to as a suck back amount adjusting mechanism 47) for adjusting a suck back amount, which will be described later, is provided on the upper portion of the third piston 44. A plurality of connecting members 48 are provided on the upper surface of the third piston 44 and extend upward through a vertical hole 26 ca formed in the upper wall surface 26 c of the movable cylinder housing 26. A horizontal mounting member 50 is fixed to the upper ends of the upright connecting members 48. An operation screw 52 is screwed into a screw hole formed at the center of the horizontal mounting member 50. An engagement leg portion 54 is attached to the lower end of the operation screw 52 in the vertical direction, and the height of the lower end of the engagement leg portion 54 can be changed by operating the operation screw 52. On the other hand, a stopper 56 is disposed on the upper surface of the upper wall surface 26 c of the movable cylinder housing 26, and the lower end of the third piston 44 can be restricted by the tip (lower end) of the engaging leg 54 coming into contact with the stopper 56. it can. As a result, the position of the lower end surface 46a of the columnar portion 46 provided on the lower surface of the third piston 44 can be adjusted by changing the height of the lower end of the engagement leg portion 54 by operating the operation screw 52. .

  A screw hole 26cb is formed at the center of the upper wall surface 26c of the movable cylinder housing 26, and an adjustment nut 58 for restricting the lowering limit of the second piston 32 is screwed into the screw hole 26cb. The height with respect to the movable cylinder housing 26 can be changed by rotating the adjustment nut 58 by the rotation operation portion 58a at the upper end. An insertion hole is formed through the adjustment nut 58, a portion below the adjustment nut 58 of the upper wall surface 26c of the movable cylinder housing 26, the third piston 44, and a cylindrical portion 46 provided therebelow. The adjustment shaft 60 is inserted through the insertion holes vertically. The lower end of the adjustment shaft 60 extends below the cylindrical portion 46, and the lower end is connected to the upper surface of the second piston 32. The upper end of the adjustment shaft 60 extends above the adjustment nut 58, and a head 60a is formed at the upper end. Therefore, when the second piston 32 is lowered, the adjustment shaft 60 connected to the upper end of the second piston 32 is integrally lowered, and the lower surface of the head 60a of the adjustment shaft 60 comes into contact with the upper surface of the operation portion 58a of the adjustment nut 58. And the lower limit of the 2nd valve body 36 connected with the lower end is controlled.

  In the paragraph “0014”, it has been described that when the second piston 32 moves up, the rising limit of the second piston 32 is regulated by the step portion 28a of the circular space 28 on the lower side. However, since the cylindrical portion 46 is formed on the lower surface of the third piston 44, when the third piston 44 is raised, the second piston 32 is raised to the step portion 28a, but the third piston 44 is lowered. In this case, the second piston 32 does not move up to the stepped portion 28a but stops by hitting the lower surface 46a of the cylindrical portion 46.

  The operation of the filling valve 1 according to the above configuration will be described. At the time of starting filling, the pistons 16, 32, 44 of the first, second, third cylinders 13, 27, 29 are lowered as shown in FIG. At this time, pressure air is introduced into the upper pressure chamber 14A of the first cylinder 13 and the lower pressure chamber 14B is opened to lower the first piston 16. As the first piston 16 descends, the tubular member 18 descends and the first valve body 20 provided at the lower end of the tubular member 18 is seated on the first valve seat 22 on the inner surface of the tapered portion 4b of the valve housing 4, The passage 2 is blocked. Further, pressure air is also introduced into the upper pressure chamber 28A of the second cylinder 27, and the second piston 32 is also lowered. A second valve body 36 is connected to the second piston 32 via an elevating rod 34, and the second valve body 36 is inserted into the liquid passage 10 in the nozzle 6, and this liquid passage 10 is connected to the valve housing 4. It is blocked from the liquid passage 2 inside. Further, pressure air is also introduced into the upper pressure chamber 30 </ b> A of the third cylinder 30 to lower the third piston 44. The lower end of the third piston 44 is restricted by the lower end of the leg portion 54 of the suck back amount adjusting mechanism 47 connected to the upper side of the third piston 44 hitting a stopper 56 provided on the upper surface of the movable cylinder housing 26.

  In the filling valve 1 of this embodiment, most of the set filling amount is filled with a large flow rate (the state shown in FIG. 1), and thereafter, the remainder of the set filling amount is filled with a small flow rate. First, the first liquid valve 24 is opened and the second liquid valve 38 is opened largely. In this case, air is introduced into the lower pressure chamber 14B of the first cylinder 13 and the air in the upper pressure chamber 14A is discharged. Then, the first piston 16 and the cylindrical member 18 are raised, and the first valve body 20 provided at the lower end of the cylindrical member 18 is separated from the first valve seat 22 to open the first liquid valve 24. . The first piston 16, the cylindrical member 18, and the first valve body 20 have a limit of rise when the slightly large diameter portion 16 a formed on the upper surface of the first piston 16 hits the lower surface of the upper wall surface 12 a of the fixed cylinder housing 12. It is prescribed.

  When the first piston 16 and the cylindrical member 18 rise, the movable cylinder housing 26 fixed to the upper end thereof rises as a unit. Pressure air is introduced into the lower pressure chamber 28B of the second cylinder 27 in the raised movable cylinder housing 26, and air in the upper pressure chamber 28A is discharged. When the second piston 32 rises due to the supply / discharge of air to / from the second cylinder 27, the elevating rod 34 and the second valve body 36 at the lower end thereof rise as a unit and escape upward from the liquid passage 10 inside the nozzle 6. Since the second piston 32 is raised while the movable cylinder housing 26 is raised as described above, the second valve body 36 is greatly raised, and the second liquid valve 38 is opened at a large opening. The second piston 32 hits a stepped portion 28a formed on the inner peripheral surface on the upper pressure chamber 28A side, and the rise limit is regulated (the third piston 44 is also raised, as will be described below. 32 rises to the stepped portion 28a). Furthermore, pressure air is introduced into the lower pressure chamber 30B of the third cylinder 29 and air is discharged from the upper pressure chamber 30A. The third piston 44 is lifted, and the upper surface of the third piston 44 hits the lower surface of the upper wall surface 26c of the movable cylinder housing 26, and the rising limit is restricted. Thus, when both the 2nd piston 32 and the 3rd piston 44 moved to the position which raised most, the space | interval of the lower end surface 46a of the cylindrical part 46 provided in the lower surface of the 3rd piston 44, and the upper surface of the 2nd piston 32. Is larger as shown in FIG.

  As described above, when the first valve body 20 is raised and the first liquid valve 24 is opened, and the second valve body 36 of the second liquid valve 38 is far away from the upper end of the nozzle 6, a large flow rate can be filled. Done. In this state, most of the set filling amount (for example, 95%) filled in the container is filled. Thus, since the flow rate is controlled in two stages of the first liquid valve 24 and the second liquid valve 38, accurate filling is possible even with a large flow rate. Needless to say, the amount to be filled by filling a large flow rate is not limited to the above numerical value.

  After a predetermined amount of filling is performed at a large flow rate, switching to a small flow rate filling is performed. When switching to filling with a small flow rate, as shown in FIG. 3, the first piston 16 is raised while air is introduced into the lower pressure chamber 14B. The upper pressure chambers 28A and 30A of the upper second cylinder 27 and the third cylinder 29 in the state where the first valve body 20 is separated from the valve seat 22 and the first fluid valve 24 is opened as described above. The pressure air is introduced into the second piston 32 and the third piston 44 to lower. When the second piston 32 is lowered, the second valve body 36 at the lower end thereof is lowered to approach the liquid passage 10 in the nozzle 6 and the opening of the second liquid valve 38 is reduced. The opening degree of the second liquid valve 38 is determined by the head 60a of the adjustment shaft 60 connected to the upper surface of the second piston 32 being in contact with the upper surface of the operation portion 58a of the adjustment nut 58. It is set by restricting the descent limit of. Further, the third piston 44 of the third cylinder 29 is lowered so that the lower limit is regulated by the leg portion 54 of the suck back amount adjusting mechanism 47 hitting the stopper 56 provided on the upper surface of the movable cylinder housing 26. At this time, a slight gap is formed between the lower end surface 46 a of the cylindrical portion 46 provided on the lower surface side of the third piston 44 and the upper surface of the second piston 32. In this way, filling is performed at a flow rate set by the opening degree of the second liquid valve 38, and the remaining amount of a preset filling amount is filled. When the set filling amount is filled in the container by filling the large flow rate and filling the small flow rate, the filling is finished.

  When the filling is finished, air is introduced into the upper pressure chamber 14A of the first cylinder 13 from the state where the small flow rate filling shown in FIG. The air in the lower pressure chamber 14B is discharged. Then, the first piston 16 descends, and the first valve body 20 provided at the lower end of the cylindrical member 18 is seated on the first valve seat 22 on the inner surface of the filling liquid passage 2 to close the liquid passage 2. When the first piston 20 is lowered, the movable cylinder housing 26 fixed to the upper end of the cylindrical member 18 is also lowered integrally. As a result, the second piston 32 located at the same position in the movable cylinder housing 26 as when filling a small flow rate (see FIG. 3) is lowered with respect to the lower valve housing 4. When the second piston 32 is lowered, the second valve body 36 provided at the lower end of the lifting rod 34 is inserted into the liquid passage 10 on the inner surface of the nozzle 6 to close the second liquid valve 38. The third piston 44 is also at the same position as the small cylinder with respect to the movable cylinder housing 26, and the lower surface 46 a of the cylindrical portion 46 provided on the lower surface of the third piston 44 and the upper surface of the second piston 32. Is also slightly the same as at the time of filling with a small flow rate (see FIG. 3), and is opposed at a short distance. When the first liquid valve 24 and the second liquid valve 38 are closed in this manner, the state shown in FIG. 2 is restored.

  After both the first liquid valve 24 and the second liquid valve 38 are closed and filling is completed, suck back is performed to prevent dripping from the tip of the nozzle 6. At this time, the first piston 16 and the third piston 44 remain in the lowered positions as in the closing of the liquid valves 24 and 36 (see FIG. 2), and the lower piston 28B of the second cylinder 27 is placed in the lower pressure chamber 28B. While introducing air, the air of the upper pressure chamber 28A is discharged. Thus, when air is introduced into the lower pressure chamber 28B, the second piston 32 rises, but the lower end 46a of the cylindrical portion 46 of the third piston 44 is stopped at a position close to the upper side of the second piston 32. Therefore, the second piston 32 slightly rises to a position regulated by the cylindrical portion 46. Since the rising amount of the second valve body 36 is slight, the second valve body 36 slightly rises in the liquid passage 10 without escaping from the liquid passage 10 inside the nozzle 6. When the second valve body 36 rises in the liquid passage 10 in the nozzle 6, the volume in the nozzle 6 expands to a negative pressure state, and the filling liquid remaining in the nozzle 6 at the end of filling is sucked and held. It will not fall as a dripping liquid.

2 Liquid passage 4 Valve housing 6 Nozzle 10 Liquid passage (Liquid passage of nozzle)
13 First drive means (first cylinder)
20 1st valve body 22 1st valve seat 27 2nd drive means (2nd cylinder)
36 Second valve body

Claims (1)

A valve housing having a liquid passage formed therein, a nozzle provided at a lower portion of the valve housing, a first valve body seated on a first valve seat formed on an inner surface of the liquid passage, and the first valve body A second valve body, which is inserted into the valve body so as to be movable up and down, and capable of opening and closing the liquid passage below the first valve body; first driving means for operating the first valve body; and the second valve body A second drive means for operating the bellows, and a bellows covering between the first valve body and the second valve body,
The filling valve is characterized in that after the liquid passage is closed by the first valve body and the filling is completed, the second valve body is retracted upward to increase the volume in the nozzle.

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