JPS6135080B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in a filling machine equipped with a vent tube.

1 to 3 will be described by taking as an example a case where a conventional filling machine equipped with this kind of vent tube uses a filling nozzle for gas-filled beverages. In FIG. 1, 1 is a filler bowl, 2 is a valve block attached to the bottom surface of the filler bowl 1, and 3 is a valve block that fits into a vertical hole 4 bored in the bottom wall of the filler bowl 1, The valve block 2 is a cylindrical spring case supported by a block 2. The valve block 2 has a liquid passage 5 communicating with the inside of the case 3, and a valve seat 6 above the liquid passage 5. A bottle mouth packing 7 is provided on the lower outer periphery of the bottle A to which the opening of the bottle A is pressed. The inside of the spring case 3 communicates with the inside of the filler bowl 1 through holes 8 and 9 formed therein.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a valve stem having a glass passage 11 on its shaft and a liquid valve 12 on its lower end surface, and a spring receiver 13 attached to the outer periphery of the middle upper part of the valve stem 10 is slidable into the spring case 3. to fit the liquid valve 12 into the valve seat 6.
and the spring receiver 13 and case 3
A spring 14 is loaded between the lower step and the lower step. The valve stem 10 is provided so that its upper end protrudes above the liquid level in the filler bowl 1, and this protrusion is connected to the charging valve body 1.
This valve body 1 is slidably fitted into the valve body 1.
5 is provided with a gas valve 16 facing the upper end surface of the valve stem 10, and a through hole 17 that is opened and closed by the outer peripheral surface of the valve stem 10 at a position below the gas valve 16, and furthermore, the valve body 15 is connected to the valve stem. A spring 18 is made elastic between 10 and 10. The valve body 15 is linked to a valve operating mechanism (not shown), and when the valve body 15 is pushed down against the valve stem 10 against the spring 18, the gas valve 16 is pressed against the upper end of the valve stem 10, and the gas passage 11 The pressurized gas space above the liquid level in the filler bowl 1, which communicates with this via the through hole 17, can be shut off. Further, when the valve body 15 is further pushed down from this state, the valve stem 10 is pushed down against the spring 14, and the liquid valve 12 is pressed against the valve seat 6, thereby blocking the liquid passage 5 and the filler bowl 1. can.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a vent tube whose upper end is screwed onto the shaft of the lower end face of the valve stem 10. The vent tube 19 has a gas passage 20 communicating with the gas passage 11 in its shaft, and also has an outer circumference at the middle part. A conical spreader 21 is attached to the holder, and a cylindrical body 22 is attached to the outer periphery of the lower end. 23 is a cylinder that covers the cylinder 22; 24 is a ring-shaped member attached to the inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the cylinder 23; 25 is a valve member attached to the inner peripheral surface of the lower end of the cylinder 23; A bent tube 19 is slidably passed through the shaft portion of the cylinder body 22 , and a spring 26 is elastically loaded between the ring-shaped member 24 and the cylinder body 22 .
The lower end surface of the valve member 25 is brought into elastic contact with the upper end surface of the valve member 25 to close the valve portion 27 that is normally formed between both end surfaces. Further, a ball valve 29 having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the inner cylindrical portion 22 and having a specific gravity larger than the filling liquid is housed in the valve chamber 28 formed in the inner cylindrical portion 22. The above gas passage 19
Valve seats 31 and 32 on which the ball valve 29 can be seated are formed at the lower end of the valve member 25 and at the upper end of a discharge passage 30 formed in the shaft of the valve member 25, respectively. A through hole 33 is bored in the upper part of the outer cylindrical part 23, so that when the valve part 27 is opened, the valve chamber 28 is opened between the valve part 27 and the gap between the inner and outer cylindrical parts 22, 23.
4 and a through hole 33 to enable communication with the outside.

Furthermore, 35 is a sniff block attached to the above-mentioned valve block, and 36 is a sniff plunger that is slidably inserted into the end face shaft portion of the above-mentioned sniff block 35, and the inside of the above-mentioned sniff block 35 and the liquid passage 5 are communicated through the sniff hole 37. Furthermore, the inside of the sniff block is communicated with the atmosphere through a groove 38 cut in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the sniff plunger 36. 39 is a spring housed in the sniff block 35; 40 is a valve provided on the sniff plunger 36; the spring 39 urges the sniff plunger 36 in one direction to press the valve 40 against the inner wall surface of the sniff block 35; This normally blocks communication between the inside of the snift block 35 and the groove 38.

However, before the start of filling, the charging valve body 15 is pushed down to the lowest position by the valve operating mechanism, so the gas valve 16 closes the gas passage 11 of the valve stem 10, and the liquid valve 12 closes to the valve seat. I am seated at 6. Furthermore, the snift plunger 36 is held in the illustrated position by a spring 39, and communication between the liquid passage 5 and the atmosphere is cut off. Furthermore, the valve portion 27 is closed, and the ball valve 29
is seated on the lower valve seat 32 due to its own weight.

When the opening of the bottle A is pressed against the bottle mouth gasket 7 from this state, the valve operating mechanism releases the downward force of the charging valve body 15. Then, the valve stem 10, which receives the pressure difference between the filler bowl 1 and the bottle A, does not move, and only the charging valve body 15 moves upward due to the elastic force of the spring 18. The high pressure gas that has been introduced flows into the valve chamber 28 via the through hole 17 and the gas passages 11 and 20. At this time, the ball valve 29 blocks the valve chamber 28 seated on the lower valve seat 32 from communicating with the passage 30, that is, the inside of the bottle A, but since the inside of the bottle A is at atmospheric pressure, the inside of the valve chamber 28 Due to the pressure difference between the gas pressure in the bottle A and the atmospheric pressure inside the bottle A, the outer cylinder 23 and the ring-shaped member 24
The valve member 25 is pushed down against the elastic force of the spring 26, and the valve portion 27 opens. Therefore, valve chamber 2
The gas that has flowed into the bottle A flows into the bottle A through the valve portion 27, the gap 34, and the through hole 33, increasing the pressure inside the bottle A.

In this way, the pressure inside bottle A increases and valve chamber 2
When the pressure difference between 8 and bottle A becomes smaller, the valve stem 10 is raised by the spring 14 and the liquid valve 12
is removed from the valve seat 6. As a result, the filling liquid in the filler bowl 1 flows into the bottle A via the holes 8 and 9, the inside of the spring case 3, the gap between the liquid valve 12 and the valve seat 6, and the liquid passage 5, and the filling liquid in the filler bowl 1 flows into the bottle A. When flowing into the bottle A, it is spread along the inner wall of the bottle A by the spreader 21, and is filled into the bottom of the bottle without generating bubbles. In the process of filling the bottle A with the filling liquid, the gas pressure in the upper space inside the bottle A increases as the filling liquid increases, and the gas in that space causes the ball valve 29 to rise slightly above the valve seat 32. (Fig. 1), passage 30, ball valve 29 and valve seat 3
2, the gap between the ball valve 29 and the inner wall surface of the cylinder body 22, the valve chamber 28, the gas passages 20 and 11, and the through hole 17, and escape onto the liquid level in the filler bowl 1.

As the filling liquid progresses, the liquid level in bottle A reaches valve member 2.
5 and closes the discharge passage 30,
At that moment, the ball valve 29 is instantly flipped up due to the pressure fluctuation inside the bottle A, and is seated on the upper valve seat 31 (FIG. 2). At this time, a portion of the filling liquid flows into the valve chamber 28 through the discharge passage 30. In this state, the upper space inside the bottle A is sealed and cannot be filled with any more liquid. Filling can be achieved to any desired level.

After filling is completed, when the charging valve body 15 is pushed down by the valve operating mechanism, the gas valve 16 is crimped to the upper end of the valve stem 10,
Then, the valve stem 10 is pushed down against the spring 14, and the liquid valve 12 is pressed against the valve seat 6.
The snift plunger 36 is designed to be inserted after this, and when inserted, the upper space inside the bottle A is filled with the snift hole 37, the inside of the snift block 35, the gap between the valve 40 and the inner wall surface of the snift block 35, and the groove 38. Because it communicates with the atmosphere through
The pressure in the upper space inside Pu A gradually decreases. When the pressure inside the bottle A decreases and the pressure difference between the valve chamber 28 and the gas passage 20 becomes smaller, the ball valve 29 falls due to its own weight and seats on the valve seat 32 below. Then, the pressure inside bottle A further decreases, and valve chamber 2
8. When the gas pressure in the gas passages 11, 20 increases, the gas in the valve chamber 28 and gas passages 11, 20 pushes open the valve part 27, filling the valve chamber 28, as shown in FIG. A portion of the liquid is blown out into the bottle A through the gap 34 and the through hole 33. The bottle A is then removed from the bottle mouth gasket 7, and the snift hole 37 is closed by the valve 40, completing the entire filling operation.

In the vent tube of the conventional filling machine described above, the gas passages 11, 20,
Alternatively, the inflow of the filling liquid into the valve chamber 28 can be minimized, and a part of the filling liquid that has flowed into the valve chamber 28 can be blown out into the bottle from the through hole 33 which is sufficiently far away from the liquid level. This has the advantage of preventing the liquid level from being disturbed during sniffing and from causing foaming. However, on the other hand, with this vent tube, the valve part 2
7 is provided so that the gas passage can be opened and closed, and a valve seat 32 is formed below the ball valve 29 at a position close to the liquid level at the end of filling the filling liquid, and the gas passage is 32 is folded upward from the vicinity of the liquid surface and communicates with the inside of the bottle at a position away from the liquid level, which not only complicates the structure and makes cleaning and sterilization difficult, but also makes gas This has the disadvantage that the passage becomes complicated and the filling speed becomes slow. Also,
Due to the structure of the gas passage, the filling liquid tends to remain in the valve chamber 28, and depending on factors such as the type of liquid, the diameter of the discharge passage 30, and the pressure of the gas in the filler bowl 1, the filling liquid may also remain in the discharge passage 30. The filling liquid may remain, and this residual filling liquid often causes the ball valve 29 to jump up and sit on the valve seat 31 while the filling liquid is being filled into the bottle. Malfunctions were occurring, such as not being able to fill the tank.

In view of these problems, the present invention has a vent tube that has a simple structure, prevents liquid from remaining in the valve chamber and discharge passage, and eliminates the risk of malfunction caused by residual liquid. The present invention proposes a filling machine with a vent tube provided with a passage that communicates the valve chamber with the discharge passage.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.
In FIG. 4, the vent tube 19 is connected to the valve chamber 2.
8. Ball valve 29 housed within this valve chamber 28;
A pair of valve seats 31 and 3 formed above and below the valve chamber 28
2, and a discharge passage 30 connected to the lower valve seat 32
The outer diameter of the ball valve 29 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the valve chamber 28, and its specific gravity is set to be larger than the specific gravity of the filling liquid. Such a configuration is basically the same as the conventional one.

However, in the present invention, the valve chamber 28 and the discharge passage 30
The vent tube 19 serves as a passage to communicate with the vent tube 19.
A detour passage 42 is bored in the detour passage 4.
2, the valve chamber 28 and the discharge passage 30 are always communicated with each other regardless of the position of the ball valve 29. Note that 43 is a horizontal hole bored in the side wall of the valve chamber 28, and other configurations are the same as those of the conventional one.

In the filling nozzle equipped with the vent tube having the above configuration, when the opening of the bottle A is pressed against the bottle mouth packing 7 from the state before the start of filling, the gas valve is opened and the gas in the filler bowl 1 is opened. Pressure is led from the gas passages 11, 20 to the valve chamber 28, and from there into the bottle A via the passage 42, the path of the discharge passage 30, and the path of the lateral hole 43. When the pressure difference between bottle A and filler bowl 1 becomes smaller, spring 14 opens liquid valve 12 and fills bottle A with the liquid in filler bowl 1, causing the gas in bottle A to As the filling liquid is filled, the valve chamber 28 flows through the discharge passage 30 and the passage 42 and through the side hole 43. At this time, depending on the filling speed and the diameter of the passage, the ball valve 29 may become a valve. In some cases, the valve body 32 slightly floats up from the seat 32, and gas flows into the valve chamber 28 through a gap created by the floatation. The gas flowing into the valve chamber 28 escapes onto the liquid surface of the filler bowl 1 via the gas passage 11 etc.
Liquid filling can be performed continuously (4th
figure).

The liquid level of the filling liquid filled in the bottle A is the discharge passage 3
When the lower opening of bottle A is closed and the liquid level is thereby detected, the pressure inside bottle A changes instantaneously, causing ball valve 29 to flip up. As shown in FIG. 5, it is seated on the upper valve seat 31 and blocks the flow of gas escaping from inside the bottle A onto the liquid level in the filler bowl 1, thereby preventing the filling liquid from filling into the bottle A. make it stop. At this time, from the discharge passage 30 to the valve chamber 28
The filling liquid that has flowed into the bottle A is returned to the bottle A through the passage 42, and the inside of the bottle A and the inside of the valve chamber 28 are in communication with each other via the detour passage 42 and the horizontal hole 43.
The liquid level in the discharge passage 30 is at the same level as the liquid level in the bottle A.

Next, after closing the gas valve 16 and the liquid valve 12, when the snift hole 37 is opened to the atmosphere, the gas pressure inside the bottle A decreases and the ball valve 29
falls onto the valve seat 32, but since the valve chamber 28 and the discharge passage 30 communicate with each other via the detour passage 42, some of the gas in the gas passages 11 and 20 is discharged through the detour passage 42. It is discharged from the passage 30. Therefore, depending on factors such as liquid viscosity and passage diameter, the valve chamber 2
8. A portion of the filling liquid remaining in the discharge passage 30 is also discharged together with this gas flow, so that the ball valve 29 is not affected by the residual liquid.
When the pressure inside the bottle A becomes approximately atmospheric pressure, the bottle A is removed from the bottle mouth cap 7, the snift hole 37 is closed, and the filling operation is completed.

The horizontal hole 43 formed in the side wall of the valve chamber 28 is not necessarily necessary to achieve the basic function of the vent tube. However, if the filling liquid has foaming properties, vigorous foaming will occur if all the gas is discharged from the discharge passage 30, so it is preferable to discharge part of the gas from the horizontal hole 43, which does not affect foaming. The horizontal hole 43 also serves to shorten the time required to bring the pressures in the filler bowl 1 and the bottle A to the same pressure, thereby contributing to shortening the total filling time. More importantly, this lateral hole 43 makes the actuation (jumping) of the ball valve 29 easier. That is, when filling with liquid, the gas in the bottle A escapes from the side hole 43 through the valve chamber 28, but the gas flow at this time gives a certain buoyancy to the ball valve 29 in the valve chamber 28, and this buoyancy causes the ball valve 29 to
make it easier to jump up. Since this buoyant force obviously depends on the flow velocity of the gas flow around the ball valve 29, the horizontal hole 43 is preferably provided at a lower stable position side of the ball valve 29 or at a lower position than by providing the horizontal hole 43 at a position above the ball valve 29. is preferred. This is because, when provided at an upper position, the influence of the gas flow will not reach the ball valve 29 unless the hole diameter is made small and the flow velocity in that portion is increased.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show other examples of setting the passage that communicates the valve chamber 28 of the vent tube 19 with the discharge passage 30. In Figure 7,
A hole is formed in a portion of the periphery of the valve seat 32 below the valve chamber 28, and this hole serves as a passage 42 that communicates the valve chamber 28 and the discharge passage 30. Also, Figure 8 shows the valve chamber 28.
By inserting and fixing the spring pin 44 in the lower part, the ball valve 29 is prevented from seating on the lower valve seat 32, and the ball valve 29 and the valve chamber 2 are
8 and the valve seat 32, the valve chamber 28 and the discharge passage 30 communicate with each other. Of course, the spring pin 44 can be replaced with another baffle member such as a wire mesh. Furthermore, FIG. 9 shows an example in which the discharge passage 30 is opened to the valve chamber 28 in a position where it is not blocked by the ball valve 29, and this example requires special processing or parts. The discharge passage 30 and the valve chamber 28 can be communicated without any trouble. A vent tube with these configurations has a discharge passage 30 similar to the previously described device.
When the ball valve 29 is blocked by the liquid level
Since the valve springs up and seats on the valve seat 31, the escape route for the gas in the liquid supply container can be closed, and the filling liquid that has entered the valve chamber 28 and the discharge passage 30 communicates with the valve chamber and the discharge passage. Since the liquid is discharged from each of the passages, malfunctions caused by residual liquid can be prevented.

Next, FIGS. 10 and 11 show an example in which this vent tube is applied to a quantitative filling machine. The filling liquid is guided from the filler tank 51 to the bottom of the cylinder 53 via the liquid supply pipe 52, and is fed to the cylinder 53 by the liquid supply pressure applied to the liquid level of the filler tank 1.
It gradually fills inside. The vent tube of the present invention is provided at the top of this cylinder 53.
That is, the vent tube 19, the valve chamber 28, the ball valve 29, the discharge passage 30, the valve seats 31, 32, the bypass passage 42, and the horizontal hole 43 are the same components as in the embodiment shown in FIG. The gas passage 20 communicates with an exhaust pipe 54. In this device, when the discharge passage 30 is blocked by the liquid level, pressure fluctuations inside the cylinder 53 cause the ball valve 29 to close.
sits on the valve seat 31 and blocks the outlet of the air inside the cinder 53, so that subsequent liquid supply is stopped. Since the filling liquid that has entered the valve chamber 28 and the discharge passage 42 is discharged together with the air flow passing through the passage 42, there is no possibility that the next ball valve 29 will malfunction. It is clear that a vent tube having the configuration shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 can be used in this filling machine.

As is clear from the above embodiments, the vent tube according to the present invention can be applied not only to filling machines for gas-filled beverages but also to various other filling machines or liquid processing devices.

As described above, according to the vent tube of the present invention, the structure can be significantly simplified compared to the conventional one, and since the gas passage is simple, the liquid supply speed can be increased, and In particular, in the present invention, since it is possible to prevent liquid from remaining in the valve chamber housing the ball valve and the discharge passage connected thereto, it is possible to prevent the ball valve from clogging the gas passage during filling, making it impossible to fill the gas. This provides an excellent effect of preventing malfunctions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 show a filling nozzle equipped with a conventional vent tube, with Figure 1 being a longitudinal cross-sectional view, and Figures 2 and 3 being cross-sections of essential parts showing different states from Figure 1. 4 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the main part, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views showing different states from FIG. 4. be. FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 are cross-sectional views of essential parts showing other examples of setting the valve seat of the valve chamber formed in the vent tube, the discharge passage, and the passage that communicates the valve chamber and the discharge passage, respectively; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the main part when the vent tube according to the present invention is used in a quantitative filling machine, and FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the XI section in FIG. 10. 19...Vent tube, 20...Gas passage,
28...Valve chamber, 29...Ball valve, 30...
Discharge passage, 31, 32... valve seat, 42... passage.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gas passage, a valve chamber, and a discharge passage closed by the detection liquid level are sequentially formed in the vent tube,
A ball valve made of a material having a specific gravity higher than that of the detection liquid is housed in the valve chamber, and a vent tube is provided between the gas passage and the valve chamber with a valve seat on which the ball valve can be seated; A filling machine equipped with a vent tube, characterized in that a passage is formed at a lower position above the discharge passage of the ball valve to communicate the bottom of the valve chamber with the discharge passage. 2. The vent tube according to claim 1, wherein the passage that communicates the valve chamber and the discharge passage is constituted by a bypass passage that bypasses the lower valve seat of the ball valve formed between the valve chamber and the discharge passage. Equipped with a filling machine. 3. The passage as set forth in claim 1, wherein the passage communicating the valve chamber and the discharge passage is formed by partially cutting off the lower valve seat of the ball valve formed between the valve chamber and the discharge passage. Filling machine with vent tube. 4. A baffle member such as a pin or a mesh body is disposed within the valve chamber, and this baffle member prevents the ball valve from seating on the lower valve seat formed between the valve chamber and the discharge passage, thereby separating the valve chamber and the discharge passage. A filling machine equipped with a vent tube according to claim 1, which secures a communication passage. 5. A filling machine equipped with a vent tube according to claim 1, in which the valve chamber and the discharge passage communicate with each other by opening the discharge passage into the valve chamber at a position where the discharge passage is not blocked by the ball valve. . 6. A filling machine equipped with a vent tube according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a side wall of the valve chamber is further provided with a horizontal hole for communicating the valve chamber with the outside. 7. A filling machine equipped with a vent tube according to claim 6, wherein the horizontal hole is located at or below the lower stable position side of the ball valve.