Filling valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10647562-B2
Application number	US-201515512655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Sep 18, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A filling valve includes a valve seat, an axially-movable valve tappet extending through the valve seat and having an axial portion that defines a product-delivery space through which filling product flows, and axially-displaced first and second seal-seats disposed so that liquid product flows from the first seal-set, through the product-delivery space, to the second seal-seat and out through an outlet. The first seal-seat and the second seal-seat are arranged on the valve tappet in such a way that, in response to a closing movement of the valve tappet, the first seal-seat closes before the second seal-seat, and wherein the first seal-seat, after having been closed as a result of the closing movement, permits further axial movement of the valve tappet to permit closing of the second seal-seat.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a filling valve, said filling valve comprising a valve seat, an axially-movable valve tappet extending through said valve seat and having an axial portion that defines a product-delivery space through which filling product flows, first seal-elements that cooperate to form a first seal-seat in response to axial movement of said valve tappet towards an opening of said filling valve, and second seal-elements that cooperate to form a second seal-seat, said second seal-seat being disposed downstream from said first seal-seat at an outlet end of said filling valve so that liquid product flows from said first seal-seat, through said product-delivery space, to said second seal-seat, wherein said first seal-elements comprise an elastic seal-element disposed to be deformed by axial movement of said valve tappet following formation of said first seal-seat, wherein said first seal-seat and said second seal-seat are fixed to said valve tappet in such a way that, in response to a closing movement of said valve tappet, said first seal-seat closes before said second seal-seat, and wherein said first seal-seat, after having been closed as a result of said closing movement, permits further axial movement of said valve tappet to permit closing of said second seal-seat.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first seal-elements comprise an axially-displaceable seal-element that is arranged such that axial movement of said valve tappet drives axial displacement of said axially-displaceable seal element toward said opening of said filling valve.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said elastic seal-element is an annular seal, wherein said first seal-elements further comprise a shoulder against which a distal face of said annular seal rests, wherein said distal face faces said outlet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said elastic seal-element is an annular seal that is fixed to said valve tappet and wherein said first seal-elements further comprise a shoulder on said inner wall against which a distal face of said annular seal makes contact.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said elastic seal-element is an annular seal having an annular lip that extends transversely to a direction along which said valve tappet moves during operation of said filling valve, wherein said lip extends beyond a width of said product-delivery space.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a function of the first seal seat is to allow at least one millimeter of further axial movement of said valve tappet after said first seal-seat has been closed, wherein, in order to carry out said function, said first seal seat possesses a structure, wherein said structure, is that of being configured to allow at least one millimeter of further axial movement of said valve tappet after said first seal-seat has been closed.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first seal-seat is configured to allow between 1 millimeter and 2.5 millimeters of further axial movement of said valve tappet after said first seal-seat has been closed.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first seal-seat is adapted to allow between 1.5 millimeters and 2.5 millimeters of further axial movement of said valve tappet after said first seal-seat has been closed.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising actuating elements in a region of a valve head to permit said valve head to be gripped for moving said valve tappet.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, as a result of said deformation, said first seal-elements open only after said second seal-elements have already opened.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, as a result of said deformation, said first seal-elements close before said second seal-elements have closed.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a gas barrier that exists only when said second seal-elements open.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said valve tappet extends distally to a distal point and comprises a thickening proximal to said distal point.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a spring that holds said valve tappet in a resting position, wherein said further movement is against a force exerted by said spring, and wherein, after said further movement, said spring restores said valve tappet to said resting position.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said second seal-element comprises a drop-shaped end of said valve tappet.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first seal elements comprise a ring seal fixed on said valve tappet and wherein said ring seal and said valve tappet are configured to continue moving together even after said first seal-seat has been closed.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said valve tappet is configured to continue moving for between fifty and three hundred milliseconds after said first seal-seat has been closed.

18. A method for using an apparatus for filling a container with a liquid-filling product, wherein said apparatus comprises a filling valve, said filling valve comprising a valve seat, an axially-movable valve tappet extending through said valve seat and having an axial portion that defines a product-delivery space through which filling product flows, first seal-elements that cooperate to form a first seal-seat, and second seal-elements that cooperate to form a second seal-seat, said second seal-seat being disposed downstream from said first seal-seat at an outlet end of said filling valve so that liquid product flows from said first seal-set, through said product-delivery space, to said second seal-seat, wherein said first seal-elements comprise an elastic seal-element disposed to permit deformation in response to axial movement of said valve tappet, wherein said first seal-seat and said second seal-seat are fixed to said valve tappet in such a way that, in response to a closing movement of said valve tappet, said first seal-seat closes before said second seal-seat, and wherein said first seal-seat, after having been closed as a result of said closing movement, permits further axial movement of said valve tappet to permit closing of said second seal-seat, wherein said method comprises delivering said liquid filling-product to said filling valve, moving said valve tappet along an axial direction of said filling valve to thereby cause first and second seal-seats thereof to undergo a state transition at times separated by a time delay, said state transition being selected from the group consisting of a transition from an open state to a closed state and a transition from a closed state to an open state.

19. An apparatus comprising a filling valve of a filling device for filling products containing a liquid, comprising at least one valve tappet, which is arranged in a valve seat in an axially movable manner, wherein an axial portion is formed between the valve seat and valve tappet, in which the product flows to a second seal seat that is formed at an outlet end of the filling valve, in which filling valve a first valve seat, connected to the axial portion, is fixed upstream of the second seal seat in the flow direction, said first seal seat comprising sealing elements that interact with one another, wherein the first seal seat and second seal seat are arranged at the valve tappet in such a way that the first seal seat closes before the second seal seat during a closing movement of the valve tappet, wherein the first seal seat, after the closing, allows for a further axial movement of the valve tappet in the closing direction until the second seal seat is closed, wherein at

Assignees

• Khs Gmbh

Inventors

• CLüSSERATH LUDWIG
• Stolz Max
• Härtel Manfred
• Krulitsch Dieter-Rudolf

Classifications

• B67C3/2608 Primary

  comprising anti-dripping means · CPC title

• B67C3/281

  Profiled valve bodies for smoothing the flow at the outlet of the filling nozzle · CPC title