A valve assembly for a filler machine

Abstract

A valve assembly for a filler machine has a valve body and valve sleeve which are configured to be relatively rotationally displaceable, such that the valve body can be rotationally displaced within the valve sleeve. The valve sleeve defines a keying formation configured to cooperate with a complemental keying formation provided by the filler machine, thereby to prevent rotational displacement of the valve sleeve relative to the filler machine. The valve body includes a mechanical actuator configured to receive a mechanical input to cause the valve body to rotate within the valve sleeve which causes selective opening or closing of the inlet port and / or the outlet port.

Description

[0001] A Valve Assembly for a Filler Machine

[0002] FIELD OF INVENTION

[0003] This invention relates to automated dispensing of flowable material (e.g., food or beverage) by a filler machine into a container. More specifically, the invention is for a valve assembly for the filler machine.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0005] Filler machines for dispensing flowable material (e.g., food or beverage) into a container (e.g., a tin, can, bottle, etc.) are well known in the art. Examples of such machines are a rotary piston filler, a linear piston filler, and a gravity-fed filler. These filler machines are used in automated production lines for filling several containers at a time, and often have plural filling stations. Larger filler machines can fill hundreds of separate containers per minute. The containers may be filled sequentially or in parallel, depending on the configuration of the filler machine. Each station in the filler machine usually has its own valve, and there may thus be plural valves per machine, depending on how many stations there are.

[0006] Each valve is placed within a valve housing with which it sealingly cooperates. The valve defines two passages; the first passage is configured to conduct the food or beverage from a main supply line to a temporary storage area; the second passage is configured to conduct the food or beverage from the temporary storage area to the container. The valve (or valve assembly) includes a valve body of metal (e.g., steel) around a valve sleeve or softer material, usually a polymer. The valve body and valve sleeve are fixed together and configured to rotate within the valve housing. Accordingly, the sliding interface is provided between an outer face of the valve sleeve and an inner face of the valve housing.

[0007] The valve body has an axially offset cam follower at one end and the valve is driven to reciprocate between two positions. In a first position, apertures in the valve housing align the with first passage (therefore allowing passage therethrough) but the second passage is blocked by the valve housing. In a second position, different apertures in the valve housing align with the second passage (therefore allowing passage therethrough) but the first passage is blocked by the valve housing. A rate of reciprocation may vary based on the particular filler machine and food or beverage being filled, but it may be a complete reciprocation (from the first position to the second and back to the first again) once every 1-2 seconds. This may go on for hours.

[0008] Although various seals may be provided, some of the food or beverage gets in the sliding interface between the valve and valve housing, causing wear. The rate of wear may depend on the type of food or beverage being filled. For example, where food is being processed, there may be undissolved (or partially dissolved) solids or particulate matter. This may be because the food is not fully cooked, seasoning has been added, the food is naturally fibrous, etc. Even beverages may contain pulps or fibres.

[0009] These particles (whatever their source) tend to abrade the outer face of the valve sleeve and / or inner face of the valve housing, that is, the faces of the sliding interface. As the valve sleeve is usually softer (being of a polymer), this may wear first. This causes a gap to develop in the sliding interface as material from the valve sleeve is abraded away, which tends to reduce the sealing action, allowing more food or beverage material to enter. This is evidenced by a gradual leak at first, the rate of which increases as the valve sleeve wears further. This leak in itself leads to wastage, but it can further lead to under- or over-filling of the container, leading to further wastage. The valves therefore need to be serviceable (or modular, replaceable, sacrificial, etc.). Additionally, the particles can begin to abrade or etch the inner face of the valve housing. Although it is of stainless steel and therefore stronger and harder than the valve sleeve, it is not impervious. Wear in the valve housing is more serious than wear on the valve sleeve, as the valve housing is a more permanent fixture. Nonetheless, the valve housing can be replaced, but it is more difficult and costly compared to replacing the valve or valve sleeve only.

[0010] In more extreme cases, if the valve is not serviced or replaced timeously, more food or beverage material may enter the sliding interface, and the reciprocating action churns the material into a paste, increasing friction between the valve sleeve and the valve housing, which can cause the valve to seize. This usually then causes damage to the cam follower on the valve or, even worse, to the cam on the filler machine.

[0011] Any maintenance action, including merely cleaning the valve or valve housing, requires a pause in the production line. This is obviously undesirable as it impacts not only the specific station in which the valve is, but all the stations of the filler machine (as the whole machine is paused) and potentially upstream or downstream machines too. This results in economic loss for the factory or industry operating the filler machine.

[0012] Accordingly, the Applicant desires a valve (or valve assembly) which addresses or at least ameliorates the abovementioned issues. The Applicant desires a valve assembly which can provide one or more of the following: lower wear on the valve housing, less leakage, quicker replacement, cheaper replacement, less filler machine downtime, etc.

[0013] SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0014] The invention provides a valve assembly for a filler machine configured to dispense flowable material (e.g., food or beverage) into a container, the valve assembly including a valve body which is cylindrical and a valve sleeve which is tubular and defines therein a central cavity for accommodating the valve body, the valve assembly defining at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port, wherein: the valve body and valve sleeve are configured to be relatively rotationally displaceable, such that the valve body can be rotationally displaced within the valve sleeve; the valve sleeve defines a keying formation configured to cooperate with a complemental keying formation provided by the filler machine, thereby to prevent rotational displacement of the valve sleeve relative to the filler machine; and the valve body includes a mechanical actuator configured to receive a mechanical input to cause the valve body to rotate within the valve sleeve which causes selective opening or closing of the inlet port and / or the outlet port.

[0015] To the best of the Applicant’s knowledge, conventional (PRIOR ART) valve assemblies all have the valve sleeve fixed to the valve body, and the whole valve assembly rotates with a valve housing. A notable difference, then, is that the valve sleeve of the present invention is fast with the valve housing, and the valve body rotates relative to the valve housing and the valve sleeve. The valve body may be a conventional (PRIOR ART) valve body, or it may be modified for use with the valve sleeve.

[0016] Differently stated, in the PRIOR ART, the sliding interface is between an outer face of the valve sleeve and an inner face of the valve housing. In the present invention, the sliding interface is between an outer face of the valve body and an inner face of the valve sleeve. As the sliding interface is between the valve sleeve and the valve body, the valve sleeve may be easily replaceable by sliding it off the valve body and then sliding a new valve sleeve over the valve body.

[0017] The valve sleeve may be of a polymeric material. The valve sleeve may be of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) or Teflon™.

[0018] The valve assembly may define two sets of inlet and outlet ports, namely a first inlet port, a first outlet port, a second inlet port, and a second outlet port. The first inlet and outlet ports may be configured to conduct the food or beverage from a main supply line to a temporary storage area (or intermediate zone). The second inlet and outlet ports may be configured to conduct the food or beverage from the temporary storage area to the container. While some conventional (PRIOR ART) valve assemblies also define two sets of inlet and outlet ports, the operation (e.g., closing, opening, aligning, etc.) of the ports is different.

[0019] The flowable material may be a liquid usually having a higher viscosity than water or flowable solids, and may include food to be canned, sauces, drinks, etc., and non-food materials, like gels, grease, etc.

[0020] The valve sleeve may define four corresponding ports, namely a first inlet port, a first outlet port, a second inlet port, and a second outlet port. The valve body may define internal passages interconnecting some apertures. More specifically, the valve body may define a first passage aligned or alignable with the first inlet and outlet ports, and a second passage aligned or alignable with the second inlet and outlet ports.

[0021] The valve assembly may be rotatable, or reciprocable, between two positions, namely a first position and a second position.

[0022] The first outlet aperture may be defined in a side of the valve sleeve, such that it is only aligned with the first passage at a particular rotational orientation, e.g., the first position, and not otherwise (e.g., the second position). When not aligned, the valve sleeve may block or occlude the first passage of the valve body.

[0023] The second inlet and outlet apertures may be defined in sides of the valve sleeve, such that they are only aligned with the second passage at a particular rotational orientation, e.g., the second position, not otherwise (e.g., the first position). When not aligned, the valve sleeve may block or occlude the second passage of the valve body.

[0024] The first outlet aperture and the second inlet and outlet apertures may be misaligned relative to the first and second passages such that the first and second passages can never be simultaneously (fully) open. Accordingly, when one is open, the other is blocked, or vice versa. There may be a transition between the first and second positions when both passages are partially open.

[0025] Accordingly, rotation of the valve body within the valve sleeve may cause selective alignment of the apertures and passages causing selective opening and closing of the passages.

[0026] The invention extends to a valve housing configured to accommodate the valve assembly defined above, the valve housing comprising the complemental keying formation configured to mate with (e.g., accommodate) the keying formation of the valve sleeve. The keying formation of the valve sleeve may be an outwardly projecting formation, like a key, lug, or spline. The keying formation of the valve sleeve may be integral, or of unitary construction, with the rest of the valve sleeve. The valve sleeve may include plural keying formations, e.g., two on opposite sides. The valve sleeve may have the keying formations at one end thereof, e.g., a top end.

[0027] The valve housing may have the complemental keying formation in the form of a recess, like a notch, slot, or keyway. The recess may be provided at one end of the valve housing, e.g., the top end. The may be plural recesses, e.g., two opposite recesses. The valve sleeve may be axially slidable into or out of the valve housing. The respective keying formations may be shorter than, e.g., 2-10% of, an axial length of the valve sleeve, and thus only engage the valve housing when the valve sleeve is fully or near fully inserted into the valve housing. The valve housing may be of metal, e.g., steel (as is conventional).

[0028] The valve housing may include one or more sealing arrangements provided between the valve body and the valve sleeve. The sealing arrangement may include an 0-ring around the valve body at a top end thereof which engages a top of the valve sleeve. The invention extends to a filler machine comprising at least one valve housing as defined above. The filler machine may comprise a plurality of the valve housings. The, or each, valve housing may accommodate a valve assembly as defined above.

[0029] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

[0031] In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a valve assembly in accordance with the invention, in a first position;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional exploded view of the valve assembly of FIG. 1 ;

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the valve assembly of FIG. 1 , in a second position;

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional exploded view of the valve assembly of FIG. 3;

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional exploded view of the valve assembly of FIG. 1 together with a complemental valve housing;

[0037] FIG. 6 shows an axial sectional view of the valve assembly of FIG. 1 ; and

[0038] FIG. 7 shows an axial sectional view of the valve assembly of FIG. 3.

[0039] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

[0040] The following description of an example embodiment of the invention is provided as an enabling teaching of the invention. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognise that changes can be made to the example embodiment described, while still attaining the beneficial results of the present invention. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present invention can be attained by selecting some of the features of the example embodiment without utilising other features. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognise that modifications and adaptations to the example embodiment are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the present invention. Thus, the following description of the example embodiment is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not a limitation thereof.

[0041] FIGS 1-4 illustrate a valve assembly 100 in accordance with the invention. In FIGS 1—2, the valve assembly 100 is in a first position (which will become apparent), while in FIGS 3-4, the valve assembly 100 is in a second position.

[0042] The valve assembly 100 has two separable parts, namely a valve sleeve 110 and a valve body 130. The valve sleeve 110 is tubular and defines a large central cavity to receive and accommodate the valve body 130 with a sliding or frictional fit. The valve body 130, in turn, is circular cylindrical and is partially solid or filled. The valve body 130 may be of composite construction, e.g., having a steel outer lining and a polymeric filling. However, for the purposes of this invention, the materials of the valve body 130 are not highly relevant and it may be treated as a monolithic item. Notably, the valve body 130 is rotatable (or reciprocable) within the valve sleeve 110.

[0043] The valve sleeve 110 defines four ports (although other numbers, e.g., two, may be practicable). More specifically, the valve sleeve 110 defines two sets of inlet and outlet ports, namely a first inlet port 118 (best seen in FIGS 6-7), a first outlet port 114, a second inlet port 112, and a second outlet port 116.

[0044] Notably, the valve sleeve 110 includes keying formations 120, 122 at its axially upper end. In this example, the keying formations 120, 122 are in the form of lugs or tabs 120, 122 projecting radially outwardly at diametrically opposed positions. One lug 120 is narrower than the other lug 122. (Refer to FIG.5 for further details.) The valve sleeve 110 has a circumferentially-extending groove 124 for receiving a seal like an 0-ring (not illustrated). This seal is for interfacing with the valve housing to inhibit ingress of material between the stationary valve sleeve 110 and valve housing.

[0045] The valve body 130 (best seen in FIGS 2 and 4) may resemble a PRIOR ART valve body, except that it is not intended for fixed connection to the valve sleeve 110. The valve body 130 has a cam follower 132 and arm 134 fixed to a top collar 136 of the valve body 130. The collar 136 is fixed to a cylindrical portion 138 of the valve body 130. Aside from the cam follower 132 which may include a rolling surface, the valve body 130 is fixed and has no moving parts.

[0046] One or more seals, e.g., an O-ring, may be provided between the valve sleeve 110 and the valve body 130. Although not illustrated, an O-ring is provided underneath the collar 136 and above a top wall of the valve sleeve 110, thereby to seal a sliding interface between the valve sleeve 110 and the valve body 130. Food-grade lubricant or grease may also be used. The valve sleeve 110 may be of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene or Teflon™).

[0047] The valve body 130 defines two passages 142, 144, namely a first passage 142 and a second passage 144 (which can best be seen on the sectional views of FIGS 6-7). The first passage extends arcuately from a bottom of the valve body 130, which is relatively open, laterally to one side. The second passage 144 extends diametrically through the valve body 130 above the first passage 142. The first and second passages 142, 144 are misaligned, meaning that an upper part of the first passage 142 is circumferentially offset relative to the second passage 144, as can best be seen in FIGS 2 and 4.

[0048] Following from this, the first outlet port 114 and a second inlet port 112 of the valve sleeve 110 are circumferentially aligned, meaning that they are one above the other. Accordingly, the first outlet port 114 and the second inlet port 112 cannot both be aligned with the respective first and second passages 142, 144 simultaneously; only one passage 142, 144 can be fully aligned with one of the first outlet port 114 and the second inlet port 112 at a time. (During a transition phase, both may be partially aligned for a small angular window.)

[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates installation of the valve assembly 100 within a valve housing 200. The valve housing 200 is largely conventional, with the exception that the valve housing 200 defines two keying formations 202, 204 in the form of recesses provided in opposite sides of the valve housing 200. One recess 202 is narrower and accommodates the shorter lug 120 while the other recess 204 is longer and accommodates the longer lug 122. This asymmetry of the lugs 120, 122 and the recesses 202, 204 means that the valve assembly 100 can be received by the valve housing 200 in only a single correct orientation.

[0050] In use, the valve assembly 100 is slid into the valve housing 200 such that the recesses 202, 204 accommodate the respective lugs 120, 122. These key the valve sleeve 110 and the valve housing 200 together, such that the valve sleeve 110 may not rotate inside the valve housing 200. However, the valve body 130 is free to rotate within the valve sleeve 110. The valve housing 200 has standard ports which, in this example, are in fixed alignment with the ports 112, 114, 116, 118 on the valve sleeve 110 as they are rotationally fixed. Accordingly, the ports of the valve housing 200 need not be discussed further.

[0051] The cam follower 132 is actuated in conventional fashion, e.g., by a cam provided on the filler machine. This driving action causes the valve body 130 to rotate and reciprocate within the valve sleeve 110. This reciprocating action displaces the valve assembly 100 between two positions, namely a first position and a second position.

[0052] In the first position (as illustrated in FIGS 1-2 and 6), the first outlet port 114 of the valve sleeve 110 is aligned to (an outlet of) the first passage 142. It will be noted that the first inlet port 118 is always aligned with (an inlet of) the first passage 142 regardless of angular orientation because they are both at the bottom of the valve assembly 100, not at a side thereof. Accordingly, the first passage 142 is fully open (and not blocked off).

[0053] However, in this orientation, the second inlet and outlet ports 112, 116 are misaligned with the second passage 144. This effectively blocks off the second passage 144. Accordingly, the food or beverage to be dispensed may now be pumped through the first passage 142 (e.g., into a temporary storage area) but not through the second passage 144 (e.g., to a container).

[0054] Differently stated, the rotational displacement of the valve body 130 relative to the valve sleeve 110 blocks the second passage 114. This is in contrast with PRIOR ART valve assemblies in which the displacement of the valve sleeve relative to the valve housing blocks off the second passage.

[0055] The valve body 130 is then displaced via its cam follower 132 through an arc which may be 30°-45° depending on the configuration of the valve assembly 100 and / or of the filler machine. This displacement moves the valve body 130 inside the valve sleeve 110 into the second position, as illustrated in FIGS 3-4 and 7. Now, the valve sleeve 110 blocks or seals the outlet of the first passage 142.

[0056] However, the second inlet and outlet ports 112, 116 are now aligned with the second passage 114, thus effectively opening or unblocking this second passage 144. Accordingly, the food or beverage to be dispensed may now be pumped through the second passage 144 (e.g., into the container) but not through the first passage 142 (e.g., into the temporary storage area). This process is repeated, back and forth, for a reciprocating action.

[0057] It will be noted that there is no sliding interface that contacts the valve housing 200. Accordingly, the valve housing is not subject to the wear that PRIOR ART valve housings are subject to. The Applicant believes that the invention as exemplified has many advantages:

[0058] • There is no sliding interface between the valve housing 200 and the valve sleeve 110, meaning that the valve housing 200 should not wear (or at least will wear significantly more slowly than with prior art valves).

[0059] • The valve assembly 100 works with conventional filler machines (though the valve housing 200 may be modified).

[0060] • These features serve to reduce leakage. Reduced leakage, in turn, means reduced downtime and less lost production.

[0061] • These features also serve to reduce occurrence of overfilling or underfilling of the containers. This again serves to reduce downtime and limit rejection of containers (not filled to specification) or damage to containers (e.g., bursting).

[0062] • The valve assembly features a unique configuration of the valve body and valve seats that significantly reduce wear and leakage, enhancing durability and efficiency.

[0063] • Advanced materials such as high-durability polymers, stainless steel 316L, PEEK, and Nylon (all food-grade materials) are used in the construction of the valve sleeve, contributing to the longevity and performance of the valve assembly.

[0064] • Design features facilitate easy maintenance and reduce downtime, making the valve assembly highly efficient for various production environments.

[0065] • The valve assembly is compatible with various types of filling machines, including rotary piston fillers, linear piston fillers, and gravity-fed fillers, showcasing its universal design.

[0066] • The valve assembly can handle different types of liquids and semi-solids, both food-grade and non-food-grade.

[0067] • The valve assembly can be integrated into different machine configurations with minimal modifications.

[0068] The valve assembly is globally applicable across various industries, such as food and beverage production, pharmaceuticals, and chemical processing. • It offers potential cost savings from reduced downtime and longer-lasting components, emphasising economic benefits.

[0069] • Specific examples or case studies demonstrate how the valve assembly improves production efficiency in different regions and industries worldwide. • Reduced wear on both the valve sleeve and valve housing, increasing the lifespan of the assembly.

[0070] • Faster and cheaper maintenance due to modular and replaceable components, minimizing production interruptions.

[0071] • Compatibility with existing filler machines, reducing the need for extensive modifications and facilitating easy integration.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A valve assembly for a filler machine configured to dispense flowable material into a container, the valve assembly including a valve body which is cylindrical and a valve sleeve which is tubular and defines therein a central cavity for accommodating the valve body, the valve assembly defining at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port, wherein: the valve body and valve sleeve are configured to be relatively rotationally displaceable, such that the valve body can be rotationally displaced within the valve sleeve; the valve sleeve defines a keying formation configured to cooperate with a complemental keying formation provided by the filler machine, thereby to prevent rotational displacement of the valve sleeve relative to the filler machine; and the valve body includes a mechanical actuator configured to receive a mechanical input to cause the valve body to rotate within the valve sleeve which causes selective opening or closing of the inlet port and / or the outlet port.

2. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which a sliding interface is between an outer face of the valve body and an inner face of the valve sleeve.

3. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which the valve sleeve is of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene).

4. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 , which defines two sets of inlet and outlet ports, namely a first inlet port, a first outlet port, a second inlet port, and a second outlet port, wherein: the first inlet and outlet ports are configured to conduct the material from a main supply line to a temporary storage area; andthe second inlet and outlet ports are configured to conduct the material from the temporary storage area to the container.

5. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which the valve sleeve defines the four ports and the valve body defines internal passages, namely a first passage aligned or alignable with one or both of the first inlet and outlet ports of the valve sleeve, and a second passage aligned or alignable with one or both of the second inlet and outlet ports of the valve sleeve.

6. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which the valve assembly is rotatable, or reciprocable, between two positions, namely a first position and a second position.

7. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the first outlet port is defined in a side of the valve sleeve, such that it is only aligned with the first passage in the first position, and not in the second position, wherein when not aligned, the valve sleeve blocks or occludes the first passage.

8. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the second inlet and outlet port are defined in sides of the valve sleeve, such that they are only aligned with the second passage in the second position, and not in the first position, wherein when not aligned, the valve sleeve blocks or occludes the second passage of the valve body.

9. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the first outlet port and the second inlet and outlet ports may be misaligned relative to the first and second passages such that the first and second passages can never be simultaneously fully open.

10. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which rotation of the valve body within the valve sleeve causes selective alignment of the ports and passages causing selective opening and closing of the passages.

11. The valve sleeve as claimed in claim 1 , which includes plural keying formations at one end thereof.

12. The valve housing as claimed in claim 1 , in which the keying formation is an outwardly projecting formation and is integral, or of unitary construction, with the rest of the valve sleeve.

13. A valve housing configured to accommodate the valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 , the valve housing comprising the complemental keying formation configured to mate with the keying formation of the valve sleeve.

14. The valve housing as claimed in claim 13, in which the complemental keying formation is in the form of a recess provided at one end of the valve housing.

15. The valve housing as claimed in claim 14, in which: the valve assembly is axially slidable into or out of the valve housing; and the respective keying formations are shorter than an axial length of the valve sleeve, and thus only engage the valve housing when the valve sleeve is fully or near fully inserted into the valve housing.

16. The valve housing as claimed in claim 13, which includes one or more sealing arrangements provided operatively between the valve body and the valve sleeve.

17. A filler machine comprising at least one valve housing as claimed in claim 13.

18. The filler machine as claimed in claim 17, comprising a plurality of valve housings configured to accommodate a plurality of valve assemblies.

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