Valve assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a valve assembly, the valve assembly including a stationary valve body and a valve member (6), the valve member being movable relative to the valve body at least from a closed position to an open position, in the closed position, the valve member cooperating with a valve seat (8) to completely block a fluid path formed through the valve body (4), and in the open position, allowing fluid to flow through the fluid path. According to the invention, the valve member (6) includes a disc-shaped or spherical rigid member (10), the rigid member being overmolded with the flexible member (12), and the flexible member at least partially surrounding the rigid member (10) in the circumferential direction to form an annular gasket segment (14).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve assembly comprising a fixed valve body and a valve member movable relative to the valve body at least from a closed position to an open position, in which closed position the valve member cooperates with a valve seat to completely block a fluid path formed through the valve body, and in which open position fluid is enabled to flow through the fluid path. The present invention also relates to a container system and a method for manufacturing a valve assembly. Background Art

[0002] Products made of thermoplastic materials can be manufactured by many different manufacturing procedures. However, the most commonly used methods are injection molding, vacuum forming, blow molding, and compression molding.

[0003] Butterfly valves and ball valves have been available for some time and they can be made of thermoplastic materials. Here, injection molding and compression molding are the most suitable manufacturing methods in order to achieve the required precision. Butterfly valves and ball valves made of thermoplastic materials are mostly used in low-pressure systems. Butterfly valves are usually used in ventilation equipment where absolute closure is not required. The valves can also be used for fluid media. Of course, it is important to have gaskets at both ends of the valve seat and the valve housing. These gaskets are usually made of elastic materials, most commonly thermoplastic materials with plasticizer additives. In many cases, the valve is designed such that material recycling is almost impossible.

[0004] One area where such valves are often used is in bulk goods, where collapsible pallet containers are provided with a bag-like liner having a valve at the base for releasing the goods. This type of packaging is often used in the food industry, so attention needs to be paid to the material selection and hygiene. Steam sterilization of the valve area is often used before connecting the container for further processing and emptying. This will place some requirements on the materials used to manufacture the valve components.

[0005] Generally, the main gasket in a butterfly valve or a ball valve is arranged in a valve seat on the valve body side. The valve seat is usually difficult to access, so the assembly of the gasket is laborious. For this reason, this type of valve usually requires a valve cover to facilitate assembly. Providing a valve cover disadvantageously increases the amount of components and assembly steps required in valve manufacturing.

[0006] For example, from document US 4,717,120 A, it is also known to provide a valve assembly for dispensing a liquid from a bulk container. The valve assembly includes a tubular housing that defines a cylindrical chamber opening at its end. The housing is connected to an opening in the liner of the container to provide fluid communication between the interior of the liner and the chamber. The valve assembly includes a valve shaft having an end portion rotatably connected to the housing and a cylindrical body portion that extends transversely across the chamber. The shaft body portion contains a slot that extends between the end portions for receiving a generally circular butterfly valve disk. The maximum diameter of the disk corresponds to the diameter of the chamber, and the minimum diameter corresponds to the length of the slot. An O-ring is connected to the outer edge of the disk. When the valve shaft is rotated to the open position, the disk is arranged longitudinally along the chamber to allow liquid to flow from the container through the chamber. When the valve shaft is rotated to the closed position, the disk is arranged transversely across the chamber to prevent liquid from flowing therethrough.

[0007] This known liquid dispensing valve has the disadvantage of being laborious to assemble. In particular, the valve components require multiple manual assembly steps, such as assembling the shaft to the valve disk and assembling the O-ring to the valve disk. In addition, the O-ring gasket is prone to misalignment, which may compromise the integrity of the seal. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Due to the above disadvantages of the known valve assembly, the present invention aims to provide a valve assembly having a simple construction and a reduced number of assembly steps.

[0009] The above problems are solved by a valve assembly according to the present invention, a container system according to the present invention, and a method according to the present invention.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a valve assembly including a fixed valve body and a valve member movable relative to the valve body at least from a closed position to an open position. In the closed position, the valve member cooperates with a valve seat to completely block a fluid path formed through the valve body. In the open position, fluid is allowed to flow through the fluid path. The valve member includes a disk-shaped or spherical rigid member overmolded with a flexible member, and the flexible member at least partially surrounds the rigid member in the circumferential direction to form an annular gasket segment. In other words, in a butterfly valve assembly or a ball valve assembly according to the present invention, during the molding process, preferably during an injection molding process, a sealing gland is applied to the rigid body of the valve member.

[0011] In short, according to the present invention, it is preferred to directly mold the sealing gland / annular gasket onto the valve disk or valve ball. This reduces the necessary assembly steps, the number of components, and enables a favorable valve member design that is not easily achievable by other means. This further opens up the possibility of increasing an adhesive connection between the valve member and the sealing gland / annular gasket through the bonding between substances.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the valve member can be manufactured in a two-component injection molding process, in particular, the rigid part is molded using a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material, and the rigid part is overmolded with the flexible part using an elastomer or thermoplastic elastomer, preferably liquid silicone rubber.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the valve seat can be made of a rigid material compared to the flexible part. Since the washer / seal gland is arranged on the valve member, when the valve member is in the closed position, it is advantageous to provide a hard seat, and the annular washer segment / seal gland formed by the flexible part is compressed against the hard seat.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the annular washer segment can have a base surface, which has the form of a cylindrical shell surface and a washer lip or protrusion, and the washer lip or protrusion projects from the base surface towards the valve seat and extends around the entire circumference of the base surface as a seal gland integrally formed with the base surface.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the valve member can be pivotally mounted in the valve body, and the rigid part can include a connecting part for connecting the shaft of a handle or actuator to the rigid part. In such an embodiment, the annular washer segment or seal gland exhibited by the flexible part can preferably include a first opening or bearing eye (hole), through which the shaft or the connecting part is inserted. In other words, an opening can be provided in the flexible part, which allows a direct connection between the rigid part and the shaft. Preferably, the washer lip or protrusion (seal gland) is formed on the flexible part around the first opening and is configured to (in combination with the valve seat) prevent fluid from entering the bearing provided for the shaft. In other words, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the washer lip or protrusion can particularly surround the first opening on the outer surface of the annular washer segment in a full-circle manner. The advantage of this arrangement is that an integral fluid-tight seal of the bearing of the shaft can be achieved without any additional components or assembly steps.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rigid member may include one of an axis portion or an axis receiving portion, one of the axis portion or the axis receiving portion being radially opposite to the connecting portion, and the valve body may include the other of the axis portion or the axis receiving portion. The axis portion and the axis receiving portion cooperate to form a rotary bearing for the valve member. In this case, the annular gasket segment of the flexible member may include a second opening or a bearing hole through which the axis portion or the axis receiving portion is inserted. Preferably, another, in particular circular, sealing gland or sealing lip may be formed on the flexible member around the second opening and is configured to (in combination with the valve seat) prevent fluid from entering the bearing provided for the shaft. In other words, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gasket lip or protrusion may in particular further surround the second opening on the outer surface of the annular gasket segment in a full circular manner. The advantage of this arrangement is that an integral fluid-tight seal of the axis portion can be achieved without any additional components or assembly steps.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gasket lip or protrusion may be aligned with the rotational axis of the valve member. It can also be said that the rotational axis of the valve member may preferably be in the plane spanned by the circular gasket lip or protrusion (sealing gland). This improves the symmetry of force transmission, thereby minimizing warping under pressure loads.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rigid member may have a disc shape, and the flexible member may cover the surface of the disc-shaped rigid member. The background is that the injection port or gate may be located at the center of the disc shape, ensuring a uniform distribution of the molten flexible member during molding. Similarly, in a two-component injection molding process, the injection port / gate of the hard component may also be located at the center of the disc shape.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the rigid member may be provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs. This increases the shape accuracy during the injection molding process to ensure an exact fit between the valve member and the valve seat. In this case, the flexible member may be molded over the ribs, thereby presenting complementary grooves for receiving the ribs.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rigid member may have a disc shape, and the disc shape may be constituted by a circumferential edge protruding perpendicular to the disc surface (preferably in two directions of the disc). The flexible member may then be molded onto the rigid member such that it completely surrounds the outer radial side of the edge, one side of the edge (corresponding to the tread of a wheel), and a complete surface of the disc-shaped rigid member, thereby tightly winding around one side of the edge.

[0021] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the edge can widen near the axial portion or the axial receiving portion and around the connecting portion. This provides greater stability around the rotary joint and also provides a larger base surface for the annular seal gland for applying / overmolding the sealed bearing.

[0022] Another aspect of the invention, which is also suitable for independent protection, relates to a valve assembly including a fixed valve body and a valve member that is movable relative to the valve body at least from a closed position to an open position. In the closed position, the valve member cooperates with a valve seat to completely block the fluid path formed through the valve body. In the open position, fluid is allowed to flow through the fluid path. The valve assembly also includes a seal gland provided on the valve seat or the valve member, which creates a fluid-tight seal when the valve member is in the closed position. According to the present invention, the valve member includes one of an axial portion (protrusion) or an axial receiving portion (recess), and the valve body includes the other of the axial portion or the axial receiving portion (located at or near the valve seat). The valve member further includes a connecting portion configured to be connected to the shaft of a handle or actuator in a positive-lock manner. The valve body also includes a through-hole through which the shaft can be inserted from outside the valve body to connect to the connecting portion of the valve member, and the through-hole includes a cylindrical bearing portion that cooperates with a corresponding cylindrical portion of the shaft to form a rotary bearing. This novel structural design allows for simplified assembly of the valve member within the valve body, where in the first step, the valve member is pre-installed by inserting the axial portion into the axial receiving portion. In the second step, the connecting portion is aligned with the through-hole, and the shaft is inserted through the through-hole and connected to the connecting portion.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, the protruding axial portion can have the shape of a conical tab to facilitate insertion and centering within the bearing.

[0024] Advantageously, the connecting portion can be a recess (having a polygonal cross-section) that does not protrude above the circular profile of the disc or sphere of the valve member to further facilitate insertion.

[0025] More advantageously, the valve member can include two integral washer lips or seal glands provided on its outer surface, forming a circular seal barrier around the axial portion and the connecting portion. This eliminates the need for a separate sealing member and thus reduces the number of parts and assembly steps required in manufacturing.

[0026] According to another preferred embodiment, a snap-fit or friction closure can be provided between the shaft and the connecting portion to ensure axial positioning between the two components.

[0027] Another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a bulk container having a liner bag and a valve assembly, the valve assembly including a fixed valve body and a valve member, the valve member being movable relative to the valve body at least from a closed position to an open position, in the closed position, the valve member cooperating with a valve seat to completely block a fluid path formed through the valve body, in the open position, fluid being manually allowed to flow through the fluid path via a handle. The handle according to the present invention may include a shaft coaxially aligned with the axis of rotation of the valve member and connected at one end thereof to the valve member to transmit an opening or closing torque to the valve member. The handle may further include an intermediate lever portion and a handle portion, the intermediate lever portion extending from the other end of the shaft in a substantially perpendicular direction to increase the moment arm, the handle portion following the lever portion along the longitudinal direction of the handle. The handle portion is movably connected to the lever portion such that it can be transferred from a storage position to an operating position. In other words, the handle includes a joint that allows the handle portion to fold to a storage position where the handle does not protrude from the container and is thus not easily subject to collision. During operation, the handle can be folded to an operating position where more convenient handling is allowed.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the handle portion may be oriented perpendicular to the lever portion, and the handle portion may be connected to the lever portion via a rotary joint that allows rotation along the longitudinal axis of the lever portion. In other words, the handle portion may be bent, preferably by 90°. Advantageously, the lever portion may be oriented in a horizontal plane (parallel to the plane of the container base), and the rotary joint may allow the handle portion to rotate such that its bent portion is either vertically oriented (storage position) or horizontally oriented (operating position).

[0029] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a container system including a tray container having a liner bag and a valve assembly according to one of the foregoing aspects, wherein the valve assembly is mounted on the tray container and is arranged to be in fluid communication with the liner bag (to serve as an inlet and / or outlet).

[0030] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a valve assembly including a fixed valve body and a valve member, the valve member being movable relative to the valve body at least from a closed position to an open position, in the closed position, the valve member cooperating with a valve seat to completely block a fluid path formed through the valve body, in the open position, allowing fluid to flow through the fluid path. According to the present invention, the method at least includes the step of overmolding a flexible component around a disc-shaped or spherical rigid component during an injection molding process such that the flexible component at least partially surrounds the rigid component in the circumferential direction to form an annular gasket segment. Description of the Drawings

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 Shows a front perspective view of a valve assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 a rear perspective view of the valve assembly;

[0034] Figure 3 Shows a perspective view of a rigid component of a valve member according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 Shows a perspective view of a flexible component of a valve member according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 Shows a cross-sectional view of a valve member according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 Shows a cross-sectional view of the valve assembly in the closed position according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 Shows a cross-sectional view of the valve assembly in the open position according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 Shows a view of the valve assembly with the handle in the storage position;

[0040] Figure 9 Shows a view of the valve assembly with the handle in the operating position;

[0041] Figure 10 Shows a view of the valve assembly in the open state with the handle in the operating position;

[0042] Figure 11 Shows a cross-sectional view of the valve assembly including the handle and in the open state; and

[0043] Figure 12 Shows a perspective view of a bulk container having a valve assembly according to the present invention. Detailed Description

[0044] Figure 12A perspective view of a container 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. In particular, a tray container 1 having a base and four foldable side walls is shown, the base having a tray structure adapted to be transported by a forklift or the like. A liner bag (not shown) may be placed inside the tray container 1 for the safe transportation of liquids, granules, powders, viscous articles, paste articles, etc. The liner bag includes (discharge) valve assembly 2 or is in fluid communication therewith near its lower side, and the valve assembly can be firmly inserted into a valve sleeve which is laterally provided along the lower part of the side wall at the horizontal of the base of the container 1.

[0045] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The valve assembly 2 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in perspective views from two different directions. Figure 1 A front view of the valve assembly is shown, with the outlet opening closed by a lid. Figure 2 A rear view of the same valve assembly 2 is shown. In use, the valve assembly 2 is connected to a liner bag (not shown) of a bulk container and serves as its outlet valve. For this purpose, a gland 3 is provided which is ready to be welded to the liner bag by appropriate material selection (LLDPE in the depicted example).

[0046] As can be seen, for example, in Figure 6 and Figure 7 In a cross-sectional view, the valve assembly 2 according to a preferred embodiment includes a disc-shaped valve body 4 and a valve member 6. The disc-shaped valve body 4 presents a fluid passage (a discharge channel in this case), and the valve member 6 is movable relative to the valve body 4. Specifically, the shown valve member 6 can rotate from the Figure 6 shown closed position within a valve seat 8 (which is a segment of the fluid passage) to an open position. In the closed position, the valve member 6 cooperates with the valve seat 8 to completely block the fluid passage. In the open position, the disc-shaped valve member 6 is in line with the longitudinal channel direction so that fluid can flow through the passage.

[0047] As Figure 5 best seen in a cross-sectional view of, the valve member 6 includes a disc-shaped rigid member 10 overmolded with a flexible member 12. Figure 3 An independent view of the rigid member 10 is shown, while Figure 4 An independent view of the flexible member 12 is shown. The rigid member 10 forms the structural core of the valve member 6 by providing stability and rigidity, while the flexible member 12 allows the integrally manufactured fluid-tight seal on the rigid member 10 by forming its annular gasket segment 14.

[0048] As Figure 3As shown, the rigid member 10 is provided with a circumferential edge 40 that projects substantially perpendicular to the plane of the disc, thereby widening the wheel face or circumferential surface to provide a wider base for applying the flexible member 12. The rigid member 10 is also provided with a connection portion 16 (in this case a rectangular groove), which is configured to receive the shaft 18 of the handle (or actuator) 20. The connection portion 16 is designed such that the torque applied to the shaft 18 is transmitted to the rigid member 10, causing it to rotate within the valve body 4. To effect such rotation, an axis portion 24 is also provided, which projects radially opposite to the connection portion 16 (and the shaft 18 inserted inside the connection portion 16). The depicted axis portion 24 has a conical shape to facilitate insertion into the axis receiving portion 26 provided in the valve body 4, thereby forming a rotary bearing (best visible in Figure 11 ). The rigid member 10 is also provided with reinforcing ribs 36 that extend from the center of the disc shape towards the edge 40 in a spoke-like manner to increase the stability of the valve member 6 and also increase the shape accuracy / shape retention force during the cooling phase of the injection molding process, thereby also ensuring the mating accuracy within the valve seat 8, which is important for good sealing performance. The edge 40 is designed to be wider in the regions surrounding the connection portion 16 and the axis portion 24 to provide a wider base for the flexible member 12, which is important for reasons that will be explained later.

[0049] As Figure 4The flexible component 12 shown is molded on or above the rigid component 10 such that it covers the entire radially facing surface area of the edge 40. In the depicted embodiment, the flexible component also covers an entire surface 34 of the disc-shaped rigid component 10 and thus also encloses the ribs 36. The flexible component 12 forms an annular gasket segment 14 that extends around the entire circumference of the rigid component 10 and is shaped and sized to fit the valve seat 8. The segment of the flexible component 12 that adheres to the radially facing surface area of the edge 40 constitutes the base surface 30 of the annular gasket segment 14. A gasket lip or gasket projection 32 projects radially outward from this base surface. The diameter of the gasket lip or gasket projection 32 slightly exceeds the diameter of the valve seat 8 such that when the valve member 6 is in the closed position, the gasket lip or gasket projection 32 presses against the valve seat. Preferably, the gasket lip or gasket projection 32 forms an annular gasket that is aligned with the axis of rotation of the valve member 6. To achieve this, the annular gasket segment 14 of the flexible component 12 includes a first opening 22 and a second opening 28 through which the shaft 18 of the handle 20 is inserted into the connecting portion 16 and through which the axis portion 24 of the rigid body 10 projects. To provide a liquid-tight seal in these two regions where the annulus of the gasket is interrupted by the axis of the butterfly valve disc, the gasket lip or gasket projection 32 surrounds the first opening 26 and the second opening 28 and forms a circular projection around these two openings. This has the technical effect that in the closed position, the contact line between the gasket lip or gasket projection 32 and the valve seat 8 covers its entire circumference and also prevents fluid from entering the shaft receiving portion 48 or the axis receiving portion 26 of the valve body 4, regardless of the orientation of the valve member 6.

[0050] This improved design of the valve member 6 according to the invention provides several advantages. First, the degree of automation in manufacturing the valve member 6 can be increased by producing it in a two-component injection molding process. Additionally, the one-piece seal designed according to the preferred embodiment not only seals the valve member 6 against the valve seat 8 but also simultaneously seals the rotary bearings 18, 24, 26, 48. This allows for a simplified design of the internal valve components, also known as the valve internals, and also obviates the need for a valve cover. Thus, the assembly can be carried out in two simple steps: first, the valve member 6 is installed such that the axis portion 24 is inserted into the axis receiving portion 26, and subsequently the shaft 18 is inserted into the connecting portion 16. For this purpose, the valve body presents an axis receiving portion 48 that is a through-hole coaxially aligned with the axis receiving portion 26. The shaft receiving portion 48 functions as a sliding bearing in conjunction with the shaft 18.

[0051] Another novel aspect of the valve assembly 2 according to the preferred embodiment relates to the construction of the valve handle 20. As Figure 11As can be seen, the valve handle is an elongated body with a plurality of elbows between a plurality of straight segments. The shaft 18 of the handle 20 has been discussed in the previous paragraphs. The lever portion 42 of the handle 20 extends perpendicular to the shaft 18, thereby increasing the lever arm when a force is applied to the handle portion 44 that follows the lever portion 42. The handle portion 44 is connected to the lever portion via a rotary joint 46. After the rotary joint 46, the handle portion 44 makes a 90° bend. With this design, the handle portion 44 can be rotated 90° from a storage position (as Figure 8 shown) to an operating position (as Figure 9 shown) via the rotary joint 46. In the storage position, the lever portion 42 and the handle portion 44 of the handle 20 are parallel to the plane of the wall of the container in which the valve assembly 2 is installed. This has the advantage that the handle 20 does not protrude further from the container wall than the valve body 4, thus minimizing the risk of injury or accidental damage to the handle 20. The rotary joint 46 includes a limit stop that limits the rotational freedom of the 90° rotation, such that the handle portion 44 extends perpendicular to the plane of the container wall in this limiting position and can be easily operated (operating position). Preferably, in such a configuration as Figure 8 and Figure 9 shown, the valve is closed when the lever portion 42 is oriented parallel to the wall. As Figure 10 shown, once the handle 20 is brought to the operating position, the handle 20 can be easily rotated 90° about the axis of the shaft 18 to fully open the valve assembly 2.

[0052] Starting from the above preferred embodiments, containers with a replaceable valve assembly 2 can be changed in various ways without departing from the present invention.

[0053] For example, the valve member 6 can be configured as a ball, through which a fluid passage is formed to form a ball valve assembly.

[0054] Those skilled in the art will understand that in many cases, the positions of the protrusion and the complementary groove can be switched with, for example, the axis portion 24 / axis receiving portion 26 without changing the technical effect.

[0055] List of reference numerals

[0056] 1 Container;

[0057] 2 Valve assembly;

[0058] 3 Gland;

[0059] 4 Valve body;

[0060] 6 Valve member;

[0061] 8 Valve seat

[0062] 10 Rigid assembly;

[0063] 12 Flexible component;

[0064] 14 Annular washer segment

[0065] 16 Connecting part;

[0066] 18 Shaft;

[0067] 20 Handle or actuator;

[0068] 22 First opening;

[0069] 24 Axis part;

[0070] 26 Axis receiving part;

[0071] 28 Second opening;

[0072] 30 Base surface;

[0073] 32 Washer lip or protrusion;

[0074] 34 Surface;

[0075] 36 Rib;

[0076] 38 Groove;

[0077] 40 Edge

[0078] 42 Lever part;

[0079] 44 Handle part;

[0080] 46 Rotary joint;

[0081] 48 Shaft receiving part

Claims

1. A valve assembly (2), the valve assembly (2) comprising a stationary valve body (4) and a valve member (6), the valve member (6) being movable relative to the valve body (4) at least from a closed position to an open position, in which closed position the valve member (6) cooperates with a valve seat (8) to completely block a fluid path formed through the valve body (4), and in which open position fluid is enabled to flow through the fluid path, wherein the valve member (6) comprises a disc-shaped or spherical rigid part (10), the rigid part (10) being overmolded with a flexible part (12), and the flexible part (12) at least partially surrounding the rigid part (10) in the circumferential direction to form an annular gasket segment (14), the valve member (6) is pivotally mounted inside the valve body (4), and the rigid part (10) comprises a connection part (16) that does not project from the circular profile of the disc-shaped or spherical valve member (6) and is for connecting a shaft (18) of a handle or actuator (20) to the rigid part (10), wherein the connection part (16) is formed as a recess configured to receive the shaft (18), the shaft (18) being provided separately from the rigid part (10); the valve member (6) further comprises an axis part (24) that is radially opposite to the connection part (16) and is integrally formed with the rigid part (10); the valve body (4) comprises an axis receiving part (26) for receiving the axis part (24) and thereby forming a rotary bearing with the axis part (24); and the annular gasket segment (14) of the flexible part (12) comprises a first opening (22) through which the shaft (18) or the connection part (16) is inserted, and a second opening (28) through which the axis part (24) is inserted and through which the axis part (24) projects, wherein the rigid part (10) has a disc shape, and the flexible part (12) covers a surface (34) of the disc-shaped rigid part (10), and the surface (34) of the rigid part is provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs (36), and the flexible part (12) is molded over the ribs (36) so as to present complementary grooves (38) for receiving the ribs (36), wherein the reinforcing ribs (36) extend in a spoke-like manner from the center of the disc-shaped rigid part (10) towards its circular periphery (40), wherein the reinforcing ribs (36) of the rigid part (10) are spaced apart from each other and the flexible part (12) covers a complete surface (34) of the disc-shaped rigid part (10), thereby also surrounding the reinforcing ribs (36) and the spaces between the reinforcing ribs (36).

2. The valve assembly (2) according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat (8) is made of a rigid material compared to the flexible component (12).

3. The valve assembly (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the annular gasket segment (14) has a base surface (30) and a gasket lip or projection (32), the base surface (30) having the form of a circular cylindrical shell surface, the gasket lip or projection (32) protruding from the base surface (30) towards the valve seat (8) and extending around the entire circumference of the base surface (30).

4. The valve assembly (2) according to claim 3, wherein the gasket lip or projection (32) is aligned with the axis of rotation (A) of the valve member (6).

5. The valve assembly (2) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the gasket lip or projection (32) surrounds the first opening (22) and / or the second opening (28) on the outer surface of the annular gasket segment (14).

6. The valve assembly (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the valve member (6) is manufactured in a two-component injection molding process that uses a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material to mold the rigid component (10) and uses an elastomer or thermoplastic elastomer to overmold the flexible component (12) onto the rigid component (10).

7. The valve assembly (2) according to claim 6, wherein the edge (40) projects perpendicular to the disk surface (34) in two directions, and the flexible component (12) is molded onto the rigid component (10) such that it completely surrounds one side of the edge (40) as well as the radial outer side of the edge and a surface (34) of the disk-shaped rigid component (10).

8. A container system comprising a tray container having a liner bag and the valve assembly (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the valve assembly (2) being mounted on the tray container and being arranged to be in fluid communication with the liner bag.

9. A method for producing a valve assembly (2) comprising a fixed valve body (4) and a valve member (6) that is movable relative to the valve body (4) at least from a closed position to an open position, in the closed position, the valve member (6) cooperating with a valve seat (8) to completely block a fluid path formed through the valve body (4), in the open position, allowing fluid to flow through the fluid path, wherein the method at least comprises the following steps: Overmolding a disk-shaped or spherical rigid component (10) with a flexible component (12) during an injection molding process such that the flexible component (12) at least partially surrounds the rigid component (10) in the circumferential direction to form an annular gasket segment (14), wherein The valve member (6) is pivotally mounted inside the valve body (4), and the rigid component (10) comprises A connecting portion (16) that does not project from the circular profile of the disc-shaped or spherical valve member (6) and is used to connect the shaft (18) of a handle or actuator (20) to the rigid member (10), wherein the connecting portion (16) is formed as a groove configured to receive the shaft (18), and the shaft (18) is provided separately from the rigid member (10); the valve member (6) further includes an axis portion (24) that is radially opposite to the connecting portion (16) and is integrally formed with the rigid member (10); the valve body (4) includes the axis receiving portion (26) for receiving the axis portion (24) and thereby forming a rotary bearing with the axis portion (24); and the flexible member (12) is molded onto the rigid member (10) such that the annular washer segment (14) of the flexible member (12) includes a first opening (22) through which the shaft (18) or the connecting portion (16) is inserted, and a second opening (28) through which the axis portion (24) is inserted and through which the axis portion (24) projects, wherein the rigid member (10) has a disc shape, and the flexible member (12) covers the surface (34) of the disc-shaped rigid member (10), and the surface (34) of the rigid member is provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs (36), and the flexible member (12) is molded over the ribs (36) so as to present complementary grooves (38) for receiving the ribs (36), wherein the reinforcing ribs (36) extend from the center of the disc-shaped rigid member (10) towards its edge (40) in a spoke-like manner, wherein the reinforcing ribs (36) of the rigid member (10) are spaced apart from each other and the flexible member (12) covers an entire surface (34) of the disc-shaped rigid member (10), thereby also surrounding the spaces between the reinforcing ribs (36) and the reinforcing ribs (36).

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