Valve comprising valve piston and valve body as well as a filler

Abstract

Valve (100) comprising a valve plunger (104) within a valve housing (101), wherein an actuator (107) is provided which can change the position of the valve plunger (104), and wherein the valve housing (101) comprises a first valve section for the inlet (102) and a second valve section for the outlet (103), as well as a valve opening (230) between the first and the second valve section which can be closed by the valve plunger (104), characterized in that the actuator (107) is a stepper motor and that a first bellows (110) is provided in the first valve section, which is attached to the valve plunger (104) and to the valve housing (101), and a second bellows (120) is provided in the second valve section, which is attached to the valve plunger (104) and to the valve housing (101), wherein the valve plunger (104) has a cross-sectional area exposed to fluid pressure which corresponds to the mean cross-sectional area of ​​a bellows of the Bellows (110,120) corresponds to.,

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a valve and a filler for filling containers, in particular bottles, and a corresponding method using a corresponding valve. State of the art

[0002] Pressure-relieved valves are already known from the prior art. For example, DE 11 30 235 B discloses a pressure-relieved valve, in particular a steam valve, wherein a piston-like closure piece is guided in a sleeve located in the inlet chamber of the valve. The part of the closure piece projecting into the outlet chamber of the valve forms a truncated cone with a concavely curved outer surface, with a relief chamber provided at its opposite end. This relief chamber is connected to the inlet chamber via a narrow guide gap between the sleeve and the closure piece, and can also be connected to the outlet chamber via a pre-lift valve located inside the closure piece and a channel passing through the closure piece.The pressure-relieved valve of DE 11 30 235 B is characterized by the fact that several channels leading inwards towards the pre-lift valve are arranged through the concave curved outer surface of the end of the closure piece.

[0003] Furthermore, valves are known that are used, for example, in aseptic systems and meet sterility requirements. DE 203 17 882 U1 discloses a process valve with several valve chambers, wherein a barrier chamber that can be pressurized with a barrier medium is arranged between the valve chambers, and each valve chamber has an independently actuated valve chamber shut-off device, which allows it to be connected to the barrier chamber. This process valve further comprises an independently actuated barrier chamber shut-off device, whereby the barrier chamber can be subdivided into at least two individual barrier chambers, each of which can be pressurized with a barrier medium independently of one another.

[0004] EP 0 098 418 A1 relates to a double disc valve with two independently movable valve discs, which interact with a valve seat arranged in the valve housing between an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe for the product and enclose a leak detection chamber between them in both the open and closed positions. When the valve is open, this chamber is sealed by a reduction in the distance between the two valve discs, whereby one of the valve discs moves forward when the valve opens and, after a certain stroke, comes into contact with the other valve disc. Both valve discs are then pressed against each other by a spring force with seals. The moving valve disc is attached to a hollow actuating rod through which cleaning fluid can be supplied to the leak detection chamber and discharged to the outside through a drain pipe connected to the leak detection chamber.The trailing valve plate is connected to an actuating tube through which the actuating rod of the leading valve plate is passed, the seat of the two valve plates being designed as a cylindrical valve seat and the hollow actuating rod of the leading valve plate being provided with spray bores for the cleaning agent opening radially into the leak control chamber.

[0005] DE 199 57 306 C2 relates to a closing element unit for an aseptic double-seat valve, which consists of two closing elements movable relative to each other, of which the independently driven closing element comes into contact with the dependently driven closing element after a certain partial stroke during the opening process and the latter is also brought into the open position during the further opening movement, of which each has a closing element in the respective seat area and these closing elements define a leakage cavity between them in the closed position of the double-seat valve, which is connected to the environment of the double-seat valve via at least one controllable connection path;in which a rod connected to one of the closing parts and extending through the valve housing to an actuator is enclosed by a first diaphragm, and this diaphragm is sealed at each end directly or indirectly to the closing part and to the valve housing; in which the area between the two closing parts is bridged by a second diaphragm to which the closing parts are each connected; in which the two closing parts and the two diaphragms form an interchangeable closing element unit; and in which a fastening insert, each for introducing the actuating and guiding forces, is embedded in each closing part in a form-fit and / or force-fit manner; characterized in that the closing element unit is made in one piece and uniformly from a material that has elastic and sealing properties;that the first diaphragm is designed at its free end in the form of a connecting flange with a conical sealing surface that abuts a complementary annular seating surface of the housing; and that the connecting flange in the area of ​​its conical sealing surface is reduced to a minimum wall thickness corresponding to the strength requirements in the form of a diaphragm-shaped sealing element.

[0006] DE 29 609 831 U1 relates to a device for portion-wise filling of liquids into containers, in particular bottles or cans, with several volumetric metering chambers arranged on a rotor with a vertical axis of rotation, each of which is connected via an inlet valve to a reservoir for the liquid arranged on the rotor and via an outlet valve to a filling nozzle, wherein at least one level probe controlling the inlet valve and the outlet valve is arranged in each metering chamber, characterized in that the reservoir is designed as an annular vessel, that the metering chambers together with their level probes are at least partially rigidly arranged in the annular vessel, and that the connecting rod between an outlet valve located below its metering chamber and its actuating element located above the metering chamber runs alongside the level probe through the interior of the metering chamber.

[0007] However, the aforementioned valves have the disadvantage that they can either be pressure-relieved but not operated aseptically, or can be operated aseptically but are not pressure-relieved. Task

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a valve that can operate under pressure relief and be designed aseptically, while at the same time being as resistant to malfunctions and as flexible as possible.

[0009] Furthermore, providing an improved fountain pen is a task. Solution

[0010] This problem is solved by the valve according to claim 1.

[0011] Preferred embodiments and the use of such a valve in a filling device and a corresponding method are covered in the dependent claims and in claims 11 to 14.

[0012] The valve is preferably a proportional valve and comprises a valve plunger within a valve housing, wherein a stepper motor is provided as the drive which can change the position of the valve plunger, and wherein the valve housing comprises a first valve area for the inlet and a second valve area for the outlet as well as a valve opening between the first and the second valve area which can be closed by the valve plunger, wherein a first bellows is provided in the first valve area which is attached to the valve plunger and to the valve housing, and a second bellows is provided in the second valve area which is attached to the valve plunger and to the valve housing.This valve design allows for pressure relief of the valve stem through the use of the two bellows. Simultaneously, aseptic process control is achieved by isolating the moving parts of the valve stem from the interior of the valve housing, which is filled with a medium. Each of the two bellows is fixedly connected to the valve housing at one end, while the other end is connected to the moving valve stem.

[0013] In one embodiment, the valve is characterized by the fact that the first and second bellows are made of either metal or Teflon. Both are particularly resistant to applied pressure and, moreover, allow for the reliable drainage of any residual liquid that may remain on the bellows folds. This further enhances the sterility of the valve.

[0014] In another embodiment, the valve opening is arranged in a central section of the valve housing. A design of the valve, particularly the valve opening, that is as symmetrical as possible with respect to the valve housing allows for a uniform pressure distribution in both areas of the valve and also enables a reliable valve construction.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the first and second bellows have the same external dimensions, in particular the same number of folds or the same geometry. This allows for uniform pressure relief in both directions of the valve stem, thus enabling both the opening and closing of the valve to be carried out with minimal pressure relief.

[0016] In another embodiment, the valve piston drive is arranged outside the valve housing. This prevents product contamination, for example by lubricants unintentionally entering the circuit, and allows the design of the valve piston itself within the valve housing, and in particular surrounded by the bellows, to be reduced in size.

[0017] In another embodiment, the actuator is arranged within the valve housing, inside the first or second bellows. This embodiment of the valve stem actuator minimizes the transmission paths of the drive force from the actuator to the valve stem, thus reducing potential losses.

[0018] In the embodiment according to the invention, the drive is a stepper motor. The use of stepper motors enables very precise control of the valve, particularly the flow rate, which is especially advantageous when used in a proportional valve. In an unclaimed example, a solenoid, a servo motor, a piezoelectric motor, or a similar drive can also be used instead of the stepper motor.

[0019] In one embodiment, the valve includes a control unit that can control the position of the valve piston relative to the valve opening. This automated control of the valve allows its use in fully automated production processes, such as in filling equipment and related procedures.

[0020] In another embodiment, the valve plunger has a cross-sectional area exposed to fluid pressure that corresponds to the hydraulically acting cross-sectional area of ​​a bellows. This design maximizes pressure relief and enables the valve to operate almost, preferably completely, pressure-relieved.

[0021] A filler for filling containers with liquid, comprising a plurality of filling stations, in particular a rotary machine, can be designed, characterized in that a valve and a flow meter or a load cell or other measuring device for determining the current flow rate and the volume of liquid dispensed to date are provided at one, preferably each, filling station. These devices are connected via a control unit, wherein the control unit can control the valve so that a predetermined volumetric flow rate of the liquid is achieved, and the flow meter can measure the volumetric flow rate and transmit data to the control unit. This can be accomplished, for example, by inline control of the flow rate or by adjusting a predetermined flow curve.

[0022] The valve, or each valve, is a valve according to the above embodiments.

[0023] Using this device, a method for filling containers with a filler comprising a plurality of filling stations can be implemented, the method being characterized in that a control unit regulates the volume flow by controlling a valve and the volume flow is measured by a flow meter. This allows for the most precise possible filling of the containers.

[0024] In one embodiment, the method is characterized in that the control unit regulates the volume flow by controlling a valve according to the embodiments described above. The use of such a valve allows not only for the precise filling of the containers but also for aseptic process control, enabling sterile filling of liquids. At the same time, the partially, preferably completely, pressureless operation of the valve reduces wear.

[0025] A major advantage of using a proportional control valve is the increase in machine performance by reducing filling times. Brief description of the characters Fig. 1 Schematic representation of a valve according to the invention. Fig. 2 Schematic representation of a bellows of the valve with valve piston. Fig. 3 Schematic representation of the mode of operation of a valve according to the invention. Fig. 4 Schematic representation of a fountain pen Detailed character description

[0026] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a valve 100 according to the invention. The valve 100 comprises a valve housing 101. At least one inlet 102 and one outlet 103 are connected to this valve housing. Further inlets or outlets may also be provided if liquids or gases are to be supplied to the valve from several containers or if the liquid or gas is to be discharged from the valve into several further containers or lines. The valve further comprises a valve plunger 104, which is connected, for example, via a linkage 106 to an actuator 107. This actuator is a stepper motor and can be arranged both outside and inside the valve housing 101.

[0027] Furthermore, the valve comprises two bellows 110 and 120, each connected to the valve stem 104 and the valve housing 101, respectively. In the configuration shown here, the upper bellows 110 is connected to the upper end of the valve stem 104, optionally via additional seals 105, and simultaneously, the upper bellows 110 is connected to the upper part of the valve housing 101. Additional seals 105 may also be provided here to seal the connection point against the interior of the valve housing 101, preventing gas or liquid from penetrating this area or, for example, lubricating fluid from escaping, which could adversely affect the sterility of the valve. The bellows 110 and 120 may also be gas- and liquid-tight welded to the valve housing 101 and / or the valve stem 104. It is also possible to Fig. 1. An O-ring 190 is also visible. This serves as a seal to completely close the valve. The use of an O-ring 190 is not mandatory; a molded seal may also be used. Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the dimensions of a bellows 210 and a valve piston 204. To achieve the most complete possible pressure relief of the valve piston 204, the area A must r of the valve plunger 204 on which the pressure pointing towards the valve opening 230 acts, shall be exactly as large as the mean area A F a fold of a bellows 210. It follows that, assuming a circular area subjected to pressure, the area Ar=π(RV2−rV2) (with R V as external and r Vas the inner radius of the resulting ring) of the valve plunger 204, which is subjected to pressure in the direction of the valve opening 230, preferably exactly as large as the hydraulic area A F a fold of the bellows 210. For determining the outer radius R V The limit at the valve seat is taken into account, and therefore not necessarily the entire surface of the valve piston 204. The hydraulic area of ​​a fold of the bellows 210 is given by AF=π2(rA2−rI2). A F Here is r A the outer radius of the bellows and r Ithe inner radius. If this ratio is achieved exactly, the valve piston is almost completely relieved of pressure, since the force acting on the valve piston 204 is partially, preferably completely, compensated by the force acting on the bellows 210 or its folds. Since exact compensation of the forces acting on the valve piston 204 is only possible with considerable effort during the manufacture of the bellows 210 and the valve piston 204, the pressure relief is preferably only 50%, and particularly preferably 80 to 90%, of the force acting on the valve piston 204. This alone makes it possible to significantly reduce the dimensions of the motor and, furthermore, to achieve considerable energy savings, especially when using particularly high pressures.

[0028] Fig. Figure 3 shows a further schematic representation of a valve according to the invention. The dimensions of the valve plunger 204 and the bellows 310 and 320 shown correspond to those from the Fig. 2 (or their relationship to each other corresponds to that from the Fig. 2) This arrangement allows, through the use of the second bellows 320 and a corresponding valve piston, partial, preferably complete, pressure relief to be achieved not only during the closed state of the valve or at the moment of opening the valve, but also in intermediate stages (for example, when the valve opening is half open), since the forces acting on the two valve pistons 304 can be partially, preferably completely, compensated by the bellows 310 and 320, respectively. At the same time, the use of these bellows, as described in Fig. Figure 3 shows that the actuator 307 for the valve pistons 304 is completely isolated from the product-filled interior of the valve housing 301 at both the upper and lower ends. This not only relieves pressure but also prevents contamination of the product by mixing with, for example, lubricants or cleaning agents. This allows for at least partially aseptic passage of the product through the valve. Furthermore, the bellows 310 and 320 can be made of metal or at least have a Teflon coating. Both of these features further improve sterility, since Teflon, in particular, is liquid-repellent. Thus, after the product has passed through the valve in, for example, the direction of the arrow indicated, preferably no product residue remains in the valve that could compromise the sterility of the interior.

[0029] In connection with pressure relief, it is particularly intended that, if the valve piston 304 is identical, the bellows 310 and 320 should also have a geometry that is as similar as possible. This means, in particular, that they can have the same external dimensions and the same number of folds. Likewise, a symmetrical arrangement of both the valve piston and the bellows with respect to the valve center is preferred. This is especially true if the valve openings, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, which represents a taper, a symmetrical design of the valve proves advantageous, since approximately equal forces then occur in the upper and lower valve areas. If the two valve stems 304 are shaped differently (for example, if one has a larger surface area exposed to pressure than the other), the bellows can be dimensioned differently accordingly in order to still achieve the most complete pressure relief possible.

[0030] The in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. The valve described in section 3 can also be designed as a proportional valve. A proportional valve is any valve that ensures a flow rate proportional to the opening of the valve stem. This means that there is a linear relationship between the degree of valve opening (fully closed, one-third open, three-quarters open, or fully open) and the flow rate (no flow when the valve is fully closed, one-third open, one-third of the maximum flow rate when the valve is one-third open, three-quarters of the maximum flow rate when the valve is three-quarters open, and the maximum flow rate when the valve is fully open).

[0031] A corresponding proportional valve is particularly suitable for use in fillers for filling containers such as bottles. Since the general use of valves for regulating the filling quantity of containers in fillers is well known, a specific description using the valve according to the invention is omitted here. In principle, the installation of a valve according to the invention, due to the possibility of using a housing whose external dimensions correspond to those of conventionally used valves, entails only minor modifications to the design of a filler and can therefore be used to improve the filling process, especially in sterile filling applications.

[0032] A schematic representation of a filler in which the described valve can be used is shown in Fig.Figure 4 shows the Filler 400 as a linear filler. However, the Filler 400 can also be designed as a rotary machine.

Claims

[1] Valve (100) comprising a valve plunger (104) within a valve housing (101), wherein an actuator (107) is provided which can change the position of the valve plunger (104), and wherein the valve housing (101) comprises a first valve section for the inlet (102) and a second valve section for the outlet (103), as well as a valve opening (230) between the first and the second valve section which can be closed by the valve plunger (104), characterized by, that the drive (107) is a stepper motor and that a first bellows (110) is provided in the first valve area, which is attached to the valve stem (104) and to the valve housing (101), and a second bellows (120) is provided in the second valve area, which is attached to the valve stem (104) and to the valve housing (101), wherein the valve stem (104) has a cross-sectional area exposed to fluid pressure which corresponds to the mean cross-sectional area of ​​a bellows of the bellows (110, 120). [2] Valve (100) according to claim 1, wherein the valve (100) is a proportional valve. [3] Valve (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the first and second bellows (110, 120) are a metal bellows or a Teflon bellows. [4] Valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the valve opening (230) is arranged on a central part of the valve housing (101). [5] Valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the first and second bellows (110, 120) have the same external dimensions. [6] Valve (100) according to claim 5, characterized by , that the first and the second bellows (110, 120) have the same number of folds or the same geometry. [7] Valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by , that the first and second bellows (110, 120) are arranged symmetrically to the center of the valve. [8] Valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that the actuator (107) is arranged outside the valve housing (101). [9] Valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that the actuator (107) is arranged inside the valve housing (101) inside the first or the second bellows (110, 120). [10] Valve (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized bythat the valve (100) includes a control unit that can control the position of the valve plunger (104) relative to the valve opening (230). [11] Filler (400) for filling containers with liquid, comprising a plurality of filling stations, characterized by , that a valve (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and a flow meter are provided at a filling station, which are connected via a control unit, wherein the control unit can control the valve (100) in such a way that a predetermined volume flow of the liquid or a predetermined flow velocity curve is achieved and the flow meter or load cell or other measuring device for determining the flow velocity can measure the volume flow and transmit data to the control unit. [12] Filler (400) according to claim 11, wherein the filler (400) is a rotary machine. [13] Filler (400) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein a valve (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and a flow meter are provided at each filling station. [14] Method for filling containers with a filler (400) comprising a plurality of filling stations, characterized by , that a control unit regulates the volume flow by controlling a valve (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10 and the volume flow is measured by a flow meter.

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