Sampling system with immersion tube

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device with a dispensing system and a container having a dip tube.

[0002] Such a dispensing system is known from DE 10 2021 116 140. This dispensing system is used for filling and emptying containers, in particular drums, filled with liquid chemicals. The dispensing system comprises a dispensing head that can be attached to a dip tube of a container. Liquid can be withdrawn from the container or added to the container via the dip tube using the dispensing head. The dispensing head can be fixed in a mounting position on the dip tube by a sliding movement. The mounting position can be monitored by means of an optical sensor to ensure the correct position of the dip tube on the dispensing head.

[0003] Alternatively, the sampling head can be screwed onto the dip tube.

[0004] In general, the sampling head has a liquid channel bounded by a wall, which is connected to the dip tube in the mounting position of the sampling head, so that liquid can be extracted from the container or supplied to the container via the dip tube and the liquid channel.

[0005] One problem is that when liquid is drawn from or added to the container, and the dispensing head is detached from the dip tube, some liquid initially remains in the liquid channel due to capillary action. Only when the dispensing head is removed does the liquid then flow uncontrollably from the liquid channel. This allows the liquid to escape uncontrollably into the surrounding environment or come into contact with another container.

[0006] This poses a risk of contamination, especially if the liquid consists of hazardous specialty chemicals.

[0007] GB 2 061 874 A relates to a device for extracting liquid from a container. A dispensing head is mounted on an opening of the container. The dispensing head has a valve. Depending on the valve position, liquid can be extracted from the container or rinsing fluid can be added to the container for cleaning purposes.

[0008] US Patent 6,109,485 A relates to a valve assembly located in a container opening. The valve assembly is used to draw liquid from the container. The lower end of the valve assembly is channel-shaped.

[0009] The invention is based on the objective of providing a withdrawal system of the type mentioned at the outset, which has increased functionality and functional reliability.

[0010] The features of claim 1 are provided to solve this problem. Advantageous embodiments and expedient further developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0011] The invention relates to a device with a dispensing system and a container with a dip tube, designed to hold a liquid. The dispensing system includes a dispensing head that can be attached to the dip tube, allowing liquid to be drawn from or added to the container via the dip tube and the dispensing head. The dispensing head has a liquid channel through which the liquid drawn from or added to the container flows. An opening is provided in the wall bordering the liquid channel. When the dispensing head is attached to the dip tube, this opening is sealed to prevent the ingress of gas. The opening is opened solely by a sliding movement of the dispensing head relative to the dip tube.When the sampling head is detached from the dip tube, the opening is no longer closed, allowing gas to enter the liquid channel through the opening.

[0012] The opening can have various shapes or cross-sections, such as circular, oval, polygonal, or slotted. In particular, the opening forms a bore. Without limiting the generality of the term, the following refers to an opening in the form of a bore.

[0013] The gas that can enter the liquid channel through the unsealed bore is primarily air, although this is not necessarily the case. Without limiting generality, the following refers to gas in the form of air.

[0014] The term "sealed" generally encompasses the decoupling of the opening, i.e., bore, from gas or air, i.e., a gas-tight separation from gas- or air-carrying structures, particularly duct-like structures. The sealing means provided for this purpose do not necessarily have to be located at the bore itself, but merely need to be spatially associated with it.

[0015] If the extraction head of the extraction system according to the invention is attached to the dip tube of a container, i.e., placed in a mounting position on the dip tube and preferably secured or locked there, the dip tube with the liquid channel forms a continuous channel through which liquid is extracted from or supplied to the container.

[0016] The liquid channel runs coaxially to the dip tube in the longitudinal direction of the sampling head and the dip tube.

[0017] The bore provided in the wall of the liquid channel of the extraction head according to the invention is then closed, so that no air from the outside can enter the liquid channel, which would impair the extraction or supply of liquid.

[0018] The wall of the liquid channel advantageously forms a lateral surface of the liquid channel, which is surrounded by the dip tube in the mounting position of the sampling head.

[0019] When the sampling head is detached from the dip tube, the bore is unblocked even while the sampling head is still within the dip tube, and especially while the liquid channel is still protruding into the dip tube. This unblocking occurs solely due to the displacement of the sampling head relative to the dip tube. Such displacement occurs both when the sampling head is fixed to the dip tube by a simple sliding motion and when it is screwed onto the dip tube, as both methods result in a relative displacement of the sampling head relative to the dip tube.

[0020] Since the bore is unblocked when the sampling head is detached from the dip tube, air enters the liquid channel from the outside through the bore. This ingress of air into the liquid channel prevents the liquid from becoming stuck in the liquid channel due to the capillary action of the liquid in the dip tube.

[0021] This ensures that when the sampling head is detached from the dip tube, i.e., while the liquid channel is still protruding into the dip tube, the liquid is completely emptied from the sampling head's liquid channel. This guarantees that when the sampling head is removed from the dip tube, no liquid residue remains in the sampling head, particularly in the liquid channel. Uncontrolled leakage of liquid from the sampling head and any resulting impairment, especially environmental contamination, is thus prevented.

[0022] This significantly increases the functionality and, in particular, the operational reliability of the extraction system according to the invention. These advantages are achieved with extremely little design effort, since essentially only a bore in the liquid channel of the extraction head is required as an additional component.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment, at least one ventilation opening is provided in the immersion tube of a wall, wherein, when the sampling head is attached to the immersion tube, the sealed bore is decoupled from the ventilation opening. When the sampling head is detached from the immersion tube, air passes from the ventilation opening through the bore into the liquid channel.

[0024] In particular, several ventilation openings arranged at intervals around the circumference of the extraction head may be provided.

[0025] These ventilation openings are advantageously designed to allow air introduced into and guided within the extraction head, which serves to ventilate the dip tube when it is emptied, to be discharged to the outside.

[0026] According to the invention, the ventilation openings are used so that, when the sampling head is detached from the dip tube, air is directed through at least one ventilation opening into the bore and then into the liquid channel, thereby eliminating the capillary action of the liquid and preventing liquid from remaining in the liquid channel when the sampling head is detached from the dip tube.

[0027] If, on the other hand, the sampling head is attached to the dip tube, the or any ventilation opening is decoupled from the bore, so that no air enters the liquid channel via the bore, which would hinder the liquid transfer through the liquid channel when filling or emptying the container.

[0028] Advantageously, a seal is provided on the outside of the wall bordering the liquid channel, by means of which the bore is closed when the sampling head is attached to the dip tube.

[0029] The seal, which is advantageously arranged circumferentially around the wall bordering the liquid channel, allows for easy closing and opening of the bore.

[0030] This takes advantage of the fact that the position of the seal changes relative to the position of the vent when the sampling head is detached from the dip tube.

[0031] The seal is positioned relative to the bore in such a way that, when the sampling head is attached to the dip tube, the seal lies between the bore and the vent opening, thus preventing air from entering the bore through the vent opening. It is advantageous for the seal to be positioned close to the bore.

[0032] When the sampling head is detached from the immersion tube, the seal lies outside the area between the vent opening and the bore.

[0033] This is achieved by the relative movement of the seal of the extraction head relative to the immersion tube, which shifts the seal with the bore relative to the ventilation openings.

[0034] According to a structurally advantageous embodiment, the extraction head has a base body, wherein an upper section of the liquid channel runs in the base body and wherein a lower section protrudes downwards beyond the lower edge of the base body.

[0035] At least part of the upper section of the liquid channel is surrounded by a ventilation channel. When a dip tube is attached to the sampling head, its upper end surrounds the lower section of the liquid channel.

[0036] Advantageously, the bore and the seal are arranged in the lower section of the liquid channel.

[0037] The ventilation channel is conveniently arranged concentrically to the liquid channel.

[0038] The sampling head, attached to the dip tube, directs air introduced into the ventilation channel through a vent opening to the outside. This prevents air from the ventilation channel from entering the liquid channel and the dip tube, which would impede the sampling or filling processes.

[0039] However, when the sampling head is detached from the dip tube, air from the ventilation channel enters the liquid channel and also the dip tube, thus accelerating the discharge of liquid from the liquid channel and the dip tube.

[0040] The invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Figure 1: Schematic representation of the dispensing system according to the invention. Figure 2: Detailed view of the dispensing head of the dispensing system according to the invention. Figure 1 Figure 3: Detailed view of the immersion tube of the extraction system according to Figure 1 Figure 4: Illustration of the sampling head on the dip tube in its mounted position. a) Overall view b) Enlarged partial view Figure 5: Illustration of the sampling head on the dip tube during release from the mounted position in a first phase. a) Overall view b) Enlarged partial view Figure 6: Illustration of the sampling head on the dip tube during release from the mounted position in a second phase. a) Overall view b) Enlarged partial view

[0041] Figure 1Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the dispensing system 1 according to the invention for transportable containers 2, which may in particular be drums or the like. A liquid 3 is stored in the respective container 2. The liquids 3 stored in such containers 2 are in particular liquid specialty chemicals.

[0042] The extraction system 1 comprises a extraction head 4, which can be attached to a dip tube 5. The dip tube 5 is mounted in a bung head 6, which is located in a container opening of the container 2, and is thus firmly connected to the container 2. The longitudinal axis of the dip tube 5 runs in a vertical direction.

[0043] The dispensing head 4 is used to extract liquid 3 from the container 2. It can also be used to fill containers 2. For this purpose, the dispensing head 4 has a liquid connection 4a at its upper end. A line 7 is connected to this liquid connection 4a, leading to a pump 8. The line 7 can be in the form of a hose. The pump 8 is controlled by a control unit (not shown).

[0044] The extraction head 4 is in Figure 2The dispensing head 4 is shown in a single illustration. It has a housing-forming base body 4b, at the upper end of which the liquid connection 4a is provided. A check valve 9 is connected to the lower end, which in turn connects to the top of a liquid channel 10. The liquid channel 10 runs along the longitudinal axis of the dispensing head 4 and has a hollow cylindrical shape. The liquid channel 10 is bounded by a wall 11.

[0045] An upper section of the liquid channel 10 of the dispensing head 4 runs within the base body 4b and is separated from the rest of the base body 4b by a ventilation channel 12. The ventilation channel 12 surrounds the wall 11 of the liquid channel 10. The ventilation channel 12 runs concentrically to the liquid channel 10. Air 14 is supplied to the ventilation channel 12 via a ventilation port 13, which opens laterally on the base body 4b of the dispensing head 4, as can be seen in particular from the Figure 4b , 5b , 6b This is evident. A lower section of the fluid channel 10 protrudes downwards beyond the lower edge of the base body 4b.

[0046] In this lower section of the liquid channel 10, there is a bore 15 that penetrates the wall 11 of the liquid channel 10 in a radial direction. A seal 16 is located directly above this bore 15. The seal 16 runs circumferentially along the wall 11 of the liquid channel 10 and projects slightly beyond the outer surface of the wall 11.

[0047] A thread 17 is provided at the lower end of the base body 4b of the extraction head 4, with which the extraction head 4 can be screwed onto the immersion tube 5.

[0048] The immersion tube 5 is in Figure 3 shown in a single illustration. The immersion tube 5 has a hollow cylindrical tube body 18 and a head part 19 on the upper side of the tube body 18.

[0049] Ventilation openings 20 are located at the lower end of the head section 19, equidistant from each other around the circumference of the head section 19. The head section 19 also has an internal thread 21 for screwing onto the thread 17 of the extraction head 4. Instead of a screw connection between the extraction head 4 and the dip tube 5, other fastening options are possible, for example, the extraction head 4 can be fixed to the dip tube 5 by a simple sliding motion.

[0050] On the outside of the head part 19 there is an external thread 22 for screwing into the bung head 6.

[0051] The function of the extraction system 1 with the extraction head 4 on the dip tube 5 is described in the Figure 4a , 4b , 5a , 5b , 6a , 6b depicted.

[0052] The Figure 4a , 4bThe figures show the extraction head 4 screwed onto the immersion ring 5. The extraction head 4 is then in a fixed position which can be secured with locking means and / or monitored by a sensor.

[0053] When the dispensing head 4 is in this mounting position, liquid 3 can be drawn from or supplied to the container 2 via the dip tube 5 and the liquid channel 10 of the dispensing head 4, which are connected coaxially and form a common channel. The channel is therefore completely filled with liquid 3 for the purpose of drawing liquid 3 out or in.

[0054] As the Figure 4a , 4bAs shown, in the mounting position, the seal 16 is positioned between the ventilation openings 20 and the bore 15. The bore 15 is thus closed by the seal 16. Consequently, air 14, which is supplied to the ventilation channel 12 via the ventilation port 13, is discharged via the ventilation opening 20 without reaching the bore 15, so that no air 14 enters the liquid channel 10.

[0055] The Figure 5a , 5b The figures show the situation when the sampling head 4 is detached from the dip tube 5 by unscrewing it. The sampling head 4 is only slightly disengaged from its mounting position; that is, it is still supported on the dip tube 5, so that the liquid channel 10 and the dip tube 5 still form a continuous channel to the line 7 carrying liquid 3.

[0056] Since the sampling head 4 was unscrewed slightly from the dip tube 5, the sampling head 4 moved slightly in the axial direction relative to the dip tube 5. This axial movement caused the seal 16 and the bore 15 of the sampling head 4 to move axially relative to the ventilation openings 20 of the dip tube 5, such that the seal 16 is now located in the area of ​​the ventilation opening 20. The bore 15 is therefore no longer closed, allowing air 14 from the ventilation channel 12 to enter the bore 15 via the area of ​​the ventilation opening 20 and thus into the liquid channel 10. This is described in the Figure 5a , 5b illustrated by the penetration of air bubbles 14a into the liquid 3 located in the liquid channel 10.

[0057] The penetration of the air bubbles 14a prevents the liquid 3 from adhering to the wall 11 of the liquid channel 10 due to capillary action. The liquid 3 thus detaches quickly and completely from the wall 11, so that after a short time, as in the Figure 6a , 6b As shown, the entire liquid 3 is not only discharged from the dip tube 5, but also completely from the liquid channel 10, before the sampling head 4 is detached from the dip tube 5. Reference symbol list

[0058] (1) Sampling system (2) Container (3) Liquid (4) Sampling head (4a) Liquid connection (4b) Base body (5) Immersion tube (6) Bung head (7) Pipe (8) Pump (9) Check valve (10) Liquid channel (11) Wall (12) Vent channel (13) Vent connection (14) Air (14a) Air bubbles (15) Bore (16) Seal (17) Thread (18) Pipe body (19) Head (20) Vent opening (21) Internal thread (22) External thread

Claims

1. Device with a tapping system (1) and a container (2) having an riser pipe (5), which is designed to hold a liquid (3), wherein the tapping system has a tapping head (4) which can be attached to the riser pipe (5) so that liquid (3) can be tapped via the riser pipe (5) and the tapping head (4) can be removed from the container (2) or liquid (3) can be fed to the container (2), wherein the tapping head (4) has a liquid channel (10) in which the liquid (3) tapped from or fed to the container (2) is guided, characterised in that an opening is provided in the wall (11) delimiting the liquid channel (10), wherein, when the tapping head (4) is attached to the riser pipe (5), the opening is closed in such a way that it is secured against the ingress of gas, and that the closure of the opening is released solely by a sliding movement of the tapping head relative to the riser pipe, so that when the tapping head (4) is detached from the riser pipe (5), the opening is no longer closed, allowing gas to enter the liquid channel (10) via the opening.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one ventilation opening (20) is provided in a wall of the riser pipe (5), wherein, when the tapping head (4) is attached to the riser pipe (5), the closed opening is decoupled from the ventilation opening (20), and wherein, when the tapping head (4) is detached from the riser pipe (5), gas enters the liquid channel (10) via the opening in the ventilation opening (20).

3. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that a seal (16) is provided on the outside of the wall (11) of the tapping head (4) delimiting the liquid channel (10), by means of which the opening is closed when the tapping head (4) is attached to the riser pipe (5).

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterised in that, when the tapping head (4) is attached to the riser pipe (5), the seal (16) is located between the opening and the ventilation opening (20).

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterised in that the seal (16) is arranged just above the opening.

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the seal (16) is arranged circumferentially around the outside of the wall (11).

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that when the tapping head (4) is detached from the riser pipe (5), it is displaced in the axial direction relative to the riser pipe (5), whereby this displacement movement removes the closure of the opening.

8. Device (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that when the tapping head (4) is detached from the riser pipe (5), the seal (16) is moved out of the area between the opening and the ventilation opening (20) by the displacement movement of the tapping head (4) relative to the riser pipe (5).

9. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the tapping head (4) has a base body (4b), wherein an upper section of the liquid channel (10) runs in the base body (4b) and wherein a lower section protrudes downwards beyond the lower edge of the base body (4b).

10. Device (1) according to claim 9, characterised in that at least part of the upper section of the liquid channel (10) is surrounded by a ventilation channel (12) and that, when the riser pipe (5) is attached to the tapping head (4), its upper end surrounds the lower section of the liquid channel (10).

11. Device (1) according to claim 10, characterised in that the opening and the seal (16) are arranged in the lower section of the liquid channel (10).

12. Device (1) according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterised in that the ventilation channel (12) is arranged concentrically with the liquid channel (10).

13. Device (1) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that, when the tapping head (4) is attached to the riser pipe (5), gas introduced into the ventilation channel (12) via a ventilation connection (13) is conducted to the outside via the ventilation opening (20).