Extraction system

Abstract

Dispensing system (1) with a dispensing head (4) and at least one container (2). The dispensing head (4) can be connected to a container opening (6) of the container (2) by means of a screw connection, so that a stored item can be removed from or fed into the container (2) by means of the dispensing head (4). An actuating ring (15) is provided on the dispensing head (4), the screw connection being established by turning the actuating ring (15) in a tightening direction. The screw connection is loosened by turning the actuating ring (15) in a loosening direction. The actuating ring (15) has an overload protection device by means of which the effective tightening torque when establishing the screw connection is limited to a limit tightening torque.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a extraction system according to the preamble of claim 1.

[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 Liquid can be withdrawn from the container via the dip tube or added to the container using the dispensing head.

[0003] The sampling head can be attached to the dip tube using a screw connection. The dip tube has a thread for this screw connection, and the sampling head has a corresponding thread.

[0004] One problem with such screw connections is that if the thread is screwed into the mating thread with too high a tightening torque, the screw connection is tightened so much that loosening the screw connection is only possible with increased effort, because the thread is then tilted or jammed on the mating thread.

[0005] Especially when the thread and mating thread are made of plastic, excessive tightening torque can lead to damage to the thread and mating thread.

[0006] US Patent 2011 / 265896A1 relates to a dispensing system for extracting liquid from a bottle. The dispensing system comprises an upper cap in which a dip tube is housed. A lower cap is also provided, which is placed onto the opening of the bottle. The upper cap is inclined relative to the lower cap, allowing the dip tube to be inserted obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the bottle until it reaches its lower rim.

[0007] WO 2011 / 042 314 A1 relates to a water-carrying household appliance, in particular a dishwasher or washing machine, which is equipped with at least one, in particular flexible, water line for supplying or draining water, wherein the water line can be connected to an external and / or appliance-side connection unit provided with an external thread. A connecting unit can be held on this by means of a threaded body (5) that can be secured on the thread of the connection unit (3), and which is designed in such a way that the tightening torque of the threaded body (5) is limited.

[0008] US 2023 / 0160621A1 concerns a refrigerator with a water supply line and a coupling that has an overload protection.

[0009] US 9 869 415 B2 relates to a coupling device with a torque lock.

[0010] JP 5 276 129 B2 relates to a water connection with torque protection. The invention is based on the objective of providing extraction systems of the type mentioned above with high functionality and operational reliability.

[0011] To solve this problem, the features of the independent claim are provided. Advantageous embodiments and expedient further developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0012] The invention relates to a dispensing system comprising a dispensing head and at least one container. The dispensing head can be connected to a container opening of the container by means of a screw connection, so that a stored item can be removed from or fed into the container using the dispensing head. An actuating ring is provided on the dispensing head, and the screw connection is established by rotating the actuating ring in a tightening direction. The screw connection is loosened by rotating the actuating ring in a loosening direction. The actuating ring has an overload protection feature that limits the effective tightening torque when establishing the screw connection to a minimum tightening torque.

[0013] The overload protection of the actuating ring according to the invention prevents excessive tightening torques when making the screw connection between the extraction head and the container opening of the container, since the overload protection automatically limits the acting tightening torque to a limit tightening torque.

[0014] This prevents overloading of the components of the screw connection, which could lead to impairment or damage to the screw connection.

[0015] This is particularly advantageous when the components of the screw connection are made of plastic. Plastic components of a screw connection can be deformed and thus damaged relatively easily.

[0016] Such impairments are reliably avoided with the overload protection according to the invention.

[0017] The actuating ring is advantageously connected with a thread. By turning the actuating ring, the thread can be screwed onto or off a mating thread in the area of ​​the container opening.

[0018] Advantageously, the thread and the mating thread, like the actuating ring itself, are made of plastic and can therefore be manufactured efficiently as plastic injection molded parts.

[0019] Ideally, the thread is an external thread and the mating thread is an internal thread.

[0020] Depending on the design, the mating thread is located in the container opening or in a dip tube mounted in the container opening.

[0021] According to an advantageous embodiment, the actuating ring has an outer ring and an inner ring firmly connected to the thread. Overload elements forming the overload protection mechanism ensure a detachable coupling of the outer ring and the inner ring.

[0022] The outer surface of the inner ring lies close to the inner surface, and the outer ring and the inner ring are rotatable about a common axis of rotation.

[0023] The outer and inner ring surfaces are therefore close together with minimal play and can be rotated against each other.

[0024] Due to the fixed connection between the inner ring and the thread, the thread rotates along with the inner ring when it is turned. Advantageously, the inner ring and the thread are made from a single injection-molded plastic part.

[0025] The overload protection device functions as follows: in a locking position, the overload elements couple the outer and inner rings, so that when the outer ring is turned, the inner ring also rotates. When a limit torque is reached during the tightening of the bolted connection, the overload elements automatically move to a release position, so that when the outer ring is turned in the tightening direction, the inner ring does not rotate.

[0026] In an initial state, the overload elements are in their locking positions, so that there is a firm coupling between the outer ring and the inner ring.

[0027] When a user turns the outer ring in the tightening direction, the inner ring rotates along with it, thereby screwing the thread on the actuating ring into the mating thread of the container opening or the dip tube. This only occurs until the limit tightening torque is reached. Once the limit tightening torque is reached, the overload elements are automatically moved into their release position, in particular by a mechanical positive guide, and the outer ring is decoupled from the inner ring, so that when the outer ring is turned, the inner ring is no longer rotated.

[0028] If the screw connection is to be loosened, the overload elements are automatically moved from the loosening position to the locking position when the actuating ring is turned in the loosening direction.

[0029] The transfer of the overload elements from the release position to the locking position is also carried out by means of a mechanical positive guidance.

[0030] The inner ring then rotates with the outer ring, making it possible to loosen the screw connection.

[0031] According to a structurally advantageous embodiment, each overload element has a locking segment that is resiliently mounted in a cavity extending in a radial direction and opening onto the inner surface of the outer ring.

[0032] Accordingly, the inner ring has several recesses arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, opening onto its outer surface, with the locking segment of an overload element projecting into one of the recesses in the locking position.

[0033] If a locking segment is opposite a recess, the locking segment is guided into the recess by means of the spring force of a spring element, thereby creating a tight coupling between the outer ring and the inner ring, i.e., when the outer ring is turned, the inner ring is turned along with it.

[0034] In contrast, in the released position of an overload element, its locking segment rests against the outer surface of the inner ring, whereby the locking segment is completely retracted into the cavity.

[0035] By pressing the locking segment against the outer surface of the inner ring, which lies between two recesses, the locking segment is forced into the cavity against the spring force of the spring element. The outer ring is then decoupled from the inner ring, so that any rotation of the outer ring is not transmitted to the inner ring.

[0036] This design provides a simple mechanical positive guidance for coupling and decoupling the outer ring and the inner ring.

[0037] According to a geometrically favorable design, the recesses are identically shaped and arranged equidistantly in the circumferential direction of the inner ring.

[0038] The number of recesses is greater than the number of overload elements, with the arrangement of the overload elements on the outer ring being adapted to the arrangement of the recesses on the inner ring in such a way that when the outer ring and the inner ring are coupled, the locking segments of all overload elements engage in one of the recesses.

[0039] This ensures that the arrangement of the recesses in the inner ring is optimally adapted to the number and arrangement of the overload elements on the outer ring.

[0040] A key aspect of the overload protection design is that each recess is bounded by a wall, with a segment of the wall lying in the tightening direction having a shallower slope than the segment of the wall lying in the loosening direction.

[0041] The slope of the segment of the wall lying in the tightening direction is dimensioned such that when the limit tightening torque is reached, the locking segment is guided out of the recess via this segment of the wall.

[0042] In contrast, the increase in the segment of the recess lying in the release direction is dimensioned in such a way that the locking segment is held in the recess when the actuating ring is turned in the release direction.

[0043] This asymmetrical design of the wall of each recess ensures that the locking segment automatically releases itself from the recess when the actuating ring is turned in the tightening direction and the limit tightening torque is reached, because the acting tightening torque causes the locking segment to slide out of the recess along the segment of the wall with the shallower slope.

[0044] To loosen the screw connection, the outer ring first rotates relative to the inner ring until each locking segment engages in a recess. As the outer ring continues to rotate in the loosening direction, each locking segment rests against the wall segment with the steeper pitch, thus preventing it from being pulled out of the recess. This causes the inner ring to rotate with the outer ring, loosening the screw connection.

[0045] An advantageous effect of the overload protection according to the invention is that the overload element or elements, in particular each locking segment, generates a clicking sound when being led out of the recess.

[0046] If the actuating ring is manually turned by a user to create the screw connection, the clicking sound signals to him when the limit tightening torque has been reached, thus providing a further increase in functional reliability.

[0047] Alternatively, the actuating ring can be operated by a robot, especially if the entire handling of the removal system is automated and robot-controlled.

[0048] The invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Figure 1: Schematic representation of the extraction system according to the invention. Figure 2: Partial representation of the extraction system according to the invention. Figure 1 with a container having a dip tube and a dispensing head. Figure 3: Enlarged partial view of the arrangement according to Figure 2 Figure 4: Detailed view of a section of the dispensing head of the dispensing system according to Figure 1 Figure 5: Perspective view of the actuating ring of the dispensing head. Figure 6: Sectional view of the dispensing head. Figure 7: Enlarged partial view of the arrangement according to Figure 6 with an overload element a) in a locked position. b) in a released position.

[0049] Figure 1Figure 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the dispensing system 1 according to the invention for transportable containers 2, which may be formed in particular by barrels, bottles or the like. A liquid 3 is stored as the stored product in the respective container 2. The liquids 3 stored in such containers 2 are in particular liquid specialty chemicals.

[0050] 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 container opening 6 of the container 2 and is thus firmly connected to the container 2. The longitudinal axis of the dip tube 5, which projects into the interior of the container 2, runs in a vertical direction.

[0051] 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).

[0052] The Figures 2 and 3 show the extraction head 4 with the associated container 2. Figure 4 shows a single view of a section of the extraction head 4.

[0053] The immersion tube 5 has a hollow cylindrical tube body 9 and a head part 10 on the top of the tube body 9 ( Figures 2 and 3The head section 10 is mounted at the container opening 6 on the top of the container 2 such that the pipe body 9 protrudes into the container 2. The dip tube 5 is made of plastic.

[0054] As from the Figures 2 and 3 As can be seen, the head section 10 has an opening with a circular cross-section, which opens onto the top of the head section 10. An internal thread 11 is provided on the inner wall bordering the opening as a connection means. The connection means with the internal thread 11, like the rest of the immersion tube 5, is made of plastic.

[0055] The extraction head 4 shows, as can be seen in particular from the Figures 2 and 4The figure shows a base body 4b, at the upper end of which the liquid connection 4a is provided. From the liquid connection 4a, a liquid channel (not shown) runs inside the base body 4b, to which a tubular extension 12 connects, opening at the lower end of the base body 4b. A vent connection 13 opens laterally on the base body 4b. The dispensing head 4 is made of plastic.

[0056] Above the tubular extension 12, at the lower edge of the base body 4b, a connection element in the form of an external thread 14 is provided. The external thread 14 is complementary to the internal thread 11 of the immersion tube 5. This connection element with the external thread 14 is also made of plastic.

[0057] To make and loosen a screw connection, the external thread 14 of the extraction head 4 is screwed into the internal thread 11 of the immersion tube 5.

[0058] The screwing in and out of the external thread 14 into the internal thread 11 is carried out by means of an actuating ring 15 on the removal head 4, the actuating ring 15 being coupled to the external thread 14.

[0059] To tighten the screw connection, the actuating ring 15 is turned in a tightening direction. To loosen the screw connection, the actuating ring 15 is turned in the opposite direction.

[0060] According to the invention, the actuating ring 15 has an overload protection feature which, when the actuating ring 15 and thus the external thread 14 are turned in the tightening direction to produce the screw connection, limits the tightening torque to a limit tightening torque, thereby preventing impairment or damage to the components of the screw connection, in particular the external thread 14 and internal thread 11.

[0061] Furthermore, the overload protection components of the actuating ring 15 produce a clearly audible clicking sound when the limit tightening torque is reached, thus providing a user who manually operates the actuating ring 15 with an audible warning or general information that the limit tightening torque has been reached.

[0062] Alternatively, the actuating ring 15 can also be actuated by means of a robot.

[0063] The Figures 5 and 6 Figure 15 shows the actuating ring 15 in detail. The actuating ring 15 consists of an outer ring 16 and an inner ring 17.

[0064] The outer ring 16 and inner ring 17 are arranged concentrically to a central axis A of the actuating ring 15 and can be rotated about this axis of rotation. The central axis A runs perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Figure 6 .

[0065] The outer contour of the inner ring 17, in particular its outer surface, is adapted to the inner contour, in particular the inner surface of the outer ring 16, such that the outer surface of the inner ring 17 rests against the inner surface of the outer ring 16 with minimal clearance, so that the inner ring 17 is rotatable relative to the outer ring 16.

[0066] The inner ring 17 is firmly connected to the outer ring 16, advantageously with the inner ring 17 and the outer ring 16 being made from a single injection-molded plastic part. This allows a rotational movement of the inner ring 17 to be transmitted directly to the external thread 14.

[0067] The outer ring 16 has six circumferentially equidistant grip segments 18 that project radially outwards beyond the outer surface of the annular base body 4b. The grip segments 18 each have identical outer contours. A user can simply grasp the grip segments 18 and thus rotate the actuating ring 15.

[0068] In each of two opposing handle segments 18 there is a cavity 19 extending in a radial direction and opening onto the inner surface of the outer ring 16.

[0069] A locking segment 21, which is spring-mounted by means of a spring element 20, is mounted in this cavity. The spring element 20 and the locking segment 21 form an overload element, which provides overload protection.

[0070] Correspondingly, the inner ring 17 has recesses 22 that open onto the outer surface of the inner ring 17. The recesses 22 are identical in design and adapted to the shape of the locking segments 21 of the overload elements.

[0071] In the present case, six recesses 22 are provided, which are arranged equidistantly, i.e., each is offset from the others by 60°.

[0072] The recesses 22 are asymmetrically shaped, as Figure 6 and the enlarged partial representations of the Figures 7a and 7b show.

[0073] Each recess 22 is bounded by a wall formed by the ring body of the inner ring 17. The segment 23a of the wall lying in the tightening direction has a shallower slope than the segment 23b of the wall lying in the loosening direction.

[0074] The slope of the segment 23a of the wall lying in the direction of tightening is dimensioned such that when the limit tightening torque is reached, the locking segment 21 is guided out of the recess 22 via this segment 23a of the wall.

[0075] Furthermore, the increase of the segment 23b lying in the release direction of the recess 22 is dimensioned such that the locking segment 21 is held in the recess 22 when the actuating ring 15 is turned in the release direction.

[0076] The functionality of the overload protection is explained below using the following as an example. Figures 5, 6 , 7a and 7b explained.

[0077] In an initial position, the outer ring 16 and the inner ring 17 are coupled by the overload elements, in which, as Figure 6The figure shows that the locking segments 21 of the two overload elements are each engaged in a recess 22 of the inner ring 17. The spring forces of the respective spring element 20 ensure that the locking segment 21 is extended beyond the edge of the cavity and protrudes into the respective recess 22.

[0078] When the actuating ring 15 is then turned in the tightening direction, in which a user or a robot grips the outer ring 16 at the grip segments 18, the inner ring 17 is turned with the outer ring 16, so that the screw connection is formed.

[0079] As soon as a limit tightening torque is reached when forming the screw connection, the external thread 14, which is screwed onto the internal thread 11, exerts a counterforce against further tightening of the actuating ring 15, causing the locking segments 21 to be led out of their respective recesses 22. This is in Figure 7a illustrated by arrow I.

[0080] The increase in segment 23a of the wall bounding the recess 22 is adjusted accordingly.

[0081] When the locking segment 21 is released from the recess 22, an audible click is made, which signals that the limit tightening torque has been reached.

[0082] After each locking segment 21 has been removed from its respective recess 22, it lies, as Figure 7b This indicates the position of the outer surface of the inner ring 17. This means that each locking segment 21 is fully inserted into its respective cavity 19. This decouples the outer ring 16 from the inner ring 17, thus providing overload protection. Further rotation of the outer ring 16 is not transmitted to the inner ring 17, preventing the bolted connection from being subjected to a tightening torque exceeding the limit torque.

[0083] If the screw connection is subsequently loosened again, the actuating ring 15 is turned in the opposite direction. This initially guides the locking segments 21 back into the recesses 22. With further rotation of the actuating ring 15, the rotational movement of the outer ring 16 is transferred to the inner ring 17, as the locking segments 21 are then securely held in the recesses 22 due to the steeper slopes of the wall segments 23. Reference symbol list

[0084] (1) Dispensing system (2) Container (3) Liquid (4) Dispensing head (4a) Liquid connection (4b) Base body (5) Dip tube (6) Container opening (7) Pipe (8) Pump (9) Pipe body (10) Head (11) Internal thread (12) Attachment (13) Vent connection (14) External thread (15) Actuating ring (16) Outer ring (17) Inner ring (18) Handle segment (19) Cavity (20) Spring element (21) Locking segment (22) Recess (23) Segment (23a) Segment (in extension direction) (23b) Segment (in release direction) (A) Center axis

Claims

1. Extraction system (1) with an extraction head (4) and at least one container (2), wherein the extraction head (4) can be connected to a container opening (6) of the container (2) by means of a screw connection, so that a stored item can be removed from or fed into the container (2) by means of the extraction head (4), wherein an actuating ring (15) is provided on the extraction head (4), wherein the screw connection is established by turning the actuating ring (15) in a tightening direction, and wherein the screw connection is loosened by turning the actuating ring (15) in a loosening direction, characterised in that the actuating ring (15) has an overload protection device by means of which an effective tightening torque is limited to a limit tightening torque when the screw connection is established.

2. Extraction system (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the actuating ring (15) is connected to a thread, and that by turning the actuating ring (15), the thread can be screwed onto or unscrewed from a counter-thread in the area of the container opening (6).

3. Extraction system (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the counter-thread is present in the container opening (6) or in an immersion tube (5) mounted in the container opening (6).

4. Extraction system (1) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterised in that the thread is an external thread (14) and the counter-thread is an internal thread (11).

5. Extraction system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the actuating ring (15) has an outer ring (16) and an inner ring (17) firmly connected to the thread, wherein overload elements forming the overload protection are provided, by means of which a releasable coupling of the outer ring (16) and the inner ring (17) is carried out.

6. Extraction system (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the outer surface of the inner ring (17) fits tightly against the inner surface, whereby the outer ring (16) and the inner ring (17) can rotate about a common axis of rotation.

7. Extraction system (1) according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterised in that the overload elements cause the outer ring (16) and the inner ring (17) to be coupled in a locking position, so that when the outer ring (16) is rotated, the inner ring (17) is rotated with it, and that when a limit tightening torque is reached during the establishment of the screw connection, the overload elements are automatically moved into a release position so that when the outer ring (16) is rotated in the tightening direction, the inner ring (17) is not rotated with it.

8. Extraction system (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that when the actuating ring (15) is turned in the release direction, the overload elements are automatically moved from the release position to the locking position.

9. Extraction system (1) according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that each overload element has a locking segment (21) spring-mounted in a cavity (19) extending in the radial direction and opening onto the inner surface of the outer ring (16).

10. Extraction system (1) according to claim 9, characterised in that the inner ring (17) has a plurality of recesses (22) arranged at a distance from one another in the circumferential direction and opening onto its outer surface, wherein, in the locked position of an overload element, its locking segment (21) protrudes into one of the recesses (22), and that in the release position of an overload element, its locking segment (21) rests against the outer surface of the inner ring (17), whereby the locking segment (21) is completely retracted into the cavity (19).

11. Extraction system (1) according to claim 10, characterised in that the recesses (22) are identical in design and are arranged equidistantly in the circumferential direction of the inner ring (17), and / or in that the number of recesses (22) is greater than the number of overload elements, whereby the arrangement of the overload elements on the outer ring (16) is adapted to the arrangement of the recesses (22) on the inner ring (17) in such a way that, when the outer ring (16) and the inner ring (17) are coupled, the locking segments (21) of all overload elements engage in one of the recesses (22) in each case.

12. Extraction system (1) according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterised in that each recess (22) is bounded by a wall, wherein a segment (23a) of the wall lying in the tightening direction has a shallower slope than the segment (23b) of the wall lying in the loosening direction.

13. Extraction system (1) according to claim 12, characterised in that the gradient of the segment (23a) of the wall lying in the tightening direction is dimensioned such that, when the limit tightening torque is reached, the locking segment (21) is guided out of the recess (22) via this segment (23a) of the wall, and that the increase in the slope of the segment (23b) of the recess (22) lying in the release direction is dimensioned such that the locking segment (21) is held in the recess (22) when the actuating ring (15) is turned in the release direction.

14. Extraction system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that a clicking noise is generated when the overload protection is activated.

15. Extraction system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 14, characterised in that the actuating ring (15), the thread and the counter-thread are made of plastic.

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