Equal-Diameter Valve Sleeve for Rapid Container Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional valves used in container forming and filling processes require significant forces and reaction times due to unequal pressure-loaded control surfaces, leading to delayed valve response and slow opening/closing, which hinders efficient high-volume flow and quick filling times necessary for simultaneous molding and filling operations.
Innovation Solution
A valve arrangement featuring two pipe sockets of the same diameter with a sleeve that bridges the distance between them, allowing for sealing and minimizing actuation forces by ensuring equal surface areas in both directions, enabling rapid and low-force control of the filling material flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional piston valves are used with unequal pressure-loaded control surfaces, then the valve can control filling material flow, but large reaction forces act on the piston causing delayed valve response and slow opening/closing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing a valve sleeve with unequal surface areas on opposite sides, where the first surface area differs from the second surface area. This asymmetric design allows the valve to utilize pressure differential forces to assist opening and closing operations, reducing the required actuation force while maintaining rapid response speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements equipotentiality by providing sealing surfaces at both ends of the movable valve sleeve that contact stationary sealing surfaces. This creates balanced pressure distribution across the valve surfaces, eliminating large reaction forces on a single piston while enabling quick valve response through minimal actuation force.
2Productivity
If conventional valves are used to achieve high volume flows of up to 20 liters/s, then the filling rate increases, but the valve requires large control forces that delay response time
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric surface area design of the valve sleeve enables the valve to take advantage of pressure differential forces during opening and closing. This reduces the actuation force required and accelerates valve response, allowing high volume flows to be achieved without sacrificing response time.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve design incorporates a movable sleeve that can dynamically adjust its position between open and closed states with minimal actuation force. This dynamic mechanism allows rapid transitions that support high productivity while minimizing the time lost during valve operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the preform is thermally conditioned to maintain plastic deformability, then the molding process can proceed, but the filling must occur very quickly before heat is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic valve sleeve mechanism enables extremely rapid opening and closing actions that minimize the time required for filling. This ensures the filling process completes quickly enough to maintain preform temperature and plastic deformability throughout the molding operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve design prevents heat loss by enabling the filling operation to complete before significant cooling occurs. The rapid valve response acts as a preliminary measure to ensure the preform remains sufficiently warm and deformable for the entire molding process.
4Quantity of substance
If high pressure of up to 40 bar is applied to achieve required flow rates, then the filling volume increases, but large reaction forces are generated that slow valve operation
Solution Approach 1:
The valve design provides sealing surfaces at both ends of the movable sleeve, creating balanced pressure distribution. This equipotential arrangement ensures that high pressure (up to 40 bar) can be applied to achieve required filling volumes without generating large unbalanced reaction forces that would slow valve operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric surface area configuration allows the valve to harness pressure differential forces to assist in opening and closing operations. This enables high pressure filling to proceed rapidly with minimal actuation force, maintaining both high volume flow and fast valve response.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The valve arrangement allows for quick and efficient control of filling material flow with minimal effort, achieving high volume flows and short reaction times, thus supporting rapid molding and filling processes without undesired cooling of thermally conditioned preforms and ensuring uniform material distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a sleeve (3) which can be displaced along the two pipe sockets (1a, 1b) and which bridges the distance between the two pipe sockets (1a, 1b) in a sealing manner
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2~4
Figure 5a
AI summary
The invention has the object of proposing a device for producing filled containers from preforms using liquid contents introduced under pressure into the preforms, which device is provided with a filling valve that can be actuated with short reaction times. The object is achieved with such a device, comprising a shaping and filling station 12 with a mound 14 in which a preform 13 can be converted into a filled container, and with a shaping and filling head 15 to which contents can be supplied under pressure via a supply line 11, and which has a filling valve 16 for controlling the supply of contents to the preform 13. The device is characterized by a filling valve 16 having a valve arrangement that comprises a first and a second pipe stub 1a, 1b of identical diameter. The two pipe stubs are arranged at a distance from one another. A valve body 2, the diameter of which at least corresponds to the diameter of the pipe stubs, is arranged between the pipe stubs. The valve arrangement also comprises a sleeve 3 which can be displaced along the two pipe stubs and which bridges the gap between the two pipe stubs in a leak-tight manner, wherein the sleeve has a maximum internal diameter that is greater than the maximum diameter of the valve body. The sleeve can be displaced along the pipe stubs such that, in a closed position of the valve arrangement, it is in contact with a sealing surface 6 arranged on the valve body, and such that the sealing surface has the same diameter as the pipe stubs.