Moulding and Filling Valve with Supporting Liquid Diaphragm
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Solution Overview
Problem
The interior of form and fill valves has hard-to-reach areas that are difficult to clean, particularly due to the limitations of flexible membranes which can only withstand pressure to a limited extent, making microbial cleaning challenging and complicating the CIP process in the beverage industry.
Innovation Solution
A form and fill valve design featuring a flexible diaphragm ring supported by a constant volume of incompressible supporting liquid, which maintains pressure balance and allows the membrane to follow tappet movements, along with a pressure sensor for easy filling pressure measurement and a leakage detection system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flexible membrane is used to prevent product from reaching upper areas, then microbial contamination is reduced, but the membrane can only withstand pressure to a limited extent and requires precise coordination of movements
Solution Approach 1:
A supporting liquid is introduced as an intermediary substance between the filling material and the diaphragm ring. This supporting liquid transmits the filling pressure uniformly to the diaphragm ring, eliminating the need for precise coordination of membrane support points and simplifying the valve's mechanical coordination requirements while maintaining microbial contamination prevention.
2Strength
If the membrane is supported by wall areas in all operating positions, then the membrane can withstand filling pressure, but the interior creates hard-to-reach areas that are difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting liquid creates a hydrostatic pressure distribution that supports the diaphragm ring uniformly across its entire surface area. This hydraulic support mechanism eliminates the need for discrete wall-mounted support points, thereby removing hard-to-reach corners and crevices from the valve interior and significantly improving cleaning accessibility while maintaining membrane strength.
3Reliability
If a flexible diaphragm ring is used to follow tappet movements, then sealing is maintained, but the membrane structure creates cleaning difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting liquid acts as a mediator that distributes pressure uniformly across the diaphragm ring, allowing it to maintain sealing effectiveness during tappet movements without requiring complex support structures. This uniform pressure distribution enables the diaphragm ring to flex freely while maintaining contact with the tappet, preserving sealing while simplifying the overall structure for easier cleaning.
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
Ensures effective microbial cleaning by maintaining membrane support and simplifying filling pressure measurement, reducing the risk of membrane damage and facilitating efficient operation across varying conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The support liquid ensures that the diaphragm ring is supported over the entire surface in a pressure-balanced manner, i.e. it is not stressed by the filling material in the lower part of the interior that is under filling pressure
Implementation Method 2
If the ram is lifted, the change in space in the area of the supporting liquid is compensated for by the membrane deforming into a convex shape
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a moulding and filling valve for the simultaneous moulding of a previously thermally conditioned preform into a container and the filling of the container being formed by introduction of a pressurised filling material, having an interior space which has an inlet in in fluid communication with a source for the pressurised filling material and an outlet which can be brought into fluid communication with the preform and with which a sealing element is associated, which can be moved by means of a tubular plunger running and movable in the longitudinal direction through the moulding and filling valve between a position in which the sealing element closes the outlet and a position, in which the sealing element frees the outlet. A rectangular stretching rod which is movable in the longitudinal direction is arranged in the plunger, and during the moulding and filling operation said rod can be introduced into the preform and assists the moulding in the longitudinal direction. A flexible diaphragm ring which surrounds the plunger with internal sealing is provided in the interior space, is connected to wall regions of the interior space with external sealing, and delimits a lower part of the interior space, through which the filling material flows into the preform, relative to the rest of the valve regions. The invention is characterised in that the diaphragm ring (12) encloses with an upper part (14) of the interior space (11) a supporting hollow space which is permanently completely filled with an incompressible supporting fluid (23).