NOZZLE FOR FILLING VALVE ASSEMBLY

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates generally to filling machines used to fill liquid into containers and, more specifically, to a filling valve assembly useful in such filling machines.

BACKGROUND

A typical liquid filling system for containers includes a container handling device, a liquid filling machine and a capping/lidding machine. The container handling device transports unfilled containers to the liquid filling machine and then transports the filled containers from the filling machine to the capping/lidding machine. The container handling device commonly comprises one or more conveyors and may also include one or more indexing devices such as gates, star wheels or spindles.

One type of rotary filling machine includes a plurality of filling stations arranged around the circumference of a revolving filler bowl that holds the liquid to be filled into containers. Each filling station includes a filling device typically having a filling valve, with an associated nozzle, and a container holding device for securely holding and aligning each container as the containers rotate with the filler bowl during the filling process. The valve controls the feed of material down through the nozzle into the container. The nozzles direct liquid product into the container. The liquid product may be delivered to the nozzles from the filler bowl by gravity feed.

The valve seals against a top of the container during filling and the nozzles include a vent path so that as liquid enters the container the air in the container is vented up through the nozzle and into the filler bowl above the liquid level in the filler bowl.

In many current nozzles, the liquid flow from the nozzle tends to be directed downwardly and moves rapidly into impact with the bottom of the container, or into liquid that has already begun filling the container, creating undesired disturbance, including foaming in the case of some liquids. By way of example, one common nozzle configuration used in filling valves is shown in FIGS. 1A-1E and includes a nozzle body 10 with a tip 12 and a surrounding tubular sleeve 13 that is movable between a nozzle closed configuration (FIG. 1D) and a raised nozzle dispense configuration (FIG. 1E). The nozzle body includes a material outlet 14 on one side and an air inlet 16 at the other side. In the nozzle dispense configuration, material flows downward, impacts a diversion surface 12a of the tip and exits the outlet 14 into the container per 14a, while displaced air within the container enters the air inlet and passes up through the vent tube 16a per 16b. Per FIG. 1F, the downward flowing material 14a1 spaced away from the perimeter and the nozzle outlet 14 tends to be diverted laterally by the surface 12a, but the momentum of material 14a2 nearer to the outlet continues vertically downward and, due to its momentum, tends to overpower the laterally diverted flow 14a1, such that the resulting overall outflow direction is primarily vertically downward, as shown.

FIGS. 2A-2E show another prior art nozzle embodiment in which material outlets 14 are distributed about the full 360° degree perimeter of the nozzle tip. A gap between the upper portion of the nozzle body tube 10a and the tubular sleeve 13 provides the displace air vent path. As suggested by the flow depicted in FIG. 2E, even this arrangement suffers from a problem similar to that depicted in FIG. 1F.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a filling valve assembly with an associated nozzle assembly that is configured to effectively direct material outflow laterally, such that the flow is directed onto the upright walls of the container, rather than downward to the bottom wall of the container.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a filling assembly for filling a container with a flowable material includes a nozzle assembly that is configured to direct outflow of dispensed material primarily laterally so as to contact the upright wall of the container.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1F show aspects of one prior art filling valve nozzle configuration;

FIGS. 2A-2E show aspect of another prior art filling valve nozzle configuration;

FIGS. 3A-3E show one embodiment of an improved valve;

FIGS. 4A-4D shows another embodiment of an improved valve; and

FIGS. 5A-5C show another embodiment of an improved valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 3A-3D, an improved nozzle assembly 25 (as compared to the nozzle of FIGS. 1A-1F) for a filling valve assembly is shown and includes a nozzle body 30 with tip 32, with annular recess 32a to receive and retain a seal, and a surrounding tubular sleeve 33 (seen only in FIG. 3D). The nozzle body includes material dispense outlets 34a, 34b on one side and a displaced air inlet 36 on the other side, which air inlet 36 connects to the vent tube 36a. Notably, a material diversion ledge, shelf or other structure 38 is located in the material flow path to divert the radially outer portion of the downward material flow laterally out of the upper dispense outlet 34b, per arrow 40a. This flow 40a converges, at locaton41, with the diverted flow 40b through the lower dispense outlet 34a, but the flow 40a has much less downward momentum (as compared to FIG. 1F above) and therefore does not overpower the lateral flow 40b. The resulting overall flow 40c from the nozzle is primarily laterally, such that the flow 40c will contact the side walls 35 of the container first, per location 43, and then flow down the container side walls. This flow set-up materially reduces foaming of the dispensed material as it fills the container. In embodiments, the structure 38 and the upper outlet 34b are collectively configured, positioned and sized such that a volumetric flow through the upper outlet 34b is between 20% and 50% of the total volumetric flow from the nozzle. However, variations are possible, such as between 10% and 90%. As shown here, the diverting structure 38 associated with the upper outlet 34b diverts only the portion of the downward flow that is at or toward the radially outer side of the flow path.

Referring to FIGS. 4A-4D, an improved nozzle assembly 55 (as compared to the nozzle of FIGS. 2A-2E) for a filling valve assembly is shown and includes a nozzle body 60 with tip 62 and a surrounding tubular sleeve 63 (seen only in FIG. 4D). In FIG. 4D, the lower end of the nozzle body 62 is displaced below the bottom of the tubular sleeve 63 to permit material dispense, which typically occurs when a sealing structure that is disposed about the tubular sleeve 63 is engaged by the top of the container to cause relative axial movement between the tubular sleeve and the nozzle body. The nozzle body includes lower material dispense outlets 64a, and upper material dispense outlets 64b distributed about the periphery. The displaced air inlet 65 is between the sleeve 63 and the nozzle body 60. Notably, one or more material diversion ledge(s), shelf(s) or other structure(s) 68 is/are located in the material flow path to divert the radially outer portion of the downward material flow laterally out of the upper dispense outlets 64b, per 70a. These flows 70a converge with the diverted flows 70b through the lower dispense outlets 64a, but the flow 70a has much less downward momentum (as compared to FIG. 2E above) and therefore does not overpower the lateral flow 70b. The resulting overall flow 70c from the nozzle is primarily laterally, such that the flow 70c will contact the side walls of the container first, and then flow down the container side walls. This flow set-up materially reduces foaming of the dispensed material as it fills the container. In embodiments, the structures 68 and the upper outlets 64b are collectively configured, positioned and sized such that a volumetric flow through the upper outlets 64b is between 20% and 50% of the total volumetric flow from the nozzle. However, variations are possible, such as between 10% and 90%.

Referring to FIGS. 5A-5C, another valve assembly 81 is shown and includes a nozzle body 80 with tip 82 and a surrounding sleeve 83 (seen only in FIG. 5C). The nozzle body includes a material dispense outlet 84 and a displaced air inlet 86 leading to the vent tube 86a. Outlet 84 and inlet 86 are on the same side of the nozzle body, such that the outlet 84 is below the inlet 86, and the flow of at least some of the dispensed material is routed below the vent tube, thus intersecting the axis 87 of the vent tube 86a. This unique flow path assures that all downward material flow can be redirected by the surface 82a so as to be directed primarily laterally from the outlet 84, such that the exiting flow 90 will contact the side walls of the container first, and then flow down the container side walls. This flow set-up materially reduces foaming of the dispensed material as it fills the container.

In embodiments, the nozzle configurations could be incorporated into filling valves of the types generally shown and described in U.S. Patent Nos. 11,365,105; 10,597,277 and/or 10,233,067, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, incorporation of the above nozzle types into other filling valve assemblies is also possible.

It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only, is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that other changes and modifications are possible. For example, embodiments with more than two vertically stacked material outlets are possible.