Valve device at dispensers
AssigneeAsept International AB
InventorStefan Cedergren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a valve device at dispensers which are adapted for dispensing portions of liquid or semi-liquid products (2), preferably foodstuff, from containers, and which have vacuum pumps (5) for generating a negative pressure in passage systems (6) through which the products (2) are dispensed from the containers. The valve device is a magnetic valve device (9) which is designed as a permanent magnet device with a valve body (9d) which automatically shifts or changes position when the vacuum pump (5) has emptied a container (e.g. 3), such that said vacuum pump (5) immediately thereafter can empty another container (e.g. 4).
Claims28
Valve device at dispensers which are adapted for dispensing portions of liquid or semi-liquid products (2), preferably foodstuff, from containers, and which have vacuum pumps (5) for generating a negative pressure in passage systems (6) through which the products (2) are dispensed from the containers,
- characterized in
- that the valve device is a magnetic valve device (9) which is designed as a permanent magnet device which is provided to generate two magnetic fields (M1, M2) for providing retaining forces (P1, P2) for retaining a valve body (9d) in a valve position (L2) in a passage (6a) in the passage system (6) between a first container (3) and the vacuum pump (5) or another valve position (L1) in another passage (6b) in the passage system (6) between a second container (4) and the vacuum pump (5),
- that the valve body (9d) is movable or displaceable between said two valve positions (L2, L1) for keeping one of the passages (6a or 6b) open and the other passage (6a or 6b) closed, and
- that the vacuum pump (5) is provided to increase the pressure in an open passage (6a) when the container (3) connected thereto is empty and thereby generate such a pressure differential on opposite sides of the valve body (9d) that said valve body (9d) is subjected to displacement forces (F1 or F2) which are greater than the retaining forces (P1 or P2) for moving or displacing it from one valve position (L1) to the other valve position (L2) or vice versa and thereby opening a closed passage (6b or 6a) such that the vacuum pump (5) can bring the product (2) to flow from a second container (4) containing the product (2) when the other (3) of said containers (3, 4) is empty.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the magnetic valve device (9) is provided to generate such a magnetic field (M1 and M2 respectively) at each valve position (L1 and L2 respectively) that when the valve body (9d) is moved by the displacement forces (F1 and F2 respectively) in a direction towards this magnetic field (M1 and M2 respectively), said magnetic field will attract the valve body (9d) during a last part of its movement such that it sets in the valve position (L1 and L2 respectively) at the magnetic field (M1 and M2 respectively) attracting the valve body (9d).
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the valve body (9d) is provided to be moved or displaced in a direction from a first valve position (L1) to a second valve position (L2) when a first container (3) is empty and in the opposite direction when a second container (4) is empty.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that an empty container (e.g. 3) is exchangeable for a container (e.g. 4) containing the product (2) when the valve body (9d) closes the passage (e.g. 6a) between the empty container (e.g. 3) and the vacuum pump (5).
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in
- that the magnet valve device (9) comprises at least three magnet means (9a, 9b, 9c) of which a first magnet means (9a) is located in a certain definite position relative to a first passage (6a) and a second magnet means (9b) is located in a certain definite position relative to a second passage (6b), while the third magnet means (9c) defines or forms part of the valve body (9d), that the third magnet means (9c) of the valve body (9d) generates a magnetic field (M1) together with the first magnet means (9a) when the valve body (9d) is situated in a first valve position (L1) for keeping said first passage (6a) open and said second passage (6b) closed, and
- that the third magnet means (9c) of the valve body (9d) generates a second magnetic field (M2) together with the second magnet means (9b) when the valve body (9d) is situated in a second valve position (L2) for keeping said second passage (6b) open and said first passage (6a) closed.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the passage system (6) comprises three passages (6a, 6b, 6c) of which two passages (6a, 6b) open into a third passage (6c) for bringing the product (2) to flow to said third passage (6c) which is adapted to feed the product (2) further to the vacuum pump (5).
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in
- that those parts of the passages (6a, 6b) in which the valve body (9d) of the magnetic valve device (9) can be set in its valve positions (L1, L2) and move therebetween, and a passage (6c) which connects said passages (6a, 6b) with the vacuum pump (5), are provided in a unit (14),
- that said unit (14) defines spaces (11, 12) for magnet means (9a, 9b) which are located in certain definite positions relative to the respective passage (6a, 6b), and
- that end pieces (15, 16) can be connected to said unit (14), by means of which end pieces (15, 16) said spaces (11, 12) for the magnet means (9a, 9b) can be closed.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the valve body (9d) is defined by or includes a magnet means (9c) which in the valve positions (L1, L2) of the valve body (9d) is situated in positions which are centered in axial direction relative to magnet means (9a and 9b respectively) with certain definite positions, whereby the retaining forces (P1 and P2 respectively) of the magnetic valve device (9) are greatest in said centered positions.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the vacuum pump (5) is provided to generate a negative pressure from 30% vacuum in the passage system (6) and the respective container (3, 4) and that the retaining forces (P1 and P2 respectively) are chosen such that the valve body (9d) is moved or displaced from its respective valve position (L1, L2) at a negative pressure in the open passage (6a and 6b respectively) below said first negative pressure.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the containers (3, 4) are sealed against the atmosphere.
Valve-device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the containers (3, 4) are designed such that they can collapse when they are emptied on the product (2) by means of the vacuum pump (5).
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the containers (3, 4) consist of thin-walled flexible material.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that passages (6a, 6b) for the product (2) are defined by or include hoses (21, 22) or similar, that each hose (21 and 22 respectively) has an outer coupling member (23), that each container (3 and 4 respectively) has an inner coupling member (24) which is located within a sealed wall portion (25) of the container (3 and 4 respectively) and that each hose (21 and 22 respectively) and container (3 and 4 respectively) can be interconnected by pushing the outer coupling member (23) of the hose (21 and 22 respectively) through the sealed wall portion (25) of the container (3 and 4 respectively) and connecting it to the inner coupling member (24) of said container (3 and 4 respectively).
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the product (2) is ketchup, mustard, sauces, drinks or flavours or concentrates thereof.
Valve device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that there is the same type of product (2) in both containers (3 and 4).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.