Diaphragm Poppet Valve

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a diaphragm poppet valve. The intention is to provide a diaphragm valve which is constructed as simply as possible with few components and with valve parts through which a working fluid flows that are easy to clean. The problem is solved by a diaphragm poppet valve with a control diaphragm which is resilient in shape and separates a control chamber from a working chamber, wherein the control diaphragm is designed as a single piece on the side thereof facing the control chamber or the working chamber of the diaphragm poppet valve with a hollow portion and on the side thereof facing the working chamber with a diaphragm valve seat, wherein the interior of the hollow portion issues into the diaphragm valve seat and the hollow portion is connected to a fluid channel in the diaphragm poppet valve. The diaphragm poppet valve according to the disclosure is easy to clean because the interior of the hollow projection and the diaphragm valve seat formed by the control diaphragm can easily be flushed. In addition, the number of components is reduced by integrating a valve seat immediately into the control diaphragm itself. At the same time, dead spaces are avoided by integrating a hollow projection which can be connected to a fluid channel.

Claims

1. A diaphragm seat valve having a shape-elastic control diaphragm which separates a control chamber from a working chamber, wherein the control diaphragm is formed integrally with a hollow projection on that side thereof which faces the control chamber or the working chamber of the diaphragm seat valve and with a diaphragm valve seat on that side thereof which faces the working chamber, wherein the interior space of the hollow projection opens out into the diaphragm valve seat, and the hollow projection is connected to a fluid channel of the diaphragm seat valve.

2. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow projection is formed such that it can be plugged into an opening of the fluid channel or can be plugged onto this.

3. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diaphragm seat valve is designed with a movable closure element which comprises a first closure means which corresponds to the diaphragm valve seat.

4. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the closure element is mounted in an axially movable manner against the diaphragm valve seat.

5. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein the closure element is designed so as to be spring-loaded against the diaphragm valve seat.

6. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein the closure element is in the form of a double closure element which, on its side facing away from the control diaphragm, is formed with a second closure means which corresponds to a second valve seat formed in the diaphragm seat valve.

7. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 6, wherein a second working chamber is arranged below the second valve seat, and the double closure element extends through the second valve seat in that the second closure means acts sealingly against the second valve seat, or engages into it, on the side facing the second working chamber.

8. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 7, wherein the double closure element has the shape of a dumbbell, wherein the first closure means and the second closure means each have a spherical shape.

9. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 7, wherein a fluid connection between the fluid channel and the working chamber can be established by way of a stroke movement of the control diaphragm in the direction of the control chamber, and a fluid movement between the working chamber and the second working chamber can be established by way of the opposite stroke movement.

10. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control diaphragm can be controlled electromagnetically via the control chamber.

11. The diaphragm seat valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control diaphragm can be subjected to a control pressure via the control chamber.

Description

[0022] Further advantages of the invention are illustrated in more detail below on the basis of the figures, together with the description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. In the figures:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a diaphragm seat valve;

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a bottle-filling installation with a diaphragm seat valve as per FIG. 1;

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional illustration of an alternative embodiment of the diaphragm seat valve as per FIG. 1;

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a further alternative embodiment of the diaphragm seat valve as per FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows the diaphragm seat valve 1 in a schematic sectional illustration. In the valve housing 2, the flat control diaphragm 3, which consists of a shape-elastic material, is clamped at an edge side by way of the encircling bead 3a. The control diaphragm 3 separates the control chamber 4 fluidically from the working chamber 5. The control channel 6, via which the control chamber 4 can be subjected to a control pressure, opens out into the control chamber 4. On its side facing the working chamber 5, the control diaphragm 3 is formed integrally with the hollow projection 3b, which is plugged in a form-fitting manner into the venting channel 7. Also on its side facing the working chamber 5, the control diaphragm 3 is formed integrally with the diaphragm valve seat 3c. The interior space 8 of the hollow projection 3b opens out into the diaphragm valve seat 3c. The axially movably mounted double closure element 9 is arranged below the diaphragm valve seat 3c. The double closure element 9 has the shape of a dumbbell with a spherical first closure means 10 and with a second closure means 11 connected thereto via a web. The double closure element 9 is held, so as to be spring-loaded by way of the compression spring 12, between the diaphragm valve seat 3c and the valve insert 13, the latter forming on its bottom side the second valve seat 14. Here, the double closure element 9 extends through the valve insert 13 and the second valve seat 14, wherein the second closure means 11 acts sealingly against the second valve seat 14 on the side facing the second working chamber, which functions as inlet-pressure chamber 15 in the present exemplary embodiment. The outlet channel 16 opens out into the working chamber 5. The inlet channel 17 opens out into the inlet-pressure chamber 15.

[0028] The illustration in FIG. 1 shows the diaphragm seat valve 1 in its rest position, in which there is no pressure difference between the control chamber 4 and the working chamber 5. The venting channel 7 is separated fluidically from the working chamber 5 and the outlet channel 16 by way of the sealing seat of the first closure means 10 in the diaphragm valve seat 3c. At the same time, the outlet channel 16 and the working chamber are separated fluidically from the inlet-pressure chamber 15 and the inlet channel 17 by way of the sealing seat of the second closure means 11 in the second valve seat 14. By subjecting the control chamber 4 to a fluid pressure which is higher in comparison with the working chamber 5, the control diaphragm 3 bulges in the direction of the working chamber 4, wherein at the same time the hollow projection 3b, which is formed integrally with said control diaphragm and thus likewise consists of a shape-elastic material, is bent slightly. By way of the stroke movement of the control diaphragm 3, the diaphragm valve seat 3c and the double closure element 9 are displaced axially counter to the loading of the compression spring 12. In this case, the second closure means 11 is detached from the second valve seat 14. The inlet channel 17 and the inlet-pressure chamber 15 are in fluid connection with the working chamber 5 and the outlet channel 16. Upon removal of the excess pressure in the control chamber 4, the control diaphragm 3 and the double closure element 9 return to their rest position again, so that the fluid connection is closed again. If the working chamber 5 is subjected to a pressure which is higher in comparison with the control chamber 4, for example as a consequence of a load change at the outlet channel 16, the control diaphragm 3 bulges in the direction of the control chamber 4, wherein at the same time the diaphragm valve seat 3c is displaced axially in this direction. The shape-elastic hollow projection 3b is bent slightly, corresponding to the stroke of the control diaphragm 3. By way of the stroke movement, the diaphragm valve seat 3c lifts off from the first closure means 10 and opens up a fluid connection between the outlet channel 16, the working chamber 5 and the venting channel and the atmosphere. Thus, in the case in which an excess pressure in the working chamber 5 arises, the outlet channel 16 can be vented via the venting channel 7.

[0029] The diaphragm seat valve 1 is structurally easy to produce with relatively few components. The control diaphragm, together with the functional parts formed thereby, can be produced structurally easily and inexpensively integrally as a plastic molded part, for example as an elastomer in a single primary forming or forming manufacturing step. It is also the case that the valve insert 13, with the second valve seat 14, is simple to produce as a plastic molded part and can be fitted in a corresponding cutout in the valve housing 2 via a simple snap-in fitting process. As form-fitting contact seals without significant friction moments, all the sealing seats of the diaphragm seat valve 1 are low-wear. The double closure element 9 can be inserted simply into the valve insert 13 as by means of a widening and/or pressing-in fitting process. The diaphragm seat valve 1 furthermore has good cleanability since all the components and regions below the control diaphragm 3 can be flushed in a simple manner in that, at the outlet channel 16 or at the inlet channel 17, a cleaning medium, for example a heated cleaning gas or a cleaning liquid, is introduced at sufficient pressure. In the case of the cleaning medium being introduced via the inlet channel 17, the control chamber 4 is subjected to pressure beforehand or at the same time in order to detach the second closure means 11 from the second valve seat 14 and to establish a fluid connection to the working chamber 5 and to the outlet channel 16. The working region of the diaphragm seat valve 1 can thus be thoroughly cleaned and, according to cleaning medium used, disinfected too. At the same time, the venting region of the diaphragm seat valve 1 is simple to clean in that cleaning medium is introduced at pressure via the venting channel 7 counter to the force of the compression spring 12.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the diaphragm seat valve 1 in an exemplary application for filling control as a schematic circuit diagram of a bottle-filling installation. The tank 18 is filled partially with a gaseous control medium 19 and with a liquid filling medium 20. The feeding of the filling medium 20 to the tank 18 is realized via the first feed line 22, which is controlled by way of the switching valve 21. The feeding of the control medium 19 to the tank 18 is realized via the further feed line 23, which is controlled by way of the diaphragm seat valve 1. For this purpose, the inlet channel 17 of the diaphragm seat valve 1 can be connected to the inlet line 24 for the control medium 19. The inlet line 24 can be shut off via the first shut-off valve 25. The control of the filling of the bottle 27 is realized, with simultaneously enabled feeding of the filling medium 20, via the regulation of the fluid pressure of the control medium 19 in the tank 18 by way of the diaphragm seat valve 1. For this purpose, the control channel 6 of the diaphragm seat valve 1 can be subjected to a fluid pressure via the control line 26. If the control channel 6 is subjected to a sufficiently high fluid pressure, the diaphragm seat valve 1 opens and, via the outlet channel 16 and the feed line 23, delivers to the tank 18 the control medium 19 coming in via the inlet line 24. The filling of the bottle 27 is realized at the elevated pressure of the control medium 19 in the tank 18. If there is a positive pressure at the outlet channel 16, venting is realized via the venting channel 7 of the diaphragm seat valve 1 and the venting line 28. For cleaning the working region of the diaphragm seat valve 1 and the tank 18, the inlet line 24 is shut off via the first shut-off valve 25 and the the flushing line 29 is opened via the via the second shut-off valve 30, so that a cleaning fluid 31 can be introduced into the system in a CIP or SIP process. In this case, the diaphragm seat valve 1 is simultaneously subjected to pressure via the control channel 6 in order to detach the second closure means 11 from the second valve seat 14 and to establish a fluid connection to the working chamber 5 and to the outlet channel 16.

[0031] The bottle-filling installation as per FIG. 2 has the advantage that, during operating or during cleaning, it is not necessary to pay attention to contamination of the diaphragm seat valve 1 by the filling medium 20 since the working and venting regions thereof can be cleaned simply and thoroughly.

[0032] FIGS. 3 and 4 show alternative embodiments of the diaphragm seat valve 1, in which the hollow projection 3b′ and 3b″ is in each case arranged on the side which faces the control chamber (4). Here, the above-described functioning remains the same. In the case of the embodiment as per that in FIG. 4, the hollow projection 3b″ is however arranged perpendicularly to the plane of the control diaphragm 3, and for this reason the diaphragm stroke cannot be compensated by a bending movement of the hollow projection 3b″. Therefore, for compensation of the diaphragm stroke in the axial direction, either the hollow projection 3b″ is formed via a sub-portion with a corrugated bellows 32 (shown by dashed lines in FIG. 4), or the hollow projection 3b″ is arranged in an axially sliding manner in the venting channel 7″ and is mounted in the venting channel 7″ by way of a movement seal, for example an annular seal or sealing sleeve (neither being illustrated in FIG. 4), engaging around it.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0033] 1 Diaphragm seat valve [0034] 2 Valve housing [0035] 3 Control diaphragm [0036] 3a Bead [0037] 3b, 3b′, 3b″ Hollow projection [0038] 3c Diaphragm valve seat [0039] 4 Control chamber [0040] 5 Working chamber [0041] 6 Control channel [0042] 7, 7′, 7″ Venting channel [0043] 8, 8′, 8″ Interior space [0044] 9 Double closure element [0045] 10 First closure means [0046] 11 Second closure means [0047] 12 Compression spring [0048] 13 Valve insert [0049] 14 Second valve seat [0050] 15 Inlet-pressure chamber [0051] 16 Outlet channel [0052] 17 Inlet channel [0053] 18 Tank [0054] 19 Control medium [0055] 20 Filling medium [0056] 21 Switching valve [0057] 22, 23 Feed line [0058] 24 Inlet line [0059] 25, 30 Shut-off valve [0060] 26 Control line [0061] 27 Bottle [0062] 28 Venting line [0063] 29 Flushing line [0064] 31 Cleaning fluid [0065] 32 Corrugated bellows