Valve for a container

Abstract

A valve for a container for dispensing pressurized fluid includes a housing which is mounted on a valve cup, a hollow stem provided in a passage of the housing which stem has at least one lateral inlet opening at its lower end and an outlet opening at its upper end, and a spring. The housing has a circumferential step-like contour with an outer, lower part and a central, upper part. The valve cup follows essentially the step-like contour line of the housing and ends horizontally on the top of the housing close to the stem and a sealing is provided on the upper side of the housing between the housing and the valve cup and which seals at the same time the valve cup against the housing and the stem against the housing.

Claims

1. A valve for a container for dispensing pressurized fluid, said valve comprising a housing (1) which is mounted on a valve cup (2), a hollow stem (3) provided in a passage of the housing (1) which stem (3) has at least one lateral inlet opening (4) at a lower end of the stem and an outlet opening (5) at an upper end of the stem, which stem (3) is displaceable between a closed position and an open position and a spring element configured to push the stem (3) in the closed position, wherein the housing (1) has a circumferential step-shaped contour with a housing shape having an outer, lower part (7) and a central, upper part (8), wherein the valve cup (2) has a valve cup shape corresponding to the housing shape of the circumferential step-shaped contour of the housing along portions of the circumferential step-shaped contour of the housing having a step and ends horizontally on the top of the housing (1) close to the stem (3), and wherein a sealing (9) is provided on an upper side of the housing (1) between the housing (1) and the valve cup (2) and which seals at the same time the valve cup (2) against the housing (1) and the stem (3) against the housing (1), wherein the lower part of the housing (1) situated in the container is provided with a circumferential groove (11) in which the spring element (6) is held which pushes the stem (3) in the closed position, wherein the stem (3) is provided on the lower end of the stem situated in the container with a flange (12) that abuts in the closed position against the lower art of the housing (1) thereby closing the passageway through the stem (3).

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve cup (2) is crimped around the housing (1).

3. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the flange (12) of the stem (3) abuts in the closed position against a flat part of the housing (1).

4. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the flange (12) of the stem (3) abuts in the closed position against a circular rib (13) on the housing (1).

5. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the flange (12) of the stem (3) has a conical shaped flange (12) that abuts in the closed position against a lipseal which is located on the housing (1).

6. The valve according to claim 1, wherein a top sealing part (10) is provided around the outlet opening (5) of the stem (3).

7. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the spring element is a limiting spring and is configured to limit displacement of the valve stem in an opening position.

8. A method of dispensing, comprising: providing the valve according to claim 1; and dispensing 1 K polyurethane foam or 2 K polyurethane foam through the valve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention is discussed more in detail with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the drawings in which

(2) FIG. 1a and

(3) FIG. 1b show side views of a first embodiment of a valve according to the present invention in a closed position,

(4) FIG. 1c shows a cut representation along lines A-A of FIG. 1b of the first embodiment in the closed position,

(5) FIG. 2a and

(6) FIG. 2b show side views of the first embodiment in an open position,

(7) FIG. 2c shows a cut representation along lines B-B of FIG. 2b of the first embodiment in the open position,

(8) FIG. 3a and

(9) FIG. 3b show side views of a second embodiment of a valve according to the present invention in a closed position,

(10) FIG. 3c shows a cut representation along lines A-A of FIG. 3b of the second embodiment in the closed position,

(11) FIG. 4a and

(12) FIG. 4b show side views of the second embodiment in an open position,

(13) FIG. 4c shows a cut representation along lines B-B of FIG. 4b of the second embodiment in the open position,

(14) FIG. 5a and

(15) FIG. 5b show side views of third and fourth embodiments of a valve according to the present invention in a closed position,

(16) FIG. 5c shows a cut representation along lines A-A of FIG. 5b of the third and fourth embodiments in the closed position,

(17) FIG. 6a and

(18) FIG. 6b show side views of the third and fourth embodiments in an open position, and

(19) FIG. 6c shows a cut representation along lines B-B of FIG. 6b of the third and fourth embodiment ins the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(20) The FIGS. 1a to 3b show a valve for a container for dispensing pressurized fluid, preferably foam, in particular one component or two component polyurethane foam.

(21) The valve comprises a housing 1 which is mounted on a valve cup 2.

(22) In a central passage of the housing 1 a hollow stem 3 is provided which has at least one lateral inlet opening 4 at its lower end and an outlet opening 5 at its upper end. The stem 3 is displaceable in the passage between a closed position and an open position.

(23) The housing 1 has a circumferential step-like contour with an outer, lower part 7 and a central, upper part 8. According to the present invention, the valve cup 2 then follows essentially the step-like circumferential contour line of the housing 1 and ends horizontally on the top of the housing 1 close to the stem 3.

(24) This will in the following be described more in detail. The outer end of the valve cup 2 is bended and thereby designed to be fixed to a container containing the pressurized fluid. The valve cup 2 then has a first vertical part 2a extending downwards and ending by a curb over the outer, lower part 7 of the housing. It can be seen from the figures that the valve cup 2 has a first horizontal part 2b extending to the centre of the valve which is essentially parallel to the upper side of the outer, lower part 7 of the housing 1. The valve cup 2 is then curbed again and has a second vertical part 2c extending upwards which is essentially parallel to the vertical side of the central, upper part 8 of the housing. At the end of this vertical part 2c, it is bended again and has a further horizontal part 2d extending to the centre of the valve. This further horizontal part 2d is essentially parallel to the upper side of the central, upper part 8 of the housing 1.

(25) A sealing 9 is provided which seals at the same time the valve cup 2 against the housing 1 and the stem 3 against the housing 1. This sealing 9 is placed on the top of the central, upper part 8 of the housing 1.

(26) The valve cup 2 is crimped around the housing 1. This crimping step deforms the area 2c and thereby fixes the valve cup 2 on the housing 1 and at the same time the sealing 9 in its position between the housing 1 and the valve cup 2 and the stem 3.

(27) The stem 3 is pushed by spring means 6, here a metallic spring 6, in the closed position and can be opened against the force of the spring means 6. The lower part of the housing 1 situated in the container is provided with a circumferential groove 11 in which the metallic spring 6 is held.

(28) A top sealing part 10 can be provided around the outlet opening 5 of the stem 3.

(29) Means for limiting the opening distance of the valve can also be provided. Such means which limit the course of the stem to a maximum value can be a specially designed spring 15 shown in FIGS. 2b, 4b, and 6b which limits the opening distance of the valve and prevents the valve from being deformed.

(30) The valves of the FIGS. 1a/1b, 3a/3b and 5a/5b. 6a/6b differ in the way the sealing between the stem 2 and the housing 1 is achieved. In all cases, the stem 3 is provided on its lower end situated in the container with a flange 12 that is pushed by the spring means 6 in the closed position against the housing thereby closing the passageway through the stem 3.

(31) According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1a/1b, the flange of the stem 3 abuts in the closed position against a flat part of the housing 1 so that there is a surface contact between the flange 12 of the stem 3 and the housing 1.

(32) The embodiment of FIGS. 3a/3b differs therefrom in that a rib 13 is provided on the housing 1. The flat flange 12 of the stem 3 is pushed by the spring means 6 against the rib 13 so that there is an annular contact between the flange 12 of the stem 3 and the housing 1.

(33) In the third embodiment of FIGS. 5a/5b and 6a/6b, there is also an annular contact between the stem 3 and the housing 1. In this embodiment, the flange 12 of the stem 3 has a conical shape and it abuts in the closed position against a lipseal 14 provided on the housing 1.

(34) In the embodiments of FIGS. 3a/3b, 5a/5b, and 6a/6b the sealing surface is smaller and consequently the sealing force per surface unit is higher than for the full surface contact between the flange 12 of the stem 3 and the housing 1.

(35) In the fourth embodiment of FIGS. 5a/5b and 6a/6b, the top sealing part 10 which is provided around the outlet opening 5 of the stem 3 is implemented in the stem 3 by two-component injection. The soft material of the top sealing part 10 is molded on the harder material of the stem 3.