Machine and method for pressure relief valves for hermetic containers

Abstract

A machine and method for the application of pressure relief valves for hermetic containers. The machine comprising an applicator configured to apply the valves to containers, a vibrating feed container for housing the valves and making the valves directly available to the applicator, an aspirator configured so as to suck the valves contained within a reservoir and convey them to the vibrating feed container through a tube. The method comprises supplying pressure relief valves to the vibrating feed container of the machine by sucking the valves from the reservoir.

Claims

1. A machine for the application of pressure relief valves for hermetic containers, said machine comprising: application means which are configured to apply said valves to containers; a vibrating feed container for housing said valves, for orienting them through vibration and making them directly available to said application means; wherein said machine further comprising an aspirator configured so as to suck said valves, which are contained within a reservoir, and to convey them to said vibrating feed container through a tube.

2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein said aspirator is positioned vertically above said vibrating container.

3. The machine according to claim 1, wherein said machine further comprises: a sensor configured to detect the level of said valves, contained within said vibrating container, wherein said aspirator is configured to be activated and/or deactivated according to a signal coming from said sensor.

4. The machine according to claim 1, wherein: said aspirator is configured to maintain the level of said valves within said vibrating container substantially constant.

5. The machine according to claim 1, wherein: said reservoir is positioned at a lower position with respect to said vibrating container.

6. A machine for the application of pressure relief valves to hermetic containers, said machine comprising: a pressure relief valve applicator mechanism, whereby the pressure relief valves are attached to the hermetic containers; a vibrating feed container attached to said pressure relief valve applicator mechanism, said vibrating feed container is configured to orient the pressure relieve valves through vibration and to make them available to said pressure relief valve applicator mechanism; a pressure relief valve reservoir; a tube connecting said pressure relief valve reservoir to said vibrating feed container; and an aspirator coupled to said tube, whereby the pressure relief valves are supplied to said vibrating feed container from said pressure relief valve reservoir, whereby said vibrating feed container is capable of being filled with the pressure relief valves from said pressure relief valve reservoir through said tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The present invention will be described with reference to the attached figures in which the same reference numerals and/or signs indicate the same part and/or similar and/or corresponding parts of the system. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a three-dimensional view of a pressure relief valve applied onto a container;

(3) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a machine for the application of pressure relief valves known in the state of the art in a full container state;

(4) FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a machine for the application of pressure relief valves known in the state of the art in a substantially empty container state;

(5) FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a machine for the application of pressure relief valves known in the state of the art in a state after the container has been filled by an operator;

(6) FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a machine for the application of pressure relief valves according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a machine for the application of pressure relief valves according to an embodiment of the present invention in the phase in which the valves are sucked from a reservoir.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) Hereinafter, the present invention is described with reference to particular embodiments as illustrated in the attached figures. However, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described in the following detailed description and represented in the figures, but rather the embodiments described simply exemplify the various aspects of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims. Further modifications and variations of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art.

(9) FIG. 1 shows an example of a pressure relief valve 10 applied on a hermetic container 5. The valve 10 represented in the figures is a one-way pressure relief valve for hermetic containers, which comprises a valve body, a valve cover and a valve membrane. The valve body comprises a base comprising a sealing seat for the valve membrane and one or more holes adapted for allowing gas to pass through the valve. The valve cover is housed in the valve body and comprises a pressure relief opening and the valve membrane is arranged between the valve body and the valve cover in the sealing seat. Such valves can for example have a diameter of 20 mm and a thickness of about 2 mm. However, it is clear that this is a simple example and that the present invention can be used for pressure relief valves 10 of various shapes and sizes. Examples of such valves can be found in EP 0 588 907 B1 and EP 3 055 225 B1

(10) As described for the relative state of the art, and as depicted in FIGS. 2 to 4, in the state of the art there are known machines 100 for the application of pressure relief valves 10 for hermetic containers that comprise a vibrating container 101 positioned at a height L1 with respect to the lower end of the machine 100 so that application means (not depicted in detail) receive such valves 10 coming from the vibrating container 101 to apply them directly on the containers. Such a vibrating container 101 normally has a volume comprised between 2 and 3 litres. However, as already described earlier such machines have substantial drawbacks.

(11) FIG. 5 shows a machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In such a machine 100, an aspirator 103 is installed vertically above the vibrating container 101 and is configured so as to suck air through a tube 104. Such an aspirator 103 can have a power of at least 1 kW in the case in which for example the valves 10 must be sucked from a reservoir 11 positioned between 2 and 5 metres below. Therefore, in the case in which such a height decreases or increases it will be advisable to change the maximum power of the aspirator 103.

(12) A tube 104 connects the aspirator 103 to a reservoir 11 inside which, as stated, a large amount of valves 10 is arranged. In this way the aspirator 103, through the tube 104, and through the regulation of the suction flow rate of the aspirator 103, is capable of transporting a predetermined amount of valves 10 that are pulled by the sucked air.

(13) The flow rate of the aspirator 103 can for example be controlled by an operator on a control panel not represented in the figures or even be regulated automatically by detecting the amount of valves 10 contained inside the vibrating container 101. The tube 104 can for example have a diameter of about 40 mm. However, it is clear that such a diameter depends greatly for example on the type of aspirator used and on the type of valves 10.

(14) In the present description, the term reservoir 11 is meant to indicate any element capable of containing a multitude of valves 10. For example, the reservoir can be represented by a tank, a barrel, a bag, etc. inside which the valves 10 are contained. The reservoir, as shown in the figures, is positioned on the ground. However, it is clear that such a reservoir can also be positioned under the ground or even above ground and it can also be positioned in another room. Indeed, thanks to the tube 104 that is whatever length is desired and connects the reservoir 11 to the vibrating container 101 it is thus possible, by operating the aspirator 103, to place the two elements any desired distance apart. For example the reservoir 11 can even be positioned in the cellar.

(15) The amount of valves 10 in the vibrating container 101 can be monitored through a sensor 102. Such a sensor 102 can be configured so as to detect the amount of valves 10 contained inside the vibrating container 101 and to send a signal to the aspirator 103, directly or through a control unit, for example so as to activate the aspirator 103 and suck a certain amount of valves 10 when the amount of valves 10 inside the vibrating container 101 detected by the sensor 102 is below a certain threshold.

(16) Such a sensor 102 can for example be a photocell configured so as to recognise the level of the valves 10 contained inside the vibrating container 101. Alternatively a capacitive sensor capable of measuring the amount of valves 10 contained in the vibrating container 101 can also be used.

(17) As stated earlier, the vibrating container 101 is configured so as to supply the valves 10 to the application means through vibration of the vibrating container 101, in which such a vibration is caused for example by vibration means positioned below the container 101. Such valves 10 are thus supplied oriented to the application means so as to then be applied one by one on a film that will then become the final package.

(18) Therefore, after a certain amount of valves 10 has been used, the level of valves 10 inside the vibrating container 101 tends to decrease. As stated, the sensor 102 is capable of detecting the amount of valves 10 contained inside the vibrating container 101 and of communicating it to the control unit of the machine 100.

(19) During the filling process, as shown in FIG. 6, by sucking air directly from the reservoir 11 through the tube 104, the aspirator 103 conveys the valves 10, pulled by the sucked air, from the reservoir 11 through the tube 104 until they then reach the vibrating container 101 for example by gravity.

(20) According to an embodiment of the present invention, the aspirator 103 is configured to maintain the level of the valves 10 within the vibrating container 101 substantially constant. This implies that the aspirator 103 will be configured so as to operate continuously so as to suck from the reservoir 11 the same flow rate of valves exiting the vibrating container 101. In this way it will thus be possible to maintain the level of the valves 10 within the vibrating container 101 substantially constant.

(21) As shown in FIG. 5, such a level will preferably be equal for example to a lower height with respect to half of the height of the vibrating container 101. In this way it will thus be possible to prevent excessive loading of the valves 10 positioned on the bottom of the vibrating container 101 and consequently allow them to orientate themselves without creating clogging.

(22) However, according to another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the aspirator 103 can also be configured so as to be turned on intermittently at intervals for example comprised between 3 and 5 minutes according to the flow rate of valves 10 exiting the vibrating container 101. However, it is clear that such intervals are only an example, in the case in which for example the productivity of the machine is increased, such an interval can consequently decrease since the machine will have a greater consumption of valves 10. Indeed, in many cases, a slight variation of the amount of valves 10 contained inside the vibrating container 101 is more than acceptable. Moreover, it should be noted that in any case this last solution is much more advantageous with respect to manual filling of the vibrating container 101 since it would be much too arduous for an operator to proceed for example every 3 minutes with filling the vibrating container 101. In addition, according to this particular embodiment it is thus possible to vary between a zero flow rate value and a predetermined flow rate value, for example equal to the ideal flow rate conditions of the aspirator 103.

(23) The system can also be configured so that the aspirator is deactivated when the amount of valves 10 inside the vibrating container 101 detected by the sensor 102 has reached and/or exceeded a certain threshold. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, after the detection sensor 102 detects that the level of valves 10 contained inside the container 101 has fallen to a predetermined value, a turn on signal is sent to the aspirator and the vibrating container 101 is filled up to a predetermined value.

(24) Indeed, after the detection sensor 102 detects that the amount of valves 10 has reached a predetermined value, the machine 100 is capable of sending a signal to the aspirator 103 blocking it and stopping the filling process of the container 101 to start again when the sensor 102 signals for example that a predetermined level has been reached, for example equal to 1/10 of the height of the vibrating container 101.

(25) Moreover, it is clear from the description that the filling process of the vibrating container 101 and therefore the suction of the valves 10 can be carried out simultaneously with the process of supplying the valves to the application means or mechanism 106 through vibration of the vibrating container 101 thus allowing the vibrating container 101 to be filled without having to interrupt the vibration of the vibrating container 101. For example, in the case of a machine set up so as to have high productivity, the container 101 can also be made to vibrate while the container 101 is filled through the aspirator. However, it is clear that in many cases, given that the vibrating container 101 is configured so as to have stopped moments and on the other hand moments in which through the vibration it conveys the valves 10 to the application means through a guide, it may be that the two operations (vibration and filling) are not carried out simultaneously.

(26) It is also clear that the suction process through the aspirator 103 can be carried out analogously to that of the state of the art, i.e. that the filling process is carried out only after the sensor 102 detects that the amount of valves 10 is below a minimum level and proceeds with the filling of the vibrating container 101 up to the rim. This solution in any case has the substantial advantage, with respect to the state of the art, of not having to proceed manually with the filling of the vibrating container 101.

(27) Even if the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments described above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that it is possible to make different modifications, variations and improvements of the present invention in light of the teaching described above and in the attached claims without departing from the object and the scope of protection of the invention.

(28) Indeed, it is clear that even if in the figures it has been depicted that the aspirator 103 is positioned vertically above and directly in contact with the vibrating container 101, it is possible to position such an aspirator 103 at an even higher level with respect to that drawn in the figures or it is even possible to position it laterally to what is depicted, or even lower than what is depicted.

(29) Even if in the figures the reservoir 11 is positioned on the same level as the machine 100, i.e. at the ground level, it is also possible to position such a reservoir below or above what is drawn. Indeed, if for example such a reservoir is positioned in another room and/or at a lower level than the machine, the aspirator 103 is capable in any case of sucking the valves 10 from such a reservoir. Moreover, even if a single reservoir has been drawn it is possible to connect the aspirator 103 to multiple reservoirs.

(30) Finally, anything that is deemed known by those skilled in the art has not been described in order to avoid needlessly excessively obfuscating the described invention.

(31) Consequently, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but is only limited by the scope of protection of the attached claims.