Centering bell quick change system

Abstract

An adapter system for a beverage can filling valve for quick connection/disconnection of multiple centering bells used to fill differently sized cans and a CIF assembly.

Claims

1. A quick-change filling valve adapter for non-threadably connecting a centering bell and/or a clean-in-place (CIP) assembly to a beverage filling machine, the filling valve adapter comprising a first annular section and a second annular section, the second annular section having a smaller circumference than the first annular section, the first annular section having a threaded internal wall for threadably coupling the adapter to a filling valve of the beverage filling machine in a water-tight fashion, the adapter further comprising an inwardly directed rim extending around an internal wall of the adapter, the second annular section comprising an external surface having a plurality of mounting channels arrayed about an external surface of the second annular section, each mounting channel adapted to receive one of a plurality of lugs arrayed about an interior surface of a centering bell or a CIP assembly such that the centering bell or CIP assembly can be rotatingly and releasably mounted to the adapter.

2. A system for quickly and releasably attaching a centering bell to a filling valve for a beverage can, comprising: a) an annular centering bell, the centering bell comprising a first end and a second end; the first end sized to center a specific can, the second end comprising i) a plurality of equi-angularly disposed lugs about an internal wall of the centering bell, the lugs circumferentially aligned with each other; and b) the filling valve adapter of claim 1 for mounting the annular centering bell to the filling valve.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the inner diameter of the second end of the centering bell is larger than the outer diameter of the second annular section of the adapter such that the second annular section of the adapter can be axially inserted into the second end of the centering bell and the centering bell rotated with respect to the adapter such that each lug in the second end of the centering bell is received by one of the channels of the adapter.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein, when the centering bell and the adapter each have an indicator on an exterior wall thereof, the indicators are aligned with one another when the centering bell is attached correctly to the adapter.

5. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising an o-ring fit into a groove located on the exterior of the adapter, the o-ring adapted to provide a water-tight seal between the adapter and a centering bell or CIP assembly.

6. The filling valve adapter of claim 1, the second annular section having a bottom surface, and further comprising a plurality of spring loaded plungers, each plunger having a protrusion that resiliently extends away from the bottom surface of the second annular section, the protrusions of the spring loaded plungers adapted to engage with indentations provided on the centering bell or CIP assembly when the lugs of the centering bell or CIP assembly are received within the mounting channels of the second annular section.

7. The filling valve adapter of claim 6, wherein said spring loaded plungers are arranged such that each protrusion thereof extends away from the bottom surface of the second annular section between a pair of adjacent mounting channels.

8. The filling valve adapter of claim 6, wherein the spring loaded plungers comprise spring loaded ball plungers.

9. The filling valve adapter of claim 6, wherein rim of the adapter comprises at least one drainage duct.

10. The filling valve adapter of claim 1, wherein the adapter has three mounting channels equi-angularly disposed on the bottom surface of the second annular section of the adapter.

11. The filling valve adapter of claim 6, the adapter has three of said mounting channels equi-angularly disposed on the bottom surface of the second annular section of the adapter, and further wherein the adapter has three of said spring loaded plungers equi-angularly disposed about the bottom surface of the second annular section.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising a CIP assembly mountable to the filling valve using the adapter, the CIP assembly comprising an annular cup comprising an attachment end and a lower section for operative connection to a CIP system, the attachment end of the CIP assembly comprising a plurality of equi-angularly disposed CIP lugs about an internal wall of the CIP assembly, the CIP lugs circumferentially aligned with each other.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the inner diameter of the attachment end of the CIP assembly is larger than the outer diameter of the second annular section of the adapter such that second annular section of the adapter can be axially inserted into the attachment end of the CIP assembly and the CIP assembly rotated with respect to the adapter such that each CIP lug in the attachment end of the centering bell is received by one of the channels of the adapter.

14. An annular quick-change filling valve adapter for non-threadably connecting a centering bell or a clean-in-place (CIP) assembly to the filling valve of a beverage filling machine, the filling valve adapter comprising: (a) an internally threaded first section adapted for having upper end coupling the adapter to a filling valve of the beverage filling machine in a water-tight fashion; (b) a second section comprising an external surface and a bottom surface; (c) a plurality of spring loaded plungers, each plunger having a protrusion that extends away from the bottom surface of the second section, the protrusions of the spring loaded plungers adapted to engage with indentations provided on the centering bell or CIP assembly; and (d) a plurality of mounting channels arrayed about the external surface of the second section, each mounting channel adapted to receive one of a plurality of lugs arrayed about an interior surface of the centering bell or CIP assembly such that the centering bell or CIP assembly can be rotatingly and releasably mounted to the adapter.

15. The adapter of claim 14, wherein said spring loaded plungers are arranged such that each protrusion thereof extends away from the bottom surface of the second annular section between a pair of adjacent mounting channels.

16. The filling valve adapter of claim 15, wherein the spring loaded plungers comprise spring loaded ball plungers.

17. The filling valve adapter of claim 14, wherein the adapter has three mounting channels equi-angularly disposed on the bottom surface of the second annular section of the adapter.

18. The filling valve adapter of claim 17, wherein the adapter has three of said spring loaded plungers equi-angularly disposed about the bottom surface of the second annular section, and further wherein said spring loaded plungers are arranged such that each protrusion thereof extends away from the bottom surface of the second annular section between adjacent mounting channels.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the adapter from a front angle showing the end of the adapter that connects to the valve and the o-ring at the opposite end.

(2) FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the adapter showing the end of the adapter that connects to the bells and the CIP assembly.

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the adapter.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a bell showing the end of the bell that connects to the adapter.

(5) FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a bell showing the opening of the bell that connects to the adapter.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a CIP cup showing the end of the CIP cup that connects to the adapter.

(7) FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a CIP cup showing the opening of the CIP cup that connects to the adapter.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the adapter from a front angle showing the end of the adapter that connects to the bells and the CIP assembly.

(9) FIG. 9 is a perspective side view of the tool of the system.

(10) FIG. 10 is a blown apart perspective view of a CIP assembly.

(11) FIG. 11 is a flow chart of a method of connecting the adapter and bell of the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) The disclosure is directed to a quick connect/disconnect system that allows beverage can filling valve centering bells and CIP assemblies to be connected/disconnected quickly and easily when running a different size can or cleaning an automated filling line.

(13) Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the adapter 10 for attaching to a beverage filling valve. The adapter has a cylindrical shape with a top opening 20 adapted to connect and disconnect to a lower portion of the valve housing that typically receives a centering bell. In an embodiment, the top opening connects to the valve by screw threads on an internal wall 35. The adapter connects to the housing in a water-tight fashion.

(14) The adapter comprises an annular collar 30 at the end of the threads defining the mouth of the adapter. The collar comprises an inwardly directed rim 40 formed therein extending completely around the interior wall of the adapter.

(15) The adapter comprises at least one cylindrical hole formed in the rim. In a preferred embodiment, the adapter comprises three equally spaced holes 50 a,b,c (see FIG. 2). A ball/spring loaded plunger 60 a,b,c is inserted in each hole, as shown in FIG. 1. Spring-loaded plungers are known in the art and are releasably held in a retracted position against the operation of a spring. The ball spring plunger is of the conventional type, and generally includes a protrusion or ball 70 (see FIG. 3) resiliently disposed, by a spring 80, against an interior edge of the plunger. The ball of the spring plunger acts as a protrusion for mating with the indentation 220 a,b,c of each bracket 210 a,b,c of the centering bells (shown in FIG. 5) and each indentation 320 a,b,c of each bracket 310 a,b,c of the CIP cups (shown in FIG. 7 and described below). Although a ball spring plunger has been described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other mechanisms can also be used to perform the function of the plunger, such as a resilient cantilever spring, a bevel spring, and the like.

(16) The rim of the adapter comprises at least one duct 55 a,b that acts as a drain in the adapter during cleaning.

(17) At the opposite end of the adapter from the top opening is a bottom opening 25. The bottom opening is at second, smaller diameter wall of the adapter that extends from a terminus of a first diameter of the inner wall 35 of the adapter having the top opening. The difference in diameters forms the rim 40 of the adapter, so that the ball of each spring plunger extends though the rim into space at the exterior of the smaller diameter wall. On the internal wall of the adapter, the bottom opening is the terminus of the mouth. On the external wall of the smaller diameter wall, the adapter comprises at least one channel 100. In a preferred embodiment, the adapter comprises three, equi-angularly evenly spaced channels 100 a,b,c for engaging each lug 205 a,b,c of the centering bell (see FIG. 4) or lug 305 a,b,c of the CIP cup (FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 1, each of the channels (only 2 are shown) includes a slot 110 where the lug enters each channel.

(18) The adapter comprises an indicator 120 on an exterior wall at the terminus of the first diameter exterior wall. The indicator is an embossment, etched line, arrow and the like that aligns to a complementary indicator on an exterior wall of the bell or CIP cup to show the operator that the bell/CIP cup is attached correctly.

(19) The adapter comprises an o-ring 130 that fits to a groove on the underside of the outside first diameter of the adapter. The o-ring provides a water-tight seal between the adapter and the bell/CIP cup.

(20) As shown in FIG. 4, the bell of the invention is formed to fit the adapter. The invention comprises multiple bells sized to accommodate differently sized cans at the can-end and fit the adapter at an attachment end. Each bell has a cylindrical shape. The attachment end of the bell has an outer diameter corresponding to the first diameter of the adapter. An upper section 230 of the bell has an inner diameter that allows the smaller diameter outer wall of the lower end of the adapter to be axially inserted within the upper section of the bell. Spaced below the opening of the upper section on an interior wall is at least one lug 205. In an embodiment, the bell has 3 equi-angularly evenly spaced lugs 205a,b,c. Each lug is shaped to enter a corresponding slot of each channel on the adapter. At a bottom of the upper section of the bell, at least one bracket 210 extends from an interior wall. In an embodiment, three brackets 210a,b,c extend into an interior of the upper section of the bell. Each bracket comprises an indentation 220a,b,c that is positioned to engage a corresponding ball of the spring plunger of the adapter. The upper section of the bell is connected to a lower section 240 of the bell. The lower section is sized to fit to and fill a particularly sized can.

(21) As shown in FIG. 6, the CIP assembly comprises a CIP cup 300. Each cup has a cylindrical shape. An attachment end 365 of the cup has an outer diameter corresponding to the first diameter of the adapter. An upper section 330 of the cup has an inner diameter that allows the smaller diameter outer wall of the adapter to be axially inserted within the upper section of the CIP cup. Spaced below the opening of the upper section on an interior wall is at least one cup lug 305. In an embodiment, the cup has 3 equi-angularly evenly spaced lugs 305a,b,c. Each cup lug is shaped to enter a corresponding slot of each channel on the adapter. At a bottom of the upper section, at least one cup bracket 310 extends from an interior wall. In an embodiment, three brackets 310a,b,c extend into an interior of the upper section. Each cup bracket comprises a cup bracket indentation 320a,b,c that is positioned to engage a corresponding ball of the spring plunger of the adapter. The upper section of the cup is connected to a lower section 340 of the cup. The lower section is formed to accept retaining ring 350, at least one CIP o-ring 360a,b and a CIP manifold 370. The CIP manifold has a connector to a hose 380 and a hose adapter 390 for connecting to a CIP system.

(22) The adapter to attached and detached from the valve housing using the tool 400 depicted in FIG. 9. The tool has a cylindrical shape corresponding in diameter to the smaller diameter of the adapter. At an open end 410 of the tool, the wall comprises three tabs 420a,b,c. Each tab correspond to each slot of the adapter. The end opposite the open end of the tool is partially or entirely closed and includes a centered protrusion 430. The protrusion is shaped to accept a ratchet wrench or other similar implement.

(23) The adapter, bells CIP cup and tool are rotatable about a rotation axis.

(24) To attach the adapter to the housing of a filler valve, the centering bell is removed (if present) and the adapter is screwed into the threads of the valve using the tool by ratcheting to adapter with the tool until completely threaded onto the housing. An o-ring used for the centering bell may be retained to seal the adapter to the housing.

(25) To attach a bell to the adapter, the opening of the upper section of the bell and the lugs are aligned with the slots of adapter. The bell is rotated (about 15 degrees) in the direction of the end of the channels. When each lug meets the end of each channel, the ball of the spring plunger engages the indentation and automatically locks the rotation of the bell with respect to the adapter. When the indicator of the bell and the adapter align, the bell is correctly positioned.

(26) To detach a centering bell from the adapter, the bell is turned in an opposite direction that disengages each ball, slides each lug out of each channel and out the slot.

(27) The exterior wall of the bell provides suitable surfaces for manually applying a twisting force to attach/disconnect the bell to the adapter.

(28) The CIP assembly is attached and detached in a similar fashion.

(29) The system replaces existing centering bells.

(30) While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the description. Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.