Valve for pre-vacuum filler for products with particulates

Abstract

A filler valve ( 30 ) is mounted beneath a filler bowl ( 32 ) to selectively fill containers ( 34 ) positioned at a filling station ( 80 ) beneath the valve. The filler valve includes a generally rectilinear housing ( 36 ) for receiving a rotatable filler plug ( 38 ). The filler plug is rotatable by drive rollers ( 166 ) making sequential contact with the lugs ( 146 ) of star wheel ( 142 ) located at the proximal end of the filler plug. An end plate ( 40 ) closes off the distal end portion of the valve housing, and a distribution plate ( 42 ), rotatable with the plug, is sandwiched between the plug and the end plate. With the rotation of the filler plug, the flowable content from the container passes through the filler valve to the container being filled. Also, prior to the filling of the container, the container is evacuated, and during at least part of the filling process, the container is ventilated.

1 . A valve for filling containers with a flowable content, comprising: 
 (a) a valve housing having a content inlet connectible in content flow communication with a source of content and a content outlet connectible in content flow communication with a container to be filled, said valve housing further comprising portions defining a vacuum passageway extending between an inlet location adjacent the housing content outlet and a vacuum source connection location connectible to a source of vacuum;    (b) a rotatable filler plug closely receivable within the housing, the filler plug defining at least one fill passageway extending through the filler plug, the fill passageway in simultaneous registry with both the housing content inlet and the housing content outlet at a particular position of the filler plug within the housing, and out of registry with at least one of the housing content inlet and housing content outlet at another position of the filler plug relative to the housing; and    (c) wherein in an out of registry position of the filler plug with at least one of the housing content inlet and housing content outlet, the vacuum passageway is in vacuum flow connection between the vacuum passageway inlet and the vacuum source connection location.    
     
     
         2 . A filler valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising a ventilation system for providing ventilation at a location adjacent the housing content outlet as a container is being filled.  
     
     
         3 . A filler valve according to  claim 2 , wherein said housing having portions defining at least part of the ventilation system.  
     
     
         4 . A filler valve according to  claim 3 , wherein said ventilation system comprises a passageway comprising at least a part of the vacuum passageway.  
     
     
         5 . A filler valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotatable filler plug having a body portion closely receivable within a receiving cavity formed in the housing and the fill passageway comprising a through hole extending laterally through the body portion between the housing content inlet and the housing content outlet during a specific relative position of the filler plug body within the housing receiving cavity.  
     
     
         6 . A filler valve according to  claim 5 , wherein the filler plug further comprising: 
 (a) a drive wheel; and    (b) drive rollers making sequential driving engagement with the drive wheel to rotate the filler plug through selected angular distances.    
     
     
         7 . A filler valve according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said drive wheel comprises a star wheel having a plurality of radially extending lugs; and    said drive rollers coupled to rotatable drive arms, said drive rollers making sequential rolling contact with the lugs of the star wheel.    
     
     
         8 . A filler valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said valve housing further defining a connection station for receiving a container to be filled, said connection station corresponding to the housing content outlet location and the location of the inlet to the vacuum passageway.  
     
     
         9 . A filler valve according to  claim 8 , wherein the container connection station is located at the underside of the valve housing.  
     
     
         10 . A filler valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said filler plug having at least two fill passageways extending therethrough to be in registry with the valve housing content inlet and content outlet at two separate orientations of the filler plug relative to the valve housing.  
     
     
         11 . A filler valve according to  claim 10 , wherein at one of the orientations of the filler plug wherein a filler plug passageway is in registry with the valve housing content inlet and housing content outlet, ventilating is provided at a location adjacent the valve housing content outlet.  
     
     
         12 . A filler valve according to  claim 1 , further comprising a distribution plate rotatable relative to the housing to connect the vacuum passageway with a source of vacuum at a specific orientation of the filler plug with the valve housing so that a vacuum is directed to a location adjacent the housing content outlet.  
     
     
         13 . A filler valve according to  claim 12:   further comprising a ventilation system for providing ventilation at a location adjacent the housing content outlet, said ventilation system comprises a ventilation passageway defined, at least in part, by said valve housing; and    wherein said distribution plate rotatable relative to the valve housing to selectively block and unblock the ventilation passageway at a specific orientation of the filler plug with the housing.    
     
     
         14 . A valve for filling a container with content composed of a liquid or a liquid and particulate mixture, comprising: 
 (a) a valve housing having a content inlet connectible to a source of content and a content outlet connectible to a container to be filled;    (b) a rotatable filler plug closely receivable within the housing, the filler plug having portions defining a fill passageway extending between the housing content inlet and the housing content outlet at a particular rotational orientation of the filler plug relative to the valve housing;    (c) a vacuum passageway at least partially incorporated within the valve housing extending from the housing content outlet to a vacuum connection location distal from the housing content outlet, the vacuum passageway openable and closeable depending on the angular orientation of the filler plug within the housing; and    (d) a ventilation passageway at least partially incorporated within the valve housing, said ventilation passageway extending between a ventilation inlet and a ventilation outlet location adjacent the housing content outlet, the ventilation passageway openable and closable depending on the angular position of the filler plug within the housing.    
     
     
         15 . A valve according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the filler plug comprising an elongate body portion closely engageable with the valve housing; and    the fill passageway comprising a cross hole formed in the filler plug body.    
     
     
         16 . A valve according to  claim 15 , wherein the valve body having portions defining at least two cross holes comprising fill passageways, said at least two cross holes being individually in registry with the housing content inlet and housing content outlet based on the angular orientation of the filler plug within the valve housing.  
     
     
         17 . A valve according to  claim 14 , further comprising a drive system for rotating the filler plug relative to the valve housing between at least: 
 a first position wherein the filler plug fill passageway is not in registry with the housing content inlet and housing content outlet, and the vacuum passageway is in open position to apply a vacuum source to a location adjacent the housing content outlet;    a second position wherein the fill passageway of the filler plug is in registry with the housing content inlet and housing content outlet to permit flow of content through the valve to a container to be filled, and wherein the vacuum passageway is in closed position during at least a portion of the time a container is being filled and the vent passageway is in open position during at least a portion of the time a container is being filled; and    a third position wherein the fill passageway is not in registry with the housing content inlet and housing content outlet and the vacuum passageway is in closed position.    
     
     
         18 . A valve according to  claim 14 , further comprising a fluid flushing system incorporated into the valve to direct flushing fluid to the housing content outlet to flush content from the housing content outlet.  
     
     
         19 . A valve according to  claim 18 , wherein said flushing system comprising a flushing fluid passageway extending through portions of the filler plug and connectible to a source of flushing fluid to direct the flushing fluid to the housing content outlet.  
     
     
         20 . A valve according to  claim 14 , wherein said valve housing having portions defining a receiving station for receiving a container to be filled, said receiving station being at the housing content outlet and the vacuum passageway inlet.  
     
     
         21 . A valve according to  claim 14 , wherein portions of the vent passageway are defined by portions of the vacuum passageway.  
     
     
         22 . A valve according to  claim 14 , further comprising distribution plate rotatable to open and close the vacuum passageway and to open and close the ventilation passageway based on the rotational orientation of the distribution plate.  
     
     
         23 . A valve according to  claim 22 , wherein the distribution plate is rotatable with the filler plug.  
     
     
         24 . A valve according to  claim 22 , wherein said filler plug comprising: 
 a first end portion connectible to a drive system for rotating the filler plug; and    a second end portion in driving engagement with the distribution plate.    
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for filling a container with a flowable product, comprising: 
 (a) a product storage enclosure;    (b) a container filling station for filling a container with product from the product container; and    (c) a filler valve for selectively transmitting product from the product container to the filling station, said filler valve comprising: 
 (i) a housing having portions defining a product inlet in communication with the product storage enclosure and a product outlet in communication with the container filling station;  
 (ii) a rotatable plug having an elongate body portion closely receivable within said valve housing, said body portion defining a cross hole in alignment with the housing inlet and housing outlet at a particular angular orientation of the plug body portion within the housing;  
   (iii) a vacuum passageway at least in part defined by portions of the housing, said vacuum passageway having an inlet at the housing product outlet and an outlet at a location connectible to a source of vacuum, said vacuum passageway operable between a closed condition wherein a vacuum is precluded from extending from the vacuum passageway inlet and the vacuum passageway outlet and an open condition wherein a vacuum extends from the vacuum passageway inlet to the vacuum passageway outlet; and 
 (iv) a ventilation passageway at least in part defined by portions of the housing, said ventilation passageway connectible between a ventilation inlet and a ventilation outlet at a location adjacent the housing product outlet, said ventilation passageway operable between a closed condition wherein ventilation air is precluded from flowing between the ventilation passageway inlet and outlet and an open condition wherein ventilation air is capable of flowing between the ventilation passageway inlet and outlet; and  
   (d) the filler valve operable between at least a first position wherein the plug cross hole is not in registry with the housing inlet and outlet and the vacuum passageway is in open condition; and a second position wherein the filler plug body cross hole is in registry with the housing inlet and outlet, the vacuum passageway is in closed condition and the ventilation passageway is in open condition.    
     
     
         26 . A filling apparatus station according to  claim 25 , wherein: 
 the body portion of the rotatable plug defining two cross holes, each individually alignable with the housing inlet and housing outlet at a particular angular orientation of the plug body portion within the housing; and    the filler valve rotatable between at least three positions comprising: 
 a first position wherein neither of the cross holes of the plug body are in registry with the housing inlet and housing outlet and the vacuum passageway is in open condition to apply a vacuum to a container at the container filling station;  
 a second position wherein one of the cross holes of the plug body portion is in registry with the housing inlet and outlet to enable product to flow from the storage container to a container being filled, and simultaneously the ventilation passageway in closed condition; and  
 a third position wherein the other of the two cross holes of the plug body portion is in registry with the housing inlet and housing outlet to enable product to flow between the product storage container and the container filling station, and simultaneously the ventilation passageway being in open condition.  
   
     
     
         27 . A filling apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the filler valve is positionable in a fourth position, wherein neither of the two cross holes of the plug body portion are in registry with the housing inlet and outlet, the vacuum passageway is in closed condition, and the housing outlet is in fluid flow communication with a source of flushing fluid.  
     
     
         28 . A filling apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said filler valve further comprising a distribution plate operable in conjunction with the rotatable plug to operate the vacuum passageway between a closed condition and an open condition; and to operate the ventilation passageway between a closed condition and an open condition.  
     
     
         29 . A filling apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the distribution plate is operably coupled to the rotatable plug.  
     
     
         30 . A filling apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein rotatable plug is coupled to a drive system for sequentially rotating the filler plug and the distribution plate through selected angular distances corresponding to the positions of the first and second positions of the filler valve.