U.S. patent application number 10/522255 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for module, system and method of dosing and mixing pasty products.
Invention is credited to Cortes Ferriz, Jose.
Application Number | 20050189037 10/522255 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31198106 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050189037 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cortes Ferriz, Jose |
September 1, 2005 |
Module, system and method of dosing and mixing pasty products
Abstract
A metering module for pasty products of the type comprising a
pasty product tank equipped with means to push the pasty product,
and a means of opening and closure, adapted to open and close an
outlet of said tank. The tank is a hollow prism and the means of
pushing consist of a tightly fitted vertical piston in the interior
of the tank, coaxial to it, the means of opening and closure
consisting of a lower metering valve, whose valve body comprises an
internal space with a vertical axis that communicates with the
tank, the blocking element of the valve being a sealing head,
movable between a position of maximum opening and a closure
position, in which the larger base of the sealing element is
essentially flush with the valve outlet, closing the tank.
Inventors: |
Cortes Ferriz, Jose; (Sant
Cugat del Valles, ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GOTTLIEB RACKMAN & REISMAN PC
270 MADISON AVENUE
8TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
100160601
|
Family ID: |
31198106 |
Appl. No.: |
10/522255 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
July 25, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/ES03/00388 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/102 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01F 15/0462 20130101;
B01F 15/0237 20130101; B01F 2015/0221 20130101; B01F 13/1055
20130101; B01F 15/0445 20130101; B01F 2215/005 20130101; B01F
15/026 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/102 |
International
Class: |
B65B 001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 26, 2002 |
ES |
P 200201764 |
Claims
1. Metering module for a pasty product comprising a tank, equipped
with means for pushing the pasty product and a means for opening
and closing an outlet of said tank, wherein the tank is a hollow
prism and the means for pushing consists of a vertical piston that
tightly fits in the interior of the tank, coaxial thereto, the
means for opening and closing consisting of a lower metering valve,
whose valve body contains an internal space with a vertical axis
communicating with the tank, with a sealing element of the valve
being a closure head, and movable between a maximum opening
position and a closure position, and wherein, a larger base of the
sealing element is essentially flush with an outlet of the valve,
thereby closing the tank.
2. Metering module for a pasty product according to claim 1,
characterized by the fact that said sealing element is integral
with an operating rod that moves through the interior of said
internal space of the valve body and is, in turn, operated by a
tappet against the action of a spring.
3. Metering module for pasty product according to claim 1,
characterized by the fact that said closure head is in the form of
a truncated cone.
4. Metering module for a pasty products according to claim 1,
characterized by the fact that the tank is cylindrical.
5. Metering module for a pasty product according to claim 1 further
including means for purging air occluded in the interior of said
tank beneath said piston.
6. Metering module for a pasty product according to claim 1,
further including means for injecting air into the interior of said
tank, and adapted to separate the piston from the bottom of the
tank or from the pasty product therewithin.
7. Metering module for a pasty products according to claim 1,
further including means for opening a container of the pasty
product situated inside said tank.
8. Metering module for a pasty products according to claim 7,
wherein said means for opening consists of a blade, whose cutting
edge is situated on the edge of a cylinder that at least partially
encloses the outlet of said tank.
9. Mixing system for pasty products, comprising at least one
metering module according to claim 1.
10. Mixing system for pasty products according to claim 9,
comprising at least two metering modules according to claim 1
arranged adjacent to each other along a first horizontal plane,
with their corresponding metering valves essentially aligned, and a
receiving vessel movable on a guide, the vessel being adapted to be
stopped beneath each module and to receive a dose of pasty product
contained in the module in order to produce a mixture of pasty
products.
11. Mixing system for pasty products according to claim 9 further
comprising means for controlling movement of the receiving vessel
and metering of the pasty product corresponding to each metering
module, so that said pasty product is introduced to the vessel as a
function of predetermined mixture parameters.
12. Mixing system for a pasty product according to claim 11,
wherein said means for controlling contains a microprocessor, a
computer and/or programmable automatic device, provided with
software, and means for interfacing with the user and which also
operates on drive and timing devices of the vessel and on the
metering valves of each of the metering modules.
13. Process for metering of a pasty product, to be applied in
conjunction with a metering module according to claim 1,
characterized by the fact that said process contains the steps of
placing said pasty product in a container with deformable walls,
introducing the container of the pasty product to the interior of
the tank, lowering of the piston, compressing the container for
deformation of its walls against the inside walls of the tank; and
opening the container to produce an opening in the container
contiguous with the tank outlet in order to cause the pasty product
contained in the container to enter the metering valve under the
compressive effects of the piston.
Description
TECHNICAL AREA OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns a metering module for pasty
products of the type comprising a pasty product tank equipped with
means to push the pasty product, a means of opening and closure,
adapted to open and close an outlet of said tank.
[0002] The present invention also concerns a system for mixing
pasty products, consisting of the previous modules and a procedure
for using the aforementioned metering module and mixing system.
[0003] The present invention finds special, although not exclusive,
application in metering and mixing dyes for production of
paints.
STATE OF THE ART
[0004] At present, mixing of primary dyes for production of paint
is mostly accomplished manually, supplying precalculated amounts of
each dye to a vessel. However, there are a good number of automatic
or semiautomatic metering systems, in which the dye is poured from
an upper tank into a lower vessel equipped with a load cell, which,
once a predetermined weight of dye is present, orders closure of
the valve of the upper tank to stop pouring. This operation is
repeated for each of the primary dyes, until the mixture is formed
with the desired proportion of each.
[0005] Although these automatic or semiautomatic systems have
correct functionality, they are not completely devoid of problems
and drawbacks, among which their known complexity and high cost
should be mentioned, and the fact that, on closure of the valve, a
final trickle is produced that can reduce the precision of
metering, soil the installation and create difficulties in the
subsequent operation.
[0006] The present invention has the object of providing a metering
system for pasty products that simultaneously solves all of these
drawbacks and problems.
EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] For this purpose, a first aspect of the invention is a new
metering module for pasty products of the mentioned type, which, in
essence, is characterized by the fact that the tank is a hollow
prism and the means of pushing consist of a tightly fitted vertical
piston in the interior of the tank, coaxial to it, the means of
opening and closure consisting of a lower metering valve, whose
valve body comprises an internal space with a vertical axis that
communicates with the tank, the blocking element of the valve being
a sealing head, movable between a position of maximum opening and a
closure position, in which the larger base of the sealing element
is essentially flush with the valve outlet, closing the tank.
[0008] Said sealing element is integral with an actuating rod that
moves through the interior of said internal cylindrical space of
the valve body and is operated, in turn, by a tappet against the
action of a spring.
[0009] Preferably, said closure head is shaped like a truncated
cone and the tank is cylindrical.
[0010] According to another characteristic of the present
invention, the module comprises means to purge the air occluded in
the interior of the tank beneath the piston.
[0011] According to a preferred variant, each module comprises
means of injection of air into the interior of the tank, adapted to
separate the piston from the bottom of the tank or the mass of
pasty product in it.
[0012] The metering module of the invention can contain means of
opening of a container containing the pasty product situated in the
interior of the tank.
[0013] Preferably, said means of opening consists of a blade, whose
cutting edge is situated on the edge of a cylinder that at least
partially encloses the outlet of said tank.
[0014] A second aspect of the invention is a mixing system of the
pasty products, which comprises at least one module, as already
described.
[0015] Specifically, the system can contain at least two of the
previous modules, arranged consecutively to each other along a
first horizontal plane with their corresponding metering valves
essentially aligned, and a receiving vessel, movable on a guide
device, the vessel being adapted to be stopped beneath each module
to receive a dose of pasty product contained in the module to
carryout mixing of the pasty products.
[0016] Preferably, the mixing system contains means to control
movement of the receiving vessel and metering of the pasty products
corresponding to each metering module that must be poured into the
vessel as a function of the predetermined parameters of the
mixture.
[0017] In particular, said means of control includes a
microprocessor, computer and/or programmable device, provided with
software suitable for this purpose, and conventional means of
interfacing with the user, and which acts on drive devices and
timing devices of the vessel and on the metering valves of each of
the metering modules.
[0018] According to a third aspect of the invention, a process for
metering pasty products is disclosed for use in conjunction with a
metering module or the already mentioned mixing system, comprising
the stage of placing a pasty product in a container with deformable
walls and the additional steps of: introduction to the closed and
full container of the pasty product into the interior of the tank;
lowering of the piston, compressing the container by deformation of
its walls against the inside walls of the tank; and opening of the
container by a means of opening that produces an opening in the
container, contiguous with the outlet, to cause the pasty product
contained in the container to reach the metering valve under the
compression effect of the piston.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] A description of a preferred, but not exclusive, version of
the present invention follows, for whose better comprehension it is
accompanied by some drawings, given solely as an illustrative, but
non-limiting example, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is a cutaway view of a valve of the metering module
of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of a preferred variant of
a metering module of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic frontal view of a mixing system for
pasty products, consisting of seven modules, like those in FIG.
2;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the metering system of
FIG. 3;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 of another
variant of a module of the invention, with a container for a pasty
product introduced to the tank in the rest position; and
[0025] FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, but in the
operating position of the piston.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED VARIANT
[0026] It is apparent in the drawings that the metering module 1
for the pasty products contains a cylindrical tank 2 for pasty
products, for example, dyes or paints, and a piston 4, essentially
discoidal, to push the pasty product 34 situated in tank 2. Some
O-rings 19 guarantee tight fit of piston 4 in the interior of the
tank. The piston 4 is operated vertically along an axis 8 in known
fashion by an actuating rod 24, integral with it by hydraulic or
pneumatic action. The tank 2 is supported on a lower base 27,
combined with an upper support base 28 and guided by actuator 24
through some columns 23.
[0027] The tank 2 is open in the lower central part at a discharge
3, traversed by a tube 29, in whose lower end a manual cutoff 25 is
found, followed by a metering valve 5, arranged in the interior of
a terminal part 30.
[0028] The valve 5 has a valve body 6 with an internal space 7,
whose axis 8' is shown, in this case, coincident with the vertical
axis 8 of tank 2. This internal space 7 is open to passage 29 and,
through this, to the interior of tank 2. The valve 5 includes a
sealing element 12, formed by a closing head 9, which is preferably
shaped like a truncated cone or a trumpet, although it can also be
spherical.
[0029] The head 9 is continuously movable between a maximum opening
position and a closure position (shown in FIG. 1), in which the
larger base 11 of the seal 12 is essentially flush with the output
31 of valve 5, closing tank 2.
[0030] The sealing element 12 is integral with an actuating rod 13
that runs through the interior of said cylindrical internal space 7
of valve body 6 and is, in turn, operated by a tappet 14 against
the action of the spring 10. Thus, the rod 13, and consequently
opening and closing of valve 5, can be operated mechanically or
manually, in this case, for example, by means of the manual valve
25.
[0031] It is apparent in FIG. 2 that the metering module 1 for the
pasty products according to the invention is equipped with means
for purging of air occluded in the interior of tank 2 beneath
piston 4. In the illustrated example, this means of purging
includes a hydraulic tube 20, joined to a connector 17 that passes
through piston 4 and is equipped with a manual valve 21. Tube 20 is
connected upstream of manual valve 21 to a source of relative
vacuum with respect to the internal pressure of tank 2.
[0032] The module 1 is also equipped with means of injection of air
into tank 2, adapted so as to separate the piston 4 from the bottom
of the tank or the pasty product mass in the tank. This means of
injection is also equipped with an air injector 22, joined to the
other connector 18 that passes through piston 4, which permits
introduction of air into tank 2 when it is necessary to separate
the piston 4, which might be stuck in tank 2.
[0033] FIG. 3 and 4 show a mixing system 100 for pasty products,
consisting of various, in this case seven, of the aforementioned
modules 1.
[0034] The modules 1 are arranged adjacent to each other along a
first horizontal plane with their corresponding metering valves 5
essentially aligned, attached to a vertical element 32 of a support
structure 26.
[0035] The support structure 26 contains a horizontal table 33, on
which guides 16 are arranged for a receiving vessel 15 of the pasty
products 34 contained in modules 1.
[0036] The vessel 15 is equipped in the lower part with a load cell
35 (FIG. 4) and has the possibility of being stopped beneath each
module 1 and receiving a dose of pasty product contained in module
1 to produce the desired mixture of pasty products.
[0037] System 100 contains means to control the movement of the
receiving vessel 15 and metering of the pasty product corresponding
to each metering module 1, which must introduce it to vessel 15 as
a function of the predetermined parameters of the mixture.
[0038] This means of control can include a microprocessor, a
computer and/or a programmable automatic device and software
suitable for this purpose, and conventional means for interfacing
with the user, which, since they are extensively known per se, are
not shown or described in greater detail. This means of control
acts on drives and timing devices of the vessel and on the metering
valves 5 of each one of the metering modules 1.
[0039] The operating method of the metering and mixing system 100
for pasty products is as follows. With the tanks 2 of modules 1
fully or partially filled with pasty products, the receiving vessel
15 is moved via the guide 16 and successively stopped beneath each
one of the modules 1, whose product will be part of the desired
mixture. This movement of vessel 15 can be carried out manually or
be motorized, in this case with stepping motors, whose movement is
programmed.
[0040] Each time it is stopped beneath a module 1, the
corresponding valve 5 is opened by manual valve 25, with which
pouring of the dye from the tank 2 in question begins, until the
load cell 35 detects that the programmed amount or an amount
sufficiently close to the programmed amount has been introduced, a
moment at which valve 5 closes and stops introduction of the pasty
product. The cited software can allow for the weight of the column
of dye that enters the outlet 31 of valve 5 and vessel 15 to close
it at the proper time, so that the sum of the weight of this column
detected by the load cell 35 and the dose of dye that is programmed
are within a certain tolerance.
[0041] This operation is repeated for each of the modules 1
containing dye to be present in the mixture.
[0042] FIG. 5 and 6 show a variant of module 1 of the present
invention. This module 1 is particularly designed to be used in the
process of the invention.
[0043] Specifically, module 1 contains a means of opening of the
container 36 with deformable walls, in which the pasty product 34
to be metered is contained, consisting of a blade 37, whose cutting
edge 38 is situated above the edge of the cylinder that encloses,
at least partially, the output 3 of said tank 2. The blade 37 can
assume the shape of a half-rod or half-bevel, for example, and have
its upper edge or blade 38 not perpendicular to axis 8.
[0044] The container 36, which can be a bag, for example, made of
plastic, with or without seams, or even a cardboard container,
contains a measured dose of the pasty product to be metered and is
introduced to the inside of tank 2 of module 1 (FIG. 1). The
container 36 can also be a cardboard or paper container, whose
dimensions permit it to fit in the inside prismatic walls of tank
2.
[0045] With container 36 in the interior of tank 2, for metering of
the pasty product 34 through valve 5, it is merely necessary for
piston 4 to descend, compressing container 36, owing to deformation
of its walls, against the inside walls of tank 2. As the
compression exerted by piston 4 continues, the container 36 is
opened by blade 37, which cuts it, producing an opening 39 in the
container (FIG. 6) contiguous with the outlet 3, so that the pasty
product 34 contained in container 36 reaches metering valve 5,
owing to the compression action of piston 4.
[0046] Once the contents of container 36 are empty, it is merely
necessary to raise piston 4, liberating the rest of the empty
container 36, in order to be able to remove it. In this manner,
metering of a precise and measured amount of the pasty material is
permitted, without soiling the walls of tank 2.
[0047] One skilled in the art will understand that the design of
the valve, and especially the shape of the sealing element 12, make
it possible for metering of dye with this system not to produce
leaks from outlet 31. This, in turn, substantially reduces losses
of raw material and consequently the environmental problems
associated with their management in terms of residues, in
comparison with the prior art.
[0048] In addition, if the material of container 36 is a recyclable
material, the process according to the invention is efficient from
an environmental standpoint by minimizing waste production.
[0049] It should be understood that the device of the present
invention is applicable to any type of pasty product with a
rheology similar to that of paints and dyes, these applications
also being applicable within the scope of the inventive
concept.
* * * * *