U.S. patent application number 12/448115 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-11 for unidirectional relief valve of flat kind.
Invention is credited to Gino Rapparini.
Application Number | 20100282768 12/448115 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38963056 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100282768 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rapparini; Gino |
November 11, 2010 |
UNIDIRECTIONAL RELIEF VALVE OF FLAT KIND
Abstract
A unidirectional relief valve of flat kind to be applied inside
hermetic containers, characterized by the fact that the cap (2),
which is of circular shape and has a central hole (3), has a
symmetric structure, and on both faces are present identical ribs
(5), allowing such identity and symmetry to insert the cap (2)
inside the valve body (13) without the need to pre-orient it.
Inventors: |
Rapparini; Gino; (Bologna,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PAUL A. FATTIBENE;FATTIBENE & FATTIBENE
2480 POST ROAD
SOUTHPORT
CT
06890
US
|
Family ID: |
38963056 |
Appl. No.: |
12/448115 |
Filed: |
September 26, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
September 26, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB2007/002800 |
371 Date: |
February 24, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/745 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2205/00 20130101;
B65D 77/225 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/745 |
International
Class: |
B65D 90/34 20060101
B65D090/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 15, 2006 |
IT |
BO2006A000856 |
Claims
1. A unidirectional relief valve of flat kind to be applied inside
hermetic containers, comprising a cap (2), which is of circular
shape and has a central hole (3), has a symmetric structure, and on
both faces are present identical ribs (5), allowing such identity
and symmetry to insert the cap (2) inside a valve body (13) without
the need to pre-orient it.
2. A unidirectional relief valve of flat kind to be applied inside
hermetic containers, as in claim 1, further comprising a sealing
seat (9) covered by a viscous layer (7) presents an eccentric
configurations to optimize the oriented lifting of an elastic
membrane (6) during a relief phase, even at very small
overpressures of the residual gassy content inside the hermetic
container.
3. A unidirectional relief valve of the flat kind to be used in a
hermetic container comprising: a circular symmetrical cap; a
central hole formed in said circular symmetrical cap; and identical
ribs formed on both faces of said circular symmetrical cap, whereby
said circular symmetrical cap can be inserted into a valve body
without the need to pre-orient said circular symmetrical cap.
4. A unidirectional relief valve of the flat kind to be used in a
hermetic container as in claim 3 further comprising: a viscous
layer in an eccentric configuration; and an elastic membrane placed
between said circular symmetrical cap and said viscous layer,
whereby oriented lifting occurs of said elastic membrane during
very small overpressures inside the hermetic container.
Description
FIELD OF THE ART
[0001] The present invention refers to the technological filed of
the construction of gas relief valves for sealed hermetic
containers. The international classification of reference is B
65d.
STATE OF THE ART
[0002] Some kinds of relief valves have been known on the market
for several years. Recently, the market for such valves has seen a
rapid growth, that has called for an annual production of billions
of units. The high market demand, currently still rising, requires
the employment of very fast production plants.
[0003] The problem to be solved is the specific one to realize a
kind of valve whose components can be assembled with automatic
plants operating with full reliability and efficiency even at high
production speed.
[0004] One of the most significant limitations pertains to the
delicate assembling operation of the small cap, which needs to be
inserted in the matching valve body. Iri the handling and in the
proper insertion of said component some operational uncertainties
are still present, which are however intolerable at the high
production rhythms currently required to satisfy the increased
needs of an expanding market.
[0005] It should be highlighted that the valve body present a
morphology that is visibly asymmetric for the functional
characteristics.
[0006] The main parameter to set the production rhythm of the
devices that supervise the robotized assemblage of the relief
valves is the operation of cap insertion.
[0007] Each single cap, having preferably a circular shape and a
hole in the center, needs to be preliminary oriented, and that
requires the use of optical control devices that allow the correct
orientation and the positioning of the currently known caps.
[0008] The problem to be solved is to optimize the handling and
assemblage of the relief valves, making efficient and infallible
their operations, even at very high production speeds, with a
considerable economy in the realization of the automatic plant, and
in its management without optical control mechanisms.
[0009] Said optimization allows to double the productivity and to
make the assemblage more efficient and affordable, allowing to
overcome all the operational uncertainties that cause the low
reliability and limited productive efficiency.
[0010] Said operational uncertainties slow down the production in a
way that can not be accepted anymore in light of the exponential
growth of market demand.
[0011] The solution proposed by the present invention solves
entirely the problems still present, so that a considerable
increase in the production rhythms can be achieved.
DESCRIPTION
[0012] The solution consists primarily in the realization of a
circular and symmetric cap that can be attached indifferently as a
coin with identical faces, presenting no alternatives but only and
always the security of a favorable event of correct orientation
during the assemblage of the matching valve body.
[0013] The invention, in its surprising but not obvious conceptual
simplicity, is now disclosed in details with reference to the
figures of drawings attached as an unbinding example.
[0014] FIG. 1 shows in section a valve applied to the inside wall
of a container packaged under vacuum and in controlled atmosphere,
lower than the outside atmospheric pressure.
[0015] It can be noticed that the valve is represented in a
position of hermetic sealing to avoid that the external atmosphere
enters inside the container, thus safeguarding the organoleptic
features of the content under vacuum or under controlled
atmosphere.
[0016] Still in FIG. 1, it should be noticed the detail marked with
the number (7) that represents a viscous layer, such as silicon
oil, spread between the elastic membrane (6) and its matching flat
seat of hermetic sealing (9).
[0017] FIG. 2 shows emblematically the beginning of the phase of
gas giving off by the packaged product, such as coffee beans
freshly roasted. It should be noticed that inside the sealed
container (1) start to develop gases that are emblematically
represented by black asterisks given off by the freshly roasted
coffee beans.
[0018] It should be pointed out the fact that the external pressure
is still above the inner pressure of package that has been sealed
under vacuum.
[0019] It should be still noticed the presence of atmospheric
pressure outside the package, whose body (1) has an outlook that is
still flat and coplanar adhering to the valve body (13) and to the
relative lock-in closing cap (2).
[0020] Furthermore, it should be noticed the flexing of the elastic
membrane (6) and its hold on the layer of the silicone oil (7)
pressed against the underneath sealing seat (9).
[0021] FIG. 3 highlights the balance of the valve with the elastic
membrane (6) that is exactly flat. In such a position the internal
pressure Pi balances the external pressure Pe, but the membrane (6)
maintains the hermetic conditions through the viscous layer
(7).
[0022] FIG. 4 highlights the unfolding of the relief action and it
can be noticed the oriented lifting up of the elastic membrane (6)
from the relative sealing (9) seat caused by the internal
overpresurre Pi that is higher than the external one Pe.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows the new balance situation at the end of the
relief action.
[0024] FIG. 7 shows a diametric section of the circular cap
(2).
[0025] FIG. 6 and FIG. 8 are external views of the two identical
faces of said circular symmetric disk with a central hole (3).
[0026] FIG. 9 represents in plant the lower external wall of the
valve body.
[0027] FIG. 10 shows a median diametric section of the valve
body.
[0028] FIG. 11 shows in plant the internal surface of the valve
body.
[0029] FIG. 12 is an axonometric representation that highlights the
configuration o the three components of the valve: [0030] valve
body (13); [0031] elastic membrane (6); [0032] circular symmetric
cap (2);
[0033] In all the figures each single detail is marked as follows:
[0034] 1 is the package body that, in the shown example, could be a
flexible film of thermo sealable material; [0035] 2 is the
symmetric circular cap with two identical faces; [0036] 3 is a hole
that goes through the symmetric cap; [0037] 4 is a relief hole on
the body (1) [0038] 5 are ribs that are identical on both faces of
the symmetric cap. [0039] 6 is the circular elastic membrane
inserted inside the valve body (13). [0040] 7 indicates a layer of
silicone oil spread onto the relative seat (9). [0041] 8 indicates
the sealing zone of the valve body (13) inside the sealed package.
[0042] 9 is the eccentric seat to hold the silicone oil. [0043] 10
are relief holes places onto the bottom wall of the valve body
(13). [0044] 11 is the bottom wall of the valve body. [0045] 12 is
a paper-filter diaphragm applied externally of the bottom wall of
the valve body (13). [0046] 13 is the valve body that is attached
inside the body of the package. [0047] Pe indicates the external
atmospheric pressure. [0048] Pi indicates the internal pressure
inside the sealed container.
[0049] The clearness of the figures highlights all the functional
features of the valve of each component. In particular FIG. 6, FIG.
7 and FIG. 8 show with extreme clarity the identity of the two
faces of the symmetric cap (2) that can thus be inserted inside the
valve body (12) indifferently with absolute certainty and.
[0050] The inventive core of the present invention rests exactly in
the realization of a symmetric cap (2) that can be inserted
indifferently inside the valve body (13) without any uncertainty
even at very high production rhythms without failing to orient it
properly.
[0051] It should be highlighted the circumstance that the heuristic
gradient of the present invention rests in the simplicity of
realization and in the surprising efficiency and reliability even
at very high production rhythms.
[0052] The invention of course will be realizable with different
structural proportioning and with material and processes of
fabrication that are technologically equivalent, given the very own
inventive features of the present invention as basically disclosed
in the description, drawings and claims.
[0053] Any average technician expert in this technological field
will thus be able, now that the inventive combination of the
present finding have been disclosed, to realize, with simple
logical deductions and without any inventive effort, relief valves,
equipped with a symmetric cap, that will be included in the
protection sphere of the present invention and reproducing the
features as basically described, shown and hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *