Patent Publication Number: US-6338370-B1

Title: Fill valve assembly for filler device and associated method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates in general to a fill valve assembly, and more particularly, to a fill valve assembly, for use in association with a filler device, which is configurable into a clean-in-place mode of operation for cleaning predetermined components associated therein. 
     2. Background Art 
     Fill valve assemblies for use in association with filler devices have been known in the art for years and are the subject of numerous patents including: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,845,683; 5,740,844; 5,690,151; 5,533,552; 5,531,253; 5,450,882; 5,402,833; 4,848,381; 4,437,498; 4,219,054; 3,774,658; 3,568,734; 3,430,639; EP Pat. No. 568121 A1; and EP Pat. No. 554951 A1. While fill valve assemblies have become commercially available for use in association with filler devices, problems associated with cleaning internal components remain largely problematic—especially when the fill valve assembly is being used for filling a food product where cleanliness standards are relatively stringent. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reliable fill valve assembly for use in association with filler devices which remedies the detriments and/or complications associated with conventional fill valve assemblies known in the art. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a fill valve assembly for use in association with a filler device comprising: (a) an outer housing; (b) a product dispensing member associated with the outer housing, wherein the product dispensing member includes a channel having a sealing member retained therein; (c) a displaceable piston positioned within at least a portion of the outer housing and the product dispensing member; and (d) means for controllably displacing the piston to a clean-in-place position, to in turn, expose the seal member retained within the channel of the product dispensing member for facilitating cleaning thereabout. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention fill valve assembly further comprises means for controllably displacing the piston to the clean-in-place position, an open position, and a closed position. In this embodiment, the clean-in-place piston displacing means may comprise a first aperture associated with a stop plunger, a second aperture and a third aperture associated with the outer housing, wherein the first and second apertures are exhausted to ambient and the third aperture is supplied with a pneumatic source. 
     In addition, the open piston displacing means may comprise a first aperture associated with a stop plunger, a second aperture and a third aperture associated with the outer housing, wherein the first aperture is exhausted to ambient, and the second and third apertures are supplied with a pneumatic source. 
     Moreover, the closed piston displacing means may comprise a first aperture associated with a stop plunger, a second aperture and a third aperture associated with the outer housing, wherein the first and second apertures are supplied with a pneumatic source and the third aperture is exhausted to ambient. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the piston may comprise a concave region near a lower end thereof, whereby the concave region forms an exposed volume around the seal member upon displacement of the piston to the clean-in-place position. 
     In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the clean-in-place piston displacing means may comprise the piston being displaced into a stop plunger, wherein the stop plunger is at least partially retracted away from the seal member retained within the channel of the product dispensing member. 
     The present invention is also directed to a fill valve assembly for use in association with a filler device comprising: (a) an outer housing, wherein the outer housing includes a channel having a sealing member retained therein; (b) a displaceable piston positioned within at least a portion of the outer housing; and (c) means for controllably displacing the piston to a clean-in-place position, to in turn, expose the seal member retained within the outer housing to facilitate cleaning thereabout. 
     The present invention is further directed to a fill valve assembly for use in association with a filler device comprising: (a) an outer housing; (b) a product dispensing member associated with the outer housing, wherein the product dispensing member includes a channel having a sealing member retained therein; (c) a displaceable piston positioned within at least a portion of the outer housing and the product dispensing member, wherein the piston comprises a concave region near a lower end thereof, whereby the concave region forms an exposed volume around the seal member retained within the product dispensing member upon displacement of the piston to the clean-in-place position. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the fill valve assembly may also comprise: (a) an outer housing, wherein the outer housing includes a channel having a sealing member retained therein; and (b) a displaceable piston positioned within at least a portion of the outer housing, wherein the piston is displaceable into a closed position, an open position, and a clean-in-place position, wherein the clean-in-place position exposes the seal member retained within the outer housing for facilitating cleaning thereabout. 
     The present invention further provides a method of using a fill valve assembly associated with a filler device comprising the steps of: (a) providing a fill valve assembly including: (1) an outer housing having second and third apertures; (2) a product dispensing member associated with the outer housing having a channel with a sealing member retained therein; (3) a displaceable piston positioned within at least a portion of the outer housing and the product dispensing member; and (4) a stop plunger having an aperture positioned within at least a portion of the outer housing; (b) configuring the piston into a closed position and precluding product from passing through the product dispensing chamber, (c) configuring the piston into an open position and dispensing a product through the product dispensing member; and (d) configuring the piston into a clean-in-place position and exposing the seal member retained within the channel of the product dispensing member; and (e) flushing the exposed seal member with matter to, in turn, substantially remove any undesirable contamination associated therewith. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 of the drawings is a cross-sectional schematic representation of a fill valve assembly showing, among other things, a piston in a closed position; 
     FIG. 2 of the drawings is a cross-sectional schematic representation of a fill valve assembly showing, among other things, a piston in an open, fill position; 
     FIG. 3 of the drawings is a cross-sectional schematic representation of a fill valve assembly showing, among other things, a piston in a clean-in-place position; 
     FIG. 4 of the drawings is a cross-sectional schematic representation of a fill valve assembly associated with a filler device; and 
     FIG. 5 of the drawings is a fragmented cross-sectional schematic representation of a fill valve assembly showing, among other things, an exposed seal member retained with a channel of a product dispensing member. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
     It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, are identified throughout the drawings by like reference characters. 
     Referring now to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular, a cross-sectional schematic representation of a first embodiment of fill valve assembly  10  is shown, which generally comprises outer housing  12 , product dispensing member  14 , piston  16  (in a closed position), and stop plunger  18  for controllably displacing the piston to, a clean-in-place position, among other positions, which as will be discussed in greater detail below exposes seal member  20 F (e.g. an o-ring) retained within the channel  22 F of product dispensing member  14  for facilitating cleaning thereabout. It will be understood that the term seal member is herein defined as any member that is capable of creating an at least partially fluid seal between at least two surfaces. Preferably, such a seal member is fabricated from an elastomeric material, however, numerous other materials that would be known to those having ordinary skill in the art are likewise contemplated for use in accordance with the present invention. 
     It will be further understood that the FIGS. 1A-5 are merely schematic representations. As such, some of the components have been distorted from their actual scale for pictorial clarity. 
     As is shown in FIG. 4, fill valve assembly  10  is primarily intended for use in association with filler device  100 , which is capable of filling associated containers and/or bags with any one of a number of materials in solid, liquid, and/or gaseous states. It will be understood that while fill valve assembly  10  has been shown, for illustrative purposes only, as being associated with a rotary filler device, numerous other device configurations that would be known to those having ordinary skill in the art with the present disclosure before them are likewise contemplated for use. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, outer housing  12  includes seal members  20 A and  20 B, which are retained within channels  22 A and  22 B, respectively. Seal members  20 A and  20 B slidably seal stop plunger  18  within outer housing  12 , thereby substantially precluding fluid and/or other matter from passing therebetween. Outer housing  12  also includes apertures  24 B and  24 C, which as will be discussed in detail below, facilitate displacement of stop plunger  18  and, in turn, piston  16 . 
     As is shown in FIG. 1, stop plunger  18  is displaceably retained within outer housing  12  at an upper end thereof. Stop plunger  18  includes seal member  20 C which is retained within channel  22 C. Seal member  20 C slidably seals stop plunger  18  within outer housing  12 , thereby substantially precluding fluid and/or other matter from passing therebetween. Stop plunger  18  includes retaining ring  26 , which controllably regulates the degree of downward displacement of stop plunger  18 . As will de discussed in greater detail below, stop plunger  18  further includes aperture  24 A, which can be coupled to, for example, a pneumatic source for displacing piston  16  to a closed position. 
     Piston  16  is displaceably retained within outer housing  12  below stop plunger  18 . Piston  16  includes seal member  20 D which is retained within channel  22 D. Seal member  20 D slidably seals piston  16  within outer housing  12 , thereby substantially precluding fluid and/or other matter from passing therebetween. Piston  16  also includes upper and lower guide bushings  28 A and  28 B, respectively, which cooperatively facilitate proper displacement of piston  16 . Piston  16  also includes shoulder  30 , which controllably regulates the downward displacement of piston  16  by contacting upper surface  32  of product dispensing chamber  14 . 
     As is best shown in FIG. 5, piston  16  (in a clean-in-place position) includes a concave region  34 , which exposes the seal member  20 F retained within channel  22 F of product dispensing member  14  for facilitating cleaning thereabout. While piston  16  has been shown, for illustrative purposes only, as including concave region  34 , it is likewise contemplated that other geometric configurations are likewise contemplated for use—so long as the particular geometric configuration exposes seal member  20 F retained within the product dispensing member for facilitating cleaning thereabout. 
     Referring back to FIG. 1, product dispensing member  14  is associated with outer housing  12 , and is secure thereto by connecting clamp  36 A. Product dispensing member  14  includes seal members  20 E and  20 F, which are retained within channels  22 E and  22 F, respectively. Sealing members  20 E and  20 F slidably seal piston  16  within product dispensing member  14 , thereby substantially precluding fluid and/or other matter from passing therebetween when the piston is in either a closed position (See FIG. 1) or an open position (See FIG.  2 B). 
     Filling tip  38  is associated with product dispensing member  14 , and is secured thereto by connecting clamp  36 B. Filling tip  38  serves to sealingly connect fill valve assembly  10  to an associated container and/or bag (not shown). 
     As is shown in FIG. 1A, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, piston  16  of fill valve assembly  10  is displaceable to a closed position by supplying apertures  24 A and  24 B with a pneumatic source and by venting aperture  24 C to ambient. In such a closed position any product contained within product dispensing chamber  14  is precluded from entering an associated container and/or bag. It will be understood that piston  16  is also displaceable to a closed position without supplying aperture  24 B with a pneumatic source. 
     As is shown in FIG. 2B, piston  16  of fill valve assembly  10  is displaceable to an open or fill position by supplying apertures  24 B and  24 C with a pneumatic source and by venting aperture  24 A to ambient. In such an open position any product contained within product dispensing chamber  14  is free to flow into an associated container and/or bag. 
     As is shown in FIG. 3C, piston  16  of fill valve assembly  10  is displaceable to a clean-in-place position by supplying aperture  24 C with a pneumatic source and by venting apertures  24 A and  24 B to ambient. As is best shown in FIG. 5, piston  16  exposes the seal member  20 F retained within channel  22 F of product dispensing member  14  for facilitating cleaning thereabout. It will be understood that seal member  20 F and its surrounding area can be flushed, and, in turn, cleaned with any one of a number of cleaning fluids and/or gasses. 
     While outer housing  12  of fill valve assembly  10  has been disclosed herein as being associated with a separate product dispensing member component  14 , it is also contemplated that outer housing  12  can be fabricated as a unitary piece which includes the structure of product dispensing member  14 . In such an embodiment, seal member  20 F is retained within channel  22 F of outer housing  12  instead of product dispensing member  14 . 
     The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.