Method and dispenser head for feeding a liquid product into a container

Abstract

 A liquid product is fed into a container (2) through a nozzle (8) of a dispenser head (4) having an outer casing (10), and a number of concentric tubular bodies (16) housed in the outer casing (10) to define, between them and with the outer casing, a number of annular conduits (18, 19) terminating at a flat end surface (22) of the dispenser head (4); a solid body (33) being inserted inside the centre tubular body (16b), and projecting from the flat end surface (22) to prevent liquid product flow along and about the axis (6) of the dispenser head (4).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a dispenser head and method for feeding a liquid product into a container.

[0002] In the packaging of liquid products inside containers, and particularly beverages inside thermoplastic containers with heat-sealed sheet material lids, a feed unit is employed comprising a dispenser head over the container, and a metering valve assembly for feeding a given amount of liquid product to the dispenser head.

[0003] Though widely used, known feed units are not altogether satisfactory, especially in terms of preventing frothing inside the container, and ensuring a precise product level inside the container, to prevent the product from oxidizing once the lid is sealed.

[0004] In known units, the liquid product flows through the dispenser head along a winding path with sharp changes in direction, and flows uncontrollably out of the head, thus resulting in splatter and frothing throughout the filling process, as well as dripping of the head once the container is filled.

[0005] At both the start and end of the filling process, at least part of the splatter lands in the container/lid sealing area, and so impairs the effectiveness of the heat-sealed joint.

[0006] In addition to creating splatter, dripping of the head after the container is filled sometimes also soils the outer surface of the container and, very often, also the surface on which the empty containers stand, so that, in addition to the lateral walls, the bases of the incoming containers are also badly soiled.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser head designed to provide a cheap, simple solution to at least some of the above drawbacks.

[0008] According to the present invention, there is provided a dispenser head for feeding a liquid product into a container, the head having a dispensing axis, and comprising an outer casing, and a number of concentric tubular bodies housed inside said casing and coaxially with said axis; said casing and said tubular bodies defining a number of annular conduits for conducting said liquid product, and which have respective inlets communicating with a common chamber of the head, and respective outlets located at a free end surface of said head; the head being characterized by also comprising a solid elongated body extending inside one of said tubular bodies, coaxially with said axis, to internally define one of said annular conduits and prevent liquid product flow along and about said axis.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method of feeding a liquid product into a container.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a method of feeding a liquid product into a container, the method comprising the steps of feeding the liquid product into a common chamber of a dispenser head; and feeding the liquid product through said head by channelling the liquid product from said common chamber solely into a number of concentric annular conduits coaxial with a common axis, and by preventing liquid product flow along and about said axis.

[0011] The method defined above conveniently comprises the further step of diverting part of said liquid product, close to an outlet of said annular conduits, towards said axis, to form, at the outlet of said head, an outflow tapering in the flow direction of the liquid product.

[0012] A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic, substantially in blocks, of a liquid product feed unit featuring a preferred embodiment of a dispenser head in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a larger-scale section of the Figure 1 dispenser head;

Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail of Figure 2.

[0013] Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a feed unit for feeding a given amount of liquid product - in this case, a beverage - into a container 2 - conveniently a thermoplastic container arrested at a filling station 3 of a packaging system (not shown).

[0014] Unit 1 comprises a dispenser head 4 located over container 2; and a known metering valve device 5 not described in detail.

[0015] With reference to Figure 2, head 4 has an axis 6 coincident with the flow direction of the liquid product into container 2, and comprises a fixed fastening body 7, and a nozzle 8 screwed into a seat 9 in fixed body 7.

[0016] Nozzle 8 in turn comprises an outer casing 10 defining a chamber 12, which communicates with a conduit 13, for conducting the liquid product metered by valve device 5, through a perforated partition 14, which divides the main product flow to chamber 12 into a number of secondary streams parallel to one another and to axis 6.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, nozzle 8 also comprises a number of concentric tubular bodies 16 housed in casing 10, coaxially with axis 6, and defining a number of annular conduits 18 (Figure 3). The outermost tubular body 16a and casing 10 define an outer peripheral conduit 19 (Figure 3).

[0018] Conduits 18 and 19 have respective annular inlets 20 communicating with chamber 12; and respective coplanar outlets 21 located at a flat end surface 22 perpendicular to axis 6 and at the free axial end of head 4.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, from chamber 12, annular conduits 18, 19 comprise respective straight elongated portions 24 of constant cross section and thickness along axis 6; and respective outlet end portions 25, 26, which form extensions of respective straight portions 24, terminate at surface 22 (Figure 3), and, measured parallel to axis 6, are roughly a tenth of the length of straight portions 24 measured in the same direction.

[0020] Each outlet end portion 25 increases in cross section towards free end surface 22. More specifically, each outlet end portion 25 is bounded externally by a cylindrical surface 27 parallel to axis 6, and internally by a conical surface 28 tapering in the liquid product flow direction and towards axis 6 to permit or assist flow of the respective part of liquid product towards axis 6.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, outlet end portion 26 of conduit 19, on the other hand, is conical, i.e. converges towards axis 6, to feed the respective part of liquid product towards axis 6 and so taper the outflow of liquid product from end surface 22, as shown in Figure 1. More specifically, outlet end portion 26 decreases in cross section towards end surface 22, and is bounded by straight, parallel conical surfaces 31, 32 converging towards axis 6 and respectively defining outer tubular body 16a and outer casing 10.

[0022] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a solid elongated body 33 is inserted loosely inside the centre tubular body 16b, extends along axis 6, and defines an annular conduit 18 with centre tubular body 16b to prevent liquid product flow along and about or in the immediate vicinity of axis 6. As such, the cross section, and therefore the outlet, of the innermost conduit 18 is also annular.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, from chamber 12 (Figure 2), solid body 33 comprises a straight cylindrical elongated portion 34 parallel to axis 6; an intermediate portion 35 tapering towards axis 6 and terminating at surface 22; and a hemispherical end portion 36 connected to intermediate portion 35 at surface 22, and projecting from surface 22 in the liquid product flow direction.

[0024] In actual use, the outflow of liquid product from device 5 is 'broken up or divided' into a number of streams, parallel to axis 6, by the perforated partition 14 at the inlet to chamber 12, from which the liquid product flows substantially laminarly, with no change in direction, into straight portions 24 of conduits 18 and 19.

[0025] As the liquid product flows into outlet end portions 25 and 26, the design of outlet end portions 25, 26, and particularly the geometry of portions 35 and 36 of solid body 33, allow the part of liquid product flowing along outlet portions 25 to move towards axis 6, while the part of liquid product flowing along outlet end portion 26 is directed gradually towards axis 6. A continuous stream 37 of liquid product (Figure 1) thus flows out of head 4, and comprises, from head 4 and in the liquid product flow direction, a tapered portion 37a bounded by a concave lateral surface; and a cylindrical portion 37b, as shown in Figure 1.

[0026] The liquid product is metered and fed into container 2 in only two consecutive steps : a first step, in which a first given amount of liquid product is dispensed; and a second step, in which a second amount, greater than the first, is dispensed.

[0027] Tests show that the geometry of liquid product stream 37 from head 4 and the variation in liquid product flow when filling container 2 greatly reduce splatter and frothing, both at the start of the filling procedure, as the liquid product hits the bottom of container 2, and when the liquid product level reaches the edge of container 2. As a result, the outer surface of container 2, and more particularly the edge to which the lid is heat-sealed once container 2 is filled, both remain clean.

Claims

1. A dispenser head for feeding a liquid product into a container, the head having a dispensing axis, and comprising an outer casing, and a number of concentric tubular bodies housed inside said casing and coaxially with said axis; said casing and said tubular bodies defining a number of annular conduits for conducting said liquid product, and which have respective inlets communicating with a common chamber of the head, and respective outlets located at a free end surface of said head; the head being characterized by also comprising a solid elongated body extending inside one of said tubular bodies, coaxially with said axis, to internally define one of said annular conduits and prevent liquid product flow along and about said axis.

2. A head as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said free end surface is a flat surface perpendicular to said axis; and said solid elongated body comprises an end portion projecting from said free end surface in the flow direction of said liquid product.

3. A head as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said end portion is in the form of a hemispherical tip.

4. A head as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said solid elongated body also comprises an intermediate portion tapering towards said hemispherical tip and defining, with an adjacent tubular body, a passage decreasing in cross section towards said free end surface.

5. A head as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that at least some of said annular conduits comprise respective elongated straight portions with a constant cross section along said axis, and communicating with said common chamber; and respective outlet end portions forming extensions of the respective said straight portions and terminating at said free end surface; at least one of said outlet end portions being conical to feed a respective part of liquid product towards said axis, and to taper the outflow of liquid product from said free end surface.

6. A head as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the conical outlet end portion decreases in cross section towards said free end surface of said head, and is bounded by conical surfaces converging towards said axis.

7. A head as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said conical outlet end portion is located close to said casing.

8. A head as claimed in Claim 7, characterized in that one of the conical surfaces of said conical outlet end portion defines said casing internally.

9. A head as claimed in Claims 5 to 8, characterized in that at least some of said outlet end portions increase in cross section towards said free end surface.

10. A head as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that each of said outlet end portions increasing in cross section is bounded externally by a cylindrical surface parallel to said axis, and internally by a conical surface, to permit flow of a respective part of liquid product towards said axis and in the liquid product flow direction.

11. A head as claimed in Claim 1, characterized by comprising a perforated body located upstream from said common chamber in the flow direction of said liquid product, to feed a number of parallel streams of liquid product to said common chamber.

12. A method of feeding a liquid product into a container, the method comprising the steps of feeding the liquid product into a common chamber of a dispenser head; and feeding the liquid product through said head by channelling the liquid product from said common chamber solely into a number of concentric annular conduits coaxial with a common axis, and by preventing liquid product flow along and about said axis.

13. A method as claimed in Claim 12, characterized by diverting part of said liquid product, close to an outlet of said annular conduits, towards said axis, to form, at the outlet of said head, an outflow tapering in the liquid product flow direction.

14. A method as claimed in Claim 12 or 13, characterized in that feeding said liquid product into said common chamber comprises the step, before feeding the liquid product into said common chamber, of forming a number of parallel streams of liquid product by feeding said liquid product through a perforated body.

15. A method as claimed in one of Claims 12 to 14, characterized in that said liquid product is dispensed in two consecutive steps; a larger amount of liquid product being dispensed in the second step than in the second step.

Drawing