Patent Grant
11840441
This application is a U.S. National Phase Application of PCT/EP2017/084092, filed Dec. 21, 2017, which claims the benefit of priority to European Patent Application No. 16206405.9, filed Dec. 22, 2016, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to the handling of liquids and solid-state media stored in containers which are opened and closed by means of a coupling device. In particular, the present invention relates to a coupling device configured to be mechanically coupled to a cap of a container, to a system for draining and venting a container, and to a method of mechanically coupling a coupling device to a cap of a container.
In many technical fields, like for example in the field of liquids, liquids are used which may be hazardous for the user or operator. It is therefore a desire to provide for risk mitigation measures that reduce the chances of exposing the user with the chemically active substances. Moreover, during the transfer of the liquid the avoidance of spillages is desirable as well. Further, in some industries contamination of the liquids is strictly forbidden, like for example in food and beverage industries. Therefore, closed transfer systems (CTS) have been suggested for transporting liquids from a container into e.g. other receptacles or systems. However, the currently known systems are only available for large multi-trip containers or cause high costs due to the employment of complicated valve technology within the dispensing device of such closed transfer system. The opening and closure mechanism are also based on the application of metal springs which are necessarily needed for the activation and operation of the employed valves. Due to the high costs of such spring based opening- and closing-mechanisms, these opening and closure mechanisms are normally provided within the centrally used dispensing device, which is used for a plurality of different containers. Providing a container with a permanent cap that comprises such an expensive, metal spring based opening- and closing-mechanism is economically not desirable as the containers are used only once. Moreover, the container is not easily recycled if it comprises a metal spring. Therefore, the currently used containers merely comprise an opening with a one-time seal, e.g. a seal foil, on top of which an ordinary screw cap is provided. For draining the container, it is thus necessary to first remove the ordinary cap and to subsequently remove the seal or to puncture, i.e. to pierce, the seal foil with the dispensing device which comprises the closure mechanism. Hence, after decoupling the dispensing device the seal foil is attached to the container opening in a destroyed configuration and no automatic closure of the opening of the container is provided after decoupling the dispensing device. However, such a situation disadvantageously bares the risk of both contamination and leakage. Further, an unintentional decoupling during the process of draining may cause large spillages and may create an additional operator risk.
In the state of the art, probes with extraction apertures are used which are closed by means of sealed and sliding sleeves which are only actuated by springs. However, the inventors of the present invention found that it may be the case that the movement of the sleeves can be incomplete due to an increase in friction or failure of the spring to overcome the friction leaving the probes open while the coupling device is removed from the cap and the container. This may allow liquid to escape which in turn increases potential contamination of the operator.
There may be a need for an improved coupling between such coupling devices and the cap of the container.
It may be seen as an object of the present invention to provide for an improved coupling between such coupling devices and the cap of the container. The object is solved by the subject-matter of the independent claims. Further aspects, embodiments and advantages of the present invention are comprised by the dependent claims.
The following detailed description of the present invention similarly pertains to the coupling device, the system for draining and venting the container and the method of mechanically coupling the coupling device to the cap of the container. In other words, synergetic effects may arise from different combinations of the embodiments although they may not be described hereinafter explicitly.
The features of different embodiments can be combined unless explicitly stated otherwise hereinafter. Moreover, any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. The method described herein may also be carried out in an order of steps that is different than the order explicitly mentioned herein, unless explicitly stated otherwise hereinafter.
Before the invention is described in detail with respect to some of its preferred embodiments, the following general definitions are provided.
The present invention is illustratively described in the following and may be suitably practiced in the absence of any element or any elements, limitation or limitations not specifically disclosed herein.
The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain Figures, but the invention is not limited thereto, but only by the claims.
Wherever the term “comprising” is used in the present description and claims it does not exclude other elements. For the purpose of the present invention the term “consisting of” is considered to be a preferred embodiment of the term “comprising of”. If hereinafter a group is defined to comprise at least a certain number of embodiments, this is also to be understood to disclose a group which preferably consists only of these embodiments.
Where an indefinite or definite article is used when referring to a singular noun, e. g. “a”, “an”, or “the”, this includes a plurality of that noun, unless something else is specifically stated hereinafter. The terms “about” or “approximately” in the context of the present invention denote an interval of accuracy that the person skilled in the art will understand to still ensure the technical effect of the feature in question. The term “typically” indicates deviation from the indicated numerical value of plus/minus 20 percent, preferably plus/minus 15 percent, more preferably plus/minus 10 percent, and even more preferably plus/minus 5 percent. Technical terms are used herein by their common sense. If a specific meaning is conveyed to certain terms, definitions of terms will be given in the following in the context of which the terms are used.
The term “cap” as used herein shall be understood as a sealing cap and/or as a cap for closing the inlet of the container. Different attachment means may be used for attaching the cap to the inlet opening of the container or to the neck where the inlet opening is positioned. For example, an internal thread or an external thread comprised by the cap may be used to engage the cap with the inlet opening which may comprise a corresponding counter-thread. However, other attachment means, like for example a click and snap closure or a fixation of the cap at the container with glue, may be used for attaching the cap to the container.
The term “closure insert” as used herein shall be understood as a plug or a stuff that can be inserted into the cap by inserting it into an opening of the cap. The closure insert, when in its inserted position and when engaging with the cap, e.g. a shoulder of the cap, in a fluid tight manner, realizes releasably a closing function of the cap. The closure insert may have essentially the same diameter as the corresponding opening of the cap. More technical details about these closure inserts as used in the context of the present invention will be described hereinafter. The closure insert may comprise a sealing ring or other sealing elements so as to releasably seal the opening of the cap. Different materials may be used, but, as will be explained in detail, materials resistant to the used liquid are preferred. Specific embodiments of said materials for the sealing plugs, i.e. the closure inserts, are presented hereinafter. In particular, the closure inserts or plugs in the cap may have a spring function derived from a material memory in the legs of the plug and this is used to retain the plugs in position and sealed.
Moreover, the term “shoulder” shall be understood as any kind of shape or contour of the sidewall which facilitates the desired engagement with at least a part of the respective closure insert with the cap. Particularly, a shoulder may be embodied as a protrusion which extends from the sidewall of an opening of the cap such that a counterpart of the corresponding closure insert can engage with the shoulder in fluid tight manner when the shoulder and the closure insert are pushed or pressed towards each other. The coupling device is configured, when in the coupled configuration, to disengage the closure insert of the cap from the cap by axially pushing the closure insert with the probe. Different embodiments and more details about said shoulders will be provided hereinafter.
As will be explained in detail, the cap may comprise a closure insert, wherein the opening of the cap may be surrounded by a circumferential wall. The circumferential wall comprises a shoulder and the closure insert releasably engages with the shoulder such that the opening is fluid tightly closed. The closure insert may thus engage with the corresponding shoulder such that upon axially pushing the closure insert towards the bottom of the container body said closure insert disengages with the corresponding shoulder to be in a disengaged configuration and upon axially pulling said closure insert from the disengaged configuration and in a direction away from the bottom of the container body said closure insert re-engages with the corresponding shoulder such that the corresponding opening is again fluid tightly closed. This can be gathered from e.g.
Furthermore, although the working principle and some embodiments of the present invention are described in combination with a liquid in the container, also solid state materials, or gases, or in any combination thereof, can be stored in the container without departing from the present invention. The liquid and may also be comprised in the container in pure form or in combination with different materials like a solvent or several solvents. Further, the adjuvant may be comprised by the container in pure form or in a combination with a liquid. For example, a plant protection chemical or a plant protection adjuvant or a combination thereof may be the liquid in the container of the present invention.
It should be noted, that in the context of the present invention the term “distal” is used in the following sense. A movement of the probe in distal direction is to be understood as a movement towards the cap and towards the bottom of the container on which the cap is provided.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a coupling device configured to be mechanically coupled to a cap of a container to be in a coupled configuration is presented. The coupling device comprises a probe configured to be inserted into an opening of the cap. The coupling device is configured, when in the coupled configuration, to disengage a closure insert of the cap from the cap by axially pushing the closure insert with the probe. The coupling device further comprises a first mechanism which is configured for drawing the cap and the container towards the coupling device. The coupling device also comprises a second mechanism configured for axially moving the probe to thereby lift the probe with the closure insert into the container.
In an embodiment, the first mechanism is configured for drawing the cap and the container towards the coupling device for sealing and locking the cap and the coupling device into a desired position.
Several different ways of embodying the first and second mechanisms are possible and will be described hereinafter in the context of detailed embodiments. Further, a preferred application of the coupling device is the combination with a container and a crop protection spray system.
As will become apparent from the following explanation, the first mechanism is used for fluid-tightly sealing the container and the cap with the coupling device as well as for the mechanical connection of coupler and the container with the cap. And the second mechanism is used for independently moving the probe thereby opening the opening of the cap and thus allowing sucking container material out of the container, venting the container simultaneously with air and/or rinsing the container with a liquid.
The coupling device of the present invention is thus limited by the first and second mechanisms, which do provide respective configurations. In particular, the first mechanism is configured, when being in a coupled configuration with the container and the cap, for drawing the cap and the container towards the coupling device for sealing and locking the cap and the coupling device into a desired position. Clearly, the skilled person can determine whether a coupling device in question has a first mechanism with the claimed configuration. When the coupling device is brought into contact with the cap of the container, and when by activating or using the first mechanism the container with the cap is drawn towards the coupling device for sealing and locking the cap and the coupling device into a desired position, this first mechanism fulfils the requirement of the present invention. The same holds true for the second mechanism, which is configured for axially moving the probe to thereby lift the probe with the closure insert into the container. The skilled person can determine whether a coupling device in question has a second mechanism with the claimed configuration. If the probe, upon activating or using the second mechanism, is axially moved and lifted with the closure insert into the container, the coupling device in question comprises also a second mechanism, which fulfils the configuration as claimed. Consequently, the configurations of the first and second mechanisms can be directly and positively verified by tests or procedures which do not require undue experimentation by the skilled person.
It should be noted, that the coupling device of the present invention can be used in combination with rigid containers and also with flexible containers. Further, different lengths and geometrical dimensions can be chosen according to the desired purpose of the coupling device and can be selected by the user.
Advantageously, a secure and reliable connection between the coupling device and the container can be achieved. The provided coupling device allows for draining the liquid via the opening of the cap and allows for venting the container simultaneously via the opening of the cap. Advantageously, the cap can be permanently fixed to the container, i.e. before, during and after draining, venting and/or washing the container. Said steps of draining, venting and/or washing shall be understood to be part of an embodiment of the present invention. Further, such a coupling device facilitates that upon disconnecting the coupling device from a container an automatic resealing of the container is triggered or caused. Thus, the coupling device of the present invention facilitates that the container is rendered back to a safe state without exposure or spillage as soon as the coupling device is removed. The container as presented herein facilitates the provision and use of a valuable closed transfer system for transferring the liquid from the container. This may be especially valuable in the field of Crop Protection Products (CPP). Moreover, this coupling device provides for a reliable, single material and low cost closing mechanism which is permanently fixed at the container. These aspects and functionalities of the coupling device and of the container will be described and elucidated in more detail hereinafter.
A direct and clean connection can be established between the container (comprising the cap) and a device, for example a crop protection spray system. The coupling device of the present invention, as disclosed hereinafter in more detail, can be used for this purpose. The risk of operator exposure to the concentrate can be reduced compared to current practices with standard containers, which will become apparent form the following explanations. The presented container provides for connectivity without using complex devices in the closure that are difficult to recover or reduce the capacity for post use recycling. Hence, the provided container reduces the complexity of the closure system and at the same time provides for a recyclable container comprising the springless cap. The coupling device of the present invention allows for a passage of liquid from the container and allows for a simultaneous passage of air into the container through the single opening. Further, rinsing water can be guided into the container and rinsate can be guided simultaneously out of the container using this single opening. If the requirement for closed transfer is mandated or enforced through other regulatory controls, the cap can be permanently attached to the container preventing any use except through a closed transfer system but which is an unavoidable engineered safety solution.
Opening the container and transfer with a closed transfer system can be followed by re-closure of the container and storage for later use while maintaining the minimal exposure risk. The closure technique provided by the cap eliminates the current barrier between safe techniques for small and large packs and reduces the end users requirement for equipment to just one coupling device, the coupling device of the present invention. The functionality of a releasable, fluid tight engagement between the closure inserts and the surrounding walls of the openings of the cap may be seen as a valve function, which will be described hereinafter.
The inventors found that when a chemical container is connected to a sprayer in the process of emptying the contents it is convenient to provide the operator with a means to control the speed of emptying and the amount of effort applied by the sprayer so that the chemical product flows at rate that is acceptable and irrespective of the size or strength of the container and allows the operator to make accurate measurement of the volume transferred through a suitable measuring device which could be volumetric, flow meter, mass based or any other appropriate device.
According to this embodiment of the present invention the coupling device is used together with a cap which is provided in a springless form. Therefore, the cap does not comprise a spring, particularly not a metal spring. Thus, a metal free container and a metal free cap, which is permanently fixed on the container, can be provided. This increases the acceptability of the container (including the cap) for recycling. Moreover, the engagement between the closure inserts and the respective shoulders of the cap walls may be seen as a valve or as providing for a valve function. In other words, the cap comprises a fluid tight closing and opening valve mechanism which works without using a spring in the cap. Thus, the cap of the container may be a springless cap in all embodiments.
If desired, the cap in this and every other embodiment mentioned herein can additionally be embodied as a springless and elastomer free cap. This may be embodied as a single material container and cap configuration.
In a preferred embodiment, the coupling device is a mono probe coupling device comprising only a single probe. This embodiment can be seen for example from
The two different and separate mechanisms of the coupling device allow for an independent adjustability of the suction opening, which can be adjusted independent from the actual position of the probe of the coupling device. This will be explained in more detail hereinafter in the context of the embodiment described with respect to
In particular, in an embodiment, the first and the second mechanisms are decoupled so called “Kulissenmechaniken”, which is known to the skilled person. In a further specified embodiment, tubes are provided which comprise inner and/or outer profiles along which other components of the coupling device are moved along.
The coupling device of the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, is configured to be positioned in an upright position such that the container is put on top of the coupling device. This can be seen, for example, from the embodiment of
The first mechanism ensures that the cap and the container are drawn towards the coupling device such that a fluid-tight sealing and locking of the cap and the container with the coupling device can be achieved. The second mechanism can then be used subsequently for actually moving the probe of the coupling device in distal directions and thereby towards the closure insert which resides on the opening of the container cap. The drawing movement of the container with the cap may be initiated by using a first lever of the first mechanism which activates a motion link within the coupling device. Furthermore, the actual movement of the probe towards the closure insert may be activated or initiated by moving a second lever of the coupling device which causes a second motion link to move the probe accordingly. In the non-restricting and specific embodiment of
In principle, any of the herein mentioned first, second and further levers may be moved horizontally or vertically to activate the corresponding mechanism. Translational movements may be combined with rotational movements as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.
In a particular embodiment, the coupling device comprises a blocking mechanism. The blocking mechanism is configured to block the second lever as long as the first lever is not in its end position. Furthermore, the blocking mechanism is configured to then block the first lever as soon as the second lever is moved away from its start position.
In other words, the first mechanism is configured for sealing the cap and the coupling device 100 and is configured for locking the container and the cap at the coupling device in a desired position. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second mechanisms are both contained within the housing, besides respective levers which are used to operate the respective mechanisms.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first mechanism comprises a first lever and the second mechanism comprises a second lever. The first mechanism is embodied as a motion link mechanism converting a linear or rotational movement of the first lever of the first mechanism into a rotation. Furthermore, the second mechanism is embodied as a motion link mechanism converting a linear or rotational movement of the second lever of the second mechanism into a rotation.
Several different mechanical components and constructional architectures may be used within the coupling device to realize the first and the second conversion. In this embodiment, the coupling device uses the conversion of the linear or rotational movement of the first lever into a rotation for drawing the cap and the container towards the coupling device and for sealing and locking the cap and the coupling device into a desired position. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the coupling device uses the conversion of the linear or rotational movement of the second lever into a rotation for actually moving the probe towards the closure insert of the container.
As will be understood by the skilled person, a motion link is considered to be a mechanical linkage in the sense of an assembly of bodies connected to manage forces and movement.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the coupling device comprises a housing in which the first and second mechanisms are contained with the exception of the first and second lever of the first and second mechanism.
The integration of the first and second mechanism provides a failsafe and secure provision of the coupling device for the user. As can be gathered for example from the embodiments shown in
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first and second mechanisms are configured to be operated separately.
In particular, the user can activate the movement for drawing the cap and the container towards the coupling device for sealing and locking the cap and the coupling device in the desired position independently from the second mechanism. However, in an embodiment, a blocking element is used which blocks the second lever unless the first lever is moved to its position where it is ensured that the sealing and locking of the cap and the coupling device is accomplished. Only if the first lever is moved into that position, the second lever can be moved from its starting position to its end position.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first mechanism is configured for preventing at the same time misuse by blocking any unintended movement of the second lever, wherein the second mechanism is configured for preventing at the same time misuse by blocking any unintended movement of the first lever.
For example, this embodiment can be realized as follows. The coupling device is configured such that a rotation of the transfer cylinder causes a vertical movement of a blocking bar, which is part of the coupling device, which blocks the rotation of the lifter. The rotation of the lifter causes the vertical movement of the second blocking bar, which blocks the rotation of the transfer cylinder. This can also be seen in the embodiment shown in
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the coupling device comprises a first, a second and a third tube. Preferably, the first, second and third tube are arranged concentrically in the coupling device such that the first tube is enclosed by the second tube and the third tube and the second tube is enclosed by the third tube.
Such a concentric embodiment allows for a very compact design of the coupling device thereby allowing to suck any product out of the container through the volume which extends between the second and the third tube and to guide air into the container through the internal part of the first tube and to rinse liquid into the container through the volume which extends between the first and the second tube. A specific embodiment thereof will be described in the context of
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the coupling device is configured for guiding air through the first tube and is configured for rinsing water into the container through the second tube and is configured for sucking liquid out of the container through the third tube.
The rinsing function is very important and is possible in different ways. First, by activating the rinsing nozzle and spraying rinsing water via the probe head into the container, which is continuous rinsing. Second, by turning the coupling device with the container in the upright position filling the container with some water and shaking the container back and forth to wash off the bottom of the container, which is batch-wise rinsing. The cleaning of the closure insert, coupling device and the hoses after partial transfer can be important as well, and will be described in more detail hereinafter. In an alternative embodiment, the rinsing water is guided in the inner tube and the air is guided between the first and the second tube.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the coupling device comprises a suction gate for sucking liquid through the coupling device out of the container. The first and second mechanisms are configured for providing an adjustment of a size of an opening of the suction gate which adjustment is independent from a current axial position of the probe.
In prior art solutions in which the dosing is started and stopped by lifting the plug out of the cap and reclosing by lowering the plug into the cap, the air inlet of the probe is at the lowest point in the container during the complete dosing procedure. When reclosing lowering the plug means then the air inlet would be the opposite namely the highest point. As a consequence, in the prior art, the flow of liquid out of the container and the flow of air into the container are in such proximity that a shortcut for the air can be created. Air can be immediately sucked out of the container again, instead of replacing the volume of liquid extracted. This may lead to air bubble formation in the transfer hose and container deformation during dosing. Additional slow-down of transfer is possible as air is transferred. Deformation is less occurring when more liquid is sucked out than air can enter However, in the embodiment of the present invention, the two functionalities are separated allowing to start and stop the flow of liquid when the air inlet is in the highest possible position (maximum distance to the liquid outlet), thus completely avoiding air bubbles in the hose as well as avoiding any container deformation. Thus, a reduction of the hydrostatic deformation can be achieved as water column is shorter.
In other words, the suction gate may be seen as a valve which can be used for the following two purposes. First, when the product is transferred out of the container. In the specific embodiment of
In particular, the embodiment using a single probe coupling device may exceed the performance of previously used and known double probe devices. The inventors of the present invention found that with the single probe device it is much easier to enter the probe further into the container reducing the static fluid pressure by reducing significantly the deformation of the bottles and increasing the emptying speed. Furthermore, by combining everything into concentric tubes, space could be economized so that the air tube could be separated from the rinsing tube. This additional functionality would have required a triple probe approach, which would not have fit into the available space. Having air and rinsing water separated, eliminated the container deformation that had been observed with dual probe constructions of the prior art during rinsing. This improves the rinsing efficacy of the coupling device of the present invention.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first mechanism comprises a first lever for operating the first mechanism. The first mechanism further comprises a claw element for drawing the cap and the container towards the coupling device and for locking the container and the cap into the desired position. The first lever is configured to be moved from a start position towards an end position. Moreover, the first lever is operatively connected to the claw element and is configured upon movement from the start position into a locking position, which may be between the start position and the end position, to radially move the claw element.
By using such a kinematic architecture within the coupling device, it is ensured that the container with the cap is grabbed by the claw element which then caused to move radially inwards to contact the cap and to go an axial movement away from the container to draw the container and the cap into the desired fluid-tight and fixed position within the coupling device. In particular,
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first lever is further configured to be rotated for operating the first mechanism and the first mechanism further comprises a clamp cylinder and a transfer cylinder which comprises a motion link. The first lever is connected to the transfer cylinder such that the transfer cylinder follows a rotation of the first lever. The transfer cylinder is further configured upon rotation caused by the first lever to axially move the clamp cylinder. Moreover, the clamp cylinder is configured upon its axial movement to radially and axially move the claw element.
In other words, the first lever is operatively connected to the claw element by means of the clamp cylinder and the transfer cylinder.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the coupling device further comprises a suction gate, wherein an opening defined by the suction gate is closed in the start position of the first lever. The first mechanism is further configured upon moving the first lever from the start position to an intermediate position to open the opening of the suction gate, and wherein the first mechanism is configured upon moving the first lever from the intermediate position to the end position to re-close the opening of the suction gate.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second mechanism comprises a second lever and a lifter which comprises a second motion link. The second lever is configured to be moved from a start position towards an end position. The second lever is also connected with the lifter and is configured upon movement from the start position to the end position to move the lifter. The lifter is configured to axially move the probe of the coupling device by the second motion link when the lifter is moved by the second lever.
In a preferred embodiment, this second mechanism is embodied as a Kulissenmechanik which is decoupled from the Kulissenmechanik described hereinbefore and hereinafter in the context of the first mechanism. Details about a further specified embodiment of this general architecture of the coupling device will be described in the context of particularly
According another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second mechanism is configured upon movement of the second lever from the start position towards the end position to gradually open the opening defined by the suction gate.
The gradual adjustment of the opening of the suction gate may be used when the product is transferred out of the container. Furthermore, this adjustability of the suction gate may be used when the outer side of the closure insert and the coupling device 100 with hoses are rinsed. In a specific embodiment, the coupling device ensures that the suction gate can only be opened in certain positions thereby preventing that air is constantly sucked in the sprayer tank and causes foaming and ensures that the closure insert is properly flushed at its outside.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the coupling device is configured for rinsing outer parts of the cap and the closure insert, inner parts of the coupling device and transfer lines of the coupling device in a coupled configuration in which the closure insert fluid-tightly closes the opening of the cap.
For example, in the embodiment shown in the context of the embodiment explained in
According to another exemplary embodiment, the coupling device is configured for actively applying a suction pressure onto the liquid in the container to suck the liquid out of the container.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for draining and venting a container is presented. The system comprises a coupling device as presented hereinafter and hereinbefore. Furthermore, the system comprises a container with a container body with at least one inlet opening. Moreover, the container comprises a cap for closing the inlet opening of the container body. The cap is attached to the inlet opening of the container body and the cap also comprises an opening, in which the probe of the coupling device is to be inserted. Furthermore, the cap comprises a closure insert. The closure insert releasably engages with the cap such that the opening of the cap is fluid-tightly closed.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of mechanically coupling a coupling device to a cap of a container is presented. The method comprises the steps of placing the container onto the coupling device. The container body comprises at least one inlet opening and a cap attached to the inlet opening closing the inlet opening of the container. The cap comprises an opening and a closure insert which closes the opening of the cap. The method further comprises the steps of using a first mechanism of the coupling device thereby drawing the cap and the container towards the coupling device and thereby sealing and locking the cap and the coupling device 100 in a desired position at the coupling device. Furthermore, using a second mechanism of the coupling device thereby axially moving a probe of the coupling device to disengage the closure insert of the cap from the cap and thereby lifting the probe with the cap into the container is contained.
In a specific embodiment, the opening of the cap may be surrounded by a circumferential wall, wherein the circumferential wall comprises a shoulder and wherein the closure insert releasably engages with the shoulder such that the opening of the cap is fluid-tightly closed. This also holds true for a specific embodiment of the corresponding coupling device.
In another method step aligning the cap and the probe is accomplished. This is an important aspect of this movement. The inventors have hardly observed any plug failure in which the plug was not properly secured by probe head, since this embodiment ensures this alignment.
According to another exemplary embodiment, the method comprises rinsing outer parts of the cap, inner parts of the coupling device and transfer lines of the coupling device. The rinsing is carried out in a coupled configuration in which the closure insert fluid-tightly closes the opening of the cap. Furthermore, the rinsing is carried out by guiding a liquid through the coupling device towards the outer parts of the cap.
This embodiment may be important when only a part of the content of the container, e.g. a Crop Protection Product (CPP) container, has been removed. In this situation, the inner part of the container is not rinsed. The rinsing procedure described can be imperative to ensure the complete transfer of the product aliquot and remove any contamination from accessible surfaces.
The method steps as have been described before can be carried out by any of the coupling device shown and presented herein.
These and other features of the invention will be become apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in the following drawings.
Before the general idea of the present invention, i.e. the provision of a coupling device with two different mechanisms, as defined in the independent claims is explained in the context of several general embodiments shown in
Furthermore, the coupling device 100 comprises a suction gate 112 for sucking liquid through the coupling device 100 out of the container 123. As will become apparent from the following explanation the first and second mechanisms are configured for providing an adjustment of a size of an opening of the suction gate 112 which is independent from a current axial position of the probe 124. The first mechanism comprises a claw element 103 for drawing the cap 102 and the container 123 towards the coupling device 100 and for locking the container 123 and the cap 102 into the desired position. The first lever 111 is configured to be moved from a start position, shown in
In particular, the first lever 111 is configured to be rotated for operating the first mechanism. The first mechanism further comprising a clamp cylinder 105 and a transfer cylinder 107 comprising a motion link. The first lever 111 is connected to the transfer cylinder 107 such that the transfer cylinder 107 follows the rotation of the first lever 111. Further, the transfer cylinder 107 is configured upon the rotation caused by the first lever 1111 to axially move the clamp cylinder 107. The clamp cylinder is configured upon its axial movement to radially and axially move the claw element. In the context of the present invention an axial movement shall be understood as a movement along the main axis of the probe, shown in
The second mechanism of coupling device 100 also comprises a lifter 119 which comprises a second motion link. The second lever 118 is configured to be moved from a start position (see
In particular, the embodiment using a single probe coupling device 100 may exceed the performance of previously used and known double probe devices. The inventors of the present invention found that with the single probe device it is much easier to enter the probe further into the container reducing the static fluid pressure by reducing significantly the deformation of the bottles and increasing the emptying speed. Furthermore, by combining everything into concentric tubes, space could be economized so that the air tube could be separated from the rinsing tube. This additional functionality would have required a triple probe approach, which would not have fit into the available space. Having air and rinsing water separated, eliminated the container deformation that had been observed with dual probe constructions of the prior art during rinsing. This improves the rinsing efficacy of the coupling device of the present invention.
In the following, a step wise description of a possible use of the coupling device 100 is described to emphasize the several different advantages of the coupling device 100.
In step 1, shown in
In step 2, shown in
Step 3 is shown in
In step 4, shown in
In step 5, shown in
In step 6, shown in
In step 7, shown in
In step 8, shown in
In step 9, shown in
The emptying and rinsing cycle can be completed by working all steps backwards from step 9 to step 1, pausing at step 3 to rinse the outer part of the cap, the inner part of the coupling device 100 and the transfer lines. This is essential when only a part of the content, e.g. of CPP, contained in the container has been removed. In this situation, the inner part of the container is not rinsed. The rinsing procedure described is imperative to ensure the complete transfer of the product aliquot and remove any contamination from accessible surfaces.
In other words, the suction gate may be seen as a valve which can be used for the following two purposes. First, when the product is transferred out of the container. This is the case in this embodiment when the upper lever is positioned at 3 o'clock and the lower lever is positioned from 6 to 3 o'clock such that little to a lot suction can be adjusted. Second, when the outer side of the closure insert and the coupling device 100 with hoses is rinsed. In this embodiment this is the case when the upper level is at 6 o'clock position and the lower level is at 9 o'clock position. To open the suction only at a certain position is an important feature of this embodiment to prevent that air is constantly sucked into the sprayer tank and causes foaming, this embodiment allows flushing the closure insert outside properly.
In a particular embodiment, the coupling device comprises a blocking mechanism. The blocking mechanism is configured to block the second lever as long as the first lever is not in its end position. Furthermore, the blocking mechanism is configured to then block the first lever as soon as the second lever is moved away from its start position.
Furthermore,
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a coupling device 1300 is disclosed. The coupling device 1300 comprises a first tube 1315, a second tube 1306, and a third tube 1304, which are provided in a concentric configuration. Thus, the first tube is enclosed by the second tube and the third tube, and the second tube is enclosed by the third tube. The first tube is configured for guiding air 1309 into the inner part of the container 1301. Air inlet openings 1311 are shown. The air may thus expand 1313 within the interior of container 1301. In the configuration shown in
According to another exemplary embodiment,
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16206405 | Dec 2016 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2017/084092 | 12/21/2017 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2018/115285 | 6/28/2018 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20210340003 A1 | Nov 2021 | US |
