Patent Application
20210321591
The present invention relates to the field of controlled, in particular automatic, dispensing of liquids. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of controlled, in particular automatic, dispensing of liquids, in the field of animal housing, in particular of laboratory animals, such as small rodents or similar small animals. In detail, the present invention relates to an innovative device for the automatic and/or controlled dispensing of liquids for animals, in particular for laboratory animals. In further detail, the present invention relates to an innovative device of the aforesaid type adapted to be activated (and therefore to dispense liquids) by the animals, such as mice, rats and other relatively small laboratory animals and not only.
Liquid dispensing devices (also commonly known as valves) for the automatic watering of animals are known in the background art and widely used. In the context of the present invention, and in particular in the following description, the term “watering” is meant as equivalent to each of the terms “abbeveramento” and “abbeverazione”, both being commonly used in the technical field of the present invention.
In particular, the advent and increasing use of individually ventilated cages has revealed the need for watering devices characterized by high reliability (possibly free from faults and/or improper operation) in order to prevent, for example, interruptions of supply and/or uncontrolled supply of watering liquids. It is indeed apparent that an interruption, even temporary, in the supply of watering liquids could have irreparable repercussions on health of the animals (and even lead, in the worst case, to the death of the animals themselves), whilst an uncontrolled supply of liquids could result in the flooding of the housing cage, also in this case with the risk of irreparable repercussions on animal health.
It has moreover to be noted that animal health is the essential requirement to ensure the reliability of the laboratory tests to which animals are subjected.
Several watering devices for animals have been developed and suggested in the aforementioned field, in particular to guarantee the reliability required by the housing techniques and methods.
In particular, the latest generation of automatic watering devices essentially comprise the following common features.
A main body defines a longitudinal cavity in communication with the outside through an inlet opening and an outlet opening for introducing and discharging the watering liquids, respectively. The hollow body houses the activation mechanism by means of which the animals can open and close the valve, wherein the activation of the valve is achieved by the animal by moving an elongated cylindrical element made of stainless steel, called the needle, which allows the animals to open the valve thereby obtaining a defined amount of water.
Furthermore, the hollow main body houses the sealing mechanism, which is generally made by means of an elastomeric gasket against which a portion of the valve called the needle is pressed by means of an element called the plunger.
In resting or closing condition, the elastic deformation of the gasket due to the pressure applied by the head of the needle as a result of the thrust exerted by the plunger prevents the flow of liquids beyond (downstream of) the elastic gasket (thereby sealing the system), whereas on the contrary, a displacement of the needle from the resting position results in a loss of contact between the head of the needle and the gasket, with consequent flow of liquids (usually water) beyond (downstream of) the elastic gasket.
Furthermore, in order to allow the needle to return to the resting or closing position (with consequent interruption of the flow of liquids), the devices of the known type are equipped with some elements specifically designed to keep the needle (also named stem) in the resting position (centered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the valve) and to facilitate its return into said position after having been moved by the animal.
Therefore, in practice, according to some of the known solutions, it is the plunger itself which provides at least in part the elastic thrust necessary for the correct repositioning of the needle in the resting or closing position, wherein solutions are known as well which provide, for the purpose, the use of an additional elastic element located downstream of the head of the needle; said further median and distal element, also named centering element, helps the needle to return easily to the resting or closing position parallel to the main axis, thereby ensuring the closing of the device.
The solutions of known type summarized above, although appreciable from many points of view, such as, for example, constructive simplicity and substantially low costs, however, are affected by some disadvantages which are currently at least partially unresolved.
A first disadvantage or problem relates to the fact that the risk of corpuscles (e.g. resulting from the litter and/or food) getting deposited inside the main body is not completely avoided, wherein said corpuscles could counteract the return of the needle into the closing position, wherein with the needle blocked in the opening position the continuous flow of liquids can lead, as mentioned above, to flooding the cage or at least excessively moistening or wetting the litter.
In an attempt to overcome the problem of detritus being deposited in the main body and the respective blocking of the needle, so-called “screened” devices, i.e. devices equipped with a protective screen placed near the outlet opening of the device, have been suggested in the recent past.
However, the screens of the known type, if made of rigid material, while effectively counteracting the depositing of detritus, have been found to be inadmissible or unsuitable for various applications as they excessively hinder the switching of the needle from the closing to the opening position and do not facilitate either the return from the opening to the closing position. On the other hand, if made of softer materials, they often do not effectively counteract the deposit and/or accumulation of detritus in the main body.
Furthermore, some of the known watering devices, in addition to the disadvantages mentioned above, are also affected by problems related to the configuration of the plunger element. This component, in many cases, must provide the necessary elastic force to compress the front of the needle head against the gasket, in order to ensure the sealing of the valve, but must also allow the passage of liquids in case of switching of the needle (from the closing to the opening position) but still facilitating or at least not hindering the opposite switching (from the opening to the closing position).
Often, however, the plunger is distorted or damaged due to the processing in autoclave to which it is subjected during the steps of sterilization of the dispensing device, e.g. by effect of the negative pressure which, combined with the high temperatures present in the autoclaves during the decontamination cycles, can deform and alter the elastic properties of these components. In these cases, the replacement of the element is necessary because damaged plunger devices may cause flooding and/or no longer be able to supply the nominal water flow rate.
It is therefore the object of the present invention that of overcoming or at least minimizing the drawbacks found in the solutions according to the prior art, in particular in the liquid dispensing devices with needle or stem configured valve element.
In particular, it is one of the aims or objects of the present invention to find a solution which allows the effective screening of the outlet opening of the device, thus avoiding the deposit and/or accumulation of debris in the main body of the device itself, in particular without hindering (or making it too difficult for the animal) the switching of the needle or stem from the closing to the opening position, whilst indeed, on the contrary, promoting the opposite switching from the opening to the closing position.
Moreover, it is a further object of the invention to suggest a screening of the above type that is simple to be produced and implemented, as well as feasible at low cost.
It is a further object of the present invention to suggest a plunger centering element with improved features, which acts effectively thereby ensuring both the necessary pressure on the gasket by the head of the needle, and at the same time the re-switching of the needle from the opening to the closing position, and without hindering the switching of the needle from the closing to the opening position.
In view of the drawbacks affecting the solutions according to the prior art and of the objects summarized above, according to the present invention there is suggested a liquid dispensing device, in particular for watering animals, in particular laboratory animals, such as small rodents or the like, said device comprising a main body which defines a longitudinal cavity for the passage of watering liquids, said longitudinal cavity being in communication with the outside through an inlet and an outlet for introducing said liquids in said longitudinal cavity and discharging said liquids from said longitudinal cavity, respectively, an annular elastic sealing element arranged inside said longitudinal cavity, said valve body comprising a stem with a first portion which extends through said annular sealing element and a flange-shaped head, wherein said flange-shaped head is kept pressed against said annular sealing element by means of an elastic thrust element, and wherein said stem is adapted to be switched between a first closing position, in which the flow of said liquids downstream of said annular sealing element is prevented by said annular sealing element, and a second opening position, in which the flow of said liquids downstream of said annular sealing element is allowed, wherein said elastic thrust element comprises an engagement portion which defines a substantially cylindrical engagement cavity, in which a second portion of said stem opposite to said first portion is housed, and wherein said elastic thrust element comprises a circular-crown-shaped base which extends radially from said engagement portion and is placed in contact with said flange-shaped head of said valve element on the opposite side with respect to said annular sealing element.
According to an embodiment, said second portion of said stem is housed in said cylindrical engagement cavity of said thrust element by interference.
According to an embodiment, said elastic thrust element comprises a substantially cylindrical side wall which extends from said circular-crown-shaped base in the same extension direction as said engagement portion.
According to an embodiment, said substantially cylindrical cavity is blind (closed) at the end portion of said second portion of said stem.
According to an embodiment, said engagement portion has a substantially frustoconical outer surface narrowing towards the end portion opposite to said circular-crown-shaped base.
According to an embodiment, said substantially cylindrical side wall which extends from said circular-crown-shaped base comprises extension portions the longitudinal extension of which is smaller than the maximum longitudinal extension of said substantially cylindrical side wall, wherein each of said portions with smaller longitudinal extension defines a notch or slot which extends from the free edge of said substantially cylindrical wall opposite to said circular-crown-shaped base.
According to an embodiment, the thickness of said substantially cylindrical wall at said notches or slots is greater than the thickness of the portions of said wall adjacent to said notches or slots.
According to an embodiment, said dispensing device comprises a disc-shaped element made of elastomeric material and fixed to said main body at said outlet, wherein said disc-shaped element defines a hole substantially coaxial with said longitudinal cavity through which said first portion of said stem extends, and wherein the switching of said stem from said first closing position to said second opening position occurs against the elastic bias or resistance applied and respectively exerted by said disc-shaped element, while, on the contrary, the switching of said stem from said second opening position to said first closing position is promoted by the elastic thrust applied by said disc-shaped element.
According to an embodiment, said stem, at said hole of said disc-shaped element has an outer diameter which substantially corresponds to the diameter of said hole of said disc-shaped element.
According to an embodiment, said disc-shaped element, near said central hole, comprises a circular-crown-shaped portion with tapered cross section and increasing thickness from the edge of said central hole towards the outer peripheral edge of said disc-shaped element.
According to an embodiment, the thickness of said circular-crown-shaped portion of said disc-shaped element increases from a minimum thickness in a uniform manner and substantially proportionally to the radial distance from said edge of said central hole.
According to an embodiment, said circular-crown-shaped portion has an inner diameter which substantially corresponds to the diameter of said central hole and an outer diameter which is smaller than the maximum diameter of said disc-shaped element.
According to an embodiment, the disc-shaped element is housed inside said main body.
According to an embodiment, said disc-shaped element, at its outer peripheral edge, comprises a substantially toroidal portion.
According to an embodiment, said substantially toroidal portion comprises a portion defined by the revolution of a semi-circumference with respect to a rotation axis perpendicular to said disc-shaped element.
Further possible embodiments of the present invention are defined in the claims.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be clarified by means of the following detailed description of the embodiments depicted in the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described hereinafter and depicted in the drawings; on the contrary, all the variants of the embodiments described below and depicted in the drawings which will be apparent to a person skilled in the art fall within the scope of the invention.
In the drawings:
The present invention applies in particularly advantageous manner to the field of watering of animals, in particular of laboratory animals, such as small rodents or the like, this being the reason why the present invention will be clarified below with (possible) reference to its application to the watering of animals, in particular of animals of the aforesaid type.
The possible applications of the present invention are however not limited to watering, but on the contrary comprise all those applications in which a controlled and/or automatic dispensing of liquids is required.
According to the embodiment depicted in
It can be appreciated that the flow of liquids inside the cavity 1011 will occur from the inlet opening 1002 to the outlet opening 1001 and therefore from left to right in
A valve body or element 105, a further O-ring type gasket 120 and an element 130 also named plunger for reasons which will be apparent in light of the following description are arranged or housed inside the cavity 1011. The element 130 comprises a side wall 1301, which is substantially cylindrical (
However, according to methods substantially known and therefore not described in detail for the sake of brevity, the element or valve body 105 is adapted to be switched from the position in
Hereafter, further details of component parts of the device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to
Element 130, as shown in
Again, as depicted, the outer surface of the portion 131 is frustoconical, with diameter decreasing towards the end (as said possibly blind or closed) opposite to the base 133. Furthermore, the side wall 1301 comprises a number of notches or slots 135 arranged regularly along the development of wall 1301, wherein the thickness of the wall 1301 at the notches 135 is greater than that of the portions of wall 136 adjacent to said notches. Finally, the wall 1301 is delimited in longitudinal direction by an abutment edge placed abutting against a shoulder 1021 defined internally by the main body 101, in particular, in the embodiment shown in the figures, by portion 102.
In use, as depicted in
Furthermore, it can be appreciated that the aforesaid switching of the valve element 105 from the resting or closing position of
As anticipated, according to an embodiment, the device according to the present invention comprises a screening element in order to prevent the deposit of detritus inside the cavity 1011, wherein said detritus, if trapped in the cavity 1011 could compromise the operation of the device 100, e.g. by blocking the element 105 in the opening position, thereby causing the continuous and uncontrolled flow of liquids. Said screening element is described below with reference to
In
Finally, as shown, the disc-shaped element 109 comprises a substantially toroidal peripheral portion, and therefore defined by revolution of a surface at least in part cylindrical with respect to a rotation axis perpendicular to the disc-shaped element 109 itself. In practice, the thickness of the disc-shaped element 109 is maximum at the toroidal portion 1093 and in particular greater than that of both the circular-crown-shaped portion 1092 and that of the intermediate circular-crown-shaped portion 1094.
In use, the disc-shaped element 109 is fixed to the main body 101 at the outlet opening 1001 with the portion 106 of the valve body 105 which extends through the hole 1091, the diameter of the hole substantially coinciding with (or being even slightly smaller than) the outer diameter of the portion 106 at the hole 1091. In particular, according to the embodiment as depicted, the disc-shaped element 109 is housed in the main body 101 (in the end element 104), the toroidal portion 1093 being in this case housed in a corresponding groove defined by the body 101 and/or by the element 104, the contrast between the groove and the toroidal portion 1093 preventing the accidental release of the disc-shaped element 109 from the body 101.
Moreover, as depicted the end element 104 defines a tapered (frustoconical) inner surface 1041 with a diameter increasing towards the outlet, to which a surface 1042 substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the cavity 1011 is connected, while the intermediate portion 1094 (with a substantially uniform thickness) of the disc-shaped element 109 is arranged at said surface 1042.
It is therefore apparent from the above that the disc-shaped element 109 effectively contrasts the entry of detritus and/or corpuscles into cavity 1011, particularly in view of the fact that the thickness of disc-shaped element 109 is minimal at hole 1091, the disc-shaped element 109 is therefore flexible at least at the hole 1091, so that it is possible to choose a diameter of hole 1091 which substantially coincides with, or is even slightly smaller than, the diameter of the portion of stem 106.
Furthermore, the aforesaid features, i.e. minimum thickness of the disc-shaped element 109 at the hole 1091 and/or elasticity of the disc-shaped element (e.g. made of elastomeric material), mean that the disc-shaped element does not contrast the switching of the stem or pin 105 from the closing to the opening position, moreover the edge of hole 1091 at least for small movements of the stem 105, remains substantially in contact with the stem 105 also during the switching thereof (from closing to opening and vice versa from opening to closing), thereby ensuring a screening of the cavity 1011 also during said switching.
On the contrary, the switching of the stem 105 from the opening to the closing positions is facilitated by the disc-shaped element 109, which therefore during aforesaid switching acts in synergy with the plunger 130.
Further details of the device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention are described below with reference to
As depicted, in the embodiment depicted in
Downstream of the rear safety filter 140 there is a micro-perforated diaphragm 150 kept in place by the filter itself.
This element or diaphragm 150, equipped with one or more micrometric holes 151, makes it possible to equalize the water flow delivered by the device 100. The micro-perforated diaphragm 150 is sized in accordance with the mesh size of the filter to avoid the risk of clogging.
It has thus been demonstrated by means of the detailed description given above of the embodiments of the present invention depicted in the drawings that the present invention allows the predetermined objects to be achieved by overcoming the drawbacks affecting the devices according to the prior art.
In particular, the present invention allows the effective protection (screening) of the cavity 1011 from detritus (by virtue of the innovative disc-shaped element 109) and/or an effective re-switching of the stem 105 from the opening to the closing positions, as well as a reliable sealing (with the stem in the closing position) and a satisfactory flow of liquids (with the stem in the opening position) by virtue of the conformation and/or of the innovative features of the plunger 130.
Although the present invention is explained above by means of a detailed description of the embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings. On the contrary, all the modifications and/or variants of the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings which will appear obvious and immediate to a person skilled in the art are included in the scope of the present invention.
For example, wide choice is left to the person skilled in the art regarding the choice of materials for making the components of the device according to the present invention.
The scope of the present invention is thus defined by the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102018000006590 | Jun 2018 | IT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2019/055144 | 6/19/2019 | WO | 00 |
