Container filling apparatus

[57] ABSTRACT

An apparatus for filling with a propellant material aerosol containers of the type which have an opening in the container bottom with a valve forming member enabling propellant material to be introduced through said opening, which apparatus comprises a metering valve assembly incorporated in a container filling machine which has a series of filling stations each with a means operable for sealing the container closure cap ' and its associated valve assembly to the mouth of the container so as to close the same, and a combination container support and stripper platform at each station which is resiliently mounted above the metering valve so that downward pressure on the container resulting upon operation of the cap sealing means lowers the platform and effects a connection between the bottom fill valve or the bottom of the container and the metering valve so as to permit entry of the propellant through the bottom opening while the closure cap is being sealed on the container mouth.

Claims, 7 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED JUL 311973

3,748,818

SHEET 1 OF 3

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INVENTOR

ROY S ROUSSEAU

ATT'YS

BY,

ΡΑΤΕΝ1ΕΒΜ3’«»

3.748,818

SHEET 2 OF 3

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PATENTED JUL 311973

3,748,818

SHEET 3 OF 3

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3,748,818

CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS

This invention relates to the filling of containers, preferably, the aerosol type, which are characterized by a cap sealing means, or the like, so as to depress the platform and engage the bottom check valve with the terial, for example, a propellant, may be introduced while leaving the top end of the container free for other operations thereon.

Containers for packaging aerosol products which have heretofore been provided have had a top opening or mouth in which a closure cap with a built-in dispensing valve is adapted to be seated. It has been the practice, in filling this type of container, to first introduce the required amount of the product to be dispensed, after which the closure cap and dispensing valve assembly is loosely positioned on the mouth of the container and, in one form of filling machine, the container is supplied with a predetermined quantity of a propellant material prior to sealing of the cap, while in another form of filling machine, the valve assembly is first sealed on the mouth of the container and thereafter the propellant material is forced through the dispensing valve under pressure. In the type of machine which is designed for the most rapid filling the propellant is introduced into the container through the mouth while the dispensing valve and closure cap assembly is loosely positioned in the container mouth and the cap sealing occurs when the filling is completed. This type of propellant filling machine has a filling head which includes a bell-like bottom member adapted to be moved into engagement with the top of the container so as to form a sealed compartment mechanically, by vacuum or propellant, which is in liquid or gaseous form, after which the valve assembly is seated on the mouth of the container and crimp sealed to close the container and complete the filling operation. A machine of this type is disclosed in Stanley and Rousseau U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,478, dated Apr. 27, 1965 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,963,834, dated Dec. 13, 1960, which has proven highly satisfactory for filling and sealing aerosol containers where the propellant is to be introduced into the mouth of the container prior to the final sealing of the closure cap and valve assembly thereon.

Recently there has been developed an aerosol container which is designed with a supplemental opening in the bottom thereof to facilitate filling. This type of container is fabricated with a top structure for receiving a dispensing valve mounting means the same as in the conventional aerosol container, with the bottom opening constituting an additional feature which enables the container to be filled with propellant material after the product to be dispensed has been placed in the container and the cap and valve assembly has been seated on the mouth of the container and sealed thereon. In the packaging of some products, it is highly desirable to close the container immediately after the product is placed therein and it is a general object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for introducing the propellant through a bottom fill opening in an aerosol-type container while permitting the closure cap to be sealed on the container mouth or other operations to be performed on the top of the container independently of the propellant filling operation.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide an apparatus adapted to be incorporated in a filling machine for aerosol containers which normally fills through a top opening, so as to enable propellant material to be introduced into the container through a bottom opening after the top opening of the container has been closed and prior to, during, or after the final sealing of the top opening thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for incorporation in a machine for filling aerosol containers which comprises a metering valve adapted to be connected to a propellant supply line and to be disposed beneath a resiliently mounted, apertured platform on which a container of the type havig a bottom fill opening is supported with the machine having a means for depressing the container so as to effect a seal between the bottom of the container and the top of the metering valve which is aligned with the aperture in the platform.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for incorporation in an aerosol container filling and sealing machine which comprises a resiliently mounted platform on which the container is adapted to be seated with a center opening providing clearance for the top of a metering valve assembly which is adapted to engage with and seal about the periphery of an opening in the bottom face of the container, when the container is seated on the platform and a downward force is applied to the top of the container, by a cap sealing means, or the like, so as to depress the platform and engage the bottom of the container with the top of the metering valve assembly, thereby connecting the bottom opening with a discharge passage in the metering valve assembly and enabling material to be fed into the container through said bottom opening independently relative to the sealing of the cap on the top of the container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for incorporation in a container filling and sealing machine which comprises a resiliently mounted platform on which the container is adapted to be seated with a center opening providing clearance for the top of a metering valve assembly which is adapted to engage with and seal about the periphery of the bottom face of a the container is seated on the platform and a downward force is applied to the top of the container, by a cap sealing means, or the like, so as to depress the platform and engage the bottom check valve with the top of the meterig valve assembly, thereby enabling material to be fed into the container through said check valve during the sealing of the cap on the top of the container.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the apparatus and the modifications thereof which are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view showing in slide elevaton a single filling station on a rotary turret-type filling machine, which embodies one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2—2 of FIG. 1, the view being to a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken in the same plane as FIG. 2 and showing a modified form of the apparatus with the container supporting platform depressed and the container, which has a modified bottom valve, in position for filling;

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FIG. 5 is a partial vertical section aken in the same plane and showing the apparatus of FIG. 4 in bottom valve closing position;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken in the same plane as FIG. 2 and showing a further modification of the apparatus for filling a container having a further modified form of bottom filling valve; and

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical section taken in the same plane and showing the apparatus of FIG. 6 with the container mupporting platform depressed so that the container is in filling position.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, there im illustrated a single work station 10 on a rotary machine for filling aerosol containers which has incorproated therein apparatus at each of the work stations for introducing a propellant material into an aerosol container C which embodies the principal features of the invention. The container C is illustrative of a type which is provided with a bottom fill opening having mounted therein a check valve forming member V of known commercial type. This valve has a one-way central fill passageway allowing material to be introduced under pressure. The fiiiing machine is of the type which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,963,834 and 3,180,478 to which reference may be had for details not hereinafter described. It comprises a ring-like rotatable table structure 12 having a horizontal top surface with a series of peripherally spaced filling stations 10 each having a filling and closing head 14 mounted for filling a container C positioned at the station. The heads 14 in the machine illustrated are mointed for vertical reciprocation relative to the turret table 12. The heads 14 may be of the type described in U.S. Pat Nos. 2,963,834 and 3,180,478 which include a sealing bell means for engaging the top of the container and for co-operating therewith in forming a chamber in which there is a mechanism (not shown) for crimp sealing the valve supporting cap or closure member 15 on the mouth or top opening of the container C. The heads 14 are each mounted on a vertically reciprocable post 16 which is slidable in a guideway 17 in the rotating body 18 of the turret and each head 14 is cam controlled so that it may be lowered to engage the sealing bell 19 on the bottom end thereof with the top of the container C and apply thereto vertical pressure

The table 12 carries at eachwork station a container supporting stripper platform 20 mounted on guide posts 21 which may be in the form of headed bolts threadedly mounted in suitable sockets 22 in the table 12 and extending through guide bores 23 in the platform 20. A pluraltiy of springs 24 are interposed between the platform 20 and the top face 25 of the table 12 so as to normally urge the platform 20 to its uppermost positon. The platform 20 has a pair of positioning posts 26 which position the container over an opening 28 in the platform 20. The posts 26 extend from the upper fact and are arranged radially to the center opening 28 which is of sufficient size to accommodate the top end of a metering valve assembly 30.

The valve assembly 30 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 31 having a portion of reduced cross section at the upper end on which a cap 32 is threadedly mounted, the latter having a corrugated top surface 32'. The lower end is closed by a nut forming plug 34. A valve spool 36 is slidably mounted in the bore 37 in the upper end of the valve assembly and has an internal passageway 38 for connecting the bottom inlet passage 40 with a discharge passage 42 in the cap 32. A seal forming member 43 is mounted in the cap 32 for closing off the passage 42 when the spool 36 is in its uppermost position. A compression spring 44 seated in a bore 45 in the bottom plug 34 urges the spool 36 towards the closed position. An enlarged head 46 on the bottom end of the spool 36 is movable in the recess 47 and surrounded by a U cup seal 48. Pressure of the propellant entering the recess 47 through the inlet passage 40 will depress the head 46 of the spool 36 and open the valve for passage of the material through the valve discharge passageway 42 and into the container C through the bottom check valve V.

The valve 30 is connected by a conduit 50 with the source of supply for the propellant. In the form of the machine shown this is the metering device 51 (FIG. 1) which is mounted on the reciprocating post 16 or other suitable support and which is normally connected by suitable conduit with the bell 19 for discharge through the head 14, so as to fill by passage of the product through the valve assembly or beneath a closure cap before final sealing of the latter, the head 14 having suitable means for crimp sealing the closure member 15 after the filling is completed. The metering device 51 is provided with a suitable valve arrangement (not shown) so that the propellant material may be supplied to the head 14 for operation of the machine in filling through the top opening or the line to the head 14 may be closed off and the propellant supplied through the conduit 50 to the valve assembly 30 for delivery into the container through the bottom fill valve. This enables the apparatus illustrated to be operated so that, when the machine is adjusted for filling through the valve V in the bottom of a container, a closure sealing means, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,963,834 and 3,180,478, in the head 14 may be operated simultaneously or in appropriate timed relation to crimp seal the container closure.

In the operation of the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, filling of propellant material through the bottom fill valve V may be accomplished by adjusting the propellant feed line valve so that the propellant material is supplied to the valve 30 from the metering chamber 51 while the line to the head 14 is cut off. A container C is positioned on the apertured platform or stripper plate 20 between the locating posts 21 so that the container bottom fill valve V is over the aperture 28. The head 14 is lowered to bring the bell 19 into sealing engagement with the can top or dome which results in applying pressure to the top of the container and depressing the platfrom 20 against the action of the springs 24. This engages the bottom face of the bottom fill valve V with the corrugated top face 32' of the valve 30 so as to effect a seal between the same and connect the discharge passageway 42 therein with an entrance passageway in the valve V. The propellant feed control is operated at the proper time to open the valve 30 for delivery of the material into the container C through the discharge passageway 42 and the check valve V. The operation of the valve 30 may be timed os as to effect the filling immediately upon the sealing of the closure cap 15 by the crimping mechanism in the head 14. The timing will depend upon a number of factors and may be such that the filling is accomplished prior to final sealing of the closure cap, during or after such sealing. When the fill is completed the feed through the conduit

3,748,818 is discontinued and the valve 30 closes. Thereafter,^ the head 14 is raised which releases the downward pressure on the can C and the platform 20 rises taking the can C with it for subsequent discharge from the machine, and leaving the platform 20 in position to receive the next container C with the cycle being repeated. The apparatus may, of course, be supplied with containers C which are closed at the top whereupon each head 14 will be operated to depress a container C so as to effect a seal between the bottom fill valve V and the discharge end of the associated valve 30.

In the illustrated machine of FIGS. 1 to 3 pressure filling through the bottom valve may be accomplished container since the head 14 exerts sufficient downward force on the closure cap 15 during the bottom filling phase prior to crimping to effect a seal between the closure cap 15 and the top opening in container C thereby preventing escape of material from the container during the filling. This permits incorporation of the bottom filling apparatus in machines which are designed for filling through the top opening with the use of standard control cams to obtain maximum filling periods and ready convertibility from top to bottom filling and vice versa without major cam replacements.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is illustrated a modified form of the apparatus which is adapted for filling through a bottom opening of an aerosol container which is provided with a valve forming member V' in the bottom opening differing somewhat in structure and operation from the valve V in the container C which is described with reference to FIG. 2 of the drawings. The container C', as indicated in FIG. 4, is provided with a valve forming member V' of known commercial form which is adapted to be initially disposed in the container bottom opening in a first position, that is, in partially seated relation therein, with provision for passage of material through the opening, after which it is intended that the valve member V' be moved to a second position where it is fully seated in closing and sealing relation in the opening. To this end the valve forming member V' is formed of rubber or similar material with a flange at the bottom end forming a head thereon and with the body provided with one or more axially extending recesses in the outer wall which terminate short of the head but extend beyond a circumferential recess which is spaced between the free end and the head and which forms a seat for initially positioning the member in the bottom opening in an pen position so that material may flow freely through the opening.

The apparatus in FIGS. 4 and 5 is the same construction as the apparatus in FIGS. 1 to 3 except for the metering valve assembly 60 which is substituted for the valve assembly 30 shown in FIG. 2 in order to adapt the apparatus to the handling of the container C'. The metering or charging valve assembly 60 comprises a hollow cylindrical body 61 having a reduced portion at the upper end on which a cap 62 is threadedly mounted and locked thereon by a set screw 62'. The valve body 61 has a lower end extension member 64 and the bottom end thereof is closed by a plug 65 bolted or otherwise secured therein. A valve spool 66 is slidably mounted in the bore 67 in the valve body 61 which has a portion of reduced diameter so as to provide an internal, port 69 which is in turn connected with the propellant metering device 51 by a suitable conduit. The top end of the valve spool 66 is enlarged at 70 and has a seal 71 which seats on a shoulder 72 formed by an en larged bore portion 73 at the top of the valve body 61. In the position of the spool 66 which is shown in FIG. 4, the valve thus formed at the top of the spool is closed against the passage of material out of the top discharge end of a cylindrical seal ring 74 which is seated in the top opening of the cap 62 for engagement against the bottom surface of the container C' when the same is lowered by pressure on its upper end which lowers the platfrom 20 to bring the container bottom into engagement with the top edge of the seal member 74 so as to seafarounJtheopening and the valve forming member V'. The valve spool 66 has a lower end portion 75 extended into the bore 76 in the lower body portion 64 which bore 76 is of larger diameter than the bore 67 in the body portion 61. A spring 77 is held on the lower end of the spool 66 with the upper end thereof seated in a cup-like spacer 78 between the two body members 61and 64 whilelthe other end rests against a jamb nut 80 on the threaded end of the spool portion 75. The spring 77 normally holds tht spool 66 in the position shown in FIG. 4 where the valve at the top of the spool is closed while permitting pressure of the propellant when it is fed through the port 69, to raise the spool 66 a sufficient distance to unseat the valve seat 71 and open the valve assembly for passage of the material into the container C'. A seal 81 is provided at the lower end of the valve body 61 so as to insure that there is no leakage out of the lower end of the bore 67.

The valve spool 66 has an axial bore 82 in which there is slidably received a setting pin 83 for the container valve member V'. The setting pin 83 has a top or head portion 84 adapted to engage the bottom of the valve member V' and a shoulder forming portion 85 which is axially spaced from the head portion 84 and which is adapted to seat against an 0 ring 86 in a recess 87 at the top of the valve spool 66 so as to insure that there is no leakage through the bore 82. At its bottom end the setting pin 83 extends below the bottom end of spool portion 75 and is connected to a piston member 88 which is operative in an enlarged diameter portion 90 at the bottom of the member 64. A compression spring 91 seats against the upper face of the piston 88 and the bottom face of the spacer 78 and normally holds the pin head portion 84 in retracted position as shown in FIG. 4. The piston 88 has a stem portion 92 operative in a recess 93 in the bottom cap or plug 65 and sealed therein by the 0 ring 94. The recess 93 has a connection with a port 95 which is in turn connected with a hydraulic line for operating the piston 88 to raise the setting pin head portion 84 into setting engagement with the valve member V'.

The operation of this form of the apparatus will be apparent from the foregoing description thereof. When the container C' is lowered to engage the bottom face with the seal member 74 on the top of the metering or charging valve assembly 60a charge of propellant is fed to the port 69 which raises the spool 66 and opens the valve allowing the propellant to pass through the bottom opening in the container C’ while the valve member V' is open. At the completion of the fill, the spool 66 returns to the position shown in FIG. 4 and closes the valve. A hydraulic fluid is then fed to the port 95 which raises the piston 88 and the settin pin head portion 84 into engagement with the valve forming member V' so as to force the latter into closed position in the container bottom opening. The setting pin head portion 84 enters a recess 96 in the bottom face of the

3,748,818 valve forming member V' when in the filling position as shown in FIG. 4 and when raised to close the valve V'. The valve V' is elongated and thinned down as shown in FIG. 5 so that the shoulder on which it is initially seated for filling passes through the opening and the bottom flange is seated o the bottom surface of the container thereby closing the opening. The pin 83 is retracted by the spring 91 and the platfrom 20 is raised to free the container C’ for movement away from the filling station.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings, there is illustrated a further modified form of the apparatus which is designed for filling a propellant into a container C through a centrally located hole in the bottom face of the container C. There is secured inside the container C” an elastomer slug V which extends over the opening and forms a valve member corresponding to the valve V in the form of the container illustrated in FIG. 2. The valve forming elastomer slug V normally closes the filling hole in the bottom of the container C but permits a filling needle N to be passed thiuugh the slug V” for the filling opeiation and when the needle N is withdrawn the slug V reseals itself.

The apparatus in FIGS. 6 and 7 is the same as the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, except for the metering or charging valve assembly 100 which corresponds to the valve 30 in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the same numerals will be employed where the parts are identical. The valve body 31 receives a needle carrying cap 101 which is substituted for the cap 32 in FIG. 2. The needle carrying cap 101 has an internal bore 102 which is threaded at the top and bottom ends so as to enable the cap 101 to be connected in screw threaded relation onto the top portion 103 of the valve body 31. At the top end there is received a needle holder 104 in which a filling needle N is mounted. The needle N is of the same character as a conventional hypodermic needle. The screw threaded holder is held in adjusted position in the holder 104 by set screws 105 and is readily removable which enables the replacement of the needle N when damaged or broken without disassembly of any of the rest of the apparatus. A seal member 106 with a central bore 107 is mounted in the body of the cap 101 as shown with a small cylindrical stud of inverted T shape section which has an axial bore 110 and a flange portion 111 seated on the seal 106 with the bore 110 aligned with the passageway 107 in the seal 106. The needle N is set in a cylindrical base member 112 which fits in the bore 113 of the holder 104. The needle base 112 is recessed on the bottom so that it fits over the top portion 114 of the stud 108 with the bottom edge engaging an 0-ring seal member 115 in an upwardly opening groove 116 in the flanged portion 111 of the stud member 108. The needle base member 112 has an axial bore 117 in which the end of the needle N is secured The two passageways 107 and 110 provide for discharge of material through the needle N when the valve is opened by entry of propellant into the recess 47 of the valve body 31 in the same manner as in the ope· ation of the valve assembly 30.

The needle N is set in the holder 104 so that it extends a suifficient distance above the top face of the holder 104 to cause it to penetrate and pass through the valve forming elastomer slug V when the platform 20 is lowered by pressure on the container C as illustrated in FIG. 7. When the filling is completed and the platform 20 is raised, the needle N is withdrawn, the opening in the valve forming slug V closes and the slug V seals itself.