JPH0636397Y2 - Joint - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of use] The present invention relates to a joint used for a beverage container capable of taking out a required amount of a liquid contained in a flexible container in a sealed state.

[Background Art] Conventionally, a flexible container (pouch) made of a flexible sheet or a film is filled with a beverage such as coffee or juice, and the container is placed in a box such as a cardboard box for transportation. BIB) vending machines have been developed.

Conventionally, as a joint for connecting with a flexible container and connecting to a pipe on the vending machine side to suck and discharge a liquid, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-258288.

The joint disclosed in JP-A-62-258288 is composed of a female connector attached to a container and a male connector fitted to the female connector. By inserting the male connector into the female connector, The tip formed on the tip part breaks the hermetic seal joined to the bottom surface of the female connector to open the container, and in this state, push the male connector further to open the valve body formed on the inner tube of the male connector. ,
The container and the flow path in the male connector are communicated with each other.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] After discharging the required amount of liquid in the flexible container,
It is desirable to shut off the liquid in the container from the outside air each time, but in the joint of JP-A-62-258288, the container always communicates with the pipe through the female and male connectors after the male connector is fitted to the female connector. Therefore, it is difficult to shut off the liquid in the container from the outside air, the liquid in the container may come into contact with the outside air, and the liquid may flow back into the container from the piping side. However, there is a problem in that such substances may enter the container and contaminate the inside of the container. Further, since the container and the pipe are in communication with each other, there is a problem that the liquid flows out for a while and accuracy of the amount taken out is insufficient even if the suction of the suction pump is stopped.

Further, since the break of the hermetic seal is performed by pressing the tip biased by the spring, there is a possibility that the hermetic seal cannot be reliably broken depending on the film thickness of the hermetic seal.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the problem to be solved is to shut off the liquid in the container from the outside air even in the standby state, and immediately stop the outflow of the liquid after stopping the suction and take out the liquid. It is an object of the present invention to provide a joint in which the accuracy of quantity is ensured and the hermetic seal can be surely broken.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a joint to be attached to the opening of a stretchable container whose opening is closed by a rupturable membrane, which is mainly composed of a joint. The front opening is provided with a projection for cutting a film body having a sharp end, and the fluid passage communicating with the front opening is provided with a valve that normally maintains a closed state by the elastic force of a coil spring. The spring constant of the coil spring is set to a numerical value that opens the valve when the suction pump for sucking the liquid filled in the container is started.

[Operation] By attaching the joint main body to the opening of the container, the film body cutting projection provided in the front opening of the joint main body cuts the film body closing the opening, and the opening is opened. And the fluid passage mainly of the joint communicate with each other, but since the fluid passage is closed by a valve that maintains a closed state by the elastic force of the coil spring, the liquid in the container normally flows from the fluid passage from the fluid passage by the valve. Keep the outflow blocked.

When the suction pump for sucking the liquid is started from this state, the valve is retracted against the elastic force of the coil spring to open the fluid passage due to the negative pressure caused by the start of the suction pump. This causes the liquid in the container to flow out through the joint body.

Then, when the suction pump is stopped, the negative pressure that causes the valve to retract is eliminated, the valve advances due to the elastic force of the coil spring to close the fluid passage, and the outflow of liquid from the container is stopped.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a joint main body and 25 is a main cylinder constituting the joint main body 1. The main cylinder 25 has a sharp front opening. A film-cutting projection 21 having an end is provided. In this embodiment, the film body cutting projection 21 is provided integrally with the main cylinder 25, but the main cylinder 25
It may be provided separately.

In addition, the length L of the cutting projection 21 is set such that when the film body that closes the opening of the container described later is cut, the cut film body is sucked by the suction pressure and is opened at the front surface of the main cylinder. It is set long enough so that it does not block.

38 is a fluid passage formed in the main tubular body 25, 22 is a valve that opens and closes the fluid passage 38, is provided in the fluid passage 38 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and moves toward the tip end side of the valve 22. The tip outer peripheral surface abuts a small diameter step formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fluid passage 38 to close the fluid passage 38.

31 is a fluid passage hole, 23 is a coil spring for urging the valve 22 toward the tip side, and the valve 22 is designed to keep the fluid passage 38 closed in the normal state by the elastic force of the coil spring 23. There is. 26 is the coil spring in the fluid passage 38
It is a spring receiver for receiving the rear end of 23 and is screwed onto the inner peripheral surface of the fluid passage 38. The outer peripheral surface of the spring receiving body 26 is chamfered to ensure the flow of fluid in the fluid passage 38, and the chamfered portion is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the fluid passage 38 and the chamfered outer peripheral surface of the spring receiving body 26. A distribution space is formed in.

The spring constant of the coil spring 23 that biases the valve 22 toward the tip side, that is, in the closing direction is set as follows.

That is, as will be described later, the use of the joint according to the present invention involves removing the fluid by attaching the tip of the main cylinder 25 to the opening of the container and activating a suction pump for sucking the fluid in the container. The spring constant of the coil spring 23 is a numerical value for opening the fluid passage 38 by retracting the valve 22 against the elastic force of the coil spring 23 by the suction force of the suction pump when the suction pump is started. It is installed in.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a closing body that closes the rear end opening of the main tubular body 25, which is formed integrally with the spring receiving body 26, and is closed by screwing the spring receiving body 26 into the main tubular body 25. The body 24 is attached to the rear end opening of the main cylinder 25. The closing body 24 is formed with a groove 40 into which the tip of the tool is inserted when the spring receiving body 26 is screwed. Reference numeral 28 is an O-ring that seals between the main tubular body 25 and the closing body 24.

Reference numeral 29 denotes a hose nipple provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rear portion of the main cylinder 25 so as to communicate with the fluid passage 38, and the hose nipple 29 is screwed into a female screw portion 27 formed on the peripheral wall of the main cylinder 25. It is installed. An O-ring 30 seals between the hose nipple and the main cylinder 25.

6 is a hose attached to the hose nipple 29.

Next, a connecting mechanism for attaching the joint having the above-described configuration to the opening of the container will be described.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an opening of a container to which the joint according to the present invention is attached. In FIG. 3, 5 is a flexible container for containing a liquid such as juice, and 3 is an opening of the container 5. The opening 3 of the container 5 is an outer cylinder body 4 mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the container 5 so as to communicate with the inside of the container 5, and an inner cylinder body fitted and fixed in the outer cylinder body 4 in a liquid-tight manner. It consists of 12 and. A flange portion 11 is formed on the outer periphery of the rear end of the outer cylindrical body 4, and the flange portion 11 is adhered to the container 5. The inner cylindrical body 12 fitted in the outer cylindrical body 4 has a locking step portion 19 formed on the outer periphery of the rear end thereof, and a collar portion on the outer periphery of the front end thereof.
16 is formed, the locking step portion 19 is locked to the rear end surface of the outer cylindrical body 4, and the tip portion 17 of the outer cylindrical body 4 is in contact with the flange portion 16. The inner cylindrical body 12 is fixed so as not to come out of the inner cylinder 4.

The inner cylindrical body 12 is composed of two cylindrical portions having different diameters with the rear portion having a larger diameter than the front portion, and the inner cylindrical body 12 has an inner diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the front portion. The inner cylindrical portion 13 has is formed in the rearward direction.

Then, the inside of the tip portion of the inner tubular body 12 and the inside of the inner tubular portion 13 have a leading end portion of the main tubular body 25 that constitutes the joint main body 1.
It constitutes the insertion part for inserting 20.

An inward flange portion 34 is formed at the rear end of the inner tubular portion 13.

Reference numeral 14 is a fluid passage opening that opens in the collar portion 34. The diameter of the fluid passage port 14 is such that the film body cutting projection 21 provided at the front opening portion of the main cylinder body 25 which is inserted into the inner cylinder body 12 and constitutes the joint main body 1 described above.
Has a diameter allowing insertion, and the fluid passage port 14 of the collar portion 34 is provided with a rupturable membrane body 10 that closes the opening 3 of the container 5. A ring-shaped engagement groove 18 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the front end of the inner cylindrical body 12. Reference numeral 15 is an O-ring that seals between the outer cylindrical body 4 and the inner cylindrical body 12.

When the main tubular body 5 is inserted into the inner tubular body 12, the inner tubular body 12 is attached to the outer periphery of the main tubular body 5 constituting the joint main body 1 attached to the opening 3 of the container 5 configured as described above. An ing-shaped engagement protrusion 39 that engages with the engagement groove 18 formed on the inner peripheral surface is formed.

With respect to the engagement projection 39 and the engagement groove 18, the front end surface 33 of the main cylinder body 5 inserted into the inner cylinder body 12 contacts the inward flange portion 34 of the inner cylinder portion 13,
The film body cutting projection 21 provided at the front opening of the main cylinder 5
Are positioned so as to engage at a position where the membrane body 10 closing the fluid passage port 14 of the inward flange portion 34 is cut. 32
Is a Y-shaped packing provided on the outer periphery of the main tubular body 25. When the main tubular body 25 is inserted into the inner tubular body 12, the inner tubular body 12 and the main tubular body 25 are
It is to seal between and.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, the tip portion of the main tubular body 25 that constitutes the joint main body 1 is inserted into the inner tubular body 12 that forms the opening 3 of the container 5 together with the outer tubular body 4, and is formed on the outer periphery of the main tubular body 25. The engagement protrusion 39 is engaged with the engagement groove 18 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical body 12. Thereby, the main tubular body 25 and the inner tubular body 12 are connected and fixed, and at the same time, the film body cutting projection 21 provided in the front opening of the main tubular body 25 is
The membrane body 10 that closes the fluid passage opening 14 that opens at the rear end of the inner cylindrical portion 13 formed inside the 12 is cut off,
14 is open. As a result, the inside of the container 5 and the fluid passage 38 of the main cylinder 25 communicate with each other, but since the fluid passage 38 is closed by the valve 22 biased by the coil spring 23, the liquid in the container 5 flows from the valve 22. Do not leak first.

As described above, in taking out the liquid in the container 5 from the joint main body 1 attached to the opening 3 of the container 5, the hose 6 attached to the joint main body 1 was connected as shown in FIG. The suction pump 7 is activated to apply a negative pressure to the hose 6.

At this time, since the spring constant of the coil spring 23 that urges the valve 22 in the closing direction is set to a value that opens the valve 22 when the suction pump 7 is started, the suction pump 7 starts negatively. The valve 22 causes the coil spring 23 to
The fluid passage 38 in the main cylindrical body 25 is opened by retreating against the elastic force of.

As a result, the liquid in the container 5 flows through the fluid passage 38 of the main cylinder 25, the hose 6 attached to the joint main body 1, the suction pump 7, and the drinking hose 8 connected to the suction pump 7. You can take it out to 9.

When the suction pump 7 is stopped at the time when the required amount of liquid is taken out, the negative pressure that has retracted the valve 22 disappears,
As a result, the valve 22 moves forward by the elastic force of the coil spring 23, the fluid passage 38 is closed, and the outflow of the liquid from the container 5 is stopped.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the joint according to the present invention, in which a hose nipple is provided at the rear end of the main cylinder 25.
36 are provided.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the joint is attached to the opening of the expandable container whose opening is closed by the rupturable membrane, and the front opening of the joint is mainly formed. A protrusion for cutting a film having a sharp end is provided, and a valve for maintaining a normally closed state by the elastic force of the coil spring is provided in the fluid passage communicating with the front opening, and the spring constant of the coil spring is provided. Is set to a numerical value for opening the valve when the suction pump for sucking the liquid filled in the container is started, so that by attaching the joint main body to the opening of the container, the front opening of the joint main body is attached. The projection for cutting a film body provided in the above can cut the film body that closes the opening to surely open the opening.

When the liquid in the container is taken out, by activating the suction pump, the valve moves backward against the elastic force of the coil spring to open the fluid passage, and the liquid in the container can be taken out. Then, by stopping the suction pump, the valve moves forward by the elastic force of the coil spring to close the fluid passage, the flow of the liquid in the container is stopped, and the liquid extraction can be completed.

Further, when the suction pump is stopped at the end of the extraction of the liquid, the valve released from the negative pressure by the suction pump receives the elastic force of the coil spring and immediately advances to close the fluid passage. The amount of liquid taken out can be controlled accurately, and by closing the fluid passage with a valve, it prevents the liquid from flowing back into the container when the suction valve is stopped and shuts off the liquid in the container from the outside air. However, since the contact with the outside air is prevented, it is possible to prevent the contamination of the liquid in the container and the change of the quality, and it is possible to always take out the liquid of a sanitary and constant quality.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially longitudinal front view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
1 is a right side view of a part of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing an opening of a container, and FIG. 4 is a joint main part shown in FIG. 1 in an opening of the container shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a tip portion of the container is inserted, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the overall structure of a liquid take-out device using a joint according to the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing a state in which the joint main body shown in the figure is attached, and FIG. 7 is a partial vertical sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. 1 ... Mainly joint, 3 ... Opening, 4 ... External cylinder, 5 ...
Container, 7 ... Suction pump, 10 ... Membrane, 12 ... Inner cylinder, 13 ... Inner cylinder, 14 ... Fluid passage port, 18 ... Engagement groove, 21 ... Membrane cutting protrusion , 22 ... Valve, 23 ... Coil spring, 25 ... Main cylinder, 38 ... Fluid passage, 39 ... Engagement protrusion

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A projection for cutting a membrane, which is a joint to be attached to the opening of an expandable container whose opening is closed with a rupturable membrane, the front opening of the joint having a sharp end. And a valve for maintaining a closed state in the normal state by the elastic force of the coil spring in the fluid passage communicating with the front opening, and the spring constant of the coil spring is set to the liquid filled in the container. A joint set to a numerical value that opens the valve when a suction pump for suction is started.