Tipless can filling valve

摘要

A filling valve is provided for filling containers such as beverage cans. The valve includes a tipless nozzle having ports oriented for directing flow. The nozzle includes a valve seat having a planar sealing surface. A spring actuated vent seal is provided for closing the vent tube. The valve stem may have protrusions for centering the stem in the valve body. The filling valve may have a bell forming a cavity between the bell and the valve body, and an aperture for directing cleaning fluid from within the bell to the cavity. The valve body may have a duct for directing cleaning fluid from the cavity to an outlet.

主权项

1. A filling valve for filling a container comprising:
a valve body having a chamber; a nozzle assembly connected to the chamber, the nozzle assembly comprising
a nozzle comprising an outlet,a ball cage, anda peripheral surface about a central axis, the peripheral surface comprising a channel seat extending outwardly from the peripheral surface; an expandable sealing member operably positioned around the peripheral surface without interruption, and positioned above the outlet, the expandable sealing member comprising an expanding portion, a container sealing surface for sealably engaging the container when the expanding portion is expanded by a pressurizing gas, a valve sealing portion for sealably engaging the peripheral surface when the expanding portion is expanded by the pressurizing gas, and a lip that extends upwardly from the valve sealing portion, the lip mating against the channel seat when the expanding portion is expanded by the pressurizing gas; a vent tube positioned vertically above and in communication with the ball cage; and a fluid passageway operatively positioned for communicating pressurizing gas from the vent tube to the container and then to a seal cavity for expanding the expanding portion of the sealing member.