FR2628229A1 - Flow regulator for viscous material - includes mobile piston in chamber with bias spring controlling flow e.g. for mastic - Google Patents

Abstract

The flow regulator includes an inlet orifice (2a) connected to a supply source (S) providing material under pressure, and an outlet orifice (3a) connected to a distribution mechanism (D). It includes a piston (6) inside a cylinder (1) defining an input chamber (15) and an output chamber (12) between opposite active faces (13,11). The piston moves between closed and open positions under the action of the massage of material through it, when the distribution mechanism is actuated. The piston is moved by a spring to stop the flow, when the distribution mechanism is stopped. USE - Control of flow of viscous material, e.g. mastic used for sealing joints in vehicles.

Description

(FRENCH REPUBLIC Publication No .: 2 628 229 (use only

  for NATIONAL INSTITUTE reproduction orders) OF THE PROPERTY: TE INDUSTRIELLE.Ai DE LA PROPERTY INDUSTRIELLE NI national registration: 88 02807 PARIS

  (Int CI4: G 05 D 7/01; F 16 K 31/363 // B 60 R 13/06.

@) APPLICATION FOR A PATENT OF INVENTION A1

  Filing date: March 4, 1988. (Applicant (s): Company known as: AUTOMOBILES PEUGEOT

  and Company known as: AUTOMOBILES CITROEN. - FR.

) Priority

) Inventor (s) Angel Liovera.

  Date of public availability of the

  application: BOPI "Patents" n 36 of September 8, 1989.

  (i References to other national documents appearing

rentés: rns Holder (s):

(Agent (s): Cabinet Weinstein.

  Flow regulating device and viscous material extrusion unit equipped with such a device.

  57) The present invention relates to a bit regulating device

  This flow regulating device comprises an inlet orifice

  inlet 2a connected to a supply source S of the material

  under pressure and an outlet 3a connected to a mechanical

  distribution nism D, characterized in that it comprises a 3 2c piston 6 placed inside a cylinder 1 and defining 3 b therein, by means of its two active faces q = opposite 13, 11, an entry room 15 and a room. at outlet 12, this piston 6 being capable of being translated from a .. --- .... J - Jr--, closed position to an open position under the ac-. '._'

  I tion of the material emerging from the inlet orifice 2a during ':' 1j26 ..

  actuation of the distribution mechanism D, to allow ('i- 7t the passage of the material delivered from this orifice to the orifice 2 2 <% outlet 3a by at least one connecting duct 16, the piston 6 4 N% being capable of being moved from its open position to its closed position under the action of a "return means when the dispensing mechanism D stops, which

  allows the connection conduit 16 to be closed.

  ID The invention applies, for example, to the extrusion of material

(% viscous rials.

  'NATIONAL PRINTING. 27. rue de la Convention 75732 PARIS CEDEX 15 IL \ / no do fier.,; station, at IMPPIMFRIF NATIONALE. 27. rue de la Convention 75732 PARIS CEDEX 15 The main subject of the present invention is a flow control device intended to equip

  a viscous material extrusion unit.

  It also relates to a viscous materials extrusion unit equipped with such a device. The sealing cords, used in particular on motor vehicles, are made from a viscous material, such as, for example, putty, and

  are formed through an extrusion unit.

  This extrusion unit consists of a supply source of the viscous material under pressure which is connected to a dispensing mechanism or gun actuated by an operator or by a robotic manipulator. Furthermore, the production of these sealing cords must meet strict conditions of

  quality, both functionally and aesthetically.

  Thus, the extrusion units were equipped with flow regulators, arranged between the distribution mechanism and the power source, in order to eliminate the overpressure phenomena, generated during the actuation or opening of the distribution mechanism, resulting in the appearance, on the cord

  sealing, unacceptable thicknesses.

  However, these flow regulators are generally bulky, expensive and, because of their size, require a large length of pipe.

  to connect them with the distribution mechanism.

  Thus, the object of the invention is to provide a flow regulator of small dimensions, which can be arranged near the dispensing mechanism, of simple design and requiring manufacturing cost.

not high.

  To this end, the subject of the invention is a flow regulating device of the type comprising an inlet orifice connected to a source of supply of the material under pressure, and an outlet orifice connected to a distribution mechanism, characterized in that that it comprises a piston placed inside a cylinder and defining therein, by means of its two opposite active faces, an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber connected respectively to the inlet orifices and outlet, this piston being capable of being translated from a closed position to an open position under the action of the material emerging from the inlet orifice during actuation of the dispensing mechanism, to allow the passage of the material delivered from this orifice to the outlet orifice by at least one connecting conduit, said piston being capable of being translated from its open position to its closed position under the action of a means reminder when stopping distribution mechanism, this

  which allows the connection conduit to be closed.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the return means is constituted by the active face of the piston which defines the outlet chamber of the cylinder and which is actuated by the material delivered by the connection conduit and discharged from the orifice

  outlet, when the dispensing mechanism stops.

  It will be specified here that the active face of the piston which defines the outlet chamber of the cylinder has a surface greater than the active face, opposite this

  piston, which defines the inlet chamber.

  According to yet another characteristic of this invention, the connecting duct is formed axially inside the piston, and it cooperates with a throttling means allowing, under the action of the means of

  piston recall, closing of this conduit.

  It will also be specified here that the throttling means consists on the one hand, of a seat which is arranged at the end of the connecting conduit opening into the inlet chamber of the cylinder and which is provided with a spherical bearing directed towards the inlet orifice and extended by a through orifice, and on the other hand by a ball of shape complementary to the spherical bearing held by a support fixed in said cylinder. According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the support is formed of a hollow disc, held between a shoulder formed in the inlet chamber, and a nozzle screwed onto the cylinder, this support comprising on the one hand, at least a passage orifice allowing the transfer of the material delivered by the entry orifice to the corresponding chamber, and on the other hand a recess of substantially frustoconical shape in which said throttle ball is sealed, by

bonding, welding or the like.

  But other features and advantages of

  the invention will appear better in the description

  detailed description which follows and refers to the appended drawing, given solely by way of example and in which: - the single figure is a view in longitudinal section of the flow control device according to the invention, connected to a power source of the material under pressure and to a dispensing mechanism or gun via transport pipes or conduits, shown schematically and in broken lines for a better understanding of the drawing. Referring to FIG. 1, a flow regulating device according to this invention comprises a cylinder 1 provided at its two ends with nozzles 2 and 3 provided respectively with an inlet port 2a and an outlet port 3a. The inlet 2a and the outlet 3a are connected, respectively, by means of transport pipes or conduits 4 and 5, of a conventional type, to a supply source of the material under pressure S and to a dispensing mechanism or gun D. For this purpose, the inlet 2a and outlet 3a orifices are respectively provided with threads 2b and 3b cooperating with corresponding threads 4a and 5a

  transport pipes or pipelines 4 and 5.

  The ends 2 and 3 are provided respectively with recesses 2c and 3c, substantially coaxial with the inlet 2a and outlet 3a, and whose respective threads 2d and 3d cooperate with threads la and lb made at the opposite outer ends of the cylinder 1 , to allow the attachment of the end pieces 2 and 3 thereon. Furthermore, the device according to the invention comprises a piston 6 placed inside the cylinder 1, in two bores 7 and 8 substantially coaxial with each other.

  and at the inlet 2a and outlet 3a.

  The piston 6 is provided axially with two bodies 9 and 10, disposed respectively inside the

bores 7 and 8.

  The body 9 of the piston 6 is provided with an active face 11 directed towards the outlet orifice 3a, which defines in the bore 7, inside the cylinder 1, an outlet chamber 12 opening into the orifice of

exit 3a.

  St The body 10 of the piston 6 is provided with an active face 13 directed towards the inlet orifice 2a, which defines in the bore 8 and in an adjacent coaxial bore 14, an inlet chamber 15 opening in inlet 2a. It will be noted here that. The active face 11 defining the outlet chamber 12 has a surface greater than the surface of the active face 13 defining

the entrance room 15.

  The respective diameters of the body 9 and of the bore 7, being for this purpose greater than the diameters

  respective body 10 and bore 8.

  Furthermore, the piston 6 comprises a through connection conduit 16 formed inside of

  the latter, on its longitudinal axis 6a.

  The connecting conduit 16 opens freely into the outlet chamber 12 while it comprises, on the side of the inlet chamber 15, a throttling means

17 allowing its obturation.

  The throttling means 17 consists of a seat 18 fixed to the end of the connecting pipe 16

  opening into the inlet chamber 15 of the cylinder 1.

  The seat 18 is provided with a conical seat 19 of concave shape directed towards the inlet orifice 2a and extended by a through orifice 20 to open out

in the connecting pipe 16.

  On the other hand, the throttling means 17 consists of a ball 21 which is of shape complementary to the conical bearing 19, and which is held by a

  support 22 fixed in cylinder 1.

  The support 22 is formed by a hollow disc, bearing against a shoulder 23 formed in the inlet chamber 15, and disposed inside a bore 24 adjacent and coaxial with the bore 14, produced at the end

of cylinder 1.

  The support 22 is held by the bottom 2e of the recess 2c of the endpiece 2 screwed onto the cylinder 1 and it has one or more passage orifices 25 allowing the transfer of the material delivered by the inlet orifice 2a to the chamber d 'corresponding entry 15. Thus, the support 22, held and blocked between the shoulder 23 and the end piece 2, is fixed in the cylinder 1. Furthermore, the support 22 is provided with a recess 26, of substantially frustoconical shape, flared towards the piston 6, and in which the ball is sealed

  throttle 21, by gluing, welding or the like.

  In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the recess 26 is made in a part in

  projection 22a of support 22, directed towards piston 6.

  On the other hand, it will be noted that the bore 7 comprises, near the adjacent bore 8, a radial through duct 27 allowing the exhaust and the admission of air into the bore 7 of the side of the face rear 28 of the body 9, opposite the active face 11, when

  displacement of the piston 6 in the cylinder 1.

  For this purpose, the body 9 of the piston 6 has been produced so that its rear face 28 does not come into contact with the bottom or shoulder of the bore 7 formed by the difference in diameter between this bore and the bore 8 , so that the duct 27 cannot be closed when the connecting duct 16 is closed by the

means of strangulation 17.

  In addition, the bodies 9 and 10 are respectively provided at their periphery with circumferential grooves 29 and 30, receiving respectively O-rings 31 and 32 allowing the sealing of the inlet chambers 15 and

exit 12.

  The operation of the device is as follows: When the extrusion unit is used to carry out one or more operations, for example, on a motor vehicle, the distribution mechanism D is in the rest state, that is to say i.e. at a standstill, its trigger or its control mechanism being released to prevent

material flow.

  Thus, the material supply source S is pressurized and the material delivered from the transport pipe or pipe 4 opens into the inlet orifice 2a and passes through the orifice (s)

  passage 25 to fill the inlet chamber 15.

  The piston 6, not undergoing any opposing force on its active face 11, in the absence of material in the outlet chamber 12, translates from a closed position, shown in the single figure, to an open position, not shown, under

  the action of the material emerging from the inlet orifice 2a.

  Thus, the material delivered passes through the connecting pipe 16, towards the outlet chamber 12, to reach, via the transport pipe or pipe 5, the distribution mechanism or gun D. This mechanism being not actuated, and therefore closed, the material fills the transport pipe or pipe 5, as well as the outlet chamber 12, to create a pressure on the active face 11, which thanks to its surface which is greater than the surface of the opposite active face 13, drives the piston 6 to its closed position o the throttling means 17

closes the connecting duct 16.

  It will be specified here that the closed position of the piston 6, in which the connecting duct 16 is closed, corresponds to the active position of the throttling means 17, that is to say when the seat 18 is in contact with the ball 21 to form a sealed connection between the inlet chamber 15 and the

exit 12.

  Thus, the translation of the piston 6 in the cylinder 1 is limited on the one hand, in the closed position, by the seat-ball contact, and on the other hand, in the open position, when the seat 18 leaves the ball 21, by the contact between a bottom 3e of the recess

  3c of the nozzle 3 and the active face 11 of the body 9.

  When the dispensing mechanism is activated and it allows the material inside the transport pipe or pipe 5 to escape to form a sealing bead, the pressure prevailing on the active face 11, at the interior of the outlet chamber 12 decreases, which allows the material delivered by the inlet orifice 2a to translate the piston 6 from its closed position to its open position, the spherical seat 19 of the seat 18 leaving

ball 21.

  Consequently, the material emerging from the inlet orifice 2a, upon actuation of the dispensing mechanism D, passes to the outlet orifice 3a through the connecting duct 16 of the piston 6, undergoing a pressure drop eliminating the undesirable initial overpressure, generated by the supply source of the pressurized material S, which prevails in the transport pipe or pipe 4 at start-up

of the extrusion operation.

  When the dispensing mechanism or gun D stops or closes, the piston 6 is again translated from its open position to its closed position by the material acting on the active face 11, which is delivered by the conduit link 16 and which is discharged by the transport pipe 5 and the conduit

exit 3a.

  The active face 11, actuated by the material thus delivered by the connecting pipe 16 and discharged by the transport pipe or pipe 5, forms a means for returning the piston 6 to its closed position, when the stop or closing of the dispensing mechanism or spray gun D. It will be noted here that the connecting pipe 16 can be produced in the wall of the cylinder i longitudinally, by being connected, at its two closed ends, by radial pipes, opening respectively into the bore 8 and in the opening of

exit 3a.

  The radial conduit, opening into the bore 8, must be positioned so that it is closed by the body 10 of the piston 6 when the latter is in the closed position, the movement of the piston 6 can be limited by means of appropriate stop, such as a pin. Likewise, the radial conduit opening into the outlet orifice 3a must be arranged in such a way that it cannot be closed off by the body 9 of the piston 6

  when it occupies its open position.

  On the other hand, it will be noted that the device according to the invention may comprise several connecting conduits 16, the throttling means 17 or the wall of the cylinder 1 then being adapted and / or machined appropriately. Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described which have not been

given as an example.

  On the contrary, the invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if these are carried out according to the spirit.

R E V E.N D I C A T IO N S

  1. Flow-regulating device, in particular for the extrusion of viscous materials, of the type comprising an inlet orifice (2a) connected to a supply source (S) of the material under pressure, and an outlet orifice (3a ) connected to a distribution mechanism (D), characterized in that it comprises a piston (6) arranged inside a cylinder (1) and defining therein, by means of its two faces active opposite (13, 11), an inlet chamber (15) and an outlet chamber (12) connected respectively to the inlet (2a) and outlet (3a) orifices, this piston (6) being capable of be moved from a closed position to an open position under the action of the material emerging from the inlet orifice (2a) upon actuation of the dispensing mechanism (D), to allow the passage of the material delivered from this orifice to the outlet orifice (3a) by at least one connecting duct (16), said piston being capable of being translated from its position opening towards its closed position under the action of a return means when the dispensing mechanism (D) stops,

  which allows the connection conduit (16) to be closed.

  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the return means is constituted by the active face (11) of the piston (6) which defines the outlet chamber (12) of the cylinder (1) and which is actuated by the material delivered by the connecting pipe (16) and discharged from the outlet orifice (3a),

  when the dispensing mechanism (D) stops.

  3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the active face (11) of the piston (6) which defines the outlet chamber (12) of the cylinder (1) has a surface greater than the active face (13) opposite of this piston (6), which defines the inlet chamber (15).

  4. Device according to one of claims 1

  to 3, characterized in that the connecting duct (16) is formed axially inside the piston (6), and in that it cooperates with a throttling means (17) allowing, under the action of the piston return means

(6), the obturation of this conduit.

  5. Device according to one of claims 1

  to 4, characterized in that the throttling means (17) consists on the one hand, of a seat (18) which is disposed at the end of the connecting duct (16) opening into the inlet chamber (15) of the cylinder (1) and which is provided with a conical bearing (19) directed towards the inlet orifice (2a) and extended by a through orifice (20), and on the other hand of a ball (21) held by a support

(22) fixed in said cylinder (1).

  6. Device according to one of claims 1

  to 5, characterized in that the support (22) is formed by a hollow disc, held between a shoulder (23) formed in the inlet chamber (15) and an end piece (2) screwed onto the cylinder (1) , this support (22) comprising on the one hand, at least one passage orifice (25) allowing the transfer of the material delivered from the inlet orifice (2a) to the corresponding chamber, and on the other hand a recess (26) of a substantially frustoconical shape in which said throttle ball (21) is sealed, by

bonding, welding or the like.

  7. Extrusion unit for viscous materials

  equipped with a device according to one of claims 1

  to 6. 13c.'b 13 2c 1 3d 1 la - \ 2 a 2 t

2 9 5 23 ...