Injector/valve combination designed to improve color dosing response time

• US 6,345,646 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Original Assignee: Milliken & Company
• Inventors: Pitman, Frank Mark, Ragsdale, Mark E., Chavis, Jimmy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOX, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US09/629,347
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 137/897, 222/144.5
• US Class Current: 137/897
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/2805 Mixing plastics, polymer material ingredients, monomers or oligomers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/712 for feeding fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/71805 using valves, gates, orifices or openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/834 the flow of substances to be mixed circulating in a closed circuit, e.g. from a container through valve, driving means, metering means or dispensing means, e.g. 3-way valve, and back to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/60 for feeding, e.g. end guides for the incoming material B29B7/7615 takes precedence; feeding predetermined amounts for mixing in general B01F35/714
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0032 Pigments, colouring agents or opacifiyng agents
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/061 knee-joint
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85954 Closed circulating system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86871 Plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8766 With selectively operated flow control means

Abstract

This invention relates to an improved injector/valve combination which permits nearly immediate response time to an actuator signal. Such a combination is particularly suited for injecting colorants into polyurethane slabstock foam and permits a substantial reduction in foam waste due to low colorations during an on/off cycle. Specifically, this invention combination comprises a novel ball valve which allows for instantaneous shut-off and -on without appreciable leakage or pressure drop and without the need to utilize a high throughput flow rate. Such a ball valve is used in combination with an injector which is actually attached to the valve, the configuration which permits continuous use and instantaneous on/off without a deleterious pressure drop and minimizes the possibility of turbulence as the liquid polymeric colorant flows through the injector. The ball valve, the attached injector configuration, the coloring apparatus comprising the inventive ball valve and/or the attached injector configuration, and the slabstock foam colored through the utilization of such an apparatus are also contemplated within this invention.

Claims

1. An injector/valve assembly comprising a ball valve assembly, an injector, and a manifold assembly,

wherein said ball valve assembly comprises a ball valve having first and second channels,

wherein each channel is exclusive of the other, and

wherein said ball valve assembly and said injector are located in close proximity of one another, and wherein said injector is connected to said manifold assembly.

2. The injector/valve combination of claim 1 wherein said ball valve and said injector both comprise channels which are of substantially the same bore size.