Docking device comprising two coupling closures for the environmentally sealed transfer of bulk material, having at least one locking unit

• US 8,539,996 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GEA Pharma Systems AG (GEA Group AG)
• Original Assignee: GEA Pharma Systems AG (GEA Group AG)
• Inventors: Lais, Peter, Koch, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US12/680,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20110088353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 141383-386, 137/614, 13761401-61406
• US Class Current: 141/383
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/183 with co-operating closure members on each of the parts of a separable transfer channel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87957 Valves actuate each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87973 Coupling interlocked with valve, or closure or actuator

Abstract

A docking device for transferring the contents of, filling, and/or emptying containers comprises first and second coupling latches positioned flush to one another along respective closing sides thereof. A locking unit is configured for locking together pipe nozzles of the first and second coupling latches. The locking unit includes at least one movable first arresting element that is present in a passage that has an opening to an exterior of the second coupling latch, and is configured to interact with a corresponding second arresting element present on an exterior of the pipe nozzle of the second coupling latch. The docking device further comprises a bolt that is movable in a cylinder. The bolt has a first section with a first diameter, a second section with a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter, and a third transfer section between the first and second section with a tapering diameter.

Claims

1. A docking device for refilling, filling, and/or emptying of containers, comprising:

first and second coupling latches that can be laid or which lie flush with each other along respective latch sides, wherein each of the first and second coupling latches includes a pipe nozzle; and

at least one locking unit configured for locking together the pipe nozzles of the first and second coupling latches, wherein the at least one locking unit includes;

at least one movable first arresting element that is present in a passage that has an opening to an outer side of the second coupling latch, wherein the first arresting element is configured to interact with a corresponding second arresting element that is present on an outer side of the pipe nozzle of the second coupling latch, and

a bolt that is movable in a cylinder, wherein the bolt has a first section with a first diameter, a second section with a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter of the first section, and a third transfer section between the first and the second section with a tapering diameter,

wherein the passage opens out to the outer side of the second coupling latch and into the cylinder and is of a length that is less than a diameter of the first arresting element, so that when a side surface of the first section of the bolt is in contact with the movable first arresting element, the movable first arresting element interacts with the corresponding second arresting element on the outer side of the pipe nozzle of the second coupling latch and locks the first and second coupling latches together, and when the movable first arresting element is adjacent to a side surface of the second or third section of the bolt, the pipe nozzles of the first and second coupling latches are no longer lockable or are not locked against each other.

2. The docking device according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second coupling latches are in each case equipped with a latch side and a container side, and in each case the first and second coupling latches further comprise a closing flap that is supported around an axis in said pipe nozzle in such a manner that the closing flap is pivotable about the axis, the closing flap containing an outer side which faces the latch side in a closed position, wherein on at least one side along the axis, the closing flap has a partial shaft or partial shaft stump in an open position facing the latch side,

wherein the partial shaft or partial shaft stump of the first coupling latch is configured to form a shaft or a shaft stump when in contact with a complementary partial shaft or partial shaft stump of the second coupling latch, and

wherein the outer sides of the closing flaps of the first and second coupling latches rest on each other or can be brought to rest on each other, and, when resting on each other, the closing flaps can be reversibly pivoted around a shared axis between an open position and the closed position in which the closing flaps close the transfer channel that is formed by the pipe nozzle of the first coupling latch and the pipe nozzle of the second coupling latch.

5. The docking device according to claim 2 or claim 4, wherein the partial shafts or partial shaft stumps of the first and the second coupling latches are equipped with at least one engagement element into which a complementary engagement element, which is or can be actively connected to a drive, can be inserted.

6. The docking device according to claim 5, wherein the partial shafts or partial shaft stumps of the first and second coupling latches can be pivoted around the shared axis to form the shaft or shaft stump in the bearings formed by semi-bearing seats of the first and second coupling latches.

7. The docking device according to claim 5, wherein the engagement elements of the partial shafts or partial shaft stumps which form the shaft or shaft stump form a uniform engagement element for a corresponding engagement element of a drive shaft.

8. The docking device according to claim 5, further comprising at least one drive shaft, or a shaft that can be actively connected to the drive, which is equipped with at least one engagement element that is complementary to the at least one engagement element of the first or second coupling latches so that when these engagement elements which are complementary to each other engage, the closing flaps which rest on each other can be pivoted by the drive.

10. The docking device according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the docking device has two or more locking units.

11. The docking device according to claim 10, wherein two locking units are arranged essentially opposite each other with respect to the first and second coupling latches.

12. The docking device according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the locking unit comprises a ball locking bolt device.

13. The docking device according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the first coupling latch includes an active closing flap and the second coupling latch includes a passive closing flap.

14. The docking device according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the opening of the passage is dimensioned such that the first arresting element can only be partially pushed out of said opening.

15. The docking device according to claim 1 or claim 3, further comprising a docking platform that is configured to hold the first coupling latch.

16. The docking device according to claim 15, wherein the docking platform comprises at least partially the at least one locking unit.

17. The docking device according to claim 1 or claim 3, wherein the pipe nozzle of the first coupling latch is equipped on its outer side with a third arresting element configured to rest or interact with a fourth arresting element of the locking unit or of a docking platform.

3. A docking device for refilling, filling, and/or emptying of containers, comprising:

first and second coupling latches that can be laid or which lie flush with each other along respective latch sides, wherein each of the first and second coupling latches includes a pipe nozzle; and

at least one locking unit configured for reversible locking of said first and second coupling latches,

wherein the first or second coupling latch has at least one centering pin, and the other of the second or first coupling latch has at least one centering opening that corresponds to the centering pin, which, when they grip each other, centers the first and second coupling latches in a coupled state,

wherein the at least one locking unit is configured for locking together the pipe nozzles of the first and second coupling latches, the at least one locking unit comprising;

at least one first movable arresting element that is present in a passage that has an opening towards an outer side of the centering pin, wherein the first arresting element is configured for locking interaction with the centering opening, and

a bolt that is movable at least in sections in a cylinder present in the centering pin, wherein the bolt has a first section with a first diameter, a second section with a second diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the first section, and a third transfer section between the first and the second section with a tapering diameter,

wherein the passage opens out to the outer side of the centering pin and into the cylinder and is of a length that is less than a diameter of the first arresting element, so that when a side surface of the first section of the bolt is in contact with the movable first arresting element, the first arresting element interacts with the centering opening and locks the first and second coupling latches together, and when the movable first arresting element is adjacent to a side surface of the second or third section of the bolt, the pipe nozzles of the first and second coupling latches are no longer lockable or are not locked to each other.

4. The docking device according to claim 3, wherein the first and second coupling latches are in each case equipped with a latch side and a container side, and in each case the first and second coupling latches comprise a closing flap that is supported around an axis in said pipe nozzle in such a manner that the closing flap is pivotable about the axis, the closing flap containing an outer side which faces the latch side in a closed position, wherein on at least one side along the axis, the closing flap has a partial shaft or partial shaft stump in an open position facing the latch side,

wherein the partial shaft or partial shaft stump of the first coupling latch is configured to form a shaft or a shaft stump when in contact with a complementary partial shaft or partial shaft stump of the second coupling latch, and

wherein the outer sides of the closing flaps of the first and second coupling latches rest on each other or can be brought to rest on each other, and when resting on each other, the closing flaps can be reversibly pivoted around a shared axis between an open position and the closed position in which the closing flaps close the transfer channel that is formed by the pipe nozzle of the first coupling latch and the pipe nozzle of the second coupling latch.

9. The docking device according to claim 3, wherein when the side surface of the first section of the bolt is in contact with the movable first arresting element, the first arresting element interacts with the centering opening of the second coupling latch in such a manner while locking the first and second coupling latch that the first arresting element interacts with a corresponding second arresting element which is present in and/or on a wall of the centering opening of the second coupling latch, locking together the first and the second coupling latches.