Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J43/00—Implements for preparing or holding food, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • A47J43/04—Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven
  • A47J43/046—Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven with tools driven from the bottom side

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the technical field of liquid dispensing valves used in particular for the withdrawal of food preparations.
• a dispensing valve comprising a control lever facing downwards.
• the valve is then designed to be opened when a thrust is exerted on the lever by means of a cup to be filled so as to allow the liquid to flow into the cup through a dispensing mouth arranged in the body of the tap forward. of the lever.
• Such a type of valve which gives full satisfaction in its liquid distribution function, is likely to equip the removable bowl of a household appliance of cooking preparations called "blender".
• Such an appliance generally comprises a base on which the tank is adapted. When removing the tank, the control lever which extends below the level of the bottom of the tank prevents the latter from placing the latter in the middle of a work plan.
• the invention relates to a liquid distribution valve comprising: a hollow body which delimits an open distribution channel at the level of a connecting end of the body to a container and on the other hand, of a distribution mouth,
• Closed channel closing and controlled opening means which are interposed between the connection end and the dispensing opening,
• a control lever which is connected, on the one hand, to the body by hinge means adapted so that the lever is movable between a rest position and at least one working position advanced or retracted relative to the position of rest and, secondly, to the closing means of the channel so as to control their opening when the lever is in the working position, said distribution channel being closed by said closing means when the control lever is in the rest position .
• the dispensing valve is characterized in that the articulation means of the control lever on the body are adapted to allow the lever, in the rest position, to occupy a low position or a high position.
• the ability offered by the hinge means to choose the orientation of the lever while the valve is closed allows, in the context, for example, a use of the tap mounted on the tank of a food preparation device of the type blender, position the lever in the up position so that the full tank can be placed on a work surface without risk of imbalance or deterioration of the valve.
• the end of the control lever located at the body is positioned between the dispensing orifice and the connecting end of the body, and the articulation means of the control lever are adapted so that the control lever is operable between its working and rest positions at least when the lever is in the low position and for the lever has at least one working position moved back from the rest position, so as to allow control the opening of the channel by exerting a push on the control lever.
• This embodiment of the valve according to the invention is particularly suitable for producing a valve for filling glasses or cups by exerting a thrust on the operating lever by means of a cup to be filled, so that the liquid flows, through the dispensing mouth, directly into the cup with which the thrust is exerted.
• the articulation means of the control lever on the body are adapted to allow, when the lever is in the rest position, a movement of the lever between the low position and the high position.
• the articulation means of the control lever are adapted so that the control lever is movable from the rest position, either towards an advanced working position, or towards a position of rearward work, the closing means of the channel being open when the control lever is placed in one or other of the working positions.
• the hinge means are adapted so that the control lever is operable between its working and rest positions, so that in the lower position than in the high position.
• this preferred feature allows to control an opening of the valve by exerting a thrust on the lever when the latter is, for example, in the low position, just as it will be possible to control an opening of the valve in pulling the lever when the latter is, for example, in the high position.
• This great versatility offers each user of the dispensing tap, the ability to choose the orientation of the lever according to his personal convenience or the type of container to fill for example.
• the dispensing mouth occupies a lateral position relative to the body.
• the high and low positions of the lever are opposite and correspond to a substantially vertical orientation of the control lever when the dispensing mouth is oriented downwards.
• the means for closing the channel can be made in any appropriate manner, chosen in particular according to the nature of the liquids dispensed by means of the tap and according to, for example, whether these liquids are gaseous or not, or else , distributed under pressure or not.
• the channel closure means comprise a valve movable in translation of axis ⁇ between an open position and a closed position against a seat arranged in the channel, as well as an elastic return member valve in the closed position.
• the lever articulation means comprise:
• axis ⁇ which is disposed in a bore of the body, which is connected at one of its ends to the valve whose other end extends outside the body and which is movable both in translation of axis ⁇ and in rotation of axis ⁇
• a movable stirrup of generally U-shaped, the core of which is connected to the operating rod by a pivot connection of axis ⁇ 'perpendicular to the axis ⁇ , and whose two branches extend along, as well as on both sides of the body and are connected, at a distance from the core, to the control lever which is inclined with respect to the branches
• the mobile retractor being adapted for, on the one hand, during its rotation around the axis ⁇ 'from a rest position to a working position, exerting a pull on the rod to move the valve in the open position and, secondly, by its rotation around the axis ⁇ , allow a passage of the control lever from its high position to its low position and reciprocally.
• valve, the elastic return member, the operating rod, the stirrup and the operating lever are then integral with a removable endpiece constituting the body.
• the stirrup is rotatable about the axis ⁇ 'so as to disengage the branches of the stirrup relative to the body.
• This feature of the invention is particularly advantageous for facilitating the cleaning of the valve, and in particular allow easy removal of the nozzle. According to one characteristic of the invention, this rotation takes place over at least 70 °.
• the dispensing valve according to the invention is capable of being used for various applications such as, for example, the distribution of pressurized carbonated beverages or the distribution of fruit juices kept in refrigerated vats.
• the dispensing valve according to the invention is designed to be used in combination with a food preparation apparatus and, for this purpose, the valve body comprises at its connection end means of attachment to a bowl of household appliances for culinary preparation.
• the invention also relates to an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation comprising a tank equipped with a water tap. dispensing according to the invention, the dispensing mouth is oriented downwards.
• the distribution valve of the appliance is removable.
• the various features of the invention mentioned above can be implemented with each other in different combinations when they are not incompatible or exclusive of each other.
• Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, in the rest position, of an embodiment of a dispensing valve according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section similar to FIG. 1 of the dispensing valve in a working position remote from its operating lever.
• Fig. 3 is a perspective of an electrical household appliance for culinary preparation whose bowl is equipped with the tap, illustrated in FIG. 1 and 2, with the lever facing down.
• Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations partially broken away from the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3 showing the lever respectively in the rest position and in the retracted working position.
• FIG. 6 is a perspective showing the tank of the household appliance illustrated fig.3, placed on a work plan.
• Figs. 7 to 9 are views similar to FIG. 3 showing the lever oriented vertically upwards, respectively in the rest position, in the retracted working position and in the advanced working position.
• FIG. 10 is a view of the valve illustrated in FIG. 1 and 2 in an unobstructed position of the caliper before disassembling the valve.
• Fig. 11 is an exploded view of the valve illustrated in FIG. 1 and 2 after disassembly.
• a hollow body 2 defining a distribution channel 3 open at one end 4 connecting the body 2 to a container such as a tank 5 of a device appliance for culinary preparation shown in FIG. 3.
• the end 4 comprises as fixing means to the tank 5, lugs 6 intended to cooperate with grooves arranged at the end of a head d adaptation 7 of the tank 5 to form a bayonet fastening system.
• the hollow body 2 comprises, at a distance from its connection end 4, a dispensing opening 10 connected to the channel 3. According to the illustrated example, the dispensing opening 10 is disposed laterally while being directed downwards.
• the hollow body 2 comprises, opposite the connection end 4, a removable endpiece 11 fixed by threads 12 to the main part of the body 2.
• the dispensing valve 1 further comprises means 15 for closing the channel 3 interposed between the connecting end 4 and the dispensing orifice 11.
• the closing means 15 are further enslaved in closing by a spring 16 and controlled in opening by a lever 17, as will appear later.
• the closure means 15 comprise a valve 18 which is pushed by the spring 16 against a seat 19 arranged in the distribution channel 3.
• the seat 19 is here defined by an annular shoulder secured to the walls of the channel 3
• the valve 18 is made of plastic or elastomer and forms, in this case, the end of a flexible jacket 20 which extends to the endpiece 11 by including the spring 16.
• the flexible jacket 20 thus isolates the spring 16 from the liquids circulating in the distribution channel 3.
• the lever 17 is connected to the body 2 and the valve 18 by hinge means 25 which comprise, firstly, an actuating rod 26 of cylindrical shape of revolution axis ⁇ .
• the rod 26 is connected by one of its ends 27 to the valve 18 and passes through a bore 36 of cylindrical shape, arranged in the nozzle 11, so that its end 28 opposite the end 27 extends outside the body 2.
• the hinge means 25 then comprise a movable stirrup 29 which has a general U shape which defines two branches 30, visible in FIG. 3, connected by a core 31. In the normal position of use, the two branches 30 extend on either side of the body 2.
• the two branches 30 are connected, at their end 32 opposite the soul 31, to the control lever 17 and have a sufficient length so that their connecting ends with the lever 17 are located between the mouth 10 and the connecting end of the body 2.
• the core 31 to retract 29 is connected to the rod 26 by a pin 33 which is perpendicular to the lever 17 and which defines a pivot link axis ⁇ 'perpendicular to the axis ⁇ .
• the core 31 has, in addition, a bearing surface 34 on the tip 11 which is flat.
• the dispensing valve 1, as so constituted, is designed, according to the illustrated example, to be removably fitted on the tank 5 of a blender-type kitchen preparation appliance comprising a base 40 on which is adapted 5.
• the base 40 encloses an electric motor for driving a mixing blade 41 disposed in the tank 5 as shown in FIG. 4. Given the height of the base 40, the lever 17 can be positioned downward.
• the blender can be used to produce fruit drinks obtained by grinding pieces placed in the tank 5. When the beverage has the desired consistency, it can be sampled using the tap 1 according to the invention of the following way.
• a pivot connection is made between the lever 17 and the body 2, which makes it possible to move the lever 17 from a low position such that illustrated fig. 4 to 5 in a raised position as shown 6.
• This mobility of the lever 17 allows to place the tank 5 equipped with the valve 1 on a work plan without the lever obstructing it.
• the embodiment of the valve shown allows the rotation of the lever 17 around the axis ⁇ , while the lever 17 is in the rest position, so that the valve 18 remains in the closed position during this movement. There is therefore no risk of leakage of the liquid contained in the tank 5.
• the opening of the valve 18 can be controlled by exerting a thrust on the lever 17 in the direction of the arrow F2, as shown in FIG. 8.
• the opening of the valve 18 can also be obtained by exerting traction on the lever 17 in the direction of the arrow F3, which places the lever 17 in an advanced working position, as illustrated in FIG. 9. It should be noted that, according to the illustrated example, it is also possible to obtain an opening of the valve 18 by exerting traction on the lever 17 when the latter is in the lower position as shown in FIG.
• the shroud core 31 is designed to allow a 180 ° rotation to retract about the axis ⁇ f in order to clear the branches 30 relative to the body 2 of the valve as shown in FIG. 10. This position facilitates disassembly, as shown in fig. 11, of the nozzle 11 relative to the other part of the body 2, to allow cleaning of the valve.
• the core 31 carries a hubcap 45 which is removed before tilting the stirrup in its unobstructed position as illustrated in FIG. 10 and 11.
• the user also has the possibility to disassemble the valve without removing the hubcap 45, by swinging the stirrup 29 around the axis ⁇ 'less than 90 ° so that the hubcap does not come abut against the tip 11 but at least 70 ° so that the branches 30 free access to the tip 11 to allow its unscrewing.
• the stirrup 29 around the axis ⁇ 'less than 90 ° so that the hubcap does not come abut against the tip 11 but at least 70 ° so that the branches 30 free access to the tip 11 to allow its unscrewing.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Mechanically-Actuated Valves (AREA)
• Cookers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=38975085

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 2007
  • 2007-03-30 FR FR0754145A patent/FR2914169B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2008
  • 2008-03-26 CN CN2008800111882A patent/CN101668463B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-03-26 WO PCT/FR2008/050524 patent/WO2008129221A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2008-03-26 EP EP08799820A patent/EP2131709A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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