Apparatus for injecting propellant into a dispensing container

Claim 1

An apparatus for injecting a pressurizing propellant into a product dispensing container through a gassing valve thereof comprising: a. a frame; b. means on the frame for receiving and firmly holding a container to be pressurized in an injection position; c. a cylinder having a leading end and a bore, the cylinder being mounted on the frame for translation between a first cylinder terminal position towards the injection position and a second cylinder terminal position away from the injection position, the leading end facing the injection position; d. a ram disposed in the bore for axial movement therein towards and away from the injection position, the ram and the cylinder defining a propellant chamber within the bore proximate the leading end; e. means for introducing propellant into the propellant chamber through the wall of the cylinder between the ram and the leading end; f. a normally closed propellant injector valve carried by the cylinder in the leading end, the injector valve having means independent of propellant pressure in the propellant chamber which is responsive to engagement with the dispenser to open the valve when the cylinder is in its first terminal position, including a plunger disposed in the leading end of the cylinder for movement along the bore''s axis between a closed position relatively away from the propellant chamber and an open position relatively close to the propellant chamber, means to bias the plunger into the closed position, and an end disposed to engage the surface of the container proximate the gassing valve thereof to overcome the bias means and move the plunger to its open position as the cylinder moves to its first terminal position; g. an axially hollow injection needle carried by the injector valve and extending therefrom towards the injection position, the needle being disposed in the valve to pass through the gassing valve as the cylinder approaches its first termInal position an for subsequent propellant communication with the propellant chamber when the valve is open; h. means to selectively move the ram towards the injection position and carry the cylinder through a fluid coupling provided by propellant in the propellant chamber to the cylinder''s first terminal position to open the injector valve, communicate the dispenser''s interior with the propellant chamber through the injection needle, and force propellant through the injection needle by continued movement of the ram towards the injection position, the ram moving means including a displaceable ram-driving member coupled to the ram to determined the ram''s movement and means to displace the ram driving member; i. means for returning the cylinder to its second terminal position after propellant injection into the dispenser''s interior; and j. means for varying the volume of the propellant chamber including means to vary the amount of axial movement of the ram in the bore after the cylinder reaches its first terminal position, means to adjust the position of the displacing means and thereby vary the position of the ram in the bore in the cylinder''s second terminal position, and means to terminate the action of the displacing means, such latter means being sensitive to the position of the displacing means and responsive to the displacement of the ram driving member such that the amount of displacement of the driving member and therefore the amount of axial movement of the ram in the bore after the cylinder reaches its first terminal position is determined by the position of the displacing means.

Claim 2

An apparatus for injecting a pressurizing propellant into a product dispensing container through a gassing valve thereof comprising: a. a frame; b. means on the frame for receiving and firmly holding a container to be pressurized in an injection position; c. a cylinder having a leading end and a bore, the cylinder being mounted on the frame for translation between a first cylinder terminal position towards the injection position and a second cylinder terminal position away from the injection position, the leading end facing the injection position; d. a ram disposed in the bore for axial movement therein towards and away from the injection position, the ram and the cylinder defining a propellant chamber within the bore proximate the leading end; e. means for introducing propellant into the propellant chamber through the wall of the cylinder between the ram and the leading end; f. a normally closed propellant injector valve carried by the cylinder in the leading end, the injector valve having means independent of propellant pressure in the propellant chamber which is responsive to engagement with the dispenser to open the valve when the cylinder is in its first terminal position, including a plunger disposed in the leading end of the cylinder for movement along the bore''s axis between a closed position relatively away from the propellant chamber and an open position relatively close to the propellant chamber, means to bias the plunger into the closed position, and an end disposed to engage the surface of the container proximate the gassing valve thereof to overcome the bias means and move the plunger to its open position as the cylinder moves to its first terminal position; g. an axially hollow injection needle carried by the injector valve and extending therefrom towards the injection position, the needle being disposed in the valve to pass through the gassing valve as the cylinder approaches its first termInal position an for subsequent propellant communication with the propellant chamber when the valve is open; h. means to selectively move the ram towards the injection position and carry the cylinder through a fluid coupling provided by propellant in the propellant chamber to the cylinder''s first terminal position to open the injector valve, communicate the dispenser''s interior with the propellant chamber through the injection needle, and force propellant through the injection needle by continued movement of the ram towards the injection position, the ram moving means including a displaceable ram-driving member coupled to the ram to determined the ram''s movement and means to displace the ram driving member; i. means for returning the cylinder to its second terminal position after propellant injection into the dispenser''s interior; and j. means for varying the volume of the propellant chamber including means to vary the amount of axial movement of the ram in the bore after the cylinder reaches its first terminal position, means to adjust the position of the displacing means and thereby vary the position of the ram in the bore in the cylinder''s second terminal position, and means to terminate the action of the displacing means, such latter means being sensitive to the position of the displacing means and responsive to the displacement of the ram driving member such that the amount of displacement of the driving member and therefore the amount of axial movement of the ram in the bore after the cylinder reaches its first terminal position is determined by the position of the displacing means.

Claim 5

An apparatus for injecting a pressurizing propellant into a product-dispensing container through a gassing valve thereof comprising: a. a frame; b. means on the frame for receiving and firmly holding a container to be pressurized in an injection position; c. a cylinder having a leading end and a bore, the cylinder being mounted on the frame for translation between a first cylinder terminal position towards the injection position and a second cylinder terminal position away from the injection position, the leading end facing the injection position; d. a ram disposed in the bore for axial movement therein towards and away from the injection position, the ram and the cylinder defining a propellant chamber within the bore proximate the leading end; e. means for introducing propellant into the propellant chamber through the wall of the cylinder between the ram and the leading end; f. a normally closed propellant injector valve carried by the cylinder in the leading end, the injector valve having means independent of propellant pressure in the propellant chamber which is responsive to engagement with the dispenser to open the valve when the cylinder is in its first terminal position; g. an axially hollow injection needle carried by the injector valve and extending therefrom towards the injection position, the needle being disposed in the valve to pass through the gassing valve as the cylinder approaches its first terminal position and for subsequent propellant communication with the propellant chamber when the valve is opEn; h. means for selectively moving the ram towards the injection position and carry the cylinder through a fluid coupling provided by propellant in the propellant chamber to the cylinder''s first terminal position to open the injector valve, communicate the dispenser''s interior with the propellant chamber through the injection needle, and force propellant through the injection needle by continued movement of the ram towards the injection position; i. means for returning the cylinder to its second terminal position after propellant injection into the dispenser''s interior; j. means for adjusting the amount of axial displacement of the ram in the bore of the cylinder after the cylinder reaches its first terminal position to vary the effective volume of the propellant chamber, the adjusting means including a ram-driving member of the ram-moving means, the ram-driving member being coupled to the ram to effect its movement towards and away form the injection position, means to displace the ram-driving member, means to vary the position of the ram-driving member displacement means relative to the injection position, an actuator on the ram-driving member, and means fixed in position relative to the injection means and responsive to the actuator to stop the ram-driving member displacement means.

Claim 6

An apparatus for injecting a pressurizing propellant into a product-dispensing container through a gassing valve thereof comprising: a. a frame; b. means on the frame for receiving and firmly holding a container to be pressurized in an injection position; c. a cylinder having a leading end and a bore, the cylinder being mounted on the frame for translation between a first cylinder terminal position towards the injection position and a second cylinder terminal position away from the injection position, the leading end facing the injection position; d. a ram disposed in the bore for axial movement therein towards and away from the injection position, the ram and the cylinder defining a propellant chamber within the bore proximate the leading end; e. means for introducing propellant into the propellant chamber through the wall of the cylinder between the ram and the leading end; f. a normally closed propellant injector valve carried by the cylinder in the leading end, the injector valve having means independent of propellant pressure in the propellant chamber which is responsive to engagement with the dispenser to open the valve when the cylinder is in its first terminal position; g. an axially hollow injection needle carried by the injector valve and extending therefrom towards the injection position, the needle being disposed in the valve to pass through the gassing valve as the cylinder approaches its first terminal position and for subsequent propellant communication with the propellant chamber when the valve is opEn; h. means for selectively moving the ram towards the injection position and carry the cylinder through a fluid coupling provided by propellant in the propellant chamber to the cylinder''s first terminal position to open the injector valve, communicate the dispenser''s interior with the propellant chamber through the injection needle, and force propellant through the injection needle by continued movement of the ram towards the injection position; i. means for returning the cylinder to its second terminal position after propellant injection into the dispenser''s interior; j. means for adjusting the amount of axial displacement of the ram in the bore of the cylinder after the cylinder reaches its first terminal position to vary the effective volume of the propellant chamber, the adjusting means including a ram-driving member of the ram-moving means, the ram-driving member being coupled to the ram to effect its movement towards and away form the injection position, means to displace the ram-driving member, means to vary the position of the ram-driving member displacement means relative to the injection position, an actuator on the ram-driving member, and means fixed in position relative to the injection means and responsive to the actuator to stop the ram-driving member displacement means.