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EP-4350205-B1 - DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING PRESSURISED FLUID

EP4350205B1EP 4350205 B1EP4350205 B1EP 4350205B1EP-4350205-B1

Inventors

  • FRENAL, ANTOINE
  • WIEMER, KLAUS
  • WINTHER, MORTEN
  • BANGGAARD STEFFENSEN, KASPER

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20221004

Claims (12)

  1. Device for supplying pressurised fluid, comprising: - a vessel (1), - a valve (2) comprising a first end (8) connected to the vessel (1) and a second free end (16) configured to be connected to a connector, - a protective cover (4) comprising a cap (20) extending around the free end (16) of the valve (2), an annular portion (21) extending around a body (13) of the valve (2) and a strut (22) connecting the cap (20) to the annular portion (21), characterised in that it comprises a shrink foil (6) extending at least around part of the cap (20) and the connecting strut (22) so as to press the cap (20) and the connecting strut (22) against the valve (2).
  2. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to claim 1, wherein the cap (20) comprises a cylindrical wall (24) and a bottom wall (30) delimiting a volume protecting the free end (16) and a gripping collar (26) for gripping the cap (20).
  3. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (20) comprises an annular bead (32) configured to fit in a first annular groove (34) arranged on the body (13) of the valve (2).
  4. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protective cover (4) is made of rubber, preferably ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber.
  5. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the annular portion (21) extends around a second annular groove (36) of the body (13) of thevalve (2).
  6. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second annular groove (36) comprises at least one adjustment ring (38) of the position of the annular portion (21).
  7. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the length of the connecting strut (22) is between 1.2 and 2 times the distance between the free end (16) of the valve (2) and the second annular groove (36), preferably substantially equal to 1.5 times the distance between the free end (16) of the valve (2) and the second annular groove (36).
  8. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shrink foil (6) is a dry-shrink foil, preferably comprising viscose.
  9. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the shrink foil (6) is a heat-shrink foil, preferably comprising a material selected from polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate and polylactic acid.
  10. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shrink foil (6) extends around the cap (20), the connecting strut (22) and the annular portion (21).
  11. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shrink foil (6) extends around the cylindrical wall (24) and covers at least partially the bottom wall (30) of the cap (20).
  12. Device for supplying pressurised fluid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the valve (2) is a pressure reducing valve.

Description

The invention relates to devices for supplying pressurised fluid and more particularly a device for protecting a valve, for example a pressure reducing valve, of such supply devices. A device for supplying pressurised fluid comprises a bottle forming a vessel of pressurised fluid. This fluid may be for example carbon dioxide (for alimentary use), a mixture of argon, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, etc. This fluid vessel comprises a fluid outlet port blocked by a pressure reducing valve (or cock), the pressure reducing valve being used to keep the fluid inside the bottle and forming at the same time a port to access an inner volume of the bottle containing the pressurised fluid. A fluid connector may be connected to the pressure reducing valve to allow controlled release of the fluid from the device for supplying pressurised fluid. The pressure inside the bottle is of the order of 250 bars. The pressure reducing valve acts as a first expansion device, causing the fluid pressure, at the outlet of the pressure reducing valve, to drop to between 30 and 70 bars. The connector connected to the pressure reducing valve acts as a second expansion device, causing the pressure to drop to between 4 and 7 bars, and as a device for releasing pressurised fluid. The devices for supplying pressurised fluid are manufactured (bottle and pressure reducing valve), filled (or refilled) then transported and stored before use via a connection to the above-mentioned connector. Transport and storage are therefore carried out with a pressure reducing valve having a free end. To protect the free end of the pressure reducing valve against any contamination, it is known to use a protective cover on this end. An example of a protective cover is for example described in application FR 3 056 281 A1. This protective cover may comprise a cap intended to be positioned on the free end of the pressure reducing valve, an annular portion surrounding the body of the pressure reducing valve and used to keep the protective cover on the pressure reducing valve, and a strut connecting the annular portion to the cap. However, such a protection, although efficient against external contamination may, depending on the storage and transport conditions, lead to self-contamination. The protective cover, and more precisely the cap may, in fact, be caused to rotate around the free end of the pressure reducing valve. This exerts friction between the cap and the free end of the pressure reducing valve. Since the protective cover is generally made of plastic material, this exerts friction between the plastic material (the cap) and a metallic material (the pressure reducing valve), which may lead to the formation of plastic particles contaminating the free end of the pressure reducing valve and therefore the fluids extracted from the device for supplying pressurised fluid. Document US 2020/180829 A1 discloses a device for supplying pressurised fluid according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention aims in particular to provide a device for supplying pressurised fluid of the above-mentioned types and providing optimum protection of the free end of the pressure reducing valve. The invention therefore relates to a device for supplying pressurised fluid, comprising: a vessel,a valve comprising a first end connected to the vessel and a second free end configured to be connected to a connector,a protective cover comprising a cap extending around the free end of the valve, an annular portion extending around a body of the valve and a strut connecting the cap to the annular portion,a shrink foil extending at least part of around the cap and the connecting strut so as to press the cap and the connecting strut against the valve. Thus, the protective cover is pressed against the valve using a shrink foil. Thus, and during the storage and transport of the device for supplying fluid before the first use, the shrink foil prevents the protective cover, and more particularly the cap, from rotating, thereby preventing any self-contamination as explained above. This neutralisation is provided by compressing the cap as well as the connecting strut against the valve. In addition, due to its presence, the shrink foil forms a seal guaranteeing that the device for supplying pressurised fluid has not been used. According to other optional characteristics of the device for supplying pressurised fluid taken alone or in combination: The cap comprises a cylindrical wall and a bottom wall delimiting a volume protecting the free end and a gripping collar for gripping the cap. The cap is therefore easy to handle, for example to remove it from the free end of the valve;The cap comprises an annular bead configured to fit in a first annular groove arranged on the body of the valve. This stabilises the attachment of the cap on the free end of the valve;The protective cover is made of rubber, preferably ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber. The use of rubber allows elastic deformation when assemb