Bag On Valve Filling Machine

Abstract

A process and machine for refilling and reusing or recycling spent “bag on valve”-type aerosol cans. The process includes drawing a premeasured amount of liquid product into a refilling module, followed by pushing the product into the product bag (that surrounds the bag on valve), acting against the pressure of the gas already in the can. Opposite-acting, one-way valves in the inlet and outlet of the refilling module enable the drawing and pushing action. One size or type of refilling module is easy to swap with another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for refilling an empty liquid product bag in a dispensing container that uses a bag on valve, the dispensing container including a volume of pressurized gas that is presealed within the container, the empty liquid product bag being collapsed by the pressurized gas, the method comprising:
 delivering a measured amount of liquid product into the refilling chamber;   coupling the dispensing container to a liquid product refilling chamber via the bag on valve;   pushing the measured amount of liquid product from the refilling chamber through the bag on valve and into the collapsed liquid product bag at sufficient pressure to inflate the bag with liquid product against the pressure of the gas inside the container, for refilling the liquid product bag ; and   decoupling the dispensing container from the refilling chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein delivering a measured amount of liquid product into the refilling chamber comprises drawing the liquid product into the refilling chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein delivering a measured amount of liquid product into the refilling chamber comprises pushing the liquid product into the refilling chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , including using a reciprocating piston to respectively deliver liquid product into the refilling chamber and then push the liquid product through the bag on valve. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus for refilling an empty liquid product bag in a dispensing container that uses a bag on valve, the dispensing container including a volume of pressurized gas that is presealed within the container, the empty liquid product bag being collapsed by the pressurized gas, the apparatus comprising:
 a liquid product refilling module adapted to provide a chamber that holds a measured volume of liquid product specific to refilling the empty liquid product bag;   a one-way inlet for delivering liquid product to the chamber; and   a coupling for creating a liquid fluid flow path from the chamber to the collapsed liquid product bag by using fluid pressure to push the measured amount of liquid product from the chamber, through the bag on valve, and into the collapsed liquid product bag at sufficient pressure to expand and fill the bag with liquid product against the pressure of the gas inside the container.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the liquid refilling module includes a reciprocal piston member that draws liquid product through the one-way inlet into the chamber when the piston member moves in one direction and pushes the liquid product into the collapsed liquid product bag when the piston member moves in the opposite direction. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , including an air pump mechanism for reciprocating the piston member. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the air pump mechanism comprises a reciprocating air piston within a cylinder, means for using air pressure to drive the air piston back and forth within the cylinder, and a member connecting the air piston to the reciprocal piston member of the refilling module, for driving reciprocating movement of the piston member. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the liquid product refilling module is swappable with another liquid product refilling module.