CZ308838B6 - Equipment for handling and dispensing bulk, liquid and powder goods - Google Patents

Abstract

The capsule with loose, liquid and powdered goods is in the dispensing device so that its outlet fits into the electronically controlled dispensing valve (7). Using integrated scales accurate goods are dosed. The capsule consists of an open body (1) into which the capsule insert (2) fits with a bottom opening with an outlet passage (3) of the inner bag (4) of the capsule for guiding the goods to the outlet mouth. The outlet passage (3) has a lower lid (6) to protect the capsule seal against damage. The body (1) of the capsule is closed by the upper lid (5) when the insert (2) is inserted from above. The filled inner bag (4) of the capsule is simultaneously inserted into the dispensing valve (7) of the device adapted to secure a predefined position of the inner bag (4) when its seal is automatically pierced. Part of the dispensing valve (7) is a closable trunk (11), forming a path for the exit of goods for a predetermined time of exit and the amount of goods, by flaps (12) adjustable by an electronic servomechanism.

Description

The subject of the invention is a device for handling and dispensing bulk, liquid and powder goods placed in capsules, with the minimization of packaging waste.

Prior art

The object of the present invention is a technical solution for the sale of goods which minimizes packaging waste throughout the supply chain. There are currently a number of standards that such a solution must meet. These are requirements for hygienic aspects of handling goods, largely given by current legislation, which mainly concerns food, requirements for economic efficiency of the entire solution and requirements for transparent labeling and registration of transported and sold goods. Last but not least, the solution sought must be scalable in order to have a chance to achieve a global positive impact on the environment. Existing logistics and sales systems are built on primary (consumer) packaging, secondary (handling) packaging such as cardboard boxes, or shrink film and tertiary (transport) packaging such as pallets, containers, fixing foils. These types of packaging are very often disposable and a disproportionate amount of packaging waste is generated per unit of goods.

Some manufacturers seek to reduce the environmental impact of packaging waste by using packaging made from recyclable or compostable materials. However, it turns out that this procedure is not sufficient, as such packaging is disposed of together with other materials and their disposal is therefore possible minimally or not at all.

Other current solutions work with wholesale packaging, from which customers buy so-called unpackaged packaging. These systems do achieve a reduction in the volume of disposable consumer packaging, but at the cost of a significant reduction in shopping comfort and with hygienic risks during transport, storage and sale of goods. Any handling of bulk (packaging) goods carries the risk of contamination, deterioration, or loss of goods. Bulk goods are, by their nature, a non-systemic element in well-established processes for both manufacturers and traders, and therefore often incur extra costs reflected in the final price of the products, and above all do not allow for greater expansion of these systems, ie their scalability.

The inspiring solution is returnable packaging systems, such as beer bottle systems. In such a system, no unnecessary packaging waste is actually generated, as the packaging is reused. The returnable packaging is filled at the manufacturer and is emptied at the customer's place of consumption. The limitations of this system are given by the type of products for which this system is suitable, as well as the requirement for the customer to accept returnable packaging. The current trend of increasing the volume of beer sales in cans indicates that the customer trend is just the opposite.

The essence of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for handling and dispensing bulk, liquid and powdered goods placed in capsules, with the minimization of packaging waste. The essence of the invention is that the capsule, which is a returnable package, is situated in the dispensing device so that its outlet functionally fits into an electronically controlled dispensing valve for dispensing goods by means of integrated scales, where the capsule consists of an open body into which the capsule insert fits. with a lower opening with an outlet passage of the inner bag of the capsule for guiding the goods to the outlet mouth. The outlet passage is provided with a lower lid to protect the capsule seal against damage and the capsule body is closed by an upper lid when the insert is inserted from above. The inner bag of the capsule is filled at the same time

- 1 CZ 308838 B6 inserted into the dispensing valve of a device adapted to secure a predefined position of the inner bag, the dispensing valve being a closable trunk forming a path for exiting goods for a predetermined exit time and quantity of goods, by means of flaps adjustable by electronic servomechanism .

A chip, preferably an RFID and / or NFC chip, is inserted between the capsule insert and the capsule body to identify the goods in the capsule, or extended information about the goods in the capsule, including information on their origin. The body of the capsule has a conical shape for stacking.

The flaps are adapted to be clamped and locked in the closed position when the dispensing valve is inactive. To further improve the trunk closure, the device further preferably comprises resilient rollers at the ends of the flaps.

The device further preferably comprises a vibrating lever which is mounted on the passage of the inner bag of the capsule to facilitate the release of the goods and their dosing. It further comprises a paddle for mounting on an empty capsule and covering the passage when replacing the capsule.

The device is adapted for data communication on the release of the required quantity of the given goods from the user application or information or storage system, and thus ensuring the automatic release of the goods. It includes at least one display for displaying information about the products in the capsules, including name, manufacturer, composition, shelf life, price, remaining quantity in the capsule or the quantity currently out of stock.

It is advantageous that the products (loose, liquid or powdered goods) are distributed in refillable capsules, which are placed directly in stores in modular racks. The buyer chooses the goods, their quantity and method of packaging by scanning the code from the presentation displays, or by selecting directly from the application. The purchased goods are immediately packed and ready for collection at the time of payment.

The display completely replaces the aesthetic and informational function of the packaging, in addition, it can contain real samples of goods. Thanks to the modularity of the display, the goods can be easily displayed exactly where the buyer needs them. The variable product presentation system can be placed anywhere in the store or outside the premises. The advantage is the simplification and improvement of the distribution and sale of unpackaged goods, the system is based on reusable transport capsules and in-store modular stands, which ensure the efficiency of the supply chain and inventory management. The system prevents the generation of packaging waste (precycling) throughout the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the household. Manufacturers supply goods packaged in these capsules, wholesale supplies goods in reusable capsules. Empty capsules are sent to the washing center, empty and cleaned capsules are sent back.

Explanation of drawings

An example of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the device in a spatial representation, Fig. 2 is a section of a capsule with a bag, Fig. 3 is a view of the capsule of the device. Fig. 4 is a passage of the bag, Fig. 5 is a view of the bag (pouch). Fig. 6 is a view of the dispensing valve with the rod extended, Fig. 7 is a view of the dispensing valve with the rod retracted, Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the dispensing valve with the rod extended, and Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the dispensing valve with the rod retracted. Figures 10 and 11 are views of the dispensing valve, Figure 12 is a bottom sectional view of the dispensing valve, and Figure 13 is a sectional view of the dispensing valve. Fig. 14 shows a trunk with a part with a cutting plate. Fig. 15 is a view of a capsule mounted on a dispensing valve, Figs. 16 and 17 are a sectional view of a capsule mounted on a dispensing valve. Fig. 18 is a vibrating lever, Fig. 19 shows a vibrating lever mounted on the passage of the pouch, and Fig. 20 is a section of a capsule with a vibrating lever mounted on the dispensing valve. Fig. 21 is a vane, Fig. 22 is a view of a capsule mounted on a dispensing valve with the vane attached. Fig. 23 is a frame structure of a modular system for

The individual devices according to the invention, in FIG. 24 the cladding structure according to FIG. 23, and in FIG. 25 a view of a fully occupied modular system BMS (bulk modular system).

Examples of embodiments of the invention

The presented solution is composed of partial technological elements, the design and construction of which are mutually conditioned and closely related to each other so that together they form a consistent and functional whole. These key elements are capsules, a dispensing valve and a BMS (bulk modular system) dispensing device. The capsule is de facto a wholesale returnable packaging in which the manufacturer packs the goods and which circulates in a closed system between the manufacturer and the seller. At the seller, the capsule is placed in a dispensing device, where its outlet fits into an electronically controlled dispensing valve, which uses integrated scales to ensure accurate dosing of goods without the possibility of contamination of goods by the operator or customer and without unnecessary losses during handling.

The capsule consists of two layers. The outer layer (body of 1 capsule) has the following key properties:

- ensures ergonomics of capsule handling,

- the capsules withstand at least 300 cycles between the manufacturer and the seller,

- the capsule is stackable, ie the transport space is minimized when transporting empty capsules,

- the internal shape ensures perfect trouble-free emptying of a wide range of types of goods,

- the capsule may contain RFID or another similar chip, which will facilitate the identification (even bulk) of the goods in the capsules, or offer, through other connected electronic devices, extended information about the goods in the capsule, including information about their origin.

The capsule consists of several parts. The main one is the body 1 of the capsule, which is designed to meet the necessary requirements for transport and ergonomics. Its shape is conical, and therefore suitable for stacking. The insert 2 of the capsule fits into the body 1 of the capsule (Fig. 1). It is a sloping part with an opening in the middle, forming essentially the second bottom of the capsule, which is to serve to guide the food to the mouth of the capsule, resp. pouche. It is possible to safely place the RFID chip between these two parts so that it is not damaged, confused or lost. The bottom of the capsule has an opening in it, from which the passage 3 of the inner bag 4 (pouches) protrudes (Figs. 1,2 and 4). This place is provided with a lower lid 6 (Fig. 1), which snaps directly to the passage 3 and thus protects the seal of the inner bag 4 (pouche) against damage. The bottom of the capsule is provided with fingerprints so that this lid (lower lid 6) can be easily removed before settling on the dispensing valve 7 of the capsule. The capsule is open at the top and a large top lid 5 is used to close it, which holds the rim on the capsule. This hem also acts as a strength element. The lower lid 6 of the capsule is also provided with a rim which helps to stack the filled capsules and thus keeps them in place. There are also several openings in the bottom of the capsule and in its liner 2, which serve to remove excess moisture, especially during washing before repeated use. The bottom of the capsule is also embossed with a special blade 15 (Figs. 21 and 22), which slides under the capsule from the front and thus closes the emptied capsule when it is replaced by a new one in the BMS (bulk modular system) with the described device. This is also related to the fingerprinting recess in the lower part of the forehead in the body 1 of the capsule (Fig. 1), behind which the capsule can be lifted and easily removed from the dispensing valve 7 (Figs. 15 to 17). The seating of the capsule on the dispensing valve 7 and securing its position by means of openings in the capsule and protrusions on the rails on the dispensing valve 7 is described in more detail in the section describing the dispensing valve 7.

The inner bag 4 of the capsule, the so-called pouch (Fig. 1, Fig. 5), has the following properties

- it has an integrated filling and emptying passage 3, through which the manufacturer fills the goods into the pouch, which seals and which then sealed ensures a constant internal environment and the impossibility of contamination of the pouch during transport,

- the pouch is disposable, made of a material that is recyclable or compostable,

-3 CZ 308838 B6

- a key feature of the system from the point of view of the pouch is that the pouch does not leave the operating cycle of the capsule and is processed within this cycle for further material or energy use; The MIWAtak system fulfills the principles of circular economics.

It is a special disposable bag 4, suitably filling the inner space of the capsule, which at the same time separates it from direct contact with food. This bag has at its mouth an emptying and at the same time filling passage 3 (Fig. 4), which is attached to the bottom of the capsule by a simple click so that it does not move undesirably. The passage is sealed with a protective foil, which is perforated after placing the capsule on the valve, which makes it possible to subsequently dispense the goods. During transport, the seal on this part is protected by a lid (lower lid 6) at the bottom of the capsule. The passage 3 is the main part which connects the product in the capsule and the dispensing valve 7, its shape is adapted to this so that it connects well to other parts and thus no loss and contamination of the goods occurs.

The dispensing valve 7 is closely connected with the design and construction of the transport capsule and the pouch so that when the capsule is first inserted into the valve, the seal of the pouch emptying passage is automatically perforated without possible contamination of the goods by the operator (Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13). Dispensing valve 7 has the following other key features:

- its jaws are controlled electronically using integrated scales and elements of artificial intelligence and data analytics so that the required quantity of goods, regardless of their type, is weighed accurately, quickly and efficiently, without unnecessary losses and without any possibility of contamination,

- the goods pass through the jaws through a special trunk 11 (Figs. 14, 15, 16 and 17), which ensures the smooth permeability of a wide range of types of goods through the valve,

- the control of the dispensing valve 7 is ergonomic and efficient in order to minimize the handling time on the part of the operator or the customer.

The dispensing valve 7 (Figs. 6, 7) follows the shape of the capsule and the pouch and serves for its controllable emptying. The valve body consists of two basic parts, it is equipped with a specially designed internal solution of the dosing mechanism and electronics (Fig. 8 to 11). The process begins by placing the filled capsule on the dispensing valve 7. Its exact position is ensured by guide rails 8 on the valve (Fig. 7), which are supplemented at the rear by two protrusions (Figs. 6 and 7) which fit into the rear of the capsule, thereby prevents unwanted vertical movement when cutting the pouch seal. Related to this is a closing rod 9 ("cut-out") in the front part of the valve (Figs. 6, 7), which is inserted into the valve to finally secure the capsule against vertical movement by means of a protrusion by inserting it into an opening in the front part of the capsule. When the closing rod 9 (Figs. 6, 7) is inserted, one of the other parts 10 of the valve (Fig. 7) is moved at the same time, which is provided with a cutting plate which perforates the seal of the pouch. At the same time, there is a silicone trunk 11 (Fig. 14) on this part, which forms a path for the goods through the flap mechanism 12 (Fig. 11), resp. the whole valve. This part is also replaced when the capsule / goods are replaced and washed in the dishwasher before further use. The flaps 12 (Fig. 11) in the valve grip the trunk 11. There are two and they open by turning by means of electronic servomechanisms (Figs. 10 and 11). The opening time and angle can be set differently for each product, as only one default setting cannot be applied to all types of products due to their size and shape. At the ends of the flaps 12 are silicone rollers 13 (Fig. 11), which help to close better if an unwanted piece of goods is squeezed. They hug this piece and thus prevent other pieces from accidentally falling. The clamping of the flaps 12 during the inactivity of the valve of the dispensing valve 7 is secured mechanically by means of a spring (Fig. 10). In front of the dispensing valve 7 there is also a transparent part (Fig. 8) with an indicator light which signals the various states of the valve, according to the color it illuminates. The customer thus safely knows from which valve the goods are to be emptied, and other colors also guide the operator when changing capsules.

A great advantage is also the integration of scales into the dispensing valve 7, which allow to have a real-time overview not only of how much goods the customer has emptied, but also about the overall condition of the goods in the store. There are four scales in total and they are inside the valve (Fig. 9), the entire valve (or scales) then sits on the pins protruding from the structure of the BMS device (Fig. 9), which results in weighing. The lower part of the valve is followed by another separate part, which is the hopper 17 (Fig. 10), it melts suspended in the structure

-4 CZ 308838 B6

BMS. The hopper 17 has an orifice shaped so that the goods can be poured into both the container and the bag. By pushing the hopper 17 upwards, an impulse is transmitted to the flaps 12 in the valve, which open and empty the goods. The hopper 17 can be used alone or in combination with another part, which is an extension with auxiliary handles for greater variability when pouring into different types of containers. The hopper 17 is also provided with a return catch which regulates its operation so as not to undesirably lighten the valve on the scales. Fig. 12 shows a section of the valve and Figs. 13 to 17 show the seating of the capsule on the valve.

The device also includes a manual vibrating lever 14. it is a simple sheet metal tool (Fig. 18), which is, however, crucial from the point of view of solving several problems that may occur when emptying the goods. This vibrating lever 14 is placed on the passage 3 of the inner pouch (Fig. 19) before inserting a new (filled) capsule on the valve. After catching the capsule to the dispensing valve 7 and perforating the pouch seal, it manually moves the end of the vibrating lever 14 towards the sides (Fig. 20). This results in a rotational movement of the passage 3 with the pouch, which improves the perforation of the seal and the release of the goods inside the capsule. The goods can be stuffed during transport, which in itself makes it impossible to spill them out of the capsule. The movement of the vibrating lever 14 also eliminates one of the biggest problems in the behavior of powdered goods, which form so-called bridges during dumping. Bridges are a phenomenon in which, when emptying any container through the bottom opening, cavities are formed inside the stuffed parts of the goods, which makes it impossible to empty it. The movement of the vibrating lever 14 thus solves several problems at once.

A metal spatula 15 serves as an aid in replacing an empty capsule with a new one (Figs. 21 and 22). This is because a small amount of goods may remain in the capsule, which would fall out and make a mess when replaced. For this reason, before removing the capsule, a blade 15 is placed on its front part, a part of which is inserted between the bottom of the capsule and the upper surface of the dispensing valve 7 and extends only below the passage 3 of the inner bag 4, which thereby covers. The capsule can thus be removed in absolute purity. The blade 15 has an opening in it, through which the vibrating lever 14 also passes, which is mounted on the passage 3 from the very beginning (Fig. 22). The dispensing device of the modular BMS system serves primarily to contain the dispensing valves 7 into which the capsules are inserted. The dispensing device is designed and constructed so that

- the work of the operator or customer in dispensing the goods from the capsules was ergonomic,

- the device was also a storage device, ie there was space in it for the placement of spare full or emptied capsules,

- was modular and allowed high variability in the use of specific space in specific stores.

The dispensing device is equipped with electronic elements that enable the identification of inserted capsules and the effective navigation of its staff or customers.

The dispensing device is designed in several different variants and is practically a modular system. The variants differ from each other in the number of rows of dispensing valves 7 (there are five valves in each row) and the possibility to store a different number of spare full capsules for replacement with empty ones. However, they have a common height and width adapted for easy handling when installing the BMS system in different stores. The depth and division of the front part is influenced by the already mentioned combination of the rows of dispensing valves 7 and the space for the spare capsules. Thanks to this variability, it is possible to find the ideal combination for each store that will suit its specific requirements.

The construction of the BMS system consists of a supporting frame 16 made of steel and sheets (Fig. 23), in which a panel for setting valves and hoppers is prepared, which can be placed at different heights. A visible plywood cladding (Fig. 24) is attached to the system and under the valves there are shelves or worktops covered with stainless steel sheets for better maintenance. At the bottom are shelves for storing filled or empty capsules, or completely different goods. The structure is on the rectifying legs for alignment to the horizontal position and in the rear part it is equipped with attachment points, with which the BMS can be screwed firmly to the wall.

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for handling and dispensing bulk, liquid and powdered goods housed in capsules, with minimization of packaging waste, wherein the capsule, which is a returnable package, is situated in a dispensing device, characterized in that the capsule outlet fits into an electronically controlled dispensing device. valve (7) for dispensing goods by means of integrated scales, wherein the capsule consists of an open body (1) into which the capsule insert (2) fits with a bottom opening with an outlet passage (3) of an inner bag (4) of the capsule for guiding goods to the outlet , wherein the outlet passage (3) is provided with a lower lid (6) to protect the capsule seal against damage and wherein the body (1) of the capsule is closed from above by inserting the insert (2) from the upper lid (5), where the filled inner bag (4) of the capsule is simultaneously inserted into the dispensing valve (7) of the device adapted to secure a predefined position of the inner bag (4), the dispensing valve (7) comprising a closable trunk (11) forming a path for the exit of goods to a predetermined d both the outlet and the quantity of goods, by means of flaps (12), adjustable by means of an electronic servomechanism. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a chip, preferably an RFID and / or NFC chip, is inserted between the capsule insert (2) and the capsule body (1) for identifying the goods in the capsule and / or extended product information in the capsule, including information on its origin. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the capsule body (1) has a conical shape for stackability. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flaps (12) are designed to be clamped and locked in the closed position when the dispensing valve is inactive. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises resilient rollers (13) at the ends of the flaps (12) for improving the closure of the trunk (11). Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises a vibrating lever (14) which is mounted on the passage (3) of the inner bag (4) of the capsule to facilitate the release of the goods and their dosing. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises a vane (15) for mounting on an empty capsule and covering the passage (3) when replacing the capsule. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is adapted for data communication on the delivery of the required quantity of the goods in question from a user application or an information and / or storage system, to ensure the automatic delivery of the goods. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one display for displaying information about the products in the capsules, including name, manufacturer, composition, shelf life, price, remaining quantity in the capsule or quantity currently in stock.