EP0513439A1 - Device for the filling and closing of packages for flowable products - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for the filling and sealing of packages for flowable products is described, in whose upper trays, which can be connected to a pouring device, an opening is arranged. The device has a first feeding conveyor (3) with an area in which open empty packages (8) can stand, a conveyor (12) for moving the packages (8) from a starting position (I) to various intermediate positions (II-X, XI) and an end position (IX) in an intermittent manner, a filling station, a sealing station and a discharging conveyor (25). To improve the output of the machine, a transverse pushing conveyor has been provided behind the feeding conveyor (3) in the sequence of movement, transverse conveyors and carrier devices have been provided between the feeding conveyor (3) and the discharging conveyor (25) for moving transport boxes (14) in an intermittent manner and furthermore an intermediate conveyor (12) has been provided and the filling and sealing station has been arranged in the region of the transverse conveyors at a level which is above the transport boxes (14). <IMAGE>

Description

• a) einen ersten Zuführförderer mit einer Standfläche für offene, leere Packungen,
• b) Förderer für das intermittierende Bewegen der Packungen von einer Grundposition in einzelne Zwischenpositionen und eine Endposition,
• c) eine Füllstation,
• d) eine Verschließstation und
• e) einen Abförderer aufweist.

The invention relates to a device for filling and closing plasticizer packs, in the upper floor of which an opening is formed and the upper floor can be connected to a pouring device, the device

• a) a first feed conveyor with a stand for open, empty packs,
• b) Conveyor for the intermittent movement of the packs from a basic position in individual intermediate positions and an end position,
• c) a filling station,
• d) a capping station and
• e) has a conveyor.

There are already devices for filling and closing plastic packaging similar to the above-mentioned type, in which the entire top of a packaging is injected in a first stage, after which plasticizer is poured in from the opposite, still open side of the sleeve, which is only closed on one side by the lid Sleeve is finally closed. In these as well as in other known manufacturing machines, processing takes place along a conveyor in one strand. After an empty pack has been fed in, a cover is welded on, then a cover is also welded on for the next pack, etc., after which one pack after the other is filled and finally closed.

It is true that a multiplication of such manufacturing machines has already been carried out by arranging a plurality of mandrel wheels next to one another on a common axis of rotation, so that, for example, four sleeves are simultaneously provided with an injection-molded cover, after which the filling and the like take place in four strands instead of one. Such manufacturing machines are very expensive, especially because four injection molding machines must be provided on the four mandrel wheels.

The invention has for its object to provide a filling and closing device of the type mentioned above, with which a large number of packs per unit time can be processed reliably.

This object is achieved in that in the sequence of movements behind the feed conveyor, a transverse sliding conveyor and between the feed conveyor and the discharge conveyor at a height below the footprint cross conveyor and driving devices for intermittent movement of transport boxes and at an altitude above the transport boxes, an intermediate conveyor are provided and that Filling and closing station are arranged in the area of the cross conveyor at a height above the transport boxes.

In the device according to the invention, three conveying directions are important for the understanding and the following explanations, of which the longitudinal conveying direction is that of the feed conveyor, which is also called the main conveying direction. The transverse conveying direction, which is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal conveying direction, runs transversely to this. Both directions that The longitudinal conveying direction and the transverse conveying direction lie in the horizontal. In addition, a third direction running perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse directions is provided, which in a preferred embodiment that is considered in the following is in the vertical direction. In the longitudinal conveying direction, the feed conveyor guides open, empty packs into a basic position. From this, a transverse sliding conveyor ensures the displacement of the row of at least two packs in the transverse conveying direction, that is to say transversely to the first longitudinal conveying direction.
It is known in conveyor technology to provide a first conveying direction perpendicular to a second in machines. For the device according to the invention, however, the significance lies in the fact that here a series of at least two packs, preferably even eight or ten (!) Packs, is treated in stages. For this reason, the device according to the invention can be clearly described by speaking of the supply of the row of packs in the longitudinal conveying direction into a type of distributor in which the further conveying takes place in the longitudinal and transverse directions, namely by means of the conveyors mentioned. The sponsors preferably work intermittently. The filling and closing device according to the invention is particularly expedient for the subsequent connection after a pack manufacturing machine, from which a series of packs comes out in cycles. For example, such a manufacturing machine can be a thermoforming machine. From this, a first series of packs, which is particularly envisaged for the description here, is fed lengthwise into a basic position. This row of packs can, for example, be in one piece, ie - due to the manufacturing process in the thermoforming machine - one pack of the row depends on the other. This also applies to a pack series of ten packs, for example. The advantage of this one-piece series with regard to the filling and closing device considered here is the good adjustment of the individual processing units above the workpieces, ie above the packs, for example the openings in their top floors. If these are at a fixed distance within a series of packs, then the correct engagement of the tools on the workpiece is better guaranteed.

In the so-called distributor, starting from the basic position described, the pack rows in the longitudinal and transverse conveying directions are continued intermittently or intermittently. While the transverse slide conveyor and the discharge conveyor engage and move them at different heights in the area of the pack or the strand of packs, a differentiation is made according to the invention with regard to the standing area. Below the stand, so to speak, in a diving position, there are cross conveyors and driver devices, because these indirectly move the transport boxes and thus the packs standing in the transport boxes; while above the level of the stand area and in height even above the transport boxes of the intermediate conveyor and preferably even the feed and Abförderer are provided. According to the invention, this structure means that the last-mentioned conveyors which intervene in packaging above the upper edges of the transport boxes have no influence on the movement of the transport boxes and have no intervention in them.

Furthermore, a further height level is expedient, which is still above the conveyors and also above the transport boxes, even at a distance above the top floors of the packs to be transported, namely the height for the filling and closing station. It goes without saying that the conveyors and / or the transport boxes, even if they are filled with packs, can be moved underneath the filling and closing station and moved out from under it. In order to engage the filling and closing station, some elements of the device according to the invention reach the workpieces in the above-mentioned vertical direction of movement, i.e. with the packs, as will be described.

The device according to the invention not only reliably processes a large number of packs per unit of time, but also parts of the device are designed very advantageously in various respects. The special arrangement of the funding means, inter alia, that cycle times are spread in such a way that the post-processing of the packs produced in a pack-making machine can be considerably improved, for example the respective pack can be slowly filled, carefully transported and sealed liquid-tight. The available cycle time is increased by the special way of conveying and thus distributing the processing strands. If, for example, the pack row under consideration is fed from the thermoforming machine every four seconds, the further processing of this pack row would have to take place every four seconds. The measures according to the invention allow the four seconds available to be optimally used. A larger proportion can be used, for example, for longer movement, gluing or filling processes. Shorter processing cycles are sufficient for transferring over shorter distances. In the case of longer pack strands of, for example, ten packs in one strand, the conveying in the longitudinal conveying direction, that is to say in the longitudinal direction of the strand, is more lengthy processing than the conveying of the strand in the transverse conveying direction if, for example, the strand only has to be displaced about its width in the transverse conveying direction. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, in which the pack manufacturing machine operates in a cycle of four seconds, the total cycle is divided in such a way that three seconds are used for conveying the pack strand in its longitudinal conveying direction or for filling or closing and the remaining amount or the intermediate amounts of one second each are used to move the respective package strand in the transverse conveying direction.

By means of the measures according to the invention mentioned, several packs can be treated and finished simultaneously in several processing stations, so that a machine with high performance results, in which a large number of packs per unit time can be processed reliably. Reliable especially because there is enough time to fill and close the individual pack.

It is also expedient according to the invention if the transport boxes are each containers which are open at the top and are U-shaped in cross section and have a length which corresponds to the length of the longest strand of packs to be conveyed. Devices with a string length of ten packs in one piece have already worked satisfactorily with high performance. In such a case, the respective transport box has a length such that the ten packs mentioned, i.e. the one-piece packing string is completely taken up by the transport box. The transport box is expediently open in its longitudinal direction at the front and rear as well as above. In this way, the pack strand can be pushed in from one side and later pulled off in the other direction when the transport case is stationary. This movement of the pack strands into and out of the transport boxes is accomplished with the terminology of the intermediate conveyors and the conveyors used in this description. Both can engage the packages without touching the shipping crates. The cross conveyors and driver devices are controlled so that at the given moment there is an empty transport box in the effective area of the intermediate conveyor and at the same time a full transport box in the effective area of the discharge conveyor, so that when the two conveyors are switched on, one transport box is loaded and the other is unloaded. In the course of the movement of the transport boxes, one transport box is empty after the completion of a cycle.

The invention is particularly advantageously further developed in that two transverse conveyors are arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction of the feed conveyor, which convey in opposite directions and have at least one intermediate position between their end positions under the filling station or under the closing station. It goes without saying that the cross conveyors convey in the transverse direction, so that with the first-mentioned above feature the first cross conveyor in the sequence of movements conveys the respective transport box to the left into at least one intermediate position and then further into an end position, while the second cross conveyor arranged behind it preferably with a synchronous drive conveys the transport box located there in the area of the second cross conveyor transversely to the right into an intermediate position and then into a right end position. The cycle time of each cross conveyor is one second, while the transport boxes remain in the rest position for three seconds before the next movement cycle of the cross conveyor (for one second) begins. This means that three seconds are available for both the filling station and the closing station, sufficient time for careful and successful processing.

In practice, it is advisable to arrange two intermediate positions for each of the two cross conveyors between the two end positions, of which the filling or closing station is provided in one intermediate position and pause times are specified in the other intermediate position, partly for curing or for further processing operations that are not described here. In the case of two intermediate positions, there are four positions in total for each of the two cross conveyors, namely the two end positions and the two intermediate positions.

According to the invention, it is also advantageous if, in the conveying direction of the feed conveyor, two driver devices for conveying the transport boxes from one cross conveyor to the other are arranged transversely next to one another in opposite directions. In this way, each transport box can be moved along the line of a rectangle, e.g. first crosswise to the left, then straight parallel to the longitudinal conveying direction, then to the right from the second transverse conveyor, to the front from the second driver device against the longitudinal conveying direction, etc. This movement sequence of the transport boxes allows a suitable pick-up, processing and removal of pack strands of the type considered here, and one can manage with two transport boxes less than the standstill positions of the two cross conveyors are available.

It is also advantageous according to the invention if the cross conveyor and driver devices and preferably also the cross slide conveyor and / or the discharge conveyor have endless belts which run around horizontally arranged axes. This is the simplest type of conveying device, and it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the intermediate conveyor and the feed conveyor and possibly also the discharge conveyor have endless belts rotating around vertically arranged axes. In a very space-saving manner, this allows pack strands to be moved in a longitudinal conveying direction, to which a number of cross-conveying components have been added in the meantime, in order to be able to fill even critical filling goods in a soft and careful manner and to be able to seal the packs filled with them.

It is expedient according to the invention if there are recesses under the support surface of the transport box for receiving carriers attached to the driver devices. The support surface of the respective transport box is approximately at the level of the above-mentioned standing area, and the transport box itself rests on guides and / or Driver devices that have to work in time with the cross conveyors without mutual interference. The drivers on the driver devices can therefore be short strips, the longitudinal extension of which lies in the transverse conveying direction. A longitudinal conveyance of the transport boxes by the driver devices is therefore ensured because the force introduced is guided via the drivers into the recesses and thus the bearing surface of the transport box; while the cross conveyors can also work trouble-free because they push the respective transport box out of the carriers and keep it free in the intermediate position (s) before the transport box is pushed over the carriers of the driver device in the end position. It has already been mentioned above that the starting position seen in the direction of movement of the cross conveyor must be empty when the cross conveyor is at a standstill. As a result, this empty position can be filled when the driver devices are switched on, after which the cross conveyors can then be switched on when the driver devices are at a standstill. A smooth movement of the respective transport box in a rectangular path is ensured in this way with simple means.

Furthermore, the invention is designed in that the conveyors and entrainment devices are arranged within an aseptic space which is closed off by a housing with locks. Depending on the arrangement of the locks, feed and / or discharge conveyors can remain at least partially arranged outside the aseptic space. At least the other conveyors are completely inside the room, which can be sealed off from the outside air by a housing and thus sterilized. If, for example, you want to fill the so-called UHT milk in a dairy, which is transported and stored in aseptic packs, the device according to the invention can be used for the use of these packs and the product mentioned.

It is also advantageous if, according to the invention, at least one roller with a wound band of pouring devices with a rotation axis arranged horizontally and in the conveying direction of the feed conveyor is arranged at a distance apart from the closing station. In the case of a strand of packs to be processed, there is a corresponding number of rolls next to one another on the axis of rotation lying in the longitudinal conveying direction, it also being possible to assume a path parallel to the actual longitudinal conveying devices, such as the feed or discharge conveyor. For example, a test machine according to the device described here works advantageously and satisfactorily with a strand of ten packs and thus also with ten rolls and with ten tapes of pouring devices.

It is also expedient according to the invention if each filler of the filling station has a vertically downward filling tube and if a lifting mechanism for lifting the row of packs above the filling tubes is arranged under and / or next to the standing rails in the area of the fillers. If the device according to the invention is used for the production of milk packs or if the flow agent of the packs in question is full or the like, a foam-free filling of the contents should be ensured. For this purpose, it is expedient to carry out the filling of the packing via a filling tube in such a way that a relative movement between the filling tube and the packing is controlled such that the open lower end of the filling tube lies near the vertical bottom of the packing at the beginning of the filling process and in the course of the filling, adjusted to the degree of filling, is pulled upwards until the pack is filled and the inflow of filling material is switched off through the filling tube. Only then should the filling tube be pulled out through the opening in the top of the pack. This pulling out succeeds in the case of the invention in that the lifting mechanism described lowers the pack. In this way, both filler and fill tube can remain stationary. In this way, the filling construction can be simplified.

In an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, the closing station has conveying means for pouring devices to be placed on the filled packs, which have an endless belt with resilient clamping receptacles attached to the outside, in the area of the lower run of the endless belt, which can be moved close above the packs, in the Scraper movable in the vertical direction and also pushers movable in the vertical direction are provided for pushing the pouring device onto the clamping transducer. There are other ways of placing and attaching the pouring means into the hole in the top of the package. However, a preferred embodiment has the features mentioned above.

The package to be processed here is viewed as a cuboid structure, in the horizontally lying flat top floor of which an opening was provided through which the filler tube of the filler is immersed, so that after the filling process this package is unlocked in the region of its opening. In the closing station, this opening is covered by supplying pouring devices, placing them and then gluing them. The pouring device can of course be designed in a wide variety of ways. The main thing is that a closure piece is included for sealing the package. The pouring device can also have a bottom part provided with a hole and, articulated to this, a closure piece which closes the hole in a liquid-tight manner, so that the entire unit of bottom part and closure piece is referred to as the pouring device mentioned can be.

In a wide variety of ways, a band of pouring devices arranged one behind the other can be wound onto a roll and held in the device according to the invention on the axis of rotation already mentioned, so that the tape is fed from pouring devices transversely to the longitudinal conveying direction.

In another embodiment of the device according to the invention which has already been successfully tested by the inventors, the pouring devices are brought over the strand of packs with an endless belt until a pouring device is present in the correct position on each pack of a strand on a clamp receiver. Then - of course with the endless belt and the packs at a standstill - after actuation of the wipers, all pouring devices are pressed onto the respective hole of the filled pack. The packs are now sealed. For a rationally working and powerful device, the sealing station must also be correspondingly powerful. For this purpose, the pouring devices are fed from the belt intermittently through the respective hole in the top of the package, and in one embodiment the package is pressed against the pouring device from below, and in the other embodiment pushers which act approximately vertically from bottom to top respective pouring device on a clamp of an endless belt, which protrudes downward.

If the pouring devices are fed in strip form, a separation is of course necessary. This is done using knives. In a special embodiment, the isolated pouring devices are pressed onto the clamping receptacles. Then the wipers come into operation, which can be designed in a simple manner as rails and extend over the entire row of packs or along the endless belt, closely above the top floors of the pack rows.

It is furthermore advantageous according to the invention if the closing station has two processing stations arranged one behind the other in the transverse direction, of which the first one for placing the pouring device by means of the second conveyor, the clamp receptacles and the wipers and the second one for attaching the ones in the opening of the top floor pouring device attached to the pack are provided, this second processing position having a further lifting mechanism for the row of packs.

In another embodiment not described here, the pouring devices must be used on the one hand, and subsequently welded tight. If, according to the invention, two intermediate positions are provided in the area of the cross conveyor, sealing devices can also be provided in the second intermediate position. In another embodiment, it is expedient to glue the pouring device firmly. Then the second intermediate position in the area of the cross conveyor can be used for curing because additional time is available there. The lifting mechanism described is in any case expedient, since it can either be used to lift the packs onto the held pouring devices in the event of gluing, in order to bring the edge of the upper floor into engagement with the pouring device; or in the other embodiment the sealing can be done after lifting.

The device described above is particularly favorable for use in the manufacture of these packs, the packs being made entirely of plastic, including the pouring device placed in the sealing station. For example, the packs can be made in a thermoforming machine by deep drawing from two open shells and welding them to produce the pack, only the hole in the top floor of the pack being open. This hole is used at the same time to fill the package and then the hole is closed in the manner described above.

The use mentioned above is particularly advantageous for a plastic which is thermoformable and preferably a thermoplastic, e.g. Is polypropylene. PVC can also serve as such plastic, with polypropene also being widely known in the art as polypropylene. The package that can be closed with the device according to the invention then consists of perfectly reprocessable and easily rotten parts and materials (in contrast to composite materials, such as paper with plastic). In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plastic material, e.g. polypropene, can also be filled, the fillers here being chalk, mica, talc, gypsum or the like. In practice, filling levels of up to 70%, preferably 60%, have proven to be favorable. It has been shown that such filled plastic materials are easily rotten on the one hand, can of course also be easily reprocessed or recycled using simple methods, and on the other hand do not lose the properties of a plastic, so that plastic materials filled in this way are particularly deep-drawable and also sealable.

The consideration of the invention is therefore also directed to the use of a filling and closing device of the type described at the outset for the production of packs which are entirely consist of thermoformable, sealable and filled in the manner described above plastic materials, including the closure piece.

Figur 1

die Draufsicht auf eine Füll- und Verschließvorrichtung einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform, wobei die Längsförderrichtung die des Zuführförderers rechts ist und nach links gerichtet ist, wo auf der linken Seite der Abförderer zu sehen ist,

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung, wenn man in Figur 1 von unten nach oben blickt,

Figur 3

eine Schnittansicht etwa entlang der Linie III-III der Figur 2,

Figur 4

eine ähnliche Schnittansicht wie Figur 3, jedoch entlang der Linie IV-IV der Figur 2,

Figur 5

eine weitere ähnliche Schnittansicht entlang der Linie V-V der Figur 2,

Figur 6

eine schematisierte perspektivische Ansicht des Bewegungsablaufes der Packungsstränge,

Figuren 7 und 8

schematische Ansichten einer anderen Ausführungsform zum Aufbringen von Ausgießeinrichtungen in das Loch des Oberbodens einer Packung, wobei man in Figur 7 das Vereinzelungsmesser und den Aufschieber sieht,

Figur 8

schematisch drei aufeinanderfolgende Bearbeitungspositionen, wobei von rechts nach links zuerst die Position zum Füllen, dann zum Aufsetzen der Ausgießeinrichtung und schließlich links zum Verschweißen bei der speziellen Ausführungsform gezeigt ist,

Figuren 9 bis 11

abgebrochene vertikale Querschnittsansichten und Draufsichten einer Ausgießeinrichtung, die an einem zvlindermantelförmig hochstehenden Lochrand des Oberbodens einer Packung anbringbar sind, Figur 9 im geschlossenen Zustand, Figur 10 von oben und Figur 11 im geöffneten Zustand im Querschnitt wie Figur 9, und

Figur 12

schließlich perspektivisch eine vollständig aus Kunststoff bestehende Packung mit aufgesetzter aber geöffneter Ausgießeinrichtung.

Further advantages, features and possible applications of the present invention result from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the attached drawings. Show it:

Figure 1

the top view of a filling and closing device of a preferred embodiment, wherein the longitudinal conveying direction is that of the feed conveyor on the right and is directed to the left, where the discharge conveyor can be seen on the left side,

Figure 2

2 shows a side view of the device when looking upwards from below in FIG. 1,

Figure 3

2 shows a sectional view approximately along the line III-III in FIG. 2,

Figure 4

4 shows a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2,

Figure 5

2 shows a further similar sectional view along the line VV in FIG. 2,

Figure 6

2 shows a schematic perspective view of the sequence of movements of the packing strands,

Figures 7 and 8

schematic views of another embodiment for applying pouring devices into the hole in the top of a package, wherein the separating knife and the pusher can be seen in FIG. 7,

Figure 8

schematically three successive machining positions, the position from first to left being shown for filling, then for placing the pouring device and finally left for welding in the special embodiment,

Figures 9 to 11

broken vertical cross-sectional views and plan views of a pouring device which can be attached to a perforated rim of the top of a package, FIG. 9 in the closed state, FIG. 10 from above and FIG. 11 in the open state in cross section as in FIG. 9, and

Figure 12

finally, in perspective, a package made entirely of plastic with a pouring device attached but open.

From a deep-drawing and forming device 1, which is only shown schematically in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6, a number of, for example, ten adjacent packs 8, which are placed on a strip-shaped base 2, are obtained at the bottom. In Figures 1 and 2 now takes place Via the feed conveyor 3 in the form of a transport belt with deflection wheels around vertical axes, the packing strand 8 is pulled out in the direction of the arrow 4. A punching device 5 made of two pairs of rotating star rollers, which are arranged at a distance from one another, punches the one shown in FIG Pack 8 the triangles 7 (top) and 7 '(bottom) while passing in the direction of arrow 4. The row of packs 8 thus moves to the left into position I and stops there. It goes without saying that the feed conveyor 3 as well as the other conveyors and entrainment devices are driven intermittently in such a manner that, for example, the packing strands 8 removed from the deep-drawing and forming device 1 advance to position I and can be stopped in this position.

In the case of aseptic processing, the entire sterile room is sealed off all around by a sealed housing 9. At 10, a lock is provided, which is traversed by the strand of packs 8 when moving into housing 9. In the aseptic housing 9 there is a sterile atmosphere with a slight overpressure compared to the outside atmosphere.
In position I, any processing operations can be carried out on the stationary packs 8 in the stationary strand, in the case of aseptic treatment, for example, gassing to sterilize the interior of the pack 8; or other treatment steps. In position I, the standstill of the pack 8 rod lasts three seconds.

Then the packing strand 8 is moved in the direction of arrow 11 transversely upwards when viewing FIG. 1 in position II. This is done via the cross slide conveyor, which is not shown and described here, because conventional conveyors can be used for this movement. The change from position I to position II takes place within one second.

The so-called intermediate conveyor is again an endless belt with deflection rollers with vertical axes and is designated here by 12. It rotates in the direction of the curved arrow 13 and is also driven in a discontinuously controlled manner. The row of packs is now moved from position II to the left into position III by its movement. In this position there was an empty transport box 14 which is now filled. The arrangement of the gripping devices of the intermediate conveyor 12 are shown as radially protruding fingers, and the construction of the feed conveyor 3 and also of the discharge conveyor 25 are the same. With regard to the engagement height, it can be imagined from the illustration in FIG. 3 that the engagement fingers engage over the upper edge of the transport boxes 14, so that strands of packs 8 into the transport boxes 14 can be inserted or pulled out without the engaging fingers coming into contact and engagement with the transport boxes themselves.

In position III, the package strand 8 is now in the transport container 14 for three seconds, which e.g. is made of plastic and has good sliding and stability properties. It also took three seconds to move the package string 8 from position II to position III. While the pack strand then remains in position III for a further three seconds, no processing operations are carried out in this so-called first intermediate position. With further developments on the machine, appropriate manipulations can be carried out on the packs. The transport box located in the first intermediate position III is thus occupied with a packing strand 8 and is now pushed down into the position IV via the first cross conveyor in the transverse conveying direction 15. This is the second intermediate position in which the first cross conveyor stops after one second of movement.

Looking at FIG. 1, one sees three transport boxes 14 in each of the two left thirds of the housing 9, the first cross conveyor being arranged under the right three and the left cross conveyor under the left three transport boxes 14. The two deflection wheels of the first cross conveyor are designated in FIG. 2 below the level of the standing surface 2 with 105 and those of the left and second cross conveyor with 106. Since it is easy to imagine the structure of the cross conveyor for an endless belt, the reference numbers 105 and 106 also serve to designate the first 105 and second cross conveyor 106. The movement of the packs into position IV is a very gentle intervention because only the outer U-shaped transport container 14 is gripped and moved by only a small distance in the transverse conveying direction 15 to the position IV, which also takes a second.

From Figure 2 it can be seen that the position IV is that below the filling tubes 16 of a filling station, generally designated 17. In this position IV one can see in FIG. 2 how the packs 8 with their transport containers 14 can be moved freely in all directions below the filling tubes 16. Via the levers 18, which can also be seen in FIG. 4, the lifting of the transport container 14 begins vertically upwards via a cam control or a crank. In this case, the transport container 14 with the packs 8 of course remains in position IV according to FIG. 1. During this movement, the filling tubes 16 dip into the hole in the top floor of the package 8, so that the packing, encompassing the filling tube 16, over this up to one maximum upper position is pushed up. Then the valves of the filler 17 open and the filling process begins. The pack row 8 together with the transport container 14 slowly lowered during filling. This is done by controlling the levers 18 and via cams or cam controls 19. After the filling process has ended, the packing strand 8 is again at the height shown in FIG. The top of the pack is thus completely free again from the lower end of the filling tubes 16. The packs that are still in position IV are now completely filled but open at the top. The filling process takes place within three seconds, ie the packs are raised, filled and lowered.

The filled package strand is then transported down to position V in the transverse conveying direction according to arrow 15 '. A second is also available for this.

The next step is to convey the pack row 8 standing in the transport box 14 in the longitudinal conveying direction parallel to arrow 4, now to position VI, i.e. under a series of pouring devices, which are supplied in the form of strips parallel to one another and transversely to the conveying direction 4, as can be clearly seen in FIG. There are three seconds to move the packs to position VI. This is a lot of time for a distance of 1 m between positions V and VI. It is therefore a gentle movement, so that even the liquid in the packs cannot spill out of the open hole.

With reference to Figure 2, the transport container 14 with the packs 8 is located below and in front of an elongated, rotatable receiving device 20, namely a receiving device for the pouring devices, which is in tape form, e.g. ten side by side, can be fed into position VII. The band of the pouring devices thus moves over position VI.

Within a second, the transport box 14 is pushed into position VII against the direction of the arrow 15 '. This can now be seen in the illustration in FIG. 2. Below the elongated and rotatable receiving device 20 the row of packs 8 is now at a standstill. Position VII is exactly vertical under the shaft of this elongate receiving device 20, which can be rotated clockwise about its longitudinal axis.

Just as with the filling process in position IV described above, in position VII (also shown in FIG. 2), the entire transport box 14 with the filled, open packages 8 is pushed over push rods 21 and using a similar crank movement as in position IV raised and pushed onto the pouring devices seated on the mandrels 22 of the receiving device 20 and provided with a hot-melt thread. The following now occurs within three seconds: The transport box 14 with the packs 8 becomes raised, it remains in this position for a short time so that the hot glue thread, which is arranged on the outside of the pouring device, can cool and solidify in the edge of the top floor, after which the strand of the packs is moved back into the previous position, as in FIG 2 is shown. Only then, when the packs 8 have returned to the position of FIGS. 1 and 2, position VII, are the three seconds mentioned over.

The next transport in the direction of arrow 24 takes place within one second to position VIII by means of the second cross conveyor 106.

The transport box 14 remains in position VIII for three seconds. This time is sufficient for the removal or transportation of the packs 8 in the direction of arrow 4 to the left out of the box. This conveyor belt 25 is a conveyor belt similar to the intermediate conveyor 12, which also rotates in a direction according to the curved arrow 13. The transport container 14 remains in position VIII, while the strand of the packs 8 moves to the left through a separating device, generally designated 26. This separating device runs synchronously with the discharge conveyor 25 and separates the packs 8, which are shown individually in the left end position IX. The separating device 26 has knives which press against hard counterparts, so that the hard edges blow apart the relatively hard and brittle material lying between them.

Within a further second, the transport box 14 is moved from the position VIII by means of the second cross conveyor 106 upwards in the direction 24 to the position X.

Arrived in position X after one second, the empty transport box 14 does not remain there, i.e. it does not remain there for three seconds, but is moved to the right against the longitudinal conveying direction and into position XI within these three seconds. Note that positions VI and XI are shown in broken lines in FIG. This means that a specific snapshot of the two cross conveyors 105 and 106 is a position where the two dashed spaces are empty. Thus, while the package strand 8 is being emptied from the position VIII by the discharge conveyor 25, the transport box 14 is already being pushed into the position XI. The empty transport box 14 is thus moved in three seconds. The driver devices 27 'and 28 are therefore located under positions V and VI or X and XI.

From position XI, the empty transport box 14 is immediately brought back to position III and remains there for three seconds, during which it is loaded with another pack row 8 from the right.

Both the first driver device 27 'and the second driver device 28 extend over the entire length of both transport boxes 14 arranged one behind the other, i.e. via positions V and VI on the one hand and the device 28 via positions X and XI on the other. However, these driver devices 27 'and 28 are located under the stand area 2 and thus also under the support surfaces of the transport boxes. In recesses (not shown) on the underbody of the transport boxes 14, drivers 29 protruding from the upper run of the endless belt of the driver device 27 'or 28 engage, e.g. when the transport box 14 is in position X. If the driver device 28 then moves in the opposite longitudinal conveying direction, that is to say against arrow 4, then the second driver device 28 transports the transport box 14 in the direction of the arrow 27 to the right into the position XI. This transition takes place within three seconds.

FIG. 4 shows the endless belts of the first driver device 27 'on the right and the second driver device 28 on the left with the drivers 29.

Figure 4 shows positions XI and V as the two end positions. In position IV, the transport box 14 has just moved under the filling tube 16 so that the filling process can begin. FIG. 4 also shows the crank 30 driven by the motor 31 and also a curve 32 which, via a lever 33, moves the push rod 18 in the direction of the double arrow 33 upwards and later downwards again.

FIG. 5 differs from FIG. 4 inter alia in that a roller 34 is shown here, of which there are ten rollers in succession, as can be seen from above in FIG. A tape 35 of pourers is wound on each roll. According to FIG. 5, this tape is pulled upwards over a deflection roller 36 '. In between is a device 36 for heating and deep drawing with compressed air for the creation of the pouring devices. However, other manipulations of already existing pouring devices can also be carried out here.

The belt 35 of the pouring devices continues to pass a sterilization device 37 to the left in FIG. 5 and is guided to the above-mentioned receiving device 20 via guides 38. In a special embodiment, hot-melt threads are applied to the pouring devices by means of an adhesive application device 39.

FIG. 5 shows the push rod 31, which is driven by a common motor 31 or also by individual motors per unit and via a cam disk 40, so that it moves up and down via the lever 33 '.

Another embodiment of pouring device 104, 104a is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this second embodiment, one has to imagine a second conveyor 30 with an endless belt 31 on which clamping receptacles 36 are located, for applying and welding differently designed pouring devices onto the top of the pack 8. The axis 34 of a deflection roller 35 can be seen in FIG. 7. The purpose of the clamp receptacles 36 is to hold the pouring devices 104, 104a, which are briefly explained with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12. In Figure 12, the package 8 is shown with the front two side walls 40 and 41 and the flat top floor 102. This pack 8 was formed from two halves welded along a circumferential seam 42, an opening 103 with a circumferential edge 107 being formed in the top bottom 102. In this embodiment, the pouring device, generally designated 104, is welded onto this edge 107 of the opening or hole 103 in the upper floor 102. The device consists of a lower part 108 and a closure piece 110 connected to it via a hinge 109. The pouring device 104 is shown closed in FIG. 9, as can also be seen in the plan view of FIG. After opening, the closure piece 110 protrudes upwards in the manner shown in FIG. 11, the hole 103 of the pack 8 now being in communication with the surroundings and the pack being able to be emptied. This state can also be seen in perspective in FIG. 12.

While predetermined breaking lines 111 and sealing seams 112 are opened for opening, it must be understood that the prefabricated, separate pouring device 104, closed with unbroken lines 111, 112, is produced in the state of FIG. 9 and is kept in stock. Such a pouring device 104, which is ready to be placed in the hole and to close the pack, is shown in plan view in FIG. 10. A cup-shaped recess 113 can be seen, which, according to FIG. 7, is pushed onto the receiver 36 from the bottom upwards in the direction of the arrow 50 via the cylindrical jacket-shaped clamp receiver 36.

A band 35 of, for example, 2000 pouring devices 104 one behind the other is located on the winding roll 51 ', while a further roll, not shown, is arranged behind it. This band 35 is pulled off the roller 51 'and, after the deflecting roller 54' (FIG. 7) arranged underneath it rotates in the direction of the arrow 55, is fed horizontally on the web 56 'to a separating knife 57' which can be driven. When the foremost pouring device 104 has reached position 104a (FIG. 7), the piston 59 of an air cylinder 60 is located in the lower one Oscillation state, or it just moves downwards in the direction of the arrow 50. Then this left pouring device 104 is conveyed from position 104a one step to the left directly via a pusher 61, which carries a lower knife at its end assigned to the singling knife 57 '. If the pouring device 104 is in the position to the left of that of the device 104a, the air cylinder 60 can be actuated and the piston 59 with the pusher 61 can be pushed upward in the direction of the arrow 50, firstly and first the leftmost pouring device 104 is separated from the tape 35 and separated. It is then pushed upwards in the direction of arrow 50 onto the clamp receiver 36 on the lower run 58 of the endless belt 31. The clamp receiver 36 then pushes into the cup-shaped recess 113 of the pouring device 104 and fixes it on the endless belt 31. At a cycle of one second, an empty clamp sensor 36 is positioned every second via the air cylinder 60 with a separating knife 57, and a clamp sensor 36 can be provided with a pouring device 104 every second.

In FIG. 8, position IV can be seen on the right, in which the package 8 is located under the filling tube 16. To the left is a position IV 'in which the pouring devices are pushed into the edge 107 of the top surface of the pack 8 by the clamping receiver 36 by means of scraper rails 62.

The pouring device is to be welded in a position V '. A lifting mechanism, not shown, lifts the pack 8 in the direction of arrow 61. Heating jaws 68 are arranged movably on a guide rod 69 in the direction of the arrows 70 and ensure the preheating of the plastic parts to be welded to one another before the heating and counter-jaw actuated via an air cylinder 71 provides the necessary pressure, so that the pouring device 104 is firmly attached to it Edge 107 of the hole 103 is welded in the top floor 102.

After lowering onto the base 2 in the position V ', the row of packs is then filled and firmly closed with welded pouring devices 104, so that it can be brought into the end position IX by a conveyor similar to the embodiment of FIG.

Reference symbol list

1

Thermoforming and molding device

2nd

Footprint

3rd

Feed conveyor

4th

Direction of arrow, direction of conveyance

5

Punching device

7, 7 '

Triangles

8th

Packs

9

casing

10th

lock

11

arrow

12

Intermediate conveyor, endless belt

13

arrow

14

Transport case

15

Cross direction of conveyance

15 '

arrow

16

Filling pipes

17th

Filling station

18th

Push rod, lever

19th

Cams, cam controls

20th

Cradle

21

Push rods

22

Spines

24th

arrow

25th

Conveyor

26

Separator

27th

arrow

27 ', 28

Driver devices

29

Carrier

30th

Crank, conveyor

31

Push rod, endless belt, motor

32

Curve

33

Double arrow, lever

33 '

lever

34

Axis, roll

35

Pulley, tape

36

Clamps

36 '

Pulley

37

Sterilization facility

38

guides

39

Adhesive application device

40, 41

Sidewalls, cam

42

seam

50

arrow

51 '

Winding roll

54 '

Pulley

55

arrow

56 '

train

57 '

Separation knife

58

Lower run

59

piston

60

Air cylinder

61

Delay, arrow

62

Scraper rails

68

Heating jaws

69

Guide rod

70

Arrows

71

Air cylinder

102

Topsoil

103

hole

104, 104a

Pouring device

105, 106

Cross conveyor

107

edge

108

Lower part

109

hinge

110

Closure piece

111

Breaking lines

112

Sealed seams

113

cup-shaped depression

I.

position

II

position

III

position

IV

position

IV '

position

IX

End position

V

position

V '

position

VI

position

VII

position

VIII

position

X

position

XI

position

Claims (13)

Device for filling and closing plasticizer packs, in the upper floor (102) of which an opening (103) is arranged and the upper floor (102) can be connected to a pouring device (104), the device a) a first feed conveyor (3) with a base (2) for open, empty packs (8), b) conveyor (12, 105, 106, 27 ', 28, 25) for the intermittent movement of the packs (8) from a basic position (I) to individual intermediate positions (II - X, XI) and an end position (IX), c) a filling station (17), d) a sealing station (20) and e) has a removal conveyor (25), characterized in that in the sequence of movements behind the feed conveyor (3) a transverse sliding conveyor and between the feed conveyor (3) and the discharge conveyor (25) at a height below the standing surface (2) cross conveyor (105, 106) and driver devices (27 ', 28) an intermediate conveyor (12) is provided for the intermittent movement of transport boxes (14) and at a height above the transport boxes (14) and that the filling (17) and closing station (20) in the area of the cross conveyor (105, 106) at one level are arranged above the transport boxes (14). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport boxes (14) are each upwardly open, U-shaped in cross-section, containers of a length which corresponds to the length of the longest strand of packs (8) to be conveyed. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that two transverse conveyors (105, 106) are arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction (4) of the feed conveyor (3), which convey in opposite directions (15, 24) and between their end positions (XI, V; VI, X) have at least one intermediate position (III, IV; VII, VIII) below the filling station (17) or below the closing station (20). Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the conveying direction (4) of the feed conveyor (3) two driver devices (27 ', 28) conveying in opposite directions transversely next to one another for transferring the transport boxes (14) from a cross conveyor (105 ) are attached to the other (106). Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transverse conveyors (105, 106) and driver devices (27 ', 28) and preferably also the transverse sliding conveyor and / or the removal conveyor (25) have endless belts which run around horizontally arranged axes. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that recesses are provided under the support surface of the transport box (14) for receiving drivers attached to the driver devices (27 ', 28). Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the conveyors and driver devices (27 ', 28) are arranged within an aseptic space which is closed off by a housing (9) with locks (10). Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, in addition to the closing station (20), at least one roller (34, 51 ') with a wound band (35) of pouring devices (104) with a horizontal and in the conveying direction (4) of the feed conveyor (3) is arranged. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that each filler of the filling station (17) has a vertically downward filling tube (16) and that under and / or next to the standing rails in the area of the fillers a lifting mechanism for lifting the row of packs ( 8) is arranged over the filling pipes (16). Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the closing station (20) has conveying means for pouring devices (104) to be placed on the filled packages (8), which has an endless belt (31) with resilient clamping receptacles (36) projecting outwards ) have that in the region of the lower run (58) of the endless belt (31), which can be moved close above the packings (8), has wipers (62) movable in the vertical direction, and that pushers (61) movable in the vertical direction have Pushing the pouring device (104) onto the clamp receiver (36) is provided. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the closing station (66) (Figure 8) has two processing stations (IV ', V') arranged one behind the other in the transverse direction, of which the first (IV ') for placing the pouring device (104) by means of the second conveyor (31), the clamp receptacles (36) and the wipers (62) and the second (V ') are provided for attaching the pouring device (104) placed in the opening (103) of the top surface (102) of the pack (8), this second processing position (V') providing a further lifting mechanism for the row of packs (8). Use of a filling and closing device according to one of claims 1 to 11 for the production of packs which consist entirely of plastic, including the pouring device placed in the closing station. Use according to claim 12, characterized in that the plastic is thermoformable and also sealable, is preferably a plastic material filled up to 70%, chalk and / or mica and / or talc and / or gypsum being usable as fillers.

Images