EP0649814A1 - Filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotary-type filling machine with an upper machine part (5) which bears the filling element (10) and can be adjusted in height relative to a lower machine part (4). A container support (11) with lifting element (12) is assigned to each filling element (10). Said lifting element acts between the vertically adjustable machine part (5) and container support (11) in order to raise and lower the latter for a press-on displacement. The press-on displacement is limited to a value which is smaller than the maximum nominal displacement exhibited by the respective lifting element due to its type of construction. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a filling machine of the rotating type for filling bottles or the like. Container according to the preamble of claim 1.

A filling machine of this type is known (DE 17 57 804). In the known filling machine, the lifting elements are provided on the lower machine part, so that the contact forces when the bottles are pressed against the filling elements also act between the lower (first) and upper (second) machine parts of the rotor.

The object of the invention is to show a filling machine in which the first machine part of the rotor is largely kept free of such contact forces.

To solve this problem, a filling machine is designed according to the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

In the filling machine according to the invention, the contact forces act completely within the second machine part on which the filling elements are provided and which is adjustable in height. For this purpose, only those lifting elements are actuated for lifting whose container carrier is occupied by a container.

In the sense of the invention, “nominal stroke” is to be understood as the maximum stroke that a lifting element could carry out due to its design.

With the design according to the invention it can also be achieved that the respective lifting element in the lower lifting position of the pressing stroke exerts only an extremely small force on parts of the rotor, this force being many times smaller than the pressing force, while in the known one mentioned at the outset Filling machine with the lifting element in the lower stroke position of the pressure stroke Forces act between the first (lower) rotating machine part of the rotor and the stroke curve provided on a machine frame, which correspond to the respective contact pressure.

By limiting the pressure stroke to a value which is smaller than the nominal stroke, it is also advantageously prevented that, in the event of bottles bursting, fragments are raised by the container carrier to such an extent that they are located directly under the filling element.

Especially when processing plastic bottles (PET bottles) there is still the possibility of adjusting the filling machine by means of the height adjustment so that the force with which the bottles are pressed with their mouths onto the respective filling element is sufficient for the filling process, excessive stress on the bottles is prevented.

Developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Darstellung und im Schnitt eine Füllmaschine gemäß der Erfindung zum Füllen von Flaschen mit einem flüssigen Füllgut;

Fig. 2

in vergrößerter Darstellung eines der am Ringkessel der Füllmaschine vorgesehenen Füllelemente, zusammen mit dem zugehörigen Flaschenträger in Form eines Flaschentellers und dem Hubelement;

Fig. 3

den Flaschenteller bei einer weiteren, möglichen Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures using an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a simplified representation and in section, a filling machine according to the invention for filling bottles with a liquid filling material;

Fig. 2

in an enlarged view one of the filling elements provided on the ring bowl of the filling machine, together with the associated bottle carrier in the form of a bottle plate and the lifting element;

Fig. 3

the bottle plate in a further possible embodiment of the invention.

The filling machine shown in the figures is used to fill bottles 1 with a liquid filling material and has, among other things, in a known manner. a lower machine frame 2, on which a rotor 3 is rotatably mounted about a vertical machine axis and can be driven in rotation about this machine axis by a drive, not specified. The rotor 3 consists of a lower, rotating machine part 4 and an upper, likewise rotating machine part 5, which is held above the machine part 4 by means of several columns 6. The columns 6 are each height-adjustable columns with a spindle drive for simultaneous and uniform adjustment of all columns 6 and thus raising and lowering the upper machine part 5 with respect to the lower machine part 4, a common adjustment drive 7 is provided for all columns 6.

Due to the adjustable columns 6 or the height adjustment of the upper machine part 5 that can be achieved with these columns, processing of bottles 1 with different heights is possible in the design of the filling machine, which will be described in detail later. For this purpose, the size or the stroke of the height adjustment (adjustment stroke) is greater than the height difference of the different bottles 1 which are to be processed with the filling machine.

On the upper machine part 5, an annular bowl 8 concentrically surrounding the machine axis is provided for the liquid filling material. In the area of the outside of the ring bowl 8, the filling elements 10 of the filling machine are fastened to a ring 9 concentrically enclosing the machine shaft, connected to the ring bowl 8 and protruding from the underside thereof, and distributed at uniform angular intervals around the vertical machine shaft.

The filling elements 10 are those without a functional element that can be inserted into the bottles 1, such as a filling tube, a filling height-determining probe, etc., so that the respective bottle 1 can be pressed against the filling element 10 for filling with the liquid filling material and for a this filling possibly preceding treatment phase, a relatively small contact stroke (e.g. in the order of 10 mm) is sufficient. For the lifting and lowering of the respective bottle 1, a bottle carrier 11 is arranged under each filling element 10, which bottle forms a base for the bottom of the respective bottle 1 and can be moved up and down in accordance with the pressing stroke.

Relative to the machine axis, a lifting element 12 in the form of a double-acting lifting element is provided radially inward with respect to the filling element 10 or its axis FA, the axis of said lifting element being parallel to the axis FA and the upper end of the cylinder 13 being held on the ring 9 . The piston rod 14 of the lifting element 12 projecting over the lower end of the cylinder 13 is fastened with its lower, free end to the plate-shaped bottle carrier 11, to be precise in an area of this bottle carrier which is related to the machine axis with respect to that area which is used as a standing area for the Serves bottles 1, is offset radially inwards.

Relative to the vertical machine axis, a flow meter 15 with associated electronics 16 is provided, offset radially inward relative to the lifting element 12. With this flow meter 15, the amount of liquid filling material flowing to the respective bottle 1 is measured during filling, so that when a filling quantity corresponding to the target filling quantity is reached, a signal which closes a liquid valve of the filling element 10 concerned is generated.

On the lower, revolving machine part 4, a narrow ring 17 is fastened on the outside to the radially projecting arms 4 ′, which forms a contact surface or stop for all bottle carriers 11, against which these bottle carriers, with the upper side of its partial region projecting radially over the circumference of the machine part 4 rest with the underside in the lower position of the pressure stroke, in an area that is radially within the axes of the lifting elements 12 with respect to the vertical machine axis.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the peripheral surface 17 ′ of the ring 17 has a radial distance from the vertical machine axis that is smaller than the radial distance that the axes of the lifting elements 12 have from this machine axis. For additional guidance and to prevent rotation, on each bottle carrier 11 a projecting over the underside of this bottle carrier, with its axis parallel to the machine axis and to the filling element axis FA, is provided guide pin 18, which has its axis in a common plane with the machine axis and the axis of the respective one Lifting element 12 is located, but is offset radially inwards with respect to the axis of the lifting elements with respect to the machine axis and is guided axially displaceably in a guide opening 19 of the ring 17. At its lower end projecting above the underside of the ring 17 or the guide there, each guide pin 18 is provided with a head 20 which bears against the underside of the ring 17 in the uppermost possible stroke position of the pressure stroke. The maximum possible contact stroke is thus limited by the length of the guide pin 18.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder 13 forms two cylinder spaces on both sides of the piston 21 connected to the piston rods 13, namely the lower cylinder space 22 and the upper cylinder space 23.

The effective axial length of the cylinder 13, ie the maximum possible stroke or nominal stroke that the piston 21 could carry out in the axial direction due to the length of the cylinder 13, is significantly greater than the contact stroke, ie this nominal stroke of each lifting element 12 is greater than the sum from the pressure stroke and the adjustment stroke or greater than the sum of the pressure stroke and the height difference of the bottles to be processed with the filling machine 1.

The lifting element 12 is also designed such that, in the uppermost position of the adjusting stroke and in the lowest position of the pressing stroke, a cylinder space 22 with sufficient volume and in the same way in the lowest position of the adjusting stroke and in the uppermost position of the pressing stroke, a cylinder space 23 remain with sufficient volume for the piston movement.

The cylinder chamber 23 is connected via a pressure control valve 24 to a line 25 common to all lifting elements 12 for a gaseous pressure medium, in particular compressed air. The lower cylinder chamber 22 of each lifting element 12 is connected to a line 27 for the gaseous pressure medium via an electrically actuated, pneumatic control valve 26. The control valve 26 can be controlled between two switching positions. In the one position shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder chamber 22 is vented to the atmosphere, for example, via the control valve 26. In the other position, the cylinder space is connected to the line 27 common to all lifting elements or lifting elements 12, so that the pressure p1 of the line 27 is then present in the relevant cylinder space 22. With the help of the control valve 24, a very small pressure p2 is set in the cylinder chamber 23, in such a way that this pressure p2 is just sufficient when the cylinder chamber 22 is ventilated, so that the piston 21 and with it also the bottle carrier 11 against existing frictional forces reliably into the lower one To move the position of the pressure stroke. The pressure p2 in the line 27 and thus the pressure prevailing in the second switching position of the control valve 26 in the cylinder chamber 22 is substantially greater, so that in the second switching position of the control valve 26 the piston 21 is affected by the pressure p2 acting on the lower piston surface and with this piston also the bottle carrier 11 and the bottle 1 are raised and the bottle 1 is pressed with its mouth against the filling element 10 with the required force.

The control valve 26 individually assigned to each filling point (in particular consisting of the filling element 10, the bottle carrier 11 and the lifting element 12) is, depending on the presence of a bottle 1 and / or depending on the position of the rotor 3, possibly also depending on controlled further signals.

For the processing or filling of bottles 1 of a certain type of bottle, the height of the upper machine part 5 is adjusted with the aid of the adjustment drive 7 so that only a part of the maximum possible contact stroke is required to move the respective bottle 1 from a lower position bring the bottle 1 standing on the bottle carrier 11 with its bottle mouth from the respective filling element 10 into a sealing position with the filling element 10. For each bottle carrier 11, a sensor 28 is provided which provides a signal when the bottle carrier 11 in question has reached the uppermost possible position of the pressure stroke, which can mean that there is no or no bottle with a suitable height on the bottle carrier 11 but there is a burst bottle. With the signal of the sensor 28, for example, an opening of the liquid valve of the filling element 10 in question is prevented or the closing of the liquid valve of the filling element 10 in question is caused. Furthermore, this signal causes the control valve 26 to switch to the first switch position for venting the cylinder chamber 22.

With 28 'a fixed sensor is designated, which is provided on the movement path of the bottle carrier 11 at the end of the pretensioning zone of the rotary movement of the rotor 3 for all bottle carriers together and always delivers a signal when a bottle carrier 11 moving in the highest possible position of the Contact stroke is located.

The advantages of the filling machine described include the fact that, in addition to the possibility of individual control of the bottle carrier 11, all forces for pressing the Bottles 1 against the filling elements 10 are only effective in the upper machine part 5 and are not transferred to the lower machine part 4. Despite the height adjustment, a defined position of the bottle carrier 11 in the lower position of the pressure stroke is ensured for the upper machine part 5, and in this lower position of the pressure stroke, the bottle carriers 11 lie against the machine part 4 or with only an extremely low force. against the ring 17 there.

• 1. Übernahme der Flaschen 1 von einem Einschubstern auf den Flaschenträger 11.
  Für diese Übernahme befindet sich das jeweilige Steuerventil 26 in der ersten Schaltstellung, d.h. der Zylinderraum 23 ist mit leichtem Überdruck p2 beaufschlagt und der Zylinderraum 22 entlüftet, so daß der betreffende Flaschenträger 11 in der untersten Stellung des Anpreßhubes mit geringer Kraft von oben gegen den Ring 17 anliegt.
• 2. Anpressen der Flasche 1.
  Nach dem Überschub der Flasche 1 wird das Steuerventil 26 in die zweite Schaltstellung geschaltet, so daß der Zylinderraum 23 mit dem höheren Überdruck p1 beaufschlagt und hierdurch die Flasche 1 mit dem erforderlichen Anpreßdruck gegen das Füllelement 10 angepreßt wird.
• 3. Platzende Flaschen 1.
  Bei einer platzenden oder berstenden Flasche 1 wird der betreffende Flaschenträger 11 bis in die oberste mögliche Stellung des Anpreßhubes bewegt. Durch das vom Sensor 28 gelieferte Signal wird ein Öffnen des Flüssigkeitsventils verhindert oder ein bereits geöffnetes Flüssigkeitsventil geschlossen. Weiterhin wird durch das vom Sensor 28 gelieferte Signal auf ein Umschalten des Steuerventils 26 in die erste Schaltstellung bewirkt, so daß hierdurch auch eine Krafteinwirkung auf den Ring 17 über den Anschlag bzw. Kopf 20 verhindert ist.

The following mode of operation results for the filling machine:

• 1. Takeover of bottles 1 from an insert star onto bottle holder 11.
  For this takeover, the respective control valve 26 is in the first switching position, ie the cylinder space 23 is subjected to a slight excess pressure p2 and the cylinder space 22 is vented, so that the bottle carrier 11 in question in the lowest position of the pressure stroke against the ring with little force from above 17 is present.
• 2.Press the bottle 1.
  After the bottle 1 has been pushed over, the control valve 26 is switched to the second switching position, so that the cylinder chamber 23 is subjected to the higher overpressure p1 and the bottle 1 is thereby pressed against the filling element 10 with the required contact pressure.
• 3. Bursting bottles 1.
  In the event of a bursting or bursting bottle 1, the bottle carrier 11 in question is moved into the uppermost possible position of the pressure stroke. The signal supplied by the sensor 28 prevents the liquid valve from opening or closes an already opened liquid valve. Furthermore, the signal supplied by the sensor 28 changes the control valve 26 causes in the first switching position, so that this also prevents a force acting on the ring 17 via the stop or head 20.

2 shows a simplified representation of a bottle carrier 11a and a ring 17a of a further embodiment, which defines the lower stroke position and corresponds to the ring 17.

The ring 17a is designed such that the edge 17a 'is at a radial distance from the radical machine axis which is greater than the corresponding distance of the axis of the lifting element, from which only the lower end of the piston rod 14a corresponding to the piston rod 14 is shown. An extension 14a 'of the piston rod 14 projects beyond the underside of the bottle carrier 11a and, like the guide pin 18a corresponding to the guide pin 18, is axially displaceably guided in a bore 29 of the ring 17a. In this embodiment, the guide pin 18a does not have the stop or head, but the head 30 is provided on the extension 14a 'to limit the maximum possible contact stroke or to determine the uppermost possible position of this contact stroke. The guide pin 18a and the extension 14a 'provide an improved rotation lock. Furthermore, bending moments on the piston rod 14a and on the bottle carrier 11a are avoided if the head 30 comes to rest against the underside of the ring 17a in the uppermost possible position of the pressing stroke.

In order to achieve the most gentle possible lowering of this bottle 1 after filling a bottle 1 without disturbing the liquid filling material, it may be expedient to provide a roller 31 on the head 30 which interacts with a control curve 32 which does not move with the rotor 3 and which controls the lowering of the respective bottle carrier 11a.

2, 33 denotes a protection surrounding the piston rod 14. This consists, for example, of a piece of pipe which concentrically surrounds the piston rod 14, is fastened at its lower end to the bottle carrier 11 and rests telescopically on the outer surface of the cylinder 13. A bellows can also be used instead of the pipe section.

Reference list

1

bottle

2nd

Machine frame

3rd

rotor

4, 5

Machine part

6

pillar

7

Adjustment drive

8th

Ring bowl

9

ring

10th

Filling element

11, 11a

Bottle carrier

12th

Lifting element

13

cylinder

14

Piston rod

15

Flow meter

16

electronics

17, 17a

ring

17 ', 17a'

scope

18th

Guide pin

19th

Guide opening

20th

head

21

piston

22, 23

Cylinder space

24th

Pressure control valve

25th

Pressure line

26

Control valve

27

Pressure line

28

sensor

29

Pilot hole

30th

head

31

role

32

Control curve

33

protection

Claims (22)

Filling machine of all-round design for filling a liquid filling material into bottles (1) or similar containers, with a rotor (3) which can be driven to rotate about a vertical machine axis and which on a first machine part (4) has a second machine part which can be adjusted in height in the direction of the machine axis within an adjustment stroke (5), with a plurality of filling elements (10) each forming a filling point on the second machine part (5), with container carriers (11, 11a), each of which is assigned to each filling element (10), and each with at least one Piston-cylinder arrangement formed lifting devices (12), each of which has a maximum nominal stroke determined by its construction, and each of which is assigned to a container carrier (11, 11a) and between the rotor (3) and the container carrier (11, 11a) acts to this within a pressure stroke between a lower stroke position and an upper stroke position for pressing a Move container (1) against the associated filling element (10), with at least one first cylinder space (22) in each lifting element (12), which is used to lift the container carrier (11, 11a) into the upper lifting position and to generate a contact pressure a first pressure (p1) of a pressure medium, preferably compressed air, and means for determining the lower stroke position of the pressure stroke independently of the height adjustment, characterized in that each lifting element (12) between the container carrier (11, 11a) and the second machine part (5) acts that the means for setting the lower stroke position is formed by a stop (17, 17a) which is provided for the container supports (11, 11a) on the lower machine part (4), that each lifting element (12) means (23) in order to prestress the respective container carrier (11, 11a) for a movement into the lower stroke position and for an abutment against the stop (17, 17a), that a control valve ntileinrichtung (26) is provided with which the first cylinder space (22) of each lifting element (12) is controlled with the first pressure (p1) of the pressure medium for lifting the container carrier (11, 11a) can be acted upon and vented for lowering the container carrier (11, 11a), and that means (18, 20; 14a ', 30) are provided which control the pressing stroke limit to a value that is smaller than the nominal stroke. Filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for prestressing each container carrier (11, 11a) into the lower stroke position of the pressing stroke are formed by a second cylinder space (23) of each lifting element (12) which is operated with a second pressure (p2) of the Media is pressurized. Filling machine according to claim 2, characterized by means with which the second cylinder space (23) can be acted upon permanently with the second pressure (p2). Filling machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the second pressure (p2) is significantly lower than the first pressure (p1). Filling machine according to one of claims 2-4, characterized in that the piston-cylinder arrangements forming the lifting elements (12) each have the two cylinder spaces (22, 23) in a common cylinder (13) on both sides of the piston (21). Filling machine according to one of claims 1-5, characterized in that each lifting element (12) or the piston-cylinder arrangement forming this lifting element is designed for a maximum stroke which is greater than the pressing stroke plus the adjusting stroke. Filling machine according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that means (20, 30) are provided in order to limit the pressing stroke to a value which is smaller than the adjusting stroke. Filling machine according to claim 7, characterized in that a further stop (20, 30) is formed to limit the pressing stroke on the respective container carrier (11, 11a) or on a guide piece (18, 14a '), which is in the uppermost position of the pressing stroke comes into contact with a counterstop, preferably on the first machine part (4). Filling machine according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that the stop for the container carriers (11, 11a) is formed by a ring (17, 17a) provided on the first machine part (4). Filling machine according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the counter-stop for the further stop is formed on a ring (17, 17a) provided on the first machine part (4). Filling machine according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the ring (17, 17a) is held on a plurality of arms (4 ') projecting radially from the first machine part (4). Filling machine according to one of claims 1-11, characterized in that each container carrier (11, 11a) has at least one guide rod or a guide pin (18, 18a, 14a ') which extends over the underside of the container carrier (11, 11a) stands out and engages in a guide opening (19, 29) in the lower machine part (4), preferably in the ring (17, 17a) there. Filling machine according to claim 12, characterized in that the guide rod or the guide pin (18, 18a, 14a ') have a cross-section deviating from the circular shape, for example a square cross-section, and that the cross-section of the guide opening (19, 29) corresponds to the cross-section the guide rod or the guide pin is adapted. Filling machine according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the guide rod (14a ') is part of a piston rod (14) of the respective lifting element (12). Filling machine according to one of claims 1-14, characterized in that the piston-cylinder arrangement forming the respective lifting element (12) is fastened with its cylinder (13) to the upper machine part (5), and that at the lower end of the piston rod (14 , 14a) of the container carrier (11, 11a) is provided. Filling machine according to one of claims 1-15, characterized in that the filling elements (10) are those without probes which can be inserted into the container or the like. Filling machine according to one of claims 1-16, characterized in that each lifting element (12) has a roller (31) which, against the action of the means for prestressing the container carrier (11, 11a) into the lower lifting position, against a control cam (32 ) supports. Filling machine according to claim 17, characterized in that the roller (31) is provided below the container carrier (11, 11a). Filling machine according to one of claims 1-16, characterized by at least one sensor (28, 28 ') for the container carrier (11, 11a), which delivers a sensor signal when a bottle carrier (11, 11a) reaches the uppermost possible stroke position of the pressure stroke has taken. Filling machine according to claim 19, characterized in that a separate sensor (28) is provided for each container carrier (11, 11a). Filling machine according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that a sensor (28 ') is provided for all container carriers (11, 11a). Filling machine according to one of the preceding claims 1-21, characterized by a protection (33) for the piston rod (14) of the respective lifting element (12).

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