EP0751894A1

EP0751894A1 - Device for protecting a vacuum pump from evacuated liquids

Info

Publication number: EP0751894A1
Application number: EP95913857A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hartwig Wollert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-03-25
Filing date: 1995-03-24
Publication date: 1997-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2015-03-24
Also published as: ATE175163T1; AU2108395A; DE59504694D1; EP0751894B1; DE4410290A1; WO1995026298A1

Abstract

When a vacuum pump (32) is used to produce a vacuum in rigid or flexible packaging (2), it is impossible to prevent liquids evacuated from the package from reaching the region of the pump (32). In order to prevent this from affecting or damaging the pump (32), the invention calls for a buffer tank (30) or similar device to be connected upstream of the pump (32). In a particularly simple and practical embodiment of the invention, the housing (2) of the vacuum-packaging machine is used as the buffer tank (30), one side of the housing (2) being fitted with a connection point (5) for connecting tubing (7) and the opposite side being fitted with a connection point (15) for the tubing (19) from the standard food packaging (21) to be evacuated. Any liquids evacuated from the packaging will have to pass through the housing (2) which is impossible, resulting in their collecting in the housing from where they can be removed without any great difficulty.

Description

Device for firing the VaVnmmpiimpe before evacuation liquids

Description

The invention relates to a device for producing a vacuum in rigid or flexible containers, in particular a vacuum packaging machine with a receptacle for the goods, a vacuum pump integrated in the receptacle and a connecting hose which is coupled to a connection bore opening into the interior of the receptacle.

Vacuum packaging machines of this type are used to make certain supplies, such as sliced sausage, more durable. For this purpose, these foods such as liver sausage, salads, soft cheese and. Ä. placed in a corresponding container, which is locked and which is connected to a vacuum pump to draw vacuum in the container. Bags are filled with food in the same way, whereupon the air is sucked out of the bag and the bag is then sealed. For this purpose, the receptacle has a correspondingly large interior space, into which a corresponding foil bag is hung in order to then be filled with the food. Thereupon the receptacle is closed and sucked empty via a vacuum pump which is generally integrated into the receptacle, for which purpose the vacuum pump is connected to the interior via a connecting hose and a connection hole, so that a vacuum in the interior is uniformly applied via the vacuum pump of the receptacle can be generated and thus also within the foil bag. After reaching the vacuum, this foil pouch is then sealed, so that the goods or food contained is protected from spoilage for a long time. Suitable pulling devices and control devices can be used to pull the Vacuum can be set and monitored. If external containers are to be vacuumed, a corresponding longer tube is connected to the connecting tube, which represents the connection to the external container to be vacuumed. Vacuum is then drawn simultaneously in the receptacle and in the connected container, but this has no disadvantageous effects, even if the receptacle itself would not necessarily have to be placed under vacuum during this time. Problems arise when the external containers to be vacuumed tend to topple over or, for other reasons, actually fall over, so that in particular liquids are sucked in through the hose and the connecting hose. As soon as they get into the vacuum pump, they lead to damage there and finally, in the relatively short term, to permanent failure of the vacuum pump. The costs for such vacuum pumps are relatively high, so that the damage thus caused means that air is usually only drawn off from external containers and a vacuum is created when these external containers do not contain any liquids.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for vacuuming food-holding containers, the vacuum pump of which is protected even in the case of fallen containers from the penetration of food components, in particular liquids.

The object is achieved in that a hose connection is provided on the outer wall of the receptacle, which has a connection to the interior via at least one bore, and that the hose connected there is connected with its free end to a container to be vacuumed, preferably a gastronorm container is.

In devices designed in this way, the interior or the entire receptacle acts as a blind tank, which first of all absorbs the liquids that are sucked in. takes and practically only forwards them in the direction of the vacuum pump when the entire interior is filled with the liquid or the corresponding food. According to the invention, the vacuum pump first of all sucks the interior of the receptacle empty via the connecting hose and the corresponding connection bore, in order to then or simultaneously also act on the gastronorm container or other container via the hose. It is conceivable that the receptacle is first applied to a vacuum by means of a corresponding circuit, only then to place the gastronorm container further behind, under a vacuum, as it were with a push. It is particularly advantageous that no further installations are required, but that the existing device can be used in practice, which only has to be expanded accordingly. Advantageously, the interior of the receptacle is quite large, so that work can be carried out without problems even when there are large streaks of bad luck without fear of destruction or damage to the vacuum pump. If such a case occurs, it is easily recognizable because the lid of the receptacle is made of plexiglass, so that the user can quickly determine that "something is wrong". Damage does not occur, but it is then only necessary to clean the interior of the receptacle in order to then go back into operation immediately.

A further expedient embodiment of the invention provides that the hose connection is arranged on the upper edge of the receptacle. As a result, practically the entire volume of the receptacle is available as a buffer or as a dummy boiler, so that even larger gastronorm containers can be vacuumed without any problems, since damage to the vacuum pump cannot occur even if food is tipped over and sucked in appropriately. In order to rule out that, when liquids are sucked in, they are virtually sucked from one connection bore to the other and then still reach the vacuum pump through them, the invention provides that one protruding into the interior of the receptacle before the hose connection or the bore Air throttle is arranged. This air throttle, which, according to an expedient development of the invention, is also arranged on the outlet-side hose connection bore, also prevents an air blow from the vacuum pump practically having an effect on the flexible casing which is in normal operation in the receptacle. The sucked-in air flow is rather made uniform by the air throttle, so that the problems described cannot occur, in particular the film cannot be quasi pressed or sucked onto the hose connection, which would lead to considerable problems.

A practical design of this air throttle provides that it is formed by a circular plate and a web fixed to the inner wall. This approximately one 5-mark piece plate can be supported by a correspondingly simple web or two correspondingly thin webs in such a way that they reliably meet the loads that occur.

In particular, the air throttle seated on the bore of the inlet-side hose connection has a special plate that has an outer edge that is curved toward the inner wall. As a result, the food sucked in via the hose, in particular the liquid, is hurled onto the plate and then, via the lower outer edge, is virtually passed back to the inner wall of the receptacle so that a virtually continuous flow of the food brought in can be achieved.

The device according to the invention, as stated above, uses the device used for other purposes Receiving container, wherein according to the invention a quick and safe changeover is made possible, namely that the hose connection and the hose end are designed to act together as a quick-release coupling. One part of the quick-release coupling sits on the hose connection, the other on the hose end, so that the parts can be plugged onto one another practically in order to quickly achieve a permanent connection. They can just as easily be taken apart again, which is usually done using a spring-loaded thrust ring. When the end of the hose is plugged in and the coupling responds, the device according to the invention is ready for operation and practically any external gastronorm container can be vacuumed without the risk that liquid may get into the vacuum pump. Any entrained liquid or other food residues would always be thrown against the air throttle and then sink into the receptacle, where they can be easily removed.

If the vacuum in the receptacle is to be maintained, for example if a gastronorm container is suitably vacuumed and a second one is now to be connected, it is advantageous if a non-return valve blocking the interior is integrated in the hose connection. The check valve is thus automatically closed when the vacuum pump is switched off, so that the vacuum present in the receptacle cannot evaporate.

Instead of in the side wall, specifically at the upper edge, the hose connection can also be integrated in the cover of the receptacle according to a further development of the invention. Similar to the arrangement at the upper edge of the inner wall, this arrangement also ensures that when liquid is sucked into the receptacle, this liquid cannot be sucked in by mistake through the opposite connection hole and can be led to the vacuum pump. If for some reason the receptacle should be kept free and not serve as a quasi dummy boiler, it is possible according to the invention that the hose connection is coupled to the connecting hose which is laid in the double wall of the receptacle and that the hose is connected via an intermediate blind boiler, the volume of which roughly corresponds to that of a gastronorm container. It goes without saying that here the gastronorm container means one of the large-volume gastronorm containers and not an extremely small size. The purpose of the dummy kettle is to ensure that any liquid or other substances that have been sucked in can also be safely deposited in the dummy kettle without the risk of these foods being sucked into the vacuum pump. Similar to liquids, the vacuum pump reacts allergically to corresponding dusts, so that it is advisable in any case to interpose a dummy boiler in such a case. The hose is separated at any point and opens into the blind pot at two points, so that the food which is possibly also accidentally sucked in can be collected and removed without problems.

It has already been pointed out above that if such a combined vacuum packaging machine is not available, there is also the possibility of working with simple stand-alone vacuum pumps, namely in that between the vacuum pump and the gastronorm container a dummy boiler is arranged, into which the hose ends from the gastronorm container or vacuum pump open at the upper edge. Here, too, the dummy boiler, which is virtually inserted into the hose, is used to remove any harmful substances from the sucked-in air, so that only the components of the sucked-in air that are not dangerous to the pump can also be sucked through them.

A particularly expedient version provides for this. that the blind boiler has two partial boilers which are detachably connected to one another, one being designed to receive the hose ends and the other to have the receiving space. The partial boiler receiving the hose ends can thus remain in the installed form if the receiving space should be completely filled. The corresponding partial boiler is simply detached from the first partial boiler and then cleaned and emptied accordingly in order to then be available for use again. This design is also advantageous because the partial boiler having the receiving space can of course be cleaned more easily than a correspondingly complex overall boiler.

If it is desired to achieve a certain separation between the food accidentally sucked in, it can be advantageous if the side walls and / or the bottom of the partial kettle inserted in the partial kettle having the receiving space are perforated. The sucked-in foodstuffs are thus first sucked into the region of the upper partial boiler, which is arranged somewhat more deeply, for example, in order then to be separated into solid and liquid parts. The liquid parts can flow through the side walls and / or the floor into the lower part of the boiler. It goes without saying that the bores, recesses or the like in the side walls and the bottom must be designed in such a way that backflow or other problems cannot occur here.

The invention is characterized in particular by the fact that a device is created which can be used advantageously in the vacuuming of food, in particular, and which also uses available aggregates, at least to a large extent. The corresponding securing device is very versatile because an integrated system is available via the large receptacle, which has high performance. Quasi the other part of the vacuum device is simply connected to the interior of the receptacle via a plug connection, so that the the negative pressure prevailing there is automatically and quickly established in the container to be vacuumed and arranged outside. The container located outside and to be vacuumed is connected to the interior of the receptacle via a hose in a practically simple manner, so that the interior of the receptacle serves as a safety zone against the ingress of liquid into the vacuum pump.

Further details and advantages of the subject matter of the invention emerge from the following description of the associated drawing, in which a preferred exemplary embodiment is shown with the necessary details and individual parts. Show it:

1 is a perspective view of the securing device,

2 shows a section through the wall in the area of the connection bore,

3 shows a further illustration of the section according to FIG. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a

Safety device with dummy boiler and

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a stand-alone vacuum pump with a dummy boiler.

The securing device 1 shown in FIG. 1 consists first of all of the cube-like receptacle 2 here, the interior 3 of which can be equipped, for example, with film containers and foodstuffs via the cover 4. In order to make the individual parts more visible, the cover 4 is shown partially folded up. As a result, a connection bore 5 is visible on the back of the receptacle 2 and is connected to the vacuum pump (not shown here) via a connecting hose 7 laid in the double wall 6. By running the vacuum pump, the entire interior 3 can thus be brought under vacuum. After closing the not shown here Foil bags over the foil connector 8, the interior 3 can then be brought back to normal pressure so that the vacuumed bags can be removed.

On the front of the receptacle 2, a pressure indicator 9 can be seen, which makes it easy for the operator to see how far the vacuum in the interior 3 has progressed. A control panel 10 is also provided on the front, via which the various necessary functions can be achieved or initiated.

On the outer wall 11 in the upper area, closures 12, 13 are provided, by means of which the cover 4 can be fixed when vacuum is to be drawn in the interior 3.

On the outer wall 11 in the upper area, i.e. H. In the area of the upper edge 16, a hose connection 15 is provided, which is connected to the interior 3 via at least one bore 17 or 18 or enables a connection to the interior 3. The hose 19 indicated here can be connected to this hose connection 15 and has a plug-shaped part at the hose end 27 for this purpose. This is a tendon 11 closure coupling, the corresponding parts of the hose end 27 and the hose connection 15 being designed correspondingly.

At the free end 20, the hose 19 has a connecting part with a gastronorm container 21, so that vacuum can be generated in this gastronorm container 21 when the hose 19 is appropriately applied.

It can happen that the gastronorm container 21, which has a narrower base as a lid, falls over, so that liquid present in the gastronorm container 21 is then also sucked in via the hose 19. This liquid would then also enter the interior space 3 via the bores 17, 18 without the risk of that this liquid then passes through the connecting hose 7 to the vacuum pump, not shown here.

Even at high pressure, accidental entrainment of liquid from the hose connection 15 to the connection bore 5 is excluded because an air throttle 22 is provided on the inner wall 24 of the receiving container 2, which is shown enlarged in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3 is. This air throttle 22 consists of a plate 23 and a web 25, it being possible for two or three webs to be provided instead of the web 25 in order to secure the plate 23. FIG. 3 additionally illustrates that the outer edge 23 can be bent towards the inner wall 24 in order to forcibly bring liquid that is also flung with it to the inner wall 24.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the air throttle 22 is combined with a check valve 28, which ensures that the vacuum effect which has been sucked in and achieved is retained in the receiving container 2 if, for example, the gastronorm container 21 is replaced by a new Gastronorm container to be replaced. If the new gastronorm container is then connected, vacuum does not have to be generated in the interior 3 of the receptacle 2 again, but it is already present here due to the check valve 28.

FIG. 4 shows a somewhat different embodiment, in which a blind tank 30 is connected in the hose 19, which serves to catch any liquids that may also be sucked in, if one does not want to impair the interior 3 of the receptacle 2 accordingly. Here, the free end 20 is connected to one side of the dummy boiler 30, while the hose end 29 is connected to the other side.

FIG. 5 finally shows an embodiment in which a stand-alone pump 32 is used, which is supplied to the consumer (not shown here) via the hose 19 is connected and which can also be a gas standard container 21. Therefore, the hose 19 is also drawn with an arc in the direction of FIG. 4.

A blind boiler 30 consisting of the two partial boilers 33, 34 is switched into the hose 19, the two partial boilers being releasably connected to one another. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the partial boiler 33 is partially shown extending into the partial boiler 34, recesses 37 being provided in the side walls 36 and / or in the bottom, so that when liquid enters the partial boiler 33 into the Part boiler 34 arrives. The free end 20 of the hose 19 is connected to the upper partial boiler 33 and opposite the hose end 29, an air throttle 22 being arranged upstream of this or both. Both hose connections 20 and also 29 are provided on the upper edge 38 of the partial boiler 33.

In the device according to FIG. 5, when the vacuum pump 32 was started up, vacuum would first be drawn in the partial boiler 33 and also 34 and in the gastronorm container 21. Should the gastronorm container fall over during this or while the other operation is in progress and liquid flow through the hose 19, this liquid or the transportable foodstuffs would reach the partial kettle 33 via the hose end 29 and sink there and via the holes in the side walls 36 get into the lower partial boiler 34. As soon as the accident is noticed, the vacuum pump 32 is switched off and the gastronorm container is brought back into the correct position. Then it is only necessary to detach the partial boiler 34 from the partial boiler 33, after which the air balance has been provided, and then to clean the receiving space 35 of the partial boiler 34, so that the entire device is then available again for further operation.

All mentioned features, including those of the drawings alone to be extracted are considered alone and in combination as essential to the invention.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Device for producing a vacuum in rigid or flexible containers, in particular a vacuum packaging machine with a receptacle for the goods, a vacuum pump integrated in the receptacle and a connecting hose which is coupled to a connection bore opening into the interior of the receptacle is characterized, in that a hose connection (15) is provided on the outer wall (11) of the receptacle (2) and has a connection to the interior (3) via at least one bore (17; 18), and that the hose (19 ) is connected with its free end (20) to a container to be vacuumed, preferably a gastronorm container (21).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, that the hose connection (15) is arranged on the upper edge (16) of the receptacle (2).

3. Device according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e that in the interior (3) of the receptacle (2) protruding air throttle (22) is arranged in front of the hose connection (15) or in front of the bore (17, 18).

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the air throttle (22) consists of a circular plate (23) and a web (25) fixed to the inner wall (24).

5. The apparatus of claim 4, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e that the plate (23) has an outer edge (26) bent to the inner wall (24).

6. The device of claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e that the hose connection (15) and the hose end (27) are formed together acting as a quick release coupling.

7. The device according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e that in the hose connection (15) against the interior (3) blocking check valve (28) is integrated.

8. The device according to claim 1 to claim 7, that the hose connection (15) is integrated in the cover (4) of the receptacle (2).

9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hose connection (15) with the connecting hose (7), which is ver¬ in the double wall (6) of the receptacle (2), is coupled and that the hose (19) via a interposed dummy boiler (30), the volume of which corresponds approximately to that of a gastronorm container (21).

10. Device for producing a vacuum in rigid or flexible containers, in particular a vacuum packaging machine with a stand-alone vacuum pump and hose, which represents the connection to the gastro standard container to be vacuumed, characterized in that between the vacuum pump (32) and the gastronome container (21) a dummy boiler (30) is arranged, in which the hose ends (20, 29) from the gastronomy container or vacuum pump at the upper edge (38).

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the dummy boiler (30) has two partial boilers (33, 34) which are detachably connected to one another, one receiving the hose ends (20, 29) and the other the receiving space (35) are trained.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 and claim 11, so that the side walls (36) and / or the bottom (37) of the partial boiler (34) inserted into the partial boiler (34) having the receiving space (35) are perforated.