EP1020360A2 - Automatische Schwerkraftfüllanlage mit einem Reinigungssystem mit vollständigem Abschaben - Google Patents

Automatische Schwerkraftfüllanlage mit einem Reinigungssystem mit vollständigem Abschaben Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1020360A2
EP1020360A2 EP00100548A EP00100548A EP1020360A2 EP 1020360 A2 EP1020360 A2 EP 1020360A2 EP 00100548 A EP00100548 A EP 00100548A EP 00100548 A EP00100548 A EP 00100548A EP 1020360 A2 EP1020360 A2 EP 1020360A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
heads
duct
tubular
automating
filling machine
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP00100548A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1020360B1 (de
EP1020360A3 (de
Inventor
Alessandro Delmonte
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
UNI-MAC Srl
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UNI-MAC Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
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Publication date
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Publication of EP1020360A2 publication Critical patent/EP1020360A2/de
Publication of EP1020360A3 publication Critical patent/EP1020360A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1020360B1 publication Critical patent/EP1020360B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B39/00—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B2210/00—Specific aspects of the packaging machine
    • B65B2210/06—Sterilising or cleaning machinery or conduits
    • B65B2210/08—Cleaning nozzles, funnels or guides through which articles are introduced into containers or wrappers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an automatic gravity filling machine provided with a scraping pad total cleaning system, of the type known by the British name of "pigable system” or “pig scraper”.
  • the scraping pads or pigs are capable of carrying out the internal cleaning scraping of the whole line, starting from the main distribution one up to the end delivery unit, and vice-versa, passing through the injection head or heads that are mounted in alignment on said unit, intersecting it orthogonally.
  • the position of the delivery unit can be varied vertically and possibly transversally, keeping the horizontal orientation thanks to its connection with the fixed line obtained by means of an articulated tubular duct, with tight rotary joints.
  • the delivery unit, the pantograph duct, the rotary joints and the line have the same inner diameter, so that they can be sequentially traveled by scraping pads or pigs that pass along and clean also the heads that are present on said delivery unit.
  • the vertical injectors of the heads discharge from the residues either by gravity dripping or by means of additional vertical scrapers.
  • the present automatic gravity filling plants for drums, barrels, tanks and the like, that contain fluid products in general, such as for instance oils, fats, paints, chemical products, are usually provided with pad systems for scraping internally tubings, called by the British term "pig scrapers".
  • Such scraping means are obviously necessary, before any subsequent utilization of the distribution plants, to remove from the tubings the residues of the preceding products.
  • the pigs or pads are pressure-pushed in the inside of tubings so as to exercise on the internal surfaces and possibly, along all their development, a scraping action, discharging towards the outside the residues collected.
  • the injection heads must be able to translate vertically (and for particular applications also transversally) to allow the right positioning and the alignment of the injection lances with the filling mouths, for the various types of containers, having different size and/or heights.
  • the injection heads are separated from the fixed distribution header and are connected to it by means of hoses which, while ensuring a correct feeding of the fluid products to be discharged into the containers during the active steps, are less suitable to allow the end-of-cycle internal cleaning by means of the scraping pad systems.
  • the cleaning with scraping pads can be carried out only up to the fixed distribution header included, while the cleaning of the hoses, the injection heads and the injectors can be carried out only upon disassembly of said parts, their discharge and their hand-cleaning, with ensuing waste of resources due to the engagement of unproductive manpower, the excessive dead times, the necessity of collecting the recovered fluid products and the sending of the same to recirculation, whenever possible, or, when it is not possible, with a total or partly product loss, with the sending of wastes to the polluting substance collection centers, the authorized dumps or the recovery and regeneration plants.
  • the vertical injection head or heads comprise orthogonal transversal passages that associate orthogonal to each other and with the passages of possible intermediate and/or end tubular tubing sections, to form one only delivery horizontal tubular unit, with a continuous linear passage;
  • the position of the horizontal delivery unit, complete with the orthogonal injection head or heads, is height-adjustable to allow the desired positioning and/or alignment of the injection lances, with respect to the filling of containers having different size and/or heights;
  • the delivery unit couples with the product arrival fixed line by means of an articulated tubular duct, with tight rotary joints;
  • the inner diameter of the delivery unit, the articulated tubular ducts, the tight rotary joints and the fixed line is the same, and within it there slides at least a cleaning pad scraper or pig;
  • the advantages achieved by the present invention lie essentially in that the scraping pad(s) or pig(s) can slide, either sequentially or by single passes, in the delivery unit, the injection head or heads, the articulated duct, the tight rotary joints and the fixed feeding line, operating a total scraping, without requiring external interventions; only the cleaning of the injector lances may be different: more or less automated and/or extreme, depending on the quality of the products treated and the related admitted tolerances.
  • the injection heads (1) are substantially vertically structured and orthogonally intersected, on their middle part, by opposite coaxial tubular connections (2).
  • Each injection head (1) comprises a central tubular passage (3) aligned with its own tubular connections (2).
  • connections (2) are coaxially alignable between each other or with possible and (4) and/or intermediate (4') tubing sections, to form continuous and constant diameter tubular ducts that constitute the delivery units (5) for the gravity automatic filling machines.
  • the union between the tubular connections (2) and the possible tubing sections (4) is through the respective tight rigid flanges (6, 6'), and the delivery unit (5) as a whole is constituted by the fixed engagement of said elements with at least an injection head (1).
  • Units (5) having several couple heads may comprise also the use of possible intermediate tubings (4') depending on the requirements of the spacing pitch between said heads.
  • each unit (5) of the gravity automatic filling machine is constituted by one only rigid, continuous and tubular structure formed by one or more injection heads (1), possible tubular elements (4, 4') and the related flanges (6, 6'), sequentially assembled with each other, so that the related central through-holes (3) of a same diameter are coaxially aligned with each other.
  • Figures 4 and 5 show, only by way of non limiting example, a delivery unit (5) having three injection heads (1).
  • the position of the horizontal delivery unit (5), complete with the orthogonal injection head or heads, may be height-adjustable depending on the alignments of the injection lances (7) with respect to the containers (8) to be filled, that may have different shapes or size. Such adjustment is made by means of devices that do not make part of the invention, as they substantially correspond to those adopted to adjust the heads of the traditional plants.
  • the delivery unit (5) can be translated in the vertical direction and possibly in the transversal and/or longitudinal direction thanks to the connection of its inlet end (10) with the main fixed line (11), by means of an intermediate articulated tubular duct (12) with tight rotary joints (13); the inner diameter (3) that goes through the whole delivery unit (5) is equal to that of the main fixed line (11) and the intermediate articulated tubular duct (12), with the related curves (14) and the related tight rotary joints (13).
  • the delivery unit (5) comprises a containment extension for at least a scraping pad or pig (15) and is closed by a flange (16) whereon the tubular connections (17) of a so-called pigable system or pig scraper end.
  • the pad containment extension may be and independent tubular section, flanged to one of the tubular connections (2) of the last injection head (1), or the same connection (2), depending on the size of said pad.
  • a second pigable system or pig scraper is also applied to the part of the main fixed line (11), in a conventional way.
  • the whole line intended for the flow of fluid products is substantially constituted, from the beginning to the end, by one only constant diameter tubular duct having a mixed rectilinear and/or curvilinear development, wherein it is in any case possible to cause the pressure-circulation of the conventional pad scrapers (15) for cleaning and removing by one only continuous rapid and total operation, the residues of the products, at the end of each filling process and before of any subsequent utilization of the distribution plants, with different products.
  • FIGS 1 and 3 show two different solutions, solely given by way of non limiting example, designed for different applications: the first one concerns applications on operating plants or cycles wherein the tolerances for the amount of residues of the fluids treated are not very severe, the second one concerns applications on operating plants or cycles with severe tolerances.
  • stem (19) supporting shutter (18) is fixed and connected by means of a bracket (20) to the internal part of the discharge outlet (21) of the lower body (22), under the passage hole (3) that remains free.
  • duct (23) of the injection lance (7) freely slides.
  • piston (9) activates the descent of the delivery unit (5), complete with the injection head or heads (1).
  • Each duct (23) enters the underlying and aligned mouth (26) of a container (8) for a length sufficient to allow the total opening of the discharge outlet (27), which is not carried out by opening shutter (18) which is fixed, but by lifting said duct by means of adjusting pistons (28, 28') that, through stem (29), cause the return travel of bracket (30) with which rods (31) are engaged that slide in guides (32) and that engage with a small flange (33) integral with said duct.
  • Pistons (28, 28') adjust the opening and the subsequent closing of the discharge outlet (27) at the end of the filling operation: rapid in the first stage and slow and progressive in the final stage of precise dosing depending on the weighed weight.
  • each discharge outlet (27) is opened again and the small amount of product comprised in each duct (23) is caused to gravity-discharge and drip.
  • said discharge depends on the fluidity of the products treated and in any case some residue will always remain on the wall of the discharge outlet wall (21): the amount of such residue must be comprised within the tolerance limits expected and acceptable.
  • quick fasteners for instance bayonet fasteners, for the connection of the lower bodies (22) and the small flange (33) to the head units (1).
  • the internal duct (21) of the lower body (22) under the passage hole (3) is free, while shutter (18) is mounted on the lower end of an element (34), external and coaxial with said body (22), that is supported by the small flange (33) that receives the downward/opening and upwards/closing movement by means of rods (31), sliding in guide (32) and coupled to the adjusting pistons (28, 28') through stem (29) and bracket (30).
  • the shutter control unit is misaligned, with respect to the body of the injection head, in order to coaxially align an upper piston (35) with the internal duct (21) of the underlying body (22).
  • a secondary scraping pad (37) is engaged with stem (36) of piston (35), positioned, when it does not operate, above the passage hole (3), while in the subsequent step of total scraping of the feeding lines by pads (15) it is pushed downwards, goes diametrically through the passage hole (3) and inserts and slides in the internal duct (21), exercising on its surface the cleaning desired.
  • the length of pad (37) is such as to allow an adequate and correct guiding, both during the passage through hole (3) and in the mouth of duct (21).

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)
  • Supply Of Fluid Materials To The Packaging Location (AREA)
  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Devices And Processes Conducted In The Presence Of Fluids And Solid Particles (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
  • Separation Of Suspended Particles By Flocculating Agents (AREA)
EP00100548A 1999-01-18 2000-01-12 Automatische Schwerkraftfüllanlage mit einem Reinigungssystem mit vollständigem Abschaben Expired - Lifetime EP1020360B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITRE990004 1999-01-18
IT1999RE000004A IT1311025B1 (it) 1999-01-18 1999-01-18 Riempitrice automatica a peso con sistema di pulizia totale perraschiamento.

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1020360A2 true EP1020360A2 (de) 2000-07-19
EP1020360A3 EP1020360A3 (de) 2002-04-10
EP1020360B1 EP1020360B1 (de) 2004-03-24

Family

ID=11399344

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00100548A Expired - Lifetime EP1020360B1 (de) 1999-01-18 2000-01-12 Automatische Schwerkraftfüllanlage mit einem Reinigungssystem mit vollständigem Abschaben

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1020360B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE262448T1 (de)
DE (1) DE60009176T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2216741T3 (de)
IT (1) IT1311025B1 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11358849B2 (en) 2018-09-07 2022-06-14 Krones Ag Media distributor for a rotary machine and filling machine

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102019129891A1 (de) * 2019-11-06 2021-05-06 Khs Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Befüllen von Behältern mit einem flüssigen Füllgut

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1911579A (en) * 1933-05-30 Of chicago
US2380771A (en) * 1940-10-24 1945-07-31 Mcdonald Hector Murdoch Apparatus for filling containers with milk and other liquids
EP0691303A1 (de) * 1994-07-04 1996-01-10 Kodak-Pathe Dosiervorrichtung zum Abfüllen in Flaschen verschiedener Grösse
US5829476A (en) * 1997-07-21 1998-11-03 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance, Sa Dual-stream filling valve

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1911579A (en) * 1933-05-30 Of chicago
US2380771A (en) * 1940-10-24 1945-07-31 Mcdonald Hector Murdoch Apparatus for filling containers with milk and other liquids
EP0691303A1 (de) * 1994-07-04 1996-01-10 Kodak-Pathe Dosiervorrichtung zum Abfüllen in Flaschen verschiedener Grösse
US5829476A (en) * 1997-07-21 1998-11-03 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance, Sa Dual-stream filling valve

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11358849B2 (en) 2018-09-07 2022-06-14 Krones Ag Media distributor for a rotary machine and filling machine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES2216741T3 (es) 2004-11-01
DE60009176D1 (de) 2004-04-29
DE60009176T2 (de) 2005-02-24
IT1311025B1 (it) 2002-02-28
ITRE990004A1 (it) 2000-07-18
ATE262448T1 (de) 2004-04-15
EP1020360B1 (de) 2004-03-24
EP1020360A3 (de) 2002-04-10
ITRE990004A0 (it) 1999-01-18

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