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
  • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
  • B65B3/04—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles
  • B65B3/16—Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles for filling collapsible tubes
• • 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
  • B65B57/00—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices
  • B65B57/02—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages
  • B65B57/06—Automatic control, checking, warning, or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of binding or wrapping material, containers, or packages and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of articles or material to be packaged

Definitions

• the invention relates to a tube filling machine with a conveying device, by means of which a tube can be transported through different processing stations, the processing stations comprising a filling station in which a filling tube can be inserted from above into the essentially vertically oriented tube, through which a filling medium can be conveyed by means of a Dosing device can be introduced into the tube.
• a known tube filling machine has a conveyor device, usually designed as an endless belt or chain, which carries a plurality of receptacles for one tube each.
• the empty tubes are inserted into the receptacles of the conveying device in a loading station and then pass through several work stations, which are in particular a filling station and a downstream closing station.
• the tubes are filled via a filling tube, which is connected to a filling medium reservoir via a dosing device.
• the filling process may only be carried out if a tube is actually included in the respective holder is.
• the orientation or rotational position of the tube is compared with a specified target position immediately after the loading station and corrected if necessary.
• the correct rotational position of the tube is necessary so that the tube is closed in the correct orientation.
• the filling station there is between the vertically aligned tube, which is open at its upper end, and a vertical one downward protruding filling tube instead of a relative movement with which the filling tube is inserted into the tube.
• the filling tube is usually held stationary and the tube is raised. In the case of previously damaged tubes, it can happen that the lower end of the filling tube does not dip into the tube, but sits on the tube wall from above, as a result of which the tube is compressed or even crushed in the event of a further relative movement. If the metering device is then activated, the filling medium is not filled into the tube, but instead pours into the tube filling machine, so that it has to be cleaned in a complex manner.
• the invention has for its object to provide a tube filling machine of the type mentioned, in which the filling medium is introduced into the tubes with high reliability and in which contamination of the tube filling machine caused by incorrect fillings is avoided.
• a sensor device for detecting the relative position between the tube and the inserted filling tube is arranged in the filling station and in that a control device is provided. which receives a position signal from the Sehsorvorric device and that the metering device can be controlled by means of the control device as a function of the position signal.
• the filling tube is properly immersed in the tube. Only if this is the case is the filling process released and triggered by the control device. In this way, it can be ensured that in the presence of defects or compressed tubes or even in the absence of a tube, no filling medium is dispensed by the metering device, so that the tube filling machine is prevented from becoming contaminated.
• This has the further advantage that a standstill of the tube filling machine, as is necessary for cleaning it, is avoided. that can be.
• the filling tube and the sensor device are arranged fixed to the frame and that the tube for generating the relative movement in the filling station is raised so far that the filling tube is immersed in the tube.
• the sensor device can be adjusted in a direction parallel to the relative movement direction between the tube and the filling tube. This is particularly the case when the sensor device is detachably attached to a vertical rail and is displaceable along the rail.
• the metering device is not triggered by the control device. Since it is therefore a quick when operating the tube filling machine.
• a further development of the invention provides that the metering device and in particular the metering piston is driven by a servo motor which is switched on or off by the control device as a function of the position signal.
• the use of a servo motor has the advantage that all drive elements of the metering drive together with the metering piston are only in motion during the actual metering process. Immediately before the dosing process begins, all drive elements for the dosing piston are at rest.
• the sensor query mentioned above is preferably carried out immediately before the planned start of the metering process. In this phase, termination is possible without delay. Even if the sensor query should take place with or immediately after the start of the dosing process, the filling or dosing process can be terminated with a very slight delay in the early phase due to the low inertia of the dosing drive. This reliably prevents the metering device from running on and thus the dispensing of filling medium at an undesired point in time.
• the sensor device has the task, on the one hand, of determining whether a tube is present and, on the other hand, of checking whether the filling tube is properly immersed in the tube.
• the sensor device comprises an optical sensor and a light source which directs a beam onto the outer surface of the filling tube.
• the light source and the sensor can be arranged in a common housing. If the tube is lifted when the filling tube is inserted, it penetrates into the beam path of the beam, so that this no longer occurs directly on the outer surface of the filling tube. This change in the optical conditions is recorded and evaluated accordingly by the control device. In particular, the reflected beam is detected by the optical sensor.
• a single light source of which a single beam is directed at the fill tube, should be sufficient.
• a plurality of beams are directed and evaluated at the filling tube from different directions in order to ensure that the tube completely surrounds the filling tube.
• the single figure shows a view of a filling station of a tube filling machine.
• the figure shows a filling station 10 of a tube filling machine, which is connected via an inlet line 18 to a storage container for a filling medium, not shown.
• a shut-off device 17 is integrated in the feed line 18, which is mounted directly above a vertically downwardly extending filling pipe 16 and is held together with the latter on a rotary slide valve 21 of the filling station 10.
• a metering piston is driven by a servo motor in a conventional manner, not shown.
• a vertical guide rail 13 extends parallel to the longitudinal extent of the filling tube 16, on which a sensor device 14 is seated and can be fixed by means of a holding device 15, for example in the form of a clamping unit. As indicated by the double arrow V, The sensor device 14 can be adjusted along the vertical guide rail 13.
• a conveyor device (not shown) has a large number of tube holders 11, in each of which a plastic tube 12 is inserted in such a way that it is oriented essentially vertically and with its open end pointing upwards.
• the tube holder 11 with the tube 12 can be raised so far that the filling tube 16 is immersed in the tube 12.
• the sensor device 14 emits a beam 14a, which is directed onto the surface of the filling tube 16.
• the beam of rays reflected on the metal filler tube 16 is detected by means of an optical sensor integrated in the sensor device 14 and a corresponding position or presence signal is given to a control device 19 via a data line 20.
• the sensor device 14 can determine that no tube is present yet.
• the tube holder 11 with the tube 12 is raised and the filling tube 16 enters the tube 12, the tube enters the beam 14a, as a result of which the properties of the reflected beam change because the tube 12 has different reflection properties.
• This change in the reflection behavior is detected by the optical sensor of the sensor device 14 and a corresponding presence signal is given to the control device 19 via the data line 20, by means of which it is stated that a tube 12 with the required immersion depth is now available.
• the control device 19 then activates the servo motor of the metering piston, as a result of which the tube 12 is filled with the filling medium through the filling tube 16.
• the beam 14a of the sensor device 14 is oriented such that it strikes the tube 12 near the upper edge thereof, so that the tube -12 only enters the beam 14a when it is in sufficient Dimensions is raised or the filling tube 16 is sufficiently inserted into the tube 12.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
• Control Of Conveyors (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=7642962

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (14)

Families Citing this family (7)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2000
  • 2000-05-23 DE DE10025063A patent/DE10025063A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2001
  • 2001-05-16 SK SK1613-2002A patent/SK16132002A3/sk unknown
  • 2001-05-16 BR BR0110953-7A patent/BR0110953A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-05-16 EP EP01947282A patent/EP1283799A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-05-16 US US10/221,996 patent/US6679303B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2001-05-16 CZ CZ20023786A patent/CZ20023786A3/cs unknown
  • 2001-05-16 PL PL36134001A patent/PL361340A1/xx not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-05-16 AU AU69012/01A patent/AU6901201A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-05-16 WO PCT/EP2001/005556 patent/WO2001089932A1/de not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-05-16 JP JP2001586133A patent/JP2003534205A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-05-16 CN CN01808507.5A patent/CN1426361A/zh active Pending
  • 2001-05-16 CA CA002405974A patent/CA2405974A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-05-16 MX MXPA02009931A patent/MXPA02009931A/es unknown
  • 2001-05-16 HU HU0301879A patent/HUP0301879A2/hu unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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