EP1842773A2 - Machine for filling cups with foodstuffs and stimulants - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine (1) has two product streams (A, A`, B, B`, C, C`) within an area of dosing stations (3, 3`, 3 ``). A controlled filling process is accomplished in an area of dosing components. A programmable control (8) is provided, where the programmable control works together with the dosing components in such a manner that variable filling structures are produced in horizontally supplied cups (2, 2``) to a large extent using controlled rotatable and/or hub guidances of filling nozzles.

Description

The invention relates to a machine for filling cups according to the preamble of claim 1.

Known machines for filling cups are provided with constructions in the form of cup filling plants ( DE 295 12 257 U1 . DE 197 35 621 C2 . DE 197 58 543 A1 ), wherein a cup provided for filling can be filled with two different product streams via respective filling nozzles designed as double filling nozzles. In the area of dosing stations, only one cup holder preset in the form of a lifting plate for filling can be used by means of guide parts on pivoting and / or lifting movements. The lifting plate is thereby moved with the empty cup in an upper position to Mehrfachdoseur out, which in turn is held stationary. According to DE 26 45 904 The cups are successively fed to a Vordoseur and Hauptlader, so that a fruit mass and a yogurt are placed one above the other in the cup.

In US 6,964,285 B1 a filling of trays with pasty foods is provided, wherein from respective cooperating with servomotors nozzles only the filling amount is programmatically routed and this is discharged at high speed in the shifters displaceable below the nozzles. Also in EP 1 602 579 A1 The cups are raised to a nozzle block out and rotated when lowering, so that the distribution of the product requires a complicated mounting of the cup. In a filling according to FR 2 708 563 A1 Are used at a dosing each nozzle with multiple channels and in a cup filling according to EP 0 365 569 B1 a product is optimally distributed by cup movements in the interior of the cup.

The invention is concerned with the problem to provide a known per se machine for filling cups, in which easily controllable cups with little control effort a variable volume and variable steering and distribution of product streams can be achieved and even with a change in their compositions uninterrupted and are largely possible without retooling feasible filling phases.

The invention solves this problem with a machine having the features of claim 1. With regard to further embodiments, reference is made to the claims 2 to 8.

The inventively constructed machine cooperates with a programmable controller in the area of its filling and movement assemblies provided for the filling process, which enables a largely variable generation of decorative and visually appealing filling structures in the cups by simple means. The clocked positionable cups are moved in the one known per se filling operation machine to one or more dosing out. In this case, respective product streams, which also have different consistency, are fed into the stationary beakers by means of the programmable controller and, in coordination with the respective filling nozzle widenings predetermined by the latter. that vary according to the programmed pivoting and lifting movements and the amount of product produced in the cup filling structures.

With this filling concept, a variety of filling structures that have not hitherto been achieved in known machines can be simply planned, predetermined in the program of the control, varied by means of the filling nozzle control and produced without additional movement of the cups in the filling phase. With this inventively improved machine concept, the filling process is adapted to customer-specific variable cup designs. The respective foodstuffs and / or stimulants can be visually appealing, optimally presented and promoted as a structured cup filling.

The variable filling structures in the cups, which are made in particular of transparent material, are produced by a computer connected to the machine control, with which the distribution of several, in particular color-different product streams from the filling nozzles can be influenced by simple changes of program data. The product streams are in particular ascending from the cup bottom to decorative color combinations. The products can also be introduced according to the computer program at several dosing stations in succession in the held in each of the filling phases cup and visible here as geometric figures in variable variety. In addition to multicolor horizontal layers, punctiform, helical, vertically stepped, conical or the like structures or structural combinations are conceivable. The planned control concept is the Machine simplified in that only control movements, z. B. by means of servomotors, in the range of Dosierbaugruppen are required, to which the cups are moved horizontally clocked. The previously required vertical movement of the cups holding and guiding assemblies known filling systems are unnecessary, since according to the invention the combination of vertical Fülldüsen movement, rotation of the filling nozzles and phased introduction of product flow is used and thus the technical complexity is substantially reduced.

Fig. 1

eine Prinzipdarstellung einer Maschine bekannter Ausführung zum Füllen von Bechern,

Fig. 2 bis Fig. 5

jeweilige erfindungsgemäß ausgebildete Maschinen mit mehreren Dosierstationen, die für unterschiedliche Füllungen der Becher mit einem zentralen Steuerungscomputer verbunden sind, und

Fig. 6

eine Übersicht eines beim Füllvorgang mittels der Steuerung bzw. dem Computerprogramm ablaufenden Bewegungs-Plans.

Further details and advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description in which the machine is illustrated in more detail with reference to drawings. In the drawing show:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a machine of known design for filling cups,

Fig. 2 to Fig. 5

respective inventively designed machines with multiple dosing stations, which are connected for different fillings of the cup with a central control computer, and

Fig. 6

an overview of a running during the filling process by the controller or the computer program motion plan.

1 shows a schematic diagram of a machine, generally designated 1, for filling cups 2, into which foodstuffs and stimulants are introduced in the region of respective metering stations 3, 3 ', 3'. In the illustrated embodiment, the machine 1 known per se three dosing stations 3 arranged in series one after the other in the feed direction R of the cups 2, embodiments with a different number of dosing stations being conceivable and several dosing stations being arranged next to each other in the transverse direction (not shown) On the output side respective supply lines 4, 5, which allow the introduction of product streams (arrow A, A ', B', B ', C, C') in the cup provided 2 'in the region of respective metering assemblies 6 via a respective filling nozzle. This known per se machine 1 with filling nozzles 7 has been Becherfüllwerke on the type of mechanically controlled turrets, so that a complex conversion of the machine 1 is required for a variation of the contents. In these known systems, the cup 2 'is lifted in a stroke direction H and lowered synchronously with the incoming product stream A, B during the filling process. By respective additional movements to be controlled H "and S 'in the region of the feed openings in the Fülldüsen 7 whose opening or closing position is controlled by pivoting or sliding parts in the Fülldüsen 7, wherein the position is unchanged to a conveying plane E.

The inventively further developed machine 1 (FIGS. 2 to 6) is characterized in that now respective movement possibilities in the area of the filling nozzles 7 are provided and these interact as an extended functional assemblies of the machine 1 with a programmable controller 8. In this Concept is provided that only a direct pivoting and / or lifting movement S 'or H "of the metering assemblies 6 used and thereby the respective product delivery streams A, B, C or A', B ', C' according to predetermined movement pattern and Filling processes are influenced by the controller 8 (FIGS. 2 to 5). [0039] By programming the controller 8 in a correspondingly creative manner, a multiplicity of largely variable filling structures can be produced in the cups 2 'with variable filling processes.

The phases which can be seen from the drawings when the machine 1 is used make it clear that the cups 2, which can be displaced clockwise in a conveying plane E to the metering stations 3, 3 ', 3 ", can be filled with the different product streams A, B, C Control 8 in the machine concept are variable filling structures (respective enlarged representations of cups 2 "in Fig. 2 to 5) advantageously generated by means of a controller associated computer system 11, which can be adapted to a known machine 1 with little effort.

By means of variable program data of the computer 11 in the area of the control 8, only respective passage positions of product channels of the filling nozzles 7 for product supply are to be specified, whereby at the same time respective movements in the area of the dosing assembly 6 (lifting movement H ', tilting S) according to the selected product structure are removed. and volume controlled. By temporal sequence of the movements H 'and S and their superposition with the product streams A, A'; B, B 'and / or C, C' (which by per se known opening movements H and S 'of the nozzles 7 are controllable), a visually appealing distribution of different products in the cups 2' is achieved.

As a result of the juxtaposition of the preferably three metering stations 3, 3 ', 3 ", a plurality of product streams can be successively introduced into a cup 2 and the different filling structures can be generated according to different patterns by the respective sequences of movements selectable from the program of the computer 11, as with FIG the respective cups 2 "(Fig. 2 to 5) is shown.

This control of the filling process is optimized so that the successively or parallel supplied cup 2 can be filled with changing filling structures on the machine 1 without interrupting the filling process. In this case, mechanical adjustments of movement assemblies and / or their additional assembly in the cup holder are dispensable. It is also conceivable that during operation of the machine 1, the controller 8 is adjusted by changing program data in the area of the computer 11 to a new filling variant and thus an uninterrupted filling process is possible.

In the illustrated embodiments, the control structure influencing the filling structure 8 is connected to three metering stations 3, 3 ', 3 ", wherein at least four metering assemblies 6, 6', 6", 6 "'or their respective filling heads 7 are connected in pairs continuously to form a row In the illustrations according to FIGS. 2 to 5, the signal lines provided for motion control (electrical, by radio or the like) are shown.

Embodiments imaginable) by respective dashed-dot lines P, with which the influenceability in accordance with the intended control sequence is clear; without describing these respective lines P in detail again.

2, a product portion 12 displaced according to the product flow arrow A is brought into the cup 2 "(shown enlarged below the conveying level E.) The displaceable filling nozzle 7 is moved in the direction of stroke H 'in the region of the internal conveying channels opened and then the product portion 12 of the dosing station 3 (with product A) via respective trained as servomotors Füllantriebe 10 volume exactly in the cup 2 "are pressed. In this case, it is no longer necessary to raise or lower the cup 2 'supplied in the plane E by means of a drive not shown in the previously known (FIG. 1) stroke direction H.

After this first filling phase (partial filling 12), the cup 2 'is passed on clocked in the feed level E and reaches into the area of the metering module 6 ". In this example filling according to FIG. 2, the respective filling position is determined by a rotary movement S and the lifting movement H 'in the region of the respective filling nozzle 7 so influenced that above the product portion 12, a respective product portion 13 from the dosing station 3' (product B) is filled and only then a product portion 14 from the metering station 3 "as a Dot pattern is filled in accordance with the controlled process. Again, it is no longer necessary to raise the cup by means of a complex drive (arrow H, Fig. 1), there only In addition to the motion control H ', S, the respective filling drives 10 are controlled in accordance with the program sequence, it being particularly provided that only the movements H' and S are used.

It is conceivable that the movements H 'and S also occur simultaneously at a predetermined speed. It is also conceivable that a respective group of cups 2 is filled and also the metering assemblies 6 'and 6 "are used (control connections not shown).

3 shows a second variant in the production of a filling structure in the cup 2 ", the control connections to the computer 11 of the machine 1 being illustrated with the corresponding dashed-dot arrows, similar to FIG the product portions 12 'and 13' are provided by means of the metering stations 3, 3 'and 3', wherein the products 12 'and 13' are simultaneously introduced by raising (or lowering) the filling nozzles 7 in the region of the metering assembly 6 ' clocked passing the corresponding cup 2 'is this in the dosing assembly 6 "' still provided with an additional product portion 14 ', which is discharged from the metering station 3" characterized in that their respective filling actuators 10 are effective.

FIG. 4 shows, in an analogous representation to the above-described embodiments, the production of a helical filling structure with the product portions designated as 15 and 16. Here, in a first method step (similar to FIG. 2, left side) of the product portion 12 as a base in the cup 2 'is introduced and then in the dosing assembly 6 "the two spiral filling structures 15, 16 are generated, the products B' and C fed simultaneously and the illustrated movements H 'and This makes it clear that a multiplicity of different filling structures can already be produced with this pivoting and lifting guide of the filling nozzles 7. The cup movement H, which is known per se, could be integrated into the filling system or the control program if required (not shown).

5, only the metering stations 3 'and 3 "are used to introduce the two product components 17 and 18, wherein a helical course of the product component 18 is subsequently or simultaneously produced in the prefilled product component 17 becomes.

FIG. 6 shows an overview of the controller 8, wherein an intended filling variant is selected from the program M by means of a selection part 19 and thus signals corresponding to the filling drives 10 of the metering stations 3, 3 ', 3 via the control lines P. ", the rotational movements S and / or the immersion movements H 'reach, so that in the intended time sequence, the cup filling is effected with the decorative filling structure.

Claims (8)

Machine for filling cups with foodstuffs, with which at least two product streams (A, A ', B, B', C, C ') in the region of metering stations (3, 3', 3 ") are filled by means of respective filling nozzles (7 ) in provided cups (2 ') are introduced, wherein in the region of at least one filling nozzle (7) having dosing assembly (6, 6', 6 ", 6"') a controlled filling process is executed, characterized in that the machine (1 ) is provided with a programmable controller (8) which cooperates with the metering assemblies (6, 6 ', 6 ", 6"') such that in the horizontally supplied cups (2 ', 2 ") only by means of controlled pivoting and / or lifting guides (H ', S) of the filling nozzles (7) largely variable filling structures can be generated. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the clockably positionable cups (2, 2 ', 2 ") are displaced towards a plurality of metering stations (3, 3', 3") of the machine (1) and in each case different product streams (A, B , C) can be introduced into the cups (2 ', 2 ") which are stationary at least in phases. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the variable filling structures in the cups (2 ") can be influenced by means of a computer (11) assigned to the controller (8). Machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that on this by means of variable program data of the computer (11) each product supply (s) (10) and / or Fülldüsenbewegung (s) (H ', S) in the region of at least one of the metering assemblies (6, 6', 6 ", 6"') are controlled. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, at the metering stations (3, 3 ', 3 "), two or more product streams (A, A'; B, B '; C, C') are successively introduced into a cup ( 2 ') are introduced and thereby with different predetermined program data (P), the different filling structures (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) can be generated. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that on this without interruption of the filling process successively or in parallel supplied cup (2) can be filled with changing filling structures. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, during operation of the machine (1), the controller (8) can be set by means of modified program data (M) in the area of the computer (11). Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control (8) influencing the filling structure is connected to three metering stations (3, 3 ', 3 ") and at least four connected by supply lines (4, 5) to form a row Filling heads (7) of the metering assemblies (6, 6 ', 6 ", 6"') are controllable.

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