EP2100846A1

EP2100846A1 - Filling process and apparatus in filling machines

Info

Publication number: EP2100846A1
Application number: EP09154837A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lorenzo Campanini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-12
Filing date: 2009-03-11
Publication date: 2009-09-16
Also published as: ITPR20080017A1

Abstract

A filling method for aseptic and/or non-aseptic filling machines (R), which includes a filling step in line with the main product transfer line (L1), said product being directly intercepted and introduced into the container (5) to be filled by the filling head (T) of the machine (R) comprising a fill valve (10). Said fill valve (10) being mounted directly in line with the main line (L1).

Description

The present invention relates to a filling process and apparatus particularly suitable for use in the field of aseptic or non-aseptic filling machines.
Such machine is placed at the end of the product preparation and sterilization cycle, and is designed for automatic container filling.
Typically, containers are preformed, sterile and hermetically sealed bags.
Such bags have a variable capacity and are made of a special film, ensuring a long shelf-life of the preserved product.
The filling machine fills the bag through a plastic spout directly applied to the bag and sealed with a plug, also made of plastic.
The most critical part of an aseptic/non-aseptic filling machine is the filling head, also known as sterile chamber.
The chamber has electric/pneumatic/mechanical means installed therein for accomplishing the following tasks:

Seizing the spout
Sterilizing the plug
Removing the plug
Filling the bag
Re-inserting the plug
Releasing the spout

Particularly during the filling step, a valve is provided for drawing/diverting the product from the main line to a secondary line.
The machine is composed of:

1. A main line with the product flowing therein. This line is usually part of the equipment upstream from the filling machine (such as: sterilizer, pasteurizers, etc.),
2. A bypass conduit on the main product line, for drawing and packaging the product,
3. A filling head, consisting of a chamber with devices therein for controlling the filling process (sterilization, plug removal, filling, etc.). The filling head usually moves in the vertical direction to accommodate the stresses acting upon the bag as the latter is filled,
4. A 2-way fill valve, which acts as a tap: when the valve opens, the product is delivered into the underlying container.

Finally, the unpackaged product comes back to the upstream machine from the main line.
An additional on/off valve may be also provided between the two machines, usually belonging to the filling machine.
The drawbacks and restrictions of the above filling machine relate to the complex control of such machine.
Since the filling machine is totally independent of the machine connected thereto, it must be washed and sterilized before being used with the product.
Such operation requires the filling machine to be mechanically fitted with lines that can be also removed at the end of the washing and/or sterilization process.
The object of the present invention is to provide a filling method for aseptic or non-aseptic filling machines in which the product fill valve and hence its respective head are no longer external to the main product line (i.e. branching off from it) but are an integral part thereof; in other words, this fill valve is mounted in line and is stationary.
The filling head itself acts as an on/off/filling valve, as it has a product inlet point, a product outlet point and a filling point.
According to a particularly advantageous arrangement, the connections to the head are reversible.
The advantages achieved by the present invention may be summarized as follows:

1. There is no longer the need for a by-pass for the product from the main line.
2. The connection line between the head and the main line, required for washing and sterilization, is eliminated.
3. The washing and sterilization cycles on product side are eliminated, because in this machine configuration, the product line of the filling machine is washed and sterilized with the main product line (by the sterilizer itself) thereby reducing times and contamination risks.
4. The machine is safer in terms of sterility and more reliable than currently available ones, because the fill valve is stationary and directly flanged to the line of the sterilizer (no motion of the valve and the filling head within the sterile area).
5. Several aseptic filling machines may be added in series, possibly at different times, to the same main product line.
6. During filling, the bag is accompanied by vertical displacement of the product container (drum, bins, etc.).
7. A very small size of the machine, as compared with prior art machines.
8. This new machine concept allows use thereof for applications that could not be covered before, or anyway difficult or hazardous, such as:
- a. Collecting samples or filling bags in product lines connected to aseptic cellars, by simply passing the product line to the cellars, in series with the fill valve
- b. Adding n filling machines, at different times and with different formats, to the same product line
- c. Easy connection with any currently available sterilizer.

These objects and advantages are all achieved by the filling method of this invention, which is characterized by the content of the annexed claims.
This and other features will be more apparent from the following description of a few embodiments, which are shown by way of example and without limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example of connection for traditional aseptic filling,
Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of connection for aseptic filling according to the present invention,
Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of a filling machine which implements the filling method of the present invention,
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a filling machine which implements the filling method of the present invention,
Figure 5 shows the machine from a different point of view,
Figure 6 shows the main line which contains the on/off/filling valve for the inventive system,
Figure 7 shows the filling head in greater detail.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a block diagram of an example of connection for traditional aseptic filling, whereas the method of the present invention is shown in Figure 2.
In both figures, the product appears to be drawn from a tank and conveyed to a sterilizer, where it remains for a predetermined time to stabilize and uniform temperature (holding time) and is later cooled.
Now, in the traditional method, as shown in Figure 1, one or more on/off valves have to be introduced for bypassing the product from the main line L1 to the filling line L2 which is connected with the filling machine R.
The unpackaged product comes back to the upstream machine, i.e. the product tank, from the main line L1.
Since the filling machine is totally independent of the line L1 with which it is connected and is required to be washed and sterilized before being used with the product, in the prior art system additional lines L3 are required for the return path from the washing process to allow ejection of washing residues, which shall also be removed at the end.
The filling method of the present invention greatly improves the current technique because it eliminates the need for a bypass system from the main line and requires no return lines L3 from the washing and sterilization stations, because said washing and sterilization cycles on the product side are eliminated.
With the present method, the filling machine will washed and sterilized at the same time as the main line L1 of the product (by the sterilizer itself) thereby reducing operating times and contamination hazards.
As shown in the diagram of Figure 2, with the present method no bypass is required from the main line, because the filling machine R, either of aseptic or non-aseptic type, is mounted directly in line with the main line L1 and the product that passes through the line L1 is directly intercepted and introduced into the underlying container through the intercepting head.
Namely, particularly referring to Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, there is shown that the filling head T also acts as a filling valve, the latter being mounted directly in line to the main line L1.
Therefore, the head has a product inlet point PI, connected with the upstream line L1, an outlet point PU, which continues into the downstream line L1 and a filling outlet Ur from which the product flows into the underlying container 5 or bag, upon opening of a special and corresponding shut-off valve or gate automatically controlled by means of known type.
By providing the filling machine with a filling head T having an inlet PI and an outlet PU that can be directly connected to the main product line L1, easy connection is ensured with any existing sterilizer line, as well as convenient connection, possibly of multiple filling machines R in series with the lines L1.

Claims

A filling method for aseptic and/or non-aseptic filling machines (R), characterized in that it includes a filling step in line with the main product transfer line (L1), said product being directly intercepted and introduced into the container (5) to be filled by the filling head (T) of the machine (R) comprising a fill valve (10).
A filling method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said fill valve (10) is mounted directly in line with the main line (L1).
A filling machine characterized in that it comprises a filling head (T) designed to be mounted in line with the main line (L1), comprising a product inlet point (PI), connected with the upstream line (L1), an outlet point (PU), which continues into the downstream line (L1) and a filling outlet (Ur) from which the product flows into the underlying container (5) or bag, upon opening of a special and corresponding shut-off valve or gate automatically controlled by means of known type.