EP2112066A1 - A system and a method for filling tubes in a tube-filling machine - Google Patents

A system and a method for filling tubes in a tube-filling machine Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2112066A1
EP2112066A1 EP09157455A EP09157455A EP2112066A1 EP 2112066 A1 EP2112066 A1 EP 2112066A1 EP 09157455 A EP09157455 A EP 09157455A EP 09157455 A EP09157455 A EP 09157455A EP 2112066 A1 EP2112066 A1 EP 2112066A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
holder
lift
tube
time
cylinder
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP09157455A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Giuseppe Monti
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.)
Marchesini Group SpA
Original Assignee
Marchesini Group SpA
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.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Marchesini Group SpA filed Critical Marchesini Group SpA
Publication of EP2112066A1 publication Critical patent/EP2112066A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • 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
    • 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
    • B65B3/26—Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled
    • B65B3/30—Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled by volumetric measurement
    • B65B3/32—Methods or devices for controlling the quantity of the material fed or filled by volumetric measurement by pistons co-operating with measuring chambers
    • 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
    • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
    • B65B43/42—Feeding or positioning bags, boxes, or cartons in the distended, opened, or set-up state; Feeding preformed rigid containers, e.g. tins, capsules, glass tubes, glasses, to the packaging position; Locating containers or receptacles at the filling position; Supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
    • B65B43/54—Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation
    • B65B43/59—Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation vertically movable
    • 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
    • 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
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/14—Closing collapsible or resilient tubes, e.g. for tooth paste, for lighter fuel

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a system and a method for batching a product (liquid and/or pasty solutions) at a same time as filling tubes in an automatic tube-filling machine.
  • Tube-filling machines include a conveyor line, activated in alternating motion, which bears equidistanced holders, each holder being destined to receive a head of an empty tube provided with a relative cap, such as to keep the tube vertically-arranged with the posterior part thereof open and facing upwards.
  • the line comprises various work stations:
  • At least an injecting nozzle (if the tube-filling machine is single-channel) is comprised in the filling station, which nozzle is downwardly-orientated, and which nozzle is centred with respect to the posterior mouth of the tube positioned in the station; in suitable phase relation with the position, the holder-lift, in which the tube is inserted, is raised by suitable first activating means, such as to insert the nozzle in the tube.
  • the nozzle is supplied with the product, in phase relation with the holder-lift, and therefore the tube, up to completion of the filling thereof; completion of the lowering of the holder leads to exit of the nozzle from the tube.
  • the nozzle is connected to a volumetric filler, constituted by a cylinder in which a piston sealedly slides, which piston is borne by a stem that projects from a head of the cylinder, and which is movable axially by means of second activating means.
  • the remaining head of the cylinder affords two through-holes, which with the aid of a switching valve adjacent to the head are alternatively connected one to a product supply tank (liquid and/or paste solution) and the other with the nozzle. the valve is switched by third activating means.
  • the batcher In a first phase the batcher aspirates the product from the tank: the length of the piston travel determines the batched amount of the product; when the valve switches, which is performed in phase relation with the inversion of the piston movement, the product is compressed by the piston and is consequently fed to the nozzle and fills the tube.
  • the first, second and third activating means are constituted by mechanical cams which are driven by relative actuators, conformed such as to respect the above-described mutual phase relations, obviously over the machine cycle of the filling station.
  • the second activating means cause: the piston travel (thus the batched amount of the product); the speed of the piston in the cylinder during the product aspiration phase; and the speed of the piston on compression of the product directed towards the nozzle.
  • the holder-lift in the filling station is raised towards the nozzle and thereafter lowered during the filling of the tube borne by the holder.
  • the length of the holder-lift stroke is a function of the tube size and the batched amount of the product; the law of movement with which the holder-lift is lowered is strictly connected to the speed with which the piston compresses the product.
  • the product inserted into the tubes can exhibit a viscosity comprised within a broad spectrum.
  • the viscosity might be comparable to water, or it might be high as in very pasty creams.
  • the advantage of the present invention is that it provides a system which in a tube-filling machine such as in the preamble hereto, using a cylinder/piston batching cylinder, and according to the size of the tube, the viscosity of the product and the productivity of the machine itself, enabling the aspirating/pumping strokes of the piston working inside the cylinder to be regulated, as well as the aspiration and compression speeds of the piston itself, the switching between the product aspiration phase and the product compressing stage, the travel of the holder-lift and the speed of rising and lowering of the holder-lift.
  • a further advantage of the invention is that it provides a system which can be activated by means of instructions provided directly by an operator or calculated from previously-stored data relating to the tube, the batch, the product to be processed by the tube-filling machine.
  • a further advantage of the invention is to actuate the system using reliable and functional organs, managed by means of algorithms which process data such as to use the technical-functional aspects of the technical expert in the sector and deducible from experience and/or experimental testing, such as the speed of the aspirating/pumping piston according to the product viscosity, such as to optimise the productivity of the tube filling stage, in respect of the tolerances in the batched product.
  • a further advantage of the invention is to provide a method, actuable with the present system, which enables the batching of tubes to be optimised while changing the tube format, the format of the batcher, the viscosity of the product, the batched amount of the product and the productivity required, compatibly with the organs used, all of which is obtainable without replacing mechanical parts, such as cams or specially-shaped devices for various formats.
  • L denotes a closed-ringed conveyor line of an automatic tube-filling machine, for example a single-channel machine.
  • the line carries, in a known way to an expert of the sector, equidistanced holders 1 each of which is destined to receive the head 2A or shoulder of an empty tube 2 provided with a relative cap 3, such as to keep the tube itself arranged vertically with the open posterior end 2B facing upwards ( figures 1A-5 ).
  • Figure 1 denotes various work stations arranged along the line L, among which, in order:
  • the present invention is focused on the volumetric filler 10, which is functionally associated to the filling station D, and on the electrical and electronic organs and devices cooperating with the volumetric filler 10.
  • the batcher 10 comprises a cylinder 5 in which a piston 6 sealedly runs, borne by a stem 7 exiting from a head 5A of the cylinder 5.
  • the remaining head 5B of the cylinder affords two through-holes 8, 9 which, with the aid of a switching valve 11, are alternatively connected, one (first position X 1 ) with a tank 12 for supply (gravity or pressure) of the product and the other (second position X 2 ) with a pipe 13 connected to a nozzle 14.
  • the nozzle 14 is connected to the filler station D, faces downwards and is centred with respect to the posterior mouth 2B of an empty tube positioned in the station.
  • the switching valve 11 is activated by an actuator 15 (signal 3 ) preferably an electric actuator, supplied by a control, management and command unit 100.
  • the stem 7, to which the piston 6 is solidly constrained, is activated by an actuator 16, preferably and electric actuator 16, with interposing of an interface mechanism 16A which transforms the rotation of the drive shaft in a direction or in another, into translation of the stem 7 in a direction or in another; the actuator 16 is managed by the unit 100 (signal 2 ).
  • the holder 1 disengages from the line L and is raised in the filler station D; this is done by action of a holder-lift 50 bearing the holder 1, which holder-lift 50 is moved by an actuator, preferably an electric actuator, managed by the unit 100 (signal 1 ).
  • an actuator preferably an electric actuator
  • the switching valve 11, the batcher 10, and the holder-lift 50 are not activated by means of mechanical cams as in the prior art, but are moved respectively by actuators 15, 16, 17 according to laws of movement imposed by the unit 100 as specified herein below.
  • D 1 denotes the tube and H 1 the height of the tube starting from the shoulder 2A thereof; the height H 2 of the product 4 internally of the tube is linked to the batch amount and the diameter D 1 .
  • D 3 denotes the distance, with the holder-lift 50 in the lowered position, between the nozzle and the extremity of the posterior end 2B of the tube.
  • An interface (or panel) 150 for data entering is functionally connected to the unit 100.
  • the operator by means of an appropriate keyboard T, transmits the following data to the unit 100:
  • the unit 100 determines the height H 2 of the product internally of the tube and, consequently, the height by which the holder-lift 50 will be raised.
  • the travel of the stem 7, i.e. the piston 5, is calculated according to the data Y 2 , Y 4 .
  • Data Y 3 will give the viscosity and Y 5 the productivity, and these are used to calculate the speed of the piston 5 on aspiration of the product 4 by the tank 12, and the speed with which the product is compressed on supply to the nozzle 14.
  • Figure 6 includes, in a machine cycle (360 degrees in mechanical terms) the graphs relating to the piston movements 6 (reference ⁇ 1 ), of the conveyor line L (reference ⁇ 2 ) of the holder-lift 50 (reference ⁇ 3 ) and the switching valve 11 (reference ⁇ 4 ); graphs ⁇ 1 - ⁇ 4 give the mutual phase relations between the various movements.
  • the switching of the valve 11 from the first position X 1 to the second position X2 is set in phase relation with the definition of the raising of the holder-lift 50 and the end of the product aspiration phase; see graph ⁇ 4 and figure 2 .
  • the descent of the holder-lift 50 is done in two steps, one at constant velocity synchronously with the pumping of the product to the nozzle ( figures 3 , 4 ), the other at the maximum velocity allowed by the actuator 17, in order to allow the nozzle 14 to completely exit from the tube 2 ( figure 5 ) and to enable the holder 1 to deposit in the relative seating afforded in the line L as quickly as possible.
  • the first phase F 1 includes the analysis of data Y 1 , Y 2 , Y 3 , Y 4 , Y 5 , already described herein above.
  • the second phase F 1 includes the definition of the holder-lift 50 according to data Y 1 and Y 4 .
  • the fourth phase F 4 it is calculated whether the holder-lift raising time is greater than or equal to the time in which the valve 11 remains in the first position X 1 (aspiration of the batch into the cylinder 5).
  • the batch aspiration time is set to be equal to the lift time of the holder-lift 50 (fifth phase F 5 ).
  • a fifth auxiliary stage F 5 * is set, in which the batch aspiration time is equal to the time in which the valve 11 remains in the first position X 1 .
  • the pause time of the holder-lift 50 is calculated according to the time required by the valve 11 to switch from the first position X 1 to the second position X 2 .
  • the cycle time of the holder-lift 50 (rise, pause and descent) is calculated to see whether it is less than or equal to the pause time of the machine (for example 240 machine degrees); if this criterion is not satisfied, the machine cycle velocity is too fast and is considered to be unacceptable.
  • the percentage calculation (ninth phase F 9 ) of the time required for aspirating the batch and for pumping the batch is proceeded to, in machine degrees, taking into consideration the data Y 3 relating to the viscosity of the product 4.
  • the data Y 1 -Y 5 (displayed on the monitor F included in the interface 150) are correspondingly modified and the unit 100, in agreement with the new data, commands the actuators 15, 16, 17 accordingly.
  • the parameter which varies most frequently is viscosity, such that, taking the tube 2 format , the batch and the cylinder 5 - piston 6 - valve 11 group to be the same, the unit 100 intervenes to change the speeds of the piston runs 6 (and the descent velocity of the holder-lift 50).
  • the combination of the unit 100 and the actuators 15, 16, 17 enables “electronic cams” to be realised, with which the valve 11, the piston 6 and the holder-lift 50 can be commanded, in order to optimise the batching and the time required to carry out the batching, thus obviating the drawbacks in the prior art.
  • the provided system does not include the replacement of mechanical cams, as in the prior art, and is also very versatile indeed as it can be adapted to all possible situations, solely by entering data Y 1 -Y 5 in the unit 100.
  • the provided method is such as to optimise the functioning of the volumetric filler 10, in particular in relation to the productivity of the filler station D, and independently of the variations in the data Y 1 -Y 5 .
  • the data which identify a tube format, a cylinder 5-piston 6 - valve 11 group, a product (via the viscosity thereof), a batch value and a productivity are stored in the unit 100 and can be recalled when identical tube-batching situations arise.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
EP09157455A 2008-04-23 2009-04-07 A system and a method for filling tubes in a tube-filling machine Withdrawn EP2112066A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000256A ITBO20080256A1 (it) 2008-04-23 2008-04-23 Sistema e metodo per il riempimento di tubetti in una macchina intubettatrice

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2112066A1 true EP2112066A1 (en) 2009-10-28

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP09157455A Withdrawn EP2112066A1 (en) 2008-04-23 2009-04-07 A system and a method for filling tubes in a tube-filling machine

Country Status (3)

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US (1) US20090266444A1 (it)
EP (1) EP2112066A1 (it)
IT (1) ITBO20080256A1 (it)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITBO20130699A1 (it) * 2013-12-20 2015-06-21 Marchesini Group Spa Apparato per iniettare una quantita' dosata di liquido medicinale all'interno di un flacone
EP3165472A1 (de) * 2015-11-04 2017-05-10 Holmatec Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG Dosieraggregat mit speicherbehälter
CN107826280A (zh) * 2017-12-19 2018-03-23 新乡华青药业有限公司 膏剂灌装生产线的自动插管机及生产系统
CN108689377A (zh) * 2018-08-01 2018-10-23 嘉兴奥帮涂料科技有限公司 一种新型涂料灌装装置

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103778719B (zh) * 2014-02-23 2015-10-28 郑景文 智能散装牙膏售卖机的使用方法

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB694825A (en) * 1950-05-16 1953-07-29 Arenco Ab Improvements in or relating to the handling of containers in container filling and/or closing machines
DE102006015638A1 (de) * 2006-04-04 2007-10-11 Finnah Engineering Und Packaging Gmbh Maschine zum Füllen von Bechern mit Nahrungs- und Genußmitteln
WO2008015556A2 (en) * 2006-08-04 2008-02-07 Safosa S.P.A. Method and equipment for filling progressive effect multi-phase products, as well as the products themselves

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US3774655A (en) * 1971-06-21 1973-11-27 W Trusselle Container-filling apparatus
JPH01199801A (ja) * 1988-02-05 1989-08-11 Shikoku Kakoki Co Ltd 往復直線運動または間欠運動装置の制御装置
US5348058A (en) * 1992-11-06 1994-09-20 National Instrument Company, Inc. Clean-in-place filling machine
US5787687A (en) * 1996-05-01 1998-08-04 Mueller; Martin J. Servo-controlled container filling and weighing system
US5758698A (en) * 1996-08-01 1998-06-02 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance, S.A. Fill system including a valve assembly and corresponding structure for reducing the mixing of product and air during container filling
FR2760426B1 (fr) * 1997-03-05 1999-04-23 Kalix Sa Procede de controle d'une machine de remplissage de conteneurs et machine de remplissage mettant en oeuvre le procede
US6761191B2 (en) * 2000-11-03 2004-07-13 Robert A. Rosen Liquid filling system with improved fluid displacement, nozzle and container handling, cleaning, and calibration/set-up capabilities

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB694825A (en) * 1950-05-16 1953-07-29 Arenco Ab Improvements in or relating to the handling of containers in container filling and/or closing machines
DE102006015638A1 (de) * 2006-04-04 2007-10-11 Finnah Engineering Und Packaging Gmbh Maschine zum Füllen von Bechern mit Nahrungs- und Genußmitteln
WO2008015556A2 (en) * 2006-08-04 2008-02-07 Safosa S.P.A. Method and equipment for filling progressive effect multi-phase products, as well as the products themselves

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITBO20130699A1 (it) * 2013-12-20 2015-06-21 Marchesini Group Spa Apparato per iniettare una quantita' dosata di liquido medicinale all'interno di un flacone
WO2015092708A1 (en) * 2013-12-20 2015-06-25 Marchesini Group S.P.A. Apparatus for injecting a dosed quantity of medicinal liquid internally of a bottle
US10011374B2 (en) 2013-12-20 2018-07-03 Marchesini Group S.P.A. Apparatus for injecting a dosed quantity of medicinal liquid internally of a bottle
EP3165472A1 (de) * 2015-11-04 2017-05-10 Holmatec Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG Dosieraggregat mit speicherbehälter
CN107826280A (zh) * 2017-12-19 2018-03-23 新乡华青药业有限公司 膏剂灌装生产线的自动插管机及生产系统
CN107826280B (zh) * 2017-12-19 2019-05-07 新乡华青药业有限公司 膏剂灌装生产线的自动插管机及生产系统
CN108689377A (zh) * 2018-08-01 2018-10-23 嘉兴奥帮涂料科技有限公司 一种新型涂料灌装装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITBO20080256A1 (it) 2009-10-24
US20090266444A1 (en) 2009-10-29

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