Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
  • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
  • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
  • B67C3/22—Details
  • B67C3/28—Flow-control devices, e.g. using valves
• • 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
• • 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
  • B65B39/02—Expansible or contractible nozzles, funnels, or guides
• • 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
  • B65B43/60—Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation rotatable
• • 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
  • B65B59/00—Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
  • B65B59/001—Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a machine for filling containers with a filling product.
• the invention relates more particularly to a variable filling product flow filling machine for the use of said filling machine for different fillers, and in particular different viscosities.
• Container filling machines comprising at least one filling station are known, in particular so-called rotary machines and so-called linear machines comprising a plurality of filling stations, in which each filling station comprises a filling nozzle provided with a filling station.
• supply port and a discharge port and dosing means comprising a closure system mounted in the filling spout, and adapted to be controlled between a closed position and at least one open position.
• Each station further comprises supply means for supplying said filling spout with filling product, said supply means comprising a supply duct, connected to the supply orifice of the filling spout upstream of said filling system. shutter.
• the supply lines conventionally connect the filling spouts to a single tank on board or a single supply line connected to a remote tank.
• the product passage sections of each filling station must be different, in order to control the flow velocity of the product by appropriate pressure losses and to obtain a clean and without overflow dosage in a given time.
• rigid supply ducts of different diameters are conventionally used. Replacing the supply lines of all filling stations is time-consuming and tedious.
• the purpose of the present invention is to propose a solution to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, which makes it possible to adapt the filling machine to different products in a simple, fast and economical way.
• the present invention proposes a filling machine for containers, in particular of the gravity type, comprising at least one filling station comprising
• a filling spout provided with a supply orifice and a discharge orifice
• Dosing means comprising a closure system, for example of the valve type, mounted in the filling spout, adapted to be operated automatically between a closed position and at least one open position by an actuating system;
• feed means for supplying said filling spout with filler, said supplying means comprising a supply duct capable of being fed with filler, connected to the supply orifice of the filler spout; upstream of said shutter system with respect to the direction of flow of the filling product, characterized in that said supply duct comprises at least one section formed of a flexible pipe, said supply means further comprising means for pinching adapted to clamp said flexible pipe to change the cross section of the internal passage of said flexible pipe, said clamping means are operable between at least two positions corresponding to different sections of the internal passage of the flexible pipe.
• the feed pipe of the filling spout comprises a flexible pipe and pinching means which make it possible to vary the section of the internal passage of the flexible pipe, and thus to vary the pressure drop according to the viscosity of the filling product and / or the presence or absence of pieces or particles in the filling product, in order to control the flow velocity of the product at the outlet of the filling spout and to obtain a clean, overflow-free dosage within a specified time.
• the filling machine according to the invention can therefore be adapted to different products, of different viscosities, simply, quickly and economically, without replacement or addition of parts, in particular without replacing the supply line and without replacement or modification of the filling spout and / or its associated shutter system.
• the manual operation limitation for adapting the machine to a product type also improves hygiene.
• the clamping means can have only two positions, or several positions to be able to treat a multitude of filling products of different viscosities.
• the closed section flexible pipe according to the invention associated with pinching means is a simple solution to implement and effective to vary the section of the supply duct.
• the flexible hose can be easily inserted into a supply duct, while ensuring a substantially continuous inner passage that can be cleaned easily and efficiently.
• said pinching means are operable between a rest position corresponding to an unclamped state of the hose, wherein said hose has a maximum internal passage section, and at least one active position corresponding to a pinched state of flexible pipe in which the flexible pipe has a reduced section.
• the machine can have a single active position or a multitude of active positions. The ability to return quickly and easily to a maximum section also allows for better cleaning of the machine. The cleaning of the machine may advantageously be performed in the unclamped state of the flexible hose.
• the filling spout comprises a generally tubular body, the supply orifice being preferably formed radially on the tubular wall of said body, the shutter system comprising a valve which is mounted in said tubular body and controlled in opening and closing by an actuation system comprising a jack, the cylinder body being disposed above the filler spout and its rod extending substantially axially in the tubular body and end-bearing said valve.
• the supply port is formed by the open upper axial end of the tubular body. The valve is then preferably controlled by a magnetic type actuating system.
• said clamping means comprise a first fixed bar and a second movable bar between which said flexible tube is arranged, the first fixed bar preferably being substantially in contact with the flexible hose, and the second movable bar being suitable to be moved between a rest position and an active position by an actuating device.
• said flexible pipe is arranged so that its longitudinal axis forms a non-zero angle and less than 90 ° with respect to the horizontal, the first fixed bar being disposed under said flexible pipe.
• the flexible pipe is arranged substantially vertically, said pinching means comprise a first bar and a second bar between which is disposed said flexible pipe, the first bar and / or the second bar being able to be moved between a rest position and an active position by an actuating device.
• simple design pinch means can be used to act simultaneously on a plurality of flexible tubes of different filling stations.
• the filling machine comprises several filling stations, said clamping means comprising at least one pinch system capable of simultaneously gripping the flexible pipes of several filling stations, said clamping system comprising a first bar and a second bar between which flexible pipes pass, and an actuating device for moving at least one of the two bars between a rest position and at least one active pinch position.
• the filling machine comprises several filling stations with a clamping system and its associated actuating device for each filling station.
• the machine comprises a plurality of filling stations and an onboard distribution tank or a supply line connected to a remote storage tank, each filling station comprising a supply line connecting the filling spout to said storage tank or to said supply line.
• the machine is of rotary type, said filling stations being arranged at regular angular space on a carousel, the supply ducts extending radially from the filling spouts towards the dispensing tank or the pipe of brought centered on the axis of rotation of the carousel.
• the clamping systems are arranged at regular angular space, the first bar and the second bar of each clamping system extending in an arc.
• each supply duct of a filling station comprises a first rigid pipe and a second rigid pipe connected respectively to the distribution tank or the supply pipe, and to a filling spout, said flexible pipe , possibly equipped with rigid flange ends being removably mounted between the free ends of the two rigid pipes, possibly provided with a flange.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 show two partial schematic perspective views of a filling machine according to the invention without the clamping means, on which only part of the filling stations is illustrated;
• FIG. 3 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the filling machine of Figures 1 and 2, equipped with clamping means, the section being formed at a filling station, with the clamping means in an active position ;
• the filling machine is of rotary type, and comprises a carousel 1 having a support structure to be rotatably mounted on a fixed frame (not shown) about an axis A of vertical rotation.
• the carousel 1 carries a plurality of filling stations 2 arranged at regular angular space around the axis A of rotation.
• Each filling station 2 comprises a filling spout 3 mounted vertically on a ring 11 of the support structure.
• the filling spout 3 is formed of a generally tubular body 31 having an internal passage 32, an upper axial end open and a lower axial end constituting the discharge orifice 33 of the filling spout.
• the tubular body is provided with a radial supply orifice 34 for supplying the spout with filler.
• the tubular body is mounted on the underside of the ring 11, at an opening thereof.
• Means for dosing the product are associated with each filling spout for delivering a determined quantity of filling product into each container brought under the filling spout.
• These metering means comprise a closure system 4 comprising a valve 41 disposed in the filling spout.
• This valve is controlled in opening and closing by a control system comprising a cylinder 51, for example pneumatic.
• the body 51a of the jack is mounted on the upper face of the ring 11 and its rod 51b extends substantially axially in the internal passage 32 of the filling spout and carries at its free end the valve 41, so that the valve can be moved in vertical translation by the cylinder between a closed position, shown in Figure 3, to close the discharge port, and open positions to open the discharge port.
• the dosing means are, for example, of the weight type, the jack being controlled by a weighing sensor placed at a container support system associated with the filling station.
• the cylinder is controlled by a sensor for detecting the filling level of the container or a flow sensor that is interposed between the container and the nozzle at the time of filling.
• the tubular body 31 advantageously consists of two parts to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the filling spout: a first part 31a, provided with the upper axial end and the supply port 34 is mounted on the underside of the ring 11, and a second part 31b provided with the discharge port is removably mounted on the first piece.
• Each filling station further comprises supply means connected to the supply port 34 for supplying said filling spout with filler.
• Said supply means comprise a supply duct 6 connected to the supply port of the filling spout.
• the supply ducts of the set of filling nozzles are connected on one side to a filling spout and on the other side to the same dispensing tank 7 mounted on the support structure.
• this on-board distribution tank is supplied with filling product from a remote storage tank via a supply line, the distribution tank serving as a buffer zone.
• the distribution vessel may be replaced by a supply line connected to a remote storage tank.
• this feed duct 6 comprises a section consisting of a hose 61 flexible, elastically deformable, also called flexible hose, adapted to be clamped by pinch means 8 mounted on the support structure to vary the section 611 internal passage of the flexible pipe, and thus adapt the pressure drop to the type of filling product.
• the feed pipe comprises three sections, an intermediate section consisting of a flexible pipe, for example made of elastomeric material, connected at the end to two end sections consisting of rigid pipes 62, 63.
• a first rigid pipe 62 is connected to the distribution tank 7 and a second rigid pipe 63 is connected to the orifice 34 for supplying the filling spout.
• the flexible pipe and the rigid pipes are substantially rectilinear and have substantially identical inner sections.
• the first rigid pipe and the second rigid pipe are respectively mounted on the tank and the filling spout so that the pipes 61, 62, 63 constituting the supply pipe form a non-zero angle relative to the horizontal, between 1 ° and 45 °, for example of the order of 5 °.
• the first pipe 62 Rigid is connected by a bent end portion 62b to the bottom wall 71 of the tank 7.
• the second rigid pipe 63 is formed in one piece with the first piece 31a of the filling spout.
• the flexible pipe is removably mounted between the free ends of the two rigid pipes, so as to obtain an internal feed conduit passage having a substantially continuous surface.
• the flexible hose is crimped or fitted on two rigid clamp-type tips 64, each provided with a flange 64a for their assembly at the free ends of the rigid pipes 62, 63 also provided with flanges 62a, 63a. As illustrated in FIGS.
• the blocking of the flanges is achieved by means of two half-rings 91, 92 with a U-shaped cross section, articulated to one another by a first end, and provided with their second end of a clamping system 93, the clamping system comprising for example a wing nut coming to screw on a threaded rod pivotally mounted on a half-ring and adapted to engage in a slot of the other half Ring.
• the two half-rings are fitted on the flanges and then tightened by the clamping system to hold the two flanges tightly against each other.
• these clamp-type fittings, with ferrules and half-rings can be replaced by DIN-type connectors or SMS-type connectors.
• the clamping means 8 comprise a first bar 81, said lower, fixedly mounted on the radial crosspieces 12 of the support structure, under the hose 61 flexible, in contact with the latter, and a second bar 82 said upper, mounted movably on the radial crosspieces 12 of the support structure above the flexible pipe, the two bars being substantially aligned vertically.
• the upper bar is operable vertically between a rest position and an active position by a actuating device 83 of the jack type. In its rest position, the upper bar 82 is spaced from the hose, or simply in contact with the hose, the hose being in a non-pinched state.
• the upper bar can be moved vertically downwardly by the actuator to its active position shown in Figure 3, to pinch the hose and thereby reduce the cross section of its internal passage by deformation elastic.
• the hose returns elastically in its unclamped state.
• the machine comprises pinch means common to several adjacent filling stations.
• the machine comprises several gripping system 8a, for example six in number, angularly offset about the axis A.
• Each gripping system comprises a lower bar 81 and an upper bar 82 which extend in an arc, between which pass the flexible pipes of several adjacent filling stations.
• Each clamping system further comprises a device for actuating the upper bar, here formed of a cylinder 83, for example of the pneumatic type.
• the clamping systems 8a are mounted on a support ring 84 formed of a plurality of arcuate elements mounted between radial crosspieces 12 (FIG 1) of the support structure.
• the lower bar 81 of each clamping system is fixedly mounted at the free ends of two vertical tabs 85 integral with the support ring 84.
• the upper bar is mounted at the free end of the rod 83a of the cylinder, the body 83b of the cylinder being mounted on the ring 84 support, between the two tabs 85 vertical.
• the upper bar is slidably mounted on the two vertical tabs 85, the upper bar comprising for example two pads 82a slidably mounted in openings 85a vertical tabs.
• the machine comprises thirty filling stations and six gripping devices 8a associated with five filling stations 2, three flexible pipes being for example arranged between two vertical legs, and a pipe beyond each vertical leg.
• the upper bars of the clamping systems are moved together in the rest position or in the active position by simultaneous control of their cylinder to adapt the machine to two different filling products.
• the pressure drop of the supply ducts, and therefore the rate of filling in said supply ducts, and therefore the flow velocity of the product at the discharge port 33 of the filling nozzle can be adapted easily depending on the filling product to be dosed, Automatically and simultaneously for all filling stations, without replacement or addition of part, which simplifies the handling to pass from one product to another product of different viscosity and increases the level of hygiene by avoiding manual interventions in the field. dosing chamber.
• the pneumatic cylinders 83 are replaced by electric cylinders "brushless" type, for adjusting the upper bars to different active positions, and thus to treat several fillers of different viscosities on the same machine. It is understood that the invention is not limited to this type of machine, the machine can be of linear type, with one or more metering stations, with a remote storage tank or integrated with said machine.

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

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=41349326

Family Applications (1)

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• 2009
  • 2009-05-05 FR FR0952987A patent/FR2945274A1/fr active Pending
• 2010
  • 2010-05-05 EP EP10727098.5A patent/EP2427378B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2010-05-05 US US13/319,018 patent/US8857479B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2010-05-05 WO PCT/FR2010/050855 patent/WO2010128247A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2010-05-05 BR BRPI1011398A patent/BRPI1011398A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2010-05-05 MX MX2011011327A patent/MX2011011327A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2010-05-05 CN CN2010800192904A patent/CN102428007A/zh active Pending

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