EP2788273B1 - Filling machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling machine according to the preamble of claim 1 for filling containers with a product, in particular in the form of a liquid or pasty or pourable product.

A filling machine is known ( EP 1512663 A1 ). The known filling machine is designed as a revolving type filling machine, specifically with several filling positions on a rotor which can be driven around a vertical machine axis. The filling positions, which each have a filling element, are designed for processing containers of different types and / or sizes and / or shapes and also for CIP cleaning and / or CIP disinfection. For this purpose, several different container carriers and also a rinsing cap are assigned to each filling element or each filling position, specifically on a support ring arranged on the same axis as the machine axis. This support ring is provided on the rotor so that it rotates synchronously and in the same direction with the rotor.

At the same time, however, the support ring can be adjusted relative to the rotor by rotating or pivoting about the machine axis, so that, depending on the setting of the support ring, at all filling positions at the same time from a first container carrier to a second container carrier or to a flushing cap for CIP cleaning and / or CIP cleaning. Disinfection can be changed.

The known filling machine is not suitable for a filling process in which the quantity of the filling material to be introduced into the container is determined by its weight or by its mass

A second filling machine is off JP 2001 031193 A known. For each filling position 1, this rotating filling machine comprises a container base support 3 with a load cell 13, a container side wall support 14 and a container neck support 17 in the form of grippers. Between the grippers 17 there are CIP caps 4. The filling positions or the grippers with the CIP caps can be adjusted relative to one another by one setting step by means of a pneumatic cylinder 6 in order to either bring the respective gripper or the respective CIP cap below the respective filling position bring. After this adjustment, the respective CIP cap can be attached tightly to the respective filling position by means of a lifting device 25.

The object of the invention is to provide a filling machine which, with high operational reliability and with a quick and problem-free changeover from a filling operation to CIP cleaning and / or CIP disinfection and / or with a quick and problem-free format change, a fill quantity-controlled filling or Bringing filling material into containers with high accuracy. To the solution a filling machine according to claim 1 is designed for this purpose.

"Fill quantity-controlled filling" means in the context of the invention that the mass weight of the filling material fed to the respective container is preferably continuously recorded by at least one sensor unit (weighing cell) and the filling process is controlled as a function of a weight-dependent electrical sensor signal generated by the sensor unit.

In the context of the invention, "format change" is to be understood as the conversion of the filling machine from containers of one type and / or one size and / or one shape to another type and / or another size and / or another shape.

The expression “essentially” or “approximately” means deviations from the respective exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Developments, advantages and possible applications of the invention also emerge from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures.

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Darstellung eine Draufsicht auf eine Füllmaschine umlaufender Bauart zum Füllen von Behältern in Form von Flaschen mit einem flüssigen Füllgut;

Fig. 2

in vereinfachter schematischer Darstellung eine der Füllpositionen der Füllmaschine der Figur 1, zusammen mit einem unter dem Füllelement für ein Freistrahlfüllen angeordneten Behälter;

Fig. 3

und 4 jeweils in perspektivischer Teildarstellung und in einer Ansicht von unten mehrere an einem Rotor angeordnete Füllelemente, zusammen mit an einem Trägerring vorgesehenen Behälterträgern und Verschließelementen in unterschiedlichen Betriebszuständigen der Füllmaschine.

The invention is explained in more detail below using the figures using an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

Fig. 1

a simplified illustration of a plan view of a filling machine of a rotating design for filling containers in the form of bottles with a liquid filling material;

Fig. 2

in a simplified schematic representation of one of the filling positions of the filling machine of Figure 1 , together with a container arranged under the filling element for free-jet filling;

Fig. 3

and FIG. 4 each in a perspective partial representation and in a view from below a plurality of filling elements arranged on a rotor, together with container carriers and closing elements provided on a carrier ring in different operating states of the filling machine.

The filling machine, generally designated 1 in the figures, is used to fill containers 2 in the form of bottles with a filling material, i.e. in the embodiment shown with a liquid filling material, e.g. a beverage.

The filling machine 1 is designed as a revolving type of filling machine, with a rotor 3 that can be driven around a vertical machine axis MA and a plurality of filling positions 4 provided on its circumference at uniform angular intervals and at the same radial distance from the machine axis MA. The containers 2 to be filled are fed to the rotor 3 or the filling positions 4 there via a container inlet 5 (inlet star). The filled containers are removed from the rotor 3 or the respective filling position 4 at a container outlet 6 (outlet star) (arrow C).

The filling positions 4 each include a filling element 7 and at least two different container carriers 8, on which the respective container 2 is held during filling on a container flange formed below the container mouth, in such a way that the container 2 with its mouth in the vertical direction located below a discharge opening 9 of the filling element 7, through which the filling material flows into the container 2 during filling. The container carriers 8 are designed, for example, like pliers, but are in any case adapted to the neck ring diameter that the respective container 2 has in the area of a neck ring or mouth flange. In the embodiment shown, the containers 2 are filled in a free jet (free jet filling), with the container mouth being spaced from the dispensing opening 7.

A ring bowl 10 is also provided on the rotor 3, which is at least partially filled with the liquid filling material during the filling operation, with the formation of an upper gas space and a lower liquid space, with which all filling elements 7 of the filling machine 1 are connected.

The filling of the container 2 is controlled by the fill quantity. For this purpose, each container carrier 8 is provided on a weighing cell 11, which supplies at least one electrical measurement signal, which is dependent on the mass weight of the respective container, to a control device, for example to a process computer of the filling machine 1, to control the filling element 7 assigned to the filling position 4 in question In detail, the filling elements 7 are controlled, for example, in such a way that the respective filling process is initiated, ie the respective filling element 7 is opened when this filling position 4 has reached a predetermined angular position of the rotary movement of the rotor 3 after passing through the container inlet 5. The closing of the filling element 7 takes place at least in trouble-free operation when the required amount of filling material has been introduced into the container 2, ie the container 2 has the required mass weight or preferably the weight increase between the empty container 2 before the start of the filling process and the weight of the Container 2 has reached a predetermined target value after initiating the filling process, and accordingly the associated weighing cell 11 supplies a signal corresponding to this target product quantity to the control computer.

The peculiarity of the filling machine 1 is that the load cells 11 with their container carriers 8 are provided on a common carrier 12 in the form of a support ring, which is arranged with its ring axis coaxially with the vertical machine axis MA, and that on the circumference of the carrier 12 between two container carriers 8 that follow one another in a circumferential direction of the support ring are each provided with a closing element 13, with which the dispensing opening 9 and a washing area 14 having this dispensing opening on the underside of the filling element 7 for CIP cleaning and / or CIP disinfection of the filling machine 1 and in particular the product-carrying areas of this machine can be tightly sealed. The carrier 12 is drivingly connected to the rotor 3 so that it is synchronous and in the same direction with the rotor 3 circulates. In addition, the carrier 12 is an angular amount which corresponds to the pitch between the container carrier 8 assigned to a filling position 4 and the closing element 13 assigned to this filling position, i.e. in the illustrated embodiment by an angular amount that is half the pitch of the filling elements 7 on the circumference of the rotor 3 corresponds to the rotor 3 in the direction of rotation A and adjustable against this direction of rotation. In one setting of the carrier 12, the container carrier 8 assigned to it is located under each filling element 7 during the filling operation. In a second setting of the carrier 12, the closing element 13 assigned to this is located under each filling element 7, which the filling element 7 in the area of its discharge opening 9 and tightly closes the washing area 14 there. In order to achieve this, in the embodiment shown, the carrier 12 is not only rotatable or pivotable about the machine axis MA, but preferably at the same time can also be raised and lowered in the direction of the machine axis MA, so that the closing elements 13 in the second setting of the carrier 12 and at raised support 12, the wash space 14 is pressed against the underside of the respective filling element 7 in a sealing manner ( Figure 4 ).

In the embodiment shown, each filling element 7 is assigned a container carrier 8 and a closing element 13. Furthermore, the closing elements 13 are each provided in the middle between two container carriers 8 following one another in the circumferential direction of the carrier 12, so that the pitch between the container carrier 8 assigned to a filling position 4 and the closing element 13 assigned to this filling position 4 is equal to half the pitch of the filling elements 7 on the circumference of the rotor 3 is.

In the embodiment shown, the carrier 12 consists of an upper support ring section 12.1 and a lower support ring section 12.2, which are offset from one another in the direction of the machine axis MA with their surface side each in planes perpendicular to the machine axis MA and which surround this machine axis concentrically and which are connected via a support ring section 12.3 are connected to each other. The carrier 12 is made in one piece with its support ring sections 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 and with finger-like projections 12.1.1, which are provided on the upper support ring section 12.1 over its outer circumference protrude radially on the machine axis MA. Other designs of the carrier 12 are also possible.

In the embodiment shown, the load cells 11 each essentially consist of an upper beam 11.1 and a lower beam 11.2, the longitudinal extension of which is oriented radially with respect to the machine axis MA and which are connected to one another via an elastic deformable body 11.3. The respective container support 8 is attached to the upper beam. The lower beam 11.2 is attached to the upper side of the lower support ring section 12.2 facing the filling elements 7. The change in the position of the upper bar 11.1 relative to the lower bar 11.2, which is dependent on the mass weight of the container 2, and thus the amount of product introduced into the respective container 2, is detected by processing via sensors 11.3, which are generally designated 11.4 in the figures the electrical measurement signals delivered by the sensors 11.3.

In the embodiment shown, the closing elements 13 are plate-shaped, i.e. designed as closing plates, and are provided on the upper side of the finger-like projections 12.1.1 of the upper support ring section 12.1 facing the filling elements 7 or are formed by these projections. Furthermore, the closing elements 13 are each equipped with a covering acting as a seal on the upper side of the plate, so that when the closing elements 13 are pressed against the filling elements 7, a tight seal, in particular also of the rinsing spaces 14, is guaranteed. The closing elements 13 can also be designed in the manner of a cap, in particular when the filling elements 7 do not have the washing chamber 14 in the area of their dispensing openings 9.

Due to the design described above, it has become possible in the filling machine 1 for a volume-controlled filling of containers 2 using load cells 11 at the same time to provide closing elements 13, which for all filling positions 4 jointly between one of the filling elements 7 or their rinsing spaces 14 and one the filling elements or their rinsing spaces 14 closing position are movable. It should be noted here that the load cells 11 have a relatively large structural volume, so that in particular even with a large number of them adjoining one another as closely as possible Filling elements 7 only a small amount of space remains for the accommodation of closing elements, which applies to a greater extent to smaller filling machines with a rotor 3 of reduced diameter. By arranging the closing elements 13 on the carrier 12 or on the finger-like projections 12.1.1 and the attachment of the load cells 11 to the lower support ring section 12.2 or below the level of the closing elements 13, that space for accommodating or receiving the Closing elements 13 are used during the filling operation, which inevitably results from the size of the filling elements 7 and the resulting spacing of these filling elements 7.

Despite a flexible and non-static mounting of the load cells 11, ie despite the attachment of the load cells to the pivotable carrier 12, a high measurement accuracy with the load cells 11 and thus a high accuracy when filling the container 2 can be achieved in a surprising manner In particular, it is also possible to design or use the filling machine 1 as a so-called "dosing filler" in which at least two different filling material components are introduced into the respective container 2 one after the other, precisely dosed according to a predetermined recipe depending on the measurement signals of the load cells 11.

According to the present invention, at least one further functional element is arranged at each filling position 4 on the carrier 12 common to all filling positions, namely a further container carrier 8. For all container carriers 8 assigned to each filling position 4, which are positioned on the circumference of carrier 12 by one rotational step of this ring are provided offset from one another, is then either a common load cell 11 or an independent load cell 11 is provided in each case. The container carriers 8 assigned to each filling position 4 are adapted to different container types and / or container sizes and / or to different neck ring diameters of the containers and / or to different types of container holder, so that a problem-free and quick format change by rotating the carrier 12 simultaneously for all Filling positions 4 is possible.

The invention was described above using an exemplary embodiment. It goes without saying that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the scope of the following claims.

List of reference symbols

1

Filling element

2

container

3

rotor

4th

Filling position

5

Container inlet

6th

Container outlet

7th

Filling element

8th

Container carrier

9

Dispensing opening

10

Ring bowl

11

Load cell

11.1, 11.2

bar

11.3

elastic body

11.4

electromechanical sensor

12th

Carrier in the form of a support ring

12.1, 12.2, 12.3

Support ring section

12.1.1

finger-like protrusion

13

Locking element

14th

Wash cabinet

A.

Direction of rotation of the rotor 3

B, C

Transport direction of the container 2 in front of the container inlet 5 or after the container outlet 6

Claims (7)

1. Filling machine for filling containers (2) with a filling material, having a plurality of filling positions (4) formed on a rotating transport element, for example on the circumference of a rotor (3) that can be driven in rotation about a vertical machine axis, said filling positions each having a filling element (7) for the controlled dispensing of the filling material into a container (2), and also a functional element which is designed as a container carrier (8), which, together with at least one further functional element assigned to the respective filling position (4), is arranged on a carrier (12) common to all the filling positions (4) in the form of a carrier ring, which is configured in such a way as to be moved together with the transport element, in synchrony and in the same direction, but in the transport direction (A) of the transport element, as well as being adjustable against this transport direction (A) relative to the transport element by one adjustment step, which corresponds to the opposite spacing interval which the functional elements assigned to the respective filling position (4) have in relation to one another in the transport direction (A), wherein the container carrier (8) is equipped with a weighing cell (11), secured to the common carrier (12), for a quantity-controlled filling of the containers (2), wherein the at least one container carrier (8) is held above the weighing cell (11) on the common carrier (12), and wherein each filling position (4) comprises at least two different container carriers (8), and that an independent weighing cell (11) is assigned to each container carrier (8), or that a common weighing cell (11) is assigned to the container carriers (8) of each filling position (4).
2. Filling machine according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one functional element assigned to each filling position (4) is a closure element (13) for closing the filling elements (7) in the region of their dispensing openings (9), for example in the form of a closure plate or closure cap.
3. Filling machine according to claim 2, characterised in that the weighing cells (11) are provided on the common carrier (12) beneath the level of the closure elements (13).
4. Filling machine according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that, in order to close the filling elements (7) in the region of their dispensing openings (9), the common carrier (12) with the closure elements (13) can be moved onto the filling elements (7) and/or the filling elements (7) can be moved onto the closure elements (13).
5. Filling machine according to any one of claims 2-4, characterised in that the common carrier (12) comprises projections (12.1.1), which are oriented with their longitudinal extensions perpendicular or essentially perpendicular to the transport direction (A) of the transport element, and on which in each case at least one closure element (13) is provided or formed, and that the at least one container carrier (8) is provided between two projections (12.1.1) following one another in the transport direction (A).
6. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the closure elements (13) are provided on a first upper carrier ring (12.1), and the weighing cells (11) are provided on a second lower carrier ring section (12.2) of the carrier ring (12).
7. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one container carrier (8) is configured for holding the containers at a neck ring or mouth flange.

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