EP3231716B1 - Filling device for a packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a filling device for a packing machine and a packing machine equipped with at least one filling device for filling bulk goods into valve bags. The filling device according to the invention can be used for filling all kinds of bulk goods. Such a filling device and a packing machine equipped with it are particularly preferably used for filling fine products, that is to say for filling fine and dusty products such as cement.

In the prior art, a wide variety of filling devices have become known which have a filling channel and which have at least one controllable channel closure in order to control the flow through the filling channel of a bulk material to be filled into a valve bag. In the case of known filling devices, the channel closure is often brought into two or three different positions in order to release the filling channel to a different extent. If the channel closure is opened wide and the cross section of the filling channel is largely released, the filling takes place in a coarse flow, in which a high filling weight is filled per unit of time.

In order to be able to control the filled quantity or the filled volume in a targeted manner, the filling rate is reduced towards the end of the filling process and then only filled in fine flow. For this purpose, the cross-section of the filling channel is considerably reduced by the controllable channel closure. When the filled filling quantity or the desired filling volume is reached, the channel closure is completely closed so that the filling process is stopped.

With the GB 416,215 a packing machine with a valve in the filling channel has become known, the valve being received in a pivotable manner on a valve axis extending transversely to the longitudinal extent of the filling channel. The valve comprises a round closure plate which can be pivoted about the valve axis provided centrally on it. The pivotable valve axis runs centrally through the filling channel. In a vertical position, the closure plate closes the circular filling channel. After pivoting through 90 ° into a horizontal position, the filling channel is largely released. Both the pivot axis and the closure plate are located in the open state in the middle of the product flow. When filling bulk goods, the frictional contact with the product to be filled therefore causes continuous and high wear on the pivot axis and the closure plate. Correspondingly frequent maintenance and regular replacement of the pivot axis and the closure plate are required. The service life can be increased with thicker walls, but this reduces the flow rate. The closure plate forms a disruptive body in the flow, which significantly increases the friction and flow resistance of the bulk material.

For this reason, scissor valves are used as a channel closure, for example, in which scissor-shaped grippers completely release the elastic part of the filling channel in the open state, while the scissor grippers partially close the filling channel in the fine flow position and completely in the closed position. Such a scissor valve works reliably and can bring about a tight closure of the filling channel, with a high flow rate being possible. The scissor grabs are practically not subject to wear, as they do not come into frictional contact with the product to be filled. The disadvantage of this, however, is that the channel closure in the elastic part of the filling channel has to attack, so that a radially larger filling device is created. In addition, the elastic hose wears out due to the scissor movements and has to be replaced regularly. The elastic hose makes the filling channel longer, so that there is increased pipe friction.

In the case of rotating packaging machines which have a plurality of filling devices distributed around the circumference, this leads to a larger diameter of the packaging machine and thus a larger structural volume.

A small overall volume and a smaller overall length are achieved using a slide valve. In such a channel closure, a pivotably mounted slide plate is held between two other steel plates. The filling channel extends through the three adjacent steel plates. The pivot axis of the central slide plate, which optionally releases the filling channel, extends parallel to the filling channel. Due to the eccentric pivoting movement, the filling channel is initially partially and finally completely closed, so that a defined control of the filling process is possible.

To seal the three steel plates, they are pressed against one another by spring preloading, so that there is a sufficient seal to the outside. Such a channel closure works reliably and requires only a small amount of space in the direction of the filling channel. The steel plates sliding on each other are subject to continuous wear. The wall thickness of the slide plate can be increased accordingly in order to increase the service life. Nevertheless, the individual steel plates have to be replaced at maintenance intervals, which leads to downtimes. This also results in assembly costs. Another disadvantage is that the product is transported to the outside between the steel plates during operation. Even if these are only relatively small amounts, this leads to contamination of the packaging machine and the Surroundings. A seal surrounding the slide valve would clog over time and hinder the movement of the slide plate.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a filling device for a packing machine and a packing machine equipped with such a filling device, with a high flow rate being possible, with the filling device in particular requiring little space and preferably less wear.

This object is achieved by a filling device with the features of claim 1 and by a packing machine with the features of claim 14. Preferred developments are the subject matter of the subclaims. Further advantages and features of the present invention emerge from the general description and the description of an exemplary embodiment.

The filling device according to the invention for a packing machine is equipped with a filling channel and has at least one controllable channel closure in order to control the flow through the filling channel of a bulk material to be filled into a valve bag. In this case, the channel closure comprises a pivotable closure member which is arranged at least partially within the filling channel and the pivot axis of which is oriented transversely to the filling channel. The channel closure is structured in such a way that the channel closure essentially completely closes the filling channel in the closed state and completely exposes the filling cross-section in at least one central area in the completely open state.

The filling device according to the invention has many advantages. A considerable advantage of the filling device according to the invention is the small space requirement, which is also achieved by the pivot axis of the closure member oriented transversely to the filling channel. At the same time, a low level of wear can be achieved. The filling channel is completely opened when it is completely open Approved. In the fully opened state, the closure member does not essentially protrude into the filling channel. The filling channel is preferably completely released. Other disruptive objects preferably also do not protrude into the filling cross-section of the filling channel in the open state.

The pivotable closure member is preferably pivoted completely out of the filling channel in the open state. The proportion of the completely releasable central area on the pivot axis of the closure member is advantageously at least 25% of the cross-sectional area of the filling channel. The proportion of the completely releasable central region in the cross-sectional area of the filling channel is preferably at least 33% and in particular at least 50% and particularly preferably at least 66% or 75% or more. A releasable proportion of 80%, 90% or 95% and more is also preferred.

In the fully open state, the central area is preferably completely exposed around a central axis and / or around an axis of symmetry of the filling channel, a diameter of the exposed central region being at least half as large as the associated diameter of the filling channel.

In a preferred development of the invention, the channel closure and / or the closure member comprises at least one round section. At least one round section passes through the filling channel. Such a configuration is particularly advantageous because a round section of the closure member at the point where the closure member passes through the filling channel leads to a particularly tight and low-maintenance and thus low-wear structure. A rotary movement of the closure member with respect to the wall of the filling channel leads to much less wear than a translational movement of the slide plates through the bulk material and is still possible with commercially available seals better protected against leakage of bulk material. It is possible to completely prevent bulk material from escaping into the environment on at least one side by screwing on a cover. Should product settle in the cavity between the cover and the round section, this does not subsequently hinder the pivoting movement between the round section and the cover.

In particular, the closure member can be pivoted about a pivot axis which runs centrally through the round section. This means that the round section of the closure member is pivoted relative to the wall of the filling channel, which leads to a particularly low-wear structure. As a result, a high level of reliability and a long service life can be achieved.

The channel closure is preferably adjustable between a closed and at least one open position via a lever or an eccentric and a drive. The channel closure can preferably be transferred at least from a closed position to at least a partially open position and finally a fully open position.

It is also possible for the channel closure to be continuously adjustable between an open and a completely closed position. The drive can be designed differently and, for example, comprise an electric motor, or the drive can take place via or comprise a cylinder drive.

In all configurations, it is structurally preferred that the closure member protrudes into at least one wall of the filling channel. It is also possible that the closure member protrudes into the opposite walls of the filling channel or passes through them. In this case, the closure member is preferably provided with a round section at each of the passages, so that these passages to the outside are easy to seal. It is also possible that the closure member only passes through one wall. The closure member can be guided in the other wall.

In the area of the interior of the filling channel, the closure member particularly preferably has a closure wall arranged eccentrically to the pivot axis. For example, the closure wall can be designed as a wall section of a cylinder which extends over a certain angular section. As a result, this wall section serving as a closure wall can be moved more or less into the filling channel by means of a corresponding pivoting movement. The released portion of the filling channel depends on the pivot angle of the closure member. The pivot axis does not extend through the interior of the filling channel. The pivot axis preferably comprises two stub axles which are connected in the area of the filling channel by the at least one eccentric closure wall.

In particular, the closure wall is designed so that a complete closure of the filling channel is possible in at least one angular position. A complete release of the cross section of the filling channel in at least one angular position is preferably also possible.

In all of the configurations it is preferred that the filling channel has an essentially rectangular cross section at least adjacent to the closure member. In particular, the filling channel has a substantially rectangular cross section in at least one area in front of and / or in at least one area after the closure member.

It is also possible for the filling channel to have an essentially rectangular cross section over a substantial part or over the entire length. The corners can be rounded. It is also possible that the filling channel is parallel on two opposite sides is aligned, while the other two sides are oval or rounded.

It is also possible for the filling channel to be round or oval over part of its length or as a whole.

In the area of the closure member, the filling channel preferably has at least one recess in which the closure wall is at least partially arranged when the closure wall is in a completely open position. Such a configuration has the advantage that there is no additional obstacle in the filling channel in the fully open position. Furthermore, there are also no dead spaces, which is favorable in terms of flow. Additional turbulence does not occur.

It is preferred that the filling channel has at least one recess in the area of the closure member, into which the closure wall at least partially dips when the closure wall is in the closed position. In particular, at least one edge of the closure wall dips into the recess in the closed position, while the edge at the other end of the closure wall is still in the recess, so that the filling channel is reliably closed overall.

In preferred configurations it is possible for the pivot axis to be arranged eccentrically to the filling channel. The at least one round section then preferably has a larger diameter than at least one transverse dimension of the filling channel.

In all of the configurations it is preferred that the filling device comprises a filling pot for receiving the intermediate supply of a bulk material to be filled.

According to the invention, at least one conveyor member is provided, which is designed in particular as a conveyor turbine. Included the conveying element is arranged inside the filling pot.

The area of the interior of the filling pot is preferably designed to be rounded. The filling channel extends outward from the filling pot. The conveyor turbine is preferably received in the filling pot in the rounded area. In the case of vertically rotating conveyor turbines, the filling channel preferably extends outwardly from a lower region and in particular in the lowermost region of the filling pot. In the assembled state, the closure member is preferably located at least partially within a rectangular area which surrounds the outer circumference and / or the cross-sectional area of the filling pot as closely as possible. In the case of conveyor turbines that rotate about a horizontal axis of rotation, the closure member is preferably located at least partially below the interior of the filling pot. In the case of conveyor turbines that rotate about a vertical axis of rotation, the closure member is preferably located at least partially to the side of the interior of the filling pot.

A particularly compact design is achieved as a result, since the blades of the conveyor turbine extend at least partially up to above or to the side of the closure member. This creates a dense three-dimensional structure that requires only little volume in the radial direction in a rotating packaging machine. Such a configuration does not require more installation space than the known variant with a slide valve. This does not result in a larger outside diameter, which would cause a higher circumferential speed of the packaging machine.

It is advantageous that a small diameter of the packaging machine increases the number of automatically working applicators and thus improves the overall availability. The ejection behavior is also improved, since the low peripheral speed of the Packing machine enables a more precise discharge and a lower load on the sack, since the tangential speed during discharge is lower than with packing machines with a larger diameter. The channel closure according to the invention enables a reliable function with a small overall diameter.

In particular, such a configuration also enables differently designed filling devices to be replaced by a filling device according to the invention, so that not only new packaging machines can be equipped with filling devices according to the invention, but also old machines in which a new filling device according to the invention can be installed in the course of maintenance.

According to the invention, the filling device comprises a filling nozzle which is connected to the filling channel. The filler neck is preferably connected to the filler channel via an elastic hose. A second elastic hose for a scissors valve is not required in order to pinch off the elastic hose there. Only a - relatively short - elastic hose is required to decouple the filler neck in terms of weight from the rest of the filler channel. This makes it z. B. possible to carry out a gross weighing in which the filler neck with the valve bag hanging on it is weighed during the filling process in order to precisely adjust the amount to be filled.

The packaging machine according to the invention has at least one filling device as described above. The packing machine can be designed as a single-spout packing machine that has a single filling spout. It is also possible for a packing machine to have several filling spouts arranged next to one another and to be designed as a so-called in-line packer. Such a packing machine is particularly preferably designed to be rotatable and has a plurality of filling devices distributed over the circumference, which during the Rotation of the packing machine Fill valve bags with bulk material to be filled.

Further advantages and features of the present invention emerge from the exemplary embodiment which is explained below with reference to the accompanying figures.

Fig. 1

eine stark schematische Draufsicht auf eine rotierende Packmaschine;

Fig. 2

eine Fülleinrichtung für eine Packmaschine nach Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

den Kanalverschluss der Fülleinrichtung nach Fig. 2;

Fig. 4

die Fülleinrichtung nach Fig. 2 in einem schematischen Schnitt mit einem schematisch daran angezeichneten Ventilsack;

Fig. 5

die Fülleinrichtung nach Fig. 4 mit teilweise geschlossenem Kanalverschluss; und

Fig. 6

die Fülleinrichtung nach Fig. 4 mit vollständig geschlossenem Füllkanal.

In the figures show:

Fig. 1

a highly schematic plan view of a rotating packaging machine;

Fig. 2

a filling device for a packing machine Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

the sewer closure of the filling device Fig. 2 ;

Fig. 4

the filling device after Fig. 2 in a schematic section with a valve bag schematically drawn thereon;

Fig. 5

the filling device after Fig. 4 with partially closed duct closure; and

Fig. 6

the filling device after Fig. 4 with completely closed filling channel.

In Fig. 1 a top view of a packaging machine 50 according to the invention, which is used for filling bulk goods into valve sacks, is shown in a highly schematic illustration. For example, valve bags 4 are filled with cement with the packing machine 50.

The packing machine 50 rotates clockwise in the direction of arrow 54. In a suitable angular position, an automatic plug 51 is provided, which removes valve bags 4 from a bag supply 53 and automatically shoots a valve bag 4 onto each of the filling spouts 30 rotating past.

As the rotation continues, the valve bags 4 are filled with the bulk material to be filled. In this case, filling is first carried out in the coarse flow until a predetermined weight threshold is reached. Then the filling takes place in fine flow until the final weight is reached. A calming phase can follow until the angular point is reached in which the discharge belt is provided, onto which the filled valve bags are dropped. The weight of the valve bags 4 can be checked again on the discharge belt 52. The filled valve bags 4 are transported away.

Fig. 2 shows a filling device 1 for a packing machine 50, for example Fig. 1 . The filling device 1 here comprises a filling pot 25 in which a conveyor turbine 27 rotating here about a horizontal axis is provided as a conveyor element 24. In order to allow an insight into the interior of the filling pot 25, was shown in accordance with FIG. Fig. 2 removed the cover plate that closes the filling pot on the side. As a result, the interior 29 of the filling pot with the conveyor turbine 27 can be seen.

The bulk material to be filled is fed to the filling pot 25 via the product inlet 26. Through the conveyor turbine 27 rotating here clockwise, the bulk material to be filled is pressed in the direction of the filling channel 2, which extends approximately horizontally outward in a lower region 28 and here in the lowest region of the filling pot 25.

This is followed by a channel closure 3, which is provided in the filling channel 2. The channel closure 3 comprises a closure member 6, which is received in an approximately cylindrical receptacle 32 here. The closure member 6 is provided pivotably in the receptacle 32 and can be pivoted by the lever 9 and the drive 10. A cylinder drive 14 serves as the drive 10 here, which transfers the closure member 6 from a closed position to a partially open position and then to a allows fully open position 13, as shown in Fig. 2 is shown.

On the walls 15 and 16 of the filling channel 2, the closure member has round sections 8, on which the closure member 6 passes through the walls 15 and 16. This makes it easier to seal the filling channel 2 towards the outside, since only a rotating surface has to be sealed that does not have to be moved through the bulk material. Therefore, the wear is much less than with other closure organs.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the channel closure 3, the closure member 6 being received so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis 7. The pivot axis 7 runs centrally through the round sections 8 of the closure member 6.

The lever 9 which, in conjunction with the drive 10, leads to a pivoting of the closure member 6 is shown again. By pivoting the closure member 6, the closure wall 18 is pivoted about the pivot axis 7. As a result, the filling channel 2 can be partially or completely released or closed. The pivot axis 7 runs transversely to the longitudinal extension of the filling channel 2 and here even perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filling channel 2.

With reference to the Figures 4 to 6 the function of the filling device 1 and the channel seal 3 is explained below.

In the in Fig. 4 The position shown, the channel closure 3 is completely open, since the closure wall 18 of the closure member 6 is in the upper position. The central area 34 is completely released here.

In this embodiment, in the fully open position 13, even the entire cross section of the filling channel 2 is exposed and has no significant interfering contour. That through The bulk material 5 conveyed by the conveyor turbine 27 is filled into the valve bag 4 through the filling channel 2, the elastic hose 31 and the filling nozzle 30. The valve sack 4 with its valve is attached to the filling nozzle 30. The filling nozzle with the valve sack 4 attached is received by the filling device 1, decoupled in terms of weight. The closure wall is pivoted upwards out of the filling channel.

Fig. 5 shows the partially open position 12 in which the closure member 6 assumes a different pivoting angle 20 and in which the portion 19 through which the filling channel 2 can flow has been significantly reduced. The closure wall 18 has closed more than half of the filling channel 2 here and has been pivoted out of the upper recess 22 into the filling channel 2 into the pivoting position 20a. In contrast to this, the closure wall 18 is located in the position shown in FIG Fig. 4 The pivot position 20 shown is still completely within the recess 22.

In Fig. 5 it can be clearly seen that with a vertical arrangement the closure member 6 and the channel closure 3 are at least partially below the filling pot 25 and the interior 29 of the filling pot and also below the conveyor turbine 27. As a result, very little space is required in the longitudinal direction of the filling device.

Fig. 6 shows the closed position 11 of the channel closure 3, in which the closure wall 18 completely closes the filling channel 2. In this pivot position 20b, an edge of the closure wall 18 protrudes into the recess 23 on the lower bottom of the filling channel 2, so that a tight, labyrinth-like closure 33 of the filling channel 2 is achieved. In this position, the closure member 6 is opposite the position of Fig. 5 pivoted even further. Subsequent opening of the filling channel 2 can be achieved by pivoting the closure member 6 back into the FIG Fig. 5 or the in Fig. 4 position shown.

In preferred embodiments, a cylindrical receptacle for the closure member 6 is provided in the channel closure, also in order to facilitate manufacture. The lower part of the cylindrical receptacle can be provided with a correspondingly shaped insert 56 so that the corresponding wall of the filling channel has almost no imperfections at which eddies form in the flowing bulk material. The recess 23 is preferably shaped and has such small dimensions that there is no significant disruption of the product flow.

In Fig. 6 the rectangular surface 58 of the outer circumference of the part of the filling pot 25 visible here is also shown in dashed lines. It can be clearly seen that part of the channel closure 3 is arranged within this boundary line. In particular, the part of the closure member 6 and here even the entire part of the closure member 6 located in the area of the filling channel within the outer circumference 58 is shown.

Furthermore, in Fig. 6 The rectangular surface 57 is drawn in dash-dotted lines, which surrounds the interior of the filling pot 25 as closely as possible. The closure member 6 is partially arranged within the dot-dashed rectangular area 57.

Overall, the invention provides a very advantageous filling device which works with little wear, reliably seals the filling channel from the outside and requires very little space. As a result, known filling devices can be exchanged, so that a longer service life can be achieved with reliable functioning. Furthermore, the connection dimensions of known filling devices can be adhered to, so that an exchange can take place without problems.

Such arrangements allow a very compact structure and little space requirement. List of reference symbols: 1 Filling device 21 cross-section 2 Filling channel 22nd Recess 3 Canal closure 23 deepening 4th Valve bag 24 Funding body 5 Bulk material 25th Filling pot 6th Closure organ 26th enema 7th Swivel axis 27 Conveyor turbine 8th round section 28 lower area 9 lever 29 Interior of the filling pot 10 drive 30th Filler neck 11 closed position 31 elastic hose 12th partially open position 32 recording 33 labyrinth-like closure 13th open position 34 central area 14th Cylinder drive 50 Packing machine 15th Wall 51 Attachments 16 Wall 52 Discharge belt 17th Inside of the filling channel 53 Sack supply 18th Locking wall 54 Direction of rotation 19th proportion of 55 lid 20th Swivel position 56 mission 20a Swivel position 57 Rectangular area 20b Swivel position 58 Rectangular area

Claims (13)

1. Filling device (1) for a packaging machine having a filling channel (2) and at least one controllable channel shutter (3) for controlling the passage through the filling channel (2) of bulk material (5) to be filled into a valve bag (4),
   wherein a filling spout (30) is connected with the filling channel (2), and wherein at least one filling box (25) for receiving an intermediate supply of the bulk material (5) intended for filling, with at least one conveyor element (24) disposed therein is provided, which is in particular configured as a conveyor turbine (27), wherein the filling channel extends outwardly from the filling box (25), and wherein the channel shutter (3) comprises, disposed at least partially within the filling channel (2), a pivotable closing head (6) whose pivot axis (7) is oriented transverse to the filling channel (2), wherein the closing head (6) passes through at least one wall (15) of the filling channel (2), and is guided in, and/or passes through, the opposite wall (16) of the filling channel (2), characterized in that the pivot axis is oriented such that in the closed state, the channel shutter (3) shuts off the filling channel substantially completely, and in the entirely opened state, entirely clears the filling cross section in at least one central region (34).
2. The filling device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the channel shutter (3) comprises at least one rounded section (8), and with the rounded section (8) passes through at least one wall (15, 16) of the filling channel (2).
3. The filling device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the channel shutter (3) is adjustable by means of a lever (9) and a drive (10) between a closed (11) and at least one opened position (12, 13), wherein the drive (10) preferably comprises a cylindrical drive (14).
4. The filling device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the closing head (6) comprises, in the region of the interior (17) of the filling channel (2), at least one closing wall (18) disposed eccentric relative to the pivot axis (7).
5. The filling device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a proportion (19) of the filling channel (2) cleared by the closing wall (18) depends on the angle of rotation (20) of the closing head (6).
6. The filling device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the filling channel (2) is substantially rectangular in cross section (21) at least adjacent to the closing head (6).
7. The filling device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the filling channel (2) comprises, in the region of the closing head (6), at least one recess (22), in which at least part of the closing wall (18) is disposed when the closing wall (18) is in an entirely opened position (13).
8. The filling device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the filling channel (2) comprises, in the region of the closing head (6), at least one depression (23), into which at least part of the closing wall (18) enters when the closing wall (18) is in the closed position (11).
9. The filling device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pivot axis (7) is disposed off-center of the filling channel, and/or wherein at least one rounded section (8) is larger in diameter than the transverse dimension of the filling channel.
10. The filling device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein at least the region (28) of the internal space (29) of the filling box (25) where the filling channel exits, is designed rounded, preferably with the conveyor turbine (27) received therein.
11. The filling device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein when mounted, at least part of the closing head (6) is located within a rectangular area surrounding as narrowly as possible the outer periphery and/or the cross-sectional area of the filling box.
12. The filling device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein an elastic hose (31) is provided between the filling spout (30) and the filling channel (2).
13. Packaging machine (50) having at least one filling device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims.

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