EP3247640B1 - Apparatus and method for filling an open container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a packing plant for filling bulk materials in open containers, a compacting device for compacting bulk material in an open container and a method for filling and / or compacting bulk material in an open container. Although the invention is described below with reference to the filling of bulk material in open sacks and the compacting of bulk material in open sacks, the invention is not limited to the filling of bulk material in open sacks and the compacting of bulk material in open sacks, but can also be used to fill bulk materials in other open containers or containers such as boxes, buckets or other open containers and to compact there.

The DE 864 820 relates to a method and a device of concrete. In this case, the composition of the concrete mass can be changed and it can be aspirated liquid or gaseous components from the interior of the mass or introduced into the interior of the mass. A device after the DE 864 820 has a drive shaft with an imbalance mass and the shaft is mounted inside the vibrator. The outer jacket has holes or is formed as a sieve or is covered with a filter. A vibrating device can be introduced into the interior of the mass of the concrete together with an underpressure or overpressure device and at the same time excess liquid and air can be sucked off. It can also be introduced special fasteners in the mass with simultaneous shaking. This document is directed to compacting liquid containing concrete. It is intended to suck off liquid and gaseous components and compact the concrete mass.

In the prior art, a variety of devices and methods have become known to fill bulk materials in open containers such as open-mouth bags and to compress during the filling process or thereafter to reduce the amount of required bag material and a better and to allow easier stacking of filled and sealed bags.

For bottling bulk goods in open sacks, a fluid such as air can be added to increase the flowability of the bulk material. With lighter materials, a significant proportion of air is often already present in the bulk material before bottling takes place. In order to reduce the size of the necessary containers and also the transport costs, the open containers are actively or passively vented during or after the filling in order to reduce the proportion of air in the bulk material.

For better compaction of the filled bulk ground vibrators are known, which act on the bottom of the container and contribute significantly to the venting of a filled bulk material by the introduced vibrations. For some bulk materials such compaction is not sufficient or such compaction takes too much time to achieve an effective filling performance.

With the DE 10 2005 037 916 A1 a machine for forming, filling and closing of bags has become known in which a bag is made of a plastic tube and at a filling station, a drop tube of a metering member is inserted into the open-top end of the bag. In the downpipe, a screw for transporting the filling material is attached to fill the bag. The downpipe is surrounded by a closure tube. During the metering process, a separate transport system lowers the bag during the filling in such a way that the product outlet opening is always below the filling level. If necessary, it can be sucked off together with the dosing process by the filter integrated in the closure tube, whereby the suction of the air leads to a certain extent to a densification of the bulk material. This effect of product compaction can be enhanced by the additional use of vibration generators or knockers. At the top, the top of the funnel is tapped directly from below onto the closure tube. The vibrations are transmitted through the sealing tube and the downpipe into the filling material. Alternatively, a vibrator can also be arranged on the bag bottom support unit and act from below on the bottom of the bag. The known machine has the disadvantage that the transport of the contents via a screw in the Drop pipe requires a relatively large diameter of the metering and only leads to relatively low filling speeds. The lowering of the bag during the filling process also takes time and still requires a considerable amount of equipment. A considerable disadvantage is that the metering tube increases the diameter of the metering, so that only bags with a correspondingly large diameter can be filled at the top. In addition, only relatively little energy and only a small amplitude of vibration can be introduced into the medium, so that the effectiveness is limited.

Therefore, the use of vacuum lances has become known, which dip during the filling process from above into an open bag and via an applied vacuum air via the lance outer surface suction and dissipate the air inside. Such vacuum lances increase the filling performance, in particular in the case of light bulk goods, even if the vacuum lance often appears on the outer surface during a filling process. forms a bulk cake, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the vacuum lance, since outer areas are no longer reached. In addition, the filter can become clogged with time.

The use of a vibrating bottle has proven to be effective, which is also guided from above through the filler neck into the open bag and which has a rotatably mounted imbalance inside the vibrating bottle, which serves as a vibration generator and causes the vibrating bottle to oscillate during rotation. so that the bulk material surrounding the vibrator is vented. However, for very light bulk solids, the use of a vibrator bottle is sometimes not particularly effective, perhaps because with such lightweight materials, the vibrator bottle stirs more in the bulk material than effective venting.

With the DE 10 2011 119 451 A1 is a packing machine for filling bags known, with a high filling capacity with high weight accuracy is possible. In the known packing machine Füllturbinen be used to transport the contents. Each filler neck is associated with two separate compression devices. A compacting device is designed as a floor vibrator and arranged below the bottom of the bag. During the filling process, a vacuum lance can penetrate from above as a further compression device through the filler neck into the interior of the bag and compact the bottled product. It is mentioned that it is optional or depending on the product or successively possible to introduce a vibrating bottle as a compression device and a vacuum lance as compression device from above into the filler neck. The known packing machine works satisfactorily, but the cost is high due to the high number of different compression devices and the associated adjustment. For filling particularly lightweight materials and devices and methods have become known in which during filling of bulk materials in flexible bags from the outside pressure is exerted on the bags to produce a high internal pressure, which is due to the high differential pressure to the environment a significantly improved ventilation performance is achieved. A disadvantage of this method, however, is that the filling opening must be sealed pressure-tight and that the process must be done either using a pressure sensor or very carefully to reliably prevent bursting of the flexible bags and pollution associated with the environment.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device and a method and a packing system available, which can be effectively filled and vented with relatively little effort and light bulk solids.

This object is achieved by a compacting device having the features of claim 1, by a packing system having the features of claim 12 and by a method having the features of claim 14. Preferred developments of the invention are the subject matter of the subclaims. Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the embodiments and the general description.

A compression device according to the invention comprises a compression bottle for compacting bulk material in an open container. The compression bottle has an outer wall and is suitable to be introduced in particular in a filling process with bulk material in an open container to bring the outer wall of the compression bottle in contact with the bulk material and to degas the bulk material in the open container and compact. In this case, the outer wall of the compression bottle is at least partially formed by a gas-permeable outer Absaugwandung a suction device and the compression bottle comprises a vibration generator and in particular a rotatably received unbalance device to a possible adhesion of the bulk material by a generated by the vibration generator or the unbalance vibration movement of the compression bottle reduce the Absaugwandung and promote a degassing of the bulk material. In particular, the vibration exciter is surrounded radially by a tube device and the suction wall surrounds the tube device at least in sections. The compression bottle has on the front side on a multi-part and separable connector with a passage for the drive shaft.

The compacting device according to the invention has many advantages. The compression device according to the invention enables effective filling of bulk materials in open containers and effective degassing of the bulk material. Characterized in that both a suction device and a vibration generator is provided in the compression bottle, adhesion and clogging of the suction of the suction device is considerably reduced and in many cases almost completely avoided. Particles of the bulk material accumulating on the suction wall are directly removed again by the oscillation movement of the vibration generator. The oscillatory movement of the compression bottle leads locally to a displacement of the bulk material located there, so that the gas contained in the bulk material, in particular air, collects in the resulting cavities and can be effectively discharged through the suction device and through the compression bottle.

It has surprisingly been found that the oscillation movement of the compression bottle can enormously increase the efficiency of the suction device. This is probably due to the fact that clogging of the suction wall is prevented and thus air fractions in the volume can be effectively extracted. During the vibration of the vibrator or the rotation of the unbalance device, a compression movement of the compression bottle is effected. In all developments, it is preferred that the vibration generator has a circumferential Generated vibration and rotated in particular for vibration generation.

The compression bottle is preferably formed substantially rotationally symmetrical and may for example have a substantially cylindrical shape. In all embodiments, it is preferred that the vibration generator comprises one or at least one imbalance device or, in particular, is designed as such.

In a preferred embodiment, the vibration generator and / or the unbalance device is radially surrounded by a tube device. As a result, the vibration generator and / or the unbalance device is reliably protected against contact with the bulk material to be filled or compacted. It is not necessary that the unbalance device stirs around in the bulk material to be compacted, but the rotating unbalance device is taken protected by the tube device. In particular, the tube device is less permeable to gas than the suction wall executed and in particular configured substantially impermeable to air.

It is preferred that the suction wall surrounds the pipe device at least in sections. In particular, the suction device surrounds the vibration generator or the unbalance device in the radial direction.

In preferred developments, the suction wall consists at least partially of an air-permeable filter device. The filter device preferably comprises at least one fine-meshed filter layer, which is protected and / or supported by at least one coarse-meshed filter layer. It is possible that the filter device comprises a stack of a plurality of at least partially different fine-meshed filter layers. In this case, a coarser-meshed protective fabric is preferably arranged radially on the outside than further radially inward. It is possible, one To provide a plurality of different fine-mesh filter layers. Particularly preferably, a fine-meshed or the finest-meshed filter layer is protected from the outside by a coarser-meshed filter layer provided with thicker wires. Radially inwardly the filter device is supported by a correspondingly stable support layer or the like.

In all embodiments, the stitches or individual stitches of individual filter layers can have a square, rectangular, round, oval or other cross-sectional shape. In particular, a dimension ratio of length to width of the meshes is less than 10: 1 and in particular less than 5: 1. Preferably, mesh dimensions are used which are round or square.

The use of sintered fabrics as a filter layer is also preferred. Expanded metals, braids, knitted fabrics and other known filter layers can also be used.

It is particularly preferred to provide the filter device replaceable on the tube device. In particular, the filter device is supported by the tube device. Then the tube device fulfills the one hand the purpose of receiving the unbalance device or the vibration exciter within the tube device protected from the bulk material and on the other hand limits the tube means the suction radially inwardly.

It is possible and preferred that the suction device connects directly or indirectly axially to the pipe device and / or the vibration generator and / or the unbalance device. This means that the suction device can be located at least partially axially adjacent to the pipe device. Particularly preferably, the suction device is provided radially around the pipe device. But it is also possible that the suction device partially or completely axially adjacent to the tube device and / or the vibration generator and / or the imbalance device.

In advantageous embodiments, the compression bottle is designed to be elongated long. In this case, a ratio of a length of the compression bottle to a diameter of the compression bottle is preferably greater than 3 and in particular greater than 4. Particularly preferably, the compression bottle has an outer diameter and in particular a maximum outer diameter less than 65 mm. Outer diameters of the compression bottle of 45 mm or 50 mm or 60 mm are also possible. Small diameters of 60 mm or less pose major challenges to the design since, in addition to the vibration generator or the imbalance device, the suction device also has to be arranged on the compression bottle. If the suction device is then still arranged radially around the vibration generator or the unbalance device, then only a small radial space is available for vibration generation.

The vibration generator or the unbalance device is preferably rotatably driven via a drive shaft projecting into the compression bottle at an end face. The front side is located opposite the bottom side of the compression bottle. The drive shaft is preferably rotatably mounted relative to the compression bottle. The drive shaft may be formed in one or more parts. The drive shaft is preferably driven by a motor.

In all embodiments, the vibration generator is arranged in the interior of the compression bottle. The drive motor can be provided externally, but can also be arranged inside. The vibrator may also include or be designed as a spring-oscillating system.

The vibration excitation can be excited electromagnetically in all embodiments.

Due to the vibration generation, clogging of the filter is reliably prevented or clearly delayed.

In all embodiments, it is preferred if there is at least one bearing for supporting the drive shaft at an axial end region of the tube device. Preferably, at least one bearing for supporting the drive shaft is received at both axial end regions of the tube device. Also additional center bearings are possible. As a result, a high stability is achieved, which is advantageous in the occurring loads.

In preferred developments, the compression bottle has a connection piece with a passage for the drive shaft and / or on the bottom side a closed bottom cover on the front side. It is also possible that an extraction wall is provided on the bottom side in order to suck gas and in particular air from the bulk material only and / or on the bottom side of the compression bottle.

In all embodiments, the suction device preferably comprises a vacuum chamber, which is formed in particular substantially by a radial gap between the pipe device and the filter device. In these embodiments, the suction device at least partially surrounds the pipe device.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the vacuum chamber via at least one air duct with at least one vacuum connection is connected directly or indirectly. The vacuum connection can in turn be connected directly or indirectly to a switchable vacuum valve. In particular, the vacuum connections are arranged on the end face of the compression bottle.

Advantageously, the air duct or at least one air duct extends or in particular all air ducts extend at least partially radially outside the bearings. As a result, the bearings for storage of the drive shaft are largely protected from dust by the bulk material.

In advantageous embodiments, the air duct extends at least partially through the pipe device and / or is at least partially formed by the pipe device. For example, a partial section of the air duct can be delimited by a groove in the pipe device.

The connector is in particular at least two parts and may also be provided in several parts. The connecting piece then consists of two or more connecting parts, which are particularly preferably connected to one another in such a way that the connecting parts are also (simply) separable from each other again. A first connection part then usually remains in the exchange or maintenance of the compression device on the machine, while the second connection part is removed with the compression bottle to replace parts, check, clean or the like. At the first (and preferably upper) connection part air and / or vacuum connections can be firmly connected. Dismantling the compression bottle thus requires less effort, since the second (and preferably lower) connection part can be removed without loosening the individual hose connections separately - and later again separately - to connect. Since the compactor is regularly adjusted in height, the vacuum hoses must be able to compensate for the height flexibly or be mitverstellt in height. For this purpose, the vacuum hoses are usually laid in a certain way and in particular spirally around the flexible connection hose for the drive shaft in order to avoid rubbing against the filler neck when driving up and down. The first and second connection parts are preferably connected via suitable fastening means (eg screws or the like) connected with each other. At least one seal or two or more seals may be disposed between the fittings to ensure a sufficiently dust and gas tight connection.

Preferably, at least one flexible connecting hose is attached to the connecting piece. It is possible and preferred that at least one vacuum line is arranged in the flexible connection hose. The vacuum line can be formed in the flexible connection hose or guided or formed on the flexible connection hose. For example, it is possible that the flexible connection hose has an outer wall that is thick at least in places such that a vacuum line is formed in the outer wall. But it is also possible that within the flexible connection hose separate vacuum lines are arranged or guided.

A flexible connection hose, which extends away from the end face of the compression bottle, offers the advantage, for example, that no bulk material or only a small amount of bulk material deposits on the front side of the compression bottle, which could fall off the compression bottle after removal and pollute the environment ,

In preferred embodiments, at least one vacuum channel extending in a longitudinal direction of the drive shaft extends inside the drive shaft. The vacuum channel in the interior of the drive shaft is used in particular for supplying the suction device with negative pressure. It is possible that only through the vacuum channel in the interior of the drive shaft vacuum is provided. It is also possible that a vacuum channel inside the drive shaft and a vacuum line outside the drive shaft serve for vacuum supply.

If a vacuum channel is provided in the interior of the drive shaft, then preferably at least one transverse channel is provided.

The vacuum channel is then preferably in fluid communication with a connection channel of the compression bottle via the transverse channel. Such a connection channel may be formed as an annular space which extends annularly in the region of the transverse channel around the drive shaft. The transverse channel may, for example, be designed as a bore which extends from the outer surface of the drive shaft to the vacuum channel in the interior of the connection axis. Thereby, a flow connection is made from the vacuum channel inside the drive shaft to the outside of the drive shaft. The transverse channel may be oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft or at an angle thereto.

Preferably, the connection channel connects the vacuum channel with the air duct at least temporarily. If the connection channel does not extend completely annularly around the drive shaft, then during the rotation of the drive shaft, the connection channel is not constantly supplied with vacuum, but only when the transverse channel establishes a flow connection to the connection channel. Preferably, the air volumes in the interior of the drive shaft and on the suction device are dimensioned such that even a periodic production of a vacuum connection is sufficient for the function. To provide the required vacuum is a vacuum generator.

In preferred embodiments, the connection channel is sealed off from the drive shaft via at least one seal on at least one axial side. In particular, the connection channel is sealed on both axial sides via at least one seal with respect to the drive shaft. As a result, a transport of dust in the direction of, for example, the bearings of the drive shaft is reliably prevented.

A packing installation according to the invention comprises at least one open container to be filled with a bulk material and at least one packing machine with at least one filling nozzle for filling open containers with bulk material. Here is in particular a open container by a directed relative to the filler neck movement and in particular upward movement of the filler neck attachable. But it is also possible that the open container is placed below the filler neck, without attaching the open container to the filler neck or connect to it. The packaging machine comprises at least one compression device with a compression bottle, which can be inserted in particular from above into the open container. The compression bottle comprises an outer wall and is adapted to be inserted into an open container to bring the outer wall into contact with the bulk material and to degas and densify the bulk material in the open container. This can be done in particular during the filling process with bulk material. The outer wall of the compression bottle is at least partially through a gas-permeable outer Absaugwandung a Extraction device formed and the compression bottle comprises a vibration generator and / or a rotatably received unbalance device to promote a degassing of the bulk material by a generated by the vibration generator or the unbalance vibration movement of the compression bottle. In particular, a possible adhesion of the bulk material to the suction wall is reduced. Instead of an unbalance device or in addition thereto, another vibration generator may be provided inside the compression bottle. In particular, the vibration exciter is surrounded radially by a tube device and the suction wall preferably surrounds the tube device at least in sections. The compression bottle has on the front side on a multi-part and separable connector with a passage for the drive shaft.

The packing system according to the invention also has many advantages, since it allows effective filling and venting of bottled bulk material.

A filler neck may be associated with a pressure sensor and / or a level sensor to control the filling operation in response to sensor data.

The packing installation or the packaging machine of the packing installation may in particular comprise a compaction device as described above.

Preferably, each filling nozzle or at least one filler neck of the packing system is assigned a filling member. In particular, a filling turbine is used as filling member. Possible is z. As well as the promotion of gravity or the use of a Luftfüllorgans, in which the bulk material is fluidized by targeted air supply and supported by gravity supported. The selection of the filling member is preferably carried out depending on the product to be filled.

The inventive method is used to fill an open container with at least one bulk material in a filling process and / or for degassing of bulk material in an open container, which is filled before or while in the open container. For degassing a compression bottle of a previously described compression device is introduced into the open container to degas the bulk material in the open container and compact. In this case, a particularly radially surrounded by a tube means vibration generator or vibrator (in particular on or in) the compression bottle is vibrated or an unbalance device to the compression bottle in rotation and it is with a suction gas to the compression bottle via a particular tube device at least Aspirated in sections surrounding gas-permeable outer Absaugwandung as part of the outer wall of the bulk material in order to promote a degassing of the bulk material by a vibration generated by the vibration generator in the interior of the compression bottle of the vibrating compacting bottle. In particular, a possible adhesion of the bulk material to the suction wall is reduced. In particular, the unbalance device can serve as vibration exciter.

The method according to the invention also has many advantages, since it enables effective filling and / or compression of bulk material in an open container. The formation of a bulk cake is reliably prevented by the compression bottle is placed in a vibrational motion.

Preferably, the compression bottle is introduced into the open container at the beginning of the filling process. It is possible that the compression bottle is introduced into the open container before or after the beginning of the filling of bulk material. The compression bottle can also be operated during the filling process, whereby a particularly effective filling is achieved. Preferably, the compression bottle is height adjustable. Particularly preferably, the compression bottle is inserted through the filler neck into the container. Advantageously, the compression bottle is at the beginning of the filling process or in an initial section from above lowered through the filler neck into the container and in particular an open bag. At the end of the filling process, the compression bottle is moved up again.

In preferred embodiments, a length of the compression bottle is shorter than a length of the container. Particularly preferred is a ratio of the length of the container to a length of the compression bottle is greater than 1.5 and preferably greater than 2.0.

In all developments and refinements of the invention, gas is preferably extracted from the bulk material with the suction device only when a level of the bulk material in the container covers the extraction wall at least substantially completely and in particular completely. This has the advantage that substantially no ambient air is sucked out. The extraction is activated only when the level is high enough. In particular, the unbalance device is at least partially simultaneously rotated on the compression bottle and it is at the compression bottle sucked the bulk gas and in particular air. But it is also possible that at least partially offset only the unbalance device on the compression bottle in rotation or is sucked off only at the compression bottle from the bulk gas.

In advantageous developments, the compression bottle is at least partially inactive.

Preferably, at certain times, regularly or irregularly, a gas pulse is applied to the suction device. In this case, air can be blown out of the interior of the suction device to the outside. It is also possible that the vacuum is only turned off, so that essentially no air escapes from the suction device to the outside. By a gas pulse or by switching off the vacuum, the detachment of a still formed filter cake on the filter device of the suction device can be better effected. For example, such a gas pulse can be output at regular intervals. In particular, as well as individual fine particles can be removed from the filter fabric of the filter device, so this retains its full ventilation performance.

Overall, the invention provides a compacting device and a packing system equipped therewith as well as a method which makes more effective filling of bulk goods in open containers and in particular open bags possible. Due to the oscillatory motion of the imbalance device, a better compaction effect is achieved, in particular for lighter products of less than 0.5 kg / dm ³ and for particularly light products of less than 0.3 kg / dm ³ . The vibration delays or completely prevents the formation of a filter cake on the filter device. As a result, the penetration depth of the vacuum increases, so that the suction effect is increased.

In all embodiments of the invention, it is preferred that the vibration generator and in particular the unbalance device densify the bulk material rotationally circulating. The oscillation increases the sphere of activity. The circumferential oscillatory movement leads in particular to a tumbling movement of the compression bottle. Particularly preferably, the compression bottle does not rotate about its longitudinal axis.

The invention further has the advantage that a first variety of products to be processed, the radius of action of the compression bottle is significantly increased by the suction. The applied vacuum in this type of product or this type of product creates an adherent bulk material which increases the effective diameter of the compression bottle. Although the compression bottle has only a relatively small outer diameter, the applied vacuum in many fine products therefore results in a larger effective diameter of the compression bottle. As a result, the degassing are reinforced by the compression bottle and increases the effectiveness. In predetermined or sensory determined intervals, the suction device can be ventilated with atmosphere or overpressure. As a result, a breakage of the bulk material cake of this first product type is effected under the action of the oscillations of the vibrator. New product then passes to the filter device and is effectively compacted.

In a second grade or a second product type of a bulk material to be processed, the suction leads to a brittle filter cake from adhering bulk material, which breaks up again and again, so that there increases the Einwirkbereich the compression bottle.

Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments, which are explained below with reference to the accompanying figures.

Figur 1

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Packanlage;

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht der Packmaschine der Packanlage nach Figur 1;

Figur 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Verdichtungsflasche der Verdichtungseinrichtung aus der Packmaschine nach Figur 2;

Figur 4

eine Stirnansicht der Verdichtungsflasche nach Figur 3;

Figur 5

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Anschlussstücks der Verdichtungsflasche nach Figur 3;

Figur 6

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht der Antriebswelle der Verdichtungsflasche nach Figur 3;

Figur 7

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch die Verdichtungsflasche nach Figur 3;

Figur 8

das vergrößerte Detail "D" aus Figur 7;

Figur 9

einen stark schematischen Querschnitt durch die Rohreinrichtung der Verdichtungsflasche nach Figur 3;

Figur 10

eine Frontalansicht der Rohreinrichtung nach Figur 9;

Figur 11

eine andere Verdichtungseinrichtung;

Figur 12

eine weitere Verdichtungseinrichtung für die Packanlage nach Figur 1; und

Figur 13

ein zweiteiliges Anschlussstück für die Verdichtungsflasche nach Figur 3.

Show:

FIG. 1

a schematic plan view of a packing system according to the invention;

FIG. 2

a side view of the packaging machine of the packing plant FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3

a perspective view of the compression bottle of the compression device from the packaging machine after FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4

an end view of the compression bottle after FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 5

a perspective view of the connection piece of the compression bottle after FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 6

a schematic perspective view of the drive shaft of the compression bottle after FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 7

a schematic cross section through the compression bottle after FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 8

the enlarged detail "D" off FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 9

a highly schematic cross section through the tube device of the compression bottle after FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 10

a frontal view of the pipe device according to FIG. 9 ;

FIG. 11

another compacting device;

FIG. 12

another compression device for the packing system after FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 13

a two-piece connector for the compression bottle after FIG. 3 ,

In FIG. 1 a packing system 100 according to the invention is shown in a highly schematic plan view. The packing plant includes a packing machine 50, with the bulk goods in open Container and filled here in open bags. The packing machine 50 is rotatable and has distributed over its circumference a plurality of filling nozzles 51 (see FIG. 2 ) on. At the packaging machine 50 shown here can be provided between about two and sixteen filler neck 51. However, a packing installation 100 according to the invention can also be designed as a fixed one-filler neck packing machine.

The rotating packaging machine 50 is here continuously operated in rotation, so that the filler neck 51 rotate at a substantially constant speed about a central axis. The rotational speed depends in particular on the product to be filled and on its compression ratio. The bulk material to be filled is introduced via a feed hopper into a silo 52 of the packing machine 50. From there, the bulk material passes by gravity into the Vorsilos 58 of the individual filler 51st

For supplying the open container 4 to be filled, a container feeder 101 is provided in which the containers to be filled can optionally also be made, for example, from a tubular film. By means of a transfer device 102, the packs to be filled are transferred to the packaging machine 50 and are attached there in a substantially dust-tight manner after or during the transfer to the filling nozzles 51 in order to avoid soiling of the surroundings during the filling process.

The packing machine 50 in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 rotates counterclockwise. The packing machine 50 is suspended on a carrier 53 and can be protected by the marked protective fence from the outside to exclude accidents.

If the container to be filled 4 sufficiently filled when reaching the take-off device 103 and the bulk material therein is sufficiently compacted, the open container 4 are removed by the take-off device 103 and transferred to the processing device 104, where appropriate, a re-densification and the open containers regularly be closed. This is done by a closing device 105, in which open sacks are closed as open containers 4 with a closing seam at the filling end. Optionally, weight control and / or visual inspection of the filled containers 4 may be carried out on the processing device 104. Finally, the filled containers 4 are removed.

FIG. 2 shows a highly schematic cross section through the packing machine 50 of the packing system 100 after FIG. 1 , The packing machine 50 rotates about the central axis and is suspended on the carrier 53. In the silo 52 can be seen by the curved line, the level of the bulk material in the silo 52. Due to the intermediate storage of the bulk material to be filled in the silo 52, a pre-venting can take place so that the bulk material actually entering the container regularly has the same or similar properties.

Due to gravity, the bulk material passes into the each silos associated Vorsilos 58. In the filling pot at the bottom of Vorsilos 58 are filling members 54, which are preferably designed as a filling turbine and serve for the defined promotion of the bulk material through the filler neck 51 into the open container 4 into it ,

In all embodiments, a weighing of the bulk material to be filled and / or the filled bulk material takes place. In this case, a weighing in the net process can take place, wherein initially the bulk material to be filled is filled into a preliminary container and weighed there. After reaching the weight to be filled, the bulk material in the hopper is filled into the open container 4. Preference is also the filling in the gross method, in which the container to be filled is weighed during the filling process to ensure a precisely metered filling. Such a gross weighing method is in FIG. 2 shown, in which the filler neck is weighed together with the attached components and the container 4 during the filling. In this case, the known weight of the filler neck and the other components of the measured with the balance 56 Weight deducted, so as to calculate back to the amount of the filled bulk material 3.

For controlling control devices 57 are used, which may be associated with each individual filler neck 51, for example. It is also possible that a control device is used for a plurality of filler neck.

Furthermore, the packaging machine 50 comprises a compression device 1 for each filler neck 51. The compression devices 1 each have a drive motor 49 and a compression bottle 2. The compression bottle 2 is introduced after attaching a container 4 to the filler neck 51 from above through the filler neck 51 into the container 4 to compress there bottled bulk material. After the end of the filling process and before the removal of a container 4, the compression bottle 2 is pulled up again from the container 4 at least to the filler neck 51, to allow easy removal of the filled container 4.

The compression device 1 is used during the filling process and comprises in the compression bottle an unbalance device 8 shown in more detail in the following figures and a suction device 6 in order to compact the bulk material 3 in the container 4. As Fig. 2 Here, a length 13 of the compression bottle 2 is here less than about half as long as a length of the container 4. The compression bottle 2 is lowered at the beginning of the filling process almost to the bottom of the container. If the Absaugwandung 7 (between the horizontal dashed lines) is substantially completely covered with bulk material 3, the suction is activated and it is sucked air from the bulk material. During the filling process, the compression bottle 2 is moved continuously or stepwise upward, so that in each case the freshly filled product can be optimally compressed. It is not necessary to wait until the entire container 4 or the entire open bag is filled until it is started with the degassing via vacuum. This can save valuable time. From below, a floor vibrator 59 may be provided be that applies vibration to the bottom of the container 4. When controlling the filling process, it is also possible to use a fill level sensor 55, which detects the fill level of the bulk material 3 in the bundle 4.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of the compression bottle 2 of the compression device 1. The compression bottle 2 has an end face 16 and a bottom side 17. At the end face 16 protrudes from the compression bottle 2, the drive shaft 18 out. The drive shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in the interior of the compression bottle 2. At the end face 16 there is a connecting piece 23 to which a plurality of vacuum ports 30, etc. are attached, in order to supply the suction device 6 of the compression bottle 2 with the required negative pressure. The suction device 6 is held by the tube device 9 and comprises a filter device 10 which forms an air-permeable suction wall 7, which is part of the outer wall 5 of the compression bottle 2. At the bottom side 17 of the interior of the compression bottle 2 is closed by a bottom cover 25. The bottom cover 25 is here executed airtight, but may also be provided with a filter device so as to suck on the bottom side 17 of the compression bottle 2 air from the container 4.

Overall, the compression bottle 2 has a length 13 which is considerably larger than a typical and in particular maximum diameter 14 of the compression bottle 2. A ratio of the length 13 to the diameter 14 is preferably greater than 3 and in particular greater than 3.5 or 4.

An outer diameter of the compression bottle 2 depends on the intended use. To fill typical open sacks, the outer diameter 14 must be so small that the compression bottle 2 can be guided from above through the filler neck into the container 4 to be filled. Therefore, the outer diameter 14 is preferably chosen smaller than 75 mm and in particular smaller than 60 mm. In advantageous embodiments, an outer diameter of 60 mm was chosen. The Length 13 can be 200 mm, 230 mm or more.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of the compression bottle 2 after FIG. 3 , wherein the three vacuum ports 30, 31 and 32 are clearly visible on the end face 16 on the connecting piece 23.

In FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the connector 23 is shown, wherein the passage 24 for the passage of the drive shaft 18 is visible. The vacuum connections are shown here without hose connections.

At the opposite end of the end face 16 of the connecting piece 23, the connecting piece 23 has an external thread 39, with which the connecting piece 23 is screwed into the pipe device 9. In order to ensure the vacuum supply in the interior of the compression bottle 2, are located on the outside of the thread 39 here distributed over the circumference arranged axial grooves 40, via which the vacuum of the connection points 30, 31 and 32 can be continued.

FIG. 6 shows the drive shaft 18 in a perspective view, wherein the imbalance weight 38 of the imbalance device 8 can be seen. The unbalance device 8 serves as a vibration exciter 48 and ensures a vibration excitation generated in the interior of the compression bottle 2, whereby a particularly effective effect of the compression bottle 2 and thus the compression device 1 can be achieved. The oscillatory movements of the compression bottle 2 are defined so precisely and depend little on external circumstances. If, on the other hand, the unbalance device were to be generated outside the compression bottle 2, for example at the upper end of the compression device 1 on the drive motor 49, the oscillation amplitude of the compression bottle 2 would depend very much on external circumstances. For a lighter bulk material, this could lead to undesirably large vibration fluctuations, since the distance between the drive motor 49 and the compression bottle 2 in a light bulk material only to a low attenuation of Vibrational motion leads.

By contrast, in the case of the present invention, the oscillatory motion is generated locally where it is needed, namely within the compression bottle, so that the oscillatory motion is considerably less dependent on external circumstances and thus more defined. By choosing the imbalance mass, the amplitude can be changed, by the number of drives the frequency. Thus, an optimized to the product to be filled adjustment of the compression bottle can be done.

The oscillation excitation takes place within the compression bottle and here within the suction device, which surrounds the unbalance device 8 radially.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross section through the compression bottle 2 of the compression device 1. The body of the compression bottle 2 is formed by the connector 23, the tube device 9 and the bottom cover 25. The bottom lid can - as shown in the right half of the figure - at the end of an (almost) rectangular cross-section. Preferably, however, the bottom lid has a rounded end portion 25a. This is z. B. a simpler immersion in bulk possible. A radius at the end can z. B. 3 mm, 5 mm or even 10 mm. In this way, damage to the bag wall and the filler neck can be avoided.

From the bottom cover 25 and the tube device 9, the filter device 10 of the suction device 6 is held.

Inside the compression bottle 2, the drive shaft 18 is rotatably supported via a bearing 21 at the axial end region 19 in the vicinity of the end face 16. At the other end on the bottom side 17, a bearing 22 for supporting the drive shaft 18 is inserted in the end region 20.

The filter device 10 here consists of several filter layers 11 wherein one of the filter layers or a separate support layer for supporting the filter device 10 may serve.

Between the filter device 10 and the outer surface of the tube device 9, a gap or vacuum space 26 is formed here, over the entire surface of the filter device 10 air is sucked. The removal of the sucked air via the vacuum ports 30, 31 and 32. In the interior of the vacuum flask 2, the imbalance weight 38 can be seen. In the presentation according to FIG. 7 It should be noted that this is a section B - B FIG. 4 acts, so that at the central axis of symmetry, the cutting path above the axis of symmetry and below the axis of symmetry is angled to each other.

FIG. 8 shows the enlarged detail "D" FIG. 7 In order to better represent the flow of the extracted air and the individual components.

To seal and protect the bearing 21 against the ingress of dust on the passage 24 of the drive shaft 18, a seal 41 is provided.

From the vacuum chamber 26, the extracted air is transported along the flow arrow 15 to the associated vacuum port. In the process, the extracted air initially flows through the air channel 28. In the region of the thread 39 of the connecting piece 23, the air channel 28 is inserted through the groove 40 in the connecting piece 23 (cf. FIG. 5 ) and bounded by the tube device 9.

Fig. 13 shows a variant of the connecting piece 23 of the compression bottle 2 from FIG. 7 , wherein the connecting piece 23 is made of several parts and here two parts and consists essentially of the first connection part 23a and the second connection part 23b. During maintenance, the first connection part 23a remains on the packaging machine, while the second connection part 23b is removed together with the compression bottle 2. As a result, the vacuum hoses can remain on the vacuum connections 30 etc. and do not have to be disassembled in a relatively expensive manner and be reassembled afterwards, especially because a special hose guide has to be considered. The vacuum ports 30 to 32 are here again preferably each a separate component, which are clamped in the connection of the connecting parts 23 a and 23 b at an undercut of the first connecting part 23 a. The two connecting parts 23 a and 23 b are connected to each other via suitable connecting means 46 such. B. screws connected. Suitable connections 44 are preferably provided between the connection parts. A mating seal 44 is also provided between the vacuum port 30 and the first connector 23a.

The connecting piece 23 has a thread 39, with which it is screwed to a mating thread of the pipe device 9. The sealing of the connecting piece 23 in total to the tube device 9 preferably also takes place via suitable seals 44.

At the (upper) end of the first connection part 23a here an external thread 45 is formed to connect there a shell of a drive shaft.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross section through the tube device 9, wherein the internal thread 37 can be seen in the tube device 9. In the internal thread 37, the external thread 39 of the connector 23 is screwed. Furthermore, the air channel 28 can be seen, via which the sucked air from the space or vacuum space 26 is passed on.

Inside the tube device 9, a free diameter 43 results, in which the unbalance device 8 can rotate to generate vibration.

FIG. 10 shows a front view of the pipe device 9, in which the air channels 28 are visible. For clarification, again the section B - B is indicated, the FIG. 7 shows.

FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment of the compression device 1, wherein on the connecting piece 23 of the end face 16, a connecting tube 33 is attached. The vacuum supply takes place here through a vacuum channel 29 in the interior of the drive shaft 18. The drive shaft 18 is formed in several parts. The vacuum channel 29 opens into at least one transverse channel 35, which extends radially from the vacuum channel 29 to the outside. The transverse channel 35 can be generated for example by a transverse bore in the drive shaft 18. Here, a connecting channel 36 is provided annularly around the drive shaft 18 in the region of the transverse channel 35, which connects the vacuum channel 29 with the air channel 28, so that vacuum applied to the vacuum channel 29 via the transverse channel 35 and the connecting channel 36 and the air channel 28 in the vacuum chamber 26 continues.

The connecting channel 36 is sealed on both axial sides by a seal 41 and 42, respectively, to protect the bearing 21 from dust.

By this construction, a simple supply of vacuum to the suction device 6 is made possible. The storage of the imbalance device 8 is reliably protected from dust. The filter device can be effectively freed from caking particles.

FIG. 12 shows an alternative embodiment in which the vacuum supply is not centrally through the drive shaft, but outside it. The compression device 1 can basically the structure of the compression device FIG. 7 have, wherein on the connecting piece 23 on the end face 16, a connection hose 33 is mounted to ensure the vacuum supply.

The connection tube 33 has in the wall of the connecting tube 33 arranged or formed vacuum lines 34, which serve for vacuum supply. The vacuum lines 34 may also be attached to the inner wall of the connecting tube 33 or located in the interior of the connecting tube 33, preferably before frictional contact with the rotating drive shaft 18 are protected.

The vacuum lines 34 are connected directly to the air channels 28, so that the vacuum chamber 26 of the suction device 6 can be sufficiently supplied with vacuum. As in the previous exemplary embodiment, the air ducts 28 extend radially outside the bearings 21, so that the region of the bearings 21 is reliably protected against the action of dust.

The air channels 28 may extend at least in sections through the tube device.

Overall, the invention provides an advantageous compacting device 1 and an advantageous packing system 100 equipped therewith, thus enabling effective filling of open containers with bulk goods and effective compacting of the bulk goods in the containers. Due to the vibration excitation within the compression bottle, the filter device 10 is acted upon by such a vibration that the formation of a filter cake can be largely prevented even with fine bulk materials. As a result, the number of required air blasts on the filter device can be significantly reduced from the inside, whereby the effectiveness increases. <B> LIST OF REFERENCES: </ b> 1 compacting device 36 connecting channel 2 compaction bottle 37 Thread in 9 3 bulk 38 unbalanced weight 4 open bag, container 39 Thread of 23 5 outer wall 40 groove 6 suction 41 poetry 7 Absaugwandung 42 poetry 8th unbalance device 43 Inner diameter of 9 9 tube means 44 poetry 10 filtering device 45 thread 11 filter layer 46 screw 12 Length of 4 47 pressure sensor 13 Length of 2 48 vibration exciter 14 Diameter of 2 49 drive motor 15 flow arrow 50 packing machine 16 front 51 filling 17 bottom side 52 silo 18 drive shaft 53 carrier 19 End area at 16 54 Filler, filling turbine 20 End area at 17 55 level sensor 21 Warehouse at 19 56 Libra 22 Warehouse at 20 57 control device 23 connector 58 pilot silo 23a first connection part 59 Groundshaker 23b second connection part 100 Pack system 24 execution 101 container supply 25 bottom cover 102 Transfer device 26 Pressurized space 103 removal device 27 longitudinal direction 104 processing device 28 air duct 105 closing 29 vacuum channel 30 vacuum connection 31 vacuum connection 32 vacuum connection 33 connecting hose 34 vacuum line 35 Querkanal

Claims (15)

1. Compacting device (1) comprising a poker compactor (2) for compacting bulk material (3) in an open bag (4), the poker compactor (2) comprising an outer wall (5) and being suitable to be inserted into an open bag (4) to cause the outer wall (5) of the poker compactor (2) to make contact with the bulk material (3) and to degas and compact the bulk material (3) in the open bag (4),
   characterized in
   that the outer wall (5) of the poker compactor (2) is at least partially formed by a gas-permeable outer suction wall (7) of a suction device (6) and the poker compactor (2) comprises a vibration exciter (48) to support degassing the bulk material (3) by way of vibration of the poker compactor (2) generated by the vibration exciter (48), and that the vibration exciter (48) is radially surrounded by a tube device (9) and that the suction wall (7) surrounds the tube device (9) at least in sections, and that at the front face (16) the poker compactor (2) comprises a multipart and separable connecting piece (23) with a passage (24) for the drive shaft (18) of the poker compactor (2).
2. The compacting device (1) according to claim 1 wherein the vibration exciter (48) comprises at least one rotatably accommodated imbalance device (8).
3. The compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the suction wall (7) at least partially consists of an air-permeable filter device (10).
4. The compacting device (1) according to the preceding claim wherein the filter device (10) is exchangeably supported by the tube device (9).
5. The compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the suction device (6) is indirectly or directly axially downstream of the tube device (9) and/or the vibration exciter (48).
6. The compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the poker compactor (2) is configured elongated and wherein a ratio of a length (13) to a diameter (14) of the poker compactor (2) is larger than 3 and in particular larger than 4.
7. The compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein at least one bearing (21, 22) for supporting the drive shaft (18) is accommodated at least at one axial end region (19, 20) of the tube device (9).
8. The compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein the poker compactor (2) comprises a bottom cover (25) at the bottom face (17).
9. The compacting device (1) according to claim 7 wherein the suction device (6) comprises a vacuum chamber (26) that is substantially formed by a radial clearance between the tube device (9) and the filter device (10) and wherein the vacuum chamber (26) is preferably connected with at least one vacuum connection (30-32) through at least one air duct (28) and wherein the air duct (28) preferably extends at least partially radially outside the bearings (21, 22) and/or wherein the air duct (28) extends at least partially through the tube device (9) .
10. The compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein at least one flexible connecting hose (33) is attached to the connecting piece (23) and wherein at least one vacuum line (34) is disposed in particular in the flexible connecting hose (33).
11. The compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims wherein at least one vacuum duct (29) extending in a longitudinal direction (27) of the drive shaft (18) is disposed in the interior of the drive shaft (18) to supply the suction device (6) with vacuum and wherein the vacuum duct (29) is preferably in flow connection with a connecting duct (35) of the poker compactor (2) through at least one transverse duct (35) and wherein the connecting duct (36) is in particular sealed relative to the drive shaft (18) by way of a seal (41, 42) at least on one axial side.
12. Packaging system (100) comprising at least one open bag (4) intended to be filled with bulk material (3) and at least one packaging machine (50) having at least one filling spout (51) for filling open bags (4) with bulk material (3) wherein a compacting device (1) with a poker compactor (2) that can be inserted into the open bag (4) is provided, the poker compactor (2) comprising an outer wall (5) and being suitable to be inserted into an open bag (4) to cause the outer wall (5) to make contact with the bulk material (3) and to degas and compact the bulk material (3) in the open bag (4),
    characterized in
    that the outer wall (5) of the poker compactor (2) is at least partially formed by a gas-permeable, outer suction wall (7) of a suction device (6) and the poker compactor (2) comprises a vibration exciter (48) to support degassing the bulk material (3) by way of a vibrating motion of the poker compactor (2) generated by the vibration exciter (48), and that the vibration exciter (48) is radially surrounded by a tube device (9) and that the suction wall (7) surrounds the tube device (9) at least in sections, and that at the front face (16) the poker compactor (2) comprises a multipart and separable connecting piece (23) with a passage (24) for the drive shaft (18) of the poker compactor (2).
13. The packaging system according to the preceding claim wherein a pressure sensor (47) and/or a fill level sensor (55) is assigned to the filling spout (51) and/or wherein the poker compactor is height-adjustable and can be inserted into the container through the filling spout.
14. Method for filling an open bag (4) with at least one bulk material (3) in a filling process, wherein a quantity of bulk material is filled into the open bag (4) and a poker compactor (2) of a compacting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 through 11 is inserted into the open bag (4) to degas and compact the bulk material (3) in the open bag (4),
    characterized in
    that the vibration exciter (48) of the poker compactor (2) that is radially surrounded by the tube device (9) is caused to vibrate and gas is aspirated out of the bulk material at the poker compactor (2) by means of the suction device (6) through the gas-permeable, outer suction wall (7) which forms part of the outer wall (5) surrounding the tube device (9) at least in sections to support degassing the bulk material (3) by way of vibrating motion of the poker compactor (2) generated by the vibration exciter (48).
15. The method according to the preceding claim wherein the poker compactor (2) is inserted into the open bag (4) as the filling process begins and/or wherein the vibration exciter (48) at the poker compactor (2) is caused to vibrate and gas is sucked out of the bulk material (3) at the poker compactor (2) simultaneously at least in sections and/or wherein only the vibration exciter (48) at the poker compactor (2) is caused to vibrate at least in sections and gas is sucked out of the bulk material (3) at the poker compactor (2) and/or wherein the poker compactor (2) is inactive at least in sections and/or wherein at certain points in time a gas impulse is applied to the sucking-off device (6) and/or wherein a position of the poker compactor (2) relative to the bag (4) is changed multiple times for efficient degassing and/or wherein gas is not sucked off by means of the suction device (6) until a fill level of the bulk material in the bag substantially entirely covers the suction wall (7).

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