FR2876081A1 - PROCESS FOR THE DISCONTINUOUS DISTRIBUTION AND ALIGN LOADING OF FILIFORM PRODUCTS - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves maintaining a flexible and long preservation container (17) at a loading station, and subjecting the container to a to and fro movement at a product receiving zone. The movement is directed horizontally along an alignment direction of elongated products. The container is supplied with products that are subjected to a to and fro movement synchronous with that of the container. An independent claim is also included for an installation for discontinuous distribution and aligned loading of elongated products such as green bean in flexible container.

Description

2876081 1

  The present invention relates to a method of discontinuous distribution and aligned loading of filiform products. It will particularly find a particular application for filling conservation bags with green beans.

  Traditionally, the consumer knows canned green beans. The green beans are then aligned longitudinally in a direction of the can to optimize the filling. Various processes and installations are known which make it possible to continuously fill the cans with green beans stored and aligned.

  Today, long-life bags are increasingly used for food packaging. However, known methods or installations do not allow to properly fill and aligned flexible containers with filiform products such as beans. Indeed, if the methods and installations of the prior art are suitable for cans, they can not be used as such with bags because of the flexibility of the containers.

  There are also known various filling lines of food products in flexible bags which however are not suitable for packaging filiform products.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for discontinuous distribution and aligned storage filiform products that overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an installation that can integrate between different workstations, in particular by means of common container support devices.

  Other aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

  The invention relates first of all to a method of discontinuous distribution and aligned storage of filiform products, such as in particular green beans, in flexible containers, at a loading station 2876081 2 having a feeding zone. and a product receiving zone, in which process: - an open flexible container is maintained, at least at the loading station, - is moved back and forth to the container at the receiving zone products, said reciprocating movements being directed substantially horizontally in the direction of alignment of filiform products, the container is supplied with products by making a synchronous movement back and forth filiform products falling from the zone power.

  The invention also relates to a discontinuous dispensing and aligned storage facility of filiform products, such as in particular green beans, in flexible containers, equipped at least with a loading station having a feeding zone and a receiving zone. products, said installation comprising: - a support device for vertically holding a flexible container, having means for keeping the container open, at least at the loading station, - means for moving the support device at the level of the product receiving zone, and for evacuating said support device from said receiving zone, means for subjecting the support device to a back-and-forth movement, at least at the level of the receiving zone of the products, said reciprocating movements being directed substantially horizontally in the direction of alignment of the filiform products, the movements of va-and-v having an amplitude substantially of the same order as the length of the filiform products, - means for forming a homogeneous flow with said products and dropping said filiform products by moving them back and forth synchronously with that imposed on the said auditory products. support device.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the following description accompanied by the appended drawings, which form an integral part thereof and among which: FIG. 1 is a top view of a discontinuous dispensing installation and aligned storage of products; 2 is a side view of the discontinuous distribution and aligned storage installation of filiform products as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a view from above of FIGS. means for subjecting the support device to a back-and-forth movement; FIG. 4 is a side view of a detail of an articulation illustrated in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a front view of the means for subjecting the support device to a back-and-forth motion; FIG. 6 is a top view of the product receiving zone as illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a view of FIG. side of the feeding area as illustrated FIG. 8 is a side view of a hopper at the feed zone; FIG. 9 is a plan view of a hopper inlet closure device; FIG. 10 is a front view of a leaf of the feed of the hopper; FIG. 11 is a front view of a support device according to the invention.

  The invention relates first of all to a method of discontinuous distribution and aligned storage of filiform products, such as in particular green beans, in flexible containers, at a loading station 2876081 4 having a feeding zone. and a product receiving area.

  According to the method according to the invention: - the flexible container 17 is kept open, at least at the loading station, - is moved back and forth 36 to the container 17 in the area of receiving the products, said reciprocating movements 36 being directed substantially horizontally in the direction of alignment of the filiform products, - the container 17 is fed products by subjecting a synchronous back and forth to the filiform products falling from the feeding area.

  According to one embodiment, a filling cycle of a container 17 obeys at least the following steps: - 2 is brought a flexible container 17 at the receiving area of the products, the flexible container 17 having an opening at the top 35, - is moved back and forth 36 to the container 17 at the receiving area, - forms a homogeneous flow with filiform products at the feeding area and dropped said products towards the opening 35 of said container by animating the products of a reciprocating product synchronized with that of the container, - the homogeneous flow is stopped with the filiform products, the movement of back and forth is stopped. the container is evacuated from the receiving zone.

  According to one embodiment, the flexible container 17 is oriented so that the reciprocating movement 36 is directed in the direction of the major axis of symmetry of the opening 35 of said container. Thus, in the case of a bag, the filiform products and in particular the beans are arranged horizontally and parallel to the wall surfaces.

  According to one embodiment, the reciprocating motion has an amplitude substantially of the same order as the length of the filiform products for a frequency del to 5 hertz.

  For example, in the case of green beans, the back-and-forth movement provides an amplitude of 70 to 80 mm.

  Advantageously, each container must be filled with the same amount of filiform products. According to one embodiment of the method, the filiform products are first dose in a first receptacle to form a predetermined quantity of products. To do this, the said quantity is weighed in the receptacle, and the receptacle is continued to feed as long as the measured weight is not greater than or equal to the weight of filiform products intended to fill a receptacle.

  The invention relates to a discontinuous dispensing and aligned storage installation of filiform products, such as in particular green beans, in flexible containers, equipped at least with a loading station having a feed zone and a receiving zone of products.

  According to the invention, said installation comprises: - a support device 18 for vertically holding a flexible container, having means 24 for holding the container open, at least at the loading station, - means 2 for moving the support device at the product receiving zone and for evacuating said support device 18 from said reception zone, - means 6, 13, 19 for subjecting the support device 18 to move back and forth 36 at least at the receiving area of the products, said reciprocating movement being directed substantially horizontally in the alignment direction of the filiform products, the reciprocating movement having an amplitude of substantially the same order as the length of the filiform products; means 22 for forming a homogeneous flow with said products and dropping said filiform products by animating them with a synchronous back-and-forth movement 36 with that imposed on said support device.

  As illustrated in Figure 11, the support device 18 may have two clamps 24 for holding the container vertically at its upper lateral ends. Advantageously, it makes it possible, in particular, to keep the container open while allowing said tongs 24 to be brought closer to one another.

  According to one embodiment, the means for moving the support device 18 are constituted by a conveyor including chain 2, belt or band. As illustrated in Figure 1 a chain conveyor 2 extends between the two ends of a frame 50 between two axes of rotation 41, 42. One of the axes of rotation 41, meshing by means of toothed wheels with the chains 2, is actuated by means of a motor 3, in particular electrical. As illustrated in Figure 1, the installation 1 can be integrated as a loading station between several workstations. The support devices 18 are advantageously autonomous, and thus allow greater flexibility of use.

  According to one embodiment, the means for carrying out a reciprocating movement 36 are constituted by an oscillating structure 13, said oscillating structure 13 being free of movement at least in the direction of alignment of the filiform products, said structure oscillator being set in motion by actuating means 6. As illustrated in Figures 2 or 5, the oscillating structure is in the form of a frame 13 disposed perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor 2. This frame is adapted to move at least for a certain stroke transversely to said conveyor 2.

  According to one embodiment, the means for actuating the frame 13 are constituted by a disk 10 animated by a rotary movement by motor means, in particular electrical means, and a link 11 pivoted to one of its ends at an eccentric axis of the disk 10, said rod 7 being pivotally mounted at its other end 12 to said oscillating structure 13. This actuating means advantageously makes it possible to transform a rotary movement into a translational movement .

  According to one embodiment, the oscillating structure is decoupled from the means 2 for moving the support device 18.

  Thus, the oscillating structure does not cooperate with the conveyor and in particular the chain 2. The oscillating structure 13 is advantageously articulated in translation to the frame 50.

  The oscillating structure 13 advantageously has a degree of freedom and is articulated to the frame by means of at least one sliding pivot connection 28, 29 as illustrated in FIG. 2 and a device 5, 26 with a double pantograph such as 1, and more specifically in FIG. 3. Each pantograph consists of two parallel bars 5, each of said bars being mounted at one of their pivot ends to an element of the oscillating structure 13, the other end being being mounted in articulation with a pivot of a link 26, said link 26 being pivotally mounted at its other end to a column 31 secured to the frame 50.

  The two parallel bars 5 of said pantographs are located on the same horizontal plane as the base 25 of the support device 18 when the latter is placed, in particular on the chain 2, of the conveyor.

  When the oscillating structure 13 is at rest in the median axis of the conveyor, said bars 5 pantographs then constitute lateral guides that ensure the proper positioning of the support device 18 in the edge of the oscillating structure 13.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the chain 2 of the conveyor passes, at least in the forward direction, said frame 13. In the return direction, the chain 2 can pass below said frame 13. Thus, advantageously, the Conveyor 2 can bring a support device 18 into the edge of the cover 13. The frame 13 can then be subjected to oscillation movements at least for a certain stroke. It will be noted that the amplitude of movements of go-and-go is limited by the free space between the chains 2 and the amount of the frame 13.

  Advantageously, the reciprocating movement has an amplitude substantially of the same order as the length of the filiform products for a frequency of 1 to 5 hz.

  Advantageously, the support device 18 is oriented such that the reciprocating movement 36 is directed in the direction of the major axis of symmetry of the opening 35 of the container 17.

  As illustrated in particular in Figures 5 and 6, the oscillating structure 13 has locking means 8, 19 for securing in motion the support device 18 to said oscillating structure 13.

  According to one embodiment, the locking means are constituted by at least one clamp 19 adapted to grip said support device 18. As illustrated in FIG. 5 or 6, the oscillating structure 13 has two grippers 19 capable of gripping the uprights 30 of the support device 18 as illustrated in FIG.

  Since the support device 18 is simply placed on the conveyor 2, the oscillating structure 13 can then drive said support device 18 in a swinging or reciprocating movement 36 transverse to the conveyor 2. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the jaws 19 of said clamps are articulated to a pivot 20 of the oscillating structure 13, the clamps being actuated by means of jacks 8.

  In FIG. 5, it may be noted that the jaws 19 of said clamps are pivotally articulated at the level of the lower crossmember of the frame.

  Each of the two jaws 19 of said clamps is actuated by means of a jack 8 pivotally attached to a lateral upright of said frame 13.

  According to one embodiment, the means for forming a homogeneous flow at the feed zone and dropping the products are constituted by a hopper 14 secured to said oscillating structure 13 above and directly above the feed zone. receipt of products. The hopper will remain substantially in the median axis of the support device 18.

  According to one embodiment, the oscillating structure 28 has actuating means 51, 52 capable of lowering the nose of the hopper 14 at the opening 35 of the receptacle 17 or raising the hopper 14 to a position of erasure.

  In FIG. 5, it can be seen that the hopper 14 is carried by a cross beam 53. The frame 13 has two vertically arranged jacks 21 capable of operating in a vertical translation movement, said cross beam 53.

  According to one embodiment, the hopper 14 has a double leaf bottom 22 whose opening can be regulated to create a homogeneous stream of filiform products. The leaves can be opened independently of each other during the oscillation movement of the oscillating structure 13 to evenly distribute the container 17. As illustrated in Figure 8 or 10, the wings are articulated in particular to 23 as shown in Figure 4, the installation has a fixed frame 54 for the support of feed means 15 of the hopper.

  According to one embodiment, the hopper 14 is fed with a quantity of products determined by feed means 15 having a closure device 16, 37. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the feeding of the hopper is controlled by the opening device consisting of a sliding plate 37 actuated by a jack 16. The hopper may be fed by a device consisting of a receptacle for weighing a quantity of specific products.

  Said installation will present all the arrangements and in particular the presence sensors 9 of the support devices 18 and the sensors and devices necessary for its proper operation.

  Thus, the filling cycle of a container in such an installation can follow the following steps: - a support device 18 is detected by a presence sensor 9 at the beginning of the conveyor 2, said conveyor moves said support device 18 in the song of the frame 13, the clamps 19 secured to the frame 13 then catch the uprights 30 of the support device 18 and the nose of the hopper 14 is lowered into the receptacle 17 at its opening 35, the frame 13 can be then oscillated to transmit to the support device 18 a reciprocating movement 36 directed substantially horizontally in the direction of alignment of the filiform products, - the hopper 14 having been previously filled with a dose of product, the leaves 22 of the hopper 14 are opened to create a homogeneous flow of filiform products, and thus fill the container 17, - the hopper being empty, the nose of the hopper 14 is reassembled, the leaves 22 are closed and the movement back and forth to the frame 13 is stopped, - the frame 13 stopped, the clamps 19 release the uprights 30 of the support device 18, - the conveyor 2 can then evacuate the support device 18 and a new cycle can start again.

  Of course, the feeding of the hopper 14 is advantageously performed in masked time when the leaves 22 are closed.

  Naturally, other modes of implementation within the reach of those skilled in the art could have been envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

2876081 11

Claims (17)

  1. A method of discontinuous distribution and aligned storage of filiform products, such as in particular green beans, in flexible containers, at a loading station, having a feed zone and a product receiving zone, process in which: - the flexible container (17) is kept open, at least at the loading station, - is moved back and forth (36) to the container (17) at the receiving area products, said reciprocating movement being directed substantially horizontally in the direction of alignment of the filiform products, - the container is supplied with products by making a synchronous movement back and forth to the filiform products from the feeding area.   2. Method according to claim 1, wherein a filling cycle of a container obeys at least the following steps: - brings (2) a flexible container (17) at the receiving area of the products, the flexible container having an opening at the top (35), - is subjected to the reciprocating movement (36) to the container (17) at the level of the receiving zone, - a homogeneous flow is formed with the filiform products at the level of the feed zone, and said products are allowed to fall towards the opening (35) of said container by moving the products of a reciprocating movement synchronized with that of the container, - the flow is stopped homogeneous with the filiform products, - the reciprocating movements are stopped, - the container is removed from the receiving zone.   3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible container (17) is oriented in such a way that the back and forth movement (36) is directed in the direction of the major axis of symmetry of the opening ( 35) of said container.   4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the reciprocating movement (36) has an amplitude substantially of the same order as the length of the filiform products for a frequency of 1 to 5 Hz.   5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that previously dose filiform products in a first receptacle to form a predetermined quantity of products, said quantity is weighed in the receptacle, and continues to feed the receptacle as the weight measured is not greater than or equal to the weight of filiform products intended to fill a container.   6. Discontinuous dispensing and aligned storage installation of filiform products, such as in particular green beans, in flexible containers, equipped with at least one loading station having a feeding zone and a receiving zone for the products, and designed for the implementation of the method according to claim 1, said installation comprising: - a support device (18) for vertically holding a flexible container having means (24) for keeping the container (17) open, at least at the loading station; means (2) for moving the support device (18) at the product receiving area, and for evacuating said support device (18) from said receiving area; (6, 13, 19) to subject the support device to a reciprocating movement, at least at the product receiving zone, said reciprocating movement (36) being directed substantially horizontally lon the alignment direction of the filiform products, the reciprocating movement having an amplitude substantially of the same order as the length of the filiform products, - means (14, 22) for forming a homogeneous flow with said products and let falling said filiform products by moving them back and forth (36) synchronously with that imposed on said support device (18).   7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the means for moving the support device (18) are constituted by a chain conveyor (2), belt or belt.   8. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the means for performing a movement back and forth are constituted by an oscillating structure (13), said oscillating structure (13) being free of movement at least in the direction of alignment of the filiform products, said oscillating structure being set in motion by actuating means (6).   9. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the actuating means are constituted by a disk (10) driven by a rotational movement by motor means (4) and a rod (11) pivot to one of these ends at an eccentric axis of the disc (10), said link (11) being pivotally mounted at its other end to said oscillating structure (13).   10. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the oscillating structure (13) is decoupled from the means (2) for moving the support device (18) 11. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the oscillating structure (13) has a degree of freedom and is articulated to the frame by means of a sliding pivot connection (28, 29) and a device (5, 26). ) with double pantograph.   12. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the oscillating structure (13) has locking means (8, 19) for securing in motion the support device (18) to said structure (13).   13. Installation according to claim 12, characterized in that the locking means are constituted by at least one clamp (19) adapted to grip said support device (18).   14. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that 2876081 14 the means for forming a homogeneous flow at the feed zone and drop products are constituted by a hopper (14) secured to said oscillating structure (13) in line with said product receiving zone.   15. Installation according to claim 14, characterized in that the oscillating structure (13) has actuating means 51, 52 adapted to lower the nose of the hopper (14) at the opening of the container (17) or return the hopper to an erase position.   16. Installation according to claim 14, characterized in that the hopper (14) has a double leaf bottom (22) whose opening can be regulated to create a homogeneous stream of filiform products.   17. Installation according to claim 14, characterized in that the hopper (14) is fed with a quantity of products determined by supply means (15) having a closure device (16, 37).