JP4411701B2 - Filling machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a filling machine, and in particular, performs hot pack filling in which a liquid is heated to a high temperature and sterilized and then filled into a container, and the high temperature liquid is contacted for a certain time to sterilize the inner surface of the container and the cap. It relates to a filling machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Production lines for drinking water and the like require high quality control, and liquids to be filled and containers and caps must be completely sterilized. Therefore, hot pack filling in which a heated high-temperature liquid is filled in a container is widely performed. In hot pack filling, temperature control is performed so that the temperature of the liquid filled in the container is maintained within a range of, for example, 80 ° C. to 87 ° C., and the high temperature liquid is filled into the container via the filling nozzle. After capping, the container is turned over to bring the hot filling liquid into contact with the inner surface of the cap or the upper inner surface of the container for a predetermined time to sterilize these parts.
[0003]
Even when the temperature of the liquid to be filled is heated to 80 ° C. to 87 ° C. as described above, the temperature of the filling liquid may be lowered to the reference temperature or lower due to line stoppage or the like. Thus, when the temperature of the filling liquid is lower than the reference, the sterilizing effect is lowered. Therefore, it is possible to heat and fill the filling liquid so that it does not fall below the reference temperature, but recently, PET bottles widely used as filling containers such as drinking water have low heat resistance, Only filling liquids with liquid temperatures up to 87 ° C. can be filled. Therefore, when the filling container is a PET bottle, it is impossible to fill the filling liquid at a sufficiently high temperature, and filling is performed within the reference temperature.
[0004]
By the way, in the hot pack filling as described above, the liquid to be filled is usually prepared in a preparation tank, then sent to a cushion tank and stored, further heated in a heat sterilizer, and then sent to a pressure tank to be added. The liquid is sent from the pressure tank to the filler (filling machine) and filled in the container.
[0005]
In the liquid feed line as described above, the liquid heated in the heat sterilizer is sent to the filler and filled into the container, but at the start of operation, the temperature of the piping from the heat sterilizer to the filler is filled. Therefore, the temperature of the liquid that actually reaches the filler and is discharged from the filling nozzle is lower than the set temperature. Therefore, since it is necessary to sufficiently warm the passage of the filling liquid such as pipes and liquid valves before the filling into the container is started, the liquid passage is obtained by flowing the heated liquid into the liquid feeding line and discharging it from the filling nozzle. The temperature is raised. In order to confirm that the temperature of the liquid discharged from the filling nozzle has reached the set temperature by sufficiently warming the passage of the filling liquid and the like, conventionally, the temperature of the filling liquid discharged from the filling nozzle is manually adjusted. After confirming that the set temperature was reached, the container was supplied to the filler to start production.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventionally, since production is started by temperature measurement by an operator, there is a problem that the level of temperature management is low. In addition, manual temperature measurement work is time-consuming, and in particular, work for measuring a temperature close to 90 ° C. is difficult.
[0007]
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a filling machine capable of measuring the temperature of the filling liquid without human intervention and making a transition from the temperature raising operation to the start of production. It is the purpose.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The filling machine according to the first invention is supplied by a liquid feeding means for feeding a liquid heated to a predetermined temperature, a supply conveyor for supplying containers, a stopper capable of moving forward and backward on the supply conveyor, and a supply conveyor. A filler having a filling nozzle for filling the liquid in the container, a control means for controlling the operation of the stopper, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the filling liquid, the control means comprising a preset filling liquid A storage unit for storing the temperature of the liquid, a comparison unit for comparing the temperature of the filling liquid measured by the temperature sensor with the set temperature , a production mode for filling the container, and a rise for discharging the filling liquid to the liquid receiving means When the filler stops, the stopper is advanced to stop the container on the supply conveyor, and the container being filled in the filler is discharged. , During operation resumes, for less than the measured temperature is the setting temperature of the temperature sensor performs operation in heating mode, and starts supplying Rutotomoni container to retract the stopper after the measured temperature has reached the set temperature And switching to the production mode .
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a simplified structure of a beverage production line equipped with a filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the filling machine in a simplified manner. (Beverage which is a product liquid) is prepared in the preparation tank 2 and sent to the cushion tank 4 to be stored. At this point, the liquid is at room temperature.
[0011]
The liquid stored in the cushion tank 4 is sent to an ultra-high temperature heat sterilizer (UHT) 8 by a pump 6, sterilized by being heated to a predetermined temperature, and then pressurized through a pipe 10. It is sent to the slightly pressurized tank 12 by air. A first switching valve 14 is provided in the pipe 10 from the heat sterilizer 8 to the slightly pressurized tank 12, and a branch pipe (first return passage) 15 from the switching valve 14 is connected via a cooler 16. A first diversion circuit is connected to the cushion tank 4. A level sensor (not shown) is provided in the slightly pressurized tank 12, and when the amount of liquid stored in the slightly pressurized tank 12 exceeds a predetermined value, a first switching valve is generated by a signal from the level sensor. 14 is switched, and the liquid sterilized by the heat sterilizer 8 is sent from the first return passage 15 to the cooler 16 and cooled, and then returned to the cushion tank 4.
[0012]
The liquid stored in the slightly pressurized tank 12 is discharged by the pump 18 and sent to the pressurized tank 22 through the strainer 20. Further, the liquid pressurized in the pressurized tank 22 is supplied to a filler (filling machine) 24 via a pipe 27, and is supplied from a filling nozzle 26 provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction near the outer periphery of the filler 24 to a container 28 ( 2).
[0013]
A second switching valve 30 is provided in a pipe 27 from the pressurized tank 22 to the filler 24, and a branch pipe (second return passage) 32 from the second switching valve 30 is connected to the recovery tank 34. ing. The liquid recovered in the recovery tank 34 is sent to the cooler 16 by the pump 36 and is returned to the cushion tank 4 after being cooled by the cooler 16 in the same manner as the reflux liquid from the first switching valve 14. A second diversion circuit is constituted by the second return passage 32, the recovery tank 34, the cooler 16 and the like after the second switching valve. Note that the recovery tank 34 may be omitted, and the recovered liquid from the second return passage 32 connected to the second switching valve 30 may be sent directly to the cooler 16.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 2, the container 28 conveyed by the container supply conveyor 38 is cut into the filler 24 by an infeed screw 40 and then supplied through an inlet star wheel 42. . While the container 28 supplied to the filler 24 is held and rotated by a container holding means (not shown), the liquid supplied from the liquid supply line (liquid supply means) shown in FIG. Filled through. The container 28 filled with the liquid is discharged onto the conveyor 46 via the outlet star wheel 44 and sent to the next process. A container introduction stopper 48 that moves forward and backward toward the supply conveyor 38 is provided at the side of the container supply conveyor 38, and the supply and supply of the containers 28 are stopped by moving in and out on the supply conveyor 38. Can do. The operation of the stopper 48 is controlled by a control device 50 described later. In this embodiment, as the container supply conveyor 38, a normal conveyor that transports the containers 28 on the transport surface is used. However, other conveyors such as an air transport conveyor can also be used.
[0015]
On the outer peripheral side of the filler 24, an arc-shaped ridge (liquid receiving means) 52 is disposed over a predetermined length. The rod 52 is moved forward and backward by a cylinder 54 whose operation is controlled by the control device 50, and moves forward below the filling nozzle 26 to receive a liquid discharged from the filling nozzle 26. It moves backward and forward between the position where it does not interfere with the container 28 during filling. Further, when discharging the filling liquid without filling the container 28, the hook 52 is moved forward and the cylinder 66 (see FIG. 3) for moving the liquid valve opening means (not shown) is operated. The liquid valve (not shown) of the filling nozzle 26 is opened only in the provided section, and the liquid is discharged from the filling nozzle 26 into the tub 52. It should be noted that the section in which the rod 52 is installed is recognized by the signal from the encoder 56. Further, the tub 52 is provided with a temperature sensor 58 for measuring the temperature of the liquid discharged from the filling nozzle 26.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 50 includes a storage unit 60 that stores a preset liquid temperature of the filling liquid, a temperature measured by the temperature sensor 58, and a set temperature stored in the storage unit 60. And a command unit 64 that operates the container introduction stopper 48, the forward / backward movement cylinder 54, and the liquid valve opening cylinder 66 of the filling nozzle 26 in response to a signal from the comparison unit 62. Outputs a command.
[0017]
The operation of the beverage production line according to the above configuration will be described. The liquid (beverage) to be filled is prepared in the preparation tank 2, sent to the cushion tank 4 and stored. The liquid is at room temperature at this point. The liquid stored in the cushion tank 4 is discharged by the pump 6, sent to the heat sterilizer 8, heated to a predetermined temperature, and sent to the slightly pressurized tank 12 on the downstream side by pressurized sterile air. .
[0018]
The first switching valve 14 provided in the pipe 10 from the heat sterilizer 8 to the slightly pressurized tank 12 is connected to the slightly pressurized tank 12 side by a signal from a level sensor provided in the slightly pressurized tank 12. And the first return passage (branch pipe) 15 side can be switched, and when the amount of liquid in the slightly pressurized tank 12 reaches a predetermined level, the first return passage 15 side is switched to the surplus. The liquid is refluxed to the cushion tank 4 through the first diversion circuit. It should be noted that the heat sterilization apparatus (UHT) 8 using ultra-high temperature is very delicately adjusted and must always be operated under constant conditions such as flow rate and temperature. Even when the device on the side stops, the same volume is always being delivered. Moreover, the liquid amount is set to be larger than the consumption amount of the filler 24. Therefore, the amount of liquid is detected by the level sensor of the slightly pressurized tank 12 so that the excess flow rate is appropriately returned from the first return passage 15.
[0019]
The liquid stored in the slightly pressurized tank 12 is further discharged by the pump 18 and sent to the pressurized tank 22 through the strainer 20. In the pressurized tank 22, this liquid is fed to the filler 24 at a constant pressure. During normal production operation, the second switching valve 30 is switched to the filler 24 side. It goes without saying that the liquid receiving tub 52 is in the retracted position. In this embodiment, although the slightly pressurized tank 12 and the pressurized tank 22 are provided, the slightly pressurized tank 12 can be omitted. In this case, the surplus liquid amount is detected by a level sensor provided in the pressurized tank 22 and recirculated from the first diversion circuit.
[0020]
When the production operation is performed as described above, the second switching valve 30 is switched to the filler 24 side, and the first switching valve 14 is normally connected to the slightly pressurized tank 12 side. When the amount of liquid inside becomes excessive, it is switched and the excess flow rate is returned to the cushion tank 4 from the first return passage 15 via the cooler 16, but when the line is stopped (the liquid in the filling nozzle 26) When the valve is not opened, the operation is as follows.
[0021]
When the line stop time is less than one minute, the temperature of the liquid staying in the liquid supply line does not decrease so much, so that the filling into the container 28 is continued as it is after the operation of the filler 24 is resumed in the production mode. Is done. If the operation is stopped for 1 minute or longer, the liquid staying between the second switching valve 30 and the filler 24 can not be filled because the temperature drops, but the liquid during this period is not blown immediately, In order to prevent temperature drop in the liquid passage, it is retained. When the filler 24 stops, the stopper 48 of the container supply conveyor 38 operates to stop the containers 28 on the supply conveyor 38. Further, the container 28 being filled in the filler 24 is dispensed.
[0022]
When the operation of the filler 24 is resumed within 20 minutes from the stop state as described above, the filler 24 is switched to the temperature raising mode. In this embodiment, the operator presses the temperature raising switch on the operation panel. In the temperature raising mode, the eaves 52 are moved forward below the filling nozzle 26 and the filler 24 is rotated to open the liquid valve of the filling nozzle 26 only in the section where the eaves 52 are provided and discharge the liquid into the eaves 52. To do. Note that the section in which the collar 52 is provided is identified by the encoder 56.
[0023]
After the liquid staying on the filler 24 side after the second switching valve 30 is discharged from the filling nozzle 26 to the jar 52, a section between the first switching valve 14 and the second switching valve 30 is further provided. The liquid staying in the tank is also sent to the filler 24 and discharged from the filling nozzle 26 into the tub 52 to be used for the temperature raising operation of the filler 24. The temperature of the liquid discharged into the tub 52 is measured by the temperature sensor 58. A signal from the temperature sensor 58 is sent to the comparison unit 62 of the control device 50, and compared with the set temperature stored in the storage unit 60. When the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 58 reaches the set temperature, a command is issued. The unit 64 switches the filler 24 to the production mode.
[0024]
When the mode is switched to the production mode, the liquid receiving rod 52 is retracted by the operation of the cylinder 54, and the valve opening means that has opened the liquid valve of the filling nozzle 26 in the section of the rod 52 is not opened by the cylinder 66. Move back to position. Further, the container introduction stopper 48 is retracted from the container supply conveyor 38 to restart the supply of the container 28. The container 28 supplied into the filler 24 is filled with the liquid heated to the set temperature from the filling nozzle 26.
[0025]
When the line is stopped for 20 minutes or longer, it is determined that the liquid staying between the first switching valve 14 and the second switching valve 30 cannot be filled as a product, but the temperature of the liquid passage decreases. In order to prevent this, the second switching valve 30 is not immediately switched to send liquid to the second return passage 32. Thereafter, when the operation is resumed, the operator presses the temperature increasing switch on the operation panel to switch to the temperature increasing mode. Then, as the jar 52 moves forward, the filler 24 rotates, the liquid valve is opened only in the section of the jar 52, and the liquid staying downstream from the second switching valve 30 is discharged into the jar 52. Further, the second switching valve 30 is switched from the filler 24 side to the second return passage 32 side, and the liquid staying between the first switching valve 14 and the second switching valve 30 is collected in the second return passage 32. It is refluxed to the cushion tank 4 through the tank 34, the cooler 16 and the like.
[0026]
In this embodiment, when the line is stopped for a long time, the second switching valve 30 is switched from the filler 24 side to the second return passage 32 side after the operation is resumed, and the first switching valve 14 to the second switching valve. The liquid retained during 30 is recirculated to the cushion tank 4, and in other cases, the second switching valve 30 is connected to the filler 24 side and the second return passage 32 side is shut off. A small amount of liquid is allowed to flow toward the second return passage 32 even when shut off. This is not necessary if the collection tank 34 is a sealed type, but in this embodiment, the collection tank 34 is a semi-sealed type, and therefore the second switching valve 30 of the second return passage 32 is ensured to ensure sanitary properties. To the recovery tank 34 is always filled with liquid. Accordingly, the liquid level in the recovery tank 34 is constantly higher than the opening of the second return passage 32 into the recovery tank 34. The liquid that gradually flows into the recovery tank 34 passes through the cooler 16 and returns to the cushion tank 4 through the downstream portion of the second return passage 32 periodically and quantitatively.
[0027]
The liquid returned to the cushion tank 4 is cooled through the cooler 16. Even if the line stops for a long time and the temperature of the liquid staying in the liquid feeding line decreases, it is much higher than the room temperature liquid in the cushion tank 4, and this high temperature liquid is If it returns to the cushion tank 4, the liquid temperature in the cushion tank 4 will fluctuate. This is because when such a liquid having a large temperature difference is supplied to the heat sterilizer 8 and heated, the temperature of the liquid discharged from the heat sterilizer 8 varies.
[0028]
Thereafter, the second switching valve 30 is switched and connected to the filler 24 side, and the liquid heated by the heat sterilizer 8 is supplied to the filler 24 through the finely pressurized tank 12, the pressurized tank 22, and the like. The heated liquid passes through the liquid supply line and is discharged from the filling nozzle 26 into the basket 52 while raising the temperature in the liquid passage. The temperature of the liquid discharged into the bag 52 is measured by the temperature sensor 58, and the detection signal is input to the comparison unit 62 of the control device 50. In the comparison unit 62, the set temperature stored in the storage unit 60 is compared with the measured temperature, and when the set temperature is reached, the command unit 64 switches the filler 24 to the production mode and retracts the basket 52. The valve opening means for opening the liquid valve of the filling nozzle 26 when the liquid is discharged to the tub 52 is moved backward by the cylinder 66. Further, the container introduction stopper 48 is moved backward to start supplying the container 28. The container 28 supplied into the filler 24 is filled with the liquid heated to the set temperature from the filling nozzle 26.
[0029]
Note that various types of temperature sensors can be used, and both a contact type and a non-contact type can be used. For example, in the case of a non-contact type, as described above, it may be attached to the flange 52 via a bracket, or the surface temperature of the filling nozzle 26 may be detected, and the operator has a handy type sensor. Can also be detected. In the case of the contact type, a thermocouple may be arranged at a position where the liquid in the tub 52 is discharged.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, liquid supply means for supplying liquid heated to a predetermined temperature, a supply conveyor for supplying containers, a stopper capable of moving forward and backward on the supply conveyor, and supply by the supply conveyor A filling nozzle for filling the liquid into the container, a control means for controlling the operation of the stopper, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the filling liquid, wherein the control means has a preset temperature of the filling liquid. And a comparison unit that compares the temperature of the filling liquid measured by the temperature sensor with the set temperature, and a stopper is provided while the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is less than the set temperature. To stop the supply of the container, and after the measured temperature reaches the set temperature, the stopper is retracted and the supply of the container is started. Was followed, it can transition to start production by measuring the temperature without human intervention.
[Brief description of the drawings]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a simplified overall configuration of a beverage production line provided with a filling machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a filling machine provided in the beverage production line.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a control device that controls the operation of a liquid receiving tub and a container introduction stopper provided in the filling machine.
[Explanation of symbols]
24 Filling machine (Fila)
26 Filling nozzle 28 Container 38 Supply conveyor 48 Stopper 50 Control device 52 Liquid receiving means (樋)
58 Temperature Sensor 60 Control Device Storage Unit 62 Control Device Comparison Unit 64 Control Device Command Unit

Claims (4)

Liquid feeding means for feeding a liquid heated to a predetermined temperature, a supply conveyor for supplying containers, a stopper capable of moving forward and backward on the supply conveyor, and a filling nozzle for filling the liquid supplied into the containers supplied by the supply conveyor A filler having a control means for controlling the operation of the stopper, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the filling liquid,
The control means includes a storage unit for storing a preset temperature of the filling liquid, a comparison unit for comparing the temperature of the filling liquid measured by the temperature sensor with the set temperature, and a production mode for filling the container. And a command unit that can be switched to a temperature raising mode for discharging the filling liquid to the liquid receiving means, and when the filler is stopped, the stopper is advanced to stop the container on the supply conveyor, and the filler dispensing containers halfway filled with inner, during operation resumes, during the temperature is below the set temperature measured by the temperature sensor performs operation at a heating mode, to retract the stopper after the measured temperature has reached the set temperature And at the same time starting the supply of the container and switching to the production mode . The filling machine according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor detects a temperature of a filling liquid discharged from a filling nozzle.   The filling machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a temperature sensor is provided in a liquid receiving means which is provided below the filling nozzle and can be moved back and forth.   3. The filling machine according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor detects a liquid temperature in the filling nozzle or in a liquid passage to the filling nozzle.

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