JP5290442B2 - Filling equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a filling device capable of preventing bacteria generation even when liquid is at low temperature. <P>SOLUTION: This device for filling a container 4 includes: at least one tank 9 for a liquid product 20 to be supplied; a filling head 7 arranged to be capable of contacting and separating to/from the container 4 for supplying the liquid product 20 to the container 4; and a connection means 10 interposed between the tank 9 and the filling head 7 and including a ball joint structure 40 for supplying the liquid product 20 to the filling head 7; wherein the ball joint structure includes a first tubular element means including a spherical body means, a second tubular element means including a spherical cavity means, and a tubular sealing element arranged inside the first tubular element means and the second tubular element means in a region where the spherical body means and the spherical cavity means engage with each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a filling device for filling a container with a liquid product.

  2. Description of the Related Art A pressure filling apparatus having a carousel that rotates while supporting a plurality of filling heads is known.

  The filling head is adapted to supply a liquid product having a low temperature, ie ambient temperature.

  The first type of pressure filling apparatus includes a tank, a filling head attached to the carousel, and a drive device that moves the container toward and away from the filling head.

  A second type of pressure filling device includes a tank, a support device attached to the carousel to support the container, a filling head having a body attached to the carousel, and an injection tube having a sealing element that contacts and separates from the container. And. The sealing element includes an operating position in which the sealing element contacts the mouth surrounding the container neck and liquid product is injected into the container, and the container in which the filled container is removed from the support device and then filled. The sealing element is movable between a rest position away from the mouth so as to be arranged on the support device.

  The disadvantage of the filling device described above is that the injection tube is rather complex, in particular if it is not provided with pneumatic drive means supplied with working fluid to move the sealing element from the working position to the rest position or vice versa. There is something to be done.

  Filling devices are also known that supply a liquid product to a container without applying pressure to the liquid product.

  Such a filling device is adapted to supply a hot liquid product whose temperature is 85 ° C.

  These filling apparatuses include a carousel that supports a tank and a filling head that can be moved toward and away from a container supported by the supporting apparatus.

  For example, a flexible pipe made of resin is interposed between the tank and the filling head so as not to hinder the movement of the filling head.

  Due to the high temperature of the liquid product, bacteria are prevented from being generated in the curved portion of the flexible pipe.

  Therefore, a flexible pipe cannot be used in a pressure filling device that supplies a liquid product at a low temperature, that is, an ambient temperature. This is because, at a low temperature, it is not possible to prevent the generation of bacteria in the portion where the flexible pipe is bent.

  The object of the present invention is to improve the known filling device.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a filling device that includes a movable filling head and is easy to manufacture.

  It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filling device that supplies pressurized liquid products in a very hygienic state at low temperatures.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for filling a container, the tank for supplying a liquid product to be supplied, and a filling for supplying the liquid product to the container. A container comprising: a head; and a connecting means interposed between the tank and the filling head for supplying a liquid product to the filling head, wherein the connecting means has at least a ball joint structure. A filling device is provided.

  This aspect of the invention provides a filling device that is very simple to manufacture. This is because, as in some prior art devices, not only the sealing element, but the entire filling head moves. In order to move the sealing element of the filling head, a pneumatic drive means with a complicated supply device supplying the working fluid to the filling head injection tube is no longer necessary.

  Also, the filling device of this aspect of the invention is extremely hygienic. This is because the ball joint structure is not provided with a curved portion in which bacteria can be generated. Thus, the filling device of this aspect of the invention can be used to supply pressurized liquid products at low temperatures.

  In a second aspect of the invention, a first tubular element having a spherical body and a second tubular element having a spherical cavity are provided, the first body being in a region where the spherical body and the spherical cavity engage with each other. A ball joint structure is provided, further comprising a tubular sealing element disposed inside the tubular element and the second tubular element.

  According to this aspect of the present invention, the tubular sealing element can provide a ball joint structure that prevents the liquid product from leaking out in the region where the spherical body and the spherical cavity engage each other.

  The ball joint structure of this aspect of the invention can be attached to a filling device. This filling device can operate very hygienicly even at low temperatures. This is because there is no substantially curved portion where bacteria can be generated.

  The invention will be better understood and practiced by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which several embodiments are shown as non-limiting examples.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the filling apparatus in an operation state. Sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the filling device in a further operating state. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ball joint structure of this invention.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a filling device 1 with a rotating carousel 2 having a plurality of support devices 3 is shown, with each support device 3 supporting a container 4 to be filled. It is configured.

  The support device 3 is attached to the carousel 2 and has a curved support element that partially surrounds the neck 5 including the mouth 8 of the container 4.

  This support device 3 is arranged in a sterile chamber 6.

  The filling device 1 further includes a plurality of filling heads 7, and each filling head 7 is disposed above the corresponding support device 3.

  In the aseptic chamber 6, the filling head 7 removes the container filled with the filling head 7 away from the mouth 8 of the container 4 from the support device 3, and arranges an empty container to be filled on the support device 3. 1 can move between a rest position A shown in FIG. 1 and an operating position B shown in FIG. 2 in which the filling head 7 is in contact with the mouth 8 to inject the liquid product 20 into the container 4. It has become.

  Further, the filling device 1 has, for example, an annular tank 9 disposed on the carousel 2, and each filling head 7 is connected to the tank 9 by a connecting means 10.

  Further, the filling apparatus 1 has a pressurizing means (not shown) for pressurizing the liquid product 20 in the tank 9 and / or the filling head 7.

  Specifically, the filling device can be a constant pressure filling device that supplies a liquid product at a pressure of up to 5 bar.

  The connecting means 10 allows the filling head 7 to move relative to the tank 9 from the rest position A to the operating position B or vice versa. The connecting means 10 includes a curved first pipe 11, a straight second pipe 12, and a ball joint structure 40.

  The ball joint structure 40 includes a first ball joint 13 defined between the first end 14 of the first pipe 11 and the tank 9, and the first end 16 of the second pipe 12. Between the second ball joint 15 defined between the filling head 7 and the second end 18 of the first pipe 11 and the further second end 19 of the second pipe 12. And a third ball joint 17 defined.

  The filling head 7 has a body 21 including an injection chamber 22 that receives the liquid product 20 from the tank 9 and supplies the liquid product 20 to the container 4.

  The main body 21 further comprises a drive element 23 in the form of an appendage received in a chamber 24 provided in the carousel 2.

  The chamber 24 is connected to a source of working fluid by a pipe (not shown).

  The chamber 24 and the drive element 23 cooperate to define a fluid cylinder.

  The filling head 7 further has an extraction line 25 that is partially received in the injection chamber 22 and draws gaseous fluid from the container 4 when the container 4 is filled with the liquid product 20.

  The take-out conduit 25 has a take-out end 26 that is received inside the mouth 8 when the filling head 7 is in the operating state B.

  Furthermore, the filling head 7 has a valve 27 including a closure element 28 in the form of a tube. This closing element 28 is interposed between the injection chamber 22 and the extraction line 25.

  The valve 27 has a further body 30 to which both a closing element 28 and an extraction line 25 are attached.

  The valve 27 is in the closed position X shown in FIG. 1 where the closure element 28 abuts the body 21 and closes the injection opening 29 of the injection chamber 22, and the liquid product 20 is injected from the closure element 28 away from the body 21. It is movable between an open position Y shown in FIG. 3 that can flow through the opening 29.

  The further body 30 has a further drive element 31 in the form of an appendage which is received in a further chamber 32 provided in the appendage constituting the drive element 23 described above.

  This further chamber 32 is connected to a source of working fluid by a pipe 33.

  This further chamber 32 and the further drive element 31 cooperate to define a fluid cylinder.

  In use, since the appendage constituting the drive element 23 slides inside the chamber 24 when the working fluid is filled in the chamber 24, the filling head 7 is interposed between the carousel 2 and the main body 21. It moves from the rest position A to the operating position B while resisting the action of the interposed elastic element 34.

  While the filling head 7 moves from the rest position A to the operating position B, the valve 27 is maintained in the closed position X.

  Subsequently, when the filling head 7 is in the operating position B and the further chamber 32 is filled with working fluid, the further drive element 31 slides inside the further chamber 32 so that the filling head 7 It moves from the closed position X to the open position Y against the action of the further elastic element 35 interposed between 21 and the further main body 30.

  The ball joint structure 40 includes a first tubular member 41 including a first thread portion 42 and a tubular appendage 43 including a second thread portion 44. The first screw portion 42 is screwed into the second screw portion 44, and the first tubular member 41 is connected to the tubular appendage 43.

  The ball joint structure 40 further includes a spherical body 45 provided therein with a groove 46 for receiving the edge 47 of the tubular appendage 43, and the spherical body 45 is firmly connected to the tubular appendage 43. Has been.

  The first tubular member 41, the tubular appendage 43, and the spherical body 45 cooperate to define a first tubular portion 70.

  The ball joint structure 40 includes a second tubular member 48 and an intermediate element 50 that are interconnected by a mounting structure 49.

  The mounting structure 49 has a ring nut 51 screwed onto the thread 52 of the second tubular member 48. The second tubular member 48, the ring nut 51, and the intermediate element 50 cooperate with each other to form a second tubular portion 80.

  The intermediate element 50 has a spherical cavity portion 53 and the ring nut 51 has further spherical cavity portions 54, which cooperate with the spherical body 45. And a spherical cavity 55 configured to be morphologically coupled to each other.

  The ball joint structure 40 includes a central portion 57, an end 58 received in a seat 59 defined between the first tubular member 41 and the tubular appendage 43, a second tubular member 48, It further has a tubular sealing element 56 including a further end 60 received in a further seat 61 defined between the intermediate element 50.

  The tubular sealing element 56 can be made from a resin, for example an elastomeric material such as silicone rubber.

  The end 58 has an inclined surface 62 connected to a corresponding further inclined surface 63 of the first tubular member 41.

  The end 58 has an annular element 64 that engages the abutment surface 65 of the tubular appendage 43.

  The further end 60 has an annular projection 66 that is received in a corresponding annular groove 67 of the intermediate element 50.

  The tubular sealing element 56 prevents leakage of the liquid product 20 in the region K where the spherical body 45 and the spherical cavity 55 are engaged with each other.

Claims (15)

A ball joint structure,
A first tubular portion (70) having a spherical body (45);
A second tubular portion (80) having a spherical cavity (55), and
The spherical body (45) and the spherical cavity (55) are disposed inside the first tubular portion (70) and the second tubular portion (80) in a region (K) where they engage with each other. Further comprising a tubular sealing element (56) ;
The tubular sealing element (56) includes a central portion (57) surrounded by the region (K), an end (58) received in a seat (59) of the first tubular portion (70), A further end (60) received in a further seat (61) of the second tubular part (80);
The ball joint structure according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the first tubular portion (70) is in contact with an outer surface of the central portion (57) of the tubular sealing element (56) . Ball joint structure of claim 1, wherein the tubular sealing element (56) is made from a resin. 3. Ball joint structure according to claim 2 , characterized in that the tubular sealing element (56) is made of an elastomeric material. The first tubular portion (70) has a first tubular member (41) connected to each other and a tubular appendage (43);
The ball joint structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the spherical body (45) is coupled to the tubular appendage (43). The first tubular member (41) has a first threaded portion (42),
The ball joint structure according to claim 4 , wherein the tubular appendage (43) has a second screw portion (44) that is screwed into the first screw portion (42). . Inside the spherical body (45), according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the edge of the tubular appendix (43) (47), characterized in that the groove is received (46) is provided Ball joint structure. The second tubular portion (80) includes an interconnectable second tubular member (48) and mounting structure (49), and is interposed between the second tubular member (48) and the mounting element. ball joint structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that an intermediate element (50) which is. The ball according to claim 7 , wherein the mounting structure (49) has a ring nut (51) that is screwed into a thread portion (52) of the second tubular member (48). Joint structure. 9. Ball joint structure according to claim 7 or 8 , characterized in that the mounting structure (49) and the intermediate element (50) define the spherical cavity (55). The intermediate element (50) has a spherical cavity portion (53) of the spherical cavity (55);
10. Ball joint structure according to any one of claims 7 to 9 , characterized in that the mounting structure (49) has a further spherical cavity portion (54) of the spherical cavity (55). It said seat (59), one or claims of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that it is defined between the first tubular member (41) and said tubular appendix (43) The ball joint structure according to any one of claims 7 to 10 , depending on any one of 4 to 6 . Said end portion (58) is in claim 11, characterized in that it has a corresponding further inclined surface (63) and linked inclined surface (62) of said first tubular member (41) Ball joint structure as described. Said end portion (58), according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that it further comprises an abutment surface (65) and engaging the annular element (64) of the appendix of the tubular (43) Ball joint structure. 11. The further seat (61) is defined between the second tubular member (48) and the intermediate element (50) , or any one of claims 7-10. The ball joint structure according to any one of claims 11 to 13 , depending on any one of 7 to 10 . Said further end (60) of claim 14, characterized in that has a corresponding annular projection which is received in an annular groove (67) and (66) of said intermediate element (50) Ball joint structure.

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