JPH0116133B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for filling hollow wafers, Watsuful rolls and the like with ice cream and the like.

In the industrial production of confectionery filled with ice cream, it is known to fill a hollow wafer with a fat-containing coating on the inside with ice cream from both sides and to close the hollow wafer on both sides with caps made of fat-containing material. There is. The hollow wafers then step along several filling stations, each carrying several filling nozzles, which simultaneously enter and exit several hollow wafers. During this movement of the filling nozzle the hollow wafer remains stationary. The hollow wafer is then sent one hollow wafer ahead.

A continuous flow of ice cream from the refrigeration system is delivered via an elastic, flexible tube to a discontinuously operating filling station. The adaptation of the continuous ice cream flow of the refrigeration device to the discontinuous filling operation of the filling nozzle then takes place by "breathing" of the elastic flexible tube.

While the hollow wafer is at rest, the final cap is placed over the hollow wafer already filled with ice cream. For the production of this final cap, the fat-containing cap material is transported in a fluid state. The hollow wafers covered with a final cap and filled with ice cream are subsequently passed through a cooling line for solidification.

The capacity for filling ice cream is low with this known method. This is because the ice cream is only filled when the hollow wafer is in a stationary state.

The object of the invention is to develop a method and a device that can increase the performance when filling hollow wafers.

The invention proposes a method for filling hollow wafers with a filler material, especially ice cream, inter alia with an internal laminate, in particular with a thiokolate laminate. Its characteristics are as follows. That is, the hollow wafers are continuously moved parallel to each other, and the filling material is continuously filled into the hollow wafers from the side with respect to the direction of movement. and the continuous filler feed stream is switched to another hollow wafer group without interruption after filling one hollow wafer group.

Advantageously, the hollow wafers can then be conveyed in the longitudinal direction essentially parallel to one another in a continuously circulating conveying device before being filled alternately in groups.

According to an advantageous implementation of the method, the hollow wafers are filled alternately in mutually intersecting groups. In this case, between the already filled hollow wafers of one group, there is still another group of hollow wafers to be filled.

Further according to the invention, the filling of each hollow wafer group can begin immediately after the completion of the filling of the previously filled adjacent hollow wafer group.

Furthermore, the invention proposes a method for filling ice cream into internally laminated hollow wafers, in particular with thiokolate inside. Its characteristics are as follows. That is, the hollow wafers are placed horizontally in the longitudinal direction on an adjacent circulating conveying device, which then continuously conveys the ice cream, which has a filling tube and is operated alternately. Continuously filling hollow wafers moved successively by at least two filling devices, each filling device being moved from a starting position to a final position synchronously with the hollow wafer, while filling the filling devices A tube is introduced into each hollow wafer, the ice cream is introduced into the hollow wafer while the filling tube is being withdrawn from the hollow wafer, and the filling device is subsequently returned to its starting position, causing the ice cream to flow in a continuous stream. and feed it to the filling device.
In this case, each time the filling process of one filling device is completed, the filling process of another filling device is started.

A further variant is to fill individual groups of specifically intersecting hollow wafers with ice cream one after the other by means of a filling device. In this case, the hollow wafers that have fallen out of the first filling device are filled from at least one subsequent filling device.

In order to carry out the method of the invention, the invention proposes a device which is characterized by a continuously circulating conveying device. The transport device transports the hollow wafers with their longitudinal axis transverse to the transport device from a supply station for unfilled hollow wafers to a discharge station for filled hollow wafers. The device according to the invention furthermore has at least two filling tubes which can enter the hollow wafer and can also be withdrawn by at least two filling devices which themselves move section by section synchronously with the conveying device. and also feature a single at least partially flexible filler delivery conduit branching off to the filling device and connecting all filler tubes.

In another aspect of the invention, the conveying device can be configured as a feeding device. This feeding device transports the hollow wafer horizontally in the longitudinal direction. Along this feeding device, at least two sliders are arranged one behind the other, each supporting one filling device, and each of these sliders is cam-controlled in the transport direction and transversely to this direction. It is possible to slide in the direction.

Further details will be explained based on the figures.

This invention involves filling ice cream into a hollow wafer that is filled with chiyocollate inside.
It is obvious that other fillers can also be filled according to the invention into unfilled or externally laminated hollow wafers or hollow wafers filled or partially filled with other materials, or into pouches or other containers.

The filling machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a continuously driven circulating conveyor having outwardly open semi-shears 2 which are arranged adjacent to each other to form one endless conveyor member. It has device 1.
A hollow wafer is introduced into this semi-sheer tray from the feed station 3 of the chute 4. Two filling devices 5, 5' are arranged side by side on the conveying device 1, and two sliders 6, 6' move independently of each other.
Fixed. Each filling device 5 has two filling tubes 7 which are oriented axially towards a hollow wafer arranged in the semi-sheer tray 2.

Each filling tube 7 communicates with an ice cream feed tube 10 via a valve 9 controlled by an air cylinder 8. The two ice cream feeding pipes 10 of one filling device 5 are combined into one connecting pipe 11.
It is becoming. The connecting pipes 11 of the two filling devices are connected to a common ice cream conduit 13 which branches at 12. This ice cream conduit is directly connected to an ice cream making machine (freezer), not shown.

Each slider 6, 6' has a cam plate 14, 1 on the lower side.
4'. The curved shape of the cam groove of the cam plate determines the sliding motion when the cam plate rotates. By rotation of the cam plate 14', the slider 6' is moved from the starting position, in which the filling tube 7 of the filling device 5' is directed towards the hollow wafer and is still located outside the hollow wafer, to the conveying device. 1 in the direction of arrow 15, and insert filling tube 7 into the hollow wafer from the direction transverse to the conveyance direction (arrow 15). While the slider 6' moves synchronously with the conveying device 1, the filling tube 7 is withdrawn from the hollow wafer and the ice cream is then filled into the hollow wafer. After the filling process is completed, the filling tube 7 is moved to the slider 6'
With the help of the slider 6', the slider 6' reaches its final position and is returned to its starting position in a direction opposite to the transport direction (arrow 15). The slider 6 with the filling device 5 is moved in a similar manner as the slider 6' with the filling device 5'. The two sliders 6, 6' are then offset laterally relative to each other, so that each time the filling tube 7 of one filling device 5' reaches the position it occupies at the end of the filling process, the filling tube 7 of the other filling device 5 It is moved as if already pushed into the hollow wafer.

In the case of the embodiment of the filling machine shown, the mutual spacing of the two filling tubes 7 of one filling device corresponds to twice the spacing of two consecutive hollow wafers on the conveying device 1, so that the filling The device 5' has first, third,
The fifth... hollow wafer is filled, and the other filling device 5 fills the second, fourth, sixth... hollow wafers. Of course, each filling device can also be equipped with four filling tubes. The mutual spacing of these filling tubes is such that, for example, one filling device fills the first, second, fifth, and sixth hollow wafers, respectively, and the other filling device fills the third, fourth, and third hollow wafers, respectively.
It can be determined that the seventh and eighth hollow wafers are filled.

The filled hollow wafers are removed from the transport device 1 at a discharge station 16.

Of course, it is also possible to use three filling devices that operate alternately. In each of the three filling devices, the time required for the slider to insert the filling tube into the hollow wafer is the same as the time required for the slider to withdraw the filling tube from the hollow wafer, and for the slider to insert the filling tube into the hollow wafer. It is the same as the time required to return from the starting position to the starting position.

The ice cream is continuously fed from the conduit 18 to the filling devices 5, 5', and the filling process of the next filling device 5 starts immediately after the completion of the filling process of the filling device 5'. The flowing ice cream is switched alternately from one filling device to the other without interruption.

If the method according to the invention is carried out with only two filling devices, one group of hollow wafers is filled before the next group of hollow wafers is filled.

If the method according to the invention is carried out with three filling devices arranged one after the other along the conveying device, it is also possible that the ice cream is transferred from the first filling device to the hollow space provided at a greater distance from each other. A group of wafers is filled, and the hollow wafers that fall out are filled in sequence from the other two filling devices, in which case filling can continue first from the second filling device or from the third filling device. .

In all the several cases described above, the flow of ice cream in the supply conduit is guaranteed to be continuous.

Although horizontal transport is preferred for hollow wafers, it is also possible to carry out vertical transport in which the longitudinal axes are parallel to each other, in which case the entire slider movement is directed along the longitudinal axis of the hollow wafer. This can be done in a plane parallel to the plane of the longitudinal axis of the hollow wafer, or the slider can be moved in a particularly perpendicular plane inclined to the plane of the longitudinal axis of the hollow wafer, and the filling tube of the filling device can be carried out in a plane parallel to the plane of the longitudinal axis of the hollow wafer. to enter and exit again.

Furthermore, the filling device can only be provided on one side of the hollow wafer, so that the hollow wafer is only completely filled from one end.

However, it is also possible to provide filling devices on both sides of the hollow wafer. In that case each hollow wafer is filled half from one end and from the other, or each hollow wafer group is filled completely from one end and the other group is filled equally completely from the other end. be done.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a continuously operating filling machine for carrying out the method according to the invention, and FIG. 2 is an end view of the filling machine shown in FIG. Symbols in the figure: 1... Conveyance device, 2... Semi-sheer tray, 3... Supply station, 4... Shoot,
5, 5'...Filling device, 6,6'...Slider,
7... Filling pipe, 10... Ice cream feeding pipe.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for filling hollow wafers with a filler such as ice cream, in which the hollow wafers are continuously moved parallel to each other, the moving hollow wafers are divided into a plurality of groups, and the filling is performed by Filling the hollow wafers of the individual hollow wafer groups with the material alternately via individual filling devices corresponding to each group and moving synchronously with the hollow wafers, supplying the filling material to each filling device. After filling one hollow wafer group through the filling device, the continuous filler feed stream can be switched without interruption to the filling device for the other hollow wafer group to transfer the filling material to the moving hollow. 1. A method for filling a hollow wafer with a filler substance, characterized in that the wafer is continuously filled. 2. For filling the hollow wafers with filler material according to claim 1, in which the hollow wafers are placed on a continuously circulating conveying device with their longitudinal axes essentially parallel to each other, and the hollow wafers are alternately filled in groups. the method of. 3. Filling mutually intersecting groups of hollow wafers, in between the already filled hollow wafers of one group, in each case of the other group.
3. A method for filling a hollow wafer with a filling material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a hollow wafer to be filled is present. 4. Claims 1 to 3, in which the filling of each hollow wafer group is started immediately after the filling of the adjacent hollow wafer group that has been filled in advance is completed.
A method for filling a hollow wafer according to any one of the above with a filler substance. 5. The hollow wafers are placed adjacent to each other on a conveying device that circulates in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis with the longitudinal axis horizontal, and then are continuously moved by this conveying device, so that the ice cream is alternately filling continuously moving hollow wafers by means of a filling device having at least two filling tubes which are operated at the same time, each filling device being moved from a starting position to a final position in synchronism with the hollow wafer; Meanwhile, the filling tube is introduced into the respective hollow wafer, the ice cream is fed into the hollow wafer while the filling tube is withdrawn from the hollow wafer, and subsequently the filling device is pushed back to its starting position, and the ice cream is fed into the hollow wafer in a continuous flow. 5. A method for filling hollow wafers with filling material according to claim 4, wherein each time the filling process of one filling device is completed, the filling process of the other filling device is started. 6. Claims in which the ice cream is filled from the filling device into individual groups of hollow wafers, in particular intersecting one another, and at least one subsequent filling device fills the hollow wafers which have left the first filling device. 5. A method for filling the hollow wafer according to 5 with a filler substance. 7. In order to fill hollow wafers with a filler such as ice cream, the hollow wafers are moved continuously parallel to each other, the filler is continuously filled into the moving hollow wafer, and at the same time the filler is alternately separated into individual pieces. In an apparatus for carrying out a method for filling hollow wafer groups and switching the continuous filler feed stream to another hollow wafer group without interruption after filling of one hollow wafer group,
a continuous circulation transport device for transporting the hollow wafers with their longitudinal axes oriented transversely to the conveying direction from a supply station for unfilled hollow wafers to a discharge station for filled hollow wafers; at least two filling devices each having at least two filling tubes inserted into and withdrawn from the hollow wafer, moving synchronously, and branching into the filling device and communicating with all the filling tubes at least segmentally; Apparatus for filling hollow wafers with filler material, characterized by a single flexible filler delivery conduit. 8. The conveying device is constructed as a feeding device for conveying the hollow wafers horizontally in the longitudinal direction, and at least two sliders each supporting one filling device are arranged one after the other along this feeding device. 8. A device for filling hollow wafers with filling material according to claim 7, wherein each of these sliders is slidable in the transport direction and transversely to this transport direction by cam control. .