JPH04311492A - Cleaning device for valve of filling machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automate cleaning work for filling valves of a filling machine without the need for attaching and detaching caps to and from the valves by a method wherein selector valves for compressed air provided, corresponding to air cylinders, in circular radial arrangement on the circumference of a disk that rotates together with the filling machine, and circular arc cams are also provided so that the selector valves can be actuated while the filling machine is in rotary motion. CONSTITUTION:A rotating part including annular reservoir 1 is rotated by operation of a motor 19, and cleaning liquid is delivered through a main liquid pipe 22 and comes into the annular reservoir 1 to fill the same through a rotary joint 23 placed beneath. Selector valves 42 turn along the circumference of a rotating disk 41 as the disk rotates, and are actuated by operation of circular arc cams 39. Thereby compressed air is sent to air cylinders of filling valves 15 and outer cylinders are lifted up, opening passages of the valves, and the cleaning liquid is made to flow out. After that, the cleaning liquid is gathered to a drain pan 53 and is recovered from a drain port through a drainage pipe 56. At the time of starting the filling of product liquid, the circular arc cams 39 are moved by operation of the air cylinders to positions indicated with double dot-dash-lines in the attached figure.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device for a bottle filling machine, a can filling machine, etc., which has a rotating annular liquid storage tank.

0002

[Prior Art] In a conventional filling valve cleaning device for a filling machine, each valve is covered with a lid from below while the filling machine is stopped, and the drained liquid that has cleaned the valves is collected through a conduit attached to the bottom of the valve. Has a structure. An example of a conventional canned valve cleaning device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-24025 will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. 1 is a liquid tank to which a valve body 2 is fixed, and can slide on the same valve body 2. An air conduit 3 is provided. Reference numeral 4 denotes an outer cylinder that is slidably disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the valve body 2 and also slidable on the outer peripheral surface of the air conduit 3, and the flange 4b of the outer cylinder and the outer peripheral surface of the valve body 2 A spring 5 is interposed between the stepped portions 2a of the spring 5.
The valve body 2 and the outer cylinder 4 are urged in a direction to separate from each other. 6 is a sealing member held in the outer cylinder 4, 7
is held at the top of the outer cylinder 4 and is in contact with the inclined inner circumferential surface of the valve body 2; 8 is a cleaning cap that is detachable from the outer cylinder 4 via a pin 9; 10 is held by the cap 8; The O-ring 11 that comes into contact with the lower end of the outer cylinder 4 is a hole provided in the outer cylinder 4 through which the cleaning liquid is discharged, and forms part of a cleaning liquid circulation cycle (not shown). A piston 12 is provided integrally with the liquid tank 1, and is inserted into a cylinder 13. 13b is a pressure fluid supply port provided in the cylinder 13, which communicates with a pressure source (not shown).

Next, the operation will be explained. First, for cleaning, the cap 8 is attached to the outer cylinder 4 via the pin 9. Next, when the pressure is increased by feeding pressure fluid into the cylinder 13 from the pressure fluid supply port 13b by means not shown, the cylinder 13 moves up along the piston 12. When the flange portion 13b of the cylinder 13 comes into contact with the flange portion 4b of the outer cylinder 4, the outer cylinder 4 is lifted against the spring 5, and the seal between the O-ring 7 and the inclined inner circumferential surface of the valve body 2 is removed. is released, the cleaning liquid from the liquid tank 1 flows into the cap 8 through the hole 4a of the outer cylinder 4 and the gap 14 between the outer cylinder 4 and the air conduit 3, and further passes through the hole 11, and the cleaning liquid (not shown) flows into the cap 8. A cleaning liquid circulation cycle is formed in which the cleaning liquid returns to the liquid tank 1 through the tank.

0004

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The above-mentioned prior art includes:
There are the following problems. In recent years, filling machines for bottles and cans are required to have increased filling capacity, and one filling machine has a large number of valves. For example, it is common for can filling machines to have more than 100 valves, and in the case of conventional valve cleaning equipment, more than 100 valves are required to prevent leakage from the O-ring 10 between the cap 8 and the outer cylinder 4. 8 to the outer cylinder 4 while compressing the O-ring 10,
This work is quite hard work.

[0005] This conventional valve cleaning device is also used when the product to be filled requires high-temperature filling (for example, sake, tomato puree, etc.) or when it is necessary to pass hot water through the valve in preparation for filling. However, the hot cap 8 must be removed after the valve temperature rises and before the product liquid is sent out, which is quite hard work, and workers often do not use the cap and do not allow the hot water to drip out. This can lead to deterioration of the workplace environment and poor sanitation around the filling machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve cleaning device for a filling machine that does not require attaching and removing cleaning caps to individual filling valves when cleaning the filling machine, and makes it possible to automate cleaning operations. It is something.

[0007]

[Means for solving the problem] 1. The filling valve is provided with a pneumatic cylinder similar to the conventional device for opening and closing the filling valve. 2. Compressed air switching valves are provided in a circular radial manner on the circumference of a disk that rotates together with the filling machine, corresponding to the above-mentioned pneumatic cylinders. A fixed arc cam is provided that can operate within a certain angle range when the switching valve is viewed from the fixed side while the filling machine is rotating, and the arc cam is also designed to move away from the switching valve and not operate the switching valve except when cleaning. A pneumatic cylinder is provided. 3. A cylinder operated by air pressure sent from the compressed air switching valve operated by the arc cam opens the filling valve, and a drain pan receives the cleaning liquid flowing out from the filling valve, a cleaning liquid recovery conduit, and a drain when not cleaning. A drain pan moving device is provided for retracting the bread to a position where it does not interfere with the operation of the filling machine.

[0008]

[Operation] In this filling valve cleaning device, cleaning is performed while the rotary portion is rotating. The annular reservoir rotates, and a number of filling valves attached to its bottom also rotate at the same time. The arm of the compressed air switching valve mounted on the disk is pushed by an arcuate cam, and compressed air is delivered to the pneumatic cylinder that actuates the filling valve during the length of the arc. A pneumatic cylinder opens two filling valves on each side and the cleaning liquid flows out. When the arm of the switching valve comes off the arc cam, compressed air escapes from the pneumatic cylinder and the filling valve closes. A sector-shaped drain pan, sized to correspond to the arc length through which the fill valve is open, receives the cleaning fluid flowing out of the fill valve and is collected through the discharge conduit.

The arcuate cam that operates the compressed air switching valve is separated from the switching valve except during cleaning operations. Furthermore, when the cleaning work is completed, the drain pan is also evacuated from the filling machine to a position where it does not interfere with the product filling work.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is implemented in a rotary can filling machine will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In the figure, 1 is an annular liquid storage tank, 13 is a pneumatic cylinder, 15 is a filling valve, 18 is a filling machine stand, 19 is a motor, 20 is a rotary table, 21
is a can holder, 22 is a main liquid pipe, 23 is a rotary joint, 24 is a central shaft, 25 is a branch pipe, 35 is a pneumatic cylinder, 39 is a circular arc cam, 41 is a rotating disk, 42 is a switching valve, 5
2 is a pneumatic cylinder, 53 is a drain pan, and 55 is a roller. The other members shown in FIG. 3 are the same as those shown in FIG. 6.

First, the structure of a rotary can filling machine will be explained. A rotary table 20 is mounted on the filling machine stand 18 so as to be freely rotatable via a bearing (not shown), and is horizontally rotated by a motor 19 attached to the filling machine stand 18. The rotary table 20 and the annular liquid storage tank 1 above it are fixedly connected by several columns. The cleaning liquid is sent to the filling machine from the main liquid pipe 22 (the main liquid pipe 22 is fed with the product liquid when filling the product liquid, the cleaning liquid when cleaning, and hot water when raising the temperature), at the center of the filling machine. A rotary joint (lower) 23 is connected to the rising portion of the main liquid pipe 22 . A central shaft 24 is fitted inside the rotary joint (lower) 23. The central shaft 24 is hollow and forms a passage for cleaning liquid. Further, the central shaft 24 is connected to the annular liquid storage tank 1 via a branch pipe 25. The cleaning liquid is supplied from the main liquid pipe 22 to the rotary joint (lower) 23, the central shaft 24, and the branch pipe 25.
It reaches the annular liquid storage tank 1 through. 26 is an annular liquid storage tank 1
This branch pipe collects the overflow liquid and sends it to the overflow pipe 31 through the upper rotary joint (upper) 29 for recovery, and is made conductive by the stop valve 27 only during cleaning. A large number of filling valves 15 are mounted on the same circumference at the bottom of the annular liquid storage tank 1 at equal intervals. A can holder 21 is located at a remote position directly below the filling valve 15, and during filling operation it moves up and down to grip a container (not shown), but during cleaning it remains in the downward position and does not move. The structure of the filling valve 15 is shown in FIG.

A valve body 2 is fixed to the lower part of the annular liquid storage tank 1, and an air conduit 3 is provided so as to be slidable on the valve body 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes an outer cylinder that is slidably disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the valve body 2 and also slidable on the outer peripheral surface of the air conduit 3. A spring 5 is inserted between the outer cylinder 4 and the valve body 2. Intermediate,
The spring 5 is biased in a direction that causes the valve body 2 and the outer cylinder 4 to move away from each other. A piston 12 is provided integrally with the annular liquid storage device 1, and is inserted into a pneumatic cylinder 13. 13b is a compressed air supply port provided in the pneumatic cylinder 13. Further, 53 is a drain pan that receives the cleaning liquid flowing out from the filling valve 15.

When compressed air enters from the compressed air supply port 13b, the pneumatic cylinder 13 rises along the piston 12. The flange portion 13a of the pneumatic cylinder 13 is connected to the outer cylinder 4.
is pushed up, the inclined seal surfaces of the outer cylinder 4 and the valve body 2 are opened, and the cleaning liquid in the annular liquid storage tank 1 flows down through the hole 4a and the gap 14 between the outer cylinder 4 and the air conduit 3. Reference numerals 32 and 33 shown in FIG. 1 are compressed air passages connected to a compressed air supply source (not shown). The passage 32 is connected to the rotary joint (upper) 29, and the supplied compressed air is supplied to the switching valve 42 through the passage inside the rotary shaft cylinder 28. A tube 44 is connected from the switching valve 42 to the supply port 13b of the pneumatic cylinder 13 described above. 34 is a fixed plate attached to the lower surface of the rotary joint (upper) 29. Reference numeral 41 denotes a rotating disk which is attached to the rotating shaft cylinder 28.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show details of the surrounding area of the switching valve 42. A pneumatic cylinder 35 and a guide bearing 3 are attached to the fixed plate 34.
6 is installed. A cam support plate 38 is attached to the tip of the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 35. Cam support plate 3
A guide shaft 37 is attached to 8. The guide shaft 37 passes through the guide bearing 36 and serves to stop the cam support plate from rotating and to move it in parallel. An arc cam 39 is attached to the cam support plate 38. The same number of switching valves 42 as the valve actuating pneumatic cylinders 13 are radially attached to the rotating disk 41 along the outer periphery of the disk 41. The above circular arc cam 39
When is in the solid line position shown in the figure, the arm 42 that is attached to the switching valve 42 that has been rotated to this position and has a roller at its tip
By pressing a, the switching valve 42 is activated, compressed air is sent to the pneumatic cylinder 13 shown in FIG.
The outer cylinder 4 of No. 5 is raised to open the valve 15. When the pneumatic cylinder 35 on the fixed plate 34 is operated to move the circular arc cam 39 to the position indicated by the double chain line shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 by a distance e, the switching valve 42 is no longer operated by the circular arc cam 39. .

Reference numeral 53a designates a component of the drain pan 53, which is a receiving gutter for the cleaning liquid flowing out from the filling valve 15. Reference numeral 53b is a gutter portion with a sloped bottom to collect the cleaning liquid at a lower level, and a discharge port 53c is open near the lowest part.A drain pipe 56 is connected to the discharge port 53c, and the cleaning fluid is discharged from the drain pipe 56. It will be collected. The drain pan 53 is the base plate 5
4 is fixed on top. The base plate 54 is configured to be able to move in a straight line by eight rollers 55 attached to the upper part of the pedestal 51, and is moved to the position shown by the double chain line by the pneumatic cylinder 52 installed on the pedestal 51. distance m)
It can be placed in a position where it will not interfere with the process of filling cans with product liquid.

Next, the operation of this device will be explained. This filling valve cleaning device performs cleaning work while slowly rotating the rotary filling machine. That is, the rotating part including the annular liquid storage tank 1 is rotated by the motor 19 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The cleaning liquid is sent through a main liquid pipe 22, and is sent from a rotary joint (lower) 23 to a rotating central shaft 24 and a branch pipe 25.
The liquid then enters the annular liquid storage tank 1 and is filled with it. The overflow of the cleaning liquid is collected from the overflow pipe 31 through the rotary joint (upper) 29 from the overflow branch pipe 26 (stop valve 27 is open).

Due to the rotation of the rotary disk 41, the switching valve 42 rotates on the circumference, and the circular arc cam 39 causes the switching valve 42 to rotate on the circumference.
The switching valve 42 operates only during the angle occupied by , and sends compressed air to the operating pneumatic cylinder 13 of the filling valve 15, and the pneumatic cylinder 13 pushes up the outer cylinder 4 of the filling valve 15 to open the valve flow path and allow the cleaning liquid to flow. put out. The hatched filling valve 15a in FIG. 2 indicates an open valve.The drain pan 53 has a length that matches the rotation angle of the filling valve 15a, so that it can just receive the cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid is collected in the lower part of the drain pan 53 and is recovered by the drain pipe 56 from the drain port 53c. When starting the product liquid filling operation, the pneumatic cylinder 35 is operated to move the circular arc cam 39 to the position indicated by the double chain line, the pneumatic cylinder 52 is operated to retract the drain pan 53 to the position indicated by the double chain line, and the annular reservoir is moved to the position indicated by the double chain line. Stop valve 27 at the top of liquid tank 1
Once closed, you can move on to normal filling operations.

In this embodiment, one cylinder 13 for raising and lowering the outer cylinder 4 of the filling valve is provided between two filling valves, but the number of filling valves operated by the cylinder 13 is It is not limited to two pieces.

[0019]

Effects of the Invention The valve cleaning device for a filling machine according to the present invention comprises: an annular liquid storage tank that rotates around a vertical axis; a plurality of filling valves attached to the bottom of the annular liquid storage tank; A supply pipe that supplies the product liquid to the annular liquid storage tank via a liquid distribution pipe and a rotary joint connected to the lower part of the tank, and a mechanism that cuts off the supply of the product liquid and supplies cleaning liquid to the supply pipe. , a filling machine provided with piping for recovering overflow liquid of the cleaning liquid from the annular liquid storage tank,
A pneumatic cylinder that opens and closes the filling valve; a compressed air switching valve that is radially attached to the circumference of a disc that rotates together with the filling machine in correspondence with the pneumatic cylinder; An arcuate cam to be operated, an arcuate cam moving device for retracting the arcuate cam to a position where the switching valve is not operated except during cleaning, and a cleaning liquid flowing out from the filling valve within a predetermined rotation range during cleaning of the filling machine. By providing a drain pan for receiving and recovering the drain pan, and a drain pan moving device for moving the drain pan in a direction away from the filling machine except during cleaning operations, the following effects are achieved. 1. When cleaning filling valves, there is no need to attach a cleaning liquid recovery cap to the bottom of each valve, and the arcuate cam that operates the compressed air switching valve can be moved with one touch. In addition, the drain pan for collecting wash water flowing out from the filling valve can be moved with a single touch, which greatly reduces work. 2. The cleaning device can also be used as is in the hot water temperature raising process as a preparatory step in hot filling of product beverages, resulting in significant labor savings in this case as well.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 2] A plan view of Fig. 1, the right half is a view from A, and the left half is from B.
-B sectional view.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the fill valve and drain pan portions of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the arcuate cam and switching valve portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a conventional filling valve and cleaning cap portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Annular liquid storage tank 15 Filling valve 22 Main liquid pipe 23 Rotary joint 39 Arc cam 42 Switching valve 53 Drain pan

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An annular liquid storage tank that rotates around a vertical axis, a plurality of filling valves attached to the bottom of the annular liquid storage tank, and a liquid distribution pipe connected to the bottom of the annular liquid storage tank. and a supply pipe that supplies the product liquid to the annular liquid storage tank via a rotary joint, a mechanism that cuts off the supply of the product liquid and supplies the cleaning liquid to the supply pipe, and an overflow of the cleaning liquid from the annular liquid storage tank. a pneumatic cylinder that opens and closes the filling valve, and a compressed air switching valve that is radially attached to the circumference of a disk that rotates together with the filling machine in correspondence with the pneumatic cylinder. , an arc cam that operates the switching valve within a predetermined rotation range of the filling machine; an arc cam moving device that retracts the arc cam to a position where the switching valve is not operated except during cleaning; A filling machine characterized by comprising a drain pan that receives and collects cleaning liquid flowing out from a filling valve within a predetermined rotation range, and a drain pan moving device that moves the drain pan in a direction away from the filling machine except during cleaning operations. Valve cleaning equipment.