JPH061397A - Automatic attaching/detaching device of washing cap in rotary charger - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the waste of time and obviate manual handling by rotating in accordance with the motion of a rotary charger and supporting the holder of a washing cap at a freely lifting and rotating hub with an arm and providing a lever with claw having a fitting claw at the front end to the washing cap. CONSTITUTION:A detaching device 4 of washing cap is rotatable around the fixed axis 13 in accordance with the revolution of a charger by the cycloid gear 12 fitted to the bush 11 of a lifter 10 in the charger. A hub 15 is provided on the fixed axis 13 to be rotatable and vertically movable to fit the radially extended arm 24 through a support base 23. The holder 27 of washing cap 5 is attached at the front end of the arm 24 to hold the washing cap 5 and to feed to the position of the charge valve 2. Levers 52-55 with claws 57-60 at the front end thereof are provided in this washing cap 5 to fit to the charge valve 2 for attaching the washing cap 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for automatically attaching and detaching a cleaning cap used for cleaning and sterilizing a rotary filling machine (a rotary filling machine for filling a container with a liquid beverage such as beer, cola, joseuse or liquor). is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional filling valve cleaning device (conventional example A) is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and another example of a conventional filling valve cleaning device (conventional example B) is shown in FIGS. It was shown to. (Conventional Example A) First, a conventional filling valve cleaning device shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 (Conventional Example A) (Japanese Patent Application No. 03-200452).
(In the specification), 101 is a main liquid tank, 102 is a filling valve fixed to the lower surface of the main liquid tank 101, and the filling valve 102 includes a filling valve body 103 and a filling valve body 103. A liquid passage 104 formed in 103 and a liquid filling passage 1 communicating with the liquid passage 104.
05, the gas conduit upper part 106, and the gas conduit upper part 106
Gas conduit lower part 109 communicating with the gas conduit lower part 01
9, holes 107 and 108 provided in the lower portion of the gas pipe 9, a float 110 housed in the lower portion 109 of the gas conduit, and a container mouth sealing gasket 111 attached to the filling valve body 103.
And a pin 112 attached to the filling valve body 103.

Reference numeral 113 is a filling valve cleaning device. This filling valve cleaning device 113 has a cap 116 having a groove 114 for engaging a pin 112 and a ring-shaped protrusion 115 for abutting against a container mouth sealing gasket 111. And the hole 117 provided in the ring-shaped protrusion 115 and the cap 11
6 and the filling valve main body 103, and an O-ring 118 that seals between them.

Reference numeral 119 is a cleaning liquid tank, 120 is a cleaning liquid circulation pipe connecting the joint 121 on the filling valve body 103 side and the cleaning liquid tank 119, 123 is an opening / closing valve provided in the pipe 120, and 122 is the cleaning liquid tank 119 and the main liquid. A cleaning liquid circulation pipe connecting to the tank 101, an opening / closing valve 124 provided in the cleaning liquid circulation pipe 122, and a pump 125 provided in the cleaning liquid circulation pipe 122.

In the filling valve cleaning device shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the main liquid in the main liquid tank 101 is discharged after the liquid filling work is completed, and then the cap 116 of the cleaning device 113.
Engaging the groove 114 of the cap with the pin 112 of the filling valve body 103, and manually rotating the cap 116 to remove the cap 11
6 is attached to the filling valve body 103. Then open / close valve 1
23 and 124 are opened, the pump 125 is started, and the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 119 is pumped to the pump 125 → open / close valve 124.
→ Cleaning liquid circulating pipe 122 → Sending to the main liquid tank 101 to fill the main liquid tank 101 with the cleaning liquid.

When the main liquid tank 101 is filled with the cleaning liquid, the liquid valve and the gas valve (not shown) of the filling valve 102 are opened, and the cleaning liquid in the main liquid tank 101 is filled with the cleaning liquid in the upper part 106 of the gas conduit → the lower part 109 of the gas conduit → Liquid flow passage 1
04 → liquid flow-down passage 105 → flows into the cap 116 to fill the cleaning liquid in the cap 116. Further, the cleaning liquid in the cap 116 is provided with a hole 117, a joint 121, a cleaning liquid circulation pipe 120, an opening / closing valve 123, and the cleaning liquid tank 11.
9, the main liquid tank 101 and the filling valve 102
Clean the inside. After that, the cleaning liquid is circulated in the above system to continue the cleaning in the main liquid tank 101 and the filling valve 102.

(Prior Art Example B) Next, a conventional filling valve cleaning apparatus (Prior Art Example B) shown in FIGS. 13 to 16 (described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-58113) will be described.
Is a cleaning jig, 260 is its main body, and the upper part is hollow, and the cleaning liquid hole 260a and the ball holding hole 260 are provided.
b, 260c, and a protrusion 260d. 261
The main body 260 and the spring 2 interposed between the main body 260 and the main body 260.
An inner cylinder that is slidably supported vertically via 62, has a notch 261a in the lower portion and a protrusion 261b in the upper portion, and is normally positioned by the protrusion 260d of the main body 260. .

An outer cylinder 263 is fitted and supported on the inner cylinder 261 so as to be vertically slidable via a spring 264 interposed between the inner cylinder 261 and the main body 260, and a protrusion 263a for stopping the rising of the inner cylinder 261.
And is normally positioned by the main body 260. 265 is attached to the outer periphery of the lower part of the main body 260.
The ball pressing member 265 is fitted and supported so as to be slidable up and down through a spring 266 interposed between the ball pressing surface 265 and
a and an engaging surface 265b for engaging with a cam 276 for a ball pressing member which will be described later, and is normally positioned at a lowered position where a spring is compressed.

267 and 268 are holes 260 in the body 260
Balls 269 fitted and held in b and 260c are seal members attached to the upper end of the outer cylinder 263, and the cleaning jig 200 is configured as described above. Further, reference numeral 270 in FIGS. 15 and 16 denotes a filling valve, which includes a vent tube 271 having a vent hole 271b and a stepped portion 271a.

A centering bell 272 is vertically movable with respect to the vent tube 271 by means (not shown), and a washing liquid circulation hole 273 is provided in the filling valve 270. And the filler bowl 274 forms a cleaning liquid circulation path. 275 is an elevator bottle base corresponding to the filling valve 270.

Reference numeral 277 in FIG. 14 indicates a bottle feeding conveyor 278.
Is an indexing screw, 279 is a bottle feeding star wheel, 2
80 is a filling machine, 281 is a bottle star wheel, 276
Is a cam for the ball pressing member 265, and is normally displaced to a position where it does not engage with the ball pressing member 265. In the cleaning apparatus for the filling valve shown in FIGS. 13 to 16, after the filling operation is completed and the liquid in the filler bowl 274 is collected in the tank (not shown), the cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning tank (not shown) via the pump to the filler bowl. Full supply in 274. On the other hand, the cleaning jigs 200 corresponding to the number of the filling valves 270 are supplied from the bottle feeding conveyor 277 to the elevating bottle base 275 via the indexing screw 278 and the bottle feeding star wheel 279.

The elevating bottle base 275 rises to lift the cleaning jig 200, and the sealing member 26 of the outer cylinder 263 is lifted.
9 hits the centering bell 272, and the cleaning jig 20
0 and the centering bell 272 rise together,
The upper end of the centering bell 272 abuts the lower end of the filling valve 270. Ascending / descending bottle 275 raises body 260
Keeps compressing the spring 264 so that the seal member 269
The centering bell 272 and the centering bell 272 are held in close contact with each other and are raised, and the step portion 271a of the vent tube 271 causes
The ball 267 is in the upper position. Then, when the elevating bottle base 275 continues to rise, the projection 263a of the outer cylinder 263 presses the inner cylinder 261 from trying to rise by the spring 262, so that the ball 267 engages with the projection 261b and the ball 267 is bent into the vent tube. The ball pressing member 265 is pushed into the notch 261a of the inner cylinder 261 while being pushed toward the 271 side.
The ball 268 pressed by is fitted and the inner cylinder 261 is positioned, and at the same time, the ball pressing member 26 is pressed.
5 is moved upward by the spring 266 as shown in FIG.
The lifting of the lifting bottle base 275 is stopped when the main body 260 and the outer cylinder 263 come into contact with each other.

In this state, when the cleaning jig 200 reaches the range of section B due to the subsequent operation of the filling machine in the range shown in FIG. 9A, the lifting bottle base 275 descends and the main body 260 and the like also descend slightly. Therefore, the ball 267 becomes the vent tube 2
The cleaning jig 200 is engaged with the stepped portion 271a of 71 and is suspended from the vent tube 271 through the balls 267. That is, in the portion B, the ball 268 remains in the state shown in FIG. 1 even after the lifting bottle base 275 is separated from the cleaning jig 200.
The state of 1 is mechanically maintained.

On the other hand, as for the cleaning liquid, the air valve of the filling valve 270 (not shown) is opened in the same manner as the normal bottling operation.
By introducing the cleaning liquid into the cleaning jig through the vent hole 271b, the liquid valve is opened, and from the cleaning liquid tank,
After passing through the filler bowl 274, a part thereof flows to the air valve, the vent tube 271, the cleaning jig 200, and the hole 273, and the other part thereof flows to the liquid valve and the cleaning jig 200.
It flows into the hole 273, and circulates in the circulation circuit that reaches the cleaning liquid tank again via the pump to clean the inside of the filling valve and the filler bowl.

During the normal filling operation, the communication state between the filler bowl 274 and the filling valve 270 is closed at the X position in FIG. 14, but the communication state is maintained during the cleaning of the filling valve. In addition, supply and discharge bottle star wheel 279,2
When passing between 81, the cleaning jig 200 mounted on the filling valve 270 passes above the supply / discharge bottle star wheels 279 and 281.

Further, when the cleaning jig is removed after the cleaning work is completed, the ball pressing member cam 276 is displaced to the engagement position with the ball pressing member 265 by means not shown. Then, as the filling machine rotates, the ball pressing member cam 276 and the engaging surface 265b of the ball pressing member 265 are engaged with each other, and the ball pressing member 265 is pushed down against the spring 266 and reaches the portion B. Since the elevating bottle base 275 descends and the spring 264 acts so as to return to the original state, the inner cylinder 261 and the main body 260 are integrated and pushed down, and the ball 267 and the step portion 271d of the vent tube 271. Engages with ball 268
Since the pressing force is not applied to the inner cylinder 261, the inner cylinder 261 is pushed up by the spring 262, and the ball 268 is notched.
1a and the ball 267 and the protrusion 261b.
The ball 267 is disengaged from the inner tube 2 by the vent tube 271 as the elevator bottle base 275 is further lowered.
The outer cylinder 2 is pushed by the main body 260 while being pushed out to the 61 side.
63 is pushed down, the engagement between the centering bell 271 and the filling valve is released, and further the engagement between the seal member 269 and the centering bell 271 is released, so that the cleaning device 200
Is discharged to the outside of the filling machine 280 by the bottle discharging star wheel 281.

[0017]

In the conventional filling valve cleaning device (conventional example A) shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the cleaning cap is manually attached and detached, and the attaching and detaching operation can be reliably performed. In addition to requiring level workers, the production time is reduced by the work time required for attachment / detachment. Recently, high-mix low-volume production has become common, and reducing this loss time (non-production time) has become an issue.

In the conventional filling valve cleaning device (conventional example B) shown in FIGS. 13 to 16, the structure of the cleaning cap is complicated and is a heavy component. The supply of the cleaning caps is manually arranged on the bottle feeding conveyor, and the discharge is passed through the bottle discharging star wheel 281, the capping machine 282 and the outlet star wheel 283, and the discharging bottle conveyor 284.
However, manual handling of heavy parts is required here as well.

Further, in order for the cleaning cap to pass through the stoppering machine 282, it is necessary to raise the stoppering head (because the cleaning cap and the stoppering head interfere with each other). It is necessary to restore the stoppering head height before starting operation. The present invention is proposed in view of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to reduce loss time (non-production time). Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic cap attaching / detaching device for a rotary filling machine, which does not require manual handling of heavy parts.

[0020]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device for a rotary filling machine according to the present invention rotates in synchronization with the rotary filling machine when connected to the rotary filling machine. Hub, a fixed shaft that supports rotation and lifting of the hub, a support base that is mounted on the hub, and a lift shaft that can be lifted and attached to the tip of an arm that extends radially outward from the support base. A cap holder, a cap fixing means for detachably fixing the cleaning cap to the cap holder, and a claw that is openably and closably attached to the cleaning cap and that engages with the brim of the filling valve when rotating in the closing direction. It is equipped with a lever with a claw provided on the part.

Further, in the automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device of the rotary filling machine according to the present invention, a claw which is openably and closably attached to the cleaning cap and engages with the flange of the filling valve when rotating in the closing direction is provided at the lever tip portion. Instead of a lever with a claw, the inner surface of the cleaning cap is exposed to the inner diameter of the cleaning cap by being attached parallel to the inner surface of the cleaning cap so as to extend inward by half the shaft diameter and rotatably in the shaft hole of the cleaning cap. It is fixed to a pair of horizontal shafts whose parts are semicircular and a pair of horizontal shafts projecting from the same side of the cleaning cap. The tips are fixed to each other by pin joints, and one is compressed by a compression spring. A pair of levers that are urged in the direction of extension and are expandable and contractable, and by rotating the parallel shaft, the semi-circular portion of the horizontal shaft becomes a semi-circular groove symmetrically provided on the hub. It is configured to focus.

[0022]

The automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device of the rotary filling machine according to the present invention is constructed as described above, and the cleaning cap is attached to the filling valve before the cleaning of the filling valve is started.
At that time, the detaching device was connected to the rotary filling machine, the hub and the support were synchronized with the rotary filling machine and rotated, while the cleaning cap was supplied onto the cap holder,
It is detachably fixed by the cap fixing means, and when the cleaning cap moves to a position where it can be combined immediately below the filling valve, the cap holder is raised to join the cleaning cap to the filling valve and close the lever with claw. And the pawl is engaged with the brim of the filling valve to connect the cleaning cap and the filling valve, thereby closing the opening of the filling valve with the cleaning cap to form a cleaning circuit. Also, after cleaning the filling valve, when removing the cleaning cap from the filling valve, operate the lever with the claw in the opening direction to remove the claw from the collar of the filling valve, then lower the cap holder. The cleaning cap is rotated and moved to the discharge position, where the fixing by the cap fixing means is released, and the cleaning cap is discharged.

Further, in the case of a cleaning cap constructed so that the semicircular portion of the horizontal shaft is engaged with the semicircular groove symmetrically provided on the hub, the mounting and removal of the cleaning cap are
When the cleaning cap is joined to the filling valve, the pair of horizontal shafts are rotated, and the semicircular diameter portions of the respective horizontal shafts are engaged with the semicircular grooves symmetrically provided on the hub to form the cleaning cap. The cleaning valve is connected to the filling valve so that the opening of the filling valve is closed by the cleaning cap to form a cleaning circuit. In addition, after cleaning the filling valve, when removing the cleaning cap from the filling valve, rotate each horizontal axis and return the semicircular part of each horizontal axis to the position where the cut surface portions face each other to engage with the filling valve. Unfold and drain the cleaning cap.

[0024]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) Next, an automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device for a rotary filling machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to a first embodiment shown in FIGS. The rotary filling machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of filling valves 2 mounted on the same circumference at the same height and at equal intervals, and these filling valves 2 rotate together with the filling machine main body during filling. While moving, the container 3 is successively fed under the filling valve 2 which has reached a predetermined position to fill the liquid. This rotary filling machine is conventionally known.

The automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device 4 is connected to the rotary filling machine 1 at the position shown in FIG. 1 only when the cleaning cap is attached / detached. When the cleaning cap 5 is attached, the cleaning cap 5 is supplied at the 6th position, and the filling valve 2 is engaged and fixed at the 7th position. When the cleaning cap 5 is removed, the fixing with the filling valve 2 is released at the 7th position. Dissolve the gap and discharge at the 8th position.

FIG. 2 is a vertical side view taken along the line BB of FIG. 1, which shows a filling valve 2 and a cleaning cap 5.
7 shows the state before the connection at the 7 position in FIG. 1 (the lever 50 is in the lower position). The cleaning cap attaching / detaching device 4 is rotatable about the central axis 9 of the fixed shaft 13. The cycloid gear 12 engaged with the bush 11 of the lifter 10 provided in the filling machine 1 rotates in synchronization with the rotary filling machine 1. Therefore, it is possible to always send the cleaning cap 5 to a position directly below the filling valve 2.

The hub 15 is rotatably supported by an upright fixed shaft 13 via ball bearings 14 (two pieces).
5, a cycloid gear 12 is fixed via bolts 16, and a key groove 16 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the hub 15.
And a screw 17 are provided, and a key 18 and a threaded handle 19 are engaged with each other. The key 18 transmits the rotation to the main cleaning cap attaching / detaching device 4, and the screwed handle 19
Has a height adjustment function. That is, the handle with screw 19
Is rotatably supported on a hub 22 by a ball bearing 20,
The fixing screw 21 screwed onto the hub 22 presses the key 18 against the key groove 16 to adjust the heights of the hub 15 and the hub 22 and then fix the same.

A support base 23 is fixed to the upper portion of the hub 22, and a plurality of (four in this embodiment) arms 24 are provided.
Are fixed at equidistantly spaced positions in the circumferential direction of the support base 23.
An air cylinder 25 is fixed to each of the arms 24, and a cap holder 27 is fixed to an operation plate 26 that moves up and down by an air operation. Cap holder 2
7 has a notch 27a capable of accommodating the lower cylindrical portion 5a of the cleaning cap 5, and the cleaning cap 5 can be transported in a fixed state.

A manifold 28 is provided above the support base 23.
Is fixed, and the rotation joint 2
9 is fixed. The rotary joint 29 is an air pass 3
0 and a vacuum path 31 are connected to an air compressor and a vacuum pump of a device (not shown), respectively. A switching valve 32 is fixed to the arm 24, and air pipes 33, 3 are provided.
Manifold 28 and air cylinder 25 by 4,35
Are connected to each other, and the cap holder 27 can be moved up and down by controlling the air pressure.

The cap holder 27 includes a switching valve 36,
37 is fixed, a vacuum cup (cap fixing means) 38 is fixed to the cleaning cap 5 so that the cleaning cap 5 can be contacted, and the manifold 28 is connected by vacuum pipes 39, 40, and 41.
2, the cleaning cap 5 is suctioned and fixed by vacuum in the state shown in FIG. 2, and when the cap holder 27 is raised and the filling valve 2 and the cleaning cap 5 are engaged, The tip 42 of the switching valve 36 is pushed by a bolt 43 provided on the arm 24, the switching valve 36 operates, and the vacuum of the vacuum cup 38 is released. The vacuum is also released by pressing the tip 44 of the switching valve 37.

Air cylinders 46, 47, 48 and 49 are fixed to a frame 45, which does not rotate but can be moved up and down in synchronization with the hub 22, by a general method (not shown) by a device (not shown). Air cylinder 46, 47
Operates the switching valve 32 in the vertical direction, and the air cylinders 48, 49 operate the lever 50 of the cleaning cap 5 in the vertical direction.

The air cylinder 48 operates the lever 50 via the pin 51. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of portion C of FIG. Further, FIG. 4 shows a state in which the cleaning cap 5 is coupled and fixed to the filling valve 2. Also in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cleaning cap 5. 3, 4, 5
Shows an example of fixing means of the cleaning cap 5,
This is an application example of the one described in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 03-200452 related to the application of the applicant.

Claw levers 52, 5 of the cleaning cap 5
Claws 57, 5 for fixing the cleaning cap 5 to the filling valve 2 by engaging with the collar 56 of the filling valve 2 on 3, 54, 55.
8, 59, 60 are provided. Claw levers 52, 5
3 and 54 and 55 are pins 61 and 61 '(not shown) slide levers 62 and 62' (not shown) spring 6
3 and 63 '(not shown), and these parts constitute a so-called toggle mechanism.

Since the claw levers 52 and 54 are connected by the shaft 64 and the claw levers 53 and 55 are similarly connected by the shaft 65, the claws 57, 58, 59 and 60 are provided.
Are simultaneously operated by the operation of the lever 50. The packing 66 provided in the cleaning cap 5 is
By contacting the inner surface 67 of the tip of the filling valve 2, a leakproof seal is provided as shown in FIG.

In order to securely engage the cleaning cap 5 with the filling valve 2, it is possible to control the rotary filling machine to be temporarily stopped when the cap holder 27 is moved up and down by a general method (not shown). Next, referring to FIG.
The operation of the automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device of the rotary filling machine shown in FIG. (1) Cleaning Cap Supply Mode In the 6 position of FIG. 1, with the cleaning cap 5 in the state of FIG. 3 (the lever 50 is in the lower position), the cap holder 27 of the cap holder 27 is oriented so that the lever 50 faces the central axis 9. When supplied upward, the vacuum cup 38 sucks the cleaning cap 5, the lower cylindrical portion 5a of the cleaning cap 5 is engaged with the cutout portion 27a of the cap holder 27, and the cleaning cap 5 is held. Fixed to.

When the cleaning cap 5 first supplied reaches the position directly below the filling valve 2 at the 7 position in FIG. 1 by performing this supply one after another, the air cylinder 46 is operated upward, and the switching valve 32 is operated. , Air is sent to the air cylinder 25 to raise the cap holder 27. At this time, the tip 42 of the switching valve 36 is pushed by the bolt 43, the path of the switching valve 36 is switched, and the vacuum cup 3
The vacuum of 8 is released, and the cleaning cap 5 is unfixed.

When the cleaning cap 5 is engaged with the filling valve 2, the air cylinder 48 is operated to push up the lever 50 via the pin 51. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the pawls 57, 58, 59, 60 catch the brim 56, and the cleaning cap is fixed to the filling valve 2. The packing 66 comes into contact with the inner surface 67 to perform a leakproof sealing action.

The cap holder 27 rotates and moves in accordance with the rotary movement of the rotary filling machine 1 in the raised position. When the subsequent cleaning cap comes to the 6 position in FIG. 1, the air cylinder 47 '(not shown, which is the same arrangement as 47 in FIG. 2) provided at the 6 position is operated, and the switching valve 32 turns the air into the air. It is sent to the cylinder 25 and the cap holder 27 is lowered. Then, the switching valve 3
When the tip 42 of 6 is separated from the bolt 43, the switching valve 3
If the 6th path is switched to the vacuum cup 38 and the vacuum cup 38 is supplied with the cleaning cap 5,
Since it is ready to be fixed, the same operation is repeated from the initial state. This operation is repeated for a plurality of filling valves, the cleaning caps 5 are attached to all the filling valves 2, and the cleaning cap supply mode is completed.

The switching valve 37 manually pushes the tip 44 when an abnormal condition occurs to release the vacuum of the vacuum cup 38 so that the cleaning cap 5 can be easily removed.
In this state, the CIP (Clearani) of the rotary filling machine 1 is
ng in Place) by a known method,
The cleaning cap 5 is removed and discharged. (2) Cleaning Cap Discharging Mode In order to release the fixation of the cleaning cap 5 first at the 7th position in FIG. 1, the air cylinder 49 in FIG. 2 is operated and the lever 50 is pushed down. Claws 57, 58, 5
2, 9 and 60 are removed from the collar 56, and then the air cylinder 47 of FIG. 2 is operated, air is sent to the air cylinder 25 by the switching valve 32, and the cap holder 27 is lowered to the state of FIG. When the cap holder 27 descends, the tip 42 of the switching valve 36 separates from the bolt 43, and the path of the switching valve 36 switches to vacuum,
The vacuum cup 38 fixes the cleaning cap 5. In this state, the cap holder 27 rotates and moves to the next eight positions. By repeating this, when the cleaning cap 5 comes to the 8 position of FIG. 1, an air cylinder 46 '(not shown) provided at the 8 position (same arrangement as 46 of FIG. 2).
Is operated to send air to the air cylinder 25 by the switching valve 32 to raise the cap holder 27. Then, the tip 42 of the switching valve 36 is pushed by the bolt 43, the path of the switching valve 36 is switched, the vacuum of the vacuum cup 38 is released, and the cleaning cap 5 is unfixed. The cap 5 for discharge is discharged.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a cleaning cap automatic attachment / detachment device for a rotary filling machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to a second embodiment shown in FIGS. Reference numeral 71 denotes a cleaning cap. The cleaning cap 71 is provided with a shaft hole penetrating in parallel with the inner diameter of the cleaning cap 71 so as to extend inward by half the shaft diameter, and a pair of horizontal shafts 72, 73 are pierced through the hole. Axis 72,
The cross sections of the notches 72a and 73a of the portion of the cleaning cap 73 exposed to the inner diameter of the cleaning cap 71 are semicircular.

A lever 78 is fixed to the tip of the horizontal shaft 72 protruding by the cleaning cap 71, and a lever 76 is fixed to the tip of the horizontal shaft 73. An inner cylinder 79 is fitted in the cylinder of the lever 78, and the inner cylinder 79
Is urged by the built-in compression spring 81 so as to be pushed out from the lever 78. The tip of the inner cylinder 79 and the tip of the lever 76 are pivotally supported by a pin 82, and the pair of levers 76, 78, the inner cylinder 79, the compression spring 81, and the pin 82 constitute a so-called toggle mechanism.

An operating lever 75 is fixed to the other end of the horizontal shaft 72. The movement angles of the levers 76 and 78 are regulated by a long hole 76a provided in the lever 76 and a stopper pin 77 attached to the cleaning cap 71. The seal packing 80 provided in the cleaning cap 71 contacts the inner surface of the tip of the filling valve 2,
A leak-proof seal is provided as shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device of the rotary filling machine shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 will be specifically described. The procedure of supplying the cleaning cap 71 to the cap holder 27 of the rotary filling machine is the same as that of the cleaning cap 5 of the first embodiment. However, the cleaning cap 71
6 is placed on the cap holder 27 as shown in FIG. 6, and the side surface is sucked and fixed by the vacuum cup 38.

When the cleaning cap 71 reaches the position directly below the filling valve 2, the cap holder 27 is used as described above.
Is raised to join the cleaning cap 71 to the filling valve 2. At the same time, the suction of the vacuum cup 38 is released.
Then, the air cylinder 48 is operated to push up the operation lever 75 via the pin 51. Then, the horizontal axis 7
2, 73 rotate, the coaxial cylindrical portion engages with the semi-circular groove formed in the filling valve 2, and the cleaning cap 71 is coupled to the filling valve 2. At this time, the packing 80 comes into contact with the inner surface of the filling valve 2 to perform a leak-proof sealing action.

The procedure for mounting the subsequent cleaning caps 71 on the filling valves 2 one after another is the same as in the case of the cleaning caps 5 described above. Carry out the CIP of the filling machine.
After the cleaning work is completed, the cleaning cap 71 is removed from the filling valve 2, and the removal work is as follows. That is, in a procedure similar to the procedure for removing the cleaning cap 5 described above, the cap holder 27 is raised to support the cleaning cap 71, and then the operating lever 75 is pushed down by the air cylinder 49 to move the horizontal shafts 72, 73. It is rotated to disengage the coaxial valve from the filling valve 2, the cap holder 27 is lowered, and the cleaning cap 71 is discharged to the outside of the filling machine in the same procedure as in the case of the cleaning cap 5 described above.

In the second embodiment, the cleaning cap 71 is used.
Since it has a lower height than the cleaning cap 5 of the first embodiment, it is advantageous when applied to a filling machine that handles a container having a particularly short height.

[0047]

As described above, the cleaning cap automatic attachment / detachment device of the rotary filling machine according to the present invention automates the attachment / detachment of the cleaning cap. It has become 1/5, and it is now common to change molds a few times a day in high-mix low-volume production.
When cleaning the rotary filling machine system, the non-productive time associated with cleaning can be shortened by the amount of time required for attaching / detaching the cap for cleaning to shorten the loss time (non-productive time).

Further, as described above, since the attachment / detachment of the cleaning cap is automated, the manual handling of heavy parts can be eliminated. Further, in the case of the second embodiment, since the height of the cleaning cap is low, it is advantageous when applied to a filling machine which handles a container having a particularly short height.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a rotary cap filling / dismounting device for a rotary filling machine according to the present invention and a rotary filling machine.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing the first embodiment of the cleaning cap automatic attaching / detaching device of the rotary filling machine according to the present invention, taken along the line BB in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical side view of a portion indicated by an arrow C in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical side view showing a time when the cleaning cap is attached to the filling valve.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a cleaning cap.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a cleaning cap of a second embodiment of the automatic cleaning cap attaching / detaching device of the rotary filling machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cleaning cap.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the cleaning cap.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the cleaning cap.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a mounting state of the cleaning cap on the filling valve.

FIG. 11 is a system diagram showing an example of a conventional filling valve cleaning device.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing a groove provided in a cap of the cleaning device and a pin provided in a filling valve body.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional side view showing another example of the cleaning device for the filling valve.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the cleaning device.

FIG. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a state of a filling valve of the cleaning device.

FIG. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a state of a filling valve of the cleaning device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Rotary Filling Machine 2 Filling Valve 5 Cleaning Cap 13 Fixed Shaft 22 Hub 23 Supporting Stand 24 Arm 27 Cap Holder 38 Cap Fixing Means (Vacuum Cup) 52-55 Claw Lever 56 Filling Valve 2 Mouth 57-60 Claws 71 Cleaning cap 72 Horizontal shaft 73 〃 75 Operating lever 76 Lever 78 〃

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A hub that rotates in synchronization with a rotary filling machine when connected to the rotary filling machine, a fixed shaft that supports the hub so that the hub can rotate and move up and down, and a support base that is mounted on the hub. And a cap holder attached to the tip of an arm extending radially outward from the support so as to be able to move up and down, cap fixing means for detachably fixing a cleaning cap to the cap holder, and opening and closing the cleaning cap. An automatic cleaning cap attachment / detachment device for a rotary filling machine, comprising a pawl with a pawl provided on a lever tip end thereof, the pawl being mounted so as to be capable of being engaged with a collar of a filling valve when rotating in a closing direction. 2. A hub that rotates in synchronization with the rotary filling machine when connected to the rotary filling machine, a fixed shaft that supports the hub so that the hub can rotate and move up and down, and a support base that is mounted on the hub. A cap holder attached to the tip of an arm extending radially outward from the support so as to be able to move up and down, a cap fixing means for detachably fixing the cleaning cap to the cap holder, and the cleaning cap A pair of horizontal plates that are attached to the inner diameter of the cleaning cap so that they face each other so that they extend inward by half the shaft diameter, and that they are rotatably mounted in the shaft hole of the cleaning cap, and the exposed portion of the cleaning cap has a semicircular shape. The shaft and the pair of horizontal shafts projecting from the same side of the cleaning cap are fixed, the tips are fixed to each other by a pin joint, and one end is biased by a compression spring to expand and contract. And a pair of levers that are capable of rotating the parallel shaft so that the semi-circular portion of the horizontal shaft engages a semi-circular groove symmetrically provided on the hub. Automatic cap attachment / detachment device for a rotary filling machine, which is characterized in that