JPH06336288A - Rinsing device for filling nozzle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the rinsing of a filling nozzle without causing trouble to the filling of containers by setting in a container stand, on which a container to be filled is put, an outer tube for rinsing which can freely be raised and lowered and forms a passageway for rinsing liquid between the outer tube itself and the circumferential surface of the filling nozzle. CONSTITUTION:To rinse a filling nozzle 5, after clearing a container stand 13 of containers, the filling nozzle 5 is lowered on one hand and on the other hand pressurized air is supplied to a space below a piston 22 through a passageway 30. By thus raising the piston 22 a stopping part 24 provided at the top of a rinsing outer tube 23 is pressed tight against the circumferential surface of the filling nozzle 5 and the lower end of the filling nozzle 5 opens inside a partition wall 25. Then a flow of rinsing liquid is supplied to the filling nozzle 5 and made to clean the inside of the flow passageway and also clean the circumferential surface of the filling nozzle 5 by flowing out into the inside of the partition wall 25. Subsequently the rinsing liquid is made to flow through a gap between the partition wall 25 and the rinsing outer tube 23, through a passage hole 28, and into a channel 26 to be finally collected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a filling nozzle cleaning device for a filling machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various conventional techniques are known for cleaning a filling nozzle portion of a filling machine. For example, one that is devised so that the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle can also be washed by inserting the tip of the filling nozzle into the washing water container to perform washing (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-26900), and the filling nozzle portion A container guide member provided on the container was used to join the lower end of the container guide member to an elevating table, which is a container base, so as to form a flow path for the cleaning liquid (Jitsuko Sho 63-39).
No. 98) is known.

[0003]

However, although the former prior art is effective for cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle, it is necessary to mount the cleaning water container at a predetermined position every cleaning operation. Workability was poor and it was not suitable for automation of cleaning work. In addition, the latter conventional technique has a limit that it cannot be applied to a filling device of a type in which a cleaning nozzle is not provided with a container guide member.
There is a problem that the cleaning liquid is likely to adhere and remain on the inner wall of the container guide member. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, can be applied to the cleaning of the filling nozzle without the container guide member, and has good workability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a filling nozzle cleaning device that is also effective in automating the cleaning operation.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to cleaning for forming a gap for a cleaning liquid flow path between the outer surface of a filling nozzle and a container base on which a container is placed. The outer cylinder is assembled so that it can be raised and lowered, and at least at a raised position of the cleaning outer cylinder, a closing portion that can be joined in a liquid-tight state to an appropriate portion on the filling nozzle side is formed in the upper portion of the cleaning outer cylinder. Further, the lower part of the cleaning outer cylinder is connected to the return pipe. Further, a partition wall for forming a bypass is arranged between the cleaning outer cylinder and the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle.

[0005]

In the cleaning of the filling nozzle, the cleaning outer cylinder is raised and protrudes upward from the container base, and the closed portion formed on the upper part of the cleaning outer cylinder is provided at an appropriate portion such as the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning nozzle. Liquid-tightly bonded to. Accordingly, a flow path for cleaning is formed between the outer casing for cleaning and the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle, and the cleaning of the filling nozzle including the cleaning of the outer peripheral surface thereof becomes possible. In this case, when a partition wall for forming a bypass is arranged between the outer cylinder for cleaning and the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle, the cleaning liquid is used after cleaning the inner peripheral surface of the filling nozzle,
Detours to the outside via the lower part of the filling nozzle, rises while cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle, detours to the outer side via the upper part of the partition wall, and descends, through the lower communication part and the return pipe. Will be collected at the designated place. As a result, more reliable cleaning of the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle can be obtained.

[0006]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a case where the present invention is applied to a rotary type filling machine as an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a rotating body,
It is rotationally driven by a rotary gear 2 that meshes with a drive gear (not shown). An upper disc 3 is fixed to the upper part of the rotating body 1, and a plurality of filling nozzles 5 are arranged at equal intervals on the outer peripheral side of the rotating body 1 via elevating shafts 4. In the figure, 6 is a screw shaft which is an element of an elevating mechanism, which is rotated by a driving means 7 such as a servomotor and moves the elevating shaft 4 up and down via a nut portion 8 screwed onto the screw shaft 6. The filling nozzle 5 is connected via a flexible hose 9 and a rotary joint 10 to a supply pipe 11 connected to a filling liquid tank (not shown). Further, a rotary table 12 is installed below the rotary body 1, and a container table 13 described later is provided on the outer peripheral side of the rotary table 1 in correspondence with the filling nozzle 5. In the vicinity of the container base 13, a neck gripping means 15 for supporting the neck of the container 14 placed on the container base 13 is arranged. Also, each container stand 1
A return pipe 16 for cleaning liquid is connected to the lower part of 3,
It is configured to be collected at a predetermined place via the liquid collection pipe 17. In the figure, reference numeral 18 is a star wheel that is rotationally driven by a rotary gear 19 that meshes with the rotary gear 2.

Next, the outer casing for cleaning, which is a feature of the present invention and is vertically assembled in the container base 13, will be described. 2 and 3 are vertical cross-sectional views showing the container base 13 in an enlarged manner, showing the states during filling and cleaning, respectively. In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a container base main body which constitutes the container base 13, and a cylinder hole 21 is formed at the center thereof, and a piston 22 is slidably contacted with the cylinder hole 21 so as to be vertically movable. Above the piston 22, a cleaning outer cylinder 23 is integrally attached to the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle 5 to form a gap serving as a flow path for the cleaning liquid. As shown in FIG. 3, the piston 2 is attached to the upper portion of the cleaning outer cylinder 23.
A closing portion 24 having a packing material or the like that is joined to the filling nozzle 5 in a liquid-tight state when the filling nozzle 2 is raised is formed. Further, a partition wall 25 that partitions a gap between the cleaning outer cylinder 23 and the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle 5 to form a detour is disposed inside the cleaning outer cylinder 23. The partition wall 25 is formed of a cylindrical body and is integrally supported by the cleaning outer cylinder 23 via a connecting portion (not shown). In addition, a hollow shaft portion 27 having a flow passage 26 for the cleaning liquid formed therein is fitted in the central portion of the piston 22.
A communication hole 28 is formed in the upper portion of the hollow shaft portion 27, and is formed at the lower end portion of the partition wall 25 when the piston 22 is raised, that is, when the cleaning outer cylinder 23 is raised, as shown in FIG. The gap and the flow path 26 are configured to communicate with each other through the communication hole 28. The upper end of the hollow shaft portion 27 is closed, and the height of the upper surface of the hollow shaft portion 27 is set to substantially coincide with the upper surface of the upper surface plate 29 fixed to the container base body 20 when the piston 22 descends. The return pipe 16 is connected to the downstream side of the flow path 26. In the figure, 30 is a communication passage for pressurized air that communicates with the lower surface side of the piston 22, and 31 is an exhaust communication passage that communicates with the upper surface side of the piston 22.

However, during a normal filling operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning outer cylinder 23 is in the lowered position, and the upper surfaces of the hollow shaft body 27 and the closing portion 24 substantially coincide with the upper surface of the upper surface plate 29. Since it is stored, the star wheel 18
The container 14 introduced through the above is placed on the flat upper surface of the container base 13 formed by them, and a stable filling operation can be obtained. The filling operation is performed in the same manner as in a known rotary type filling machine, in which the filling nozzles 5 located on the respective containers 14 descend according to the rotation angle of the rotating body 1 and the filling liquids supplied through the supply pipes 11 are respectively supplied. The container 14 will be filled.

On the other hand, at the time of cleaning, first, each container table 1
After removing the container 14 from above 3 and setting the filling nozzle to the lowered position, pressurized air is supplied to the lower surface side of the piston 22 through the communication passage 30. This allows the piston 2
2, the closing portion 24 provided on the upper portion of the cleaning outer cylinder 23 joins the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle 5 in a liquid-tight state as shown in FIG. As a result, the lower end of the filling nozzle 5 opens inside the partition wall 25 made of a cylindrical body. Therefore, when the cleaning liquid is supplied through the supply pipe 11, the cleaning liquid reaches the filling nozzle 5 while cleaning each part on the way, and the partition wall 25 is cleaned from the lower end while cleaning the inner peripheral surface of the flow path in the filling nozzle. Is leaked in. After that,
The cleaning liquid bypasses the lower end of the filling nozzle 5 and flows down through the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle 5 and the partition wall 25 to clean the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle 5. After that, the cleaning liquid circulates to the outside through the gap at the upper end of the partition wall 25, and flows down the gap between the partition wall 25 and the cleaning outer cylinder 23 to make the partition wall 2
It flows into the flow path 26 through the gap at the lower end portion of 5 and the communication hole 28, and is collected at a predetermined place through the return pipe 16. After the cleaning work is completed, the pressure air is released through the communication passage 30, and the pressure air is supplied to the upper surface side of the piston 22 through the weight of the piston 22 and the cleaning outer cylinder 23 or the communication passage 31. The piston 22 is lowered and the cleaning outer cylinder 23 is housed in the container base 13. Then, by returning the filling nozzle 5 to the upper position, the filling operation can be restarted.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a main part of another embodiment during cleaning. The present embodiment is characterized in that the present invention is applied to a type of filling machine in which a filling nozzle portion is provided with a container guide member, and a filling valve provided at the lower portion of the filling nozzle is opened by pushing up with a container. Others are basically the same as the above-mentioned embodiment. In the figure, 32 is provided on the side of the filling nozzle 33, a known container guide member for guiding a container (not shown) to the filling nozzle 33 at the time of filling, and 34 is a known sealing member that abuts the mouth of the container at the time of filling. Is. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the cleaning outer cylinder 36 is lifted by the lifting mechanism similar to that described above, which is incorporated in the container base 35, the obstruction formed on the upper portion of the cleaning outer cylinder 36 as shown in the drawing. The upper surface of the portion 37 is joined to the lower surface of the seal member 34 to form a cleaning channel, and the cleaning operation is performed in the same procedure as described above.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the main part of still another embodiment. This embodiment is characterized in that the cleaning outer cylinder is incorporated in a container stand that can be raised and lowered. In the figure, reference numeral 38 denotes a container base, which is configured so as to be able to move up and down with respect to the rotary table 39. The tubular body 40 that constitutes the container base 38 is
The upper part is slidably joined to a rising support portion 41 attached to the rotary table 39, and the lower part is slidably joined to a sliding surface of a guide support body 43 attached to another rotation support portion 42. is doing. An air cylinder 44 is fixed inside the upper part of the tubular body 40, and a top plate 45 is fixed at the upper end. A hollow shaft body 46 is formed in the center of the bottom of the air cylinder 44 as in the above-mentioned embodiment, and a cleaning outer cylinder 47 and a piston 49 provided with a partition wall 48 are slidably slidably contacted. This hollow shaft 46
Extends further below the air cylinder 44, and slidably contacts the central hole of the guide support 43 so as to form a flow path for the cleaning liquid. During the filling operation, that is, when the piston 49 descends, the upper surfaces of the closed portion 50 and the hollow shaft body 46 formed in the upper portion of the cleaning outer cylinder 47 and the upper surface of the hollow shaft body 46 substantially coincide with the upper surface of the upper plate 45. When the cleaning is performed, that is, when the piston 49 is raised, the cleaning outer cylinder 47 and the partition wall 48 project upward, and the closing portion 50 of the cleaning outer cylinder 47 is liquid-tight in the filling nozzle (not shown). Forming the flow path for the cleaning liquid by joining is the same as in the above-described embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 51 denotes a communication path for ascending pressure air, which connects the pressure air manifold 52 and the lower surface side of the piston 49. Reference numeral 53 is a communication passage for the descending pressure air, which is used for the pressure air manifold 5.
4 and the upper surface side of the piston 49 communicate with each other. A flexible coil-shaped portion is interposed in each of the communication passages 51 and 53. 55 is a return pipe for the cleaning liquid.

Next, an elevating mechanism for the container table 38 will be described. An airtight space 56 is formed between the lower surface of the air cylinder 44 and the upper surface of the guide support body 43, and the other end of the communication passage 58 communicating with the pressure air manifold 57 is opened in the airtight space 56. ing. In addition, the container base 38
A cam follower 59 is attached to the lower portion of the tubular main body 40 that constitutes the cylindrical main body 4 along the cam surface of the cam plate 60.
It is configured so that the rising limit of 0 is regulated. Then, when the pressure air is supplied from the pressure air manifold 57 to the airtight space 56, the tubular body 40 and the guide support body 43.
And the container base 38 is urged in the upward direction. Therefore, the container base 38 is guided by the cam surface of the cam plate 60 and moves up and down according to the rotational position state of the rotary table 39, that is, the procedure of the filling operation. During the cleaning work, the pressure air manifold 5
After removing the pressure air from 7 and lowering each container base 38 to the lowest position by its own weight, the pressure air manifold 5
The pressure air is supplied from 2 to the lower surface side of the piston 49 to cause the outer cylinder 47 for cleaning to project, and cleaning is performed.

In the above description, the case where the present invention is applied to a rotary type filling machine as one embodiment of the present invention has been described, but it is also applicable to a line type filling machine. Also, although an example using an air cylinder as the driving means has been shown, it is also possible to use another fluid cylinder.
Further, the lower portions of the partition walls 25 and 48 and the hollow shaft portion 27,
If a slight gap is formed between the partition wall and the nozzle 46, the residual cleaning liquid inside the partition walls 25 and 48 is discharged through the gap when the cleaning liquid is removed after the cleaning work is completed. When stored in a container stand, the cleaning solution does not remain and is in good condition. Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, if the engagement between the cam follower 59 and the cam plate 60 can be released during the cleaning operation, the container base 38 can be raised to an appropriate height for cleaning. It is also possible to project the outer cylinder 47 to perform a cleaning operation.

[0014]

The present invention can obtain the following effects based on its configuration. (1) When cleaning the filling nozzle, a cleaning liquid flow path for the filling nozzle is easily formed by protruding the cleaning outer cylinder upward from the container base and joining it to an appropriate portion on the side of the filling nozzle. During operation, the outer cylinder for cleaning is stored on the side of the container base, so it does not get in the way. Further, since the step of forming the flow path for the cleaning liquid is simple, it is easy to adapt to mechanization and is effective in automating the cleaning operation. (2) Since the cleaning gap is formed between the cleaning outer cylinder and the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle, the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle can be cleaned. (3) Furthermore, in the case where a partition wall for forming a bypass is arranged between the outer cylinder for cleaning and the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle, the cleaning liquid is used for cleaning the inner peripheral surface of the filling nozzle and then filling the same. Since the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle rises while cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle while bypassing the lower part of the nozzle, the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle can be cleaned more reliably. (4) Since the cleaning outer cylinder is assembled on the container base side, it can be applied even when the filling nozzle is not provided with a special member such as a container guide member as in the conventional case, and the applicable range is wide.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part at the time of filling in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part at the time of cleaning in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing a main part at the time of cleaning of another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a main part of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rotating body, 3 ... Upper disk, 4 ... Elevating shaft, 5 ... Filling nozzle, 10 ... Rotary joint, 11 ... Supply pipe, 12 ...
Rotating table, 13 ... Vessel base, 14 ... Vessel, 16 ... Return pipe, 17 ... Liquid collecting pipe, 20 ... Vessel base body, 21 ... Cylinder hole, 22 ... Piston, 23 ... Washing outer cylinder, 24 ... Closing part, 25 ... Partition wall, 26 ... Flow path, 27 ... Hollow shaft part, 2
8 ... Communication hole, 29 ... Top plate, 30 ... Communication passage, 31 ... Communication passage, 32 ... Container guide member, 33 ... Filling nozzle, 34 ... Seal member, 35 ... Container stand, 36 ... Washing outer cylinder, 37 ... Closing part, 38 ... Container base, 39 ... Rotating table, 40 ... Cylindrical body, 43 ... Guide support, 44 ... Air cylinder, 45 ...
Top plate, 46 ... Hollow shaft portion, 47 ... Washing outer cylinder, 48 ... Partition wall, 49 ... Piston, 50 ... Closure portion, 51 ... Communication passage, 52 ... Pressure air manifold, 53 ... Communication passage, 5
4 ... Pressure air manifold, 55 ... Return pipe, 56 ... Airtight space, 57 ... Pressure air manifold, 58 ... Communication passage, 59 ... Cam follower, 60 ... Cam plate

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning outer cylinder, which forms a gap for a cleaning liquid flow path between the outer periphery of a filling nozzle and a container base on which a container is placed, is vertically assembled, and at least the cleaning outer cylinder. At the rising position, a closed portion that can be joined in a liquid-tight state to an appropriate portion on the filling nozzle side is formed in the upper portion of the cleaning outer cylinder, and the lower portion of the cleaning outer cylinder is communicated with the return pipe. A filling nozzle cleaning device characterized by the above. 2. The filling nozzle cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a partition wall for forming a bypass is provided between the outer casing for cleaning and the outer peripheral surface of the filling nozzle.