JPH0680196A - Device to measure product and fill in each container, which is sued for automatic container filling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To speed up the operation keeping precision in a device for metering and filling liquid or the like into respective containers by detecting the presence of a container at a filling machine, activating a feeding device and filling in a constant flow rate. Controlling the feeding device counting activating time. CONSTITUTION: A detector 2 detects the presence of a container 3 on a receiving tray 15 at each filling station 12, a detecting signal input to a timer 13 of a measure 1. Thereby, at the same time the timer 13 starts, a solenoid valve 5 in activated, a duct 16 and a nozzle 4 is connected, and filling in a constant flow rate is activated. After prescribed time pass, the timer 13 make the solenoid valve 5 close and stop filling. The weight of the filled container 3 is measured by a weight measure 8, compared with a standard weight by a comparator 10. If the deviation exists, a corrector 11 corrects settled time of the timer 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic container filling device or machine and a device for weighing and filling each container with a product.

[0002]

2. Description of the Prior Art Automatic machines are known for filling various containers, usually liquid, and sometimes powder, into a container. These machines are equipped with a filling device, commonly referred to as a "carousel", for filling a plurality of filling stations and for allocating the product to each container operating at each filling station, for example:
And a filling device such as a nozzle or a cock. The container has two unloading and unloading conveyors, commonly known as "star" conveyors, each fed from the conveyor line to the carousel, removed from the carousel and returned to the conveyor line. Be done. Each filling location is provided with a pedestal for each container, which is closed at the bottom by a tray for supporting said container, and an associated weight measuring device, which is normally constituted by a load cell, for example a resistance linear strain gauge, below. It is provided.

In order to determine when the nozzle starts filling the product, ie when the container is under the nozzle and when the filling of the product is interrupted, ie when the filling of a predetermined amount of product has ended. A device for detecting the presence of the container at the position of the nozzle and a device for measuring the total weight of the container are provided at each filling place. The motorized valve arranged in the nozzle feed duct is opened by the container detection device, and the weight measuring device continuously measures the weight of the container. The container detection device does not operate the motorized valve immediately except for the mechanical department and / or the electronic department, but operates it after a certain time delay so that the weight measuring device can first measure the tare of the container.

The weight measuring device also works in conjunction with a comparison device which is set to the maximum weight of the product to be filled, which comparison device constantly compares the weight of the container minus the tare with a predetermined set value. When the predetermined maximum set value is reached, the comparator shuts off or closes the corresponding motorized valve, so that the product supply from the nozzle is stopped.

Even if the tare of each container is remarkably different, the weight measuring device can surely and accurately measure, but there is a drawback that the operating speed of the entire filling machine is limited. Even with the fastest and simplest possible weighing device,
It takes a certain amount of time to actually measure with the required accuracy, and the kinetic energy accumulated by the product filled at too fast a rate is considered as an additional weight force by the gravimetric device, so that the measurement is of the product. It will be biased depending on the filling speed.

In order to increase the operating speed of the machine, it is necessary to reduce the time taken for the weight measurement, which would adversely affect the accuracy.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a weight control device which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic device or machine for filling containers which is capable of weighing and filling product into each container. Or the device has at least one filling station for actuating the metering device, the metering device for distributing the product to the containers, each for delivering the product to each of the filling devices. A delivery device, the delivery device being operated by a detection device for detecting the presence of a container in the corresponding filling device, the flow rate of the filling device being substantially constant, and the delivery device having its operating time. To provide a metering device characterized by being controlled by a measuring device for measuring the.

[0009]

The details of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting example.

In the accompanying drawings, the device of the invention can be used in an automatic device or machine for filling a container 3 with a liquid or powdered product 14.

The conventional filling machine, which is designated by the reference numeral 17 in FIG. 2, comprises, in particular, a feed line 18, a filling conveyor 19 and an unloading conveyor 20, which are arranged in this order. The three conveyors 18, 19, 20 rotate about their respective vertical axes and move the containers 3 along circular paths that are generally tangential to each other. The supply conveyor 18 and the unloading conveyor 20 are each constituted by rotating drums 21 and 22, which have a vertical axis, rotate counterclockwise (see FIG. 2) and have a plurality of peripheral parts. It has receptacles 23, 24, which are equally spaced and can each contain an empty or filled container 3. The rotating drums 21 and 22 are provided with fixed guide devices 25 and 26 on a part of their peripheral edges for holding the container 3 in the receiving portions 23 and 24 while the rotating drums 21 and 22 are moving. Below the drum, the rotary drums 21 and 2 are
A support device (not shown) is provided for supporting the container 3 from below during the forward movement of 2.

The filling conveyor 19 has a rotating disc 27 which rotates clockwise about a vertical axis (see FIG. 2) and, on the periphery, is provided with a plurality of equidistantly supported walls 30. A face or pan 15 is provided to form a number of receptacles 28 adapted to receive the container 3 during filling. A fixed curving guide device 29 for holding the container 3 in each receiving portion 28 while the rotating drums 21 and 22 are moving is provided on the periphery of the rotating drum 27.

Each support surface or tray 15 is fixed to the upper end of each vertical support shaft 31 which passes through the rotary disk 27 and constitutes one side of the connecting parallelogram 32, and the parallelogram parallel to the support shaft 31. The side portion of is constituted by a vertical bracket 33 fixed below the rotating disk 27 as shown in FIG.

As shown in the schematic view of FIG. 1, above each supporting surface or tray 15 there is provided a device 4 for filling the container 3 with the product 14. In the following, this device will simply be referred to as a nozzle. In FIG. 1, each support surface or tray 15 together with each nozzle 4 constitutes a filling place indicated by numeral 12.

Each nozzle 4 is supplied by a supply device 5 which is sequentially fed from a well-known supply source tank (not shown) through a duct 16.
Receive product 14 from. The supply device 5 is usually constituted by a motor-operated valve, and passes or blocks the flow of the product 14 between the duct 16 and the nozzle 4.

As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the device 2 for detecting the presence of the container 3 in the nozzle 4 is also part of each filling station 12 and is constituted by at least one detection device 2. .

Since the detection device 2 emits a signal indicating the presence or absence of the container 3 when the receiving portion to be detected is provided below the nozzle 4, it is not in the filling place 12 but in the filling place 12.
It may be arranged upstream of the filling place.

The control device 1 according to the present invention comprises a filling station 1
A flow rate measuring device 6 is provided for each of the two, and at that time, the amount of the product 14 filled in the container 3 at the filling place 12 can be measured. The output of the measuring device 6 is connected to the input of the corresponding electrically operated valve 5 so that the valve can be closed when the weight of the product 14 in each container 3 reaches a predetermined value.

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the timer device 13 or only the timer is used as the flow rate measuring device 6. The timer can be adjusted at any time according to a predetermined weight of product 14 to be delivered to each container 3. Since the total flow rate of the nozzle 4 in the filling cycle is constant or hardly changes, and the tare of the container 3 is almost constant, that is, it can be considered that it changes only within a narrow allowable range, an adjustable timer can be used. Becomes

It should be noted that with respect to the total flow rate of the nozzles 4, all of the physical characteristics of each nozzle, both in terms of load loss and size that occur during delivery of the product 14, are known.

The detection device 2, for example a presence confirmation sensor, sends an electric or mechanical start signal for filling to the timer device 13 and actually resets it. The same signal reaches each motor-operated valve 5 directly or indirectly via the timer 13 as shown in FIG. The electrically operated valve 5 enables a connection between the duct 16 and each nozzle 4. The distribution end signal is sent to each motor-operated valve 5 directly by the associated timer 13 when the predetermined period ends. The said period, which is doubled by the total flow rate of the nozzle 4, the product 1 to be distributed to each container 3.
This corresponds to a predetermined weight value of 4.

Since many of the various physical parameters involved in determining the flow rate of the nozzle 4 change during the operation of the filling machine or device (eg, passage sections decrease due to progressive buildup of blockage), the filling location 12 3 filled downstream of the
A weight measuring device 8 for measuring

In the schematic view of FIG. 2, the weighing device 8 is shown positioned near the transition zone between the filling conveyor 19 and the unloading conveyor 20, although for example, downstream of the unloading conveyor 20, such as: It can be located anywhere on the machine.

As is apparent from FIG. 3, the idler roller 35 fixed to the lower end of the support shaft 31 has a load cell 34 known per se and slides on the weight measuring device 8. The weighing operation may be performed on the sample, or the entire container 3 may be measured. As shown in FIG. 1, the output of the load cell 34 is connected to the input of the control operation device 7 of which the timer 13 forms a part. Similarly, the correction device 11, the comparison operation device 10, and the electronic storage device 9, which are provided for each timer 13, are also part of the control operation device 7. The electronic storage device 9 is the weight of the product 14 to be distributed to each container 3,
Various parameters such as tare of the container and other similar parameters can be stored, and its output is connected to the input of the comparison operation device 10. The output of the load cell 34 provides a signal regarding the total weight of the various containers 3 to connect to another input of the device 10. In this case, the “total weight” means the actual weight of the container 3 filled with the product 14. The input of the correction device 11 is connected to each output of the comparison operation device 10, and its output is connected to the adjustment input of the timer 13.

FIG. 1 shows two signals. One of which is represented by the number 9s, is connected to the input of the electronic storage device 9, and another signal represented by the number 10s is between the comparison operation device 10 and the load cell 34. The signal 9s indicates that the data stored in the device 9 is variable according to the operating conditions such as the relative concentration and type of the product 14 filled in the container 3, and plays a role of determining the flow rate of the nozzle 4. You can The signal 10s indicated by the broken line is from the comparison operation device 10 to stop the operation of weighing the sample.
4 is a signal that can be sent to

The weighing device 1 according to the invention operates as follows. Various operating parameters necessary to determine the total flow rate (of the product) of the nozzle 4 and the product 1 to be delivered to each container 3.
The weight of the container 4 is stored in the storage device 9, and when the container 3 arrives at the nozzle 4, the presence of the container 3 is detected by the sensor 2, and the corresponding timer 13 is reset to operate the motor-operated valve 5 to operate the motor-operated valve. Starts to distribute the product 14 into the container 3 via the nozzle 4. When the predetermined period corresponding to the filling cycle has elapsed, the timer 13 closes the motor operated valve 5 and waits for the next empty container 3 to come and restart the filling cycle. Downstream of the filling station 12, the load cell 34 measures the total weight of the container 3 according to the continuous weighing or sample weighing criteria stored in the device 9. The load cell 34 then sends a signal corresponding to the measured weight to the comparison operating device 10, which compares the signal according to the weight of the product 14 contained in the container 3 with the signal stored in the device 9. Load cell 34 is container 3
Of course, either the comparison operating device 10 or the device 9 considers the tare of the container 3,
Then, the measured weight and the predetermined weight of the product 14 are accurately compared. When the comparison operating device 10 detects a deviation that exceeds or falls below a predetermined maximum value stored in the device 9,
The comparison operating device 10 sends a signal corresponding to the correction device 11 associated with the nozzle 4 feeding the container 3 whose weight is different from the predetermined one. Next, the comparison actuator 10
Modifies the opening time of the nozzle 4 by the modifying device 11 according to a mathematical algorithm, such as the simple algebraic proportionality given by In _{dt i + 1 = dt i (} Pp / Pm) the equation, dt _i + ₁ is the exact opening time,
dt _i is the opening time that caused the error, Pp is the predetermined weight, and Pm is the measured weight. If another error is detected during the next weight check operation, the opening time of the associated nozzle 4 is corrected again.

As a matter of course, the opening time of the nozzle 4 is not corrected if the detected error is within a certain range preset and stored in the device 9, and if the error exceeds the range, the comparison operation is performed. The device 10 rejects the incorrect weight container 3 from the line without acceptance.

Thus, of course, the assembly of the weighing device 8 which is functionally (electrically) connected to the comparison operating device 10 is such that when the device is activated by the signal 10s the container 3
"Feedback control" the filling.

Various modifications and variations of the above detailed description are possible without departing from the concept of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a block diagram of an apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a part of an automatic filling machine equipped with the device according to the invention, with a part removed or another part shown in cross-section in order to more clearly show the other part; is there.

FIG. 3 is a view of a metering device forming part of the device of the present invention, an elevational view, partly in cross-section, in order to more clearly illustrate the other part.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Measuring device 2 Detecting device 3 Container 4 Nozzle 5 Feeding device 6 Measuring device 7 Control operation device 8 Weight measuring device 9 Storage device 10 Comparison device 11 Correction device 12 Filling place 13 Timer 14 Product

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A device for weighing a product to be filled in each container, which is provided in an automatic device or an automatic machine for filling a product in a container, and the machine or device is a weighing device (1).
A filling device (4) for distributing the product (14) in the container (3), the filling device (4) each having at least one filling station (12) for operating the And a feeding device (5) for feeding a product to the feeding device (5), and a detection device (for detecting the presence of the container (3) in the filling device (4) to which the feeding device (5) corresponds. Metering characterized in that the flow rate of the filling device (4) is substantially constant and the delivery device (5) is controlled by a measuring device (6) for measuring its operating time. apparatus. 2. The measuring device (6) is a timer (13) adjustable according to the amount of product (14) to be delivered to each container (3), the timer (13) corresponding to the timer (13). Is activated and reset by a sensing device (2) that stops the corresponding supply device (5) when the filling device (4) has finished the predetermined time required to dispense a predetermined amount of product (14). The weighing device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The timer device (13) is part of a control and operating device (7) with a weight measuring device (8) connected to the input, the weight measuring device (8) comprising the filling container (3). An electronic device arranged downstream of the filling location (12) for measuring the weight, the control operating device (7) storing a predetermined weight value of the product (14) to be filled in each of the containers (3). A device (9) and an electronic comparison device (10) for comparing the predetermined weight value stored in the electronic storage device (9) with the weight actually detected by the weight measuring device (8),
An electronic correction device (11) having an input connected to each output of the electronic comparator device (10) and an output connected to a regulated input of the timer device (13), the correction device (11) including the electronic correction device. Setting of the timer device (13) according to any deviation between the predetermined weight value stored in the storage device (9) and the actual weight of the container (3) measured by the weight measuring device (8). 3. The weighing device according to claim 2, wherein the time is corrected. 4. The value stored in said storage device (9) is
Characterized in that it can be varied depending on the physicochemical properties of the product (14) to be delivered, the physical properties of the filling device (4) and the amount to be delivered to each container (3). Claim 3
The weighing device described. 5. The control operating device (7) stores which filling device (4) delivers to the container (3) being weighed,
4. Metering device according to claim 3, characterized in that each correction device (11) operates each timer device (13) to change the operating time. 6. The control operation device (7) instructs the weight measuring device (8) to measure the weight of the container (3) by weighing a sample, and the weight measuring device measures a predetermined number of containers (3). ) Is measured, the weighing device according to claim 3.