NL1000913C2 - Appts. for continuous or intermittent supply of confection - Google Patents

Abstract

An appts. (30) for supplying partly to completely fluid material consists of a housing (32) with a chamber (33) contg. supply (6) and feed (7) openings and a holding vol. (8a) between the two. A barrier (34) is placed in the chamber to define a compartment and can be moved to connect the supply opening and holding vol. in one position and the holding vol. and feed opening in a second. A suction system (15a-18a) draws material (10) from the supply into the holding vol. in the first barrier position and then presses it into the feed opening in the second. A second similar system of holding vol. and suction (15b- 18b) is arranged opposite the first to allow continuous material feed in the two positions of the barrier.

Description

Short indication: Dosing device for dosing moderately liquid to liquid mass.

The invention relates to a dosing device according to the preamble of claim 1.

The dosing device is in particular intended for filling or covering bakery products, before or after baking, with the mass dosed by the device. The mass may, for example, consist of ragut, minced meat, cake, and various sweet fantasy mixtures.

A dosing device of the aforementioned type is known from practice and will be explained later in the description with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

In the known dosing device, during the time that the separating member is in a position in which the inlet opening via the compartment and the transfer opening communicates with the piston space, the device cannot supply mass via the outlet opening. This time is relatively long and is determined by the time required to fill the piston space with mass and then move the separator so that the piston space communicates with the outlet opening instead of the inlet opening. Subsequently, the emptying of the piston space takes in principle as much time as the filling of the piston space. As a result, the known device can only dose mass volumes discontinuously. Such a method of dosing is called point dosing. Furthermore, the known device has a relatively low processing speed as a result of the required double displacement time of the separating member during a fill-empty cycle.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the known device.

This object is achieved according to the invention by means of the dosing device as described in claim 1.

The dosing device according to the invention provides a possibility with a large dosing capacity (piston strokes 1000913.

- 2 - per unit of time) can be dosed discontinuously or continuously. Furthermore, the processing capacity is at least twice as high as before.

These and other features of other embodiments of the dosing device according to the invention are described in the other claims.

The invention will be explained in detail below with features and examples thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings show: FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section of a known dosing device with a separating member in a first position;

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross section of the known dosing device shown in FIG. 1 with the separator in another position;

Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of the dosing device according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the dosing device shown in FIG. 3 and means for displacing the pistons and the separating member of the device coupled thereto;

Fig. 5-10 illustrations of depositions of dosed volumes on a transport means transported under the device for different control conditions of the dosing device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a known dosing device, which is generally indicated with reference number 1. The dosing device 1 comprises a housing 2 with a cylindrical chamber 3 therein. Within the chamber 3, concentric with the chamber 3, a substantially semi-cylindrical separating member 4 which is rotatable about an axis 5 in the center of the chamber 3.

The chamber has an inlet opening 6, an outlet opening 7 and an intermediate transfer opening 8.

The inlet opening 6 communicates with a partly shown funnel 9 in which moderately liquid to liquid mass 10 is to be dosed. The mass may consist of ragüt, 1 0 0 0 9 'k - 3 - minced meat, fruit filling, cake and various soft liquid, for example sweet mixtures.

Instead of a funnel 9, the inlet opening 6 can be connected via coupling means (not shown) to a mass supply pump 5 (not shown).

The transfer opening 8 communicates with a piston space 15 in which a piston 16 can move in a sealing manner. The piston 16 is connected to a piston rod 17 which is connected to displacement means (not shown). The piston space 10 is located in a member 18, for example a piston cylinder, which is coupled to the housing 2 or which forms an integral part with the housing 2.

The separating member 4, which is also referred to as the tilting cylinder for the known device, defines a compartment 20 within the chamber 15. The separating member 4 can be rotated between two angular positions shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively.

In the position of the separating member 4 shown in Fig. 1, during displacement of the piston 16 in the direction of the arrow 21, mass is moved in the direction as indicated by the arrow 22 from the funnel 9 via the inlet opening 6 in the compartment 20 and sucked from the compartment 20 through the transfer opening 8 into the piston space 15.

When the piston 16 has moved sufficiently far in the direction of the arrow 21, the separator 3 is turned to the angular position shown in Fig. 2. Thereafter, by displacing the piston 16 in the direction of the arrow 24, mass in the direction indicated by the arrow 25 can be moved from the piston space 15 via the transfer opening 8 into the likewise displaced compartment 20 and from the compartment 20 via the outlet opening 7. device 1.

After the piston 16 has been moved sufficiently far in the direction of the arrow 24, the separator 4 is turned back to the angular position shown in Fig. 1 and the cycle 35 of filling and emptying the piston space 15 can be repeated.

Fig. 3 schematically shows a cross-section of an embodiment 30 of the dosing device according to the invention.

1000913.

- 4 -

The dosing device 30 according to the invention shown in Fig. 3 differs from the known dosing device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 by an adapted housing 32 with an adapted chamber 33 containing an adapted displacing member 34 and 5 an additional assembly of a member with a piston space and a piston, the additional piston space opening opposite the other piston space within chamber 33. Each of the two assemblies of a member with a piston space and a piston may be identical to the assembly of a member 18 with a piston space 15 and a piston 16 of the known dosing device shown in Figures 1 and 2. Therefore, in Fig. 3, the elements of each said assembly have the same reference numbers as the corresponding elements of the assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but with the suffix Ma "15 for the one assembly of Fig. 3 and the suffix" b. "for the other assembly of FIG. 3.

The separator 34 is also rotatable about a central axis 5, but differs from the separator 4 of the known dosing device 1 in that the separator 20 34 divides the chamber 33 into a compartment 20a on one side of the separator 34 and another compartment 20b. the other side of the separator 34. The separator 34 is, for example, in the form of a flat partition, as shown. If the separating member 34 is designed as a partition 25, this forms a simple and inexpensive realization, while cleaning of the device will take place more easily. In addition, undesirable mass (in connection with hygiene and bacterial growth) will not remain on the wall of the chamber opposite the partition less easily than in the known device. At the angular position of separator 34 shown in Fig. 3, the piston space 15a of the aforementioned assembly can be filled in the same manner according to arrows 21 and 22 as the piston space 15 of the known dosing device 1 and as explained with reference to Fig. 1. At the same angular position of the separating member 34, the piston space 15b of the said other assembly can be emptied according to arrows 24 and 25 in the same manner as in the known 1 0 0 0 9 1 o -5 dosing device 1 and as explained with reference to fig.

2. The reciprocating spaces 15a, 15b are alternately filled and emptied by displacement of the separating member 34 about the shaft 5.

From the foregoing it will be clear that with the dosing device 30 according to the invention the device 30 can simultaneously fill a piston space 15a from the inlet opening 6 and empty the other piston space 15b to the outlet opening 7. A considerable increase of the dosing speed is hereby achieved. The number of dosages per minute was found to be more than twice as high in the dosing device 30 according to the invention than in the known device 1 shown in figures 1 and 2.

When using the known device 1 different dosages of different masses had to be supplied, in particular on a conveyor belt passing under the device (not shown), or on or in bakery products present on such a conveyor belt, it was necessary to use two such devices. and accurately synchronize its operation. However, matching the operation of different devices and maintaining synchronicity is not always or only difficult and can easily be subject to variations, thereby adversely affecting the quality of the products supplied.

In the device 30 according to the invention, on the other hand, different dosages can be provided by the same device, both in terms of the time distance, as well as in the volume and shape of the depot, so that the problems of synchronizing separate devices and the resulting loss of quality do not arise.

Due to suitable shapes and dimensions of the openings 6, 7, 8a and 8b and of the separator 34 and with suitable displacements and stoppages of the pistons 16a, 16b and of the separator 34 as a function of time, very diverse dosages and shapes from depots on a conveyor belt passing under the device. The one in 1000913.

Dosing device 30 according to the invention shown in fig. 3, in contrast to the known dosing device 1, is even suitable for producing a continuous output of the mass through the outlet opening 7. In this connection it should be noted that the dosing mass is generally insufficiently liquid that if the baffle-like separator 34 of FIG. 3 were vertical, it would automatically flow from the funnel 9 through the compartments 20a and 20b and the outlet opening 7 from the device 30. Even if the mass were to be so fluid that outflow would be possible in this way, this is prevented because in a practical realization the separating member 34 does not remain vertical even in the event of a malfunction, but rotates rapidly past the inlet opening 6 and the outlet opening 7. . This is the case, for example, when the separator 34 is driven by pneumatic means which will always move the separator 34 to an end position of its two end positions.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of the dosing device 30 according to the invention shown in FIG. 3, wherein the separating member 34 is coupled to displacement means 40 and the piston rods 17a, 17b are coupled to displacement means 41a and 41b, respectively. The displacement means 40, 41a, 41b can have their own motors, for example electric or pneumatic motors or actuators, which, in some way, electrically or in accordance with the correct segregal action of the separator 34 and the pistons 16a, 16b are mechanically linked and work synchronized. To that end, the displacement means 40, 41a, 41b are schematically represented in fig. 4 with the coupling lines 42, 43a and 43b, respectively, in fig. 4, coupled with common means which in fig. 4 are common drive means 44. The driving means 44 are coupled via a schematically shown coupling line 45 to operating means 46.

Within the scope of the invention, various parameters of the dosing device according to the invention can be set. Various dosing sequences, 1000915.

Dosage forms and dosing volumes are supplied by the dosing device 30, in particular when deposited on a conveyor belt passing under the device 30 (not shown). It is thus possible according to the invention that the distance over which a piston 16a, 16b can be moved, the so-called stroke length, is adjustable. This can be possible for one of the pistons 16a, 16b or for both and even independently of each other. The stroke length can be adjusted in various ways. For example, the free ends of the piston rods 17a, 17b (the 10 ends of these rods outside the cylinder space members 18a, 18b) may each spring by means of a spring (not shown) against the surface of its own associated rotary follower or cam (not shown supports and such tracking members may be interchangeable with tracking members having a different circumferential shape. Moreover, by a suitable choice of the circumference of such a follower, the speed variation of a piston 16a, 16b in the piston space 15a, 15b can be predetermined with various courses as a function of time. The displacement means 41a, 41b can also have mechanical means known per se, optionally formed by a part of the said followers having the same radius to the axis of rotation, over which parts the respective piston 16a, 16b is stationary. The reciprocating movement of the separator member 34 can also be driven by means of a coupling rod (not shown) and a rotary driven follower or cam (not shown). However, the displacement functions can also be realized in other ways, for instance by using modern pneumatic cylinders, which are directly coupled to the piston rods 17a, 17b and the said coupling rod of the separating member 34, and of which the stroke lengths and the displacement course are adjustable. In addition, various displacement functions can be controlled from the drive means 44. By means of the operating means 46 a user can then make the desired settings, so that a metering device that can be used very flexibly is obtained. The operating means 46 may consist of a microcontroller ("microcontroller") or a microcomputer, each of which may or may not be 1000913.

- 8 - with a keyboard and a display screen.

Figures 5 to 10 show some examples of dosing results obtained when the dosing device 30 according to the invention deposits the mass to be dosed on a conveyor belt 5 under the outlet opening 7 of the device.

Fig. 5 shows a dosing result consisting of a strip 50 with a substantially uniform width or thickness of the dosed mass. This result is obtained with a sufficiently fast reciprocating movement of the separator 34 and a relatively slow ejection or emptying of mass from the piston spaces 15a, 15b. Sucking mass into the piston spaces 15a, 15b can take place at the same speed as the ejection or faster.

The desired uniformity of the continuous dosing can be contributed by using an overpressure return line known per se between the inlet opening 6 and the outlet opening 7 or between chambers at these openings 6, 7. Furthermore, depending on the dimensions of the openings 6, 7, 8a, 8b and the shape of the separator 20 34 can also be realized with other velocities and standstill times of the pistons 16a, 16b and the separator 34. The previously explained method of slowly pushing out mass from the piston spaces 15a, 15b when using a baffle separator 34, as shown in Fig. 3, was found to give a very good result. Although it can be seen from Fig. 3, seen in the direction of rotation of the separator 34, that its thickness is smaller than the widths of the inlet opening 6 and of the outlet opening 7, it is not to be feared that in a vertical position of the separator 34 mass flows directly from the inlet opening 6 to the outlet opening 7, because the displacement means 41a, 41b can be realized in such a way, for example, can consist of pneumatic means, that the separating member 34 can only stop in one of the oblique extreme positions. In addition, most of the masses 10 to be processed are too thickly liquid and usually a manner of pumping by means of the pistons 16a, 16b is necessary to transport the mass to the outlet opening 7.

Fig. 6 shows a metering result which is a result that the known metering device 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 can also be obtained with carbon black. Such a method of dosing is also referred to as point dosing. According to the invention, equal volumes of mass 60a, 60b are deposited on the conveyor belt at equal distances due to the alternating action of the pistons 16a and 16b, respectively. In the known dosing device, however, the mutual distance between the dosages cannot be made small, so certainly not zero. In the dosing device 30 according to the invention, however, the deposited volumes of mass are pushed alternately from one piston space 15a and the other piston space 15b, and the distance between the deposited volumes can be adjusted from a distance of zero (situation of Fig. 15 l) to any greater distance.

Fig. 7 shows a point dosing result of alternating dosages 70a, 70b due to the action of the pistons 16a and 16b equally spaced, but with pistons 16a, 16b alternately pushing different volumes of mass to the outlet port 7. This can be achieved by making the stroke lengths of the pistons 16a, 16b different.

Fig. 8 shows a dosing result as of FIG. 7, except that the dosing distances are different. Fig. 8 alternately shows a large dose 80a and a small dose 80b with a shorter distance following a large dose 80a than following a small dose 80b. This can be achieved by setting the device so that after pushing out a small amount of mass, the separator 34 and the piston 16a, 16b are kept still for some time, at least longer than in the case of Fig. 7. Another it is possible that after pushing out a small amount of mass, the separating member 34 is turned to the other extreme position, but waits for a longer period of time before pushing out the larger volume of mass. As long as the larger volume has not been pushed out, this time is available for sucking yet another small volume of mass into the other piston space. The operation and therefore the setting 10 0 0 013.

Thus, the device for obtaining a result as shown in Fig. 8 is not critical.

Fig. 9 shows a metering result in which approximately equal volumes of masses 90a, 90b are pushed out by the pistons 16a and 16b, respectively, but in which the pistons 16a, 16b push out at different speeds. Moreover, as in the case of Fig. 8, the distances between the dosages are different. Due to the different push-out or ejection speeds of the pistons 16a, 16b, the one deposited volume mass has an elongated shape on the conveyor on which it is deposited than the mass deposited from the other piston space.

Fig. 10 shows a dosing result which is a variant of the dosing result as shown in fig. 9. The case of fig. 10 differs from the case of fig. 9 in that in the case of fig. 10 the ejection speeds of the pistons 16a, 16b at be non-uniform in a predetermined manner. This allows alternately various shapes of volumes of masses 100a, 100b deposited on the conveyor belt, for example, alternately with a drop shape with points facing each other, as shown in Fig. 10.

From the foregoing explanation it will be clear that the known dosing device 1, as explained with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, is not suitable for supplying a dosing result as shown in Figs. 5 and 7-10. A dosing result as shown in Fig. 7 would be achievable when using the known dosing device 1 only if two such devices 1 were used, but with a very accurate and stable tuning or synchronization of each other's operation. It will be appreciated that this will require a bulky and expensive composite construction, setting the machines to one another will be expensive and time consuming, and maintaining a desired metering result will be difficult, for example, when the operating speed is changed during continued production. .

As explained above, the invention provides a metering device with a production capacity of at least 1000913.

- 11 - can be twice the size of the known dosing device, with reference to fig. 1 and 2, with the possibility of discontinuous or continuous dosing, a large choice of dosing results or dosing patterns of alternating 5 dosed mass volumes and a high degree of certainty of maintaining the said dosing results or cartridges, while the device is nevertheless small in size, simple and relatively inexpensive.

1000§1o

Claims (10)

A metering device for dosing moderately liquid to liquid mass (10) comprising: a housing (32) with a chamber (33), which has a mass-inlet opening (6), a mass-outlet opening (7) and an intermediate first has a mass transfer opening (8a), a separating member (34) arranged in the chamber (33), which defines a first compartment (20a) in the chamber (33) and which is movable for passing through the first compartment (20a) of the chamber (33) providing a connection between the input opening (6) and the first transfer opening (8a) in a first position of the separator (34) or between the output opening (7) and the first transfer opening (8a) in a second position of the separating member (34), and a first assembly of a first member (18a) with a first piston space (15a) connected to the first transfer opening (8a) and such a first piston (16a) movable sealingly in the piston space (15a) , 20 that in the first position of he the separator (34) and during a movement of the first piston (16a) in a direction from the first transfer opening (8a) mass (10) from the input opening (6) in the first compartment (20a) and from the first compartment ( 20a) is sucked into the first piston space (15a) and in the second position of the first separator (34) and during a movement of the first piston (16a) in a direction towards the first transfer opening (8a) mass (10) from the first piston space (15a) in the first compartment (20a) and pushed from the first compartment (20a) to the outlet opening (7), characterized in that a second assembly of a second member (18b) with a second piston space ( 15b) and a second piston (16b) of the type when the first assembly (15a-18b) is mounted, the second piston space (15b) opens into a second transfer opening 1 - 13 - (8b) in a wall of the chamber (33) opposite the first transfer opening (8a), the separator member (34) has a shape with which it defines a second compartment (20b) of the chamber (33) such that in the first position of the separator member (34) and during movement of the second piston (16b) in a direction towards the second transfer opening (8b) mass (10) is pushed out of the second piston space (16b) into the second compartment (20b) and from the second compartment (20b) to the output opening (7) and into the second position 10 of the separator (34) and during movement of the second piston (16b) in a direction from the second transfer opening (8b) mass (10) from the input opening (6) in the second compartment (20b) and from the second compartment (20b) is sucked into the second piston space (15b). 15 Dosing device according to claim 1, characterized in that displacement means (40, 41a, 41b) one or more of the separating member (34) and the pistons (16a, 16b) after they have come to a standstill for a longer duration than necessary for filling and emptying the piston spaces (15a, 15b). Metering device according to claim 2, characterized in that the standstill time associated with the first position of the separator (34) differs from the standstill time associated with the second position of the separator (34). Metering device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the standstill time is adjustable. Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stroke time of one piston (16a, 16b) differs from the stroke time of the other piston (16a, 16b). 30 Metering device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stroke velocity of at least one piston (16a, 16b) during the stroke is non-uniform. Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stroke speed of at least one piston (16a, 16b) is adjustable. Metering device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stroke length of one piston (16a, 16b) 1000915 differs from the stroke length of the other piston (16a, 16b). Metering device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stroke length of at least one of the pistons (16a, 16b) is adjustable. Metering device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (33) has an inner wall which between the first and second positions of the separating member (34) are parts of a cylinder circumference, the separating member (34) a bulkhead is rotatable about an axis (5), which is parallel to an axis of the cylinder circumference portion of the chamber (33), and end portions of the bulkhead sealingly contact the cylinder circumference portion of the chamber (33). 1000913.