EP2121503B1 - Filling machine provided with a cleaning device with a deformable membrane - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has a filling tube (32) and a cleaning device comprising a collecting element (4) fixed with a circular flow-through opening (41). A displacement unit displaces a movable closure element (5) between operational and retracted positions. The element (5) has an elastically circular deformable membrane (51) mounted on a horizontal annular plate support (62). The element (5) forms a sealed deformation chamber (67) with the support to receive pressurized fluid in order to deform the membrane for closing the opening when the support is brought in the operational position by the unit.

Description

The present invention relates to a filling machine equipped with a cleaning device. The invention more particularly relates to a rotary machine equipped with a plurality of filling spouts for filling hollow containers, such as bottles or jars, with a food product.

Such rotary filling machines conventionally comprise a rotary carousel carrying a tank of filling material and a plurality of filling stations, each filling station comprising a filling spout connected to the tank, a support system for supporting a container made of filling material. below the filling spout, and metering means for delivering a determined amount of filler into each container.

Such machines must be regularly cleaned with a cleaning agent, usually liquid, which is circulated in the machine in place of the filler, to remove any trace of the product, dust or other body aliens, and / or possible biological or bacteriological contaminants.

To limit the consumption of cleaning agent, it is known to provide cleaning devices for recovering the cleaning agent at the outlet of the filling spouts for recycling in a closed circuit.

These cleaning devices may comprise a plurality of movable collecting elements, such as tubes or vases, each collecting element being movable vertically between a high operating position in which the collecting element comes into sealing contact with a filling spout for recovering the cleaning agent delivered by said spout, and a low position retracted wherein said tube is spaced from said filling spout to allow filling of containers. The collector elements are connected to the same annular collector movably mounted on a fixed frame to move all the collector elements between their two positions by vertical translation.

The collector elements can come all together on cylindrical parts of the filling spouts, wiper seals being then provided to ensure sealing. Such recovery tubes, equipped with scraper seals and coming on the spouts, provide a good seal, even when the machine comprises a large number of filling nozzles, with differences in height between the nozzles. However, their bulk may be incompatible with conventional container support systems.

It is also possible to provide collector elements equipped at the upper end with an O-ring capable of bearing against the conical outer surface of the filling spout or against the lower annular edge surrounding the outlet orifice of the spout. Such sealing with an O-ring can not be suitable on a machine equipped with a large number of filling nozzles, because in practice, the differences height between the filling spouts will necessarily be greater than crushing an O-ring.

According to another type of cleaning device, each filling spout is equipped with a fixed collector element which surrounds the discharge orifice of the filling spout and which has a passage opening disposed below the discharge orifice of the spout. filling, and a discharge duct opening into the internal space of the collector element for the evacuation and recycling of the cleaning agent. The device then comprises a shutter member movable between a retracted position in which said shutter member is spaced from the filling spout to allow filling of a container placed under the filling spout, and a service position in which said shutter member sealingly closes the passage opening of the collector element for effector cleaning operations.

A displacement by vertical translation upwards of the closure elements via a common displacement system, to bring them into their operating position, poses the same congestion problems mentioned above, as well as the same sealing problems when the nozzles are not perfectly aligned in height. Some machines are equipped with an individual displacement system for each shutter element, the displacement between the service and retracted positions then being made by rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the filling spout. These individual displacement systems are particularly bulky, and such a rotational movement requires a significant space under and around the filling spout.

The document EP 0 574 321 A discloses a filling machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the present invention is to provide a filling machine with a cleaning device overcomes at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks, which allows in particular to have a good seal during cleaning operations, and / or a small footprint.

• au moins un poste de remplissage comprenant un bec de remplissage, relié à des moyens de stockage de liquide de remplissage, et
• un dispositif de nettoyage comprenant, pour chaque poste de remplissage,
• un élément collecteur fixe entourant l'orifice de décharge du bec de remplissage et présentant un orifice de passage disposé en dessous de l'orifice de décharge du bec de remplissage,
• un élément d'obturation déplaçable entre une position escamotée dans laquelle ledit élément d'obturation est écarté du bec de remplissage, pour permettre le remplissage d'un récipient placé sous le bec de remplissage, et une position de service dans laquelle ledit élément d'obturation est apte à venir obturer de manière étanche l'orifice de passage de l'élément collecteur pour effectuer des opérations de nettoyage, et
• des moyens de déplacement dudit élément d'obturation entre sa position de service et sa position escamotée,

caractérisée en ce que l'élément d'obturation comprend une membrane élastiquement déformable montée sur un support et formant avec ce dernier une chambre de déformation étanche apte à recevoir sous pression un fluide afin de déformer la membrane déformable pour assurer l'obturation de l'orifice de passage lorsque ledit support est amené en position de service par les moyens de déplacement.For this purpose, the subject of the present invention is a filling machine for containers comprising

• at least one filling station comprising a filling spout, connected to filling liquid storage means, and
• a cleaning device comprising, for each filling station,
• a fixed collecting element surrounding the discharge opening of the filling spout and having a through-hole disposed below the discharge opening of the filling spout,
• a shutter member movable between a retracted position in which said shutter member is spaced from the filling spout, to allow filling of a container placed under the filling spout, and a service position in which said element of shutter is able to seal the passage opening of the collecting element in order to carry out cleaning operations, and
• means for moving said shut-off element between its operating position and its retracted position,

characterized in that the closure member comprises an elastically deformable membrane mounted on a support and forming with the latter a sealed deformation chamber adapted to receive under pressure a fluid to deform the deformable membrane to ensure the closure of the passage opening when said support is brought into the service position by the moving means .

Thus, according to the invention, the closure member comprises a deformable membrane which can be inflated to deform, so as to bear against the collector element to close its passage opening. The closure device with an inflatable deformable membrane makes it possible to ensure a leaktight closure of the passage orifices during the cleaning operations, and in particular, in the case of a machine equipped with a plurality of filling spouts, to effectively compensate for the differences height between the filling spouts and therefore use common means of moving the shutter elements between their various positions.

According to one embodiment, the deformable membrane is mounted on the upper surface of a support plate, said support plate being provided with a supply channel opening under the deformable membrane, and adapted to be supplied with fluid under pressure. Advantageously, the deformable membrane, preferably circular, is mounted in a recess of said support plate, by means of a mounting flange, said membrane preferably having a peripheral bead housed in a corresponding groove of the recess.

According to one feature, the collector element has a lower edge, preferably circular, defining the passage orifice, said deformable membrane being adapted to be pressed against said lower edge during pressurization of the deformation chamber. In one embodiment, the collector member is formed of a substantially cylindrical skirt integral with the filler spout. According to a preferred embodiment, the collector element comprises a lateral pipe opening into its internal space to recover the cleaning agent delivered by the filling spout.

According to another particularity, the displacement means are able to move the support of the deformable membrane from its retracted position to its operating position by at least one displacement in vertical translation downwards, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filling spout. followed by a horizontal movement, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filling spout, so that the deformable membrane is substantially centered along the longitudinal axis of the spout. In its retracted position, the closure element formed by the membrane on its support, is disposed above the passage opening, next to the filling spout, and its displacement between its two positions is achieved by combining vertical movement and horizontal movement. Such a displacement requires little space under the filling spout, and can in particular be achieved without being hindered by the bottle support systems. This combination of simple movements makes it particularly possible, in the case of a machine equipped with a plurality of filling spouts, to use simple common displacement means for move all the shutter elements between their positions.

The horizontal displacement is preferably followed by a displacement in vertical translation upwardly substantially along the axis of the filling spout to bring the deformable membrane support into the service position.

According to one embodiment, the machine comprises several filling stations and the deformable membranes on their support in their retracted position are arranged between the filling spouts; the deformable membrane supports are preferably moved simultaneously between their retracted position and their operating position by common displacement means.

According to one embodiment, the machine is of rotary type, said filling stations being arranged at regular angular gaps under a rotary support, the deformable membranes on their supports are mounted at regular angular gaps on a ring assembled under said rotary support via means of displacement in vertical translation and in rotation, said horizontal displacement consisting of a rotation about the axis of rotation of the rotary support, on an angle corresponding to half a step between two successive filling spouts.

The supports of the deformable membranes may be formed of an annular support plate, in one or more parts or sectors, assembled to the ring, for example inside the cylindrical wall of the ring, said support plate being provided with openings between the deformable membranes to allow the passage filling nozzles equipped with their collector element in the retracted position of the support plate.

In a particular embodiment, the ring carries internally said support plate and is provided with at least two mounting tabs extending radially outwards, each tab being assembled by a vertical jack on a carriage which is slidably mounted on a horizontal guide rail secured to the rotary support, at least one jack mounted between the rotary support and a carriage ensuring the displacement in rotation of the ring.

According to one embodiment, the above-mentioned liquid-filling storage means are an integral part of the machine and consist of a rotating storage tank, for example an annular one, the aforementioned rotary support being formed by the bottom wall of the tank. , the filling nozzles being mounted directly on this bottom wall.

According to another embodiment, the filling stations are assembled to a rotary support in the form of an annular plate, and are connected via a spider-type distribution system, known per se, to a remote storage tank.

Advantageously, the machine comprises means for centering the crown in the retracted position and in the service position; the centering means are formed for example abutments on the guide rail and / or pads integral with the vessel which cooperate with the mounting lugs.

Each filling station may comprise container support means comprising at least one holding element adapted to cooperate with the neck of a container, for example a clamp-type holding member, adapted to grip the containers by their neck, said deformable membrane on its support passing between said holding member and the collector element .

• la figure 1 représente une vue en perspective d'une machine rotative de remplissage selon l'invention, équipée d'un dispositif de nettoyage ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue en perspective de la couronne d'éléments d'obturation du dispositif de nettoyage de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue agrandie du détail A de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 représente une vue partielle agrandie en coupe de la couronne de la figure 2, selon un plan de coupe radial passant par le canal d'alimentation d'un élément d'obturation dans un état non gonflé ou non déformé;
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique partielle en coupe d'un bec de remplissage et de son élément d'obturation associé en position de service et à l'état gonflé ;
• les figures 6A et 6B représentent deux vues partielles en perspective de la machine de la figure 1, illustrant les éléments d'obturation en position escamotée, la cuve n' étant pas représentée sur la figure 6A ;
• les figures 7A et 7B représentent deux vues analogues à celles des figures 6A et 6B, illustrant les éléments d'obturation dans une position basse intermédiaire, entre une première position basse et une deuxième position basse ;
• les figures 8A et 8B représentent deux vues analogues à celles des figures 6A et 6B, illustrant les éléments d'obturation en position de service ;
• la figure 9 représente une vue schématique en coupe d'un poste de remplissage avec son élément d'obturation en position escamotée ; et,
• la figure 10 représente une vue analogue à la figure 9, avec l'élément d'obturation dans une position basse intermédiaire.

The invention will be better understood, and other details, features and advantages will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed explanatory description of a presently preferred particular embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, on which :

• the figure 1 represents a perspective view of a rotary filling machine according to the invention, equipped with a cleaning device;
• the figure 2 represents a perspective view of the crown of closure elements of the cleaning device of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 represents an enlarged view of detail A of the figure 2 ;
• the figure 4 represents an enlarged partial sectional view of the crown of the figure 2 , in a radial section plane passing through the supply channel of a closure member in a non-inflated or undeformed state;
• the figure 5 is a partial schematic sectional view of a filling spout and its associated closure member in the service position and in the inflated state;
• the Figures 6A and 6B represent two partial views in perspective of the machine of the figure 1 , illustrating the shutter elements in position retracted, the tank not being represented on the Figure 6A ;
• the Figures 7A and 7B represent two views similar to those of Figures 6A and 6B illustrating the shutter elements in an intermediate low position between a first low position and a second low position;
• the Figures 8A and 8B represent two views similar to those of Figures 6A and 6B illustrating the shut-off elements in the service position;
• the figure 9 is a schematic sectional view of a filling station with its closure member in the retracted position; and,
• the figure 10 represents a view similar to the figure 9 , with the shutter element in an intermediate low position.

The figures illustrate a rotary filling machine 1 equipped with a cleaning device according to the invention, which is more particularly suitable for filling plastic bottles, for example polyethylene terephthalate, with a liquid such as water, milk or fruit juice. Of course, the invention can be applied to the filling of any type of container with any type of product.

With reference to figures 1 , 5 and 9 , the rotary machine 1 comprises a carousel 11 intended to be rotatably mounted on a fixed frame (not shown), about a vertical axis of rotation. The carousel carries a tank 2 of cylindrical filling liquid, and a plurality of filling stations 3 arranged at regular angular gaps around the axis of rotation. Each filling station 3 comprises a nozzle or filling nozzle 32 with a discharge port 321 in fluid communication with the filling tank, and means 31 for supporting a container B, here a bottle, for holding a container under the filling spout. In the present embodiment, the carousel is formed by an annular tank 2, and the nozzles are mounted vertically, directly under a rotary support 21 constituted here by the bottom wall of the filling tank 2, with their discharge port 321 downwards.

Each filling spout 32, having a longitudinal axis C, comprises a cylindrical upper portion 322, equipped with a flange 322a for its sealing connection to the tank, on the contour of a circular opening of its bottom wall, this upper part extending by a frustoconical lower portion 323 defined by the discharge port 321 circular.

Each filling spout 32 is equipped with a collector element 4, integral with the spout, which surrounds the spout at its discharge orifice, and which has a circular passage opening 41 disposed directly above the discharge orifice 321 along the longitudinal axis C of the filling spout 32. This passage orifice is of greater diameter than the discharge port to allow passage of the neck of a bottle during filling operations. Each collector element 4 comprises a lateral discharge conduit 42 opening into the interior space of the collector element. The exhaust ducts 42 are advantageously arranged radially with respect to the axis of the tank and connected, for example by flexible ducts, to a manifold mounted under the bottom wall of the tank. the tank and connected to the tank by a circuit equipped with a pump for the recycling in closed circuit of the cleaning agent to the tank.

In the present embodiment, the filling spout and its collector member are formed in one piece having the exterior shape of a single cylinder, the cylindrical wall of the upper portion 322 of the spout extends beyond its portion frustoconical 323 to form a skirt constituting said collector element, the lower edge 43, here of circular shape, of each of the collector elements 4 defining said passage opening 41.

With reference to the figure 9 , the means 31 for supporting a container B, when it is a bottle, are mounted at regular angular gaps on a ring 34 disposed in the hollow central zone of the tank, this ring being for example fixed to the inner cylindrical wall 23 of the tank. Each support means comprises a holding member 311, for example, a gripper, able to grip the bottle below its collar which is located at the base of its neck, a base 312 to support the bottle by its bottom, and a intermediate wedge 313 coming against the cylindrical wall of the bottle. The clamp comprises for example two opposite levers 311a pivotally mounted on a base 311b. The levers are elastically biased by springs in a clamping position of the bottles, and are able to move elastically for the introduction or the release of a bottle. The clamp is assembled by its base at the free end of a rod 314a mounted on the ring 34 above. A vertical rod 315 mounted on the base of the clamp carries said base 312 to its lower end, as well as the intermediate wedge 313.

Dosing means, known per se, are associated with each filling spout for delivering a determined quantity of product into each bottle brought under the filling spout. These dosing means, for example of weight type, comprise a valve 33, mounted in the filling spout and controlled in opening and closing by a jack (not shown), this jack being arranged in the upper part of the tank and controlled by a weighing system 134 associated with the rod 134a. The machine according to the invention may be equipped with other metering means, for example volumetric type, flow meter, or allowing the detection of the level of filling of the container.

The machine will further comprise an empty bottle supply system, such as a belt conveyor, and an evacuation system, constituted for example by a downstream portion of the aforementioned belt conveyor, for evacuating the filled bottles.

In combination with the aforementioned collector elements, the cleaning device comprises a plurality of movable shutter elements 5, able to close off the through holes 41 of the collector elements. With reference to Figures 2 and 3 these closure elements 5 comprise circular deformable membranes 51 carried by the same ring 6, said ring being mounted movably on the tank 2. The ring comprises a vertical cylindrical wall 61, with a diameter greater than that of the circle described by the spouts. during the rotation of the tank, this cylindrical wall carrying a support 62, in the form of horizontal annular plate, which extends inward from the lower edge of the cylindrical wall, as well as lugs 63 extending radially outwardly. The membranes are mounted at regular angular gaps on the upper surface 62a of the support plate, at a pitch spacing between membranes corresponding to that of the filling nozzles, and according to a circle corresponding to that described by said filling nozzles. The support plate has between the membranes cutouts defining openings 64 of sufficient size to allow the passage of the beaks vertically, as described below. The support plate thus has an alternation of membranes for cleaning operations and openings for filling operations. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner circular edge 62b of the support plate has an alternation of concave portions and convex portions delimiting respectively said openings 64 and areas for mounting the membranes on the upper surface 62a of the support plate. Alternatively, the support plate may have a circular inner edge, said openings being formed by circular cuts through the support plate.

With reference to Figures 4 and 5 each membrane is sealingly mounted in a circular recess 621 of the support plate, and is held in the latter by means of an annular mounting flange 65 fixed to the support plate by means of screws 66, for example at the number of three. The membrane forms with the bottom of the recess a deformation chamber 67. To ensure proper positioning of the membrane in the recess and a good seal, the membrane is provided with a peripheral bead 511 which is housed in a corresponding annular groove 621a of the recess. In order to move the membrane slightly away from the bottom of the recess, said groove is defined by an annular rib 621b provided on the bottom of the recess, the membrane thus being stretched on this annular rib away from the bottom of the recess.

The deformation chamber 67 may be supplied with fluid under pressure by a feed channel 68 opening on the bottom of the recess. Each feed channel consists of a first vertical bore 681 formed from the center of the recess and opening into a second horizontal bore 682 formed from the outer edge 62c circular of the annular plate. This second bore is closed at the end by a suitable plug 69, and a third vertical bore 683 formed in the thickness of the cylindrical wall 61 from its upper edge 61a opens into the second bore, the fluid supply being carried out from this edge superior of the crown.

In order to facilitate the mounting of the crown on the tank, the ring is formed of several sectors of cylinder assembled to each other and each carrying an annular sector of the support plate. In the present embodiment, the machine comprises fifteen filling stations, the ring is formed of three sectors assembled to each other by the three mounting lugs, each ring sector carrying an annular sector on which five membranes are mounted. Advantageously, the upper edge of each ring sector is provided with an annular groove 611 in which open the vertical bores 683 of the supply channels of the chambers. The groove is closed sealingly by a cover 70 equipped with a seal. The communication of the groove with a pressurized fluid circuit, for example by means of a flexible conduit (not shown) stitched on the lid and connected by a valve system to a compressed air circuit, will allow under pressure simultaneously all the chambers of the same sector of crown. Alternatively, the supply of the chambers is from the bottom of the ring, each supply channel opens at the periphery of the recess and a groove formed on the underside of the support plate, near its outer edge 62c circular.

Each membrane is made of an elastomeric material, for example of silicone type EPDM nitrile EPT or EPDM. Its diameter and that of its recess 621 are greater than that of the diameter of the collector elements. When the chamber is pressurized, the membrane swells and deforms outwardly as illustrated in FIG. figure 5 .

The ring is mounted under the tank, parallel to its bottom wall, and centered along the axis of rotation of the tank, via its mounting tabs 63, with a system of displacement in rotation and in vertical translation interposed between its legs and tank. As visible at figure 1 , the diameter of the ring is less than that of the tank, and its mounting tabs extend beyond the outer wall 22 of the tank. Each leg of the crown is connected via a jack 81 vertical, called up / down, on a trolley 82, the latter being slidably mounted on a guide rail 83 in a circular arc fixed horizontally to the tank, the rotational movement of the ring relative to the tank, and around the axis of the latter, being made with less a cylinder 84, said rotation, acting on one of the carriages. Next in particular Figures 6A and 6B , the guide rail 83 is fixed, parallel and at a distance from the outer wall of the tank, between two brackets 831 assembled by one of their branches to the bottom wall of the tank constituting the aforementioned rotary support 21. The carriage generally consists of a rectangular plate bearing on one side four diabolo-shaped wheels 832 arranged in an upper pair and a lower pair, the plate being mounted by placing the rail between the two pairs of wheels. The raising / lowering cylinder 81 is fixed vertically by its cylinder on the other face of the plate, while its free end is assembled to the mounting lug. The cylinder of the rotation cylinder is pivotally assembled to the end of an arm fixed to the bottom wall of the tank, to deport the cylinder body outwards, and its free end is pivotally assembled. to the carriage, for example on the upper edge of the plate.

In a so-called high retracted position of the annular plate or the crown, which is illustrated in FIGS. Figures 6A, 6B and 9 , the filling nozzles surrounded by their collector element are arranged at the openings of the support plate, the lower edge 43 of the collector elements 4 slightly below the support plate. The membranes are thus embedded between the spouts, directly opposite the bottom wall of the tank. The up / down cylinders are in a retracted position, and each of the three carriages is in abutment against centering means comprising a straight stop 86 fixed to one of the brackets of its guide rail. The centering means further comprise three vertical studs 87 mounted by their collar on the bottom wall of the tank, and which are inserted into cylindrical housings 631 ( figure 2 and 7 ) provided on the upper face of the legs of the ring, in order to wedge in rotation the ring in its retracted high position. These pads also serve vertical stops during the rise of the crown to its retracted high position.

To bring the crown into a service position for closing the passage orifices 41 by means of the deformable membranes 51, the up / down jacks are firstly controlled to perform a vertical translational movement towards the bottom of the crown. from the retracted high position to a first low position, in which the membranes are arranged below the slats, and in particular the lower edges 43 of their collector element 4. The ring is then moved in rotation in the clockwise direction on a corresponding angle at half a step between two successive filling spouts, to bring the crown into a second low position in which the membranes are arranged under the spouts. The Figures 7A to 7B illustrate an intermediate position of the ring during its rotational movement between the first and second low positions. As illustrated in figure 10 , on which the crown is in the second low position, the low positions of the are defined so that the support plate can pass between the means 31 for supporting a container, in particular the clamps, and the lower edge 43 of the collector elements - 4. During the rotational movement, the lower edges of the collector elements pass flanges 65 mounting membranes without contact with them. The screws 66 for fixing the flanges are arranged so that the collector elements pass between the screw heads during rotation. In this second low position, each membrane is substantially centered along the longitudinal axis C ( figure 5 ) of a spout, the carriages being in abutment against left stops 88 of the rail, which constitute another part of the aforementioned centering means ( Figures 8A and 8B ). In a third step, the up / down jacks are then retracted to slightly raise the crown of this second low position towards a service position, illustrated in FIGS. figures 5 , 8A and 8B wherein the lower edges 43 are disposed below the upper surface of the fastening flange. This service position is defined for a theoretical position of the membranes in which they are arranged just below the lower edges of the collecting elements. However, depending on possible play of a few tenths of a millimeter between the nozzles, some membranes may possibly be in contact with the lower edges of collector elements. Three other pads 89 serving as a vertical cleaning stop are also mounted on the bottom wall of the tank to abut by their free end against the upper face of the legs when the ring is in position on duty. These pads 89 can also be inserted partially into the cylindrical housings 631 of the legs of the ring for the rotational centering of the ring in the service position.

In this service position, a fluid under pressure can be injected into the deformation chambers, in order to inflate the membranes so that they bear against the lower edges 43 of the collector elements 4, as illustrated in FIG. figure 5 , and they thus come to close the passage orifices in a sealed manner.

By way of example, the theoretical distance between the lower edges of the collector elements and the membranes in the non-inflated state in the service position of the ring is between 1 and 3 millimeters (mm), for example of the order 2 mm, the height differences between the nozzles being at most +/- 1 mm. The pressure in the chamber will be between 0.5 and 6 bar, and the vertical deformation of the membrane is between 3 and 7 mm in the absence of spout vis-à-vis. This vertical deformation is greater than the differences in height between the filling spouts, and is defined so that the membranes all bear against the collector elements of the nozzles, the back pressure in the chamber ensuring a sufficient bearing force to obtain a good seal.

Once the cleaning operation is complete, the membranes are deflated by bringing the deformation chambers to atmospheric pressure, by placing the supply channels in communication with the outside, and the ring is returned to its retracted high position by performing the sequence previously described in the opposite direction: downward movement by vertical translation of the operating position towards the second low position, rotation in the counterclockwise direction by half a step towards the first lower position, then upward displacement by vertical translation in the position high retracted.

During container filling operations, the crown is held in the retracted high position and rotates with the tank. For the cleaning of the machine, a cleaning agent is loaded into the filling liquid tank and the tank is preferably stopped in rotation. The crown is then brought into the operating position by actuating the cylinders and the deformation chambers are pressurized to inflate the membranes and thus seal all the collector elements. The flap valves are controlled in the open position to circulate the cleaning agent in the beaks and recover it through the exhaust pipes 42. As previously described, the discharge tubes are connected to the tank via a manifold for recycling the cleaning agent. The membranes will be kept under pressure for the duration of the washing operation with a cleaning agent.

Alternatively, the displacement of the crown to its service position is by vertical translation downwards and rotation of a half-step, without additional vertical translation upwards. The operating position corresponds to the second low position mentioned above, the membrane then being able to deform sufficiently when pressurizing the chamber to come and press against the elements. collectors and ensure a tight closure of the latter.

Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the membranes may have an annular shape, and be mounted in annular recesses able to be supplied with fluid under pressure. Thus, this form of membrane allows, according to the shape of the nozzles, to prevent the membrane in the inflated state comes into contact with the frustoconical portion of the nozzle, and in particular close the discharge port. Alternatively, the membrane may have a circular shape, but with a circular central portion of low elasticity, surrounded by an annular portion of greater elasticity, so that, during pressurization, the annular portion of the membrane centered along the circular edge of the collector element deforms more than the central part.

Claims (14)

1. A container filling machine (1) for filling containers (B) comprising

   - at least one filling station (3) comprising a filling spout (32) connected to filling liquid storage means (2), and

   - a cleaning device comprising, for each filling station (3),

   - a stationary collecting member (4) surrounding the discharge opening (321) of the filling spout and exhibiting a passage opening (41) arranged below the discharge opening of the filling spout,

   - a sealing member (5) displaceable between a retracted position wherein said sealing member is spaced apart from the filling spout (32), to allow for the filling of a container (B) placed under the filling spout, and a service position wherein said sealing member (5) is capable of tightly sealing the passage opening (41) of the collecting member (4) to carry out cleaning operations, and

   - displacement means (81-84) for displacing said sealing member (5) between its service position and its retracted position,

   characterized in that the sealing member (5) comprises an elastically deformable membrane (51) mounted on a holder (62) and forming therewith a tight deformation chamber (67) capable of receiving a pressurized fluid in order to deform the deformable membrane to ensure the sealing of the passage opening when said holder is brought to the service position by the displacement means (81-84).
2. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable membrane (51) is mounted on the upper surface (62a) of a holder plate (62), said holder plate being fitted with a supply channel (68) opening under the deformable membrane, and capable of being supplied with pressurized fluid.
3. The machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the deformable membrane (51) is mounted in a recess (621) of said holder plate, by means of a mounting flange (65), said membrane exhibiting a peripheral ridge (511) housed in a corresponding groove (621a) of the recess.
4. The machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the collecting member (4) exhibits a lower edge (43) defining the passage opening (41), said deformable membrane (51) being capable of pressing against said lower edge during the pressurizing of the deformation chamber (67).
5. The machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the collecting member (4) is formed of a substantially cylindrical skirt made in one block with the filling spout (32).
6. The machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the displacement means (81-84) are capable of displacing the holder (62) of the deformable membrane (51) from its retracted position to its service position through at least one downward vertical translation displacement, parallely to the longitudinal axis (C) of the filling spout (32), followed by a horizontal displacement, perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the filling spout, such that the deformable membrane is substantially centered according to the longitudinal axis of the spout.
7. The machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the horizontal displacement is followed by an upward vertical translation displacement substantially according to the longitudinal axis (C) of the filling spout (32) to bring the holder (62) of the deformable membrane (51) to the service position.
8. The machine according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of filling stations (3) and the deformable membranes (51) on their holder (62) in their retracted position are arranged between the filling spouts (32).
9. The machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the holders (62) of the deformable membranes (52) are simultaneously displaced between their retracted position and their service position by joint displacement means (81-84).
10. The machine according to claim 9, characterized in that it is of a rotary type, said filling stations (3) being arranged at regular angular spaces under a rotary holder (21), the deformable membranes (51) on their holders (62) are mounted at regular angular spaces on a ring (6) assembled under said rotary holder via vertical translation and rotation displacement means (81-84), said horizontal displacement consisting of a rotation around the rotational axis of the rotary support, at an angle corresponding to half a pitch between two successive filling spouts.
11. The machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the holders (62) of the deformable membranes are formed of an annular holder plate (62) assembled to the ring (6), said holder plate being fitted with openings (64) between the deformable membranes to allow for the passage of the filling spouts (32) equipped with their collecting member (4) in the retracted position of the holder plate.
12. The machine according to any one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the ring (6) internally bears said holder plate (62) and is fitted with at least two mounting legs (63) extending radially outwards, each leg being assembled by a vertical jack (81) on a carriage (82) that is slidingly mounted on a horizontal guiding rail (83) secured to the rotary holder (21), at least one jack (84) mounted between the rotary holder and a carriage ensuring the rotational displacement of the ring.
13. The machine according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it comprises centering means (86-88) for centering the ring (6) in the retracted position and in the service position.
14. The machine according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that each filling station (3) comprises holder means (31) for holding a container (B) comprising at least one holding member (311) capable of cooperating with the neck of a container (B), said deformable membrane (51) on holder (62) passing between said holding member and the collecting member (4).

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