ES2241980T3 - ROTATING FILLING MACHINE. - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has filling devices (14), each with an internal conduit including an end (16) for an entry of a product and an end (17) for an exit of the product. The ends are capable of being connected to a feeding unit for feeding the product inside the device. A dispenser is connected in an off-take fashion to the internal conduit to tap the liquid product from the conduit and dispense it into a container.

Description

Rotary filling machine.

The present invention relates to a machine rotary filler that has the characteristics expressed in the preamble of claim 1.

The present invention is intended to be especially used in the sectors where the product enter inside the corresponding containers has characteristics such as to be subjected to separation of substances that compose it, with the heaviest deposited in the background.

In particular, products of this type substantially they are all those solid products at temperature ambient, and that are packed at a temperature higher than environment, enough that such products are in liquid state.

Products of this type are, for example, Deodorant stick, degreasing cream for cleaning the hands and stick adhesive.

While reference will be made below Explicitly mainly to this type of product, this invention, however, can also be applied to fill containers with any other liquid product, whether or not it has the problem of the separation of the substances that compose it (by example, fruit juices).

In particular, the present invention can be apply advantageously to rotary filling machines by weight, that is machines in which the quantity of product introduced into each container is determined based on the weight of the product.

Current technology provides for the use of machines linear or rotary fillers.

The rotating machines are constituted by a fixed support structure on which it is linked so rotating a rotating structure, which supports a first Carousel and a second superimposed carousel.

The first carousel in its peripheral part supports a plurality of housing plates of the containers a fill in while the second carousel supports a plurality of filling devices, each of which is located above one of the plates to fill the respective container.

Filling devices are fed from an upper tank, integral with the rotating structure, which inside it contains the product that must be kept in liquid state by means of appropriate elements of heating.

Rotary machines allow refilling Continuous containers, but have the disadvantage of not to always keep the product with a homogeneous composition, because the same product tends to deposit inside the tank, so  as in the ducts that connect the tank to the devices of filled in.

Linear machines, on the other hand, have one or several filling devices located in correspondence of an operational station identified along a route container advance rectilinear.

Thanks to the static nature of the station operational, the product is fed to the devices of always filled correctly mixed, directly from the machines that prepare it.

This type of machines, whatever it is, it also has a considerable disadvantage, since its Productivity is very limited.

The refill operation cannot take conducted continuously, but requires three successive stages: one stage container loading under the devices of refilling, a stage of filling the containers with the product, and a stage of removal of full containers.

In this situation the technical task that constitutes the foundation of the present invention is that of provide a rotary filling machine that does not present the drawbacks mentioned above.

In particular, a technical task of this invention is to obtain a filling machine that allows carry out continuous filling of the containers.

Another technical task of the present invention is to provide a rotary filling machine that ensures the possibility of keeping the product always with a composition homogeneous

The specified technical task and objectives mentioned substantially are achieved by a machine rotary filler, as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Other features and advantages of this invention will become even more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment but not exclusive to a rotary filling machine, illustrated with the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view from above an apparatus for filling containers, which includes the filling machine of the present invention;

- Figure 2 shows a front view sectioned and in elevation of a filling machine according to the present invention, with some parts omitted to better highlight others;

- figure 3 shows the machine of figure 2 in raised position;

- Figure 4 shows the detail of the collector of the machine of figure 3;

- figure 5 shows the collector of figure 4 according to the V-V line, with some parts omitted to better exhibit others;

- figure 6 shows the collector of figure 4 according to line VI-VI, with some parts omitted and other aggregates;

- Figure 7 shows the detail in section cross section of the filling device of the machine in the figure 2; Y

- Figure 8 shows a top view of the device of figure 7 according to line VII-VII with some parts omitted to better highlight others.

With reference to the figures mentioned with previously, numerical reference 1 indicates as a whole a rotary filling machine, according to the present invention in a complex realization of it.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a complex apparatus (2) (known except as regards the filling machine (1) of the present invention), in which a linear feeding device (3) transports the containers to fill up to a first transfer star (4) than your once it feeds them to a filling machine (1) that fills them with the product.

Then, a second transfer star (5) he extracts them from the filling machine (1) and delivers them to a encapsulating machine that closes them.

In a known way, depending on the refilling and subsequent encapsulation have been carried out correctly or incorrectly, a third transfer star (7) deposits the containers, respectively, on an output device (8a) or on a discard device (8b).

The rotary filling machine (1) is constituted by a fixed support structure (9) that can be associated with the base of the apparatus (2) described above, and by therefore fixed with respect to the floor (figure 2).

A rotating structure (10) is associated with rotating way to the fixed structure (9) along a vertical axis, the which supports a first carousel (11) that on its periphery is provided with a plurality of housing plates (12) for a container to fill, arranged along a circle arranged centered on the same axis of rotation, and a second carousel (13) provided on its periphery with a plurality of filling devices (14), each located above one of the plates (12) to fill the container located thereon plate (12) with a liquid product.

According to known modalities, the machine also it is provided with elements (for example, tweezers) to retain the containers to be filled located on the plates (12) (no shown).

Each filling element (14) has a conduit internal (15) that has an end (16) for the entry of the product and one end (17) for the output of the product (figure 7). Both of them ends (16 and 17) may be connected to means for product feed (not shown) to allow a continuous circulation of the product inside the device filled in (14).

In addition, a dispenser (18) is in configuration internal duct discharge (15) to bleed some product duct fluid (15) and supply it inside the container.

Between the filling devices (14) and the feeding means, the filling machine (1) is also provided with at least one manifold (19) that has a portion of joint (20) integral with the fixed structure (9), and a portion of distribution (21) rotatably linked to the portion of union (20) and solidarity with the rotating structure (10) (figure 4).

In the joint portion (20) of the manifold (19), have obtained at least a first inlet duct (22) and a first outlet duct (23) able to be connected to the feeding means of a first product in a liquid state (figure 5).

On the other hand, in the distribution portion (21) there are a plurality of first outlets (24) and a plurality of first inlets (25) (figures 4 and 6).

The first outlets (24) are in fluid communication with the first inlet duct (22), while the first inlets (25) are in fluid communication with the first outlet duct (23).

First pairs of hydraulic connections (26), each consisting of a first tube delivery (27) connected from one of the first outlets (24) to the inlet end (16) of a filling device  (14), and by a first return tube (28) connected from the outlet end (17) of the same filling device (14) to one of the first inlets (25).

Said hydraulic connections (16) allow the continuous flow of the first product between the feeding means and the filling device (14) through the manifold (19).

In the illustrated embodiment, the joint portion (20) of the manifold (19) comprises an enlarged upper head (29) in which are the first ducts (22 and 23), and a body substantially cylindrical (30) located under the upper head (29) with its axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the structure rotary (10). The rotating portion, on the other hand, is constituted by a tubular body (31) counterconfigured with respect to the body cylindrical (30) and mounted hydraulically tightly and externally to it (figure 4).

Between the cylindrical body (30) and the body tubular (31) have also obtained at least one first and one second annular chamber (32 and 33), coaxial to the cylindrical body (30), and separated from each other vertically. A first and a second channel (34 and 35) connected, respectively, the first conduit of inlet (22) to the first chamber (32) and the first conduit of output (23) to the second chamber (33).

The first outlets (24) have been obtained in radial arrangement in the tubular body (31) in correspondence of the first chamber (32), and, similarly, the first mouths input (25) have been obtained in radial arrangement in the body tubular (31) in correspondence of the second chamber (33).

So far a basic embodiment has been described in which the machine fills the containers with a single product.

In the case of a machine equipped with sixteen plates (12) and sixteen filling devices (14), as in the attached figures, therefore, there should be sixteen first inlets (25) and the same number of outlets (24).

The attached figures, on the other hand, show a more complete and versatile version of the filling machine (1) of the present invention.

In this version, the collector (19) is substantially divided in two, and also comprises at least one second inlet duct (36) and a second outlet duct (37) in solidarity with the connecting portion (20) (Figure 5), also in conditions of being connected to the feeding means, and a plurality of second outlets (38) and second mouths of entrance (39), similar to the first entry mouths (25).

The second outlets (38) are in the rotational distribution portion (21) and are in communication of fluid with the second inlet duct (36), while the second inlets (39) are in the rotating portion (21) and are in fluid communication with the second outlet duct (37).

In particular, in the embodiment shown, enter the cylindrical body (30) and the tubular body (31) have also been obtained at least a third and fourth chamber (40 and 41), coaxial to the cylindrical body (30) and vertically separated from each other like this as well as the first and second chamber (32 and 33).

The second outlets (38) and the second inlets (39) have been obtained in radial arrangement in the tubular body (31) in correspondence of the third and fourth chamber (40 and 41) respectively.

In addition, a third and a fourth channel (42 and 43) respectively connect the second inlet conduit (36) to the third chamber (40) and the second outlet duct (37) to the fourth chamber (41).

Also in this case they have been provided second pairs of hydraulic connections (44), each consisting of a second delivery tube (45) connected from one of the second outlets (38) to the inlet end (16) of a device  filled (14) and by a second return tube (46) connected from the outlet end (17) of the same filling device (14) to one of the second inlets (39).

Said second connections (44) allow the flow continuous of a second product between the feeding means and the filling device (14) through the manifold (19), always keeping it separate from the first product.

In this case, part of the devices of filled (14) is connected to the first mouths (24, 25) and part to the second mouths (38, 39).

In the preferred embodiment, the devices of filled in (14) are present in an even number and are evenly distributed along its own circumference of disposition Advantageously, they are also connected alternatively to each plurality of inlets (25, 39) and mouths of exit (24, 38). In this way, half of the filling devices (14) can distribute the first product and the other half the second product.

According to modalities totally similar to described so far, machines can also be provided fillers with the ability to distribute a plurality of different products. In this case the connector (19) will have, for each product, an additional pair of inlet ducts and output, as well as pluralities of mouths of entry and of output connected from appropriate hydraulic connections to filling devices (14).

Advantageously, the quantity of plates (12) (and of filling devices (14)) will be an integer multiple of the quantity of products to distribute, while the plates (12) corresponding to each product will be uniformly distributed along its circumference of arrangement, and separated reciprocally for a quantity of plates (12) corresponding to the quantity of other products to distribute.

With respect to the structural conformation of the filling devices (14), each dispenser (18) comprises a injector (47) oriented towards the respective plate (12), and a shutter (48), able to move between a first position raised (not shown) to open the injector (47) and a second low position to close the injector (47) (figure 2). He operation of the shutter (48), which in the attached figures is located inside the internal duct (15), it is secured through a pneumatic actuator (49) placed outside the conduit (15) and connected to the same shutter (48) by means of a rigid rod of connection (50), provided with centering appendages (50a).

The entrance area of the rigid rod (50) inside the duct (15) it is constructed with a flexible membrane (51) which has its edge rigidly connected to a wall of the duct and its central portion rigidly connected to the rod (50) to ensure hydraulic tightness, preventing friction between the various parts

In the illustrated embodiment, the machine filler (1) is of the weight type and comprises a load cell (52) associated with each plate (12) to measure the weight of the product Poured into the container. The weight reading is then transmitted to a remote electronic control unit (no shown) operatively connected to the filling devices (14) (in particular to corresponding actuators (48) and used to control product distribution based on values  Preset

The electronic control unit is also programmed to adapt the distribution of the product through each filling device (14) according to the previous operation of distribution made by the same filling device (14), in order to have an ideal filling, constant throughout of time, of individual containers.

The electronic control unit can also be predisposed by operators through appropriate panels of command (53).

Advantageously, the individual plates (12) from the filling machine can be easily removed unscrewing a corresponding screw (not shown).

Therefore, it is sufficient to provide the filling machine (1) a series of interchangeable plates (12) of different sizes, to allow the machine to adapt to different formats of the containers to fill, simply replacing the plates (12).

Anyway, to achieve a better adaptation from the filling machine (1) to containers of different formats, the rotating structure (10) is subdivided into a lower part (54) that supports the first carousel (11) and an upper part (55) which supports the second carousel (13), which is connected so sliding to the bottom (54) according to a direction of vertical slip Location means (56) allow determine the position of the upper part (55) with respect to the bottom (54).

In the embodiment shown, the means of location (56) consists of a nut (57), which the an operator can turn by means of a wrench, which through an angular transmission (58) drives a first bar threaded (59) connected by means of transmission belts (60) to three support elements (61) consisting of threaded bars (62) screwed into cylinders (63) (the attached figures show only a).

Also, the machine represented in the figures Annexes are intended to be used with products that need to be maintained in a liquid state by continuous heating, and for this purpose it is provided with heating means (64) connected to the control unit.

In particular, filling devices (14) and the collector (19) are provided with electric resistors (no shown), of which accommodation seats are shown (65), while the hydraulic connections (26, 44) are consisting of heated commercial type tubes electrically

In addition, probes have been provided (no shown), also housed in some of the seats in housing (65) and connected to the control unit.

You can also enter the shutter (48) A resistor and a probe.

All electrical and electronic connections between the fixed structure (9) and the rotating structure (10) are obtained through known rotary connections within a fixed connection box (66) located under the rotating structure (10)

Regarding the operating modalities of the machine in question, they can be adapted based on user needs

In particular, the machine can be used, for example, to fill alternately in successive times containers with different products, or to fill simultaneously containers with different products, or for fill containers with a single product adapting the productivity to the needs.

In the simplest mode of operation, the machine works using only half of the plates (12) and of the filling devices (14) for filling containers With a first product.

Once this type of production is finished, the machine can be converted immediately to refill products with a second product without emptying or cleaning it.

Indeed, it is enough to use the second half of the plates (12) and the filling devices (14).

At the user's discretion, the two products (or more than two in the case of a more complex machine) can be distribute even simultaneously filling in half of the containers with one and the other half with another. Particularly this it can be useful in the case of identical containers that can be filled with products that have, for example, a color different.

Anyway, the filling devices (14) can also be used to fill simultaneously containers with the same product so as to increase the machine production.

In all cases of operation, the product It is fed to the inlet duct, always correctly mixed, directly by the devices that have prepared it.

Through the first outlets (24), arrives at the filling devices (14), where a part of the same is bleeding when necessary, to return to the mouths of exit, and from there to the exit duct and then to the means of feeding.

With reference to figure 1, the distribution of product within individual containers takes place at along the route of the containers from the point of its extraction from the first transfer star to the point in the  which are released to the second transfer star. One time that the containers have been loaded on the first carousel (11), the shutter (48) opens and the product, which circulates under Pressure comes out. Thanks to the configuration of the output injector (47) the product is prevented from splashing through very outgoing fast.

When, through the load cell (52), the control unit detects that the adequate amount of product inside the container, it activates the actuator pneumatic (49) to close the shutter (48).

Due to the closing delay with respect to moment when the load cell (52) measures a certain weight, the command to close the shutter (48) is imparted when the weight is close, by default, to the required one, so that the product distributed during the delay period correctly complete the refilling operation

Since the quantity of product distributed during the delay period it may vary over time, by example due to small differences in the composition of the product or temperature variations, at the end of each refill the control unit verifies the cash distributed product and, if necessary, change the closing time for the cycles later.

The present invention achieves important advantages.

First, the filling machine of the This invention allows containers to be filled in a manner keep going.

Secondly, said machine guarantees the ability to keep the product always with a composition homogeneous, thanks to its continuous circulation within the ducts, without areas of stagnation. Also, this is still true also in the case of a product that needs to be heated permanently to keep it in a liquid state.

Also, the machine of the present invention is You can use to distribute any quantity of products, simultaneously or consecutively.

When the machine is used for a single product, the arrangement with two or several separate hydraulic systems allows to keep the diameter of the collector in a reduced magnitude and, consequently, the respective moment of inertia.

It should be noted that the present invention is relatively easy to manufacture and that the cost related to your Execution is not very high.

The invention conceived in this way can be subject to numerous variants and modifications, without it depart from the scope of the inventive concept that the characterizes

All components can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements and in practice all materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions of several components, can be any depending on the requirements.

Claims (17)

1. Rotary filling machine that understands: - a fixed support structure (9); - a rotating structure (10) associated in a manner rotating to said fixed structure (9) along a rotation axis vertical; - a first carousel (11) mounted on said rotating structure (10), which supports on its periphery a plurality of plates (12) to accommodate a container to be filled, located along a circumference of arrangement centered on said axis of rotation; - a second carousel (13) associated with said rotary structure (10) and that on its periphery supports a plurality of filling devices (14), each located above one of said plates (12) to fill a container located on top of the same plate (12) with a product in condition liquid; characterized by the fact that each of said filling devices (14) has an internal duct (15) having an end (16) for the entry of the product and an end (17) for the exit of the product, both in conditions of be connected to product feeding means to allow continuous circulation of the product within the filling device (14), and a dispenser (18) connected in discharge configuration to said internal conduit (15) to bleed liquid product from said conduit and distribute it in that container. 2. Filling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises at least one manifold (19) having: - a joint portion (20) that is integral with said fixed structure (9), and a distribution portion (21) rotatably linked to said joint and joint portion with said rotary structure (10); - at least one first inlet duct (22) and a first outlet duct (23) integral with said portion of union (20), and able to be connected to said means for feed a first product in a liquid state; - a plurality of first outlets (24) mounted on said rotating portion and in fluid communication with said first inlet duct (22); Y - a plurality of first inlets (25) mounted on said rotating portion and in fluid communication with said first outlet duct (23); and a plurality of first connections hydraulic (26) connected from one of said first mouths of exit (24) and from one of said first inlets (25) respectively to the input end (16) and the output end (17) of a filling device (14), to allow flow continuous of the first product between the feeding means and the filling device (14) through said manifold (19). 3. Filling machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: - said connecting portion (20) comprises a body substantially cylindrical located with its axis coinciding with said axis of rotation; - said rotating portion comprising a body tubular (31) counterconfigured with respect to said body cylindrical (30) and mounted externally thereto; - between said cylindrical body (30) and said tubular body (31) have obtained at least a first and a second chamber (32 and 33), coaxial to the cylindrical body (30) and vertically separated from each other; - a first and a second channel (34 and 35), which respectively they connect said first inlet duct (22) to said first chamber (32) and said first outlet duct (23) a said second chamber (33); - said first outlets (24) being obtained in radial arrangement in said tubular body (31) in correspondence of said first chamber (32), and - said first inlets (25) being obtained in radial arrangement in said tubular body (31) in correspondence of said second chamber (33). 4. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said manifold (19) further comprises: - at least a second inlet duct (36) and a second outlet duct (37) integral with said portion of union (20), and in a position to be connected to said means of power to feed a second product in state liquid; - a plurality of second outlets (38) mounted on said rotating portion and in fluid communication with said second inlet duct (36); Y - a plurality of second inlets (39) mounted on said rotating portion and in fluid communication with said second outlet duct (37); and a plurality of second couples of hydraulic connections (44) connected from one of said second outlets (38) and from one of said second mouths of input (39) respectively to the input end (16) and to the end output (17) of a filling device (14), to allow the continuous flow of the second product between the means of feeding and filling device, through said manifold (19), part of said filling devices (14) being connected to said first mouths and part being connected to said second mouths. 5. Filling machine according to claim 3 and 4, characterized in that: - between said cylindrical body (30) and said tubular body (31) also have obtained at least a third and a fourth chamber (40 and 41) coaxial to the cylindrical body (30) and separated from each other vertically and with respect to the first and the second chamber (33); - a third and a fourth channel (42 and 43) that respectively connect said second inlet duct (36) to said third chamber (40) and said second outlet duct (37) a said fourth chamber (41); - said second outlets (38) being obtained in radial arrangement in said tubular body (31) in correspondence of said third chamber (40); Y - said second inlets (39) being obtained in radial arrangement in said tubular body (31) in correspondence of said fourth chamber (41). 6. Filling machine according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said manifold (19) comprises a series of said pairs of inlet and outlet ducts, and a respective series of said plurality of inlet and outlet nozzles, each pair of inlet and outlet ducts being operatively connected to the feeding means, a plurality of inlet and outlet nozzles, and a part of the filling devices (14) for feeding them with a respective liquid product. 7. Filling machine according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the filling devices (14) are uniformly distributed along their circumference of arrangement, and the fact that the filling devices (14 ) connected to each plurality of inlet and outlet mouths, in turn, are uniformly distributed along their circumference of arrangement. 8. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each dispenser (18) comprises an injector (47) oriented towards the respective plate (12), and a shutter (48) able to move between a first raised position to open said injector (47) and a second low position to seal said injector (47). 9. Filling machine according to claim 8, characterized in that each dispenser (18) further comprises a pneumatic actuator (49) connected to said shutter (48) to determine its position. 10. Filling machine according to claim 9, characterized in that said shutter (48) is located within said duct and by the fact that each dispenser (18) also comprises a rigid connecting rod (50) mounted between the actuator and the plug (48), and a flexible membrane (51) having its edge rigidly connected to a wall of said conduit and its own central portion rigidly connected to said rod (50). 11. Filling machines according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that they further comprise a load cell (52) associated with each plate (12) for measuring the weight of the product poured into the container, and an electronic control unit operatively connected to said load cell (52) and to the filling device (14) located above the respective plate (12) to control the distribution of the product as a function of the weight measured by the load cell (52). 12. Filling machine according to claim 11, characterized in that said electronic unit is programmed to adapt the distribution of the product by each filling device (14) based on the previous distribution operation executed by the same filling device (14 ). 13. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises a series of pluralities of interchangeable plates (12) of different dimensions, and by the fact that said plates (12) are removably connected to the first carousel (11) to allow changing the format of the containers to be filled by replacing the plates (12). 14. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said rotating structure (10) has a lower part (54) that supports the first carousel (11) and an upper part (55) that supports the second carousel (13) and slidingly connected to the lower part (54) according to a vertical sliding direction, and by the fact that it also comprises means of location (56) to determine the position of the upper part (55) with respect to the bottom (54). 15. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each filling device (14) is provided with heating means (64) to keep the product warm. 16. Filling machine according to claim 2 and any of the other claims, characterized in that said manifold (19) and said hydraulic connections are provided with heating means (64) to keep the product warm along its entire length inside the machine 17. Filling machine according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that said heating means (64) are constituted by electric resistors.