ES3004860T3 - Machine for the filling of a container with a cleaning agent - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

MACHINE FOR FILLING A CONTAINER WITH A CLEANING PRODUCT

Object of the invention

[0001] The object of this specification is a machine for filling a container with a cleaning product, and where said cleaning products can be used in the field of textile cleaning (concentrated detergent and/or fabric softener), cleaning dishes, floors or equivalent and even, finally, personal hygiene products, such as gels, soaps, etc.

[0002] Its main advantage lies in the creation of a product that is easy to install in points of sale such as supermarkets. Users can simply take their container or receptacle to select the type of product they wish to purchase, and then fill it quickly, easily, and cleanly thanks to the presence of a special nozzle that can hold the container independently.

Background of the invention

[0003] Currently, the sale of clothing care, household cleaning or dishwashing products is carried out through individually sold plastic-based dosed containers, which generates a large amount of waste in the form of non-returnable containers, which due to their indiscriminate use (and poor recycling) have become an environmental problem.

[0004] Another aspect associated with this way of selling this type of products is the carbon footprint they generate as a result of their palletized arrangement, which facilitates their transport, but which implies an expense in associated products and/or a greater need for elements for their transport (generally of a land type), which makes these products have a great ecological impact.

[0005] For all these reasons, various regulations have been implemented to eliminate their use or, at least, significantly reduce their commercial presence. There is, therefore, an urgent need for solutions aimed at centralizing the supply or sale of these products simply and quickly, in the form of supply machines (such as the one presented here) that resolve the known problem.

[0006] An example of this type of solution is the Spanish utility model ES 1261 444, which describes a machine for dispensing liquid products, characterized in that it comprises at least one reservoir containing a liquid medium, pumping means, means for dispensing to a user, volumetric counting means, means for measuring the filling of the liquid medium contained in the reservoir, selection means and control means; wherein the pumping means are provided for transferring the liquid medium from the at least one reservoir to the user dosing means; wherein the user dosing means are provided for discharging the liquid medium for its removal by the user; the volumetric counting means are designed for counting the volume of liquid medium transferred from the at least one reservoir; the selection means are designed for presenting to the user the liquid media available in the at least one reservoir and are designed for interaction with the user for the selection of the liquid medium and its dosed quantity; The control means are connected in data communication and are capable of controlling the pumping means, the volumetric counting means, the means for measuring the filling of the liquid medium and the selection means.

[0007] The main drawback of this solution is that it has a filling hole, where the user must place the container or packaging (which according to its description can be a bottle or a glass) adjusted in position to the nozzle through which the fluid to be dispensed will emanate.

[0008] This type of solution is commonly used in the hospitality sector or similar (restaurants, cinemas, etc.) and allows for the quick and easy filling of glasses with liquids, since, although the liquid flows out in a controlled manner, due to the force at its exit, a small amount of product is diffused, which will be deposited both in the hole where the filling takes place and in a grid located in the lower part of said hole.

[0009] Therefore, although in essence, this type of machine could be used to fill any type of liquid, it would not be suitable for viscous liquids, which emanate in a more controlled manner and in which filling must be carried out to the millimetre so as not to lose a single drop of the liquid in question, since such losses would make the machine almost useless after a few uses.

[0010] Furthermore, this type of solution involves active work on the part of the user, since he will have to correctly position the device according to the flow of liquid emanating from the container, holding the container to avoid the turbulence caused by the logical transit of the flow of liquid towards the container, thus avoiding it from falling from the container, with the fatal consequences that this would entail.

[0011] To this end, the present invention has a nozzle through which the liquid emanates, with a design that allows the correct adjustment of the container to be filled (bottles or plastic envelopes) that houses the nozzle, filling within the container itself and thus preventing any drop of liquid from spilling outside the container itself.

[0012] CN213211183U relates to a self-service vending machine for laundry detergent. The vending machine has a plurality of containers that are connected to a mixing chamber and an outlet tube for final dispensing.

Description of the invention

[0013] The technical problem solved by the present invention consists of obtaining a machine for filling cleaning products (soaps, detergents, gels, etc.) capable of filling the container from inside the container itself, holding it at the same time, and in this way being carried out in an autonomous and clean manner; since the user will only have to place the container tightly and the machine will be in charge of filling it correctly, until once finished the user will proceed to collect the finished product. For this purpose, the machine for filling a container with a cleaning product, object of the present utility model, comprises a chassis, divided into an upper and a lower zone, and where in the upper zone there is a filling zone, essentially prismatic and hollow, from which emanates a nozzle through which the liquid is issued and a laser measuring system or element that determines the correct positioning of the container in the nozzle; and where the lower zone serves as housing for at least one tank associated in turn with at least one flow meter, a valve and a peristaltic pump.

[0014] The upper and lower areas are accessible through a door with a security lock to prevent tampering. In addition, the upper area includes a frame for housing a touch screen.

[0015] The nozzle is formed by two symmetrical bodies joined by a series of protuberances that allow them to be opened and/or closed, as well as fixing plates with holes for anchoring them to the chassis; and where, in turn, both bodies have a recess that forms a channel through which the liquid emerges through a hole, divided into two halves, in the lower part of the nozzle. Likewise, the bodies have a hook-shaped protuberance, which allows the nozzle to precisely grip the container from the inside.

[0016] Thanks to its design, the machine presented here can fill all types of reusable containers, from bottles with threads and standard opening diameters (with different formats) to sachets or empty plastic bottles, which are inserted into the nozzle which also serves as a clamp and are filled with the chosen product, in a simple and fast way.

[0017] In this way, the turbulence produced by the liquid flowing from the nozzle to the container will not affect the stability of the container, avoiding possible accidents in the form of spills.

[0018] This will reduce the volume of packaging used in the operation and, therefore, reduce the carbon footprint associated with the sale of these products, since the logistics from the factory of these components to the store where they are installed is minimized.

[0019] The machine, object of the present invention, is designed to be able to serve as a vending device for liquid or viscous products, both in concentrated and final sales format. Its tanks will be specially designed for the sale of these products, which require specialized storage.

[0020] The fact that the nozzle is used as a means of holding the container is not trivial, since it allows the filling operation to be carried out in the same way as the filling operation:

— Effective; filling the container with the desired amount of product.

— Adjusted: since the user will pay for what was contracted, given that product losses during the filling operation are practically zero, thanks to the presence of a laser system that detects the positioning and fill level of the product.

— Simple: the user only has to correctly position the container and remove it once the operation is complete, subsequently closing it. Therefore, they don't have to interact with the machine more than necessary (beyond, of course, selecting the desired product), unlike other solutions known in the state of the art, which require expertise to position the container and to hold it if they don't have any equipment used for this purpose.

[0021] Another differentiating element is that the machine proposed here has logical control means that control the machine and compare the results obtained by the measurement sensors placed in the tank of the product used and the measurements of the peristaltic pump, to provide a filling according to the customer's requirements, with a high degree of precision.

[0022] Throughout the description and claims, the word "comprises" and its variations are not intended to exclude other technical features, additives, components, or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent in part from the description and in part from the practice of the invention. The following examples and drawings are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to restrict the present invention.

Brief description of the figures

[0023] A series of drawings are briefly described below to help better understand the invention. FIG 1.

It shows a perspective view of the machine for filling a container with a cleaning product, the object of this utility model.

FIG 2.

It shows a perspective view of the lower area (1b) of the machine for filling a container with a cleaning product.

FIG 3.

It shows a detailed view of the nozzle (4) of the machine for filling a container with a cleaning product. Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

[0024] The attached figures show a preferred embodiment of the invention. More specifically, the machine for filling a container with a cleaning product, object of the present specification, is characterized in that it comprises a chassis (1) that is divided into two zones, a first or upper zone (1a) and a second or lower zone (1b); both accessible by means of a door (1c) with a safety lock (1d) that prevents tampering.

[0025] The first or upper zone (1a) comprises a frame for housing a touch screen (2).

[0026] Next, in its upper part, there is a filling area (3) configured as an essentially prismatic and hollow area, which in its lower part has a grid (3b) and which in its upper part has an orifice through which a nozzle (4) emerges from which the liquid emerges, which is associated with a servomotor (5).

[0027] Finally, located downstream of the filling zone (3) along the vertical axis, there is a display screen (2) that allows viewing the evolution of the filling phase.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the filling zone (3) incorporates a laser measuring system or element that determines the correct positioning of the container in the nozzle (4).

[0029] The lower area (1 b) serves as a housing for at least one tank (6) of a liquid cleaning product, associated with at least one flow meter (7), a valve (8) and a peristaltic pump (9) responsible for making the liquid flow towards the nozzle (4).

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle (4) is composed of two symmetrical bodies (4a, 4b) joined by fitting a series of protuberances (4c) arranged respectively in each of the bodies (4a, 4b) that allow its opening and/or closing to effectively grip the container.

[0031] Both bodies (4a, 4b) will have fixing plates (4d) with holes to anchor them to the chassis (1) so that they are firmly fixed to the chassis.

[0032] Internally, each of these bodies (4a, 4b) will have a recess (4e) to form a channel through which the liquid will flow through an orifice (4f) in the lower part of the nozzle (4), this orifice being subdivided into two halves, each one located respectively in each of the bodies (4a, 4b) that make up the nozzle (4).

[0033] Finally, in its lower part, each of these bodies (4a, 4b) will have a hook-shaped protuberance (4g), which allows the nozzle (4) to grip precisely to the inside of the container by means of the pressure exerted by these protuberances against the inner wall of the container, preventing it from falling.

Claims (4)

1. Machine for filling a container with a cleaning product, comprising a chassis (1), divided into an upper zone (1a) and a lower zone (1b), where the upper zone (1a) contains a filling zone (3), essentially prismatic and hollow, from which emerges a nozzle (4) through which emanates the liquid and a laser measuring system or element configured to determine the position of the container in the nozzle (4); and where the lower zone (1b) is configured to house at least one tank (6) connected to at least one flow meter (7), a valve (8) and a peristaltic pump (9); characterized in that, the nozzle (4) is composed of two symmetrical bodies (4a, 4b) joined by a series of protuberances (4c) arranged respectively on each of the bodies (4a, 4b) that allow them to be opened and/or closed to effectively grip the container; and in which each of the bodies (4a, 4b) has a hook-shaped protuberance (4g), which allows the nozzle (4) to grip precisely to the inside of the container by means of the pressure exerted by the protuberances against the inner wall of the container, preventing it from falling. 2. Machine for filling a container with a cleaning product according to claim 1, wherein the bodies (4a, 4b) of the nozzle (4) have fixing plates (4d) with holes for anchoring them to the chassis (1); and wherein, in turn, both bodies (4a, 4b) have a recess (4e) that forms a channel through which the liquid flows to exit through an orifice (4f), divided into two halves, in the lower part of the nozzle (4). 3. Machine for filling a container with a cleaning product according to claims 1 to 2, wherein the upper zone (1a) and the lower zone (1b) are accessible through a door (1c) with a safety lock (1d). 4. Machine for filling a container with a cleaning product according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper area (1a) comprises a frame for housing a touch screen (2).