EP0351594A2 - Machine de remplissage - Google Patents

Machine de remplissage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0351594A2
EP0351594A2 EP89111602A EP89111602A EP0351594A2 EP 0351594 A2 EP0351594 A2 EP 0351594A2 EP 89111602 A EP89111602 A EP 89111602A EP 89111602 A EP89111602 A EP 89111602A EP 0351594 A2 EP0351594 A2 EP 0351594A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
filler
disk
gate
sprocket
chain
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP89111602A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0351594A3 (fr
Inventor
James K. Jourdan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
FMC Corp
Original Assignee
FMC Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by FMC Corp filed Critical FMC Corp
Publication of EP0351594A2 publication Critical patent/EP0351594A2/fr
Publication of EP0351594A3 publication Critical patent/EP0351594A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B39/00—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers
    • B65B39/14—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers movable with a moving container or wrapper during filling or depositing
    • B65B39/145—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers movable with a moving container or wrapper during filling or depositing in an endless path
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B55/00—Preserving, protecting or purifying packages or package contents in association with packaging
    • B65B55/24—Cleaning of, or removing dust from, containers, wrappers, or packaging ; Preventing of fouling

Definitions

  • This invention relates to deposit-fill-seal machinery, generally, and more particularly, to such machinery that use containers which require a clean lip for accepting a lid or closure.
  • Fillers such as granular fillers, for example, deposit food stuffs into containers and are then covered by a closure or lid which is sealed to the container.
  • a common method for effecting the seal between the container and the closure is the application of heat under pressure for a specified length of time.
  • the seal will be ineffective and the resulting package defective, if the sealing area around the periphery of the container, i.e., the seal lip, is contaminated by food falling onto the sealing area.
  • the present invention addresses this problem in several ways by assuring that the seal area of the container remains clean and free from food stuffs.
  • the present invention also provides a means for convenient cleaning of the filler, which is necessary when changing product and to maintain a clean and sterile environment
  • a granular filler indicated generally at 10, having a drive sprocket 12 which is rotatably supported by a large diameter roller bearing 14 with its inner race 16 indirectly secured to and supported from a rigid base, a portion of which is shown at 18, and its outer race 20 secured to drive sprocket 12.
  • a ring mount 22 is secured to, and elevated above, the drive sprocket 12 by a plurality of posts 24 carried by the drive sprocket 12.
  • the posts 24 transmit the rotational motion of the drive sprocket 12 to the ring mount 22, so that the ring mount rotates therewith, and elevate the ring mount 22 above the sprocket to provide clearance for the next carried by the chain, to be explained hereinafter.
  • a plurality of threaded posts 26 are rigidly secured to and carried by the ring mount 22.
  • a threaded sleeve 28 engages each of the threaded posts 26 and has an outward extending flange (not shown) which is trapped between the fill top support 30 and a retainer 32 attached to the support 30.
  • the threaded sleeves 28 can rotate relative to the posts 26, and thereby move vertically thereon, and can rotate relative to the retainer 32 and the support 30, but cannot move vertically relative thereto and thereby moves the support 30 vertically as the sleeves are moved vertically.
  • Each of the sleeves 28 is keyed or otherwise secured to a sprocket 34.
  • a chain 36 is trained around the sprockets 34 and a drive sprocket 38, which is driven by a bi-directional air motor 40. Rotation of the motor will cause the threaded sleeves 28 to rotate on the fixed threaded posts 26 which will cause the support 30 to be raised or lowered, depending on the direction of rotation of the motor 40.
  • This arrangement for vertical adjustment of the fill top support 30 relative to the ring mount 22 is conventional and provides a means for varying the fill volume.
  • An annular fill top 42 is secured to the fill top support 30 and is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced upper measuring cups 44.
  • Corresponding lower measuring cups 46 are carried by and sit in complementary holes in, a support ring 45 secured to the upper side of the ring mount 22; the tops of the lower measuring cups 46 being flush with the upper surface of the support ring 45.
  • the lower cups 46 slidingly engage the upper cups 44.
  • the hopper 48 is supported from an accessory ring 50 which is, in turn, supported by rollers 52 riding on the rim 54 of the fill top 42.
  • a slotted torque arm 56 is attached to the ring 50, with a rigid pin 58 extending from the base 18 through the slot to keep the accessory ring 50, and hence the hopper 48, from rotating with the fill top while maintaining a relatively constant clearance between bottom of the hopper 48 and the fill top.
  • the ability of the accessory ring 50 to move a slight amount both vertically and laterally accommodates imperfection in the rotational plane and in the circular form of the fill top while keeping the distance between the hopper and the fill top relatively constant.
  • a gate 60 is provided for each of the cups with each gate pivotally mounted on the lower side of the support ring 45.
  • the gates 60 are pivoted between an outward or closed position in which the gate engages the underneath side of the lower cup 46 and blocks material from falling therefrom, and an inward or open position in which the lower cup 46 is aligned with an opening 62 formed in the gate in which material in the upper and lower cup are deposited, under the influence of gravity, into a container.
  • the mounting for each gate 60 is best shown in Figure 5.
  • a pin 64 is affixed to the lower side of the support ring 45 and extends downward.
  • the gate 60 has a reduced thickness extension 66 with a hole 60 therethrough which is capable of accepting the pin 64 and defines therewith a pivot axis for the gate 60.
  • a retainer 70 is secured to the outer edge of the support ring 45 and engages the extension 66 to hold the gate 60 on the pin 64.
  • the retainer 70 is provided with a lateral extension 71 which engages a reduced thickness portion 72 on the adjacent gate.
  • the reduced thickness portion 72 is formed as a circular arc centered on the hole 68.
  • a stop 74 is formed as an abrupt increase in thickness and serves to position the gate 60 in its outward position.
  • the inward position of the gate 60 is determined by the flat section 76 which engages a flat stop section 78 formed in the cut-out 80 provided in the ring mount 22 to accommodate the gate 60.
  • the retainer 70 is formed, as shown on the left of Figure 2, to be elastically deformed when engaging the portion 72 and the extension 66, which are both substantially the same thickness, to exert an upward spring force on the gate 60 to hold it in tight engagement with the lower surface of the support ring 45. Assembly and disassembly is facilitated by a notch 88 formed in the extension 66 having a width and length to accommodate the amount of the overlap with the retainer 70. To assemble the gate, it is positioned with the notch 88 registered with the retainer 70 and moved upward with the pin 64 engaging the hole 68 in the gate 60.
  • the gate is then rotated about the pin 64 counterclockwise, as seen in Figure 1, which will cause one retainer to engage the extension 66 and the extension 71 of the adjacent retainer will be cammed downward by the ramp 86 until the stop 74 is cleared and the extension will then engage the portion 72.
  • the gate 60 will thus be held tightly against the support ring 45.
  • the position of the gate is determined by a closing cam 90 and an opening cam 92.
  • the gate is provided with a follower rod 94 attached to and extending upward from an arm 96 formed on the gate 60.
  • the gates 60 are moved to their outward or closed positions by the closing cam 90 as the sprocket 12 is rotated.
  • the gates are, after the cups have been filled by passing under the hopper 48, then opened when positioned over a container by the follower rod 94 engaging the cam surface 98 of the opening arm 92; the arm 92 cams the gates inward to their open position so the cups can deposit their material in the containers positioned therebelow.
  • the arm 92 is pivotally mounted and can be swung to an inoperative position, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, by an air cylinder 100 in response to a sensor, not shown, indicating that a container is missing.
  • the appropriate gate moves past the arm 92 without contacting the cam surface 98 and the gate remains in its outward, closed position.
  • the closing cam 90 is shaped to accommodate an already closed gate, by simply allowing the rod 94 to move therethrough, i.e. the outer surface 102 of the cam 90 is a circular arc having a radius at least equal to the radius traced by the rod 94 on an open gate.
  • the containers may be formed of plastic material with a shape to conform with the cavity of a nest 104, as shown in Figure 8, and having a lip which rings the nest cavity and overlays the upper surface thereof.
  • the nest 104 is provided with a pair of holes which register with pins 106 and 108 and position the nest on an upper link 110 of a chain 112.
  • the upper link 110 generally conforms with the lower plan form of the nest 104 and provides support therefor.
  • An ejector disk 116 which functions to elevate or eject the container from the nest 104 after filling, lidding and sealing, is affixed to a rod 118 which extends through a hole 111, which also functions as a bearing, in the nest 104, through a hole 114 in upper link 110 and through a bearing 120 in a lower link 122.
  • the ejector disk 116 engages the bottom of the nest 104 to limit downward travel.
  • the lower end of the rod 118 extends below the lower link a distance sufficient to permit a container to be removed from the nest 104, when the rod is cammed or otherwise moved upward.
  • the pins 106 and 108 extend through the upper link 110, a conventional chain link 124 and the lower link 122 and pivotally connect the upper and lower links to the conventional chain links on each side thereof.
  • the pins 106 and 108 are of equal length and also extend below the lower link.
  • Rollers 126 and 128 are identical and are rotatably mounted by bearings 134 on the ends of the pins 106 and 108 respectively; the bearing on roller 126 being on the upper side thereof and the bearing on roller 128 being on the lower side so that the rollers 126 and 128 overlap but do not touch each other.
  • a pair of parallel guide tracks 130 and 132 are positioned on both the entrance and exit side of the filler 10; the inner track 132 being tangent to the pitch circle of the sprocket 12.
  • the tracks 130 and 132 are positioned a distance apart just slightly greater than the diameter of the rollers 126 and 128.
  • the rollers hold the chain relatively rigid but permit the link 124 to take a slightly angled position relative to the tracks.
  • the tracks terminate adjacent the sprocket and the small "slack" in the chain as the sprocket teeth engage the conventional links permits a smooth, i.e. without chordal action, entrance to and exit from the filler and well as other stations required in the process of making a complete package. High speed processing without spillage is, therefore, possible because the changes in direction are not as abrupt, i.e velocity changes occur over a greater time and acceleration forces are, therefore, lower.
  • the sprocket 12 is shown in Figures 6 and 7 and comprises a plurality of sectors 140 bolted to a main support hub 142 for ease and lower cost of manufacture. Each sector is provided with teeth 144 which are engageable with the conventional chain links 124.
  • the chain links 124 transmit the torque to the sprocket 12 through the teeth 144 to cause rotation of the filler 10.
  • the teeth 144 are separated by a cantilevered beam 146 which is bifurcated to accept the ejector rod 118 without interference.
  • the beam 146 has a thickness greater than that of the teeth 144 so that the beam will engage and provide support for the upper link 110 and the nest 104.
  • the advantage of the beam 146 is that it can provide the total support for the nest and its container and that support can be provided without the need for stationary support rails.
  • the only sliding contact encountered is between the upper link 110 and the beam 146 during entry to and exit from the sprocket 12, which is relatively slight.
  • Drip protection disks 150 and 152 are respectively provided on the entrance and exit sides of the filler 10. The purpose of these disks is to keep drips from falling on the seal lips of the containers. Since these two disks are similar, a detailed description of one will suffice for an understanding of both.
  • the disk 150 engages a groove 154 in a drive ring 152 attached to and rotating with the ring mount 22.
  • the groove 154 not only provides a force to cause rotation of the disk 150 but also provides vertical support for the disk 150.
  • a grooved roller 155 is rotatably mounted on a fixed arm 156 rigidly supported from the base 18 of the filler 10.
  • the disk 150 is held in place against the grooved roller 155 and the groove 154 of drive ring 152 by a grooved roller 158 rotatably mounted on one arm of a bell crank 160 pivoted from the base 18.
  • a tension spring 162 acting on the other arm of the bell crank 160 urges the roller 158 against the disk 150 and hence the disk against drive ring 152 and the roller 155.
  • the groove 154 and the rollers 155 and 158 lie in an essentially horizontal plane so that the disk 150 is supported and rotates in a horizontal plane above the nests 104 and below the gate 60. Any drips from above fall onto the disk 150 as the chain moves the nests 104 and their individual containers into the filler 10.
  • a wiper arm 164 is rotatably pinned to the center of the disk 150 and slidably engages the top thereof.
  • the outer end of the wiper arm 164 engages a pin 166 on the fixed arm 156 and prevents the wiper arm 164 from rotating with the disk 150.
  • the leading edge 168 of the wiper arm 164 i.e. the left edge as viewed in Figure 1 because the disk 150 rotates in a direction, as indicated by the arrow, opposite to the filler, directs any material, liquid or solid, toward the outer edge of the disk 150 because the leading edge is angled toward the central radius of the arm 164.
  • the outer end of the arm has a pickup opening 170 positioned adjacent the edge of disk 150 and connected to a vacuum line 172.
  • a pickup opening 170 positioned adjacent the edge of disk 150 and connected to a vacuum line 172.
  • the present invention provides a means for keeping the seal lip of the container free from contamination, which includes a protection disk with a wiper arm and vacuum pickup, a sprocket and chain which provides a stable support for the container, a chain and track arrangement which minimizes acceleration forces, and thus reduces spillage, and a gate retainer which keeps a tight seal between the measuring cup and the gate, while making removal and replacement easy and quick.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closing Of Containers (AREA)
  • Vacuum Packaging (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
EP89111602A 1988-07-21 1989-06-26 Machine de remplissage Withdrawn EP0351594A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US22245688A 1988-07-21 1988-07-21
US222456 1988-07-21

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0351594A2 true EP0351594A2 (fr) 1990-01-24
EP0351594A3 EP0351594A3 (fr) 1990-08-22

Family

ID=22832284

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89111602A Withdrawn EP0351594A3 (fr) 1988-07-21 1989-06-26 Machine de remplissage

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0351594A3 (fr)
JP (1) JPH0285101A (fr)
AU (1) AU619855B2 (fr)
BR (1) BR8903599A (fr)
DK (1) DK359489A (fr)
NZ (1) NZ229155A (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0863106A1 (fr) * 1997-03-04 1998-09-09 Toyo Seikan Kaisha Limited Machine à capsuler
WO2001042086A1 (fr) * 1999-12-09 2001-06-14 Ducros Procede et dispositif pour conditionner un solide dans un recipient, tel qu'un flacon
CN102358440A (zh) * 2011-06-23 2012-02-22 浙江省农业科学院 转盘斜刮式光电自动数粒仪
CN114104354A (zh) * 2021-12-08 2022-03-01 武汉轻工大学 一种防粉尘泄漏的装箱充填装置
CN118419364A (zh) * 2024-07-03 2024-08-02 吉林省天泰药业股份有限公司 一种除尘式片剂包装机

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE542486C (de) * 1932-01-25 Ganzhorn & Stirn Foerdervorrichtung fuer Abfuellmaschinen u. dgl.
US2358292A (en) * 1941-09-15 1944-09-12 Redington Co F B Conveyer
US2888962A (en) * 1957-01-23 1959-06-02 Arece L Anderson Can-filling machines
FR1220974A (fr) * 1958-01-15 1960-05-30 Fmc Corp Machine à remplir des boîtes en carton destinées notamment aux produits alimentaires
GB855290A (en) * 1958-03-21 1960-11-30 Mather & Platt Ltd Improvements relating to machines for filling containers with fluids
US3018594A (en) * 1959-11-12 1962-01-30 Ekco Alcoa Containers Inc Container filling and sealing machines
US3786614A (en) * 1972-02-15 1974-01-22 Koehring Co Container filling and capping apparatus

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0863106A1 (fr) * 1997-03-04 1998-09-09 Toyo Seikan Kaisha Limited Machine à capsuler
WO2001042086A1 (fr) * 1999-12-09 2001-06-14 Ducros Procede et dispositif pour conditionner un solide dans un recipient, tel qu'un flacon
FR2802176A1 (fr) * 1999-12-09 2001-06-15 Ducros Procede et dispositif pour conditionner un solide, notamment alimentaire, dans un recipient tel que flacon
US6782676B2 (en) 1999-12-09 2004-08-31 Ducros Method and device for packing a solid into a container such as a bottle
CN102358440A (zh) * 2011-06-23 2012-02-22 浙江省农业科学院 转盘斜刮式光电自动数粒仪
CN102358440B (zh) * 2011-06-23 2013-04-17 浙江省农业科学院 转盘斜刮式光电自动数粒仪
CN114104354A (zh) * 2021-12-08 2022-03-01 武汉轻工大学 一种防粉尘泄漏的装箱充填装置
CN118419364A (zh) * 2024-07-03 2024-08-02 吉林省天泰药业股份有限公司 一种除尘式片剂包装机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK359489A (da) 1990-01-22
JPH0285101A (ja) 1990-03-26
BR8903599A (pt) 1990-03-13
EP0351594A3 (fr) 1990-08-22
AU619855B2 (en) 1992-02-06
AU3638189A (en) 1990-01-25
DK359489D0 (da) 1989-07-20
NZ229155A (en) 1991-10-25

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