JP5363630B2 - Container filling device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a filling device including a chainless driving device and a support element guided on a roller, to accurately position a container in an operation part. <P>SOLUTION: The support element 16 is half-divided substantially along one line of a receiving part 17, in a method of supplying the container into the filling device for filling, into the container, in particular a bottle 37 and a cup, foods and favorite foods, in particular, dairy products and fat products of states ranging over a dilute fluid state up to a paste state, juices, water or substances similar thereto, a partial notch correspondingly arranged by forming a pair each other with adjacent support element half-parts 20 forming commonly one container receiving part 17, the support element half-parts 20 being supported in an inside of the filling device, to execute releasing movement for expanding the container receiving part 17, and a container supply device 50 is provided in the filling device. The container supply device 50 is constituted to supply the container from below the support element 16, in the filling device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention is a filling device for filling containers, in particular bottles and cups, with food and luxury goods, in particular dairy and fat products from dilute fluid to pasty, juice, water or the like. , An upper traveling section, a lower traveling section, and a side traveling section connecting the upper traveling section and the lower traveling section are provided, and along the upper traveling section, the side traveling section, and the lower traveling section A plurality of support elements which are guided to circulate in the filling device on the rollers while passing by the working unit, the support elements being arranged in a row transverse to the feed direction. A filling device having a receptacle for a container, arranged in a row.

  Such a type of device is known, for example, from US Pat. This is an automatic filling device that fills food, such as dairy products, into cups or bottles. Here, a support element, also called a cell plate, travels so as to circulate in the apparatus while being guided along the chain. Usually, the working section for sterilizing, drying, filling and closing the containers is arranged along the so-called upper running section (Obertrum). The support element then enters the lower travel section located below the upper travel section via the first side travel section and is supplied again to the upper travel section via the second side travel section. Is done.

  In the overwhelming majority of devices on the market, the number of containers filled depends on the processing time of the slowest operating section of the chain. Since chain pulling takes place in a time-controlled manner, in some simple modifications, containers that are held in common on one support element are always processed. However, there are also so-called double-step devices (Doppelschrittvorrichtungen) in which the container of the two support elements is subjected to one treatment at the same time in the operating department.

  Although the chain drive technology has been thoroughly tested and used reliably for a long time, its drawbacks are not trivial. The first basic problem is that the chain stretches during operation. As a result, the spacing between the support elements, as measured in the feed direction, increases and thus the spacing between the containers held by the support elements also increases with time. This presents a problem as long as sterilant metering, dry air blowing, container filling, and closure in individual operating departments are dependent on relatively precise positioning of the container. As a result, centering devices are required in chain operated devices.

  The support element is pulled in the filling device on the slide rail. For this reason, if a certain size of the support element is exceeded, a substantially central support in the feed direction is required. The mass moment of inertia to be overcome, which is associated with the current general speed of movement of the support elements through the filling device, requires a thick and thus heavy chain. Correspondingly, the drive-side gear and motor are also dimensioned. Such a filling device results in a remarkably large and heavy structural part.

  For a long time, it has been theoretically considered by those skilled in the art how a chainless drive for such a type of filling device can be constructed. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 2 has become known relatively recently. The pin gear teeth shown here engage directly in the support elements and drive them through the filling device. The side traveling section is configured as a rail system that connects the upper traveling section and the lower traveling section in an arch shape. The support element is provided with a spacer for movement through the lateral travel section.

  In a further drive device concept known from US Pat. No. 6,057,049, the support element is pushed through such a filling device with the cell plate in contact with the cell plate. In particular, a worm conveyor is proposed here.

  The main advantage of pushing the cell plate through the filling device is that it can eliminate the stretch caused by problematic chains. Basically, however, a large frictional force must be overcome, and the further problem remains that usually further support for the cell plate, central in the feed direction, is required. Furthermore, even when the cell plate is pushed through the filling device, it is not guaranteed that the spacing between the support elements or containers as seen in the feed direction is constant. Basically, contaminating particles, for example product residues, collected between the support elements can accumulate and lead to significant cumulative errors.

  Even if Patent Document 3 proposes to push the cell plate on the roller so as to pass through the filling device in order to minimize friction, in addition to the accumulated error described above, the machine proposed in the above specification is used. There also remains the problem that holding the inner cell plate is not suitable for filling the bottle. The bottle is usually moved through the filling device while being held at the bottle neck. For this purpose, the support element is divided into two halves along a row of container receptacles. In order to insert the bottle, the support element halves are lifted and these halves are moved parallel to the feed direction and away from each other. The bottle is usually inserted into the opening thus enlarged from above. Following this, the support element half is returned to its starting position and surrounds the bottle neck.

  Apart from the fact that dividing the support element into support element halves once again sharpens the cumulative error problem and thus the problem of the correct orientation of the support element below the working unit, Said opening does not allow the insertion of a bottle.

EP 1334182 German utility model registration No. 210791 (U1) specification European Patent Application No. 1495997 (A1) Specification

  The object of the present invention is to improve the filling device comprising a chainless drive and a support element guided on a roller so that the container can be accurately positioned in the operating section.

  The subject of the invention is a filling device having the features of claim 1, in particular, at least two support elements are arranged on one common frame and circulate in the filling device on a roller by such a frame. It is solved by a filling device, characterized in that it is guided as follows.

  The main advantage of the present invention can be found in that at least two, preferably four, support elements are arranged on one common frame and are thus fixedly positioned relative to one another. In this way, the cumulative error that can be caused by contaminants accumulating between the support elements is reduced by at least one-half, and in the preferred embodiment, by a factor of four.

  In a particularly preferred embodiment, the rollers are arranged in a common frame of the support element, and the frame is guided by the rollers in the filling device along the travel path.

  The main advantage in this case can be found in the maintenance of the rollers. When the roller fails, the support element unit can be easily removed from the filling device and a unit with an intact roller can be used instead. This can be followed by roller replacement, in which case production does not have to be stopped.

  Furthermore, the frames are adapted to be coupled to one another by a coupling element, at least during movement of the support element along the working section.

  High acceleration when feeding, i.e. when the support elements on the frame are moved in the feeding direction, can lead to a situation where the frame does not stop at the next working station based on significant friction reduction. This creates a slight gap between the individual frames. This causes significant noise due to the impact between the frames during machine operation. Furthermore, such collisions are extremely burdensome on the material. Connecting the frames together allows for controlled acceleration and also allows the operating unit to brake and position the frame in a controlled manner. Thus, a filling device having a combined frame realizes the advantages of a chain drive in this respect.

  For this purpose, it is necessary that the mutual coupling of the frames is free of play, except for the inevitable mating play between the coupling elements.

  In order to facilitate the movement of the support elements on the frame from the upper travel section into the lower travel section, and to make this possible for example by a lifting device, the coupling elements are arranged with the frames in contact with each other in the horizontal direction However, the relative vertical movement of two adjacent frames causes the bonds to dissociate from each other.

  In order to allow a clean connection and disengagement between the frames and to ensure a substantially play-free connection between the frames, the connection element comprises one groove with concave side walls and one connection member. The connecting member of the first connecting element is inserted into the groove of the second connecting element without play between the top lines of the concave groove side walls (Scheitellinien).

  In particular, since the concave side wall of the groove expands upward and downward in a funnel shape, a clean introduction of the connecting member is possible. At the same time, the connecting member is automatically introduced into the narrowest part of the groove in the region of the top line of the side wall by such a shape. At this place, the connecting member is fitted without play.

  The shape for joining the frames holding the support elements is such that the connecting member has a side surface formed in a convex shape, oriented in a position parallel to the groove side wall, A coupling element that meshes with each other in an arrangement relationship in which the top line and the top line of the convex connecting member side face are substantially coplanar can be improved significantly by ensuring mutual coupling of the frame with almost no play. .

  The support element supported on the frame forms the main premise for enabling the filling device according to the invention to be used also for filling bottles. As a result, the support elements are divided in half along one row, each support element half has a partial notch, and the adjacent support element halves face each other. Forming a receptacle for the container, the support element being arranged on a common frame so as to be vertically liftable and for raising the receptacle for insertion of the receptacle In the designated position, it can move laterally.

  Thus, firstly supporting the half of the support element on one common frame makes it possible to open and close the support element as in the case of chain transmission devices in the prior art.

  In addition to the precise orientation of the container in the feed direction, the so-called longitudinal centering (Laengszentrierung), there is also a transverse orientation (Querzentrierung) to the feed direction for the correct operation of the filling device Must be guaranteed.

  In the case of a chain-driven filling machine that pulls the support element through the machine, it is mainly sufficient for the chain to be positioned correctly for transverse orientation.

  In the case of a filling device with a chainless drive, for example in US Pat. No. 6,099,056, in which the support elements are pushed substantially through the filling device, each support element must be centered transversely by itself.

  The object of the present invention for this is to provide a correspondingly suitable technical device.

  This task is characterized in that the filling device having the features of claim 10, in particular the roller has a centering device, by which the support element is oriented transverse to the feed direction. This is solved by a filling device.

  Here, in particular, the roller rolls along the travel path when feeding the support element in a circulating manner, and the roller and the travel path cooperate to exert a centering action.

  Continuous centering is technically particularly simple if the support element can move in the filling device, the means of which the roller itself has a centering device. It is conceivable, for example, that the roller travels in a groove for centering or has a separate centering arm held in the groove.

  However, it is particularly advantageous if the roller cooperates with the travel path to center the support element in the transverse direction. This is achieved in particular by forming a centering device in which the cross-sectional contour of the running surface of the roller cooperates with the running surface contour of the running path.

  This type of centering takes place via the feed movement itself and is therefore continuous and permanent. Even if the support element is pushed out of a transversely centered position, for example by an external force, during feeding through the filling device, only a feeding movement results in a new centering. Such a centering device is technically particularly easy to solve, requires little maintenance and is less worn.

  In a particularly preferred embodiment, the running profile of the roller is substantially V-shaped, the running profile of the running path is curved in a partial circle, and the running path is formed by a running rail with a circular cross section. It is possible.

  However, the traveling path forms a substantially V-shaped bead, and when the traveling roller having a traveling surface formed in a circular cross-section part rolls in the bead, the shape can be reversed.

  As mentioned at the outset, it is known from the prior art to increase the throughput of the filling device by simultaneously processing the container of the two support elements in the operating department. In the prior art, for this purpose, the support element halves of the two support elements are moved away from each other parallel to the transport direction. This is also referred to as opening the cell plate. From above, the bottle passes through the open cell plate and into the mounting plane of the cell plate on the chain. Subsequently, the support element half is returned again until it is placed on the drive chain. This is also called cell plate closure. When the cell is closed, the partial cutout in the half of the support element surrounds the bottle neck and holds the bottle.

  Since the cell plate has to move very far away from each other in order to allow penetration of the bottle body, the bottle is not inserted into the two adjacent support elements. Instead, always two cell plates separated by one closed cell plate are opened. While the bottle is inserted into the support element, the bottle is held in place by the suction element.

  As a result, the prior art bottle supply device has a very large and time-consuming structure comprising a supply device arranged above the upper travel section and a suction element arranged below the upper travel section. . Finally, the time required for the opening movement of the support element halves is also disadvantageous. This is because this time limits machine cycles and thus machine throughput.

  The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a new kind of container supply device which is significantly simpler in construction and which allows a quicker opening movement of the support element.

  This object is solved by a filling device having the features of claim 16, in particular a filling device characterized in that the container supply device supplies the container from below the support element.

  In accordance with the present invention, recognizing the diversion from technical practice, the central structural disadvantage of the prior art bottle feed is that it ultimately holds a relatively small diameter bottle neck. It is found that the entire bottle body must be guided through the half of the support element. As a result of this kind of bottle supply in the prior art, a large opening width is required, so that the opening time limits the operating cycle. Furthermore, this type of supply also causes the support element halves separated by at least one support element to move away from one another, rather than directly adjacent support element halves. This makes the structural extension of the bottle supply device in the transport direction relatively long. The moving distance of the suction element that stabilizes the bottle is also relatively long due to the bottle supply from above.

  Starting from this, the present invention has recognized that the container supply from below to the support element is very advantageous. Since only the bottle neck has to be introduced between the support element halves, the required movement space as well as the movement time of the opened support element halves is significantly reduced. As a result, the bottle can be mounted on at least two directly adjacent support elements. Thereby, the structural space in the conveying direction required for the container supply device is significantly reduced. The vertical movement space of the bottle itself can also be kept extremely small.

  Particularly advantageous is a filling measure characterized in that the container supply device lifts the container for insertion into the container receiving part and this lifting action induces an opening movement of the support element half.

  In the sense of the simplest possible solution, the container supply device is integrated with a device for opening the support element half. For this purpose, a vertical lifting movement which moves the bottle towards the support element is designed to at least induce an opening movement. In particular, the container supply device has a lifter, and the vertical movement of the lifter acting on the support element half results in an opening movement of the support element half by lifting the support element half. It is like that.

  An embodiment in which the support element half has a guide member which engages in a linkage on the filling device side and controls the opening movement of the support element half; In the context, a container supply device is a device that also provides for the opening of the support element half. All that is required is a vertical movement that lifts the support element half. By the cooperation of the guide member and the link mechanism, the vertical movement is converted into an opening movement of the support element half.

  It is particularly advantageous here that the lifting of the container, in particular the bottle, as well as the vertical movement of the lifting device for opening the support element half can be performed by one common drive.

  All that is necessary is that the lifter is arranged to move with the platform but to be movable relative to the platform.

  Finally, the present invention also provides a filling device for filling containers, in particular bottles and cups, with food and luxury goods, in particular dairy and fat products, from dilute fluids to pastes, juices, water or the like. A container is supplied to the inside, and an upper traveling section, a lower traveling section, and a side traveling section connecting the upper traveling section and the lower traveling section are provided. A plurality of support elements are provided along the section and the lower travel section, which are guided to circulate in the filling device while passing by the working section, and the support elements are transverse to the feed direction A method of feeding a container into a filling device having a receptacle for the container arranged in a row in a direction.

Such a method has the characteristic method steps:
a) loading a container onto a holding element located on the platform;
b) moving the platform to the location of the filling device where the container is inserted into the support element;
c) Lift the support element half from its mounting plane in order to carry out the opening movement;
d) lifting the container at least in the mounting plane of the support element;
e) the support element half is submerged in the mounting plane in order to carry out a closing movement and securely hold the container in the container receiving part
Depending on the method steps,
Solve the problem of simplifying container supply.

  In a particular embodiment of the method, for method step c), the platform is lifted by abutting the lifter against the support element half, and the lifter is moved by a vertical movement relative to the platform, The support element half is brought into the open position.

  Furthermore, the lifter is sunk for method step e).

  Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing a filling apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial view showing an upper traveling section of the filling apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the support elements arranged on one frame. FIG. 4 is a plan view shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the frame shown in FIG. 3 from below. FIG. 6 is a view showing one frame shown in FIG. 3 from below. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the frame along the cross-sectional line VII in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a partial view of the frame shown in cross section in FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the frame of FIG. 3 in a state of being placed on the traveling rail. FIG. 10 is a detailed view showing the coupling elements of one frame of FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the cooperation between the roller and the traveling rail. 12 is a top view of one frame shown in FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the frame along the cross-sectional line XIII in FIG. FIG. 14 is a view showing a frame loaded with a container, which is sectioned in the vertical direction in parallel to the feeding direction. FIG. 15 is a view generally showing a container supply device according to the present invention. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the link block of FIG. FIG. 17 is a vertical view showing the container supply device of FIG. 15 as viewed in a direction transverse to the feed direction. 18 to 20 are vertical sectional views showing the container supply device of FIG. 15 in various operating positions as viewed in parallel to the feeding direction. 18 to 20 are vertical sectional views showing the container supply device of FIG. 15 in various operating positions as viewed in parallel to the feeding direction. 18 to 20 are vertical sectional views showing the container supply device of FIG. 15 in various operating positions as viewed in parallel to the feeding direction.

  A filling apparatus for filling a container with food is generally designated by reference numeral 10 in the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the entire filling device 10. The filling device for the container 10 has an upper travel section OT, a lower travel section UT spaced from the upper travel section, and two side travel sections ST.

  Along the direction X of the arrow, support elements not shown in detail in FIG. 1 are guided along various operating sections 11 in the upper travel section OT, so that the first side travel section ST To the lower travel section UT. Within the lower travel section UT, the support element is moved to the second side travel section ST in the direction of the arrow Y and is brought back into the upper travel section OT from that location. Thus, the support element travels in a circulating manner in the filling device 10. 1 are a sterilization / drying unit 12, a metering department 13, a cap placement department 14, and a cap screw fitting department 15, respectively.

  FIG. 2 shows a part of the upper traveling section OT as viewed from above. In this portion, support elements called cell plates are arranged in succession in the feed direction X. Each support element 16 has a plurality of container receptacles 17 arranged transverse to the feed direction X. These container receptacles are therefore arranged side by side in a row R. The container receiving portions of the plurality of support elements arranged one after the other in the feed direction X form a track B oriented parallel to the feed direction X.

  FIG. 3 shows one frame 18. The frame 18 has two longitudinal profiles 19 that are spaced in parallel to each other and oriented in parallel in the feed direction X. Here, the ends of the four support elements 16 are placed on the longitudinal profile 19. In this embodiment, the support element 16 consists of two support element halves 20. These support element halves are obtained by dividing the support element 16 approximately in half along one row R. The longitudinal profiles 19 are connected to each other by a transverse profile 21 and further support a roller 22. On these rollers, the frame 18 is guided in the apparatus 10. The ends of the longitudinal profile 19 form coupling elements 23, which will be described more precisely later, and these coupling elements can connect a plurality of frames 18 to each other.

  FIG. 4 showing the frame 18 shown in FIG. 3 as seen from above reveals its structure once again. In addition to the aforementioned components, here a guide member 24 is attached to the end of the support element half 20 that is oriented parallel to the feed direction X. The guide member serves to control the opening movement of the support element half 20.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which the frame 18 shown in FIG. 3 is viewed from below. It is clear from this figure that the transverse profile 21 holds the support strip 25 below the support element 16. The support strip 25 is arranged approximately in the middle between the longitudinal profiles 19 of the frame 18. The support strip 25 helps to stabilize the support element 16 so that it does not slack in the middle due to its own weight or the weight of the filled container. The transverse profile 18 is formed as a T profile for static reasons, as can be seen from this drawing.

  FIG. 6 is a view seen from the lower surface of the frame 18. This drawing is supplemented with respect to FIG. 5 by showing the position of the sectional plane VII. Along this sectional plane VII, the frame 18 is sectioned in the vertical direction in FIG.

  As is apparent from the side view of FIG. 7, each roller 22 is rotatably disposed on a roller shaft 26. The roller shaft 26 is fixed in the longitudinal profile 19 of the frame. Further, as apparent from FIG. 7, the roller 22 of the frame 18 is placed on the traveling rail 27 of the filling device 10.

  FIG. 8 shows a part of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. It can be seen particularly well from FIG. 8 that the roller 22 has a substantially V-shaped or roof-shaped groove 28 extending annularly in the circumferential direction. As a result, the cross-sectional contour of the running surface 29 of the roller 22 is also substantially V-shaped. The travel path formed as the travel rail 27 has a circular cross section. The running surface 30 of the running rail 27 is formed by a surface area facing the roller 22. As is clear from FIG. 8, the running surface 30 of the running rail 27 is inserted into the V-shaped groove of the roller 22, so that the running surfaces 29 and 30 are tangent to each other.

  FIG. 9 shows one frame 18 placed on the traveling rail 27 of the filling device 10. Since the traveling rail 27 is arranged in both the upper traveling section OT and the lower traveling section UT, the frame 18 is guided to circulate in the filling device 10 on the traveling rail 27 together with the support element 16. Is done.

  The structure of the coupling element 23 of the longitudinal profile 19 will be described in detail based on the partially enlarged view shown in FIG. The coupling elements 23 are part of the longitudinal profile 19 and are each arranged at the end facing the adjacent frame 18. The coupling element first has a vertically oriented groove 31 with a groove sidewall 32 formed in a substantially concave shape. Immediately adjacent to the groove 31, the longitudinal profile 19 forms a connecting member 33. The side surface 34 of the connecting member 33 oriented in a position parallel to the groove side wall 32 is formed in a convex shape.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the groove 31 and the connecting member 33 are configured such that the concave groove side wall 32 adjacent to the connecting member 33 simultaneously forms the side surface 34 of the connecting member 33. The side surface 34 opposite the groove simultaneously forms the end face of the longitudinal support 19. Accordingly, the groove 31 separates the connecting member 33 from the support element 16. It should be noted that the connecting elements 23 of the adjacent frames 18 facing each other are mirror images of each other.

  The coupling elements 23 of the adjacent frames 18 are engaged with each other while moving along the upper traveling section OT and the lower traveling section UT. Adjacent frames 18 are thus fixed to each other. Thus, the frame 18 that is moved in the filling device 10 at a predetermined timing can be accelerated and braked in a controlled state. The width of the connecting member 33 measured in the direction of movement is such that, in the top line region of the convex side surface 34, when the top line of the groove side wall 32 is disposed substantially in one plane with the top line of the side surface 34. Are dimensioned to be inserted into the groove 31 with little play. Thereby, it is avoided that excessive noise is generated when the frame 18 is accelerated and decelerated due to the coupling elements 23 of the adjacent frames 18 colliding with each other.

  The connection of the frames 18 is broken by moving adjacent frames 18 in the vertical direction. At this time, the connecting member 33 slides out of the groove 31. Such vertical movement is performed when one frame 18 moves into the lower travel section UT via the side travel section ST.

  The arrangement of the support elements on the frame 18 provides a great advantage over the prior art where the support elements 16 directly collide with each other. First, the cumulative error leading to the incorrect orientation of the support elements relative to the working department is reduced by a factor corresponding to the number of support elements 16 assembled on the frame. Such a cumulative error occurs in the prior art when contaminant particles adhere between adjacent support elements 16.

  Since a plurality of support elements 16 according to the invention are arranged on one frame 18 and are moved in the filling device 10 by the frame 18, the cumulative error is significantly reduced. For the frame shown in this embodiment supporting four support elements 16, the cumulative error is reduced by a factor of four.

  In FIG. 11, the frame 18 guided in the filling device 10 on the traveling rail 27 is shown as a perspective partial view. It should be particularly noted that the roller 22 and the traveling rail 27 cooperate to exert a centering action. The shape of the running surface 29 is substantially V-shaped. The running surface 30 of the running rail 27 having a circular cross section is located in the V-shaped groove of the roller. This V-shaped groove forms a running surface 29 on the roller side. As is apparent from the figure, when the frame 18 is moving in the filling device, the running rail 27 is basically inserted as deep as possible in the V-shaped groove of the roller 22. As long as no transverse force is generated, the roller 22 is guided in a centered state on the traveling rail 27. In this way, a reliable centering of the frame 18 in the direction transverse to the feed direction is ensured. This ensures that the frame 18, in particular the container receiving part 17 of the support element 16, is correctly oriented with respect to the working part 11.

  If the transverse force that decenters the frame acts on the frame 18 due to disturbance during the operation of the filling device, the frame 18 loses the transverse force based on the cooperative shape of the running rail 27 and the roller 22. Immediately after that, slide into its correct position.

  13 is a cross-sectional view showing the profile member 19 in the longitudinal direction of the frame 18 along the cross-sectional line XIII in FIG. The support element half 20 is held vertically by pins 35 but is movably arranged on the frame. The pin 35 is inserted into a hole 36 formed in the longitudinal profile 19. A vertically movable support of the support element half 20 is necessary for the filling device 10 which is particularly useful for filling bottles.

  In FIG. 14, a bottle 37 suspended in the support element 16 of one frame 18 has a bottle body 38. The bottle body moves into the bottle neck 39 while gradually reducing the bottle diameter. The bottle neck 39 is provided with a bottle bottle 41 protruding in the radial direction near the bottle mouth 40. Each bottle neck 39 of the bottle 37 is inserted into one container receiving portion 17. The bottle body 38 is located below the support element 16 and the bottle bottle 41 is placed on the support element. In order to insert the bottle into the container receiving part 17 of the support element 16, the present invention proposes a new type of container supply device. The container supply device is generally designated 50. A container supply apparatus is demonstrated below based on FIGS.

  FIG. 15 shows the container supply device 50 below the frame 18 with the support element 16. As is consistently shown in the drawings, the support elements 16 each consist of two support element halves 20. The support element halves 20 are each provided with a partial notch. Corresponding partial notches facing each other in pairs form one container receiving part 17 in common.

  The container supply device 50 includes a base plate 51, and a bottle lifting plate 52 is disposed above the base plate. A bottle holding plate 53 is disposed above the bottle lifting plate 52. A sleeve-like bottle holder 54 is placed on the bottle holding plate 53 in accordance with the number of container receiving portions 17. A support element lifter 55 is further arranged on the bottle holding plate 53. The bottle 37 inserted into the support element 16 is inserted into the bottle holder 54. In the region of the container supply device 50, the filling device 10 has a link block 56. The link block is arranged parallel to the longitudinal support 19 of the frame 18 and above the support element 16. The base plate 51, the bottle lifting plate 52, and the bottle holding plate 53 are movable in the vertical direction via a driving device (not shown). Each of the plates 51 to 53 is movable so as to move relative to each other in the vertical direction.

  According to FIG. 16, each link block 56 has a link guide 57. The link guide 57 has an introduction section 58 oriented in the extending direction for the guide member 24 of the support element half 20. Each two adjacent link guides 57 form one link mechanism pair. The diagonal sections 59 of each link mechanism pair provided following the vertical introduction section 58 are directed opposite to each other. Each link mechanism thus consists of link guides 57 that are mirror images of each other.

  In FIG. 17, the container supply device 50 is shown in a vertical sectional view. Here, the cross-sectional plane is transverse to the feed direction. As is clear from this cross-sectional view, the bottle holding plate 53 has a through portion 60 in the area of each bottle holder 54. A bottle lifter 61 fixed on the bottle lifting plate 52 is inserted into each through portion 60. The bottle lifter 61 has a vertically oriented bottle lifter support 62 fixed on the bottle lifting plate 52 at one end, and a bottle lifter support 62 at the other end. It has a fixed bottle lifter dish 63. The bottle bottom part of the bottle 37 is placed on the bottle lifter dish part 63.

  Based on FIGS. 17-20, the function of the container supply apparatus 50 is demonstrated here. The bottle 37 is loaded into the bottle holder 54 of the container supply device 50 in the container loading region disposed outside the upper traveling section OT or the lower traveling section UT of the filling device. Next, the container supply device is moved into the area of the upper traveling section OT or the lower traveling section UT. In the upper travel section OT or the lower travel section UT, the bottle 37 is inserted into the support element 16. In the starting position of the container supply device 50 shown in FIG. 17, the lifter 55 is applied to the underside of the support element half 20. The bottle neck 39 is located below the support element 16.

  18-20 has shown the vertical direction cross section of the one frame 18 and the container supply apparatus 50 arrange | positioned under it. The cross-sectional plane is arranged parallel to the feed direction. Unlike the starting position of the container supply device shown in FIG. 17, the open position is shown in FIG. The unit composed of the bottle lifting plate 52 and the bottle holding plate 53 is lifted in the vertical direction with respect to the base plate 51. A lifter 55 not shown in FIG. 18 results in the support element half 20 also moving upwards in the vertical direction. The support element half 20 leaves the active area of the pin 35. At the same time, the guide member 24 engages in the vertical introduction section 58 of the link block 56. The guide member 24 reaches into the oblique section 59 of the link guide 57. These diagonal sections 59 convert the vertical movement of the support element half 20 into a lateral movement. As a result, the support element halves 20 of the support element 16 are spaced a predetermined distance from each other, thereby enlarging the container receiving part 17. For this purpose, the support element half 20 moves from its mounting plane AE (the plane on which the support element half is mounted on the longitudinal support 19) into the open plane OE. It can be seen in particular from the relative position of the support element half with respect to the transverse profile 21 that the container receiving part 17 has been enlarged, that is to say that the support element half 20 has been laterally moved in a state controlled by the link mechanism. . Although the transverse profile 21 is arranged between the two support elements 16 in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 13, the adjacent support element halves 20 of the two support elements 16 are arranged in the open plane OE. When it is done, it covers the transverse profile 21.

  Further, as can be seen from FIG. 18, the bottle basket 41 of the bottle neck 39 has a diameter d smaller than the opening width D of the enlarged container receiving portion 17.

  By the common vertical movement of the bottle lifting plate 52 and the bottle holding plate 53, the bottle neck 39 enters the placement plane AE. At this time, it is guaranteed that the bottle basket 41 is disposed above the placement plane AE. Overall, the unit consisting of the bottle lifting plate 52 and the bottle holding plate 53 is moved upward in the vertical direction by the distance between the mounting plane AE and the open plane OE of the support element half 20. That's right.

  FIG. 19 shows the bottle insertion position of the container supply device 50. As apparent from comparison with FIG. 18, in order to reach such a position, the bottle lifting plate 52 is moved upward in the vertical direction with respect to the bottle holding plate 53. The bottle 37 is also moved upward in the vertical direction through the bottle lifter 61 connected to the bottle lifting plate 52. At this time, the bottle lifter 61 enters the bottle holder 54. By the vertical movement of the bottle lifting plate 52, the bottle neck 39 is moved into the open plane OE of the support element half 20. At this time, the bottle basket 41 is located above the support element half 20.

  FIG. 20 shows the closed position of the container supply device 50. The unit consisting of the bottle holding plate 53 and the bottle lifting plate 52 is moved downward relative to the base plate 51 in order to reach the closed position of FIG. The support element half 20 supported on the lifter 55 not shown here follows this downward movement. The link guide 57 in which the guide member 24 is inserted here serves for a closing movement opposite to the opening movement of the support element half 20. After the closing movement has ended, the support element half 20 is again in the mounting plane AE. It can also be seen from its relative position with respect to the transverse profile 21 that the support element half 20 has been returned. The transverse profile 21 is now again in the same plane between the support element halves 20 of two adjacent support elements 16. It can be seen from the distance between the upper opening 64 of the bottle holder 54 and the transverse profile 19 by comparing FIG. 19 and FIG.

  After completion of the closing movement, the bottle lifting plate 52 is still submerged to such an extent that the bottle lifter dish 63 is placed in the plane of the bottle holding plate 53. Furthermore, the container supply device 50 is submerged to the extent that the bottle holder 54 releases the bottle 37.

  It can be understood without difficulty that the container supply device 50 described above can be used as a container take-out device only by reversing the movement process. In such a case, FIG. 20 forms the starting position. The bottle 37 is inserted into the bottle holder 54. The bottle lifter 61 already holds the bottle bottom. In the transition to FIG. 19, the unit comprising the bottle holding plate 53 and the bottle lifting plate 52 has been moved upwards in the vertical direction, so that it is not shown in FIG. 20, but of the support element half 20 A lifter 55 applied to the underside moves the support element halves upwards in the vertical direction. As the guide member 24 engages in the link guide 57, the support element half 20 is moved laterally and the container receiving part 17 is opened. Following this and upon transition to FIG. 18, the bottle lifting plate 52 moves downward relative to the bottle holding plate 53, resulting in the bottle being submerged relative to the support element half 20. As the bottle lifting plate 52 and the bottle holding plate 53 are subsequently moved downward relative to the base plate 51 by the same size, the lifter 55, which is also not shown in FIG. Moved. The support element half 20 follows the lifter movement, and the support element half is then guided by the link mechanism 57 and closed again. After the closing movement, the container removal device is positioned relative to the frame 18 in the position shown in FIG. 17, ie the position described in FIG. 17 as the starting position of the container supply device 50. In order to finish the take-out operation, the container take-out device now has to leave the take-up location of the upper travel section or the lower travel section. The bottles are removed from the bottle holder 54 and packaged for further transport by another, not described in detail apparatus.

  In summary, firstly a solution was presented in which the support element 17 for the container 37 guided in the filling device 10 on the roller 22 can be centered transversely to the feed direction. Such a means is simply formed by the shape engagement between the roller 22 and the running rail 27.

  In addition, a frame 18 is presented that is movable within the device 10 with support elements 16 arranged in groups thereon. This significantly improved the orientation of the support element 16 in the feed direction. This is because, in the case of a filling device that pushes these support elements 16 through the filling device 10 with the individual support elements 16 in contact with each other, between the support elements 16. This is because the cumulative error that may be caused by contamination is significantly reduced. Furthermore, the frame 18 according to the invention allows interconnections that allow controlled acceleration and deceleration.

  Finally, a new type of container supply device 50 is disclosed that is also suitable to serve as a container removal device. An important advantage of the container supply device 50 is that the opening distance of the support element half 20 is shortened based on supplying the container to the support element 16 from below. Therefore, the container 37 can be loaded simultaneously on the directly adjacent support element 16. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide containers 37 to three or more support elements 16 simultaneously in a suitable structural space for a double-step machine known from the prior art. As a result, the throughput of the filling device 10 and thus the cost effectiveness can be significantly increased.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Apparatus 11 Actuation department 12 Sterilization / drying unit 13 Metering department 14 Cap placement department 15 Cap screw fitting department 16 Support element 17 Container receiving part 18 Frame 19 18 longitudinal profile 20 Support element half 21 18 Transverse direction of 18 Profile member 22 18 roller 23 19 coupling element 24 guide member 25 support strip 26 roller shaft 27 traveling rail 28 22 V-shaped or roof-shaped groove 29 22 traveling surface 30 27 traveling surface 31 groove 32 31 groove sidewall 33 Side of coupling member 34 33 35 pin 36 hole 37 bottle 38 bottle body 39 bottle neck 40 bottle mouth 41 bottle bottle 50 container supply device 51 base plate 52 bottle lifting plate 53 bottle holding plate 54 bottle holder 55 lifter 56 link block 57 link Guide 58 57 vertical introduction Minute 59 Diagonal section 60 53 penetrating part 61 Bottle lifter 62 Bottle lifter support part 63 Bottle lifter dish part 64 54 Upper opening AE Mounting plane OE Opening plane OT Upper traveling section UT Lower traveling section ST Side traveling section R Support Row of container receiving portions 17 of element 16 B Trajectory of container receiving portion X Movement direction of support element in upper traveling section Y Movement direction of support element in lower traveling section

Claims (11)

The food and luxury food a filling device for filling the container (10),
-An upper travel section (OT), a lower travel section (UT), and a side travel section (ST) connecting the upper travel section and the lower travel section (UT);
-Circulate in the filling device (10) along the upper traveling section, the lateral traveling section and the lower traveling section (OT, ST, UT) while passing by the working section (11). A plurality of guided support elements (16) are provided;
The support element (16) has receptacles for the containers arranged in a row transverse to the feed direction (X / Y), the receptacle being in the feed direction Arranged to form orbit (B),
The support element (16) is divided substantially in half along one row (2) of receptacles (17);
The adjacent notch of the support element halves (20) arranged in pairs and correspondingly form a common container receptacle (17), and
The support element half (20) is mounted in the filling device (10) so as to be able to perform an opening movement to expand the container receiving part (17); and
A container supply device (50) is provided;
In the filling device,
The container supply device (50) is adapted to supply the container from below the support element (17),
Filling equipment. The container feeding device (50) lifts the container for insertion into the container receiving part (17) and the lifting action induces an opening movement of the support element half (20). The apparatus according to claim 1 . 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the container supply device (50) loads the container simultaneously on at least two support elements (16) which are directly adjacent. Said support element half (20) has a guide member (24), said guide member (24) engages in a link mechanism (57) on the filling device side and said support element half ( Device according to claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that it is adapted to control the opening movement of 20). The container supply device (50) has a lift (55), and the vertical movement of the lift on the support element half (20) is caused by lifting the support element half. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 4 , characterized in that it provides an opening movement of the support element half (20). The container supply device (50), characterized in that it has a vertically movable platform with the holding element (54) for a container, according to any one of claims 1 to 5 Equipment. The container supply device (50) has a lifter (55), the lifter (55) being arranged to interlock with the platform but to be movable relative to the platform; Device according to claim 6 , characterized. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that the container supply device (50) serves as a container removal device. The food and luxury food to a method for supplying containers to the filling device (10) for filling the container,
-An upper travel section (OT), a lower travel section (UT), and a side travel section (ST) connecting the upper travel section and the lower travel section (UT);
-Circulate in the filling device (10) along the upper traveling section, the lateral traveling section and the lower traveling section (OT, ST, UT) while passing by the working section (11). A plurality of guided support elements (16) are provided;
The support element (16) has receptacles (17) for containers arranged in rows transverse to the feed direction (X / Y), the receptacles being It is arranged to form a trajectory (B) in the feed direction,
The support element (16) is divided substantially in half along one row (2) of receptacles (17);
The adjacent notch of the support element halves (20) arranged in pairs and correspondingly form a common container receptacle (17), and
The support element half (20) is mounted in the filling device (10) so as to be able to perform an opening movement to expand the container receiving part (17); and
A container supply device (50) is provided;
In a method of supplying a container into a filling device,
The following method steps:
a) loading the container into the holding element (54) arranged on the platform;
b) moving the platform to the location of the filling device (10) where the container is inserted into the support element (16);
c) lifting the support element half (20) from its mounting plane (AE) to carry out the opening movement;
d) lifting the container at least into the mounting plane (AE) of the support element (16);
e) the support element half (20) is submerged in the mounting plane (AE) in order to carry out a closing movement and securely hold the container in the container receiving part (17);
Characterized by method steps,
A method of supplying a container into a filling device. For the method step c), a lift of the platform is performed, bringing the lift (55) against the support element half (20), the lift being moved by a vertical movement relative to the platform. 10. Method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the support element half (20) is brought into an open position. 11. A method according to claim 9 or 10 , characterized in that the lift (55) is submerged for the method step e).

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