JPH0885593A - Device and method for filling liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a device and method for filling liquid wherein a stable measurement can be performed without transmitting vibration, filling pressure, and inertia force caused by delivery of liquid to a measuring means, and a precise weight measurement can be achieved from the start of filling so that precise liquid-level follow-up filling can be performed on real time during a filling operation. CONSTITUTION: In a filling of liquid into a container (b) by means of a filling means, by operating a flow control means for liquid which is provided in a liquid passage in the filling means, at the time of start of filling liquid, control of flow rate is performed using small flow rate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid filling apparatus and method used in the filling and packaging industry for liquids in containers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the liquid filling and packaging industry, when a liquid is quantitatively filled into a container, a filling nozzle is inserted into the container, and the liquid discharged from the filling nozzle in this state is connected to a liquid tank. With the opening of the valve, a fixed amount of liquid is supplied into the container all at once due to the large flow rate.

While the internal weight is being measured by a weighing scale provided on the bottle base of the container, when a prescribed amount is reached, this signal is sent to the filling valve to close the valve to complete the filling. It was

However, the weight scale attached to the bottle base is precisely formed, and the vibration, the filling pressure or the inertial force transmitted to the container by the liquid discharge is detected by the weight scale minutely as a weight signal. As a result, the actual weight in the filled container may be inaccurate or may not be measured.

Particularly in the liquid filling and packaging industry, it is indispensable to prevent the liquid from scattering and foaming during filling, and as a means adopted for this purpose, a filling nozzle is provided against the liquid surface. Filling is generally performed by following up and down the liquid surface.

However, since the conventional filling method is a series of fillings with a large flow rate from the start of filling, during the filling, as described above, the measured value of the liquid weight by the weight scale becomes unstable. , Because it will be impossible to measure,
Accurate nozzle raising / lowering operation corresponding to the liquid level is not performed.

Therefore, in order to address this problem, in part, a technique of performing so-called prospective tracking by a computer program that automatically raises and lowers the nozzle up to a certain fixed amount regardless of the signal of the measuring means. Is also proposed.

However, in this filling, the gap between the nozzle and the liquid surface changes depending on the type of liquid, and if the above-mentioned gap becomes large, even if the foamed filling liquid resulting from this becomes the end of filling. The filling liquid overflows from the mouth of the container without stopping.

Alternatively, when the gap is eliminated, the filling nozzle goes into the liquid and wets the outer periphery of the nozzle. Therefore, when the filling nozzle is pulled out from the container after completion of the filling, this causes liquid dripping on the outer surface of the container. It causes inconvenience to the processing process.

Further, the above-mentioned phenomenon becomes more noticeable when the feed pressure of the filling liquid to be fed under pressure changes or the filling speed changes. There were various problems such as.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is provided in a liquid flow path in a filling means in filling a liquid into a container by the filling means. By operating the liquid flow rate control means, a small flow rate is used at the start of filling, so stable measurement can be performed without transmitting vibration due to liquid discharge, filling pressure, or inertial force to the measuring means, and starting filling. It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid filling apparatus and method capable of performing accurate weight measurement from time to time and performing accurate liquid level follow-up filling in real time during filling.

[0012]

In the means of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object, the device of the present invention corresponds to a pedestal of a container and a spout of the container on the pedestal, and Filling means for filling the liquid in the container provided at the upper part, elevating means linked to the cradle or the filling means, measuring means attached to the cradle for measuring the weight of the liquid filling the container, and the elevating and lowering means. A liquid filling device comprising a means, a filling means, and a control means linked to the measuring means, wherein a flow rate control means for controlling the flow rate of the liquid is provided in the liquid flow path of the filling means.

Further, the flow control means is either a flow control valve having a throttle valve or an orifice having a plurality of different cross-sectional areas which is operated by a switching member.

In the method of the present invention, in the liquid filling for filling the liquid into the container provided below by the filling means, the liquid flow rate control means provided in the liquid flow path of the filling means is operated. Therefore, the initial weight at the start of filling is performed with a small flow rate.

[0015]

The present invention configured as described above has the following operations.

An elevating means is linked to the cradle of the container or the filling portion of the filling means, and the filling is performed by following the liquid level, which is maintained within a predetermined reference value between the filling tip of the filling means and the liquid level. Do.

Then, the initial weight at the start of filling of the liquid to be filled in the container is inputted in advance to the control means.

When the filling of the liquid is started, the flow rate control means is operated by the signal of the control means, and the flow rate of the liquid from the filling means is reduced to a small flow rate and supplied into the container.

Therefore, the vibration, the filling pressure and the inertial force due to the liquid discharge applied to the measuring means are small, and the measuring means is not adversely affected, so that accurate weight measurement can be performed from the beginning when the liquid is filled in the container. It

With this, an accurate amount of movement with respect to the elevating means is provided, and the distance between the filling tip portion and the liquid surface in the filling means is always maintained within a set reference value.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a liquid filling device and method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, A is a liquid filling apparatus adopting the method of one embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus A shown in FIG. 1 is an elevating type of a container b, and the apparatus A shown in FIG. The lifting type of the nozzle 12 is shown respectively.

The structure is such that the pedestal 1 of the container b is
It comprises a filling means 2, a lifting means 3, a measuring means 4, a control means 5 and a flow rate control means 6.

In the apparatus A shown in FIG. 1, the pedestal 1 is attached to the machine base 7 via an ascending / descendable mounting body 8, and a container surface b on which the container b is stably placed. Are formed.

Further, the above-mentioned filling means 2 includes a liquid tank 9 containing a predetermined amount of liquid to be filled, and a filling valve 11 connected to the liquid tank 9 by a pipe 10 for feeding and stopping the liquid. , A filling nozzle 12 connected to and suspended from the filling valve 11.
The liquid in the liquid tank 9 is discharged from the lower edge of the.

The above-mentioned lifting means 3 is linked to the mounting body 8 of the pedestal 1, and the mounting body 8 is moved by the movement of the screw shaft 14 operated by the driving member 13 such as a numerically controlled servo motor. An arbitrary amount of the pedestal 1 is moved up and down.

The drive member 13 may be any drive source that can be numerically controlled by the control means 5.

The above-mentioned measuring means 4 is attached to the pedestal 1 to measure the weight of the filling liquid of the container b placed on the pedestal 1, and a conventional strain gauge (load cell) or the like is used. This detection signal is sent to the control means 5.

The control means 5 is linked to the elevating means 3, the filling means 2 and the weighing means 4, and is a computer having an input section, an output section, a display section, a storage section, a computing section, a control section and the like. To use.

The above-mentioned flow rate control means 6 is provided in the liquid flow path of the filling means 2, and the tip portion 1 of the filling nozzle 12 is provided.
The flow rate of the liquid per unit time from 2a is controlled to fill the container b with the liquid at a small flow rate or a large flow rate, and the present invention is not limited to these two forms, and is stepless. It is also possible to control the flow rate by a formula.

In the liquid filling in the present embodiment, the filling process of one container b is performed at three different filling flow rates. The outline form is shown in each figure of FIG. It is divided into an initial weight x, a first set weight y, and a final second set weight z.

As shown in FIG. 3 (a), the operation is performed by converting the flow rate into a small flow rate up to the initial weight x at the start of filling, and by applying the discharge pressure from the filling nozzle 12 to the bottom surface of the container b. By giving an impact, the weighing means 4 connected to the pedestal 1
The initial weight x is until the amount at which the adverse effect does not occur due to the liquid filling is, for example, about 5 to 15% of the total weight.

Further, in FIG. 3B, the flow rate is converted into a large flow rate to enhance the filling efficiency, which is continued until the first set weight y is reached, and the amount is 9% of the total weight.
0 to 95% is suitable.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the filling of the final weight r from the first set weight y to the second set weight z is again defined in the container b as a small flow rate with the valve throttled. It is intended to improve the filling accuracy of the amount.

The above-mentioned second set weight x is, for example, a 100% filling amount which is the specified filling amount in the container b, and in the case of the capacity display in the container b, a value obtained by converting the weight into the capacity. When the amount is reached, the liquid filling by the filling means 2 is stopped and the filling into the container b is completed, and the final weight r described above is 5 to 10% of the total weight.
It is a degree.

The structure of the flow rate control means 6 is, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), a throttle valve-like configuration comprising a stop part 17, a large flow rate part 18 and a small flow rate part 19. The valve body 20 is attached to the delivery port 21 connected to the filling nozzle 12, and the desired flow rate can be obtained by selectively corresponding each of the parts 17, 18, 19 to the inner hole of the delivery port 21. However, since it is also used as the filling valve 11 described above, a flow rate control valve having a conventional stepless throttle valve, which is not shown, can also be used.

The case shown in FIG. 4 (a) shows the filling of a small amount of liquid, and the case shown in FIG. 4 (b) shows the state of filling a large amount of liquid.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), a plurality of orifices 22 having different cross-sectional areas and a switching member 23 for selectively switching the plurality of orifices 22 by a rotating means or the like are provided. For the orifice type, the orifice 22 having a small cross-sectional area is selected for filling the initial weight x at the start of filling or the first set weight y to the second set weight z.

Therefore, according to the apparatus A and method of the above-mentioned embodiment, when the container b is filled with 1 kg of the liquid (about 1000 cc, but it changes depending on the specific gravity, etc.),
In advance, the shape of the container b, the initial weight x of 50 g at the start of filling as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, and
900 g of the first set weight y, 50 g of the second set weight z,
The liquid level filled in the container b and the filling means 2
Between the filling nozzle 12 and the filling tip portion 12a,
That is, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the setting reference value L of 10 mm is input to the control means 5 (computer).

When the container b is filled with this liquid, as shown in FIG. 1, after the container b is supplied to the cradle 1,
When the container b is lifted up to the position shown by the phantom line in FIG. When the filling of the liquid into the container b is started, the initial weight x
Up to 50cc per second
Since the liquid is filled with the small flow rate limited to, the filling pressure of the liquid applied to the container b is small, an overload is not applied to the measuring means 4, and the liquid is not scattered or foamed during the filling.

Along with this, the measuring means 4 attached to the pedestal 1 starts measuring the filling amount of the liquid, and this signal is sequentially sent to the control means 5, and when the initial weight x reaches 50 g, the flow rate is increased. By the operation of the control means 6, the flow rate is changed to a large flow rate of 250 cc per second, and rapid filling is performed.

Even if the liquid filling becomes a large flow rate after the initial weight x is reached, the already filled filling layer buffers the discharged liquid and adversely affects the measuring means 4 such as overload. Don't give.

From the start of filling, the control means 5 calculates the actual volume filled in the container b on the basis of the filling weight detected by the weighing means 4, and sends an operating signal to the lifting means 3 of the pedestal 2. Sent to lower the bottle b, and the filling nozzle 12
The distance between the tip portion 12a of the and the liquid surface is always the set reference value L
Within the range of 10 mm (error ± 2 to 3 mm), the first set weight y is reached.

Then, when 900 g of the first set weight y is detected, the weight signal is transmitted to the elevating means 3 through the control means 5 and the lowering of the container b is stopped.

On the other hand, the flow rate control means 6 in the filling means 2
Also, the weight signal is transmitted through the control means 5, the filling flow rate is converted into a small flow rate and is performed with a gentle small flow rate, and the final weight r up to the second set weight z is smoothly filled. I can continue.

When the weighing means 4 detects 1 kg of the second set weight z, this signal causes the filling valve 1 of the filling means 2 to receive the signal.
1 operates to stop the supply of the liquid from the liquid tank 9 to complete the filling of the container b, and the container b is filled with a desired specified amount of 1 kg.

During this time, the container b is not foamed, and the container b and the peripheral equipment are not contaminated by the spraying of the liquid or the formation of mitosu by the burst of the foam.

In weighing, the weighing means 4 was able to accurately measure the weight without being overloaded by the filling pressure.

The tip portion 1 of the filling nozzle 12 described above is used.
The set reference value L, which is the distance between 2a and the liquid surface, is constant in the filling process, or, as shown in FIG.
Although it may change like L1, L2, and L3 during filling, the values of L1 to L3 are held within the set reference value.

In FIG. 2, A is a liquid filling device showing an elevating type of the filling nozzle 12, in which the pedestal 1 of the container b is fixed to the machine base 7 via the mounting body 8 and the filling means. Two
The configurations of the weighing means 4 and the control means 5 linked to the pedestal 1 are substantially the same as those of the above-described pedestal raising / lowering type example, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The elevating means 3 in this example is a screw operated by a driving member 25 such as a numerically controlled servo motor for the filling valve 11 and the filling nozzle 12 supported by the machine body 7 so as to be movable up and down (not shown). By the movement of the shaft 26, the filling nozzle 12, that is, the tip 12a thereof is moved up and down by an arbitrary amount.

The driving member 25 may be any means as long as it is a numerically controllable driving source, like the driving member 13 described above.

Therefore, the apparatus A of this example can also obtain the same operational effect as the above-mentioned example.

[0054]

According to the present invention configured as described above, the liquid flow path in the filling means is provided with the flow rate control means for controlling the flow rate of the liquid, and when the filling is started by a small flow rate, As the adverse effect of the discharge pressure of the liquid does not affect the measuring means, the filled amount can be measured accurately, and the accurate weight measurement from the beginning of the filling allows the liquid level to be accurately tracked in real time during filling. Can be filled.

As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of inconveniences such as liquid leakage and liquid blowing from the container due to foaming and mist of the filling liquid.

Even if the filling pressure or the filling speed is changed by the filling means, it does not adversely affect the measuring ability of the measuring means, so that the gap between the predetermined liquid level and the filling tip portion varies. Do not let And so on.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the main part schematically showing a pedestal raising / lowering type of an apparatus for implementing a liquid filling method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a main part schematically showing a filling nozzle elevating type of a device that implements the liquid filling method according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a liquid filling method according to the present invention step by step.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing each example of a flow rate control means used in the liquid filling device in FIG. 1 or FIG.

5 is an explanatory diagram showing setting reference values in FIG. 1. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A liquid filling device b container 1 cradle 2 filling means 3 elevating means 4 weighing means 5 control means 6 flow rate control means x initial weight

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hisato Iga 2-8-1, Tenjin Tenjin, Shimizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A container pedestal and a filling means for filling a container with a liquid corresponding to the pouring port of the container on the pedestal and the pedestal or the filling means. A liquid filling device comprising: a lifting means, a weighing means attached to the cradle to measure the weight of the filling liquid in the container, and a lifting means, a filling means, and a control means linked to the weighing means.
A liquid filling device, characterized in that a flow rate control means for controlling the flow rate of the liquid is provided in the liquid flow path of the filling means. 2. The liquid according to claim 1, wherein the flow control means is either a flow control valve having a throttle valve or an orifice having a plurality of different cross-sectional areas operated by a switching member. Filling device. 3. A liquid filling device for filling a liquid into a container provided below the filling device by operating a liquid flow rate control device provided in a liquid flow path in the filling device,
A liquid filling method characterized in that the initial weight at the start of filling is performed with a small flow rate.