JPS62146195A - Filler - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a filling device used for quantitatively filling liquids such as milk, fruit juice, coffee, and other beverages, and medicinal solutions.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, aseptic filling has been carried out in which a filling liquid to be filled is stored in an eight-closed container kept in a sterile state, and a fixed amount is filled into the container to be filled. In this case, the method for quantitative filling is to pressurize the tank to a constant pressure with sterile air, set the discharge time from the filling nozzle with a timer, or measure the fixed amount using a filling piston. methods are used.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, all of these conventional methods have problems. That is, in timer filling, control of the tank internal pressure is an important element to improve filling accuracy, but this control is difficult, and there are problems in that pressure fluctuations often occur and quantitative performance becomes poor. Also.

When using a filling piston, there are many sliding parts, so even if sterilization is performed using pressurized hot water, steam, etc. before use, the sterilization of the sliding parts cannot be ensured, sterility is poor, and the equipment There were problems such as being complicated and expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a filling device with a simple structure and high quantitative performance.

[Means for solving problems]

To achieve the above object, the present invention includes a filling tank containing a filling liquid such that at least a space remains in the upper part;
A measuring mass having an opening at the upper end and provided so that the opening communicates with the liquid in the filling tank; a sealing plate for opening and closing the upper end opening of the measuring mass; and a sealing plate for opening and closing the upper end opening of the measuring mass; The gist of the filling device is an air supply pipe that communicates with a space above the liquid level, and a valve provided at the bottom of the measuring mass.

[Effect]

In the above device, with the valve at the bottom of the weighing mass closed, move the sealing plate to open the upper end of the weighing mass, fill the measuring mass with the liquid in the filling tank, and then use the sealing plate to open the upper end of the weighing mass. When closed, a predetermined amount of liquid will be contained within the metering mass. Then, when the valve is opened, the liquid in the metering mass is pumped by its own weight and the pressure in the filling tank into the container to be filled. On this occasion.

Since the inside of the weighing mass is communicated with the space above the liquid level in the filling tank through an air supply pipe, the measuring mass is supplied with air and the liquid is smoothly discharged. In this way, the metered amount of liquid is filled with the metering mass, making it possible to fill the container with a fixed amount of 2-degree shielding without using a metering piston.

Also, fluctuations in the pressure inside the filling tank will affect filling accuracy.
Quantitative filling of two U-items is carried out.

〔Example〕

Preferred embodiments of the present invention shown in the following two drawings will be described.

1A, 1B, and 1C are schematic cross-sectional views showing a filling device according to an embodiment of the present invention applied to aseptic filling,
FIG. 1A shows the liquid supply state, FIG. 1B shows the state where the measuring mass is closed after liquid supply, and FIG. 1C shows the filling state.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 indicates a filling tank 22 having a closed structure and a filling liquid supply pipe. A filling liquid 5 is stored in the filling tank 1 so as to leave an appropriate space 4 at the top of the tank. Liquid volume is controlled. For this control, a suitable liquid level gauge is provided, but one is not shown.

A vent pipe 9 equipped with a sterile air supply pipe 7 and a sterile filter 8 is connected to the upper part of the filling tank 1 .

A measuring mass lO of a predetermined capacity is attached to the bottom of the filling tank 1, and a valve 11 and a filling nozzle 12 are provided at the lower end thereof. Valve 11 has metering mass 10 and filling nozzle 1
2. Although any type can be used, a rotary type is used in this embodiment. The measuring mass 10 has an opening 14 at its upper end, and is provided so that the opening 14 communicates with the liquid 5. opening 1
A sealing surface 15 is formed around the sealing surface 1.
A sealing plate 16 is arranged opposite to 5. The sealing plate 16 is held by a lifting shaft 17, and the lifting shaft 17 extends outside the filling tank l via a diaphragm 18.
(not shown). Due to the vertical movement of the lifting shaft 17, the seal 14 plate 16 separates from the sealing surface 15 and closes to the opening 14.
1B and 1C).

An air supply pipe 20 is provided on the sealing plate 16. This air supply pipe 20 has a length that extends beyond the liquid level 6 into the space 4 above, no matter where the sealing plate 16 is located.

When the sealing plate 16 closes the opening of the measuring mass 10, the inside of the measuring mass 10 is communicated with the space 4 above the liquid level 6. Air supply pipe 2
The diameter of 0 is set to reduce measurement errors due to liquid level fluctuations.
It is preferable to make it small. Note that instead of providing the air supply pipe 20 on the sealing plate 16, it may be directly attached to the weighing mass 10. However, even in that case, the tip of the air supply pipe is communicated with the upper space 4 of the filling tank 1. It is preferable that the above-mentioned parts be disassembled in consideration of cleaning properties and the like, and so that they can be easily disassembled.

For example, it is desirable to have a structure assembled using ferrules 21 or the like.

Next, the operation of the above device will be explained. Before starting the filling operation, with the sealing plate 16 open, attach an attachment cap to the tip of the filling nozzle 12, open the valve 11, and inject pressurized hot water or steam (for example, 135° C., 30° C.
) into the filling tank 1 to pre-sterilize the inside. This ensures reliable sterilization.

After the pre-sterilization is completed, the valve 11 is set to the position shown in FIG. Keep the inside pressurized. The supplied sterile air is constantly exhausted through the vent pipe 9.

The pressure and supply amount of sterile air at this time are also the same when discharging the liquid in the measuring box 10, as will be described later.
It is set so that the inside does not become valve pressure. In this situation, the filling liquid 5 is supplied into the filling tank 1 to a predetermined level,
After that, the amount of filling liquid supplied is controlled so that the liquid level 6 remains constant.
Ill do it. When the filling liquid 5 is stored in the filling tank l,
As shown in FIG. 1A, the liquid enters the weighing mass 10 through the upper end opening 14 of the weighing mass 10 and fills it.

Next, the sealing plate 16 is lowered to close the opening 14 at the upper end of the weighing box 10 as shown in FIG. 1B. As a result, a predetermined amount of filling liquid enters the measuring cell 10 with its upper end closed, and the liquid also enters the air supply pipe 20 up to the liquid level 6. Next, open the valve 11 as shown in Figure 1C.
The measuring mass lO and the filling nozzle 12 are communicated. As a result, the liquid in the weighing box 10 and the air supply pipe 20 is discharged downward from the weighing box 10 due to its own weight and the pressure inside the filling tank, and is filled into the container 22 below.

At this time, the measuring mass 10 is sucked in through the air supply pipe 20 as the liquid is discharged, so that the liquid is discharged smoothly and quickly. Note that even when the liquid is discharged from the measuring box 10, the sterile air supply from the sterile air supply amount 7 continues, so that the inside of the filling tank 1 does not become negative pressure.

Intrusion of various bacteria into the filling tank 1 is prevented. below.

Close the valve 11 again to the state shown in Figure 1A, open the sealing plate 16 to supply liquid to the measuring mass 10, and then seal it (reverse 1
By repeating the operation of closing valve 6 and then opening valve 11, filling is repeatedly performed.

In the above filling operation, in each filling cycle.

The metering mass 10 and the air supply pipe 20 are filled with a determined amount of liquid. At this time, even if the liquid level fluctuates somewhat, the fluctuation only causes a fluctuation in the amount of liquid in the air supply pipe 20, and by reducing the diameter of the air supply vibe 20, the filling error can be made extremely small. is possible. for example.

If the inner diameter of the air supply pipe 20 is 5×, and the liquid level fluctuates within 50×, the filling error will be less than Ice.

Therefore, liquid level control may be relatively rough. If high precision is required, all you have to do is precisely control the liquid level. Further, since the pressure inside the filling tank 1 does not affect the filling error, there is no need to accurately control the supply pressure of sterile air from the sterile air supply pipe 7. To change the amount of filling at one time, simply replace the measuring mass.

In addition, although the said Example showed the case where one measuring square 10 was provided in one filling tank, you may provide several measuring squares for one filling tank. Also.

The present invention is also applicable to a filling machine in which the filling tank is a fixed tank fixed in a fixed position and only the container to be filled is moved below the filling nozzle, and the filling tank is a rotating type, It is also applicable to a rotary type filling machine in which the filling nozzle and container are rotated together.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a rotary filling machine. In the figure, 30 is a rotating shaft, on which a filling tank 1 is held. A plurality of measuring masses lO (only one is shown) are attached to the bottom surface of the filling tank 1 at positions equidistant from the shaft 30, and a valve 11 and a filling nozzle 12 are provided at the lower end thereof. Additionally, a sealing plate 16 is provided above the weighing box 10. An air supply bi 120 and the like are provided. These are the same as those shown in FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1C. The shaft 30 is provided with a star wheel 31 that rotates the container 22 around the shaft 30 in synchronization with the weighing mass 10. A flange 32 is provided at the upper end of the filling tank 1, and a cap 33 is mounted on the flange 32.
It is rotatably provided with respect to 2. The cap 33 is fixed to an external frame (not shown) and is connected to the filling liquid supply pipe 2. Liquid level gauge 3. It holds a sterile air supply pipe 7, etc. In the above device, sterile air is supplied from the sterile air supply pipe 7 into the filling tank 1 to maintain the interior in a sterile state. This sterile air is constantly discharged to the outside from between the flange 32 and the cap 33.
Therefore.

Even if the flange 32 rotates with respect to the fixed cap 33, entry of external germs through the space between the two is reliably prevented. The rotation of the shaft 30 causes the weighing mass 10. Container 22
1A, 1B, and 1 rotate synchronously.
By the same operation as explained for Figure C.

Metered filling takes place. At this time, the valve 11 and the sealing plate 1
6 is automatically opened and closed by a cam (not shown) provided along its movement path.

3. Effects of the Invention] As explained above, 1. In the present invention, a measuring mass having an opening at the upper end is provided so that the opening communicates with the liquid in the filling tank, and a sealing plate is provided to open and close the opening. At the same time, the upper part of the measuring mass is configured to communicate with the space above the liquid level in the filling tank via the air supply pipe, so that it is possible to fill a predetermined amount of liquid measured with the measuring mass, and the tip of the measuring piston is not used. Compared to what I used.

The structure is simple and there are few sliding parts, so less sealing materials such as O-rings are needed (and durability is good.

When performing aseptic filling, sterilization using pressurized hot water or the like is required, but since the structure is simple, sterilization is reliable. Furthermore, to perform quantitative filling using a measuring mass.

It is not affected by pressure fluctuations in the filling tank, and does not require high-precision internal pressure control like conventional timer filling.
Highly accurate filling becomes possible. Thus, the filling device of the present invention is particularly suitable for aseptic filling.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1A, 1B, and 1CIN are schematic cross-sectional views of an embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 1A shows the liquid supply state, Figure 1B shows the state with the metering mass closed after liquid supply, and Figure 1C. indicates the filling state. FIG. 2 is a schematic ItIi plane view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a rotary type optical machine. ■ Filling tank 2 - Filling liquid supply pipe, 1 ・Space 5 - Filling liquid 6 Liquid level 7 - Sterile air supply pipe 9 - Vent pipe 10 - Measuring mass 1
1--Valve 12--Filling nozzle 14--Opening 16--Sealing plate 17-Elevating shaft 20--Air supply vibe

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A filling tank containing a filling liquid so that at least a space remains in the upper part, a measuring cell having an opening at the upper end and provided so that the opening communicates with the liquid in the filling tank, and the measuring cell. A filling device comprising: a sealing plate that opens and closes an upper end opening of a mass; an air supply pipe that communicates the inside of the measuring mass with a space above the liquid level in a filling tank; and a valve provided at a lower part of the measuring mass. (2) The filling device according to claim 1, wherein the air supply pipe is attached to the sealing plate.