JP5160989B2 - Fluid filling device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for filling a container with a fluid such as a beverage.

  As a device for filling a container with a beverage (fluid) such as beer, a filling valve and a flow meter for outputting a pulse signal corresponding to the flow rate of the beverage passing through the filling valve are provided in each of a plurality of filling paths, Counting the flow meter pulse signal after instructing the filling valve to open, and instructing the filling valve to close when the counted value reaches a predetermined set value, the beverage of the target filling amount is filled. In addition, beverage filling devices that control the opening and closing of each filling valve are known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

JP 2006-335382 A JP 2001-213498 A JP 2001-348002 A

  In the conventional filling apparatus, the filling amount may vary due to wear or breakage of components such as filling valves and flow meters provided in the filling path. In order to properly manage the filling amount, it is necessary to specify a filling path having a large variation in the filling quantity, and to maintain the filling valve and the like of the path. However, in the conventional filling device, since the filling amount is inspected after the beverage can is carried out of the device, even if a shortage of the filling amount is detected, the correspondence between the container in which the shortage has occurred and the filling path It was difficult to discriminate.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a fluid filling device capable of specifying a filling path having a large variation in filling amount.

  The present invention provides a plurality of filling valves (2) for opening and closing each of a plurality of filling paths associated with a plurality of containers (4), and each of the plurality of filling paths, and each filling path is provided with a unit flow rate. A plurality of flow meters (17) for outputting a predetermined detection signal each time a fluid flows, and counting the detection signals of the flow meter after instructing the opening of the filling valve, and the count value of the detection signals is When a set value corresponding to the target filling amount is reached, a valve control means (20) that controls opening and closing of each filling valve so as to fill the container with the fluid of the target filling amount by instructing the filling valve to close. In the fluid filling device (1), the filling time detecting means for detecting for each filling path the time from when the valve control means instructs opening of each filling valve until the closing is instructed as filling time. 21) and A variation calculating means (22) for calculating, for each filling path, a value indicating a statistical variation in the detected value of the filling time at a plurality of filling opportunities, and a value calculated by the variation calculating means via the filling path. Variation determining means (23) for determining whether or not the variation in the filled amount exceeds the allowable range for each filling path, and the filling determined by the variation determining means that the variation exceeds the allowable range With respect to the path, the problem mentioned above is solved by providing a failure notification means (23) for notifying a predetermined output destination of occurrence of filling failure and information for specifying the filling route where the failure has occurred.

  In the fluid filling apparatus of the type to which the present invention is applied, there is a correlation between the variation in filling time and the variation in filling amount from when the valve control means instructs opening of the filling valve until closing is indicated. To do. Therefore, if the filling time detecting means detects the filling time for each filling path and the variation calculating means calculates a value indicating the statistical variation of the detected filling time for each filling path, the filling amount for each filling path is calculated. It is possible to determine whether or not the variation in the number exceeds the allowable range. Then, with respect to the filling path determined to exceed the allowable range by the variation determining means, by notifying the predetermined output destination of the occurrence of filling failure and information for specifying the filling path where the failure has occurred, Appropriate measures can be taken by identifying a filling path having a large variation in filling amount. For example, maintenance of components such as a filling valve and a flow meter in a path where a defect has occurred can be performed to restore the filling function to normal. Alternatively, with respect to the filling valve in the filling path in which filling failure occurs, it is possible to take measures such as changing the set value corresponding to the target filling amount to solve the shortage of filling amount caused by the variation in filling amount.

  In one form of the present invention, as the output destination, a display means (24) for displaying the occurrence of the filling failure in association with the information for specifying the filling path where the failure has occurred may be provided. In this case, using the information displayed on the display means as a clue, the operator of the filling device can easily identify the filling path where the filling failure occurs.

  In one form of this invention, it has the setting means (25) which can set the said setting value for every said filling valve, and the said fault notification means makes the said setting means generate | occur | produce the said filling defect and the said fault as said output destination The setting means responds to the notification from the defect notifying means and corresponds to the target filling amount related to the filling valve of the filling path where the defect has occurred. The set value may be increased. In this case, by increasing the setting value of the filling valve with respect to the filling path where the defect has occurred, the filling amount at the filling opportunity after the next time is increased, and the lack of filling amount caused by the variation in filling amount is resolved. Can be planned.

  In addition, in the above description, in order to make an understanding of this invention easy, the reference sign of the accompanying drawing was attached in parenthesis, but this invention is not limited to the form of illustration by it.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the correlation between the variation in filling time and the variation in filling amount from when the valve control means instructs opening of the filling valve to when closing is used. Whether or not the variation in filling amount exceeds the permissible range is determined for each filling path, and regarding the filling path determined to exceed the permissible range, the occurrence of filling failure and the filling path where the failure occurred are specified. Since the information to be sent is notified to a predetermined output destination, it is possible to identify a filling path in which the filling amount is insufficient due to the variation in the filling amount, and to take appropriate measures.

  FIG. 1 shows a main part of a beverage filling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The beverage filling apparatus 1 includes a large number (one of which is shown in the figure) of filling valves 2 and filler balls 3 as beverage supply sources for supplying beverages to the filling valves 2. Beverage piping and gas piping (not shown) are connected to the filler ball 3. Beverages and carbon dioxide are appropriately replenished to the filler balls 3 through these beverage pipes and gas pipes, or beverages and carbon dioxide are discharged from the filler balls 3. The filling valve 2 is attached to the outer periphery of a filling head (not shown) that can turn horizontally around a predetermined rotation axis at a constant pitch in the circumferential direction and freely movable up and down. Below the filling head, a beverage can (container) 4 is sequentially fed so as to align with the filling valve 2 in the vertical direction by a container transport mechanism (not shown). The filling valve 2 is driven downward toward the beverage can 4 while being conveyed by the filling head. When the lower end portion of the filling valve 2 is in close contact with the mouth portion of the beverage can 4, the filling valve 2 is opened and the beverage in the filler ball 3 is filled into the beverage can 4 through the filling valve 2. When a predetermined amount of beverage is filled, the filling valve 2 is closed and driven upward. The beverage can 4 after the beverage is filled is transported to the next step by the container transport mechanism. In the next process, the can lid is attached to the beverage can 4 and wound.

  The filling valve 2 includes a valve main body 5, a valve body 6 disposed inside the valve main body 5, and a cylinder device 7 that drives the valve body 6 along an axis in the vertical direction. The internal flow path 5 a of the valve body 5 is connected to the filler ball 3 through the beverage supply pipe 8. When the valve body 6 is in the open position shown in the figure, a gap is formed between the valve seat 5b at the lower end of the valve body 5 and the valve body 6, and the beverage can 4 is fed from the beverage supply pipe 8 to the beverage can 4 via the internal flow path 5a. Is supplied. When the valve body 6 is driven below the open position, the valve body 6 comes into close contact with the valve seat 5b, the internal flow path 5a is closed, and the supply of beverage to the beverage can 4 is blocked. In this embodiment, the filling path from the filler ball 3 through the beverage supply pipe 8 to the end of the internal flow path 5a of the filling valve 2 corresponds to the filling path.

  A gas flow path 6 a is provided on the center line of the valve body 6, and the gas flow path 6 a is connected to the head space 3 a of the filler ball 3 through a gas flow pipe 9. By opening the valve 10 on the gas flow pipe 9, the carbon dioxide gas in the filler ball 3 can be fed into the beverage can 4 from the gas flow path 6 a or the surplus carbon dioxide gas can be returned to the filler ball 3. A gas vent path 11 is provided at the lower end of the valve body 5 so as to go around the valve body 5. The gas vent path 11 is connected to a recovery pipe 14 via a pair of gas pipes 12 and 13. By opening the valves 15 and 16 provided in the gas pipes 12 and 13, the gas (air or carbon dioxide) inside the beverage can 4 can be discharged to the recovery pipe 14.

  In order to measure the amount of beverage filled by the filling valve 2, a flow meter 17 is provided in the beverage supply pipe 8 so as to be paired with the filling valve 2. The flow meter 17 has a turbine 17a that is rotated by a fluid passing through the beverage supply pipe 8, and outputs a pulse signal as a detection signal each time the turbine 17a rotates by a predetermined angle. That is, the flow meter 17 detects the flow rate of the fluid passing through the beverage supply pipe 8 by replacing it with the rotation amount per unit time of the turbine 17a. This type of flow meter is sometimes called a turbine meter. The beverage filling device 1 is provided with a valve control unit 20 and a valve number detection sensor 21 in order to control the opening / closing operation of the filling valve 2 with reference to the output signal of the flow meter 17.

  The valve control unit 20 is configured as a computer unit having a microprocessor as an example. The valve number detection sensor 21 is a sensor for specifying a valve number uniquely assigned to each filling valve 2. That is, the filling valve 2 is assigned valve numbers from No. 1 to N (where N is the number of filling valves 2) along the rotation direction of the filling head. The valve number detection sensor 21 is provided close to the turning path of the filling head, and outputs a detection signal when a reference valve number (for example, the first filling valve 2) reaches a predetermined detection position. The valve control unit 20 determines the valve number that has reached the filling start position based on the detection signal of the valve number detection sensor 21 and the rotation speed of the filling head, and opens the filling valve 2 of the determined valve number. Output a signal. Thereafter, the valve control unit 20 counts the number of output pulses from the flow meter 17 after the open signal, and outputs a close signal to the filling valve 2 whose count value reaches the set pulse number. The amount of beverage filling from each filling valve 2 to the beverage can 4 is controlled. In this embodiment, the valve number determined by the valve control unit 20 is used as information for specifying the filling path in which the filling failure has occurred. Note that various known methods may be used to determine the valve number.

  FIG. 2 is an example of a timing chart regarding the opening / closing operation of the filling valve 2. When the close contact of the filling valve 2 to the beverage can 4 is completed, an opening command signal is output from the valve control unit 20 to the drive circuit of the cylinder device 7 of the filling valve 2 at a subsequent time t1. In response to the opening command signal, the cylinder device 7 operates to open the filling valve 2 at time t2, and filling is started. At the same time, the output of the pulse signal from the flow meter 17 is started. The number of pulses output from the flow meter 17 is counted by the valve control unit 20. The valve controller 20 outputs a close command signal to the cylinder device 7 at time t3 when the number of pulses reaches the set number of pulses Pns. In response to the closing command signal (time t3), the filling valve 2 is closed, and the filling of the beverage is actually stopped at time t4. At the same time, the output of the pulse signal from the flow meter 17 is also stopped. The set pulse number Pns can be set individually for each valve number by the operator operating the setting unit 25.

  Variations may occur in the amount of beverage filled into the beverage can 4. The set number of pulses Pns of the flow meter 17 is expected to have a moderate margin so that beverages exceeding the target filling amount can be filled even if the variation occurs, but the filling valve 2 having a relatively large variation is filled. The amount may not satisfy the target filling amount, and such a filling valve 2 needs to be properly maintained as a defective valve. However, even if an insufficient filling amount is confirmed by inspection of the beverage can 4 after being discharged from the beverage filling device 1, it is difficult to specify the correspondence between the beverage can 4 and the filling valve 2. In order to identify the filling valve 2 in which the filling amount is insufficient, it is desirable to identify a defective valve based on information obtainable from the beverage filling device 1. In addition, the defective valve here is a concept including not only the filling valve 2 but also a flow meter 17 and the like which are paired with the filling valve 2. That is, the term defective valve may be used to indicate a set of components in a system through which a beverage passes during filling and is associated with the valve number 1: 1.

  In the beverage filling apparatus 1, as parameters that may affect the filling amount, there are a filling pulse number Pnf, a filling time Tf, a valve opening delay time Ta, and a valve closing delay time Tb. The filling pulse number Pnf is the number of output pulses of the flow meter 17 from the time t2 when the flow meter 17 starts outputting the pulse signal to the time t4 when the filling ends. As long as the flow meter 17 operates correctly, a value obtained by multiplying the flow rate (unit flow rate) when a single pulse signal is output by the number of filling pulses Pnf is the beverage filling amount in the beverage can 4. The filling time Tf is a time length from time t1 when the opening command signal is output to the filling valve 2 to time t3 when the closing command signal is output. The valve opening delay time Ta is the length of time from the time t1 when the opening command signal is output to the time t2 when the filling is actually started, and the valve closing delay time Tb is the actual time from the time t3 when the closing command signal is output. Is a time length up to time t5 obtained by adding a predetermined determination time Tc to time t4 when filling is completed. The determination time Tc is a time required to determine that the output of the pulse signal from the flow meter 17 has stopped, and is set to about 10 milliseconds as an example.

  When the relationship between the above-described parameters Pnf, Tf, Ta, and Tb and the filling amount variation is examined, a positive correlation is observed between the filling time Tf variation and the filling amount variation, but the other parameters Pnf, There is no clear correlation between Ta and Tb and the variation in filling amount. FIG. 3 shows an example of the result of measuring the relationship between the standard deviation σa as an index value indicating the statistical variation in the filling time Tf and the standard deviation σb as an index value indicating the statistical variation in the filling amount. In FIG. 3, for example, when the tolerance of the variation in the filling amount is within the standard deviation σtg, the one having the standard deviation σa of the filling time Tf larger than the standard deviation σth of the filling time corresponding to the standard deviation σtg is filled. It can be identified as a defective valve whose amount of variation exceeds an allowable range.

  In order to identify a defective valve by paying attention to variations in filling time Tf, as shown in FIG. 1, the beverage filling device 1 is provided with a filling time detection unit 21, a standard deviation calculation unit 22, and a valve evaluation unit 23. Yes. The function of each part is as follows. The filling time detection unit 21 acquires the opening command signal and the closing command signal from the valve control unit 20 in association with the valve number. Then, the required time from the open command signal to the close command signal, that is, the filling time Tf is detected, and the detected filling time Tf is output in association with the valve number. The standard deviation calculation unit 22 holds data in which the filling time Tf is associated with the valve number. FIG. 4 is an example of data held by the standard deviation calculation unit 22. In the data of FIG. 4, filling times Tfi1 to TfiN (i = 1 to M) of a predetermined number N of samples and their standard deviations σai are stored in association with the valve numbers 1 to M. When the filling time detection unit 21 newly detects the filling time Tf, the standard deviation calculation unit 22 acquires the detected filling time Tf in association with the valve number, and fills the corresponding valve number i with the filling time Tfi1. The filling time Tf detected at the oldest time among -TfiN is updated to a new filling time Tf. Further, the standard deviation calculation unit 22 calculates the standard deviation σai by the following equation (1) using the updated filling times Tfi1 to TfiN, and updates the standard deviation σai according to the calculation result. However, in Formula (1), j is a variable which shows the sample numbers 1-N.

  When the standard deviation σai is calculated, the calculation result is output from the standard deviation calculation unit 22 to the valve evaluation unit 23. The valve evaluation unit 23 determines whether or not the calculated standard deviation σai is equal to or less than a predetermined evaluation reference value σth (see FIG. 3). When the standard deviation σai exceeds the evaluation reference value σth, the valve evaluation unit 23 recognizes that a defective valve is detected at the valve number corresponding to the standard deviation σai, and detects the defective valve detection signal as the valve number. And output to the monitor unit 24 and the setting unit 25. In the monitor unit 24, information indicating that a defective valve has been detected (for example, a message indicating that a defective valve has been detected) is displayed to the operator of the beverage filling device 1 in association with the valve number. The monitor 24 also displays the filling time Tf detected by the filling time detector 21 and the standard deviation σa calculated by the standard deviation calculator 22 in association with the valve number.

  By indicating the detection of the defective valve together with the valve number on the monitor unit 24, the operator of the beverage filling device 1 can grasp the valve number where the defect has occurred and take an appropriate action. For example, by using the setting unit 25 to change the set pulse number Pns related to the valve number in which a defect is detected to a larger value, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a shortage of the beverage filling amount with respect to the target filling amount. Or you may maintain the filling valve 2 or the flowmeter 17 regarding the valve number by which the defect was detected.

  In the above embodiment, the valve control unit 20 is the valve control unit, the filling time detection unit 21 is the filling time detection unit, the standard deviation calculation unit 22 is the variation calculation unit, and the valve evaluation unit 23 is the variation determination unit and the defect notification unit. Respectively. The monitor unit 24 corresponds to display means as an output destination such as occurrence of defective filling.

  The present invention is not limited to the above form, and can be carried out in various forms. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the detection signal of the defective valve in the valve evaluation unit 23 is input to the setting unit 25 in association with the valve number, and the setting unit 25 performs processing corresponding to the detection of the defective valve. The set pulse number Pns related to the valve number in which the defect is detected may be automatically increased. In this case, the setting unit 25 corresponds to setting means as an output destination. Furthermore, an upper limit value may be set for the set number of pulses Pns, and a process for urging the operator to perform maintenance on the valve number that has reached the upper limit value may be added.

  In the above form, the valve number is used as information for specifying the filling path, but the filling path may be specified in a form different from the valve number. The value indicating the statistical variation in the filling time is not limited to the standard deviation, and various index values can be used. The flow meter is not limited to the turbine meter, and various types of flow meters can be used as long as a predetermined detection signal is output every time a fluid having a unit flow rate flows through the filling path. The present invention is not limited to an apparatus for filling a beverage can with a beverage, and the container and the fluid to be filled therein may be appropriately changed.

The figure which shows the principal part of the drink filling apparatus which concerns on one form of this invention. The timing chart regarding the opening / closing operation | movement of a filling valve. The figure which shows an example of the result of having measured the standard deviation as an index value which shows the statistical variation of filling time, and the standard deviation as an index value which shows the statistical variation of filling amount. The figure which shows an example of the data which a standard deviation calculating part hold | maintains. The figure which shows the principal part of the drink filling apparatus which concerns on the other form of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Beverage filling device (fluid filling device)
2 Filling valve 3 Filler ball 4 Beverage can (container)
8 Beverage supply pipe 17 Flow meter 17a Turbine 20 Valve control unit (valve control means)
21 Valve number detection sensor 21 Filling time detection unit (filling time detection means)
22 Standard deviation calculator (variation calculation means)
23 Valve evaluation unit (variation determination means, defect notification means)
24 Monitor section (display means)
25 Setting part (setting means)
Tf Filling time σa Standard deviation of filling time σb Standard deviation of filling amount σth Standard value of standard deviation of filling time

Claims (4)

A plurality of filling valves that open and close each of a plurality of filling paths associated with a plurality of containers;
A plurality of flowmeters provided in each of the plurality of filling paths, each outputting a predetermined detection signal each time a fluid having a unit flow rate flows through the filling paths;
Counting the detection signal of the flow meter after instructing the opening of the filling valve, and instructing the filling valve to close when the count value of the detection signal reaches a set value corresponding to the target filling amount, A fluid filling device comprising valve control means for controlling opening and closing of each filling valve so that the target filling amount of fluid is filled in the container;
A filling time detecting means for detecting, for each filling path, a time from when the valve control means instructs opening of each filling valve until closing is indicated as a filling time;
Variation calculating means for calculating a value indicating a statistical variation of the detected value of the filling time in a plurality of filling opportunities for each filling path;
Variation determining means for determining, for each filling path, whether or not the variation in the filling amount via the filling path exceeds an allowable range based on the value calculated by the variation calculating means;
With respect to the filling path in which the variation is determined to exceed the allowable range by the variation determining unit, a predetermined output destination is notified of occurrence of filling failure and information for specifying the filling route in which the failure has occurred. Defect notification means;
A fluid filling device comprising:   2. The fluid filling according to claim 1, wherein the output destination is provided with a display unit that displays the occurrence of the filling failure in association with information for specifying a filling path in which the failure has occurred. apparatus.   Setting means capable of setting the set value for each of the filling valves, and the failure notification means, as the output destination, information for specifying the occurrence of the filling failure and the filling path where the failure has occurred in the setting means. The setting means increases the set value corresponding to the target filling amount related to the filling valve of the filling path in which the failure has occurred in response to a notification from the failure notifying means. Item 3. The fluid filling device according to Item 1 or 2.   The variation calculating means calculates a standard deviation of the detected value as a value indicating a statistical variation of the detected value of the filling time, and the variation determining means is configured such that the standard deviation exceeds a predetermined reference value. 4. The fluid filling device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid filling device determines that the variation in the filling amount exceeds an allowable range.

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