JPH0426815B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an ice cream filling device.

2. Description of the Related Art A generally popular ice cream filling device, as shown in FIG. A direct connection method is common, in which the on-off valve 5 is opened and closed for a certain period of time to fill a certain volume into the container 6.For non-frozen products, the starting point is connected to the continuous freezer 1, as shown in Fig. 3. A hopper system is known in which the other end of the pipe 2 connected to the filling machine 3 is not directly connected to the filling machine 3, but is connected via an open type hopper 7.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The freezer 1 is operated continuously in order to make uniform and high-quality ice cream.In the case of the conventional direct connection system, when the on-off valve 5 is closed, the ice cream is continuously operated. They make it and send it out, so
Although the pressure inside the sealed pipe 2 increased, due to the compression effect of the air contained in the ice cream, the increase in the pressure inside the pipe was reduced to some extent, and the adverse effects on the freezer 1, pipe 2, and filling machine 3 were minor. .

However, in recent years, as the quality of ice cream has improved, the air content (overrun) has been reduced in high-end products, and the air content (overrun), which was generally 40 to 80%, has decreased to 0 to 20%. A problem has arisen in that the pressure inside the pipe 2 increases when the pipe 5 is closed, causing serious trouble to the freezer 1, the joint of the pipe 2, and the filling machine 3.

In addition, the conventional hopper method can solve the above problems of the direct connection method, but since the product sent from the freezer 1 is stored in the hopper 7, it comes into contact with the outside air in this part, making it difficult to apply it to ice cream. This may cause the ice cream to melt or change in quality, and there are hygiene problems such as the cream and mix components in the ice cream adhering to the inner surface of the hopper 7. Furthermore, once the ice cream has been stored in the hopper 7, Since the cream is supplied from the filling machine 3 to the container 6, there are problems such as the freshness produced in the freezer 1 being lost. Therefore, the above hopper type is only applied to non-frozen products.

The present invention was proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems of conventional devices, and its purpose is to provide a direct-coupled ice cream filling device, even when ice cream with a low air content is being force-fed from a freezer. The present invention aims to provide an ice cream filling device that can stabilize the pressure inside the piping and supply ice cream to a filling machine smoothly and hygienically.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pressure-reducing system that includes a cylinder 9a and a movable piston 9b in the middle of a sealed sanitary pipe 2 that directly connects a continuous freezer 1 and a filling machine 3. The cylinders 9a of the averaging device 9 are branched and connected, and the opening/closing air cylinder 8 for driving the nozzle opening/closing valve 5 of the filling machine 3 and the pressure regulating air cylinder 9c of the pressure averaging device 9 are connected to each other by an air switching valve 10. When the nozzle on-off valve 5 of the filling machine 3 is closed, the movable piston 9b of the pressure equalizing device 9 is retracted and the sanitary piping 2
The ice cream in the cylinder 9c is sucked in, and when the cylinder is opened, the movable piston 9b is moved forward to return the ice cream in the cylinder 9c to the sanitary pipe 2. A plurality of pistons 9b and cylinders 9a are installed, and their respective operation timings are staggered.

Function Continuous freezers create ice cream by stirring the supplied raw materials under cooling conditions, and continuously supply this to the filling machine via sanitary piping using a screwdriver. The filling machine fills the supplied ice cream into the container from the nozzle while the on-off valve is open. The pressure equalization device installed in the middle of the sanitary piping sucks the ice cream in the sanitary piping when the on-off valve closes and prevents a pressure rise in the piping, and then when the on-off valve opens, Repeat inhaling the ice cream back into the pipe.

By installing a plurality of movable pistons and cylinders in the pressure averaging device and staggering their respective operation timings, pressure fluctuations in the piping can be evened out more smoothly.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of essential parts showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, in which 1 is a continuous freezer, 2 is a sanitary pipe, 3 is a filling machine, 4 is a nozzle, 5 is an on-off valve, 6 8 is a container, 8 is an air cylinder for opening and closing the on-off valve 5, 9 is a pressure equalizing device, and 10 is a switching valve.

The continuous freezer 1 is designed to stir the supplied raw materials to make ice cream under cooling conditions, and continuously supplies the ice cream to a filling machine 3 via a sanitary pipe 2 using a screwdriver.

A pressure equalizing device 9 is provided in the middle of the sanitary pipe 2, and this pressure equalizing device 9 is connected to a cylinder 9a which is branched and communicated with the inside of the sanitary pipe 2.
It consists of a movable piston 9b that slides within this cylinder 9a, and a pressure adjusting air cylinder 9c that operates this movable piston 9b.

The pressure regulating air cylinder 9c and the opening/closing air cylinder 8 of the opening/closing valve 5 are connected in parallel through air pipes 11 and 12, and are connected to an air supply source via a common switching valve 10.

Although FIG. 1 shows a case in which only one cylinder 9a and one movable piston 9b are provided as the pressure averaging device 9, it is also possible to install a plurality of these and operate them with different operation timings. preferable. In that case, the switching valves 10 may be provided individually, and the timing of each operation may be shifted using a timer or the like, or the same operation may be performed using a mechanical means such as a cam.

The embodiment of the present invention has the above configuration, and the following operation will be explained.

The ice cream raw material is supplied to the freezer 1 and the operation is started. As a result, the freezer 1 makes ice cream and continuously supplies it to the filling machine 3 via the sanitary pipe 2. When the operation button or the like is operated, the switching valve 10 is switched to the open side for a set time, air is supplied to the lower chamber of the opening/closing air cylinder 8, the opening/closing valve 5 is opened, and air flows from the nozzle 4 into the container 6. A predetermined amount of ice cream is supplied and filled. During this time, air is also supplied to the lower chamber of the pressure regulating air cylinder 9c, causing the movable piston 9b to rise, but since the on-off valve 5 is open, the pressure inside the sanitary pipe 2 does not rise.

When one filling of the container 6 is completed, the switching valve 10 is switched to the closing side by a timer or the like, air is supplied to the upper chamber of the opening/closing air cylinder 8, and the opening/closing valve 5 is closed. At the same time, air is also supplied to the upper chamber of the pressure regulating air cylinder 9c, and the movable piston 9b descends. As a result, the ice cream continuously supplied from the freezer 1 to the sanitary piping 2 and the filling machine 3 is sucked into the cylinder 9a and temporarily accumulated until the next time the on-off valve 5 is opened. This prevents pressure from increasing inside the sanitary pipe 2. Next time, when the on-off valve 5 is opened as described above, the movable piston 9b pushes back the ice cream in the cylinder 9a, mixes it with the ice cream pumped from the freezer 1, and supplies it to the container 6 through the nozzle 4. Thereafter, the above operation is repeated.

As shown in Fig. 4, the pressure change inside the sanitary piping 2 during the above operation is such that a constant pressure P1 is maintained when the on-off valve 5 is opened, but when the on-off valve ₅ is closed, a constant pressure P1 is maintained.
In the case of the conventional example shown in the figure, according to the applicant's experiments, it was confirmed that a pressure of approximately 3P ₁ [see the apex of curve A] was generated, and the present invention was carried out under the same conditions. In the example (FIG. 1), the pressure could be reduced to approximately 2P ₁ (see top of curve B).

The pressure change inside the sanitary pipe 2 is determined by the suction volume of the cylinder 9a and the movable piston 9b, the suction volume,
By changing the discharge time, the number of installed cylinders 9a and movable pistons 9b, and the operation timing, and setting conditions suitable for the physical properties of ice cream, it is possible to achieve equalization of pressure. It has been experimentally confirmed that pressure fluctuations can be reduced by providing a large number of cylinders 9a and movable pistons 9b and staggering their individual operation timings.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to directly connect a continuous freezer and a filling machine through sealed sanitary piping to provide hygienic, uniform, and high-quality ice cream, and in particular, it is possible to provide high-quality ice cream with a low air content. For ice cream, the pressure increase when the on-off valve is closed can be reduced by sucking it into the cylinder and temporarily accumulating it, preventing damage to the freezer, piping, and filling machine. Moreover, when the on-off valve is opened, the ice cream can be extruded and mixed and supplied, thereby providing a smooth and sanitary ice cream filling device.

In addition, by installing a plurality of cylinders and movable pistons of the pressure equalizing device and staggering their respective operation timings, pressure changes can be made as small as possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a main part showing an embodiment of the device of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic side views of a conventional device, and FIG. 4 is a comparison diagram of changes in pressure inside a pipe. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Freezer, 2... Sanitary piping, 3... Filling machine, 4... Nozzle, 5... Opening/closing valve, 6... Container, 9... Pressure equalization device, 9a... Cylinder, 9b... Movable piston.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A cylinder of a pressure equalizing device consisting of a cylinder and a movable piston is branched and connected in the middle of a sealed sanitary pipe that directly connects the continuous freezer and the filling machine, and the nozzle of the filling machine The opening/closing air cylinder that drives the opening/closing valve and the pressure regulating air cylinder of the pressure averaging device are connected in parallel via an air switching valve, and when the nozzle opening/closing valve of the filling machine is closed, the pressure averaging device is closed. An ice cream filling device characterized in that the movable piston is moved backward to suck in the ice cream in the sanitary pipe, and during the opening operation, the movable piston is moved forward to return the ice cream in the cylinder to the sanitary pipe. . 2. The ice cream filling device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of movable pistons and cylinders of the pressure equalizing device are installed, and the operation timings of each are staggered.