JPH0786035B2 - Liquid filling device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a liquid filling device for filling various liquid foods or the like into a container having an opening on its upper surface.

(Prior Art and Problems Thereof) A conventional general liquid filling device of this type connects a lower end opening of a filling pipe to an opening of a container placed at a liquid filling work position, The liquid was filled in the container. In such a device, the liquid will fall freely from the filling pipe at a distance about the height of the container at the initial stage of filling,
The free fall distance of the liquid does not become small enough just before the filling is completed. Therefore, depending on the liquid, the amount of air taken in at the time of the free fall becomes large, and the liquid foams improperly, which cannot be utilized for filling the liquid that must avoid foaming.

Therefore, use a filling pipe that can move up and down, and start filling after the filling pipe is lowered to near the bottom surface inside the container, and raise the filling pipe with the filling of the liquid to eliminate the free fall distance of the liquid. Or, it was considered to be sufficiently small, but a bellows-shaped flexible tube or a rubber flexible tube is required to supply liquid to a vertically movable filling tube, and all flow paths consist of stainless steel fixed piping. There is a problem in hygiene as compared with the case where it is carried out, and it is unsuitable as a filling device for handling liquid foods.

As a conventional filling device of this type, a device for automatically filling a container being conveyed by this filling device is provided with a filling device that moves in synchronization with a container that is continuously conveyed by a container conveying conveyor. Are known. In such a filling device, the means for moving the filling means in synchronism with the container is very complicated in terms of mechanism and control, and is an extremely expensive device. Therefore, the filling means is provided in correspondence with the liquid filling work position set at a fixed position, and the empty container is transferred to this liquid filling work position and the automatic container loading / unloading means for carrying the liquid filled container from the working position is also used. Although a filling device that can be used was considered, the structure and control of the automatic container loading / unloading means became complicated, and a significant cost reduction could not be expected.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention proposes a liquid filling device capable of solving the conventional problems as described above, which is characterized by a container transporting operation which is continuously operated at a constant speed. A liquid filling work position is set on the way of the conveyor, and at this liquid filling work position,
A stopper which can be retracted and stopped to stop the container on the conveyor without stopping the continuous operation of the conveyor, a stopper position adjusting means for adjusting the position of the stopper in the container transport path direction, and the stopper. An elevating table for raising the container from the conveyor is provided, and a container elevating means for elevating the container on the conveying path from the conveyor is provided on the conveying path on the upper side of the liquid filling work position. Just above the opening provided on the upper surface of the container supported in the position, a vertical filling pipe is provided which enters the container through the opening when the container is lifted by the elevating table. The point is that a means for raising and lowering the lifting platform is provided.

(Operation of the Invention) After the container is transferred to a fixed position on the lift table at the lower limit position by an appropriate means and then the lift table is raised, the filling pipe fixed at the upper fixed position is The container relatively descends into the container through the opening. When the lower end of the filling pipe reaches the position near the bottom surface in the container, the lifting of the lifting platform is stopped, and the liquid is filled into the container through the filling pipe. At this time, the elevating table can be lowered along with the progress of filling so that the gap between the liquid level in the container and the lower end of the filling pipe is substantially constant, so that the liquid can freely fall into the container from the container opening. Bubbling due to air intake of the liquid is significantly suppressed as compared with the case where the liquid is filled.

After the filling is completed, the elevating table descends to the lower limit position, and when the filling pipe relatively escapes upward from the inside of the container, carry out the filled container from the filling work position (on the elevating table) by an appropriate means. good.

Further, the container transporting conveyor is continuously operated at a constant speed. When the container supplied on this conveyor is conveyed to the liquid filling work position, it is stopped by the stopper at that position, and is stopped so as to be continuous to the rear of the leading container stopped at the liquid filling work position of the subsequent container. To do.
By operating the container lifting means in such a state, the containers on the conveyor on the side higher than the liquid filling work position are floated away from the conveyor. Then, the elevating table is raised to raise the leading container from the conveyor, and the filling means fills the inside of the container with liquid. During the liquid filling operation for the leading container,
Since the conveyor is separated from all the stopped containers, the load acting on the conveyor is small even when the conveyor is continuously operated, and it can be driven by the driving means of small horsepower without any trouble. Also, there is no fear of noise due to sliding contact with the bottom surface of the container.

When the container is completely filled with the liquid, the elevating table is lowered to the bottom of the conveyor, so that the filled container can be unloaded onto the conveyor in continuous operation and automatically carried out by the conveyor. Of course, the stopper should be retracted below the conveyor before the elevator is lowered, and after the filled container that has been transferred onto the conveyor has been carried out beyond this stopper position, the stopper is moved to project to fill the liquid. It is possible to restart the conveyance of the container waiting on the upper side of the work position toward the liquid filling work position and automatically stop the container again at the liquid filling work position by the stopper.

Since the position of the stopper can be adjusted by the stopper position adjusting means, when the size of the container to be used is changed and the width of the container placed on the conveyor in the transport direction is changed, the stopper can be adjusted accordingly. The position can be changed and adjusted so that the container conveyed by the conveyor can be stopped at a predetermined position on the liquid filling operation position.

(Example) Hereinafter, one example of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a container transporting conveyor, which is a left and right side stretched between a drive toothed wheel 3 rotationally driven by a motor 2 and a take-up idler toothed wheel 4. From a pair of conveyor chains 5a, 5b, a chain guide rail 6 that supports and guides the upper path of the chains 5a and 5b, and a chain guide rail 7 that supports and guides the lower path of the chains 5a, 5b. It is configured. As the chains 5a and 5b, it is preferable that each chain link has a smooth load-receiving surface made of plastic that can smoothly slide relative to the bottom surface of the container.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a liquid filling work position set in the container transfer path by the container transfer conveyor 1, and includes a pair of left and right lift tables 9a and 9b arranged so as to sandwich the conveyor chains 5a and 5b. And a stopper 10 which is arranged in the middle of the conveyor chains 5a and 5b and which can be moved up and down. Reference numeral 11 denotes a vertical filling pipe arranged at a predetermined position above the liquid filling position 8 and is connected to a discharge portion of a liquid pressure pump 13 via a fixed pipe 12. A variable speed motor 14 drives the pump 13.

Reference numeral 15 is a means for lifting a container on the conveyor which is arranged between the starting end of the container conveying path by the container conveying conveyor 1 and the liquid filling work position 8 and which sandwiches the conveyor chains 5a and 5b. The stock stands 16a and 16b on both the left and right sides, the stock stand 16c arranged between the conveyor chains 5a and 5b, and the stock stands 16a to 16c.
It is composed of the ascending / descending driving means 17. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the stock bases 16a to 16c are provided with connecting members 18a and 18b at positions near both ends so that their upper surfaces are flush with each other.
Are connected and integrated with each other. The lifting drive means
Reference numeral 17 denotes lifting members 20a, 20b that are connected to positions near both ends of the two-sided stock bases 16a, 16b and are supported only through a lifting guide rod 19 so as to be lifted, and both lifting members 20a, 2b.
It is composed of cylinder units 21a and 21b for vertically moving 0b. This cylinder unit 21a, 21b
With the stock stands 16a to 16c being lowered to the lower limit position, the upper surfaces of the stock stands 16a to 16c are located lower than the surfaces (container receiving surfaces) of the conveyor chains 5a and 5b.

Reference numeral 22 is a lifting container retreating means disposed in an appropriate length region on the upper side of the liquid filling work position 8, and is a central stock platform 16c in the lifting means 15 for the container on the conveyor.
Further, the rack gear 23 is supported so as to be reciprocally movable in the container transport path direction, and a rack gear driving cylinder unit 24 that is attached to the bottom surface of the central stock base 16c and is connected to the rack gear 23. The rack gear 23 is supported such that the teeth of the rack gear 16 project upward from the stock base 16c. However, as shown in FIG. 4, when the stock bases 16a to 16c are at the lower limit position, The teeth are located lower than the surfaces (container receiving surfaces) of the conveyor chains 5a and 5b.

Reference numerals 25a and 25b are container guides arranged on both left and right sides of the container transfer path between the start end of the container transfer path by the container transfer conveyor 1 and the liquid filling work position 8.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 9, the lifts 9a and 9b are provided with a weight measurement base (load cell) 28 supported on a lift base plate 27 which is supported only at the four corners by lift guide rods 26 so that it can be lifted and lowered only. It is projected on the upper side. The elevating and lowering drive means 29 of the elevating and lowering board 27 is a pair of front and rear rotary screw shafts 31a which are threadedly penetrated into the female screw bodies 30 fixed at the front and rear ends of the elevating and lowering board 27 and whose upper and lower ends are supported at fixed positions. 31b, spiral gears 32a, 32 fixed to the lower ends of the rotary screw shafts 31a, 31b.
b, a drive shaft 34 having a pair of spiral gears 33a, 33b fixed to both spiral gears 32a, 32b, respectively, and a pulse motor 35 for rotating the drive shaft 34 in forward or reverse directions at an arbitrary speed. There is. Therefore, the pulse motor 35 drives the rotary screw shafts 31a and 31b in the normal direction or the reverse direction to raise or lower the raising / lowering board 27, thereby raising or lowering the raising / lowering stands 9a and 9b together with the weight measuring stand (load cell) 28. Can be done. Then, the ascending / descending speed of the elevators 9a, 9b at this time can be freely changed by the control of the pulse motor 35. The upper and lower container receiving surfaces of the elevating tables 9a and 9b are provided with container positioning guides 36a and 36 in the lateral direction.
b and positioning stoppers 37a, 37b on the container transport direction side are provided in a protruding manner.

The position of the stopper 10 can be adjusted in the container conveying path direction by the position adjusting means 38 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The position adjusting means 38 is movably supported by a slide guide rod 39 installed in parallel with the container transport path, and a moving base 41 screwed into a rotary screw shaft 40 supported in parallel with the slide guide rod 39. The stopper 10 is movably supported on the moving base 41 via the lifting cylinder unit 42 and the lifting guide rod 43, and when the stopper 10 is lowered to the lower limit position by the cylinder unit 42, Conveyor chain 5 at its top
The position is lower than the upper surface (container receiving surface) of a and 5b. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotary screw shaft 40 is interlocked with a rotary operation shaft 45 via a bevel gear 44, and a rotary handle 46 fixed to the outer end of the rotary operation shaft 45 is rotated to rotate the rotary screw shaft 40. By rotating the shaft 40 in any forward or reverse direction, the position of the stopper 10 can be adjusted back and forth along the container transport path via the moving base 41.

The fixed cover plate 47 provided between the conveyor chains 5a and 5b is provided with an opening that allows the stopper 10 to move back and forth, and the movable gabber plate 48 that covers the opening from below is moved. The stopper 10 is attached to the base 41, the cylinder unit 42, and the like via a bracket 49, and the stopper 10 moves up and down through an opening provided in the movable cover plate 48.

As shown in FIG. 10, the filling pipe 11 shown in FIG. 1 includes a main pipe 50 having a pipe connecting portion 49 for connecting the fixed pipe 12 to the upper end side, and a lower end opening of the main pipe 50. It is composed of an up-and-down valve body 51 that opens and closes, and a cylinder unit 53 (see FIG. 1) that drives the up-and-down valve body 51 up and down via an up-and-down rod 52 that is connected to the upper end of the main pipe 50 and moves up and down in the main pipe 50. When the lifting / lowering valve body 51 is lowered by the cylinder unit 53 via the lifting / lowering rod 52, as shown in FIG. 11, between the lower conical surface 50a of the main pipe 50 and the upper conical surface 51a of the lifting / lowering valve body 51. An annular discharge port 54 having a downwardly widening conical shape is formed. When the raising / lowering valve body 51 is raised and returned, the lower conical surface 50a of the main pipe 50 and the upper conical surface 51a of the raising / lowering valve body 51 are brought into pressure contact with each other to close the annular discharge port 54. The filling pipe 11 is the cylinder unit as shown in FIG.
It is mounted vertically by a fixed column 56 via 53 and a bracket 55.

Next, a filling method using the above liquid filling device will be described.

The liquid filling container (for example, a commercially available 18 can) 57 is a motor 2
The container is conveyed at a constant speed toward the liquid filling work position 8 by being placed on the starting end of the container conveyor 1 (conveyor chains 5a, 5b) driven at a constant speed by a predetermined direction. . At this time, the lifting means 15 (stock stands 16a to 16c) and the lifting stands 9a, 9b which are easily mounted on the conveyor.
Is in the lower limit position and is recessed in a position lower than the conveyor chains 5a and 5b, and the stopper 10 is in the upper limit position and protrudes above the conveyor chains 5a and 5b.

As shown in FIG. 12, the container 57 on the container conveying conveyor 1 reaches the liquid filling work position 8 and contacts the stopper 10,
It's stopped. At this time, the filling pipe 11 is positioned so that the filling pipe 11 is located right above the opening 58 provided on the upper surface of the container 57. The succeeding container 57 comes into contact with the rear surface of the container 57 stopped at the solution filling work position 8 and stops.

At the liquid filling work position 8, a container detection sensor (photoelectric switch) S1 is arranged in a direction toward one side of the container transporting conveyor 1 at an appropriate distance side from the stopper 10, and the stopper 10 is further provided in the liquid filling work device 8. Container 57 that abuts against and stops
A container opening detection sensor (photoelectric switch) S2 that detects the upper opening 58 of the container 57 obliquely downward from the side of the rising path of the container 57 is provided.

As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 17, the sensor S1
After turning ON, when the set time T1 slightly longer than the time required for the container 57 to contact the stopper 10 has elapsed, if the container opening detection sensor S2 is turned ON, the conveyor container lifting means 15 Each stock stand 16a-16c is a lifting drive means
Conveyor chain 5 with 17 cylinder units 21a, 21b
It is raised to a position higher than a and 5b, and then the rack gear 23 of the lifting container retreating means 22 is moved to the cylinder unit 24.
Is moved backward by a constant stroke.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, each container 57 on the container conveying conveyor 1 above the liquid filling operation position 8 is lifted from above the conveyor 1 by the stock stands 16a to 16c, and then the rack gear 23 is moved. Due to the backward movement of the container 57, the container 57 is slightly moved backward with respect to the liquid filling work position 8 via the container lower peripheral curling portion 57a fitted in the trough of the rack gear 23. Therefore, each container 57 on the upper side of the liquid filling work position 8 stands by without contacting the container transporting conveyor 1 and, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 12, the container 57 stopped at the liquid filling work position 8. On the other hand, the container 527 immediately after that is separated backward. After that, the filling program is executed as shown in FIG. 17, but if the sensor S2 is not turned on, it is determined that the opening 58 of the container 57 which has reached the liquid filling work position 8 is not at the predetermined position. An emergency stop can be applied to the entire device, and a buzzer or an emergency light can be used to warn if necessary.

The filling program is executed as shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, the pulse motor 35 of the lifting drive means 29
As a result, the lifts 9a, 9b are raised, and the container 57 that has stopped by contacting the stopper 10 at the liquid filling work position 8 is supported by the lifts 9a, 9b and moves up.

As the container 57 rises, the filling pipe 11 opens the opening 58 of the container 57.
Relatively descends into the container 57. When the elevators 9a, 9b reach the ascending end position L1 and stop, the 13th
As shown in the figure, the lower end of the filling pipe 11 is located above the bottom surface in the container 57 by a certain distance D (for example, about 50 mm).
In such a state, as shown in FIG. 11, the lifting valve body 51 of the filling pipe 11 may be lowered, the annular discharge port 54 is opened, and at the same time, the pump 13 is driven at a low speed, so that the liquid to be filled is filled from the filling pipe 11 into a container. Slow filling into 57. At this time, the liquid ejected from the lower end annular ejection port 54 of the filling pipe 11 spreads downward and is diffused into a conical shape.
There is no fear of giving a shock to the weight measuring mechanism of.
The stopper 10 is lowered to below the conveyor 1 after the lifts 9a and 9b are driven to rise.

From the liquid flow rate at the time of low-speed filling and the cross-sectional area of the space inside the container 57, the time T2 until the surface of the liquid filled in the container 57 reaches near the lower end of the filling pipe 11 is calculated and set. When the time T2 has elapsed, the elevators 9a and 9b are lowered at the set speed, and at the same time, the pump 13 is switched from low speed driving to high speed driving to start high speed liquid filling. The liquid flow rate at the time of high-speed filling and the descending speed of the lifts 9a and 9b are set so that the liquid surface in the container 57 is always kept near the lower end of the filling pipe 11. As described above, since the liquid spreads downward from the filling pipe 11 and diffuses in a conical shape, it is possible to prevent air from being taken in and bubbles when the filling liquid falls on the liquid surface even during the high-speed filling. To be done.

As described above, when the container 57 descending together with the elevators 9a, 9b while being filled at high speed descends to a position just before the lower end of the filling pipe 11 comes out of the container opening 58 as shown in FIG. 14, that is, When the lifts 9a, 9b are lowered to the preset control position L2, the lowering of the lifts 9a, 9b is stopped, and at the same time the pump 13 is switched from high speed drive to low speed drive, again at low speed when the container is stopped. Filling is done. Since the liquid filling amount in the container 57 is automatically measured by weight measurement by the weight measuring table 28 supporting the container 57 via the elevating tables 9a, 9b, the filling by the weight measuring table 28 is performed. When the measured liquid weight reaches the set weight (the liquid weight corresponding to the predetermined filling amount in the container 57) and the full signal is output, the pump 13 is stopped and at the same time the filling pipe is
The lower end annular discharge port 54 of 11 is closed by the lifting valve body 51, and the filling of the liquid in the container 57 is completed. As described above, by switching to the low speed filling from a little before the full amount to the full amount, it is possible to prevent the weight measurement error due to the inertial weight and the filling liquid from blowing out from the opening 58.

Next, the elevators 9a and 9b stopped at the control position L2 are driven downward again, and as shown in FIG. 15, the containers 57 on the elevators 9a and 9b 57
When the elevators 9a, 9b reach the control position L3 just before the bottom surface of the elevator transfers to the container conveyor 1, the lowering drive speed of the elevators 9a, 9b is switched to the low speed, and the liquid on the elevators 9a, 9b is changed. The filled container 57 is gently lowered onto the container conveying conveyor 1 (conveyor chains 5a, 5b). And lifts 9a, 9b
Reaches a descending limit position L4, which is slightly lower than the conveyor 1, and stops, thereby completing a series of filling programs.

The liquid-filled container 57, which has been unloaded onto the container transporting conveyor 1 as described above, is carried out of the liquid filling work position 8 by the conveyor 1. When the container 57 reaches the end position 59 of the conveyor 1 as shown in FIG. 16 and the container detection sensor (photoelectric switch) S3 arranged on one side of the conveyor 1 is turned on, As shown in the flow charts of FIGS. 16 and 17, the stopper 10 is raised to the upper limit position, and subsequently, the means for lifting the container on the conveyor.
The fifteen stock stands 16a to 16c are lowered to the lower limit position below the conveyor 1.

As a result, the containers 57 lifted by the stock stands 16a to 16c are lowered onto the container transfer conveyor 1 (conveyor chains 5a, 5b) and transferred by the conveyor 1 toward the liquid filling work position 8. . In addition, the liquid-filled container 57 conveyed to the end position 59 of the conveyor 1 is
Although not shown in the drawing, it can be transferred to the next stage conveyor connected to the conveyor 1 and continuously conveyed.

When the standard of the container 57 to be used, that is, the size and shape of the container 57, the position of the opening 58, and the like change, the position of the stopper 10, the position of the filling pipe 11 on the horizontal plane, and the height of the filling pipe 11 according to these conditions. The position of the sensors S1 and S2, the set time T1, T2,
By changing and adjusting the ascending limit position L1 and the control position L2 of the lifts 9a and 9b, various containers can be filled with the liquid as described above.

(Effect of the Invention) According to the liquid filling apparatus of the present invention which can be implemented as described above, the liquid level in the container is set by setting the lowering speed of the lifting table and the liquid discharge flow rate from the filling pipe. Since the liquid can be filled so as to be always kept near the lower end opening of the filling pipe, it is easy to foam, and the liquid can be well filled without foaming. Moreover, since the container is moved up and down instead of moving up and down the filling pipe, there is no need to interpose a flexible pipe in the liquid flow path to the filling pipe, and the entire liquid flow path is made of, for example, stainless steel. Since it can be constructed extremely hygienically by the fixed pipe, it can be utilized particularly as a filling device for liquid food.

Further, according to the liquid filling device of the present invention, the loading of the empty container to the liquid filling work position and the unloading of the liquid-filled container from the work position can be performed by one continuous conveyor for container transport, Moreover, since the conveyor can be continuously operated, the structure and control are simple and can be implemented at low cost. Furthermore, during the filling operation, the first container and the subsequent standby container that are being filled can all be floated from above the conveyor, so the load acting on the conveyor is small, and it can be driven by the small horsepower drive means without any trouble. In addition, there is no risk of noise due to sliding contact with the bottom surface of the container.

Further, since the position of the stopper can be adjusted by the stopper position adjusting means, when the size of the container to be used is changed and the width of the container placed on the conveyor in the transport direction is changed, the stopper can be adjusted accordingly. By changing and adjusting the position, the container conveyed by the conveyor can be stopped at a predetermined position on the liquid filling work position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of the entire apparatus, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the entire container transfer path, FIG. 3 is a vertical side view of the same, and FIG. 4 is a vertical front view of the container transfer path on the upper side of the liquid filling work position. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional front view showing the operating state of the container lifting means on the conveyor, FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of an essential part for explaining the backward moving operation of the lifting container, and FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional front view of the liquid filling work position. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the stopper at the same position in the lowered state, Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional plan view showing the lifting platform and its lifting drive means, and Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the filling pipe. The figure is a vertical side view of the main part showing the state where the lower end discharge port of the same filling tube is opened, FIGS. 12 to 16 are schematic side views for explaining the filling operation sequence, and FIGS. 17 and 18 are filling control. It is a flowchart explaining a procedure. 1 …… Conveyor for container transportation, 2,35 …… Motor, 5a, 5b
…… Conveyor chain, 8 …… Liquid filling work position, 9a, 9b
…… Lifting platform, 10 …… Stopper, 11 …… Filling tube, 13 ……
Liquid pressure pump, 15 …… Conveyor container lifting means, 16a to 16c …… Stock stand, 17 …… Stock stand lifting drive means, 21a, 21b, 24,42,53 …… Cylinder unit, 22
...... Lifting container retracting means, 23 …… Rack gear, 28 ……
Weight measuring table (load cell), 29 ... Elevating table lifting drive means, 31a, 31b, 40 ... Rotating screw shaft, 38 ... Stopper position adjusting means, 50 ... Filling pipe main pipe, 54 ... Annular discharge port, 57 ......
Liquid filled container.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Norihiro Fujita 2-15-8 Kasugano, Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture Hirakata Plant, Nakamura Metal Industry Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-59-62493 (JP, A) JP-A-59-93690 (JP, A) Actually developed JP-A-60-126303 (JP, U)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A liquid filling work position is set in the middle of a conveying path of a container carrying conveyor which is continuously operated at a constant speed, and the liquid filling work position is set on the conveyor without stopping the continuous operation of the conveyor. A stopper that can be retracted to stop the container of, a stopper position adjusting means that adjusts the position of this stopper in the container transport path direction, and an elevating table that raises the container stopped by the stopper from the conveyor, A container lifting means for lifting the container on the transfer path from the conveyor is provided on the transfer path on the side better than the liquid filling work position, and an opening is provided on the upper surface of the container supported at a fixed position on the lift table. Just above the part, a vertical filling pipe is provided which enters the container through the opening when the container is raised by the elevating table. Liquid filling apparatus comprising a means for vertically driving the serial lifting platform. 2. The liquid filling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filling pipe is provided with a lower end discharge port for discharging the liquid downward and conically.