The invention describes a filling device with a discharge container for filling upwardly open packaging containers with at least one opening flap for opening and closing a discharge opening for the product, the opening flap being moveable along a path between a closed position and an open position by means of a driving element. At least one delay device is provided by means of which the movement of the opening flap may be delayed on a section of the path.

An enhanced apparatus (10) for filling bags containing products, in particular fruit and vegetable products, arranged in first bags (16) having dimensions smaller than second bags filled with said first bags and comprising a feeding station (12) which feeds first bags (16) to a second bag filling station (18) which fills second bags with the first bags (16), a meshed material feeding station (20) to form bands of second bags, a closing and cutting station (22) which closes and cuts second bags filled with the first bags, said filling station (18) being an intermediate station between said meshed material feeding station (20) and said closing and cutting station (22), the apparatus comprising automatic sorting and selection means, integrated in the filling station (18), which automatically sort and select the first bags (16) fed by the feeding station (12) to transportation means suitable for moving said first bags (16), after being sorted, towards collection/accumulation means comprising unloading means providing for a centered downloading of said first bags into second bags.

A vertical bag-making/filling/packaging machine (1) comprises: a film supplying portion (5) which lets out a film (F) from a roll (Fr); a bag-making guide (31) which folds the film (F) into a tubular shape and changes a conveying direction downward; a vertical sealing portion (60) which thermally seals side edges of the film (F) to each other in an up-down direction so as to make the film into a tubular shape; a film conveying portion (50) which conveys the film (F) downward; a filling portion (70) which loads a content (X) into an interior of the film (F); a lateral sealing portion (80) which thermally seals the film (F) in a left-right direction so as to make a bag body; a square-bottom sealing portion (90) which expands a bottom of the bag body to a rectangular shape from an inside and then thermally seals the bottom to form a rectangular bottom surface; and a cutter (89) which cuts off the bag body from the film (F).

A vertical bag-making/filling/packaging machine (1) comprises: a film supplying portion (5) which lets out a film (F) from a roll (Fr); a bag-making guide (31) which folds the film (F) into a tubular shape and changes a conveying direction downward; a vertical sealing portion (60) which thermally seals side edges of the film (F) to each other in an up-down direction so as to make the film into a tubular shape; a film conveying portion (50) which conveys the film (F) downward; a filling portion (70) which loads a content (X) into an interior of the film (F); a lateral sealing portion (80) which thermally seals the film (F) in a left-right direction so as to make a bag body; a square-bottom sealing portion (90) which expands a bottom of the bag body to a rectangular shape from an inside and then thermally seals the bottom to form a rectangular bottom surface; and a cutter (89) which cuts off the bag body from the film (F).

A filler head apparatus 20 for hygienically filling and emptying containers 22 through a fitment 24 incorporated with the container 22 includes a cylindrical outer housing 30 for receiving a hollow bore inner cylinder 32 which is actuated to simultaneously reciprocate and rotate about a central axis 33 within the outer housing. A transfer tube assembly 34 is mounted to the inner cylinder 32 to travel with the inner cylinder between an extended position engaged with the fitment 24 and a retracted position disengage from the fitment. When the transfer tube assembly is engaged with the fitment, flowable content or product may be transferred to or from the container 22. A fitment cap assembly 36 is also mounted to the inner cylinder 22 to travel with the inner cylinder to remove the cap 38 of the fitment 24 prior to either filling or emptying the container 22, and then to retract to a standby position while the container is filled/emptied, and thereafter replacing the fitment cap after filling/emptying has been completed.

A gathering and dispensing scoop with agitating gate valve provides a scoop body defining an upper opening, a bottom opening, and a channel extending therebetween. A handle extends radially from an outer peripheral surface of the scoop body. A gate valve transects the channel and has a user operable finger tab adjacent to the handle for a user to move the gate valve from a first position transecting the channel and obstructing the bottom opening to a second position wherein the gate valve no longer obstructs the channel and opens the bottom opening.

A filler head apparatus 20 for hygienically filling and emptying containers 22 through a fitment 24 incorporated with the container 22 includes a cylindrical outer housing 30 for receiving a hollow bore inner cylinder 32 which is actuated to simultaneously reciprocate and rotate about a central axis 33 within the outer housing. A transfer tube assembly 34 is mounted to the inner cylinder 32 to travel with the inner cylinder between an extended position engaged with the fitment 24 and a retracted position disengage from the fitment. When the transfer tube assembly is engaged with the fitment, flowable content or product may be transferred to or from the container 22. A fitment cap assembly 36 is also mounted to the inner cylinder 22 to travel with the inner cylinder to remove the cap 38 of the fitment 24 prior to either filling or emptying the container 22, and then to retract to a standby position while the container is filled/emptied, and thereafter replacing the fitment cap after filling/emptying has been completed.

A flow control system (1) for filling a bag (100) with a granular product, comprising an acceleration conduit (2) with a metering side (4) where there is arranged a metering device (6) and a filling side (10) for the bag (100). A control device (14) with movable control blades (16) and a first sensor (S1) is provided at an intermediate point (22) of the conduit (2). A second sensor (S2) is provided on the filling side (10). The control device (14) and sensors (S1, S2) are functionally associated with one another such that the blades (16) of said control device (14) move among one position of said plurality of positions depending on if said first and second sensors (S1, S2) detect an accumulation of granular product on said filling side (10) which may delay the filling of said bag (100). The invention also relates to a machine and a filling method.

Filler apparatus includes plural descent channels receiving pharmaceutical articles falling from transport channels of a vibrating conveyor. Sensors detect the articles inside the descent channels. A container has a mouth receiving the articles from the descent channels, a first chamber with a first discharge, a second chamber with a second discharge, and a separating wall dividing the mouth into a first entry section, for the first chamber, and a second entry section, for the second chamber. The wall is disposable either in a first position, wherein the entry sections can receive articles from an identical number of descent channels, and at least in a second position, wherein the entry sections can receive pharmaceutical articles from different numbers of descent channels.

A circular distribution apparatus for distributing loose products has a top portion (17) with an inlet (19) positioned centrally relative to a vertical central axis, a base portion (7) comprising an annular horizontal floor (11); a plurality of openable and closable outlets (23) provided in the annular floor (11); a side wall (9) surrounding entirely the annular floor (11); a central elevation (13) disposed between the annular floor (11) and the inlet (19); and a vibrator (51) configured to vibrate the base portion (7) so that products received on the base portion (7) circulate around the elevation (13) on the annular floor (11). The top portion (17); the elevation (13); the annular floor (11); and the side wall (9) provide a housing (3) comprising a distribution chamber (5), where at least the elevation (13), the annular floor (11) and the side wall (9) are provided integrally.