FILLING UNIT AND METHOD FOR FILLING CONTAINERS

Abstract

Filling unit (1) for a packaging machine (100) for filling bulk materials (50) into packages (60), and packaging machine with a filling unit (1), comprising a conveyor device (2), by means of which bulk materials (50) can be conveyed into a package (60), and a control device (3), which is suitable and configured to guide a filling stream (4) into a package (60). A fill level sensor device (5) including a sensor device (6) is provided, which is suitable and configured to detect a first fill level (7) and a second fill level (8) of bulk materials (50) in a package (60), wherein the first fill level (7) corresponds to a lower fill level than the second fill level (8). The control device (3) regulates the filling stream (4) by way of the fill levels determined by the sensor device (6). With the method according to the invention, the package is filled until the second fill level is detected. Then the filling stream is reduced until the first fill level is detected. Thereupon the filling stream is increased.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. Filling unit for a packaging machine for filling bulk materials into packages, comprising at least one conveyor device, by means of which bulk materials can be conveyed into a package, and at least one control device, which is suitable and configured to guide a filling stream into a package, characterized in that at least one fill level sensor device including at least two sensor devices is provided, which is suitable and configured to detect at least one first fill level and at least one second fill level of bulk materials in a package, wherein the first fill level corresponds to a lower fill level than the second fill level, wherein the first sensor device detects the first fill level, and wherein the second sensor device detects the second fill level and wherein the control device regulates the filling stream by way of the fill levels determined by the sensor device.

18. The filling unit according to claim 17, characterized in that the sensor device is suitable and configured to monitor at least the head space of a package.

19. The filling unit according to claim 17, characterized in that the sensor devices are disposed at an angle to one another.

20. The filling unit according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one sensor device comprises at least one capacitive sensor.

21. The filling unit according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one vibrating device is provided, which is suitable and configured to compact bulk material in a package.

22. The filling unit according to claim 20, characterized in that at least one vibrating device is provided, which is suitable and configured to compact bulk material in a package, and characterized in that during the filling process, the vibrating device is disposed at least in sections inside the package intended for filling, and that the vibrating device forms at least one antipole to the capacitive sensor.

23. The filling unit according to claim 20, characterized in that during the filling process, at least one blade and/or at least one plate is disposed at least in sections in and/or behind the package intended for filling, and that the blade and/or the plate forms at least one antipole to the capacitive sensor.

24. The filling unit according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one adjustment device is provided to set and adjust the sensitivity of the sensor device.

25. The filling unit according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one weighing device is provided.

26. Packaging machine, comprising at least one filling unit according to claim 17.

27. Method for filling packages with bulk material by means of a packaging machine according to claim 26, characterized by the following steps in a suitable sequence: filling bulk material into a package until the second fill level is detected reducing the filling stream, until the first fill level is reached and detected increasing the filling stream, until the second fill level is detected preferably repeating the preceding two steps, until a predetermined filled weight of the package is reached.

28. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that at least during reduction of the filling stream, the bulk materials in the package are compacted by the vibrating device.

29. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that during reduction of the filling stream, the filling stream is interrupted.

30. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that the fill level of the bulk material in the package is levelled off by regulating the filling stream between the first fill level and the second fill level, by means of the control device.

31. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that the settings for the filling stream for subsequent packages are taken over and modified as required.

Description

[0041] Further advantages and features of the present invention can be taken from the exemplary embodiments which will be discussed below with reference to the enclosed figures.

[0042] These show in:

[0043] FIG. 1 a schematic top view of an exemplary embodiment of a packaging machine according to the invention;

[0044] FIG. 2 a schematic, perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a filling unit according to the invention;

[0045] FIG. 3 an enlargement of the area shown in broken lines in FIG. 2;

[0046] FIG. 4 a schematic side view of the filling unit according to FIG. 2;

[0047] FIG. 5 an enlargement of the area shown in broken lines in FIG. 4;

[0048] FIG. 6 the illustration according to FIG. 4 including a package during the filling process.

[0049] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a packaging machine 100 according to the invention, presently provided as a rotary packaging machine 100, comprising multiple filling units 1 according to the invention distributed over the circumference.

[0050] The package feeder 105 feeds single empty packages 60 to one filling unit 1 at the position 101, by means of a transfer device 104. The empty package 60, which is as a rule filled during a rotation of the packaging machine 100, is transferred to a conveying member 103 by a discharge device 106, in the exemplary embodiment shown, at the position 102.

[0051] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a perspective, oblique front view, of a filling unit 1 according to the invention for a packaging machine according to the invention.

[0052] In the exemplary embodiment shown, a package 60, in this case an open-mouth bag 61, is fed to the filling unit 1, respectively engaged with a filling spout 17 in a functional connection. The illustration does not show the package 60 in detail. The bulk material 50 is fed into the open-mouth bag 61 from above.

[0053] The bulk material 50 is being fed by means of a conveyor device 2, wherein the control device 3 can control the filling stream 4.

[0054] In order to ensure efficient filling of the package 60, a fill level sensor device 5 is provided according to the invention, in the exemplary embodiment shown comprising two sensor devices 6, 9. In the exemplary embodiment shown, these two sensor devices 6, 9 allow to determine respectively detect a first fill level 7 and a second fill level 8.

[0055] The sensor devices 6, 9 may differ in their configurations. For example, at least one sensor device 6, 9 may be configured as, respectively comprise, a camera and/or a laser. This is advantageous in particular if the wall of the package 60 is transparent, so that the fill level may be determined by means of an optical sensor.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sensor devices 6, 9 comprise one capacitive sensor 11 each, which detect the electromagnetic field between an antipole 13 and the capacitive sensor 11.

[0057] Furthermore the filling unit 1 according to the invention in the exemplary embodiment shown comprises a weighing device 15, which allows to determine the total weight of the package 60 intended for filling. Thus, a predetermined fill quantity in the package 60 can be detected, so that the filling process is terminated with a package containing a defined fill.

[0058] Alternately, a fill quantity can be weighed first, and only this quantity is fed to the package. Then, regulation is provided by volume only, until the entire, predetermined fill quantity is present in the package.

[0059] Furthermore, FIG. 2 schematically illustrates that an adjustment device 14 is provided to set and adjust the sensitivity of the sensor devices 6, 9. Thus, the sensitivity can in particular be matched to the bulk material 50 intended for filling.

[0060] The antipole 13 to the sensor device 6, 9 respectively to the capacitive sensors 11 may be disposed external or internal of the package 60. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a vibrating device 12 is provided, which is presently configured as a poker vibrator 18. This poker vibrator 18 is positioned inside the package 60 during the filling process, and when activated, causes compaction of the bulk material 50 in the package 60.

[0061] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the antipole 13 is provided by the poker vibrator 18 respectively the vibrating device 12. Thus, the antipole 13 in the exemplary embodiment shown is disposed inside the package 60 respectively the open-mouth bag 61.

[0062] Inserting the antipole 13 in the package 60 offers advantages, in relation to the configuration. An advantage is for example that the antipole 13 can be relatively closely approached to the capacitive sensors 11. Alternately, a vibrating device 12 disposed external of the package 60 may be provided. In the case of an external vibrator, it may for example be provided as a plate on the side external of the package 60, and may serve as an antipole 13 to at least one capacitive sensor 11.

[0063] As has been described, the exemplary embodiment shown provides the antipole 13 by way of the poker vibrator 18. In this configuration, bulk material 60 passes through between the capacitive sensor 11 and the antipole 13 during filling, respectively bulk material drops into the open-mouth bag 61, passing a region between the capacitive sensors 11 and the antipole 13.

[0064] This is why in the exemplary embodiment shown, an adjustment device 14 is provided by means of which the sensitivity of the capacitive sensors 11 can be set and adjusted. The settings in particular cause the capacitive sensors to detect the actual fill level 7, 8, not the bulk material dropping in.

[0065] Other types of sensors and other configurations of an antipole 13 also provide for advantageous use of an adjustment device 14 so as to modify the sensitivity of the sensor devices.

[0066] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an enlargement of the detail shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. Again, one recognizes the fill level sensor device 5, in the exemplary embodiment shown comprising two sensor devices 6, 9, provided by capacitive sensors 11.

[0067] The same exemplary embodiment is schematically illustrated in a side view in the FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 5 shows an enlargement of the area shown in broken lines in FIG. 4.

[0068] Again, one can recognize in these illustrations the fill level sensor device 5, provided by two capacitive sensors 11. The antipole 13 to the capacitive sensors 11 provides a vibrating device 12, presently a poker vibrator 18, which is disposed inside the package 60 while bulk material 50 is filled in.

[0069] In FIG. 5 one can particularly well recognize that the two sensor devices 6, 9 are disposed at an angle 10 to one another in the exemplary embodiment shown. In the exemplary embodiment shown, this specific configuration at an angle 10 results from the contour of the package 60 used. It is preferred for the sensor devices 6, 9 to be disposed the closest possible to the wall of the package 60.

[0070] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates, in a modification of the FIG. 5, the operating principle of the filling unit 1 respectively the fill level sensor device 5. The sensor devices 6, 9 are disposed such that the head space 16, i.e. the top region of the package 60, is monitored.

[0071] A package 60, in the exemplary embodiment shown, an open-mouth bag 61 of a flexible material, is appended to a filling spout 17 respectively disposed beneath a filling spout.

[0072] The vibrating device 12 respectively the poker vibrator 18 is disposed inside the appended open-mouth bag 61. The poker vibrator 18 represents the antipole 13 to the capacitive sensors 11.

[0073] Bulk material 50 is filled into the open-mouth bag 61 from above, by means of the conveyor device 2 and controlled by the control device 2. Thus, the fill level inside of the package 60 changes.

[0074] The sensitivity of the sensor devices 6, 9 respectively the capacitive sensors 11 is set and adjusted by means of the adjustment device 14, such that the sensor devices 6, 9 do not detect as changes to the fill level, the bulk material 50 falling through between the capacitive sensors 11 and the antipole 13.

[0075] As the fill level rises, so that there is bulk material 50 present between the antipole 13 and the lower sensor device 6, the electromagnetic field prevailing between the lower sensor device 6 and the antipole 13 decreases to such a degree that the sensor device 6 determines a first fill level 7.

[0076] FIG. 6 illustrates that the fill level has not yet risen to that height, and the bulk material 50 is present between the second sensor device 9 and the antipole 13. Thus, the sensor device 9 does not yet detect the second fill level 8, and filling continues. When the fill level continues to rise until the second fill level 8 is detected, the control device 3 causes reduction respectively interruption of the filling stream 4.

[0077] It is thus achieved that the package 60 cannot be overfilled. Now, depending on the configuration and supported by the vibrating device 12, the further settling respectively compacting of the bulk material 50 is waited for. Then, as the fill level drops from the second detected fill level 8 down to the first fill level 7, the filling stream 4 is increased respectively reactivated, so as to continue filling bulk material 50 into the package 60. During the filling pauses or continuously, the vibrating device 12 can cause compaction of the bulk material 15 in the package 60.

[0078] As the fill level continues to rise, and the second fill level 8 is detected once again, the filling stream 4 is again interrupted respectively reduced. Then these steps are repeated, until for example a predetermined filled weight of the package is detected, or all of the previously weighed product is in the package 60.

[0079] Depending on the configuration, indexed filling of the package 60 can be achieved. However, depending on the configuration, the fill level may be levelled off between the first fill level 7 and the second fill level, so as to achieve continuous filling of the package 60.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0080] 1 filling unit [0081] 2 conveyor device [0082] 3 control device [0083] 4 filling stream [0084] 5 fill level sensor device [0085] 6 sensor device [0086] 7 first fill level [0087] 8 second fill level [0088] 9 sensor device [0089] 10 angle [0090] 11 capacitive sensor [0091] 12 vibrating device [0092] 13 antipole [0093] 14 adjustment device [0094] 15 weighing device [0095] 16 head space [0096] 17 filling spout [0097] 18 poker vibrator [0098] 50 bulk material [0099] 60 package [0100] 61 open-mouth bag [0101] 100 packaging machine [0102] 101 position [0103] 102 position [0104] 103 conveying member [0105] 104 transfer device [0106] 105 package feeder [0107] 106 discharge device