Compaction station for compacting bulk material in open-mouth bags, and method

Abstract

A compaction station and method with a compacting device for compacting open-mouth bags filled with bulk materials includes a container with a tubular inner wall and a takeup space for taking up a filled open-mouth bag, and a support unit on a height-displaceable lifting device, wherein when the lifting device is in a lowered position the support unit is supported from beneath and when in an elevated position, it is suitable to take over a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device. A pressure plug that can be lowered from above is included which, when in a lowered position acts on the bulk material from above, and in an elevated position allows takeover of a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device.

Claims

1. A compaction station with at least one compacting device for compacting open-mouth bags filled with bulk materials, comprising: a container with a tubular inner wall and a takeup space for receiving a filled open-mouth bag, and a support unit on a height-displaceable lifting device; the support unit is supported from beneath in a lowered position of the lifting device; in an elevated position the support unit is suitable for receiving a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device; a pressure plug that can be lowered from above is configured such that, in a lowered position said pressure plug acts on the bulk material from above, and in an elevated position, said pressure plug allows receipt of a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device; a top section of the container is designed cone-shaped or funnel-shaped; a slider is associated with the compacting device with which the filled open-mouth bag is laterally pushed from the conveyor device to the support unit and/or back; and wherein the slider comprises suckers to keep the top bag wall open.

2. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein the container can be periodically lifted and lowered by a distance traveled within one container by way of a compaction transmission.

3. The compaction station according to claim 2, wherein the container travel is less than one fifth of the length of the container.

4. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein the container travel is less than 50 mm.

5. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein in a lowered position of the lifting device the support unit is supported/set down on support hooks of the container.

6. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein the pressure plug is driven by means of a pneumatic drive.

7. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein a dust removal system is attached to the container.

8. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein the support unit can be lifted by means of a short stroke device.

9. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein as an open-mouth bag is provided, a compaction transmission and/or a short stroke device is displaceable upwardly from beneath.

10. The compaction station according to claim 1, wherein the pressure plug is provided with a vacuum suction device which is connectable with a vacuum device.

11. A compaction station, comprising: at least two compacting devices for compacting open-mouth bags filled with bulk materials as recited in claim 1; wherein the compacting devices are disposed in series and connected with one another by means of a conveyor device.

12. A method for compacting bulk materials in an open-mouth bag filled with bulk material, wherein a filled open-mouth bag is placed on a support unit; wherein the support unit on which the filled open-mouth bag is placed, is lowered in a tubular takeup space of a container far enough for the product level to be located within the tubular takeup space of the container; and that the support unit is supported from beneath; wherein a pressure plug is inserted from above in an open end of the open-mouth bag and acts on the bulk material from above, while the support unit presses against the bag bottom from beneath; further including a top section of the container is designed cone-shaped or funnel-shaped; associating a slider with the compacting device with which the filled open-mouth bag is laterally pushed from the conveyor device to the support unit and/or back; and wherein the slider comprises suckers to keep the top bag wall open.

13. The method according to claim 12, further including carrying out a ramming or jolting compaction against the filled open-mouth bag by periodic lifting and lowering of the filled open-mouth bag relative to the pressure plug.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein a compaction transmission and/or a short stroke device is activated from beneath or elevated, at least in case that an open-mouth bag is jammed when the open-mouth bag is pushed upwardly.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein rapping or vibrating against the container is carried out from outside and/or from beneath to facilitate pushing out the open-mouth bag.

16. A compaction station with at least one compacting device for compacting open-mouth bags filled with bulk materials, comprising: a container with a tubular inner wall and a takeup space for receiving a filled open-mouth bag, and a support unit on a height-displaceable lifting device; the support unit is supported from beneath in a lowered position of the lifting device; in an elevated position the support unit is suitable for receiving a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device; a pressure plug that can be lowered from above is configured such that, in a lowered position said pressure plug acts on the bulk material from above, and in an elevated position, said pressure plug allows receipt of a filled open-mouth bag from an adjacent conveyor device; and wherein in a lowered position of the lifting device the support unit is supported/set down on support hooks of the container.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) 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.

(2) The figures show in:

(3) FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view of a filling apparatus for filling bulk materials into open-mouth bags;

(4) FIG. 2 a compaction station for compacting the open-mouth bags;

(5) FIG. 3 a schematic cross-sectional view of the compaction station according to FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 4 a perspective view of a compacting device of the compaction station according to FIG. 2 in a first position;

(7) FIG. 5 the compacting device of FIG. 4 in a second position;

(8) FIG. 6 a cleaning apparatus for cleaning the container of the compacting device of FIG. 4;

(9) FIG. 7 a plate of the plate composite of the cleaning apparatus according to FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 8 an exploded view of the plate composite of the cleaning apparatus according to FIG. 6; and

(11) FIG. 9 a schematic side view of a detail of a lifting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of a filling machine 1. FIG. 1 shows a perspective total view of the filling machine 1 for filling bulk materials (and optionally fluids) into flexible open-top bags 3. The bags 3 provided for processing consist of a flexible material and in particular of a plastic material. The filling machine 1 comprises a filling carousel 2, a bag source 70 and an intermediate silo 80 for intermediate storing of the bulk goods intended for filling.

(13) The bag source 70 provided is a film roll 71 on which a sheet of film 72 is wound. The sheet of film 72 unwound from the film roll 71 is fed to a shaping shoulder 73. There the sheet of film 72 consisting of a plastic film is guided around the shoulder and a longitudinal seam is welded so as to create a continuous tubular film.

(14) The bag bottom is manufactured at the handover station 60 by making suitable welding seams transverse to the longitudinal extension of the tubular film. The tubular film having a suitable cross-section is conveyed and taken into the receiving box 62 of the handover station 60. The open bag 3 intended for filling is form-fittingly received there. For the feed the tubular film is cut to size so as to manufacture the open top end of the open bag.

(15) It is also possible to manufacture the open-top bags from a prefabricated, e.g. extruded tubular film or alternately to feed completely prefabricated, flexible bags or sacks from a magazine or the like.

(16) FIG. 1 illustrates the pivot position 63 of the handover station 60.

(17) The apparatus or filling machine 1 comprises a basic frame to which the filling carousel 2 and the further components are attached. The part 5 of the apparatus is stationary while the part 6 rotates in operation. Each of the filling stations is provided with various handling stations wherein one handling station is provided for filling in high speed flow and another handling station 41, for filling in low speed flow. Further handling stations are provided for compacting the filled bulk material.

(18) This filling carousel 2 is operated indexed. The required bulk material is supplied from the intermediate silo 80.

(19) If the compacting achieved on the filling carousel 2 is not sufficient, a compaction station may be installed downstream, as it is illustrated in FIG. 2. The compaction station 100 of FIG. 2 comprises five different compacting devices 101 which are disposed connected in series.

(20) Each compacting device 101 comprises a pressure device 123 with a pneumatic drive 124 each in the shape of one pneumatic cylinder. A pressure plug 120 can be lifted and lowered by means of a lifting and lowering unit 126. In the lowered position the pneumatic cylinder 124 then exerts pressure on the bulk material.

(21) The filled open-mouth bags 3 are conveyed via the conveyor device 106 which is preferably a conveyor belt. If any of the compacting devices 101 is to perform compaction, the flap gate 108 is retracted or pivoted in for defined positioning of the open-mouth bag in the conveying direction, and the pertaining slider 105 is activated at a suitable time. Thus an open-mouth bag 3 intended for compaction is pulled off the conveyor device 106 and inserted into a container 110. Dust removal lines 130 are provided for removing dust during compaction. The lifting device 102 allows height-adjustment of a support unit 231, not visible in FIG. 2.

(22) FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section of the compaction station according to FIG. 2. The pressure device 123 with the pneumatic cylinder 124 can be recognized at the top end, followed downwardly by a linkage and then the pressure plug 120 coupled thereto. The pressing surface proper of the pressure plug 120 may be provided with a vacuum suction device 125 to provide effective deaeration. The vacuum suction device 125 allows to effectively suck air out of the bulk material.

(23) The slider 105 is shown in the position above the container 110 which it has reached after the conveyor device 106 has transferred an open-mouth bag 3 intended for compaction to a support unit 131. The open-mouth bag 3 is shown in broken lines, as is a pressure plug 120 inserted into the open-mouth bag which is shown in broken lines in the lowered position 121. In the elevated position 104 the open-mouth bag 3 rests on the support unit 231 which is detachably coupled with the laminate 203 by magnets 232. When the lifting device 102 is in the lowered position 103, the support unit 231 rests on hooks 116 at the bottom end of the container 110. This uncouples the support unit 231 from the lifting device 102 since forces are carried off in the vertical direction from above onto the bulk material or the open-mouth bag directly via the hooks 116 and the container 110. The magnetic connection between the support unit 231 and the laminate 203 prevents the support unit 231 from canting against the tubular inner wall 111 during lowering. To ensure a good mechanical magnetic bond at all times, individual fluid outlet ports may be provided to exit e.g. at an oblique angle in the top plate or end plate for cleaning these from any particle deposits.

(24) The laminate may consist of individual (and prior to mounting or manufacturing) separate plates forming a one-piece or multi-piece plate composite. It is also possible and preferred to have at least one portion of the laminate or the entire laminate on the whole formed integrally and e.g. manufactured by way of additive manufacturing and/or by 3D printing. Then the entire laminate may be manufactured in one manufacturing step. Guiding ducts or fluid passages may be manufactured e.g. by omitting material.

(25) The container 110 has a tubular takeup space with a tubular inner wall 111. The cross section is rectangular so as to obtain block-shaped open-mouth bags.

(26) The top section 115 of the container 110 is slightly conical to facilitate inserting an open-mouth bag intended for compaction.

(27) FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of part of the compacting device 101. The laminate 203 with the magnets 232 is recognizable at the top end in the interior of the container 110 on which the support unit 231, not shown, rests in operation. A bag intended for compaction is set down on the support unit 231 respectively on a gliding plate (not shown) disposed thereon. Thereafter the open-mouth bag intended for compaction is lowered together with the support unit 231 so that the compacting device is transferred from the elevated position 104 illustrated in FIG. 4 to the lowered position 103 illustrated in FIG. 5.

(28) The lower end of the open-bottom container 110 shows the support unit 231 which now rests on the hooks 116 of the container 110. This causes the lifting device 102 to decouple from the support unit 231. The lifting unit 102 is height-adjusted by way of the linear guide 233 which comprises a motor.

(29) The motor 235 identifiable in FIG. 4 serves to drive the compaction transmission 113 which performs periodic ramming movements of the entire container 110.

(30) To cause the lifting movement of the container 110 to decouple from the dust-removal system 130 the dust removal system 130 is decoupled from the container 110. This is done for example by receiving the dust removal system 130 in an elongated hole 131 at the container 110 so as to enable sufficient vertical offset. The elongated hole is sealed by way of a rubber flap.

(31) The motor 234 identifiable in FIGS. 4 and 5 serves to drive the conveyor belt 106.

(32) FIG. 6 shows a part of the compaction station 100 respectively the cleaning apparatus 200, with which the inner wall 111 of the container 110 can be effectively cleaned already when discharging a compacted open-mouth bag 3 from the container 110. The cleaning device 202 with the laminate 203 is used therefor.

(33) The laminate 203 comprises multiple layers 204 to 208 whose structure and function will be discussed below with reference to the FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the fluid guiding layer in particular in the shape of a fluid baffle 205, while FIG. 8 shows a schematic exploded view of the laminate respectively plate composite 203.

(34) The cleaning apparatus 200 can be lifted and lowered by means of the lifting device 102. The laminate 203 comprises for the bottommost plate an end plate 204 configured as a bottom layer or bottom plate. The fluid feed 212 is connected with the bottom plate 204 through a fluid feed port 213. Centering pins 229 and/or screws hold the entire laminate 203 together when mounted.

(35) Brushes may optionally be attached to or configured on one or more of the plates or layers 204-208 to assist with cleaning the inner wall.

(36) Above the bottom plate 204 there is the fluid baffle 205 on which a plurality of fluid outlet ports 210, 211 is configured distributed over the circumference.

(37) The fluid outlet ports 210, 211 form the ends of the guiding ducts 215, 216 which extend from a radially inwardly region 219 up to the outside surface 220 or the outer edge on the peripheral surface 217. These guiding ducts 215, 216 are configured as recesses or through hole in the fluid baffle 205. The respective guiding ducts 215, 216 are separated from one another by material bridges 222. Basically, all the guiding ducts 215, 216 substantially extend in a star layout so that as to obtain fluid outlet ports distributed over the entire circumference which serve in particular as blowout holes for blowing out air for a cleaning medium. In the fluid baffle 205 there is a central through hole 225 which has no immediate connection whatever with the guiding ducts of the fluid baffle 205.

(38) Above the fluid baffle 205 a distance plate 206 is used having a distributor trough 223 (distributor space) which is presently configured as a through hole in the distance plate 26. The fluid (presently air) intended for distribution is distributed through the distributor trough 223 to all the guiding ducts 215, 216 so that air is blown outwardly from all the guiding ducts 215, 216 via the air supply through the central fluid feed port 213. The intensity of the blown-out air can be controlled by means of the cross-sectional areas of each of the guiding ducts.

(39) It is possible to configure separate supply feed-throughs 226 which allow to realize supply to further components. Vacuum may for example be passed through the supply feed-through 226. Or compressed air is passed through. It is also possible to pass electric or sensor signals through the supply feed-throughs 226.

(40) A top plate 207 is also provided above the distance plate 206 which is finally followed by the end plate 208.

(41) The cleaning apparatus 200 may optionally comprise only one plate composite or laminate for example of three plates or layers with the center layer or plate configured e.g. as a fluid baffle. In all the cases the guiding ducts in the fluid baffle may be configured as through holes. Alternately it is possible for the guiding ducts for example to be milled into the surface of the fluid baffle.

(42) Additional functions may be integrated in the topmost plate 208. Thus for example one or more magnet(s) 232 may be provided or further actuators may be attached, such as e.g. a short stroke device 140 controlled by means of supply feed-throughs 226.

(43) A cleaning apparatus 200 may be used accordingly also for cleaning the receiving boxes 30 or 62 of the filling machine 1. Thus, each bag exchange may be followed by automatic cleaning of the receiving boxes 30 and/or 62.

(44) The compaction station enables to considerably enhance compaction of the bulk material filled into an open bag. It is possible to provide a compaction station with multiple compacting devices disposed in series so as to enable parallel operation and parallel compaction of a plurality of filled open-mouth bags. A slider or the like may push an open-mouth bag intended for compaction from a conveyor device such as a flat belt conveyor toward the compacting device. The compaction proper is performed in the container with the tubular inner wall, wherein a pressure plug is lowered from above and inserted into the open-top open-mouth bag while the bottom of the open-mouth bag is supported by means of a support unit on container hooks. Concurrently the container ambience can be sucked off by a dust removal system.

(45) During pressing with the pressure plug the container may perform periodic lifting and lowering movements which considerably assist in the compaction process. Simultaneously the pressure plug can suck off air. To this end the contact surface of the pressure plug may for example consist of a wire netting or wire mesh through which suction is possible.

(46) In the case that dust escapes during the compaction process the integrated cleaning apparatus may clean the inner container 100 wall from adhering bulk material particles. This is what the laminate 203 of the cleaning device 202 serves for, with a plurality of fluid outlet ports 210, 211 configured on the peripheral surface 217 of the plate composite 203 through which a fluid flow can be directed toward the inner container wall.

(47) Controlling the air passages may be simple, by an appropriate configuration of the fluid baffle wherein the intensity can be set and adjusted accordingly by adapting the cross section or the quantity of outlet ports 210, 211 in relation to the peripheral length. The orientation of the air outlet 210, 211 defines the flow direction of the fluid and thus the direction of the fluid flow 209.

(48) If further devices also intended to be controlled are provided for example above the plate composite 203, a supply feed-through 226 may be formed at the laminate to allow for example a compressed air or vacuum connection or a compressed air or vacuum passage.

(49) Since as a rule the outer dimensions of the plate composite are matched to the inner dimensions of the container 110, a supply feed-through 226 allows to realize ease of media exchange or data exchange.

(50) The structure of the compaction station 100 and the structure of the cleaning apparatus 200 can be realized easily and inexpensively.

(51) FIG. 9 shows a detail of a lifting device 102 with a short stroke device 140 attached to the laminate 203 provided for adjusting the height of the plate 208 by +/−5 mm. This will also adjust the support unit 231 accordingly. The short stroke device 140 might also be integrated in the linear guide 233.

(52) The laminate 203 presently comprises the layers 204, 205 and 207. The fluid baffle 205 where the fluid outlet ports 210, 211 are configured is received between the layers 204 and 207. The fluid outlet ports are cut out of the plate 205 e.g. by water jet cutting. The plate 207 accommodates the short stroke device 140 which allows to (slightly) adjust the height of the plate 208 to facilitate handover of an open-mouth bag from the conveyor device or to the conveyor device 106. The open-mouth bag rests on the support unit 231 which is magnetically, and thus detachably, attached to the plate 208.

(53) While a particular embodiment of the present compaction station for compacting bulk material in open-mouth bags, and corresponding method has been described herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(54) TABLE-US-00001  1 filling machine  2 filling carousel  3 open-mouth bag  5 stationary part  6 movable part  30 receiving box  41 handling station  60 handover station  61 pivot arm  62 receiving box  63 pivot position  70 bag source  71 film roll  72 sheet of film  73 shaping shoulder  80 intermediate silo 100 compaction station 101 compacting device 102 lifting device 103 lowered position of 102 104 elevated position of 102 105 slider 106 conveyor device 107 sucker at 105 108 flap gate 110 container 111 tubular inner wall 112 takeup space 113 compaction transmission 115 top section of 110 116 hook 117 vibrator suspension 120 pressure plug 121 lowered position 122 elevated position 123 pressure device 124 pneumatic drive 125 vacuum suction device at 110 126 lifting and lowering unit 131 elongated hole 130 dust removal system 140 short stroke device, short stroke cylinder 200 cleaning apparatus 201 longitudinal direction 202 cleaning device 203 laminate 204 layer, end layer, bottom layer 205 layer, fluid guiding layer 206 layer, distance layer 207 layer, top layer 208 layer, end layer 209 fluid flow 210 fluid outlet port 211 fluid outlet port 212 fluid feed 213 fluid feed port 214 end face, bottom surface 215 guiding duct 215a guiding duct front end 216 guiding duct 216a guiding duct front end 217 peripheral surface 218 end face, bottom surface 219 radially inwardly region 221 transverse direction 222 material bridge 223 distributor trough in 224 through hole in 206 225 central through hole of 205 226 supply feed-through 227 brush 228 centering hole 229 centering pin 230 drive 231 support unit 232 magnet 233 linear guide with drive 234 motor 235 motor