APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FILLING CONTAINERS

Abstract

There is provided a method and apparatus for filling at least one but typically a plurality of containers simultaneously with a predetermined quantity of flowable particulate or powder material. The method and apparatus allow the movement of the flowable particulate or powder material from a hopper into a filling assembly including channels located intermediate the containers and the hopper such that the exit ends of the channels are aligned with a respective container. Movement means cause relative movement between the said channels and the containers from a first position to a second position in which a second, exit, opening in the channels is located in a respective container cavity and moving flowable material from the hopper into a first, entrance opening of the channels so as to allow the predetermined quantity of the flowable material to pass through the channel under the influence of gravity and into the container cavity and then moving the channels and containers apart once the predetermined amount of flowable material has been entered into the containers. The size and shape and/or relative movement of the channels can be defined in order to accurately determine the said predetermined quantity of the flowable particulate or powder material which enters each of the containers even when the weight of the flowable particulate or powder material is relative light.

Claims

1. An apparatus for filling a predetermined amount of a flowable particulate or powder material into a cavity in at least one container via an opening in the at least one container, said apparatus comprising: a hopper that holds the flowable particulate or powder material; a support means that supports the at least one container; a filling assembly intermediate said hopper and the at least one container, said filling assembly comprising a channel through which the flowable particulate or powder material can flow into the at least one container, said channel having a first entrance opening located in connection with said hopper which is located above said channel so as to allow the flowable particulate or powder material to move from the hopper into said channel under gravity and a second, exit, opening located above the container so as to allow the flowable particulate or powder material to flow from said channel into the container cavity under gravity; and a movement means that selectively moves the at least one container relative to said channel of said filling assembly along an axis which is substantially parallel with, or overlapping, a longitudinal axis of said channel to position said second, exit, opening of said channel can be selectively positioned least partially within the container cavity by selectively moving the at least one container relative to said channel when the flowable particulate or powder material enters said channel and wherein said channel is configured such that the flowable particulate or powder material flows from said hopper into the cavity in a direction substantially along said longitudinal axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said movement means cause said channel to be located in the container such that the said second opening of said channel is located at the base of the cavity until a required quantity of the flowable particulate or powder material which is to be placed into the cavity is present in said channel.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement means is adapted to position said channel in the container such that the said second opening of said channel is located intermediate the base of the cavity and the container opening.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement means is configured to commence relative movement between said filling assembly and the container while the flowable particulate or powder material quantity is passing through said channel into the cavity so that the flowable particulate or powder material enters the container cavity to fill the same with a required quantity.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said filling assembly comprises a plurality of channels and a location means that positions the containers in a predetermined configuration that matches a configuration of the plurality of channels so that a plurality of containers can simultaneously filled with respective quantities of the flowable particulate or powder material.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a size of said channel in terms of shape and/or length is selected and/or adapted to define a particular quantity of the flowable particulate or powder material which is to be placed into the container at a particular use of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the length of said channel is adjustable.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a vibration means to impart vibration to the at least one container.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement means is adapted to move said channel of said filling assembly from a first position to a second position at least partially in the container prior to the flowable particulate or powder material entering said channel.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement means is adapted to move the at least one container towards said second, exit, end of said channel prior to flow of the flowable particulate or powder material through said channel, and wherein said movement means is adapted to move the at least one container away from the second, exit end of said channel as the flowable particulate or powder material flows from, or after the flowable material has flowed from, said second exit end of said channel into the at least one container cavity such that a required quantity of the flowable material is left in the container.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises a stop that defines the extent of possible relative movement between said channel and the container and wherein a location of the stop is adjustable to reflect a required quantity of flowable material which is to be deposited in the container cavity and/or the size of the container.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said channels in a group of channels are of the same fixed size and wherein the apparatus further comprises a plurality of groups of channels of different sizes that can be individually selectively used with the apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the said first entrance opening of said at least one channel is substantially flush with a base surface of the said hopper.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a wiper blade that is adapted to selectively move along the base surface of the said hopper to move the flowable particulate or powder material into the first, entrance opening of the said at least one channel.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flowable particulate or powder material is a plant material.

16. A method of filling a plurality of containers with predetermined amounts of flowable particulate or powder material, the method comprising placing the flowable particulate or powder material in a hopper, placing a plurality of containers, each of which has a cavity in which a predetermined quantity of the flowable particulate or powder material is to be received, in a configuration matching the configuration of a plurality of filling assembly channels located intermediate the containers and the hopper such that the first, entrance openings into the channels are connected with the hopper and the containers are aligned with a respective second, exit, opening of the channels and wherein a movement means cause relative movement between the channels and the containers between a first position and a second position and in the second position the second, exit, openings of the respective channels are located in a respective container cavity and flowable particulate or powder material moves from the hopper into the first, entrance opening of the channels and, under the influence of gravity, the flowable particulate or powder material moves into the channels so as to allow a predetermined quantity of the flowable particulate or powder material defined as the quantity which is contained in the channel, to pass under the influence of gravity through the channels and into the container cavity and moving the channels and containers apart once the predetermined quantity of flowable particulate or powder material has entered into the respective containers.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein a range of groups of channels can be selectively used, the channels in each group having the same length.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the group of channels which is selected to be fitted to the filling assembly is that which hallows the predetermined quantity of the flowable particulate or powder material to be supplied to the containers.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the channels are telescopic and the length of the same alters during the filling of the containers.

20. A sealed container including a predetermined amount of a flowable particulate or powder material therein which has been introduced into the container cavity using the method of claim 16.

21. An apparatus for moving of a quantity of a flowable particulate or powder material into one or more containers, the one or more containers each having a cavity into which the quantity of flowable material is to be moved, said apparatus comprising: a location means for the one or more containers; a hopper adapted to hold the flowable particulate or powder material; a filling means including a channel through which the flowable particulate or powder material moves from said hopper into the cavity under the influence of gravity, wherein said filling means channel is located, during the movement of the flowable material, at least partially within the cavity; and a movement means that moves the container relative to said filling means once the flowable material quantity has been introduced into the cavity and during the dispensation of the said quantity of particulate or powder material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates in a schematic manner, a series of steps which can be followed using apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0045] FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate component parts of the adjustable channel used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0046] FIG. 3 illustrates in a schematic manner a second embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the invention;

[0047] FIGS. 4a-4c illustrate apparatus in accordance with one configuration;

[0048] FIG. 5 illustrates the apparatus in accordance with the second configuration in relation to a first type of container;

[0049] FIG. 6 illustrates the apparatus in the configuration of FIG. 5 in use with a second type of container;

[0050] FIG. 7a illustrates an embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the invention during the filling of the container with a quantity of material; and

[0051] FIG. 7b illustrates a filled container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Referring firstly to FIGS. 1, 2a and 2b, there is illustrated apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention and the method of use of the same.

[0053] The apparatus comprises in accordance with this embodiment, a hopper or reservoir 2 in which a quantity of a flowable material 4 is provided. The hopper has a surface 6 and flush with the surface 6 there is provided an entrance opening 8 of a channel 10 which has an exit opening or openings 12. The apparatus also includes a support 14 on which there is located, in this case, one container 16 which is shown in cross-section. The purpose of the invention is to allow a predetermined quantity of the flowable material 4 to be introduced into the container 16 through the opening 17 in a controlled and managed manner so as to ensure that the required predetermined quantity of the material 4 is located in the container and the container can then be moved on for sealing and sale. In order to achieve this, then in the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2a and 2b, the first step shown in step 1 is to operate a stop 18 which is located on the surface 14 and which has a free end 20 which is selectively positionable as indicated by arrow 22. The variation in the position of the free end 20, is to determine the location of the entrance 8 of the channel 10 with respect to surface 14 and hence the base 24 of the container 16. This is achieved by adjusting the free end 22 to a required height so as to be contactable with the underside 26 of the surface 6 of the hopper.

[0054] Once the position of the stop 18 has been selected with respect to the size of the container 16 and the quantity of flowable material to be located in the same, then movement means in the form, in one example, of a motor acting on a drive pulley or pulleys connected to a frame in which the channel is formed or located are driven or in another form the movement of the frame and channel with respect to the container can be achieved by a user pushing down on the frame against a biasing means in the form, for example of one or more springs. In each of these embodiments there is provided relative movement between the channel 10 and the container 16 and in this embodiment, the relevant movement is achieved by movement of the hopper and channel downwardly as indicated by arrow 28 so as to move the underside 26 of the surface 6 into contact with the free end 20 of the stop 18. This then determines the distance X from the entrance 8 of the channel to the base 24 of the container 16 and also provides the effect of moving the channel from the first position to the second position in which the exit 12 of the channel is in contact with the base 24 of the container. At this point therefore the hatched area of the channel 30 determines the available volume of the same which can receive the flowable material 4 therein and as shown in step 3, the flowable material is moved into the channel 10 by the use of a wiper blade 32 which is moved as indicated by arrow 34 along the surface 6 and hence causes the flowable material to flow into a channel through the entrance 8 as indicated by arrow 36 and with the flowable material moving under the influence of gravity as the hopper is positioned above the channel as shown in step 3. Thus, with the channel 10 filled with the flowable particulate or powder material, so the user can be certain that the amount of flowable material in the channel 10 is the same as the required predetermined amount of the material 4 which is required to be located in the container and therefore, at this stage, and as shown in step 4, the hopper 2 and channel 10 can be moved as indicated by arrow 38 in step 4 upwardly and away from the stop so that the flowable particulate or powder material is left to fill the cavity under the influence of gravity and the apparatus is moved to the first position once more.

[0055] It will be appreciated that as the position of the free end 20 of the stop 18, is adjustable, so there is a need for the channel to be adjustable and in this embodiment, this is achieved by providing the channel as having first and second parts 40, 42 which are relatively slidably moveable along an access 44 so as to allow the volume 30 which is defined by the channel in the second position, to be adjustable to reflect the position of the stop. The first and second parts 40, 42 are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2a and 2b and it will be appreciated that the first and second parts are provided as tubes which are slidingly moveable in a telescopic manner and the first part has the entrance 8 defined therein and the second part has the exit 12 defined therein and one or both of the parts may include airholes 46 which allow the escape of any air and hence ensure that the volume 30 is always available for filling completely by the flowable material 4.

[0056] In one embodiment, biasing means can be provided in the form of a spring 48 or other biasing means such as a plate or weighted material can be provided which act on the lower part 42 of the channel in order to bias the same towards an extended position away from the first tube so as to ensure that the same always extends to the required length and hence the available volume of the channel is always as great as required for that particular use.

[0057] FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the steps 2, 3 and 4 as described in FIG. 1 can be performed so as to allow the material 4 to be moved into the channel 10, again under the influence of gravity via the opening 8 and with the exit 12 being shown, when in the second position as shown in FIG. 2 in contact with the base 24 of the container 16. However, in this case, the apparatus is used for filling of containers of the same size at all times and hence the channel 10 is formed of a one-piece and therefore is not required to be adjusted in length and furthermore, the stop 18 is not required to be used. However, the hopper 2 and channel 10 are still required to be moved from a first position in which the exit 12 is raised from the base 24 of the container and a second position in which the exit 12 is in contact with the container as shown in FIG. 3 and when in this position, the flowable material can be introduced into the channel 10 as illustrated by an arrow 36 to fill the same.

[0058] FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c illustrate a first configuration of apparatus in accordance with the invention and, in this case, the channel is formed of two parts 40 and 42.

[0059] It will be appreciated that in this configuration, there is provided a common hopper 2 which has a base surface 6 in which there are provided a plurality of channel entrances 8 as illustrated in FIG. 4c.

[0060] Once again, a stop is provided which allow the movement of the surface 6 with respect to the support 14 for a number of containers 16 to be selected and it will be shown that in this case, the containers are supported in the same configuration of 4 by 6 as are the channels 10 so that 24 containers can be filled simultaneously in accordance with this configuration of the apparatus.

[0061] The method of filling the containers 10 simultaneously utilises the same steps as described with respect to FIG. 1 and therefore will not be described again but it will be appreciated that the current invention is adaptable and allows many different configurations of use to be achieved. Furthermore, in this example, there is shown in FIG. 4a that a counterweight mechanism 50 can be utilised in order to bias and balance the operation of the movement means between the first and second position and further mechanical guidance may be provided to allow the guided movement between the hopper and channels and the containers between the first and second positions.

[0062] It will be appreciated that the invention can be used with many different types of containers and FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a further embodiment of the apparatus in a different configuration and in which the same reference numerals as used previously, are used again for the same common components. It will also be appreciated that in this case, the containers and channels, are provided in a linear configuration along the axis 52 and that the containers are moved in stepped intervals along a support means which in this embodiment is in the form of a conveyor system so as to allow the required number of containers to be located under the channels to be filled simultaneously. Furthermore, FIG. 5 illustrates the manner in which the containers 16 can be of the “pot” configuration whilst in FIG. 6, there are illustrated containers 16 in the form of bags which can be filled equally as easily as the pot containers in accordance with the invention.

[0063] In FIG. 7a there is illustrated a further embodiment of the invention and in this Figure there is shown a cross section of a single container 102 for ease of illustration but more typically a plurality of containers will be filled at the same time and the containers are provided in a predetermined configuration. Each of the containers includes a base 106, sidewalls 104,108 and these define a cavity 110, and an opening 112 is provided which leads into the said cavity. The containers are provided in the required configuration on location or support means such as a grid with a series of defined areas or apertures each of which is provided for the location of a container therein with their opening 112 positioned upwardly and typically under the filling apparatus 113. The filling means includes a frame 114 which locates thereon, a channel 116 or a plurality of channels 116.

[0064] The channel 116 has a first, entrance, opening 122 and an opposed, exit, opening 124 and in each case there is a known predetermined length 126, between the said openings and it will be appreciated that for different sized capacity containers different shaped and capacity channels can be used than that shown in FIG. 7a Typically therefore groups of channels with the same dimensions will be available and can be selectively fitted to the filling assembly to allow the same to be adapted to match the filling requirements at that time of use. Above and/or to one side of the entrance opening 122 of the channel, there is provided a hopper 128 of the flowable material, such as a powder, granules or the like. A movement means, for example in the form of a wiper blade, similar to that already described, is provided to move at least some of the flowable material in said hopper across the base surface or plate 129 in which the entrance openings 122 of the respective filling means channel 116 are located and thereby allow a quantity 130 of the flowable material to pass into the first, entrance, opening 122 into the filling means channel 116 under gravity.

[0065] To commence filling, the container 102 is moved so that the cavity 110 is positioned so that the flowable material which enters the entrance opening 122 of the filling means channel 116, flows through the filling means channel 116 and into the cavity 110. As the filling means channel is of a predetermined size, then the amount of flowable material which is held in the filling means channel is known and thereby, once it has passed through into the container, the amount of the flowable material 110 in the cavity of the container is also known to be within a predefined range which is acceptable for the purpose.

[0066] Movement means are again provided and in this case the support or location means on which the containers are moved with respect to the filling means channels 116, by in one embodiment a motor acting on movable members on the underside of the support means or alternatively acting directly on the underside of each of the containers to allow the container 102, to be moved towards the filling means channel as indicated by arrow 132 to allow the same to be in position to be filled with the filling means channel 116 and exit opening 124 located in the cavity 110 and then, once the flow of the flowable material has commenced under gravity into the cavity of the container, or after all of the flowable material has entered the cavity, the container 104 is then moved away from the filling means channel as indicated by arrow 134 so as to allow the filled container to be moved away from the apparatus to a position as shown in FIG. 7b in which the filing means channel 116 is removed from the cavity 110 hence leaving in the cavity 10 of the container 102 the required quantity 130 of the flowable material which typically will settle in the container cavity 110.

[0067] Typically, the opening 112 into the container 102 is then sealed and the same can be used, for example as a retail pack or medication pack or the like. A new set of empty containers 102 can then be introduced for filling and the sequence is repeated.

[0068] This embodiment therefore means that the exit opening 124 of the filling means channel 116 need not contact the base 106 of the cavity 110 and so there is a gap between the opening 124 and the base into which the flowable material flows from the filling means and the subsequent movement of the container away from the filling means then allows the remainder of the required quantity of the flowable material quantity 130 to leave the filling means channel 116 and flow into the container cavity 110 as illustrated in FIG. 7b. It is believed that this embodiment may minimise the risk of blockage of the flowable material in the filling means and also may reduce the time required to fill each cavity 110 of the container 102.

[0069] In one embodiment the container and/or support therefore and/or filling means channel 116 may be vibrated during filling to prevent “heaping” of the flowable material quantity 130 in the container cavity 110.

[0070] There is therefore provided in accordance with the invention, improvements to apparatus for introducing predetermined quantities of a flowable particulate or powder material into a container and which can be provided of to allow a plurality of containers to be filled simultaneously and with a reduced risk of the flowable material from becoming stuck or blocked in the filling means as the exit opening 124 of the filling means channel 116 is not required to contact the base 106 of the container.

[0071] In accordance with all of the embodiments of the invention the required quantity of the flowable particulate or powder material can be moved into the containers and done accurately so as to ensure that each filled container has a quantity of the flowable material located therein which is within a predetermined tolerance range of accuracy which is much improved with respect to conventional systems and particularly in relation to relatively low weight quantities of the material for each container as is required for example, for herbs, spices and other ingredients which are provided for onward supply for use by customers in for example recipes.