SUCTION DEVICE FOR EMPTYING A CONTAINER

Abstract

The invention relates to a suction device for emptying a container, in particular for emptying a container filled with granular material. The suction device has a plurality of intakes, at least one distributor, the at least one distributor being adapted to connect the plurality of intakes to a central suction line, and a means for holding, which holds at least one first intake of the plurality of intakes at a distance from at least one second intake of the plurality of intakes. The invention further relates to a method and to a system for emptying a container, in particular for emptying a container filled with granular material.

Claims

1. A suction device for emptying a container, in particular for emptying a container filled with granulated material, the suction device comprising: a plurality of intakes; at least one distributor, wherein the at least one distributor is adapted to connect the plurality of intakes to a central suction line; and at least one means for holding at least one first intake of the plurality of intakes at a distance from at least one second intake of the plurality of intakes.

2. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one distributor comprises at least one suction manifold comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion comprises a first opening adapted to be connected to the central suction line, and the second end portion comprises a plurality of second openings, wherein each of the second openings is adapted to be connected to at least one intake.

3. The suction device according to claim 2, wherein the first opening of the at least one suction manifold has a first inner cross-sectional area and the second openings of the at least one suction manifold each comprise a second inner cross-sectional area and wherein the first inner cross-sectional area is smaller than the sum of the second inner cross-sectional areas of the second openings.

4. The suction device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one distributor further comprising at least one decentralized suction line, which connects at least one second opening of the at least one suction manifold with at least one intake of the plurality of intakes.

5. The suction device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one decentralized suction line is at least partially integrated into the at least one means for holding or the at least one decentralized suction line forms the at least one means for holding.

6. The suction device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one suction manifold is directly connected to the at least one means for holding.

7. The suction device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one suction manifold is indirectly connected to the at least one means for holding via the at least one decentralized suction line.

8. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one means for holding is adapted to align the at least one intake relative to the container to be emptied or relative to the at least one second intake.

9. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one means for holding is adapted to be moved from an operating position into a storage position.

10. The suction device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one distributor consists at least partially of glass and/or a metal.

Description

[0062] The enclosed drawings illustrate the suction device according to the invention by means of an embodiment. It shows:

[0063] FIG. 1 an isometric representation of an embodiment of the suction device according to the invention,

[0064] FIG. 2 a sectional drawing of an embodiment of the suction device according to the invention,

[0065] FIG. 3 a detailed drawing of an intake of the suction device according to the invention,

[0066] FIG. 4 a detailed drawing of a suction manifold of an embodiment of the suction device according to the invention,

[0067] FIG. 5 a sectional drawing of a suction manifold of an embodiment of the suction device according to the invention.

[0068] FIG. 1 shows an isometric representation of an embodiment of the suction device 1 according to the invention. The suction device 1 shown here has five intakes 6a-e. Four first intakes 6a-d of this five intakes 6a-e are supported by one means for holding 4a-d, each having the shape of a distributor arm which additionally has a support plate 5. The use of a support plate 5 can increase the stability of the suction device 1 by having an aperture designed to support at least one of the intakes 6a-d. Alternatively or additionally, the support plate 5 can be adapted to increase the weight of the suction device 1 to enable better suction of the granulate-like material, for example by the suction device 1 being drawn into the container by its weight due to the gravitational force, wherein the weight is increased by the support plates 5. As a result, the intakes 6a-d can be better immersed into the granulated material or penetrate it, thus better sucking in the granulated material. The support plates 5 can also be adapted to displace the granulate-like material and thus result in the suction device 1 resting at least partially on the granulate-like material. This could allow only the intakes 6a-e to penetrate at least partially into the granulated material, while the remaining parts of the suction device 1 do not penetrate the granular material. This can, for example, prevent the suction device 1 from being damaged by the granular material. Furthermore, the support plate 5 may comprise a means which enables a movable arrangement of the respective intakes 6a-d at the support plates 5.

[0069] Furthermore, the intakes 6a-d are connected to decentralized suction lines 9a-d. The decentralized suction lines 9a-d lead to a suction manifold 2, which connects them with a first opening 2c of the suction manifold 2 with regard to the flow dynamics. The first opening 2c of the suction manifold 2 can be connected to a central suction line that is not shown here. In the embodiment shown here, the decentralized suction lines 9a-e are represented in the form of tubes. However, it is also possible that the suction lines 9a-e are designed in the form of pipes or are also integrated in one of the means for holding 4a-d or form the means for holding 4a-d itself.

[0070] The second intake 6e is connected to a suction line 9e, which also serves as a means for holding for this intake 6e.

[0071] In the case of the embodiment in FIG. 1, each means for holding 4a-d holds a respective first intake 6a-d at a certain distance to at least one other intake 6a-d of the plurality of intakes 6a-e, for example the intake 6e, which can be referred to as a second intake. The first intakes 6a-d differ from the second intake 6e in that each of them is arranged at a means for holding 4a-d, whereas the intake 6e is only arranged at a suction line 9e. The means for holding 4a-d are connected to each other via a holder 3.

[0072] The means for holding 4a-d hold the four first intakes 6a-d in a rectangular shape, with one first intake 6a-d being located in one of the four corners of the rectangle. The second intake 6e is located inside the rectangle, which is formed by the first four intakes 6a-d.

[0073] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the suction manifold 2, the decentralized suction lines 9a-e together with the holder 3 form a distributor.

[0074] If the suction device 1 is connected to a central suction line not shown here with the first opening 2c of the suction manifold 2, a vacuum generated at the central suction line is transmitted to the first and second intakes 6a-e. This creates a suction on the first and second intakes 6a-e. This suction generates a suction force by means of which granulate-like material can be sucked through the intakes 6a-e and routed through the first opening 2c of the suction manifold 2 to the central suction line. In this way granulated material can be extracted from a container not shown here and the container can be emptied.

[0075] If granulated material is extracted by means of the intakes 6a-e arranged in a rectangle, the granulate-like material is extracted at the positions where the intakes 6a-e are located. It may be possible that granulated material remains in other places where there is no intake. As a result, hills of granulate-like material may from where the granulate-like material can slip to the positions of the intakes 6a-e due to the gravitational force applied to the individual particles of the granulate-like material. These slipping particles can then be extracted by the intakes 6a-e.

[0076] For example, the smaller the hills of granulate-like material, this effect of slipping can become smaller. If the hills have become so small that no granulate-like material can slip, it can be advantageously to reposition the suction device 1 and turn it relatively to the container so that the intakes are placed in the places where remaining granulate-like material is located. In many cases, it is sufficient to turn the suction device 1 once. For example, if the suction device 1 has five intakes 6a-e and four first intakes 6a-d are positioned in a square while the remaining intake 6e is located in the surface of the square. In this example, in the spaces between the four corners of the square, a total of four hills can form made out of granulated material. Therefore, it is sufficient to turn the suction device one time by 45° so that the first four intakes reach the positions of the four hills.

[0077] FIG. 2 shows a sectional drawing of an embodiment example of the suction device 1 according to the invention, for example a sectional drawing of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1. The sectional drawing of FIG. 2 shows the suction device 1. The suction device 1 has the intakes 6a-e connected to the suction lines 9a-e. The intakes 6a-d are also connected to the means for holding 4a-d, each having a support plate 5. In the case of the intake 6e, the suction line 9e serves as a means for holding. The intakes 6a-e have suction openings 7a-e.

[0078] Furthermore, the suction device 1 of the embodiment according to FIG. 2 comprises a suction manifold 2, which, in turn, comprises a first end portion 2a and a second end portion 2b. The first end portion 2a of the suction manifold 2 has a first opening 2c, which is adapted to be connected to a central suction line that is not shown here. The second end portion 2b has a plurality of second openings 2d-h. Each of the second openings 2d-h is connected to one of the suction lines 9a-e.

[0079] In the sectional drawing of FIG. 2, it can be seen that the suction openings 7a, 7c, 7e of the intakes 6a, 6c, 6e of the shown embodiment form a contiguous flow-dynamic connection via the suction lines 9a, 9c, 9e and the suction manifold 2, which ends in the first opening 2c of the suction manifold 2, which is connected to the central suction line that is not shown. This flow dynamic connection is suitable for the effective extraction of granulated material from a container.

[0080] FIG. 3 shows a detailed drawing of an intake of an embodiment of the suction device according to the invention, for example a detailed drawing of a suction device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0081] The intake 6a shown in FIG. 3 comprises a spacer 8. The spacer 8, which can be designed in an arched manner, rectangular, or trapezoid manner, for example, is depicted in an arched manner in FIG. 3 and extends at least partially over the suction opening 7a of the intake 6a.

[0082] The spacer 8 ensures that the corresponding suction opening 7a of the intake 6a does not come into contact with the container. Thereby, it is avoided that the intake 6a attaches to the container, particularly if the container to be emptied has a flexible inner container. Moreover, such a spacer 8 also prevents larger particles of the granular material to be sucked in, which may cause jamming of the suction openings 7a.

[0083] FIG. 4 shows a detailed drawing of a suction manifold of an embodiment of the suction device according to the invention, for example a detailed drawing of a suction manifold of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0084] The suction manifold 2 of the embodiment from FIG. 2 comprises a first opening 2c, which is adapted to be connected to a central suction line. Furthermore, the suction manifold 2 comprises a branch of several lines ending in a plurality of second openings 2d-h. In the case shown, five branches are shown, but any number of branches is possible.

[0085] In the embodiment shown, the four lines leading to the openings 2d-g have an angle relative to the line that ends in the first opening 2c, while the line leading to the opening 2h does not have an angle with regards to the first opening 2c. The second opening 2h, in which this latter line ends, is thus parallel to the first opening 2c.

[0086] The suction manifold 2 allows the suction from the first opening 2c to be split between the plurality of second openings 2d-h. The winding of the lines ensures that the line is in a spatial relationship with the first opening 2c, which is advantageous to the flow dynamics, and that suction power is not lost or that the suction power losses are marginal. In a preferred embodiment, the lines are at an angle of 45° to the normal of the opening 2c, as it is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4.

[0087] FIG. 5 shows a sectional drawing of a suction manifold of an embodiment example of the suction device according to the invention, for example a sectional drawing of the suction manifold shown in FIG. 4.

[0088] The suction manifold 2 from FIG. 5 comprises a first end portion 2a and a second end portion 2b, with the first end portion 2a comprising a first opening 2c, which is adapted to be connected to a central suction line that is not shown, and the second end portion 2b comprises a plurality of second openings 2e, 2g, 2h.

[0089] In the embodiment shown , the first opening 2c comprises a first diameter and the second openings 2e, 2g, 2h comprise a second diameter, wherein in the shown embodiment each second openings 2e, 2g, 2h have the same second diameter and the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter.

[0090] Moreover, the first opening 2c of the at least one suction manifold 2 comprises a first cross-sectional area and the second openings 2e, 2g, 2h of the at least one suction manifold 2 each comprises a second cross-sectional area, with the first cross-sectional area being smaller than the sum of the second cross-sectional areas of the second openings. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the second openings 2e, 2g, 2h all comprise the same second cross-sectional area.

[0091] The above description includes embodiments examples of one or more embodiments of the invention. Of course, it is not possible to describe any conceivable combination of the components and methods according to the invention in the above-mentioned embodiments. Rather, the person skilled in the art will recognize that there are numerous other combinations. Accordingly, the described embodiments are to comprise all of these further combinations, modifications, variations and embodiments that fall under the scope of application of the attached claims.