APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FILLING AN OPEN CONTAINER

Abstract

An apparatus and method for compacting bulk material in an open container having a compacting device including a poker compactor, the poker compactor having an outer wall and being suitable to be inserted into an open container to cause the outer wall of the poker compactor to contact the bulk material and to degas and compact the bulk material in the open container. The outer wall of the poker compactor is at least partially formed by a gas-permeable, outer suction wall of a suction device and the poker compactor includes a vibration exciter to support degassing the bulk material by way of vibrating motion of the poker compactor generated by the vibration exciter. The vibration exciter is radially surrounded by a tube device and the suction wall surrounds the tube device.

Claims

1. A compacting device comprising: a poker compactor for compacting bulk material in an open container; the poker compactor comprising an outer wall and being suitable to be inserted into an open container to cause the outer wall of the poker compactor to contact the bulk material and to degas and compact the bulk material in the open container; the outer wall of the poker compactor is at least partially formed by a gas-permeable outer suction wall of a suction device; the poker compactor comprises a vibration exciter to support degassing the bulk material by way of vibration of the poker compactor generated by the vibration exciter; the vibration exciter is radially surrounded by a tube device; and the suction wall surrounds the tube device at least in sections.

2. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration exciter comprises at least one rotatably accommodated imbalance device.

3. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the suction wall at least partially consists of an air-permeable filter device.

4. The compacting device according to the claim 3, wherein the filter device is exchangeably supported by the tube device.

5. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the poker compactor is configured elongated and wherein a ratio of a length to a diameter of the poker compactor is larger than 3 and in particular larger than 4.

6. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one bearing for supporting the drive shaft is accommodated at least at one axial end region of the tube device.

7. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the poker compactor at the front face comprises a multipart and separable connecting piece with a passage for the drive shaft and/or a bottom cover, at the bottom face.

8. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the suction device comprises a vacuum chamber that is substantially formed by a radial clearance between the tube device and the filter device.

9. The compacting device according to claim 8, wherein the vacuum chamber is connected with at least one vacuum connection through at least one air duct.

10. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the air duct extends at least partially radially outside the bearings.

11. The compacting device according to claim, wherein the air duct extends at least partially through the tube device.

12. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one flexible connecting hose is attached to the connecting piece.

13. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one vacuum line is disposed in the flexible connecting hose.

14. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one vacuum duct extending in a longitudinal direction of the drive shaft is disposed in the interior of the drive shaft to supply the suction device with vacuum.

15. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum duct is in flow connection with a connecting duct of the poker compactor through at least one transverse duct.

16. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting duct is sealed relative to the drive shaft by way of a seal at least on one axial side.

17. A packaging system comprising: at least one open container intended to be filled with bulk material; at least one packaging machine having at least one filling spout for filling open containers with bulk material; wherein a compacting device with a poker compactor that can be inserted into the open container is provided; the poker compactor comprising an outer wall and being suitable to be inserted into an open container to cause the outer wall to contact the bulk material and to degas and compact the bulk material in the open container; the outer wall of the poker compactor is at least partially formed by a gas-permeable, outer suction wall of a suction device; the poker compactor comprises a vibration exciter to support degassing the bulk material by way of a vibrating motion of the poker compactor generated by the vibration exciter; the vibration exciter is radially surrounded by a tube device; and the suction wall surrounds the tube device at least in sections.

18. The packaging system according to claim 17, wherein a pressure sensor and/or a fill level sensor is assigned to the filling spout.

19. The packaging system according to claim 17, wherein the poker compactor is height-adjustable and can be inserted into the container through the filling spout.

20. A method for filling an open container with at least one bulk material in a filling process, wherein a quantity of bulk material is filled into the open container; a poker compactor of a compacting device is inserted into the open container to degas and compact the bulk material in the open container; and a vibration exciter of the poker compactor that is radially surrounded by a tube device is caused to vibrate and gas is aspirated out of the bulk material at the poker compactor by means of a suction device through a gas-permeable, outer suction wall which forms part of the outer wall surrounding the tube device at least in sections to support degassing the bulk material by way of vibrating motion of the poker compactor generated by the vibration exciter.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the poker compactor is inserted into the open container as the filling process begins.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the vibration exciter at the poker compactor is caused to vibrate and gas is sucked out of the bulk material at the poker compactor simultaneously at least in sections.

23. The method according to claim 20 wherein only the vibration exciter at the poker compactor is caused to vibrate at least in sections and gas is sucked out of the bulk material at the poker compactor.

24. The method according to claim 20 wherein the poker compactor is inactive at least in sections.

25. The method according to claim 20 wherein at certain points in time a gas impulse is applied to the sucking-off device.

26. The method according to claim 20 wherein a position of the poker compactor relative to the container is changed multiple times for efficient degassing.

27. The method according to claim 20 wherein gas is not sucked off by means of the suction device until a fill level of the bulk material in the container substantially entirely covers the suction wall.

28. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the suction device is indirectly or directly axially downstream of the tube device and/or the vibration exciter.

Description

[0056] Further advantages and features of the present invention can be taken from the exemplary embodiments which will be described below with reference to the enclosed figures.

[0057] These show in:

[0058] FIG. 1a schematic top view of a packaging system according to the invention;

[0059] FIG. 2a side view of the packaging machine of the packaging system according to FIG. 1;

[0060] FIG. 3a perspective illustration of the poker compactor of the compacting device from the packaging machine according to FIG. 2;

[0061] FIG. 4a front view of the poker compactor according to FIG. 3;

[0062] FIG. 5a perspective illustration of the connecting piece of the poker compactor according to FIG. 3;

[0063] FIG. 6a schematic perspective view of the drive shaft of the poker compactor according to FIG. 3;

[0064] FIG. 7a schematic cross-section of the poker compactor according to FIG. 3;

[0065] FIG. 8the enlarged detail “D” from FIG. 7;

[0066] FIG. 9a simplistic cross-section of the tube device of the poker compactor according to FIG. 3;

[0067] FIG. 10 a front view of the tube device according to FIG. 9;

[0068] FIG. 11 another compacting device;

[0069] FIG. 12 another compacting device for the packaging system according to FIG. 1; and

[0070] FIG. 13 a two-part connecting piece for the poker compactor according to FIG. 3.

[0071] FIG. 1 illustrates a simplistic top view of a packaging system 100 according to the invention. The packaging system comprises a packaging machine 50 with which to fill bulk material into open containers, presently into open-mouth bags. The packaging machine 50 is rotary in configuration and comprises a number of filling spouts 51 distributed over its circumference (see FIG. 2). This illustrated packaging machine 50 is provided for approximately two to sixteen filling spouts 51. A packaging system 100 according to the invention may also be configured as a stationary, single-spout packaging machine.

[0072] The rotary packaging machine 50 is operated rotating continuously so that the filling spouts 51 rotate at substantially constant speed around a central axis. The rotation speed is in particular dependent on the intended filled product and its compacting ratio. The intended filled bulk material is filled into a silo 52 of the packaging machine 50 through an inlet hopper. From there the bulk material is conveyed by gravity feed into the dispensing silos 58 of the respective filling spout 51.

[0073] For feeding the open containers 4 intended for filling a container feeder 101 is provided in which the containers intended for filling may optionally be manufactured, for example from a tubular sheet. A transfer device 102 hands the containers intended for filling to the packaging machine 50 where they are appended after or during transfer to the filling spout 51 substantially dustproof to avoid as far as possible contamination of the ambience during the filling process.

[0074] The packaging machine 50 in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 rotates counterclockwise. The packaging machine 50 is appended to a carrier 53 and it may be externally protected by means of the shown protective fence to exclude accidents.

[0075] When the filled containers 4 are sufficiently filled as they reach the discharge device 103 and the bulk material is sufficiently compacted, the discharge device 103 takes off the open containers 4 and hands them to the processing device 104 where subsequent compacting may be performed as required and the open containers are regularly closed. To this end a closing device 105 is provided in which open bags representing open containers 4 are closed by a closing seam at the filling end. Weight checking and/or optical checking of the filled container 4 may be provided for at the processing device 104. Finally the filled containers 4 are conveyed off.

[0076] FIG. 2 shows a simplistic cross-section of the packaging machine 50 of the packaging system 100 according to FIG. 1. The packaging machine 50 rotates about the central axis and is appended to the carrier 53. In the silo 52 the curved line shows the filling level of the bulk material in the silo 52. The bulk material may be pre-deaerated by way of intermediate storage in the silo 52 so that the bulk material actually entering the container will as a rule show identical or at any rate similar properties.

[0077] Owing to its weight the bulk material enters the dispensing silos 58 assigned to each of the spouts. The filling box at the bottom of the dispensing silo 58 has filling elements 54 which are preferably fill turbines and serve for defined transport of the bulk material through the filling spout 51 into the open containers 4.

[0078] In all the configurations the bulk material intended for filling and/or the filled bulk material is weighed. Weighing may be provided by the net method wherein first the intended quantity of bulk material is filled into a pre-container where it is weighed. After the intended filled weight is reached the quantity of bulk material in the pre-container is filled into the open container 4. Filling by way of the gross method is also preferred where the container intended for filling is weighed during the filling process to ensure precisely batched filling. This gross weight method is illustrated in FIG. 2 where the filling spout is weighed during filling together with the attached components and the container 4. The known weight of the filling spout and of the other components is subtracted from the weight determined by the scales 56 to thus calculate the quantity of the filled bulk material 3.

[0079] Control devices 57 are employed for controlling which may for example be assigned to each single filling spout 51. It is also possible to employ one control device for multiple filling spouts.

[0080] The packaging machine 50 furthermore comprises one compacting device 1 for each of the filling spouts 51. The compacting devices 1 comprise a drive motor 49 and a poker compactor 2 each. After a container 4 has been appended to the filling spout 51 the poker compactor 2 is inserted from the top through the filling spout 51 into the container 4 for compacting the filled-in bulk material. As the filling process is finished and prior to discharging a container 4 the poker compactor 2 is pulled back upwardly out of the container 4 at least up into the filling spout 51 to enable easy discharge of the filled container 4.

[0081] The compacting device 1 is employed during the filling process and comprises in the poker compactor an imbalance device 8 illustrated in detail in the following figures and a suction device 6 for compacting the bulk material 3 in the container 4. As FIG. 2 shows, the length 13 of the poker compactor 2 is less than about half the length of the container 4. The poker compactor 2 is lowered at the beginning of the filling process approximately entirely down to the bottom of the container. As the suction wall 7 (between the horizontal broken lines) is substantially entirely covered in bulk material 3, aspiration is activated and air is sucked out of the bulk material. In the course of the filling process the poker compactor 2 is continuously or stepwise moved along upwardly so that the product may be optimally compacted right after filling. There is no need to wait until the entire container 4 or the entire open-mouth bag is filled before starting degassing by means of a vacuum. This allows to save valuable time. A bottom vibrator 59 may be provided from beneath which applies vibrations on the bottom of the container 4. Controlling the filling process may involve a fill level sensor 55 which captures the filling level of the bulk material 3 in the container 4.

[0082] FIG. 3 shows a schematic, perspective illustration of the poker compactor 2 of the compacting device 1. The poker compactor 2 shows a front face 16 and a bottom face 17. The drive shaft 18 protrudes out of the poker compactor 2 at the front face 16. The drive shaft 18 is rotatably supported in the interior of the poker compactor 2. The front face 16 is provided with a connecting piece 23 to which multiple vacuum connections 30 etc. are attached to supply the suction device 6 of the poker compactor 2 with the required vacuum. The suction device 6 is retained by the tube device 9 and comprises a filter device 10 which forms an air-permeable suction wall 7 that is part of the outer wall 5 of the poker compactor 2. The interior space of the poker compactor 2 is closed by a bottom cover 25 on the bottom face 17. Although this bottom cover 25 is airtight it may be provided with a filter device to thus aspirate air out of the container 4 at the bottom face 17 of the poker compactor 2.

[0083] On the whole the poker compactor 2 has a length 13 which is considerably larger than a typical and in particular maximum diameter 14 of the poker compactor 2. The ratio of the length 13 to the diameter 14 is preferably larger than 3 and in particular larger than 3.5 or 4.

[0084] The outer diameter of the poker compactor 2 depends on the intended application. For filling typical open-mouth bags the outer diameter 14 must be small enough to allow inserting the poker compactor 2 from above through the filling spout into the container 4 intended for filling. Therefore the outer diameter 14 is preferably selected to be smaller than 75 mm and in particular smaller than 60 mm. In advantageous configurations an outer diameter of 60 mm was chosen. The length 13 may be 200 mm, 230 mm or more.

[0085] FIG. 4 shows a schematic front view of the poker compactor 2 according to FIG. 3, clearly revealing the three vacuum connections 30, 31 and 32 at the front face 16 at the connecting piece 23.

[0086] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective illustration of the connecting piece 23 with the passage 24 for feeding through the drive shaft 18 visible. The vacuum connections are illustrated without hose connections.

[0087] At the end of the connecting piece 23 opposite the front face 16 the connecting piece 23 has an external thread 39 for the connecting piece 23 to screw into the tube device 9. To ensure vacuum supply in the interior of the poker compactor 2 the outside of the thread 39 is provided with a number of circumferentially distributed, axial grooves 40 through which the vacuum can be forwarded from the connection points 30, 31 and 32.

[0088] FIG. 6 shows the drive shaft 18 in a perspective illustration wherein the imbalance weight 38 of the imbalance device 8 is recognizable. The imbalance device 8 serves as a vibration exciter 48 and provides for vibration excitation generated in the interior of the poker compactor 2 so as to achieve a particularly effective action of the poker compactor 2 and thus of the compacting device 1. The vibrating motions of the poker compactor 2 are thus exactly defined and are hardly dependent on external circumstances. If the imbalance device were generated external of the poker compactor 2 for example at the top end of the compacting device 1 at the drive motor 49, then the vibration amplitude of the poker compactor 2 would very much depend on external circumstances. In the case of very lightweight bulk material this might result in undesired, large vibrational swings since the distance between the drive motor 49 and the poker compactor 2 results in just minor damping of the vibrating motion in the case of a lightweight bulk material.

[0089] With the present invention the vibrating motion is generated locally where it is required, i.e. inside the poker compactor, so that the vibrating motion depends considerably less on external circumstances and is thus better defined. Selecting the imbalancing mass allows to modify the amplitude, selecting the drive number, the frequency. This allows an adaptation of the poker compactor optimized for the intended filled product.

[0090] The vibrations are excited within the poker compactor and in this case, inside the suction device which radially surrounds the imbalance device 8.

[0091] FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-section of the poker compactor 2 of the compacting device 1. The body of the poker compactor 2 is formed by the connecting piece 23, the tube device 9, and the bottom cover 25. The bottom cover may—as is shown in the illustration on the right—show a (nearly) rectangular cross-section. Preferably the bottom cover shows a rounded end region 25a. This allows e.g. for easier insertion into bulk material. The radius at the end region may be e.g. 3 mm, 5 mm or 10 mm. This also allows to avoid damage to the bag wall and the filling spout.

[0092] The filter device 10 of the suction device 6 is retained by the bottom cover 25 and the tube device 9.

[0093] The drive shaft 18 is rotatably supported by means of a bearing 21 in the interior of the poker compactor 2 at the axial end region 19 in the vicinity of the front face 16. A bearing 22 to support the drive shaft 18 is employed at the other end at the bottom face 17 in the end region 20.

[0094] This filter device 10 consists of multiple filter layers 11 wherein one of the filter layers or a separate support layer may serve to support the filter device 10.

[0095] A clearance or vacuum chamber 26 is formed between the filter device 10 and the outer surface of the tube device 9 through which air is aspirated from the filter device 10 across the entire surface. The aspirated air is discharged through the vacuum connections 30, 31 and 32. The interior of the vacuum tank 2 shows the imbalance weight 38. It should be noted that the illustration according to FIG. 7 is section B-B from FIG. 4 so that the cutting planes of the central axis of symmetry above the axis of symmetry and beneath the axis of symmetry are angled relative to one another.

[0096] FIG. 8 shows the enlarged detail “D” from FIG. 7 to better illustrate the flow curve of the sucked off air and each of the components.

[0097] A seal 41 is provided for sealing and protection of the bearing 21 from dust penetrating through the passage 24 of the drive shaft 18.

[0098] The aspirated air is conveyed from the vacuum chamber 26 to the pertaining vacuum connection along the flow arrow 15. The aspirated air first flows through the air duct 28. In the region of the thread 39 of the connecting piece 23 the air duct 28 is limited by the groove 40 in the connecting piece 23 (see FIG. 5) and by the tube device 9.

[0099] FIG. 13 shows a variant of the connecting piece 23 of the poker compactor 2 from FIG. 7 wherein the connecting piece 23 is configured multipart, presently two-piece, and substantially consists of the first connecting part 23a and the second connecting part 23b. For servicing the first connecting part 23a remains at the packaging machine while the second connecting part 23b is removed together with the poker compactor 2. Thus the vacuum hoses may remain at the vacuum connections 30 etc. and do not require relatively complex demounting and later remounting, in particular because a specific hose routing needs to be observed. These vacuum connections 30 to 32 are preferably again separate components which when connecting the connecting parts 23a and 23b are clamped to an undercut of the first connecting part 23a. The two connecting parts 23a and 23b are connected to one another by suitable connecting devices 46 such as screws. Suitable seals 44 are preferably provided between the connecting parts. A custom-made seal 44 is also provided between the vacuum connection 30 and the first connecting part 23a.

[0100] The connecting piece 23 is provided with a thread 39 which screws to a counter-thread of the tube device 9. The sealing of the connecting piece 23 generally to the tube device 9 is preferably also done by suitable seals 44.

[0101] An external thread 45 is configured at the (upper) end of the first connecting part 23a to connect a sleeve of a drive shaft in that spot.

[0102] FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross-section of the tube device 9 with the internal thread 37 in the tube device 9 recognizable. The external thread 39 of the connecting piece 23 screws into the internal thread 37. Furthermore the air duct 28 is recognizable through which the aspirated air is forwarded from the clearance or vacuum chamber 26.

[0103] In the interior of the tube device 9 a free diameter 43 is formed in which the imbalance device 8 can rotate for generating vibrations.

[0104] FIG. 10 shows a front view of the tube device 9 in which the air ducts 28 are also visible. For illustration the section B-B shown in FIG. 7 is indicated once again.

[0105] FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the compacting device 1, with a connecting hose 33 attached to the connecting piece 23 of the front face 16. The vacuum feed takes place through a vacuum duct 29 in the interior of the drive shaft 18. The drive shaft 18 is configured multipart. The vacuum duct 29 opens into at least one transverse duct 35 that extends radially outwardly from the vacuum duct 29. The transverse duct 35 may be generated for example by a transverse bore in the drive shaft 18. In the region of the transverse duct 35 a connecting duct 36 is provided circling around the drive shaft 18 connecting the vacuum duct 29 with the air duct 28 so that vacuum applied to the vacuum duct 29 continues through the transverse duct 35 and the connecting duct 36 and the air duct 28 into the vacuum chamber 26.

[0106] The connecting duct 36 is sealed on both axial sides by means of a seal 41 or 42 to protect the bearing 21 from dust.

[0107] This construction allows ease of feeding vacuum to the suction device 6. The bearing of the imbalance device 8 is reliably protected from the influence of dust. The filter device can be efficiently freed from caked particles.

[0108] FIG. 12 shows an alternative configuration where the vacuum feed does not take place centrally through the drive shaft but external thereof. The compacting device 1 may basically show the architecture of the compacting device of FIG. 7 with a connecting hose 33 mounted to the connecting piece 23 at the front face 16 to ensure vacuum supply.

[0109] The connecting hose 33 comprises vacuum lines 34 serving for vacuum supply disposed or configured in the wall of the connecting hose 33. The vacuum lines 34 may be attached to the inner wall of the connecting hose 33 or may be positioned in the interior of the connecting hose 33 wherein they are preferably protected from rubbing contact with the rotating drive shaft 18.

[0110] The vacuum lines 34 are directly connected with the air ducts 28 so that the vacuum chamber 26 of the suction device 6 can be adequately supplied with vacuum. The air ducts 28 extend radially externally of the bearings 21 as they do in the preceding exemplary embodiment so that the region of the bearings 21 is reliably protected from dust action.

[0111] The air ducts 28 may extend through the tube device at least in sections.

[0112] On the whole the invention provides an advantageous compacting device 1 and an advantageous packaging system 100 equipped therewith which allow efficient filling of open containers with bulk material and efficient compacting of the bulk material in the containers. The vibration generated inside the poker compactor imposes a vibration on the filter device 10 so as to largely prevent the building up of filter caking even with fine bulk material. This allows to clearly reduce the quantity of air blasts required on the filter device from the interior so as to increase efficiency.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0113] 1 compacting device [0114] 2 poker compactor [0115] 3 bulk material [0116] 4 container [0117] 5 outer wall [0118] 6 suction device [0119] 7 suction wall [0120] 8 imbalance device [0121] 9 tube device [0122] 10 filter device [0123] 11 filter layer [0124] 12 length of 4 [0125] 13 length of 2 [0126] 14 diameter of 2 [0127] 15 flow arrow [0128] 16 front face [0129] 17 bottom face [0130] 18 drive shaft [0131] 19 end region at 16 [0132] 20 end region at 17 [0133] 21 bearing at 19 [0134] 22 bearing at 20 [0135] 23 connecting piece [0136] 23a first connecting part [0137] 23b second connecting part [0138] 24 passage [0139] 25 bottom cover [0140] 26 vacuum chamber [0141] 27 longitudinal direction [0142] 28 air duct [0143] 29 vacuum duct [0144] 30 vacuum connection [0145] 32 vacuum connection [0146] 33 vacuum connection [0147] 33 connecting hose [0148] 34 vacuum line [0149] 35 transverse duct [0150] 36 connecting duct [0151] 37 thread in 9 [0152] 38 imbalance weight [0153] 39 thread of 23 [0154] 40 groove [0155] 41 seal [0156] 42 seal [0157] 43 inner diameter of 9 [0158] 44 seal [0159] 45 thread [0160] 46 screw [0161] 47 pressure sensor [0162] 48 vibration exciter [0163] 49 drive motor [0164] 50 packaging machine [0165] 51 filling spout [0166] 52 silo [0167] 53 carrier [0168] 54 filling element, fill turbine [0169] 55 fill level sensor [0170] 56 scales [0171] 57 control device [0172] 58 dispensing silo [0173] 59 bottom vibrator [0174] 100 packaging system [0175] 101 container feeder [0176] 102 transfer device [0177] 103 discharge device [0178] 104 processing device [0179] 105 closing device