Device and method for filling nested containers

Abstract

A filling device for filling nested containers, which are arranged in at least one row in a nest and are conveyable by means of a conveying device, having a filling station for simultaneously filling the containers of one row, having at least one weighing station for weighing a row of containers, having a first gripping device for simultaneously removing a row of containers to be filled and for transferring said containers to a first weighing station of the at least one weighing station and for transferring the weighed containers from the at least one weighing station back into the nest or into a different nest. The filling device additionally comprises a second gripping device, for simultaneously removing the row of filled and weighed containers and for transferring said containers to the first weighing station or to a second weighing station of the at least one weighing station and for transferring the row of filled and twice weighed containers from the at least one weighing station back into the nest or into a different nest.

Claims

1. A device for filling nested containers, wherein the containers are arranged in at least one row in a nest and are conveyable by a conveying device, the device comprises: a filling station for simultaneously filling the containers of one row; at least one weighing station for weighing the containers of the one row; a first gripping device for simultaneously removing the containers of the one row to be filled and for transferring the containers of the one row to a first weighing station of the at least one weighing station and for transferring weighed containers of the one row from the at least one weighing station back into the nest from which the first gripping device removed the containers of the one row to be filled; and a second gripping device for simultaneously removing filled and weighed containers of the one row and for transferring the filled and weighed containers to the first weighing station or to a second weighing station of the at least one weighing station and for transferring filled and twice weighed containers of the one row from the at least one weighing station back into the nest from which the second gripping device removed the filled and weighed containers.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a control unit controls the first gripping device, the second gripping device and the at least one weighing station, and is configured for the purpose of weighing at least 6% of the containers of the nest.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the containers of the one row corresponds to at least 6% of the containers of the nest.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the one row comprises precisely ten containers, and the first gripping device and/or the second gripping device is arranged for the purpose of gripping ten containers simultaneously.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the filling station comprises a plurality of fill points perpendicular to a conveying direction of the nested containers, wherein the number of containers of the one row corresponds to the number of fill points of the filling station, and wherein both the first gripping device and the second gripping device are arranged in such a manner that they are each able to grip the entire one row of containers simultaneously.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the one row of containers extends perpendicular to a conveying direction of the nest.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first gripping device is arranged in such a manner that it repositions the weighed containers of the one row in front of or at the filling station.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second gripping device is arranged in such a manner that, before the second weighing, the second gripping device removes the filled and weighed containers of the one row behind the filling station out of the nest and repositions the filled and weighed containers behind the filling station into the nest.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first weighing station and/or the second weighing station of the at least one weighing station comprises a plurality of weighing cells, wherein the number of weighing cells corresponds to at least the number of containers to be weighed, wherein the containers are weighable individually simultaneously.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first gripping device and/or the second gripping device comprises at least biaxial gripping jaws.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first gripping device and/or the second gripping device is arranged in such a manner that it can remove the containers of the one row out of any position of the nest and is able to reposition the containers of the one row into the same or a different position of the nest.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first gripping device and/or the second gripping device comprises gripping jaws with two clamping strips in order to clamp the containers of the one row.

13. A method for filling nested containers, comprising the following steps: removing a row of containers to be filled out of a nest with a first gripping device; weighing the individual containers in an empty state so that they are weighed containers; repositioning the weighed containers into the nest from which the first gripping device removed the row of containers to be filled; filling the weighed containers so that they are filled and weighed containers; removing the filled and weighed containers out of the nest with a second gripping device; individually re-weighing the filled and weighed containers so that they are filled and twice weighed containers; and repositioning the filled and twice weighed containers after the re-weighing into the nest from which the second gripping device removed the filled and weighed containers.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the individual containers are weighed simultaneously.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein at least 6% of all the containers of the nest are weighed before and after the filling process.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein net contents of each individual container is determined from the result of the weighing and the result of the re-weighing.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein a filling quantity of a filling station is adapted with regard to the determined net contents of each container.

18. A device for filling nested containers, wherein the containers are arranged in at least one row in a nest and are conveyable by a conveying device, the device comprises: a filling station for simultaneously filling the containers of one row; at least one weighing station for weighing the containers of the one row; a first gripping device for simultaneously removing the containers of the one row to be filled and for transferring the containers of the one row to a first weighing station of the at least one weighing station and for transferring weighed containers of the one row from the at least one weighing station back into a first following nest following the nest from which the first gripping device removed of containers of the one row to be filled; and a second gripping device for simultaneously removing of filled and weighed containers of the one row and for transferring the filled and weighed containers to the first weighing station or to a second weighing station of the at least one weighing station and for transferring filled and twice weighed containers of the one row from the at least one weighing station back into a second following nest following the first following nest from which the second gripping device removed the filled and weighed containers.

19. A method for filling nested containers, comprising the following steps: removing a row of containers to be filled out of a nest with a first gripping device; weighing the individual containers in an empty state so that they are weighed containers; repositioning the weighed containers into a first following nest following the nest from which the first gripping device removed the row of containers to be filled; filling the weighed containers so that they are filled and weighed containers; removing the filled and weighed containers out of the first following nest with a second gripping device; individually re-weighing the and weighed containers so that they are filled and twice weighed containers; and repositioning the filled and twice weighed containers after the re-weighing weighing into a second following nest following the first following nest from which the second gripping device removed the filled and weighed containers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) Configurations of the device are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a configuration of a filling station in a production line,

(3) FIG. 2a shows a schematic top view of a configuration of a filling station,

(4) FIG. 2b shows a schematic side view of the filling station of FIG. 2a,

(5) FIG. 3a shows a schematic top view of a gripping device,

(6) FIG. 3b shows a schematic side view of the gripping device of FIG. 3a,

(7) FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of a filling device in a filling system,

(8) FIG. 5 shows a configuration of a method, and

(9) FIGS. 6a to 6d show a simplified representation of various removal, weighing and repositioning steps.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a filling device 10 in a production line for filling nests 12 of containers 14 which, for reasons of clarity, are not shown further in FIG. 1. The nests 12, in this case, are conveyed in the direction of the arrow by a conveying device 16 which is symbolized in a simplified manner by arrows. The filling device 10 comprises, schematically represented, a first gripping device 18 and a second gripping device 20 which each comprise a pivot arm 22 and gripping jaws 24. In addition, the filling device 10 comprises a filling station 26 and at least one weighing station 28 with weighing cells 30 which are not shown in any more detail. A closing station 32 for closing the containers 14 is arranged downstream of the filling device 10 in the conveying direction, a packing station 34, in which the containers 14 can be removed from the nests 12 and packaged in corresponding receptacles, such as boxes, for onward conveying, preferably following said closing station. It is obvious that the containers 14 can also remain in the nests 12 and can be packaged together with the nests 12. An upstream device 38, in which the containers 14 are prepared for filling, that is say, for example, are unpacked and arranged in the nests 12 and/or sterilized and/or heated or cooled in order not to impair the product to be filled into the containers 14, can be provided in the conveying direction before the filling device 10.

(11) FIG. 2a shows a configuration of a filling device 10. Nests 12 of containers 14 are fed to the filling device 10 by means of a conveying device or transporting device 16. The filling device 10 further comprises a first gripping device 18 and a second gripping device 20. The first gripping device 18 and the second gripping device 20 are designed substantially identically such that only the first gripping device 18 is described in more detail below. The movement radii of the gripping devices are shown schematically as circles.

(12) The first gripping device 18 comprises a pivot arm 22, on which gripping jaws 24, which are pivotable in turn, are arranged. The first gripping device 18, in this case, is arranged before a filling station 26 in the conveying direction. A weighing station 28 is arranged in the conveying direction between the first gripping device 18 and the second gripping device 20. The weighing station 28 comprises individual weighing cells 30. The weighing cells 30 can be configured, for example, as weighing cups.

(13) The weighing station 28 is situated therefore with reference to the conveying direction substantially at the same level as the filling station 26. A closing station 32, which for reasons of clarity is shown purely schematically together with further downstream devices 34, is preferably arranged behind the second gripping device 20 in the conveying direction.

(14) The first gripping device 18 serves for removing a row of containers 14 out of a nest 12 and for transferring them to the weighing station 28, each weighing cell 30 of the weighing station 28 preferably having associated therewith a container 14 such that the containers 14 are weighed substantially in parallel and individually. After the weighing, the containers 14 are picked up again by the first gripping device 18 and are repositioned into the nest 12. The empty weight of the individual containers 14 can be registered in this connection.

(15) The nest 12 is then conveyed by means of the conveying or transporting device 16 in a conveying direction to the filling station 26, the filling station 26 being able to fill the containers 14 of a row of containers 14 in parallel and individually. A row of containers extends, in this case, perpendicular to the conveying device. The containers stand side by side in the nest perpendicular to the conveying direction.

(16) The filling of the containers 14 occurs at fill points of the filling station 26. The fill points can also be arranged side by side perpendicular to the conveying direction. The filling is effected, for example, by means of so-called filling needles and is generally known in the prior art such that further details with reference to the precise filling operation are omitted.

(17) After filling, the row of pre-weighed containers 14 can be removed by the second gripping device 20 and once again fed to the weighing station 28. The individually filled containers 14 can then be weighed once again as described above. In this connection, the net contents of each individual container 14 can be determined from the previously determined empty weight and the overall weight and checked. The result of the net contents can be taken into account in the control of the filling station 26.

(18) The above-described filling device 10 is preferably only a part portion of a fully automated system, devices that are required to provide the containers 14 in the nests 12 being connected upstream of the filling device 10 and are shown schematically in the present case by the symbol with the reference sign 38.

(19) FIG. 2b shows a highly simplified representation of the filling device 10 of FIG. 2a along the section A. The conveying device runs, in this case, from left to right. The rows of containers 14, in this case, are shown in a simplified manner as U-shapes. As the first gripping device 18 is structurally identical to the second gripping device 20, the second gripping device 20 is only indicated schematically. Further shown is a total of three nests 12, each with four rows of containers 14, one row of containers 14 being hidden by the filling station 26 in the middle nest 12.

(20) FIG. 3a shows a gripping device 18, 20. The gripping device 18, 20 comprises a pivot arm 22 which is pivotable about a first end 22a, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 3a. Gripping jaws 24 are arranged on a second end 22b of the pivot arm 22, which is located opposite the first end. Said gripping jaws are arranged on the second end 22b of the pivot arm 22 and are, as illustrated by an arrow, pivotable. The gripping jaws comprise a first clamping strip 24a and a second clamping strip 24b, both of which are movable with reference to one another in such a manner that they can clamp or release a row of containers 14.

(21) FIG. 3b shows a schematic representation of a section of the gripping device of FIG. 3a along the section B. The gripping jaws 24 are configured in such a manner that they can be moved upward and downward, that is to say perpendicular, with reference to the conveying direction in order to remove the containers 14, which are clamped in the first clamping strip 24a and the second clamping strip 24b, out of a nest 12.

(22) FIG. 4 shows a top view of a filling device 10 with a closing station 32 with a closing means station 36 connected thereto. The filling device 10 in FIG. 4 corresponds substantially to the filling device 10 in FIGS. 2a and 2b such that identical components are characterized with identical reference signs. The differences are to be explained in more detail below.

(23) The filling device 10 comprises a first weighing station 28a and a second weighing station 28b. The first gripping device 18 can remove a row of containers 14 out of a nest 12 and transfer them to the first weighing station 28a. The first weighing station 28 can then determine the empty weight of the individual containers 14 in parallel, as described above. The first gripping device 18 can then, after the weighing of the containers 14, remove the row of containers 14 from the first weighing station 28a and reposition them into the nest 12. The nest 12 is then conveyed further by means of the conveying device 16 and fed to the filling station 26, in which the containers 14 of each row are filled individually, each row being filled in parallel. After the filling process, the nest 12 is then moved further in the conveying direction by means of the conveying device 16, the previously weighed row of containers 14 being able to be removed by the second gripping device 20 and being able to be fed to the second weighing station 28b, the second weighing station 28b weighing the containers 14 individually and in parallel, and it being possible to determine the net contents of the containers 14 from the empty weight, that is to say from the result of the previous weighing, and from the overall weight, that is to say the result of the new weighing. Said net contents can then be taken into account in the control of the filling station 26. In particular, the filling station 26 can be adjusted or re-adjusted as a result.

(24) After the new weighing, the second gripping device 20 can remove the row of containers 14 out of the second weighing station 28b and reposition them into the nest 12. The nest 12 is then moved further in the conveying direction by means of the conveying device 16 and is fed to a closing station 32 in which the containers 14 are closed preferably individually and in parallel. Closing means of a feeding device 36 are made available, in this case, to the closing station 32.

(25) The closed, filled and twice weighed containers 14 can then be submitted first of all to an inspection, can be cooled or stored in a quarantine area and then labelled and fed to a packaging device which is not designated in any detail. The containers 14 are packaged in various pack sizes corresponding to an end consumer and are then prepared for further transport/dispatch.

(26) FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of the individual method steps of a method according to the invention. The method can preferably be carried out by one of the above-described filling devices 10. In a first step S1, the containers 14 to be filled are removed from a nest 12 by means of a first gripping device 18. In a second step S2, the individual containers 14 are weighed empty and the empty weight thereof is determined. In a following step S3, the empty weighed containers 14 are placed back into the nest 12 or into a nest 12. In the following step S4, the empty and weighed containers situated in the nest 12 are filled by the filling station 26 and then in a step S5 are removed out of the nest 12 by means of a second gripping device 20. In a following step S6, the once weighed, filled containers 14 are weighed again and finally in a step S7 are placed back into the nest 12 or into a different nest 12.

(27) In the case of the method the containers 14 are weighed individually, that is to say the weight of each individual container 14 is determined, the containers 14 also being weighed substantially simultaneously.

(28) With the method, it is possible to weigh at least 6%, in particular precisely 10%, of all the containers 14 before and after the filling operation. It is obviously also conceivable to weigh more containers 14, in particular all the containers 14, before and after the filling operation.

(29) In particular, as a result of weighing the containers 14 twice, the net contents of the individual containers 14 can be determined, said net contents being able to be taken into account preferably in the control of the filling station 26 such that an automatic adjustment to the filling station 26 is able to be carried out.

(30) The filling station 26 preferably comprises individual filling devices or fill points which can each fill one container 14 such that the filling station 26 can preferably fill one row of containers 14 substantially simultaneously. It is also conceivable for the filling station 26 to comprise fewer or more filling devices.

(31) FIGS. 6a to 6d show various configurations of the present method. For reasons of clarity, the conveying device 16 and the filling station 26, among other things, are not shown. In said example, the conveying direction of the nests 12 of containers 14 runs from bottom to top.

(32) FIG. 6a shows a schematic representation of a nest 12 with containers 14, a row of containers 14 being able to be removed by the first gripping device 18. This can be, for example, the first row of containers 14, as shown by a border in FIG. 6. It is obvious that each arbitrary row can be removed by the gripping device 18. Said row of containers 14, in this case, as described above, is clamped by the jaws 24 of the first gripping device 18, lifted out of the nest 12 and transferred to the at least one weighing station 28 and is weighed. The weighed containers 14 can then be removed out of the at least one weighing station 28 by the first gripping device 18 and transferred into the nest 12 or into a following nest 12 as shown in FIG. 6b. The filling of the containers 14 in the filling station 26, which is not shown in any detail, is then effected as described above.

(33) As shown in FIG. 6c, once the containers 14 have been filled, the second gripping device 20 removes a row of already weighed and filled containers 14 out of the nest 12 and transfers said row, as described above, to the at least one weighing station 28, the containers 14 being weighed again and then being transferred again back into the nest 12 or into the following nest 12 by the second gripping device 20.

(34) If, after the weighing, the first gripping device 18 has transferred the containers 14 into the nest 12, the second gripping device 20 then removes a row of already weighed and filled containers 14 out of the nest 12 and, after the weighing, transfers said row back again into the nest 12 or into the following nest 12. This is shown schematically in FIG. 6d.

(35) In a preferred manner, in this case, at least one row of containers 14 of a nest 12 is weighed before and after the filling process, one row, for example, corresponding to at least 6% and in particular at least 10% of the containers 14 of a nest 12.

(36) Configurations are also conceivable where a row of containers 14 corresponds to less than 10% and in particular to less than 6% of the containers 14 of a nest 12, in this connection at least as many rows of containers 14 of a nest 12 being weighed before and after the filling process such that, overall, at least the desired proportion of containers 14 of a nest 12 are weighed before and after the filling process.

(37) The number of removed containers 14 corresponds in a preferred manner to the number of fill points in the filling station 26 such that a complete filling cycle can be checked. The influencing of fill points amongst themselves can consequently be checked or excluded.

(38) In a preferred manner, when the system is started up, each row of a first nest 12 is weighed such that the system can be quickly learnt. The system can be put into operation with little time and product loss.

(39) In addition, when emptying the system, in a preferred manner each row of the last nest 12 and possibly of the penultimate nest 12 is weighed such that a check can be run to ascertain up to which row and in particular up to which container 14 of a row the required fill level is obtained. Product loss when emptying the system can be minimized as a result.

(40) It is to be understood that the foregoing is a description of one or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solely by the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in the foregoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or on the definition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase is expressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, and modifications are intended to come within the scope of the appended claims.

(41) As used in this specification and claims, the terms for example, e.g., for instance, such as, and like, and the verbs comprising, having, including, and their other verb forms, when used in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or other items, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listing is not to be considered as excluding other, additional components or items. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonable meaning unless they are used in a context that requires a different interpretation.