APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMPACTING PACKAGES FILLED WITH BULK MATERIAL

Abstract

A compacting device and method is provided for compacting bulk material in an open package, the compacting device including a poker compactor accommodated on a carrier device. The poker compactor includes a gas-permeable outer wall connected with a suction duct. The poker compactor is suitable to be inserted into an open package for the poker compactor to come into contact with the bulk material to degas and compact the bulk material in the open package. The poker compactor has a longitudinal axis around which it is pivotally accommodated.

Claims

1. A compacting device comprising: a poker compactor received on a carrier device for compacting bulk material in an open package; the poker compactor comprises an outer wall that is at least partially gas-permeable and connected with a suction duct; the poker compactor is suitable to be inserted into an open package to cause the poker compactor to come into contact with the bulk material and to degas and compact the bulk material in the open package; in and the poker compactor shows a longitudinal axis around which it is pivotally received.

2. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein a pivot device is provided by means of which the poker compactor can be pivoted.

3. The compacting device according to claim 2, wherein the pivot device comprises a cylinder drive and wherein the pivot device is in particular received on the carrier device.

4. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of the poker compactor is disposed inside the cross section of the poker compactor.

5. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the poker compactor and/or the poker compactor is/are rotationally symmetrical.

6. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein a lifting drive is provided.

7. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the poker compactor comprises a bottom tube unit and a top tube unit exchangeably connected with one another in a separation point.

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

9. The compacting device according to claim 8, wherein the outer wall and/or the filter device is/are exchangeable.

10. The compacting device according to claim 8, wherein the outer wall and/or the filter device is/are supported by a supporting device.

11. The compacting device according to claim 8, wherein the outer wall and/or the filter device is/are self-supporting.

12. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the suction duct is connected with at least one vacuum connection and/or a vacuum source.

13. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum connection is connected with a flexible hose and/or wherein the vacuum connection is non-rotatably connected with the poker compactor and pivots along as the poker compactor is pivoted.

14. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the poker compactor is configured elongated and wherein the ratio of the length to the diameter of the poker compactor is larger than 3 or 5 or 10.

15. The compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the carrier device receives at least two poker compactors.

16. A packaging system comprising: at least one open package provided to be filled with bulk material; at least one packaging machine having at least one filling spout for filling open packages with bulk material; and at least one compacting device according to claim 1 is provided.

17. The packaging system according to claim 16, wherein the poker compactor is height-adjustable.

18. The packaging system according to claim 16, wherein the poker compactor can be inserted into the package through the filling spout.

19. A method for compacting bulk material in an open package, comprising: a poker compactor is inserted into the open package to degas and compact bulk material in the open package; and the poker compactor is pivoted about its longitudinal axis prior to and/or during retraction out of the package.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is inserted into an at least partially empty package.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein air is sucked out of the poker compactor while bulk material is being filled into the package.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is pivoted about its longitudinal axis at least once during the compaction process.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is pivoted about its longitudinal axis at least once during the compaction process after the vacuum supply is cut off.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein air or compressed air is supplied to the poker compactor after the vacuum supply is cut off.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is pivoted while air is supplied to the poker compactor.

26. The method according to claim 19, wherein air is supplied in the shape of at least one air impulse or multiple air impulses and/or permanently.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is pivoted while the poker compactor is pulled up out of the package.

28. The method according to claim 19, wherein air is not sucked off until the fill level of the bulk material in the package substantially entirely covers the vacuum suction wall.

29. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor enters a wide, filled package.

30. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is pivoted multiple times.

31. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is pivoted intermittently.

32. The method according to claim 19, wherein the poker compactor is pivoted continuously.

Description

[0055] The figures show in:

[0056] FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view of a packaging system;

[0057] FIG. 2 a compacting device of the packaging system of FIG. 1 in a top position;

[0058] FIG. 3 the compacting device of FIG. 2 in a bottom position;

[0059] FIG. 4 the compacting device of FIG. 3 in a side section; and

[0060] FIG. 5 a schematic view of another compacting device.

[0061] FIG. 1 shows the basic structure of a packaging system 100 in a perspective total view. The packaging system 100 serves to fill bulk materials into open packages 4, in this case open-top bags. The open packages 4 provided for processing consist of a flexible material and in particular of a plastic material. Filling paper packages is likewise possible. The packaging system 100 comprises a packaging machine 50 including a filling carousel 40. A bag source 70 provides the required packages 4 and an intermediate silo 80 serves for intermediate buffering of the bulk material provided for filling.

[0062] The bag source 70 provided is a film roll 71 on which a sheet of film 72 is wound. The sheet of film 72 wound onto the film roll 71 is fed toward a shaping shoulder 73. There the sheet of film 72 made of plastic film is guided around the shoulder and a longitudinal seam is made (in particular welded) so as to create a continuous tubular film.

[0063] The bag bottom is manufactured at the handover station 60 by making suitable weld seams transverse to the longitudinal extension of the tubular film. Moreover, corner welding seams are preferably inserted to produce block-shaped filled bags. The tubular film provided at a suitable cross section is conveyed further and inserted into the receiving box 62 of the handover station 60. There the open package 4 intended for filling is form-fittingly received. For the feed the tubular film is cut to size so as to manufacture the open-top end of the open package 4.

[0064] Manufacturing the open-top package 4 is also possible from a prefabricated, for example extruded film tube, or completely prefabricated open packages 4 in the shape of flexible sacks or bags may be supplied from a magazine or the like.

[0065] FIG. 1 illustrates the pivot arm 61 in the pivot position 63 of the handover station 60.

[0066] The apparatus 100 comprises a basic frame to which the filling carousel 40 and the further components are attached. The part 45 of the apparatus is stationary while the part 46 rotates in operation. Each of the filling stations is provided with various handling stations wherein a handling station is provided for filling in high speed flow and another handling station 41, for filling in low speed flow. Further handling stations are provided for compacting the filled bulk material. Compacting the filled bulk material may be provided in each of the handling stations. Thus, a compacting device 1 is used in the handling station 41.

[0067] This filling carousel 40 is operated indexed. The required bulk material is supplied from the intermediate silo 80.

[0068] If the compacting achieved on the filling carousel 40 is not sufficient, a separate compaction station may be installed downstream, as it is described in the as yet unpublished German patent application, application No. 10 2017 109 873.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged perspective illustration of the compacting device 1 of FIG. 1 which may be employed in a great variety of handling stations.

[0070] At any rate the compacting device 1 comprises a carrier device 10 receiving at least one (presently two) poker compactors 2 for pivoting around their own longitudinal axes.

[0071] The compacting device 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2 in a nearly entirely lifted top position 35 in which the bottom ends of the poker compactors 2 only just extend into the top ends of the receiving box 30. As the receiving box 30 is indexed further, the compacting device 1 is displaced entirely upwardly.

[0072] The poker compactors 2 of the compacting device 1 are received by the carrier device provided to pivot separately. The pivot device 15 with the cylinder drive 16 serves to jointly pivot the poker compactors 2 around the pertaining longitudinal axes 8. The cylinder drive 16 pivots both the poker compactors 2 back and forth. A coupling linkage 19 pivotally couples the poker compactors 2 with the cylinder drive 16. The poker compactors 2 are rotatably received by their top ends in the vacuum distributor 29 which via a vacuum connection 27 and a flexible hose 28 is connected with a schematically shown vacuum source 9.

[0073] The lifting motor or lifting drive 25 of the lifting device 24 serves for height adjustment of the carrier device 10 and thus of the tube devices 20. The carrier device 10 may be configured as a console and is connected with the lifting device via the vacuum distributor 29.

[0074] The poker compactor 2 is substantially configured as a tube device 20 and comprises a bottom tube unit 21 and a top tube unit 22. It is possible to only provide the bottom tube unit 21 with a gas-permeable outer wall 5 that serves as a vacuum suction wall 7. The top tube unit 22 may show a gas-impervious outer wall 5. Preferably the bottom tube unit 21 and the top tube unit 22 are configured cylindrical at least over substantial sections.

[0075] In FIG. 2 the packaging machine 50 also shows part of the stationary part 45 of the filling carousel 40, that is the vibrating table 47 provided with two vibrating drives 48 which cause vertical vibrating motions of the vibrating table 47. The vibrating motion is transmitted via the vibrating table 47 to the bottom plate respectively gliding plate 34 which is disposed for vertical movement inside the receiving box 30, which is shown in section. The receiving box 30 illustrates (again, in section) an open package 4 whose top walls are reliably held open at the top end by means of the flaps 31 and 32. This is to ensure that as the poker compactors 2 enter the receiving box 30 from above, the poker compactors 2 safely move into the interior of the open-top package 4 without e.g. being caught on the wall of the package. The flaps 31 on the longitudinal face and 32 on the short sides of the receiving box are controlled by one or more flap drives 33 (such as pneumatic cylinders).

[0076] Above the flaps 31 and 32 a broom- or brush-type cleaning unit 37 may be provided for brushing off the outer surface of the poker compactors emerging from the receiving box 30 to still further enhance cleanliness overall.

[0077] FIG. 3 shows the compacting device 1 of FIG. 2 with the compacting device 2 illustrated in a bottom position 36 in which the poker compactors 2 are inserted deep in the receiving box 30 and thus in the open-top package 4.

[0078] The outer surfaces of the bottom tube units 21 of the poker compactors 2 show a gas-permeable filter device 11 and form a vacuum suction wall 7 through which air enters the interior of the bottom tube unit 21 and the vacuum chamber 26 and the suction duct 6, and is sucked off upwardly.

[0079] The separation point 23 of the poker compactors 2 serves to exchange the bottom tube units 21 respectively the filter devices 11 mounted thereon, which are subjected to heavy wear and may clog or congest over time so as to require external cleaning or replacement.

[0080] FIG. 4 finally shows a sectional transverse view of the compacting device 1 of FIG. 3.

[0081] It can be clearly seen that the pivot axis respectively longitudinal axis 8 of the poker compactors 2 extends inside the cross section 17. The longitudinal axes 8 form the axes of symmetry of the tube device 20 of the poker compactor 2. The bottom tube unit 21 shows a length 13 that is multiple times larger than the diameter 14 of the bottom tube unit 21 or the poker compactor 2 respectively since the bottom tube unit 21 and the top tube unit 22 show identical diameters. The ratio of the length 13 to the diameter 14 of the bottom tube unit is above 3 and in particular above 5 and in preferred configurations it may be above 10. The ratio of the total length of the poker compactor 2 to the diameter 14 of the poker compactor 2 is in particular still higher and may reach, and exceed, values of 5 or 10 or 20.

[0082] The FIG. 4 shows an exemplary filled level 12 of the bulk material 3.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross section of a receiving box 30. An open-mouth bag representing the package 4 is received therein. The package 4 is filled with bulk material 3 up to the filled level 12. The top edge of the film wall of the package 4 is held open by flaps 32. The compacting device 1 is immersed in the bulk material. Air is sucked out of the bulk material in the direction of the arrows 38. Above the flaps 31 and 32 a broom-type or brush-type cleaning unit 37 is provided whose bristles bear against the compacting device 1. As the poker compactor 2 emerges upwardly its outer surface is brushed off to still further enhance cleanliness overall.

[0084] The air-permeable filter device 11 is preferably exchangeably supported by a supporting device 18 or is configured self-supporting. It is conceivable that the supporting device 18 is part of the filter device 11. The filter device 11 may for example show multiple filter layers, one or more of which form a supporting device 18.

[0085] If a vacuum-operated poker compactor is cleaned by means of an air blast thenwithout the present inventionthe filter device is not uniformly cleaned from adhering product in all places. Loosely resting or adhering regions [sic; probably: particles] detach faster. The prior art provides for the pressure impulse to disintegrate due to the already blown off spots so that the remaining spots or pores are cleaned insufficiently or not at all. The prior art attempts to compensate this by extending the blowing-off period (duration of the pressure impulse) or increasing the air quantity or the air pressure. This results in reduced performance and an undesirably increased entry of air into the package. Already by the rotary motion the invention enables a largely satisfactory removal of adhering bulk material. Moreover short air blasts can clean most of the filter device.

[0086] On the whole an advantageous compacting device and an advantageous method for compacting bulk materials in open packages are provided with which to achieve improved cleanliness of the system. At the same time, filling and compacting is faster while energy consumption is reduced as well.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals: 1 compacting device 2 poker compactor, vacuum lance 3 bulk material 4 package 5 outer wall 6 suction duct 7 suction wall 8 longitudinal axis 9 vacuum source 10 carrier device 11 filter device 12 filled level 13 length of 2 14 diameter of 2 15 pivot device 16 cylinder drive 17 cross section of 2 18 supporting device 19 coupling linkage 20 tube device 21 bottom tube unit 22 top tube unit 23 separation point 24 lifting device 25 lifting drive 26 vacuum chamber 27 vacuum connection 28 hose 29 vacuum distributor 30 receiving box 31 flap 32 flap 33 flap drive 34 gliding plate 35 top position 36 bottom position 37 cleaning unit 38 arrow 40 filling carousel 41 handling station 45 stationary part 46 movable part 47 vibrating table 48 vibrating drive 49 frame 50 packaging machine 51 filling spout 60 handover station 61 pivot arm 62 receiving box 63 pivot position 70 bag source 71 film roll 72 sheet of film 73 shaping shoulder 80 intermediate silo 100 packaging system