Filling device and method for filling a container with products floating and/or suspended in an aqueous liquid

Abstract

A filling device and method for filling a container with floating and/or suspended products, in particular for apples and pears. The device has a frame provided with a supply tank fillable with aqueous liquid, and a vacuum chamber for realizing an underpressure in at least a part of the supply tank; immersion means operatively connected to the frame for the purpose of placing the container into or removing the container from the supply tank; and feeder for feeding to the supply tank the aqueous liquid in which the floating and/or suspended products are entrainable. The feeder includes a flow tube or flow channel with which the floating and/or suspended products are carriable into the vacuum chamber.

Claims

1. A filling device for filling a container with products floating and/or suspended in an aqueous liquid, the filling device comprising: a frame provided with a supply tank fillable with the aqueous liquid, and a vacuum chamber for realizing an underpressure in at least a part of the supply tank; a lift connected to the frame for the purpose of placing the container into or removing the container from the supply tank; a feeder configured to feed to the supply tank the aqueous liquid in which the floating and/or suspended products are entrainable, wherein the feeder comprise a flow tube or flow channel with which the floating and/or suspended products are carriable into the vacuum chamber; wherein the vacuum chamber is provided with throughflow openings; and wherein at least some of the throughflow openings are provided on a side of the vacuum chamber oriented laterally during use and lying opposite a side in which a feed opening is provided.

2. The filling device of claim 1, wherein the flow tube or flow channel forms a connection between a feed channel and the vacuum chamber, wherein the flow tube or flow channel is located wholly outside the interior of the container during use.

3. The filling device of claim 2, wherein the flow tube or flow channel comprises an entry opening placed during use in or on the feed channel and an exit opening placed during use in or on the supply tank.

4. The filling device of claim 3, wherein the exit opening of the flow tube or flow channel is located close to or against the vacuum chamber during use.

5. The filling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber is provided on a side oriented laterally during use with a feed opening to which the flow tube or flow channel is operatively connectable.

6. The filling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber is adapted to be connected to the container during filling.

7. The filling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a feed channel in which a flow accelerator is provided.

8. The filling device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flow accelerator comprises an additional liquid supply.

9. The filling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bypass conduit for throughflow of the aqueous liquid during placing of the container.

10. The filling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a level sensor arranged in or close to the feeder.

11. The filling device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the level sensor is connected operatively to a height adjuster of the vacuum chamber.

12. A sorting device comprising a line and a filling device as claimed in claim 1.

13. The sorting device of claim 12, wherein the line further comprises an entrance gate configured for group wise admittance of products to the filling device.

14. The sorting device of claim 13, wherein the line further comprises an additional gate for the purpose of pre-grouping products.

15. A method for filling a container with floating and/or suspended products, comprising the steps of: providing a filling device of claim 1; placing the container in the supply tank using the lift; feeding the products using an aqueous liquid; carrying the products into the vacuum chamber using the flow tube or flow channel; and removing the container from the supply tank using the lift.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the supply of a liquid flow is maintained during removal of the container from the supply tank.

17. The filling device of claim 1, further comprising a bypass conduit for throughflow of the aqueous liquid during placing of the container.

18. The filling device of claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber is provided on a side oriented laterally during use with a feed opening to which the flow tube or flow channel is operatively connectable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, features and details of the invention are elucidated on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a view of a filling device according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a view of an alternative filling device according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view of an installation provided with a filling device according to FIG. 1 or 2; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of the operation of the filling device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) Filling device 2 (FIG. 1) fills crate 4 with floating products 6 and/or suspended products 8 which are supplied through feed channel 10 using water flow 12. Vacuum chamber 14 can be adjusted in the height relative to frame 18 of device 2 using lifting mechanism 16. Device 2 is further provided with lifting means 20 for placing crate 4 in supply tank 22 of device 2 and removing crate 4 after filling thereof from tank 22.

(7) Feed channel 10 is provided with side walls 24 and a flow accelerator 26 which is embodied in the shown embodiment as a kind of threshold. The shown flow accelerator is provided with additional water supply 27 for increasing the product speed and realizing a flow whereby the chance of collisions is reduced.

(8) Bypass valve 28 determines whether flow 12 continues to chamber 14 or is diverted via bypass 30 and fed back into the process via return flow 32. In the shown embodiment channel 10 is provided with a water height H1 during use. Chamber 14 is provided in use with a water height H2 greater than height H1 during application of an underpressure. Chamber 14 is further provided with feed opening 34 on or against which flow tube or flow channel 36 is placed with exit opening 38 during use. Entry opening 40 is connected to channel 10 on the other side of tube or channel 36. It will be apparent that tube or channel 36 can be embodied in diverse ways, for instance as tube, duct, guide as alternative or in addition to the shown embodiment, wherein valve 28 with optional guide 42 forms tube or channel 36.

(9) In the shown embodiment chamber 14 is provided with throughflow openings 44 in wall 46 of chamber 14 lying opposite wall 48 of chamber 14 in which feed opening 34 is provided. In the shown embodiment valve 28 is rotatable around rotation shaft 50.

(10) In the shown embodiment the length of filling device 2 is about 1000 mm, width about 950 mm and height about 500 mm. This height is therefore considerably lower, by a factor 2, than in conventional filling devices. In the shown embodiment the volume of chamber 14 is about 475 liters, likewise a factor 2 smaller than in similar conventional filling devices. This results in a significant reduction in working heights and water displacements in the use of device 2 according to the invention.

(11) Largely the same or similar elements as in the filling device 2 discussed above are applied in an alternative filling device 102 (FIG. 2). These elements are therefore designated with the same reference numerals. Products 6, 8 are carried along by flow 12 under inflow plate 42 and into chamber 14. Variations in water level H1 may occur in channel 10 during use. This may cause problems during use, for instance through loss of vacuum/underpressure in chamber 14 and/or products 6, 8 having to be carried too far under plate 42, which has an effect on, among other things, the capacity of filling device 102.

(12) Level sensor 104 measures level H1 in channel 10. On the basis of this measurement the height of chamber 14 can be adjusted to allow filling with products 6, 8 to take place as optimally as possible. It is hereby possible to allow the chamber 14 to co-displace with the height H1 measured in channel 10.

(13) Level H1 in channel 10 can optionally be adjusted on the basis of the measurement by sensor 104 by increasing or decreasing flow 12 and/or optionally changing the position of plate 42. When the position of plate 42 is changed it is rotated around rotation point 106, wherein the rotation is realized in that chamber 14 presses against stop 108 of plate 42. In the shown embodiment the pressing force of chamber 14 is greater than the standard set spring pressure, so that the movements of chamber 14 and plate 42 are adapted to each other. Stop 108 is preferably provided in adjustable manner. Alternatively or additionally to plate 42, inflow plate 110 can also be rotated around a rotation shaft 112 as a result of the pressing force of chamber 14 against a stop of plate 110 with a force greater than the standard set spring pressure. The same advantages are hereby achieved as with movement of plate 42, or these advantages are further reinforced.

(14) An extra water flow can further be provided in the shown embodiment via inlet 27 (FIG. 1) or inlet 114 (FIG. 2). Use is optionally made of one or more frequency-controlled pumps for feed of water/liquid in order to realize the best possible relative matching of the flows. This makes it possible to deal with variations in speeds and height levels occurring in practice. It will be apparent that the stated measure of the chamber variable that is in height and the flow adjusting measures can also be combined.

(15) In a process installation 202 (FIG. 3) products 6, 8 are carried from buffering device 204 with a number of buffer channels 206 via channel system 208 to filling device 2, 102. Basic gate 210 is present in channel system 208. After gate 210 is opened a batch/group/filling of products 6, 8 enters filling device 2, 102. In the shown embodiment an additional gate 212 is also provided for collecting the subsequent filling of products 6, 8. A product detector is optionally provided in channel system 208 for the purpose of detecting the quantity of products which have passed by in order to then change the position of gate 210 and/or gate 212. This can further increase the effectiveness of the filling process.

(16) During use the process 52 (FIG. 4) starts in first initiation step 54 with lifting means 20 with which a crate 4 is picked up and placed on or at chamber 14. In second initiation step 56 chamber 14 with crate 4 is placed in tank 22. The working height of device 2 is hereby limited, and no suspended products 8 can escape. Initiation steps 54, 56 can otherwise also be performed wholly or partially simultaneously, or in reverse order.

(17) In activation step 60 an underpressure is then applied in chamber 14, and flow 12 with products 6, 8 is started, wherein valve 28 is brought into the filling position. In this position flow 12 carries products 6, 8 into chamber 14.

(18) Products 6, 8 are carried into chamber 14 during filling process 62. Floating products 6 will move in the direction of the water surface at height H2 and suspended products 8 will continue to move in chamber 14 or crate 4. Flow 12 feeds products 6, 8 to chamber 14 and the water leaves chamber 14 via throughflow openings 44 for a return flow.

(19) Once sufficient products 6, 8 have been carried into chamber 14 and/or crate 4, valve 28 is brought into the bypass position in closing step 64, wherein flow 30 preferably circulates the water via return flow 32.

(20) In removal step 66 the underpressure in chamber 14 is released and water height H2 will become equal to height H1 in channel 10, and chamber 14 and crate 4 are removed from tank 22.

(21) Crate 4 with products 6, 8 is further transported and/or processed in processing step 68.

(22) The present invention is by no means limited to the above described preferred embodiments thereof. The rights sought are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged.