Abstract
A plant (1) for filling and closing cans (2) under hygienic conditions which comprises a hygienic compartment (3), a lid applying device (7) and an inlet (30) for a filling material. The lid applying device (7) is arranged in the hygienic compartment (3) and the inlet (30) is formed on the hygienic compartment (3). When used as intended, one or more cans (2) can be assigned to the hygienic compartment (3) and the hygienic compartment (3) can be moved together with the can(s) (2) in the system (1).
Claims
1. A machine for filling and sealing cans under hygienic conditions, comprising: a hygienic compartment, a lid-applying device, and an inlet opening for filling material, wherein the lid-applying device is arranged in the hygienic compartment and the inlet opening is formed on the hygienic compartment, the machine is designed in such a way that, during use, one or more cans can, in each case, be associated with the hygienic compartment in such a way that the compartment is moved in the machine together with the can or cans.
2. The machine according to claim 1, wherein a filling device is formed at the inlet opening or the filling device is introduced in the inlet opening.
3. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the filling device comprises a flow sensor for determining a filling amount.
4. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the lid-applying device comprises: a lid-transporting device, and a holding-down arrangement and a seaming device.
5. The machine according to claim 1, wherein an airlock compartment is arranged on the hygienic compartment.
6. The machine according to claim 1, wherein lids is transported with aid of the lid-transporting device on a transport path from the airlock compartment into the hygienic compartment.
7. The machine according to claim 1, wherein one or more entrances and exits are arranged on the airlock compartment.
8. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the airlock compartment comprises a cleaning device.
9. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the airlock compartment comprises an inclined base, during use of the machine, a drainage opening is arranged in the region of a lowest point of the base.
10. The machine according to claim 1, wherein an elevated or reduced pressure is applied to an inner space of the hygienic compartment and an inert atmosphere is applied.
11. The machine according to claim 1, wherein a can is fully or partially introduced into the hygienic compartment, in the latter case, at least one sealing element is provided at the hygienic compartment for sealing the hygienic compartment with respect to the can.
12. The machine according to claim 1, wherein a lid-aligning device, for aligning a lid with respect to a can, is or is integrated into the hygienic compartment, the lid-aligning device comprises: one or more sensors; and a lid-rotating device and a can-rotating device.
13. A method for filling and sealing cans under hygienic conditions, comprising the following steps: a) inserting a can via an airlock into a hygienic compartment; b) filling the can; c) applying a lid to the can; and d) removing the can via an airlock from the hygienic compartment; wherein the lid is introduced into the hygienic compartment before, during or after step b).
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of introducing the lid comprises the following constituent steps: introducing a can lid into an airlock compartment; cleaning the can lid in the airlock compartment; and inserting the can lid via an airlock into the hygienic compartment.
15. A lid-applying device for the can filling, comprising: a lid-transporting device; and a holding-down arrangement and a seaming device, wherein the lid-applying device is introduced into a hygienic compartment, the lid-applying device is designed in such a way that the lid-applying device is moved in a machine according to claim 1 when the can moves.
16. The machine according to claim 1, wherein the lid-applying device comprises: a lid-transporting device; and a holding-down arrangement or a seaming device.
17. The machine according to claim 1, wherein an elevated or reduced pressure is applied to an inner space of the hygienic compartment or an inert atmosphere is applied.
18. The machine according to claim 1, wherein a lid-aligning device for aligning a lid with respect to a can is integrated into the hygienic compartment, and the lid-aligning device comprises one or more sensors; and a lid-rotating device or a can-rotating device.
19. A lid-applying device for the can filling, comprising: a lid-transporting device; and a holding-down arrangement or a seaming device, wherein the lid-applying device is introduced into a hygienic compartment, and the lid-applying device is designed in such a way that the lid-applying device is moved in a machine according to claim 1 when the can moves.
Description
[0058] The invention is explained further below with the aid of exemplary embodiments in drawings, in which:
[0059] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a machine in a first embodiment,
[0060] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a filling device,
[0061] FIG. 3a shows a schematic view of a hygienic compartment in a first embodiment,
[0062] FIG. 3b shows a schematic view of a hygienic compartment in a second embodiment,
[0063] FIG. 3c shows a schematic view of a hygienic compartment in a third embodiment,
[0064] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a weighing device integrated into an embodiment of a hygienic compartment,
[0065] FIG. 5a shows a schematic view of a lid-applying device in a first embodiment,
[0066] FIG. 5b shows a schematic view of a lid-applying device in a second embodiment,
[0067] FIG. 5c shows a schematic view of a lid-transporting process and a lid-sealing process,
[0068] FIG. 5d shows a schematic view of a side view of a seaming device,
[0069] FIG. 6a shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of an airlock compartment,
[0070] FIG. 6b shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of an airlock compartment,
[0071] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a lid-aligning process,
[0072] FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a hygienic compartment in a fourth embodiment.
[0073] A machine 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 serves to automatically fill and seal cans 2. The machine 1 comprises hygienic compartments 3 and airlock compartments 4 which move on a radial transport path 5. Each can 2 is transferred by means of a delivery device at the position A into a respective hygienic compartment 3 and moved along the transport path 5 in the direction of movement b. The airlock compartment 4 is arranged at a hygienic compartment 3. The airlock compartment 4 contains a can lid 20, wherein a can lid 20 is introduced into the hygienic compartment 3 after the can 2 has been filled in order to seal the filled can 2. At position B, the filled and sealed can 2 leaves the hygienic compartment 3 and the transport path 5.
[0074] FIG. 2 shows a filling device 8 for filling the can 2. The filling device 8 comprises a filling material line 81, integrated into an outer wall 80, a gas line 82, and a folding mechanism 83 in the form of joints or hinges. An inner space 84 of the filling device 8 displays a lid-applying device 7 and a can lid 20 arranged on the lid-applying device 7. Filling material can be fed into the can 2 via the filling material line 81, and the inside of the can can be gassed before, during, or after the filling by supplying gas by means of the gas line 82. The outer wall 80 can be folded partially outward with the aid of the folding mechanism 83. The can lid 20 can be applied to the can wall 21 by means of the lid-applying device 7 via the opening which is created.
[0075] FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c show different embodiments of a hygienic compartment 3.
[0076] FIG. 3a shows a hygienic compartment 3 which comprises a filling device 8 and sealing elements 33. An airlock compartment 4 is arranged on a wall 32 of the hygienic compartment 3. The sealing elements 33 seal the inner space 31 of the hygienic compartment 3 relative to the environment.
[0077] FIG. 3b shows an embodiment of the compartment 3 comprising a lid-applying device 7, a rotation mechanism 36, and sealing elements 33. The lid-applying device 7 is arranged in the inner space 31 of the hygienic compartment 3, whilst the rotation mechanism is integrated into the walls 32 of the hygienic compartment. The can 2 can be rotated in the inner space 31 of the hygienic compartment 3 relative to the compartment 3 by means of the rotation mechanism 36 and can be seamed to the lid 20 held by the rotatable lid-applying device 7 by means of the application of a seaming device 72 (seaming device 72 not shown in FIG. 3b). The lid-applying device 7 applies the can lid 20 to the can wall 21 before the seaming.
[0078] FIG. 3c shows a hygienic compartment 3 which comprises a filling device 8, a lid-applying device 7, and sealing elements 33. An airlock compartment 4 is arranged on a wall 32 of the hygienic compartment 3. A seaming device 72 is integrated into the airlock compartment 4. The can lid 20 can be applied to the can wall 21 by means of the lid-applying device 7. Sealing of the can 2 is carried out with the aid of the seaming device 72. The seal 33 is thus detached from the can 2, the lid 20 and the can 2 are rotated and the seaming device 72 is brought into contact with the lid 20 and the can 2.
[0079] A weighing device 35 is shown in FIG. 4. The weighing device 35 is integrated into the inner space 31 of a hygienic compartment 3 and serves to determine the filling amount of a filling material.
[0080] FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c show different embodiments of a lid-applying device 7.
[0081] FIG. 5a shows the transporting of a lid 20 to a can 2 by means of a lid-applying device 7. In a first step, the lid 20 is picked up by the lid-applying device 7 by means of a holding mechanism. In a second step, the lid-applying device 7 transports the lid 20 over a can 2 and moves the lid downward until it lies on the can 2. Instead of the lid being lowered onto the can, the can can also be lifted to the lid until the lid lies on the can.
[0082] FIG. 5b shows the transporting and holding of a lid 20 on a can 2 by means of a lid-applying device 7 which comprises a lid-transporting device 70 and a holding-down arrangement 71. In a first step, the lid 20 is picked up by the lid-applying device 7 by means of a holding mechanism. In a second step, the lid-transporting device 70 transports the lid 20 over the can 2 and moves the lid downward until it lies on the can 2. Instead of the lid being lowered onto the can, the can can also be lifted to the lid until the lid lies on the can. In a third step, the holding-down arrangement 71 holding the lid is separated from the lid-transporting device 70.
[0083] FIG. 5c shows the sealing of a can 2 to a lid 20 by means of a lid-applying device 7. The lid-applying device 7 comprises a lid-transporting device 70 and a seaming device 72. The lid 20 is first picked up by the lid-transporting device 70 by means of a holding mechanism. The lid-transporting device 70 then transports the lid 20 over a can 2 and moves the lid downward until it lies on the can 2. Instead of the lid being lowered onto the can, the can can also be lifted to the lid until the lid lies on the can. The lid-transporting device 70 releases the lid 20 and moves upward again. In a further step, the can 2 is sealed to the lid 2 with the aid of the seaming device 72.
[0084] The holding mechanism in FIGS. 5a, 5b, and 5c can, for example, be a suction mechanism or magnetic.
[0085] FIG. 5d shows a seaming device 72 and a lid-transporting device 70. The seaming device 72 comprises two rotatable seaming tools by means of which a first and a second seaming operation can be executed on the can 2 and its applied lid 20. The lid-transporting device 70 transports the lid 20 to the can 2 which is situated between the two seaming tools.
[0086] FIGS. 6a and 6b show different embodiments of an airlock compartment 4.
[0087] FIG. 6a shows an airlock compartment 4 which comprises a lid-applying device 7 and a cleaning device 41. The lid-applying device 7 is arranged in an upper region 44 of the airlock compartment 4 and the cleaning device 41 is integrated into an inclined base 42 of the airlock compartment 4. A drainage opening 43 is also integrated into the base 42. The airlock compartment 4 can be moved into an inner space 31 of a hygienic compartment 3 by means of a pusher mechanism.
[0088] FIG. 6b shows an airlock compartment 4 which comprises a lid-applying device 7 and a cleaning device 41. The lid-applying device 7 is arranged in an upper region 44 of the airlock compartment 4 and the cleaning device 41 is integrated into a base 42 of the airlock compartment 4. A drainage opening 43 is integrated into a wall 45 of the hygienic compartment 4 close to the base 42. The airlock compartment 4 can be moved into an inner space 31 of a hygienic compartment 3 by means of a pusher mechanism.
[0089] The cleaning device 41 in FIGS. 6a and 6b can, for example, be a radiation source or a cleaning agent.
[0090] FIG. 7 shows a can lid 2 with a lid marker 22 in the form of an opening tab. The lid marker 22 is brought into a desired position by means of a rotational movement before, during, or after its entrance into a hygienic compartment 3.
[0091] FIG. 8 shows a hygienic compartment 3 with two opposite openings in an outer wall 80. A filling material line 81 can be integrated into one opening and a can 2 which is open at an end facing an inner space 31 of the hygienic compartment 3 can be introduced into the other opening. A lid-transporting device 70 is arranged on an inner wall of the hygienic compartment 3. The lid-transporting device 70 can pick up a can lid and move along the inner wall of the hygienic compartment 3 until it is over the opening of the can 2. Over the opening of the can 2, the lid-transporting device 70 moves the lid 20 downward and deposits it on the can 2. A seaming device 72, which seals the can lid 20 to the can 2, is arranged on the outer wall 80 of the hygienic compartment 3 next to the opening for introducing the can 2.
