Abstract
The disclosure relates to an apparatus comprising at least one vacuum cooling station comprising a plurality of vacuum cooling chambers, each of which, while being moved along a cooling path together with at least one product received therein, is controllable for vacuum cooling the at least one product received therein. Each vacuum cooling chamber has its own control circuit device configured for dynamic vacuum pressure generation. The disclosure further relates to a method for vacuum cooling products.
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising a vacuum cooling station having a plurality of vacuum cooling chambers each of which, while being moved along a cooling path together with at least one product received therein, is controllable for vacuum cooling of the at least one product received therein, wherein each vacuum cooling chamber comprises its own control circuit device configured for dynamic vacuum pressure generation.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit devices are each designed for wireless reception of a vacuum setpoint pressure gradient as a command variable for dynamic vacuum pressure generation.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a common control system for the control circuit devices for providing a respective vacuum target pressure gradient for each of the control circuit devices.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit devices each comprise at least one triggerable valve unit and/or a vacuum pump.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit devices each comprise at least one pressure sensor for detecting an actual vacuum pressure gradient as a controlled variable.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a central power supply for the control circuit devices.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum cooling station comprises at least one drive device for linearly and/or non-linearly moving the vacuum cooling chambers along a cooling section.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one drive device comprises opposing drive units for moving respective chamber halves of the vacuum cooling chambers.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the vacuum cooling chambers in a closed state has a chamber wall that is formed by a product conveyor.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum cooling chambers are lockable along the cooling path.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a conveyor for continuously supplying products to the vacuum cooling station.
12. A packaging system having a baking device, the apparatus according to claim 1, and a tubular bag machine.
13. A method for vacuum cooling products, the method comprising: receiving at least one product in each of multiple continuously moved vacuum cooling chambers, wherein each vacuum cooling chamber has its own control circuit device; and operating each vacuum cooling chamber, while it is moved along a cooling path together with the at least one product received therein, by its own control circuit device designed for dynamic vacuum pressure generation.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the control circuit devices each wirelessly receive a vacuum target pressure gradient as a command variable for dynamically generating the vacuum pressure.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the vacuum target pressure gradients are formed as a function of a temperature of the products to be cooled.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0042] Embodiments of the disclosure are explained in more detail with reference to the following figures:
[0043] FIG. 1 shows a packaging line with a baking apparatus, an apparatus for vacuum cooling baked products and a tubular bag machine for packaging cooled products in schematic representation;
[0044] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for continuous vacuum cooling of products;
[0045] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of another apparatus for continuous vacuum cooling of products;
[0046] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of another apparatus for continuous vacuum cooling of products; and
[0047] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a continuous vacuum cooling process according to the disclosure and a step-by-step vacuum cooling process not according to the disclosure.
[0048] Technical features are marked with the same reference signs throughout the figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] FIG. 1 shows a packaging system A. The packaging system A has an apparatus 1 which is configured for continuous vacuum cooling of products P transported along it. According to FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 is configured as a rotary machine 2. Upstream of the apparatus 1 configured as a rotary machine 2, a baking device 3 is arranged to continuously feed hot baked goods or products P to the apparatus 1. These products P are continuously vacuum-cooled during their transport along the apparatus 1 in order to be transferred at a desired temperature level to a tubular bag machine 4 positioned downstream. The tubular bag machine 4 is designed to package the vacuum-cooled products.
[0050] The apparatus 1 for vacuum cooling the products P forms a vacuum cooling station 5 with several vacuum cooling chambers 6 between the baking device 3 and the tubular bag machine 4. The apparatus 1 configured as a vacuum cooling station 5 could alternatively be placed between other devices or machines for the removal of hot products P and the delivery of vacuum-cooled products P in order to continuously cool the products P during their transport by means of a vacuum. It would be conceivable, for example, for the apparatus 1 configured as a vacuum cooling station 5 to continuously transfer vacuum-cooled products to a buffer station, for example at least to a conveyor belt, from which the vacuum-cooled products P are fed to an intermittently operating packaging machine, for example a thermoforming packaging machine, in accordance with a main machine work cycle. In such a packaging system, gentle, in particular time-reduced, continuous vacuum cooling of hot products can be combined with an intermittent packaging process.
[0051] FIG. 1 shows that the respective vacuum cooling chambers 6 comprise separate control circuit devices 7, i.e., each comprises a control circuit device 7 configured independently for dynamic vacuum pressure generation. One of these control circuit devices 7 is shown in a schematically enlarged representation in FIG. 1.
[0052] The respective control circuit devices 7 are designed to wirelessly receive a vacuum target pressure gradient V as a reference variable for dynamic vacuum pressure generation. According to FIG. 1, the apparatus 1, in particular the packaging system A, has a control system 8. The purpose of the control system 8 is to control and monitor the processes taking place on the apparatus 1, in particular overall along the packaging system A, in particular the vacuum cooling carried out continuously during the transport of the products P along the apparatus 1. In particular, the control system or unit 8 forms a transmitter, preferably a transceiver, for wirelessly sending the vacuum target pressure gradients as reference variables to the respective vacuum cooling chambers 6. For this purpose, the respective vacuum cooling chambers 6 can be provided with individual addresses in order to be able to reliably receive data signals from the control unit 8 wirelessly, for example via WLAN, in the existing network.
[0053] The control circuit device 7 in FIG. 1 has a controller 9, a valve unit 10 and a vacuum pump 11. As an alternative to the integrated design of the vacuum pump 11 on the rotary machine 2 shown, the vacuum pump 11 could be positioned as a central vacuum pump 11, for example on a rotary table of the rotary machine 2 or completely isolated from it (shown in FIG. 1 as a dashed, schematic representation of the vacuum pump 11). As the central vacuum pump 11 is used by all vacuum cooling chambers 6, it is connected to the respective valve units 10 of the vacuum cooling chambers 6.
[0054] According to FIG. 1, the controllable actuators are all integrated into the structure of the vacuum cooling chamber 6, in particular they are located on a cover formed on it. However, the vacuum pump 11 could also be positioned isolated from the respective vacuum cooling chambers 6 in order to be used jointly by the respective vacuum cooling chambers 6 as a central vacuum pump 11. The valve unit 10 and/or the vacuum pump 11 can be dynamically controlled, taking into account a target/actual comparison 12 between an actual vacuum pressure gradient 13 or actual pressure detected in the control loop during evacuation and the maintained vacuum target pressure gradient V, by means of the control deviation e formed from this and a manipulated variable 14 that can be produced from this, in order to continuously and dynamically control the evacuation process during the transport of the products P in the respective vacuum cooling chamber 6. At least one pressure sensor 15 can be used on the control circuit device 7 to detect the actual vacuum pressure gradient 13.
[0055] The respective control circuit devices 7 of the vacuum cooling chambers 6 of the apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 may comprise a central power supply 16. In FIG. 1, the central power supply 16 is provided via a rotary feedthrough 17. The design of the apparatus 1 in FIG. 1 thus ensures that only power is supplied to the vacuum cooling chambers 6 by cable from outside. All data signals required for control are sent wirelessly or received from the vacuum cooling chambers 6. Furthermore, the respective control circuit components used for continuous evacuation are all provided on the respective vacuum cooling chambers 6 in order to be able to evacuate them independently of each other.
[0056] The vacuum cooling chambers 6 shown schematically in FIG. 1 can comprise plate-shaped product conveyors for transporting the products P, which can be brought together to form hermetically sealed vacuum cooling chambers 6 by means of hood-shaped lid parts that can be placed on them.
[0057] A temperature detection device 30 for detecting a product temperature C is assigned to the baking device 3 of FIG. 1 at the exit. The temperature detection device 30 is functionally connected to the control unit 8. On the basis of the measured temperature values, for example an averaged product temperature C of several products P which are to be fed together to a vacuum cooling chamber 6, the control system can send a vacuum target pressure gradient V adapted to this to the control circuit device 7 of this vacuum cooling chamber 6 in order to carry out the vacuum cooling process individually therein depending on the detected, (averaged) product temperature C. For this function, i.e., for the temperature-dependent determination of specific vacuum target pressure gradients V, it would be conceivable to equip the respective vacuum cooling chamber 6 itself with a corresponding temperature detection unit in order to measure the temperature of products P arriving therein and forward it to the control unit 8. The function described here in connection with temperature measurement can also be used in the embodiments shown in the following figures.
[0058] FIG. 2 shows an apparatus 1 in isolated, schematic representation, which is configured for continuous vacuum cooling of products P which are transported on a product conveyor 18, in particular on a conveyor belt, in the transport direction R. During the transport of the products P in the transport direction R, they are continuously vacuum cooled by means of the apparatus 1 associated with the product conveyor 18. For this purpose, vacuum cooling chambers 6 are formed one behind the other along the apparatus 1 in order to continuously vacuum cool the products P during their transport in the transport direction R.
[0059] The vacuum cooling chambers 6 of FIG. 2 are each formed from joined lower and upper chamber halves 6a, 6b, which are moved along a transport section a synchronously with the product conveyor 18 in the transport direction R and thereby continuously vacuum-cool the products P enclosed in them during their transport.
[0060] Opposite drive devices or units 19a, 19b in FIG. 2 are used to move the chamber halves 6a, 6b. Autonomous control circuit devices 7 are provided on each of the vacuum cooling chambers 6 in FIG. 2 in order to be able to control the vacuum cooling processes taking place therein independently of one another.
[0061] FIG. 2 also shows a schematic top view of how the product P transported on the product conveyor 18 can be enclosed by the chamber halves 6a, 6b during the continuous cooling process. The chamber halves 6a, 6b project laterally beyond the width of the product conveyor 18 in order to form the vacuum cooling chambers 6 between them.
[0062] FIG. 3 shows an alternative apparatus 1 for continuous vacuum cooling of products P while they are transported along the transport direction R on the product conveyor 18. In this variant, the respective vacuum cooling chambers 6 are formed by the product conveyor 18 and hood-shaped covers 20 placed thereon in order to regulate the respective vacuum processes therein. From the schematic top view shown in FIG. 3, it can be seen that the hood-shaped lids 20 in horizontal projection are seated completely within a width of the product conveyor 18, for example on a conveyor belt, in order to define the vacuum cooling chambers 6 together with it. The apparatus 1 of FIG. 3 thus forms a vacuum cooling device with reduced installation space for continuous vacuum cooling of the transported products P compared to the apparatus 1 of FIG. 2.
[0063] FIG. 4 shows a further apparatus 1 which is configured for continuous vacuum cooling of products P fed to it. The apparatus 1 of FIG. 4 has lower chamber halves 21a, 21b which are mounted so as to be adjustable in and against the transport direction R. These can be combined with chamber halves positioned above them. These can be brought together with chamber halves 22a, 22b positioned above them in such a way that they each form vacuum cooling chambers 6 in order to be able to vacuum cool products P held therein continuously during their transport in the transport direction R, and possibly even against the transport direction R.
[0064] The upper chamber halves 22a, 22b can be moved back at the exit of the apparatus 1 via a common return unit 23 in order to re-enclose hot products P supplied to the apparatus 1. In the apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 4, in particular the two lower chamber halves 21a, 21b together with their linear drive device 24, which is configured to move the two chamber halves 21a, 21b in and against the transport direction R, can be integrated within the structure of the product conveyor 18.
[0065] The products P can be continuously transferred to the product conveyor 18 by a conveying device 27 shown in FIG. 4, in particular a feed belt. The cooled products P can be continuously received by a discharge belt 28 shown in FIG. 4. A picker device, not shown, can be assigned to this belt in order to pick up the cooled products P from the discharge belt 28 and transfer them to a packaging machine, for example a downstream, intermittently operating thermoforming packaging machine.
[0066] FIG. 5 shows a pressure curve 25 according to which continuous vacuum cooling takes place, for example vacuum cooling of products P from an initial pressure PA to a final vacuum pressure PE carried out continuously by means of the apparatus 1, 1, 1, 1. Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of a pressure curve 26 not in accordance with the disclosure for a vacuum cooling process carried out in stages. Such a vacuum cooling process occurs in particular along an intermittently operating packaging machine, at vacuum cooling stations which are integrated therein and are mounted stationary one behind the other and which are closed and opened intermittently in accordance with a main machine operating cycle of the packaging machine, in order to carry out the respective vacuum cooling processes step by step, i.e., with interruptions, one after the other.
[0067] As one of ordinary skill in the art would understand, each of the control circuit devices 7, the control system 8, each of the controllers 9, as well as any other control, controller, unit, system, subsystem, sensor, device, or the like described herein may comprise appropriate circuitry, such as one or more appropriately programmed processors (e.g., one or more microprocessors including central processing units (CPU)) and associated memory, which may include stored operating system software, firmware, and/or application software executable by the processor(s) for controlling operation thereof and for performing the particular algorithm or algorithms represented by the various methods, functions and/or operations described herein, including interaction between and/or cooperation with each other. One or more of such processors, as well as other circuitry and/or hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC), or several processors and various circuitry and/or hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a System-on-a-Chip (SoC).
