EP1960305A2

EP1960305A2 - Packaging installation comprising filling spouts equipped with conduits for looping the spout body

Info

Publication number: EP1960305A2
Application number: EP06831135A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bertrand Gruson
Original assignee: Serac Group SAS
Current assignee: Serac Group SAS
Priority date: 2005-11-23
Filing date: 2006-11-20
Publication date: 2008-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-20
Also published as: FR2893605B1; JP2009516626A; US7942170B2; CA2630765C; WO2007060313A2; US20070113919A1; CN101312902B; FR2893605A1; EP1960305B1; CA2630765A1; CN101312902A; BRPI0618813A2; JP4933561B2; WO2007060313A3

Abstract

The invention concerns a facility for packaging a product in containers comprising a series of filling stations each including a filling spout (2) comprising a spout body having an upper end connected to a conduit (7) for feeding the filling spouts and a lower end provided with an orifice (8) equipped with a controlled shutter, the filling spout being equipped with a looping conduit (10) emerging into the spout body (6) above the shutter (9) and connectable by a connecting member (11) to a general feeding conduit (12) between a shut-off valve (14) and an isolation (15), a discharge valve (17) being connected to the general feeding conduit (12) between the isolation valve (15) and the connecting member (11).

Description

Packaging installation comprising filling nozzles equipped with looping ducts of the spout body.

The present invention relates to an installation for packaging a product in containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are known packaging installations for a product comprising a series of filling stations each comprising a filling spout and a support member for supporting a container directly above the filling spout for successively filling containers with a filling container. predetermined amount of product.

In these installations, the filling spout comprises a spout body having an upper end connected to a supply duct and a lower end provided with an orifice equipped with a controlled flap.

When starting the installation for packaging a new product, it is first necessary to ensure a filling of the beak body. In view of the structure of the filling spouts, it is necessary for this purpose to feed the filling spouts by keeping the lower opening open until a complete purge of the ducts and the spout bodies of the air they initially contained, i.e. until unfiltered product flowed through this orifice. The product flowing through the lower orifice is collected by a collector adjacent to this orifice. In order to ensure that air bubbles are not raised in the feed pipe of the filling spout, it is necessary to let the product flow for a relatively long time during which the installation is not necessary. used for packaging the product in containers. In addition, for reasons of space, the collector used for the recovery of the product during the initial filling of the filling spouts is generally also used for the recovery of the washing and rinsing product of the filling spouts so that it It is not conceivable to reuse the product which flows during the initial filling of the filling spout. This represents a loss, not only in terms of the cost of the unused product, but also in terms of the additional cost of processing the products recovered in the collector.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a product packaging plant in containers allowing a rapid change of product while minimizing the amount of product lost during this change.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve this goal, according to the invention, a packaging installation of the aforementioned type is proposed in which the filling spout is equipped with a looping duct opening into the spout body above the spout. valve and adapted to be selectively connected by a connecting member to a general supply duct between a shutoff valve and an isolation valve, and a purge duct equipped with a purge valve is connected to the duct of general supply between the isolation valve and the connecting member. Thus, during the initial filling, the body of the filling spout is fed by the looping duct, so that the product flows in the same direction as the air trapped in the filling spout and it is sufficient to send in the ducts a quantity of product only slightly higher than the volume of the ducts and the body of the filling spout so that the installation was purged of the air it originally contained. This initial filling is very fast and the quantity of product rejected is very low.

Preferably, the purge duct is connected to the general supply duct at a point immediately adjacent to the isolation valve. This minimizes the risk of trapping air in a section of the general supply duct.

According to another aspect of the invention, the installation comprises an accumulation path connected in parallel with the supply duct and comprising an accumulation member. It is thus possible to provide flow control in the supply duct of the filling spout of each filling station, regardless of the number of filling stations of the installation.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the installation comprises a multi-channel connection member comprising a first duct connected to the general supply duct and opening into a first chamber to which is connected the supply duct of the spout. filling, a second duct connected to the accumulation member and opening into a second chamber separated from the first chamber by an intermediate partition having a communication orifice and to which is connected the looping conduit, and an organ dispenser mounted in the second chamber to be movable between two positions to close either the looping conduit or the communication port, the dispensing member being traversed by an opening facing the second conduit.

With a single multichannel connecting member it is thus possible to make a loop connection, or a parallel supply of the supply duct of the filling spout of each filling station according to the invention. a direct connection on the one hand and a connection passing through the accumulation member on the other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a particular non-limiting embodiment of the invention in relation to the attached figures among which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall view of the installation according to the invention,

- Figure 2 is a schematic axial sectional view along a vertical plane of a multichannel connecting member according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, the illustrated filling device comprises, in a manner known per se, a rotary carousel comprising a rotary frame 1 on which are mounted filling stations each comprising a filling spout 2 and a support member 3 for supporting a container 4 in line with the filling spout, each support member 4 being associated with a weighing member 5 providing control of the corresponding filling spout in relation to a control unit not shown. Each filling spout 2 has a spout body 6 having an upper end connected to a filling nozzle supply duct 7 and a lower end provided with an orifice 8 equipped with a controlled flap 9. According to the invention, each filling spout 2 is further equipped with a looping duct 10 having one end fixed to the spout body 6 and opening into the spout body above the valve 9, and an opposite end connected to a spool member multipath link 11 whose structure will be described below with reference to FIG. 2. The multi-channel connection device 11 is connected on the one hand to a general supply duct 12, itself connected to a not shown supply tank, and, on the other hand, to a mounted accumulation channel. in parallel with the supply duct 12 and comprising an accumulation member 13. The general supply duct 12 is equipped with a shut-off valve 14 and an isolation valve 15 mounted between the shut-off valve. 14 and the multi-way connection member 11. A purge duct 16 is connected to the general supply duct 12 between the isolation valve 15 and the multi-way connection member 11 at a point immediately adjacent to the control valve. Isolation 15. The purge duct 16 is equipped with a purge valve 17 connected to the purge duct 16 by a T-connection whose branch opposite the connection of the purge duct 16 with the general supply duct 12 carries a valve 18

mounted on a washing loop duct 19 connected to a washing pump 20. A duct for supplying pressurized air 21 is also connected to the washing loop duct 19 via a valve 22.

The accumulation path comprises a first conduit 23 having an upper end connected to the general supply conduit 12 between the shutoff valve 14 and the isolation valve 15 and a lower end connected to the lower end of the organ 13 at its upper end, the accumulation member 13 is connected to a pipe for supplying pressurized air 25 via a valve. A valve 26. The accumulation member 13 is equipped at its upper end with a first pressure gauge 27 and at its lower end with a second pressure gauge 28. The accumulation path comprises a second conduit 29 having an end connected to the first pressure gauge 27. lower end 13 of the accumulation member 13 and an opposite end connected to a cross connection 30. The cross connection 30 is connected to the multi-path link member 11 by a third conduit 31 on which a valve 32 is mounted. purge conduit 33 is also connected to the cross fitting 30 via a valve 34.

The washing circuit comprises a second duct 35 connected to the pump 20 on the one hand and to the cross connection 30 on the other hand via a valve 36. Finally, the washing circuit comprises a third duct 37 having a end connected to the conduit 35 between the washing pump 20 and the valve 36, and a second end connected on the one hand to a washing product supply duct 38 via a valve 39 and secondly a washing apple 40 according to a T-connection with a connecting limb with apple Ia- ^v husbandry 40 is equipped with a valve 41.

With reference to FIG. 2, the multi-path connection member 11 comprises, in a manner known per se, a first circular chamber 42 to which are connected the supply ducts 7 of the filling spouts 2 of the various filling stations in a regular distribution around an axis of symmetry of the multi-channel connection member 11. Also in a manner known per se, the first chamber 42 is connected by a first connecting pipe 43 to the general supply duct 12 via a coupling turning 44.

According to the invention, the connecting member further comprises a second chamber 45 concentric with the first chamber 42 and extending under the first chamber being separated therefrom by an intermediate partition 46. A second conduit 48 is fixed to the intermediate partition 46 and extends coaxially with the first conduit 43 inside thereof. The lower end of the conduit 48 is fixed to the intermediate partition 46 by radial arms delimiting around the conduit 48 an opening 49 through the intermediate partition 46. The upper end of the conduit 48 is connected to the inside of the swivel 44 to ensure a connection with the duct 31 of the accumulation path. The looping ducts 10 of the different filling spouts open into the bottom wall of the second chamber 45. A circular tray-shaped dispensing member 50 is mounted in the second chamber 45 concentrically therewith and has on its underside studs 51 protruding extending opposite each of the looping conduits 10. The position of the dispensing member 50 in the second chamber 45 is determined by a control rod 52 of which upper end is connected to a control member 53 and whose lower end is connected to the dispensing member by radial arms delimiting an opening 54 through the dispensing member facing the lower end of the second conduit 48. the upper side of the distribution member 50 comprises an annular surface 55 ^• closing the opening 49 in sealed manner when the dispensing member 50 is in the high position, applied against the intermediate wall 46. At the start of the installation all valves are closed. From this position the valve 26 is opened to admit air under pressure in the accumulation member 13 and the valves 24 are also open. The product shut-off valve 14 is open and the pressurized product is admitted into the storage member 13 by passing through the valves 24. The liquid progressively fills the accumulation member 13 and the product height in the accumulation member is given by the pressure difference measured by the parameters 27 and 28. When the product reaches the or- 13 a predetermined level, illustrated by a dashed line in FIG. 1, corresponding to the total volume of the bodies 6 of the filling spouts and the supply ducts of the filling spouts, the stop valve 14 is closed again . The valve 32 of the accumulation path and the purge valve 17 are open and the dispensing member 50 is in the high position, ie a loop connection is provided in the spout bodies 6. between the duct 31 of the accumulation path, the looping ducts 10 of the filling spouts, the feed ducts 7 of the filling spouts and the general supply duct 12. The pressurized liquid first flows into the duct 31 by expelling the air that it contains and then passes into the second conduit 48 of the connecting member 11, and successively fills the looping conduits 10, the bodies 6 of the nozzles filling, the supply ducts 7 of the filling spouts, the first duct 43 of the connecting member 11, the general supply duct 12 to the isolation valve 15, and the purge duct 16 up to the purge valve 17. When the product in the accumulation member 13 reaches a determined level p owing to the pressure difference between the pressure gauges 27 and 28 corresponding to the filling of the conduits and the filler body, the purge valve 17 is closed. This level is determined so that a small amount of product has elapsed at the time of closure of the purge valve 17, which guarantees a satisfactory purge of the installation. The installation is then ready for packaging the product in the containers.

The dispensing member 50 of the connecting member 11 is then lowered to plug the ends of the looping ducts 10. The supply ducts 7 of the filling spouts are then in position. parallel connection on the one hand with the general supply line 12 by the first conduit 43 and the first chamber 42, and on the other hand with the conduit 31 of the accumulation path through the second conduit 48, the second chamber 45 , the opening 49 and the first chamber 42, as illustrated by arrows in thick lines in Figure 2. The product stop valve 14 is again open and one of the valves 24. The organ of accumulation 13 fills up again to a point of equilibrium between the product pressure in the ducts and the air pressure in the storage member 13. The isolation valve 15 is then opened and the conditioning can be carried out in a manner known per se by the operation of the valves 9 of each of the filling spouts. During the packaging of the product in the containers, the flow rate in the feed pipes 7 of the filling spouts can be adjusted by the degree of opening of the isolation valve 15 on the one hand and by the pressure of the air in the accumulation member 13 on the other hand. The variation of the total flow in the pipes 7 of the filling spouts is compensated by a variation of the level of product in the accumulation member 13 so that the flow rate is substantially constant in each of the supply ducts 7 of the spouts. filling. The speed of adaptation is determined by the flow rate through the valves 24. To avoid a pumping phenomenon, a single valve 24 is preferably open during this phase of the operation of the installation.

When it is desired to change the product, the product stop valve 14 is closed and a number of containers corresponding substantially to the volume of product contained in the storage member 13 is filled using the filling nozzles. conventional way. Then, the isolation valve 15 is closed and then the second purge valve 34 is opened and the air intake valves 22 and 18 while the valve 26 is closed. Pressurized air is fed into the general supply duct 12. At the same time, the dispensing member 50 of the connecting member 11 is placed in the raised position so that the pressurized air gradually expels the produced to successively ensure a purge of the general supply duct 12, the first duct 43 of the connecting member 11, the first chamber 42, the supply ducts 7 of the filling spouts, the bodies 6 of the filling spouts , looping conduits 10, the second chamber 45, the second conduit 48 and the conduit 31 of the accumulation path. After a sufficient time allowing this purge, the valve 32 is closed and the isolation valve 15 is open which puts the pressurized air supply in communication with the conduit 23 of the accumulation path, the two valves 24 being put in open position. The pressurized air thus expels the product contained in the conduit 23 and in the accumulation member 13. The valves 18, 22 and 34 are then closed again.

If the new product to be packaged is compatible with the previous product or is a neutral product, the initial filling of the plant and the packaging of the product are carried out as described above.

If it is desired to carry out the washing of the installation, the washing product supply valve 39 is opened as well as the valve 41 and the second purge valve 34. The washing head 40 then performs the internal cleaning of the organ 13 and the washing product flows through the purge pipe 33.

The valve 41 is then closed and the valves 24 while the valve 36 is open and pressurized air is admitted into the accumulation member 13 by opening the valve 26. The washing product therefore enters in the accumulation member until the level reached causes a balance with the pressure of the compressed air in the accumulation member 13. The valves 36 and 39 are closed and the valve 32 is opened and the upper purge valve 17. The washing product thus successively fills the duct 31, the ducts and the chambers of the connecting member 11, the looping ducts 10, the bodies 6 of the filling spouts, the air ducts. supply 7 of the filling spouts, and the general supply duct 12 to the isolation valve 15. The valve 32 is then closed while the valves 24 are open as well as the isolation valve 15, which allows the filling of the duct 23 and the general supply duct 12 with washing product.

The valves 24 are then closed while the valve 36 is open and the valve 18. The washing product thus fills the conduit 19 of the washing circuit. The valve 36 is then closed while the valve 41 is open. The washing pump 20 then ensures a flow of the washing product in a closed loop in the circuit comprising the ducts 35 and 37, the washing washer 40, the accumulation member 13, the duct 23, a section of the circuit of the invention. general supply 12 between the conduit 23 and the valve 18, and the conduit 19. The valves 41, 24 and 15 are then closed while the valve 36 is open. A new closed-loop washing circuit is then established in the conduit 31, the connecting member 11 through the filling spouts through the looping conduits 10, the section of general supply duct 12, the valve 18 and the conduit 19.

Once the washing has been carried out, the pipes are purged by opening the inlet valve again. pressurized air mission 22 and the lower purge valve 34 while closing the valve 18. In a first step the valve 36 is opened while keeping the valve 41 closed, which ensures the emptying of the conduits 35 and 37. The valve 36 is then closed while the valve 18 is open as well as the isolation valve 15 and the valves 24 to purge the conduit 23. The valves 24 are then closed while the valve 32 is opened to ensure bleeding from the general supply conduit 12 to the conduit 31 of the accumulation path. The valve 32 is then closed while the valve 41 is again open to purge the accumulation member 13.

If necessary, a washing of the filling nozzle tips is performed before the purge of the filling spouts by putting the dispenser member 50 of the connecting member 11 in the lower position while opening the valves 24 and the isolation valve 15 as well as the valves 9 of the filling spouts. Rinsing and purging of the installation can be carried out under the same conditions as washing. The installation is then ready to condition a new product brought in a manner known per se from a feed tank connected in parallel with the shut-off valve 14 by means of appropriate separation valves in order to avoid a communication between the feed tanks.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and variants can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

In particular, although the installation has been described in relation to a weight assay with bottom support of the containers, the invention also applies to filling spouts associated with supports. containers by the neck and / or volumetric dosing devices.

Although the multichannel link device according to the invention has been described in connection with an application to the looping of a filling spout, this multichannel link could also be used in other applications, for example by example by connecting the conduit 12 to a feed tank of a first product to be conditioned and the conduit to a tank of a second product to be conditioned while the ducts 7 and 10 are both connected to the upper part filling nozzles, which allows to fill the containers at will with one or other of the products or with a mixture thereof. Although the implementation of an accumulation path has been described in relation to the multi-way link device according to the invention which makes it possible simultaneously to feed a series of filling spouts, the invention can also be implemented on a single filling spout associated with a set of simple valves associated with a network of conduits suitably interconnected.

Claims

1. Installation for packaging a product in containers, the installation comprising at least one filling station comprising a filling spout (2) and a support member (3) for supporting a container directly above the filling spout the filling spout having a spout body (6) having an upper end connected to a supply duct (7) of the spout connected to a general supply duct

(12), and a lower end provided with an orifice

(8) equipped with a controlled valve (9), characterized in that the filling spout (2) is equipped with a looping duct (10) opening into the spout body (6) over the valve (9) and adapted to be selectively connected by a connecting member (11) to the general supply duct (12) between a shut-off valve (14) and an isolation valve (15), and that a purge duct (16) equipped with a purge valve (17) is connected to the general supply duct (12) between the isolation valve (15) and the connecting member (11).

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the purge duct (16) is connected to the general supply duct (12) at a point immediately adjacent to the isolation valve (15).

3. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting member (11) is a multi-channel member having a path connected to the feed duct (7) of the filling spout, a path connected to the looping conduit (10), a channel connected to the general supply duct (12), and a dispensing member (50) arranged to supply the supply duct (7) of the filling spout and the looping duct (10) according to a parallel link or a loop link.

4. Installation according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that it comprises an accumulation path (23, 31) connected in parallel with the general supply duct (12) and comprising an accumulation member (13).

5. Installation according to claim 3 and claim 4, characterized in that the accumulation member (13) comprises means (27, 28) for measuring the presence in the accumulation member of a predetermined quantity of product.

6. Installation according to claim 3 and claim 4, characterized in that the multi-channel connection member (11) comprises a first duct (43) connected to the general supply duct (12) and opening into a first chamber (42). ) to which is connected the supply line (7) of the filling spout, a second conduit (48) connected to the accumulation member (13) and opening into a second chamber (45) separated from the first chamber _^ (42) by an intermediate partition (46) having a communication port (49) and to which is connected the looping conduit (10), and a dispensing member (50) movably mounted in the second chamber between two positions to close either the looping conduit (10) or the communication port (49), the dispensing member (50) being pierced with an opening (54) facing the second conduit (48).

7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of filling stations having supply ducts (7) of fillers and looping ducts (10) connected to a common multi-channel connection member (11).

8. Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the supply ducts (7) filling nozzles and looping ducts (10) are regularly distributed around an axis of symmetry common to: - the first room (42),

- the second chamber (45),

the first conduit (43),

the second conduit (48), and the communication orifice (49).

9. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a washing circuit (19, 35, 37) connected to the general supply duct (12) and the accumulation path.

10. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a second purge valve (34) mounted at a lower end of the accumulation path.