EP2125526B1 - Cyclically operating machine for filling containers - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The present invention relates to a cyclically operating machine for filling and closing containers, such as e.g. Containers for medicines.

Machines for filling and closing containers are known from the prior art in different embodiments. Basically, a distinction is made between clocked machines and continuous machines. In continuous machines containers are continuously filled with a medium and then sealed with a cap o. Ä. Here, the filled containers are passed continuously past a closure station. However, such continuous machines are very complex in their construction and thus very expensive. Therefore, there are also intermittently operating machines, which can be produced significantly cheaper. Due to the cyclic operation of such clocked machines have a relatively lower application rate, the containers to be filled are usually intermittently moved forward with about one-third movement time and about 2/3 downtime. Due to the intermittent operation, the workstations of the timed machine for filling and closing can be made simpler and less expensive. In clocked machines, however, it has been found that in particular the closing of the filled containers with a cap or the like is problematic and time-consuming and the closure station is a capacity bottleneck for the output quantity of the cyclical machines.

From the US 5996308 a closure unit for bottles or the like is known. The containers to be closed are fed on a conveyor belt. Parallel to this, the closures reach the working area of a robot. By way of a handling mechanism of the robot, for example, four closures are removed from the closure feed and placed on the containers to be closed during ongoing movement. For this purpose, the handling mechanism of the robot moves at the same speed as the containers.

From the DE 103 22 476 A1 shows a device for supplying closures, in particular for pharmaceutical containers. Thus, the plant has a sorting pot and a conveyor trough fixedly connected to the sorting pot. The conveyor trough charges recordings of a receiving element with the closures. The sorting pot and the conveyor trough are to be arranged together movable parallel to the conveying direction in order to provide the recordings with the closures can. The stationarily arranged receiving element cooperates with a turning device which removes the closures from the receiving element and feeds them to the openings of the syringe bodies below the piston stopper.

Advantages of the invention

The cyclically operating machine according to the invention for filling and closing containers with the features of claim 1 has the advantage over that it has a very high output despite a cyclic filling of the containers. This is inventively achieved in that a closing station of the machine has at least partially movable elements to allow a closed containers with caps even during a downtime of the intermittently operating machine. The machine according to the invention nevertheless has a simple and inexpensive construction. According to the invention, the clocked machine comprises a closure station with a cap feeder and a sorting device. The sorter aligns the caps provided for closing, separates them and transfers them to the cap feeder. The cap feeder formed in the form of a feed rail sets the caps individually on the filled containers and thus closes them. In this case, at least the cap feeder is movably arranged and comprises a drive which moves the cap feeder. By the movement of the cap feeder caps can thus be applied to the containers during the downtime of the containers and the containers are closed. It should be noted that the term "cap" according to the invention any type of closure or lid is understood, which is suitable for sealing containers.

The dependent claims show preferred developments of the invention.

Preferably, the cap feeder of the closure station is arranged on a movable carriage. As a result, by moving the carriage, the cap feeder can be moved relative to the containers. The carriage is preferably arranged on rollers in order to have the lowest possible resistance to movement.

More preferably, the sorting device of the closure station is arranged stationary and between the movable cap feeder and the sorting device, a gap is present. At the gap, a transfer path for transferring the caps from the sorting device to the cap feeder is present at the sorting device. The stationary sorting device can in particular the moving mass can be reduced during the movement of the cap feeder.

According to an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention, the sorter is fixed to the cap feeder and movably arranged together with the cap feeder. As a result, in particular the transfer route between the sorting device and the cap feeder for transferring the caps can be constructed very simply. The sorter and the cap feeder are preferably fixed on a plate o. Ä., Which is arranged to be movable.

More preferably, the cap feeder comprises a substantially horizontal rail area and a substantially vertical rail area. The caps are fed from the sorting device first in the horizontal rail area and then in the vertical rail area and raised from the vertical rail area on the containers.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cap feeder is pivotally mounted about a pivot point. As a result, a movement of the cap feed can be realized by pivoting, so that a very simple and inexpensive construction is possible.

Preferably, the cap feeder comprises only a substantially vertical rail area, so that the sorting device 3 is arranged directly on the vertical rail area and the caps are transferred from the sorting device directly into the vertical rail area. This allows a particularly compact design can be achieved.

More preferably, a differential speed of the movement between the cap feeder and the intermittently supplied containers both at standstill of the containers and during movement of the containers is constant. In this way, a secure closing of the containers with caps can be made possible. The caps can thus be placed on the containers at the same speed both for moving and stationary containers become. Alternatively, a differential speed between the cap feeder and the containers is not constant.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the closure station further comprises a lever to convert a rotational movement of the drive in a linear reciprocating movement of the cap feeder. This allows a particularly simple and inexpensive construction of the machine can be realized.

The clocked machine further comprises a control device which changes a drive direction of the drive. The drive can thus cause by simple switching that the cap feeder changes its direction of movement, so that only a small mechanical structure is necessary.

More preferably, the drive of the cap feeder is designed such that in the case of stationary containers, the cap feeder is movable in a direction opposite to a feed direction of the containers. As a result, a minimum reciprocating travel of the cap feeder is made possible. Further, in a feed movement of the containers, a direction of movement of the cap feeder is preferably the same as the advancing movement of the containers. However, a movement speed of the cap feeder must be different from the speed of movement of the containers in order to apply caps to the containers. The speed of movement of the cap feeder is less than the speed of movement of the containers.

The clocked machine according to the invention is used in particular for filling containers for medicaments, e.g. Vials or cartridges or syringes, etc. used. The caps may e.g. Be rubber stopper or crimp caps, which optionally still have pre-assembled sealing elements.

drawing

Figur 1

eine schematische perspektivische Ansicht einer getakteten Maschine gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Figur 2

eine schematische Seitenansicht der in Figur 1 gezeigten Maschine bei einem Stillstand der Behältnisse,

Figur 3

eine Seitenansicht der in Figur 1 gezeigten Maschine bei einer Bewegung der Behältnisse,

Figur 4

eine vergrößerte Seitenansicht der Maschine beim Aufziehen von Kappen auf die Behältnisse, und

Figur 5

eine schematische Draufsicht einer Maschine gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing is:

FIG. 1

a schematic perspective view of a clocked machine according to a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2

a schematic side view of in FIG. 1 shown machine at a standstill of the containers,

FIG. 3

a side view of in FIG. 1 shown machine during a movement of the containers,

FIG. 4

an enlarged side view of the machine when mounting caps on the containers, and

FIG. 5

a schematic plan view of a machine according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of the invention

The following is with reference to the FIGS. 1 to 4 a clocked machine for filling and closing of containers 5 according to a first embodiment described in detail, wherein in the FIGS. 1 to 4 only one closure station 1 of the clocked machine is shown, which already filled containers 5 are supplied. The cyclic filling of the containers, for example, with drugs o. Ä., Is carried out in a known manner.

As in FIG. 1 1, the closing station 1 of the clocked machine comprises a cap feeder 2 and a sorting device 3. The sorting device 3 has the task of aligning the caps, separating them and feeding them to the cap feeder 2. The cap feeder 2 comprises a substantially horizontal rail area 2a with a feed rail 20 and a substantially vertical rail area 2b. In the cap feeder 2, the caps 4 are fed one by one in the correct position to an end 2c of the vertical rail portion 2b. At the End 2c of the vertical rail portion 2b, a cap shoe 21 is arranged, which has an inclined plane 22 at its the container 5 facing region (see. FIG. 4 ). The caps 4 are placed from the cap feeder 2 directly to the containers 5 and pressed by means of the inclined plane 22 of the cap shoe 21 to the containers 5. As a result, the containers 5 are closed. As in the FIGS. 1 to 4 indicated schematically, the containers 5 are moved by means of a transport device 6, such as a conveyor belt, intermittently. This intermittent movement depends in particular on the intermittent filling process of the containers 5.

The closure station 1 further comprises a plate 7 on which the cap feeder 2 and the sorter 3 are mounted. The plate 7 is in turn mounted on four rollers 8, which on rails 9 by means of a drive not shown in the direction of in FIG. 1 drawn double arrow A can be moved linearly. As a drive, for example, a servo motor or a cam drive or a lever construction, which converts a rotational movement of the drive in a linear reciprocating motion can be used. The rails 9 are fixed in place on a base 10. The base 10 may for example be attached to a machine frame of the cyclically operating machine.

Like from the FIG. 1 it can be seen, the horizontal rail portion 2a with the supply rail 20 has a predetermined inclination, so that the caps 4 located in the supply rail 20 are conveyed by gravity in the direction of the cap shoe 21 automatically.

The function of the closure station according to the invention for a clocked machine is as follows. The filling process of the containers 5 of the clocked machine indicates a cyclical movement of the containers 5 such that about 1/3 of the cycle time, the containers are moved 5 and about 2/3 of the cycle time, the containers are stopped to perform the filling. In FIG. 1 the direction of movement of the containers 5 is indicated by the arrow B. The FIGS. 2 and 3 make the principle of the movement characteristics of the closure station 1 clear. FIG. 2 shows a state of the clocked machine in which the containers 5 are not moved. When the containers 5 are in the stoppage phase of the cycle, the cap feeder 2 in the direction of arrow C against the actual feed direction of the containers 5 moves. This creates a relative movement between the containers 5 and the cap feeder 2, so that caps 4 can be mounted on the stationary containers 5. Now, if the approximately 1/3 of the total cycle lasting movement cycle of the containers 5 begins, the direction of movement of the cap feeder 2 is reversed. This condition is in FIG. 3 shown. The containers 5 are moved in the direction of the arrow B and the cap feeder 2 is moved together with the sorter 3 in the direction of the arrow D. In order to achieve a relative movement between the moving containers 5 and the moving cap feeder 2, which are now moved in the same direction, a moving speed of the cap feeder 2 is smaller than that of the containers 5. This is indicated by the length of the arrows B and D, respectively in FIG. 3 symbolically indicated. Thus, a relative movement between the cap feeder 2 and the moving containers 5 occurs again, the containers 5 being moved faster under the cap shoe 21 than the cap shoe 21 itself being moved in the same direction. Thus, caps 4 can be mounted on the containers 5 during the movement phase of the clock.

It should be noted that the movement speed of the cap feeder 2 in the one and the other directions is preferably selected such that a differential speed between the cap feeder 2 and the containers 5 is always constant. Alternatively, the movement of the cap feeder 2 can also be defined, for example, by an oscillating movement such that the differential speed between the cap feeder 2 and the containers 5 increases and decreases again in the course of a movement cycle. However, to allow for sustained afterflow of caps 4, the differential speed should never drop back to zero. The respective direction of movement of the cap feeder can thus be controlled simply alternatively by means of a control device which merely determines whether the containers 5 are currently at a standstill or in motion and accordingly drives the cap feeder. According to the invention, it can thus be ensured that the caps 4 can always be fed from the sorting device 3 to the containers 5 continuously and without stocking, the filling of the containers 5 being effected by means of an intermittently operating machine. As a result, the overall structure of the machine can be made very simple and inexpensive and still a high throughput per unit time of the machine can be achieved. For example About 200 to 400 containers per minute are applied in conjunction with the closure station 1 according to the invention by means of the intermittent machine.

The following is with reference to FIG. 5 a machine with a closure station 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention described in detail. Identical or functionally identical parts are denoted by the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment.

In contrast to the previous embodiment, the closure station 1 according to the second embodiment, the sorter 3 is arranged stationary. At the sorting device 3, a stationary transfer area 3b is also provided, via which the caps 4 are transferred to the cap feeder 2. The cap feeder 2 in this case has a supply rail 20, which is arranged pivotable about a pivot point S. A stationary connector 23 connects the sorter to the pivotable supply rail 20. In FIG. 5 is shown with dashed lines a second end position after pivoting of the feed rail and a cap shoe, which are designated 20 'and 21'. The double arrow E indicates the reciprocating pivotal movement of the supply rail 20. The pivotal movement of the feed rail 20 about the pivot point S allows it again that caps 4 can be mounted on the containers 5 both during the movement phase of the clock and the stoppage phase of the clock on the containers 5. In order to allow a slight pivoting of the supply rail 20, for example, the supply rail 20 in the region of the pivot point S bellows made of flexible material. In order to ensure a secure placement of the caps 4 on the containers 5, it should be noted that the containers 5 can also be conveyed in a same radius under the cap shoe 21 in accordance with the radius of movement of the cap shoe 21. Otherwise, this embodiment corresponds to the previous embodiment, so that reference can be made to the description given there.

For a particularly compact construction of the machine, it should be noted that the cap feeder 2 can also dispense with the horizontal rail area and the Caps from the sorter 3 can be conveyed directly into the vertical rail area 2b.

Claims (11)

1. Cyclically operating machine for filling and closing containers (5) with caps (4), comprising a closure station (1) having a cap feed (2) for feeding the caps (4) to the containers (5) and a sorting device (3) for orienting, singularizing and transferring the caps (4) to the cap feed (2), wherein the cap feed (2) is configured in the form of a feed rail (20) and places the caps (4) individually onto in each case one container (5) and closes the container by way of the cap (4), wherein the cap feed (2) is arranged so as to be movable back and forth and comprises a drive which is designed to move the cap feed (2), in that, when the containers (5) are carrying out an advancement movement, the cap feed (2) is movable in the same direction as the advancement movement, wherein a speed of movement of the cap feed (2) is lower than a speed of movement of the containers (5), and when the containers (5) are at a standstill, the cap feed (2) is movable counter to the actual advancement direction of the containers (5).
2. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cap feed (2) is arranged on a movable carriage (7).
3. Machine according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sorting device (3) is arranged in a stationary manner and a gap is formed between the cap feed (2) and the sorting device (3), the caps (4) being transferred from the sorting device (3) to the cap feed (2) via said gap.
4. Machine according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sorting device (3) is arranged on the cap feed (2) and is arranged so as to be movable back and forth together with the cap feed (2).
5. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cap feed comprises a substantially horizontal rail region (2a) and a substantially vertical rail region (2b).
6. Machine according to Claim 5, characterized in that the cap feed (2) is arranged so as to be pivotable about a pivot point (S).
7. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cap feed (2) comprises a substantially vertical rail region (2b), and the substantially vertical rail region (2b) is arranged directly on the sorting device (3) in order to transfer the caps (4) from the sorting device (3) directly into the substantially vertical rail region (2b).
8. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a difference in speed between the cap feed (2) and the containers (5) is constant.
9. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a difference in speed between the cap feed (2) and the containers (5) changes continuously during the movement of the cap feed (2).
10. Machine according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a lever so as to convert a rotational movement of the drive into a back-and-forth movement of the cap feed (2).
11. Machine according to one of Claims 1 to 7, further comprising a control device for changing a driving direction of the drive so as to provide the back-and-forth movement of the cap feed (2).

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