EP2797813B1 - Device for simultaneously filling at least two foods of different compositions into one container - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for simultaneously filling at least two foods of different types, in flowable and / or pasty form, in transparent cups made of plastic or glass, with a nozzle lines with outlet openings for the food and fed by dosing valve head, the at a relative movement between the cup and the valve head fills the cup from the bottom thereof, with a first of the food as the main component of the filling and with a second of the food as an additive component of the filling in the form of individual portions distributed in the cup, wherein control by means of an alternating opening and closing the nozzle lines during the filling process, a distribution of the different foods by altitude, radial position and amount of the same makes in each cup.

From the EP 1 657 159 A1 a device according to the preamble of claim 1 is already known. In the device known from this document, the actuation of a control disk which connects the control openings in dependence on the rotational position of the control disk with a nozzle line for a food by a formed on the outer periphery of the control disk toothing, which cooperates with a correspondingly toothed drive pinion. As a result, the device in the region of the control disk with respect to the diameter of a relatively large size.

The foods are primarily those of yoghurt or pudding, each of which may be used with different colors and / or flavors. Beilspielsweise it may be custard as the main filling ingredient, the distributed in individual portions in the cup chocolate pudding is to be added as an additional Füllbestandteil.

From the EP 1842 773 A2 Another device is known in which the cups remain stationary under the valve head, while the respective valve head is moved out during the filling process into the respective cup and during filling again out of the same. Furthermore, each valve head is also laterally movable, such that by a computer-controlled movement of the valve head at z. B. differently colored food can also be delivered by computer-controlled intermittent opening and closing of the respective nozzles of the valve head over the height and the circumference of the respective cup distributed portions of the food. Since the cups have transparent walls, the resulting patterns are visible and can offer an interesting clientele a particularly attractive and purchase-inspiring sight.

However, the known construction is particularly complicated by the required kinematics for the respective valve heads, which must be so controlled both on the amount and simultaneously controlled to the side.

The object underlying the invention is seen to provide a device of the type mentioned, which is structurally considerably simpler and can be produced with less effort, whereby the conventional kinematics of the same by first lifting the cup and then filling while lowering the cup maintained can be.

This object is achieved in that the control has a rotatable in the valve head about a longitudinal axis control disk with distributed on a first control circuit around this longitudinal axis control openings, which in a rotation of the control disk in rotary switching steps from a first closing position out before reaching a second closed position successively alternately with sub-nozzle inlet openings in a plane bearing therebelow stationary control surface of the valve head can be brought to match, which sub-nozzle inlet openings are arranged on one with the first congruent second control circular path about the longitudinal axis in the control surface, such that, during the filling operation, helical ascending individual portions of the second ingredient forming the supplemental constituent are positionable on the cup inner wall by respective auxiliary nozzle outlet openings of the device, the secondary nozzle outlet openings being connected via sub-nozzle conduits to the auxiliary nozzle inlet ports, and below the control surface within the valve head the second control circuit tracks and the sub-nozzle inlet openings distributed along the same along the longitudinal axis, a main nozzle is provided, whose supply with the first foodstuff forming the main constituent can be controlled in a known manner only by a rotary valve in the feed line coming from the associated metering device.

In addition, it is provided according to the invention that the rotary indexing of the control disk a rigidly connected to the same and is provided to the longitudinal axis coaxial control shaft.

Advantageously, the sub-nozzle outlet openings are arranged in the valve head so that they remain during the downward movement of the cup during filling near the inner wall of the cup to better place the discrete portions on the inner wall of the cup can, which then one of the above-mentioned and on the outside of the mug visible pattern leads.

In a preferred embodiment, three control openings are distributed on the first control circuit, the three additional nozzle lines to the auxiliary nozzles Can lead outlet ports. However, further control openings can be provided with further secondary nozzle lines.

In this case, according to the invention, the procedure is such that after lifting the cup until close to the outlet nozzle end of the valve head at the beginning of the subsequent downward movement of the cup, the main nozzle is opened,
that simultaneously or shortly thereafter by a first rotary switching step of the control disk, the first sub-nozzle inlet opening lying on the second control circuit is opened,
that subsequently the first nozzle inlet opening is closed again by a second rotary switching step of the control disk and the second inlet opening following on the second control circuit track is opened, and
in the same way by one or more rotary switching step (s) one or more located on the second control circuit sub-nozzle inlet opening (s) are successively opened and closed again until the filling of the cup by closing the last sub-nozzle inlet opening and also the main nozzle is completed.

Preferably, the process control is such that from the first closed position of the control disk out after a first rotary switching step of the same of 25 ° its first control port is aligned with a first auxiliary nozzle inlet port and opens a first secondary nozzle line,
that after a subsequent second rotary switching step of the same from 35 °, the first secondary nozzle line is closed again and the second control opening of the control disk is aligned with a second auxiliary nozzle inlet opening and opens a second auxiliary nozzle line,
that after a subsequent third rotary switching step the same of 35 °, the second secondary nozzle line is closed again and the third control opening of the control disk is aligned with a third auxiliary nozzle inlet opening and opens a third auxiliary nozzle line, and
that after a subsequent fourth rotary switching step of the same of 25 ° reaches the second closed position and all the secondary nozzle lines are closed, whereby a first control cycle for the distribution of three portions of the additive component in the main component of the filling of a first cup is completed

Furthermore, it has proven to be expedient, in a subsequent second control cycle for filling the next cup, the control disk from the second closed position with corresponding rotary switching steps in the first closed position due to open and close the respective pairs of openings in reverse order, with an opening pairing a control port and a sub-nozzle inlet port is formed.

However, it is also possible to make the control disk jump back from its second closed position to its first closed position to repeat the first control cycle when filling the next cup.

The invention and its advantageous embodiments are subject matter of the claims and are explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

• Fig. 1 einen vertikalen Längsschnitt durch eine Ausführungsform der Erfindung mit einem Ventilkopf und zwei Dosier-Kolben-Zylinder-Einheiten für zwei Nahrungsmittel unterschiedlicher Beschaffenheit;
• Fig. 2a bis Fig. 2e einen Querschnitt durch die Ausführungsform nach Fig. 1 längs der Linie II-II in fünf Einzelbildern, welche die möglichen Offen- und Geschlossenstellungen der Steueröffnungen der Steuerscheibe relativ zu den Düsen-Einlassöffnungen der Steuerfläche zeigen;
• Fig. 3 einen der Fig. 1 entsprechenden Längsschnitt durch den Ventilkopf in vergrößertem Maßstab;
• Fig.4 einen Schnitt längs der Linie IV-IV in Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5 ein Beispiel eines erfindungsgemäß gefüllten Bechers vor dem Verschließen desselben in schaubildlicher Ansicht;
• Fig. 6 ein Sechserpack aus erfindungsgemäß gefüllten Bechern in schaubildlicher Ansicht.

It shows:

• Fig. 1 a vertical longitudinal section through an embodiment of the invention with a valve head and two dosing piston-cylinder units for two foods of different nature;
• Fig. 2a to Fig. 2e a cross section through the embodiment according to Fig. 1 along the line II-II in five frames, showing the possible open and closed positions of the control apertures of the control disk relative to the nozzle inlet openings of the control surface;
• Fig. 3 one of the Fig. 1 corresponding longitudinal section through the valve head in an enlarged scale;
• Figure 4 a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3 ;
• Fig. 5 an example of a cup filled according to the invention before closing it in perspective view;
• Fig. 6 a six-pack of according to the invention filled cups in perspective view.

Fig. 1 shows an apparatus for simultaneously filling at least two foods 8 and 9 of different nature, in flowable and / or pasty form, in transparent cups 16 made of plastic or glass, with a nozzle lines 30, 31 with outlet openings 19, 20 for the food having and Dosing devices 2 and 3 fed valve head 1 which fills the cup from the bottom 21 thereof in a relative movement between the cup 16 and the valve head 1, with a first of the food as the main component 9 of the filling and with a second of the food as an additive component 8 of the filling in the form of individual Portions 28 distributed in the cup 16, wherein a control by means of an alternating opening and closing of the nozzle lines during the filling process, a distribution of the different foods by altitude, radial position and amount thereof in the respective cup 16 makes.

Fig. 1 In particular, a single valve head 1 with two connected metering piston-cylinder units can be seen as metering devices 2 and 3. Both metering pistons 4 and 5 are practically in their respective lower end position within their metering cylinders 6 and 7, that is, the filling of the two different foods 8 and 9 from storage containers 10 and 11 via rotary valves 12 and 13 and associated lines 14th and 15 in the cup 16 is practically completed. In a known meadow, the empty cup 16 was first raised in the direction of arrow A to almost to contact the lower end of the valve head 1, whereupon the filling process began, the cup 16 was lowered in accordance with its increasing filling in the direction of arrow B again.

According to the invention, the control is now a valve disc in the valve head 1 about a longitudinal axis 22 rotatable control disk 23 on a first control circuit 24 (see Fig. 2 ) distributed about this central axis 22 control openings 25a, 25b, 25c, which in a rotation of the control disk 23 in rotational switching steps from a first closed position ( Fig. 2a ) out before reaching a second closed position ( Fig. 2e ) successively can be brought into coincidence with the auxiliary nozzle inlet openings 26a, 26b, 26c in a stationary control surface 27 of the valve head 1 lying flush therewith, which secondary nozzle inlet openings 26a, 26b, 26c on a first congruent second control circuit 24 '(FIG. Figure 4 ) are arranged about the longitudinal axis 22 in the control surface 27, such that in the filling process helically ascending individual portions 28 of the second food 8 of corresponding auxiliary nozzle outlet openings 19 on the cup inner wall 29 (see Fig. 3 ) are positionable.

Further, a main nozzle 31 is provided below the control surface 27 in the valve head 1 within the second control circuit paths 24 'and distributed along the same sub-nozzle inlet ports 26a, 26b, 26c on the longitudinal axis 22, the feed with the main component forming the first food 9 in known Way is only controlled by a rotary valve 13 in the coming of the associated metering device 3 supply line 15.

For rotary indexing of the control disk 23 is a rigidly connected to the same and to the longitudinal axis 22 coaxial control shaft 32 is provided which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis 22.

The sub-nozzle outlet openings (of which is in the Fig. 1 and 3 only the opening 19 visible) are suitably arranged in the valve head 1 so that they remain in the downward movement of the cup 16 during filling near the cup inner wall 29 to the mentioned portions 28 of the additional ingredient forming second food 8 on the inside of the cup 16 visibly deposit. Simultaneous filling with the main component forming first food 9 via the nozzle 31 is carried out in a conventional manner centrally and continuously.

In the preferred embodiment shown, three control orifices 25a, 25b, 25c are distributed on the first control circuit 24 and lead to the associated auxiliary orifice outlets via three subsidiary jet conduits (only the secondary jet conduit 30 is visible). According to the Fig. 2 and 4 are therefore three auxiliary nozzles inlet ports available, although in the Fig. 1 and 3 only one of the associated sub-nozzle lines is visible, namely the said line 30.

• Nach dem Anheben des Bechers 16 bis nahe an das Auslaß-Düsenende 32 des Ventilkopfs 1 wird zu Beginn der anschließenden Abwärtsbewegung des Bechers 16 die Hauptdüse 31 geöffnet,
• gleichzeitig oder kurz darauf folgend wird durch einen ersten Drehschaltschritt der Steuerscheibe (23) die auf der zweiten Steuerkreisbahn (24') liegende erste Nebendüsen-Einlassöffnung (26a) geöffnet,
• anschließend wird durch einen zweiten Drehschaltschritt der Steuerscheibe 23 die erste Düsen-Einlassöffnung 26a wieder geschlossen und die zweite Einlassöffnung (26b) geöffnet, und schließlich werden in gleicher Weise durch einen oder weitere Drehschaltschritt(e) eine oder weitere auf der zweiten Steuerkreisbahn 24' befindliche Nebendüsen-Einlassöffnung(en) 26b, 26c nacheinander geöffnet und wieder geschlossen, bis die Füllung des Bechers 16 durch ein Schließen der letzten Nebendüsen-Einlaßöffnung und auch der Hauptdüse 31 abgeschlossen ist.

The method of operating the device is appropriate as follows:

• After lifting the cup 16 to close to the outlet nozzle end 32 of the valve head 1, the main nozzle 31 is opened at the beginning of the subsequent downward movement of the cup 16,
• simultaneously or shortly thereafter, the first sub-nozzle inlet opening (26a) located on the second control circuit track (24 ') is opened by a first rotary switching step of the control disk (23),
• Subsequently, the first nozzle inlet opening 26a is closed again and the second inlet opening (26b) is opened by a second rotary switching step of the control disk 23, and finally one or more on the second control circuit 24 'located in the same way by one or more rotary switching step (e) Secondary nozzle inlet opening (s) 26b, 26c successively opened and closed again until the filling of the cup 16 by closing the last auxiliary nozzle inlet opening and also the main nozzle 31 is completed.

Preferably, the procedure is such that from the first closed position ( Fig. 2a ) of the control disk 23 out after a first rotary switching step of the same 25 ° its first control port 25a is aligned with a first auxiliary nozzle inlet port 26a and opens a first secondary nozzle line Fig. 2b )
that after a subsequent second rotary switching step of the same of 35 °, the first sub-nozzle line is closed again and the second control port 25b of the control disk 23 is aligned with a second sub-nozzle inlet port 26b and opens a second sub-nozzle line (30) Fig. 2c )
that after a subsequent third rotary switching step of the same of 35 ° and the second secondary nozzle line is closed again and the third control port 25c of the control disk 23 is aligned with a third auxiliary nozzle inlet opening 26c and a third auxiliary nozzle line opens ( Fig. 2d ), and
that after a subsequent fourth rotary switching step of the same of 25 °, the second closed position reached ( Fig. 2e ) and all sub-nozzle lines, z. As well as the line 30, are closed, whereby a first control cycle for the distribution of three portions of the additional constituent in the main component of the filling of a first cup 16 is completed.

In a subsequent further control cycle for filling the next cup 16, it is preferable to return the control disk 23 from the second closed position with corresponding rotary switching steps in the first closed position, with the respective opening pairs opening and closing in reverse order, namely 25c, 26c; 25b, 26b and 25a, 26a.

As already mentioned, it is also possible, the control disk 23 from the second closed position according to Fig. 2e in the first closed position according to Fig. 2a allow jump back before another control cycle for filling another cup 16 takes place.

It is understood that in a known manner, several of the devices according to the invention can be arranged side by side in a multi-lane filling installation to fill cups 16 fed in a plurality of tracks. Also can be filled from several interconnected cups 16 formed combination packs, the Fig. 6 shows an example of such a package 32, which consists of six cups 16, which along break lines 33 into individual filled cups 16 (FIGS. Fig. 5 ) can be divided.

Like from the Fig. 2a to 2e can be seen, form in the illustrated preferred embodiment, the opening pairs in the order 25a, 26a; 25b, 26b; 25c, 26c, or in the reverse order 25c, 26c; 25b, 26b; 25c, 26c, however, the opening pairings are not in the same order on the control tracks 24 and 24 '. Rather, the third opening pairing 25c, 26c lies on the control circuit tracks between the first opening pairing 25a, 26a and the second opening pairing 25b, 26b. This simplifies the required rotary switching steps of the control disk 23.

Claims (7)

1. Device for simultaneously filling at least two foods (8, 9) of different compositions, in a free-flowing and/or highly viscous form, into transparent cups (16) of plastics material or glass, by way of a valve head (1), which comprises nozzle lines (30, 31) with outlet openings (19, 20) for the foods (8, 9), is supplied by dosing devices (1, 2) and is designed, with a relative movement between the cup (16) and the valve head (1), to fill the cup (16) from the bottom thereof with a first of the foods (8, 9) as the main component part of the filling and with a second of the foods (8, 9) as the additional component part of the filling distributed in the cup (16) in the form of individual portions, wherein, during the filling operation, a control means carries out a distributing of the different foods (8, 9) in the respective cup (16) according to the height level, radial level and quantity of the same by means of alternately opening and closing the nozzle lines (30, 31), wherein the control means comprises a control disk (23), which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis (22) in the valve head (1), with control openings (25a, 25b, 25c) which are distributed about said longitudinal axis (22) along a first control circuit (24) and which, when the control disk (23) is rotated in rotational steps out of a first closed position, prior to achieving a second closed position, are movable one after another in an alternating manner into coincidence with auxiliary nozzle inlet openings (26a, 26b, 26c) in a stationary control face (27) of the valve head (1) which lies underneath in a planar manner, which auxiliary nozzle inlet openings (26a, 26b, 26b) are arranged along a second control circuit (24') which is congruent with the first control circuit in the control surface (27) about the longitudinal axis (22) in such a manner that during the filling operation, in a helically increasing manner, individual portions (28) of the second food (8) which forms the additional component part are positionable on the inside wall (28) of the cup by corresponding auxiliary nozzle outlet openings (19) of the device, wherein the auxiliary nozzle outlet openings (19) are connected to the auxiliary nozzle inlet openings (26a, 26b, 26c) via auxiliary nozzle lines (30), and wherein a main nozzle (31), the feeding of which with the first food (9) which forms the main component part can be controlled in a known manner by only one rotary slide (13) in the supply line (15) which comes from the associated dosing device (3), is provided below the control surface (27) in the valve head (1) inside the second control circuits (24') and the auxiliary nozzle inlet openings (26a, 26b, 26c) distributed along the same along the longitudinal axis (22), characterized in that the device comprises a control shaft (32), which is connected in a rigid manner to the control disk (23) and is coaxial with respect to the longitudinal axis (22), for the rotational stepping of said control disk.
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary nozzle outlet openings (19) can be positioned in the valve head (1) in such a manner that they remain close to the inside wall (29) of the cup during filling when the cup (16) is moved downward.
3. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that three control openings (25a, 25b, 25c) which lead to the auxiliary nozzle outlet openings (19) by means of three auxiliary nozzle lines (30) are distributed along the control circuit (24).
4. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the third opening pair (25c, 26c) lies on the control circuits (24, 24') between the first opening pair (25a, 26a) and the second opening pair (25b, 26b), wherein an opening pair is formed from a control opening (25a, 25b, 25c) and an auxiliary nozzle inlet opening (26a, 26b, 26c).
5. Method for operating the device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that once the cup (16) has been lifted close to the outlet nozzle end (32) of the valve head (1), the main nozzle (31) is opened at the start of the subsequent downward movement of the cup (16), in that at the same time or shortly thereafter, as a result of a first rotational step of the control disk (23), the first auxiliary nozzle inlet opening (26a) lying on the second control circuit (24') is opened, in that subsequently, as a result of a second rotational step of the control disk (23), the first nozzle inlet opening (26a) is closed again and the second inlet opening (26b) following on the second control circuit (24') is opened, and in that in the same way, as a result of a rotational step or further rotational steps, one auxiliary nozzle inlet opening or further auxiliary nozzle inlet openings located on the second control circuit (24') are opened and closed again one after another until the filling of the cup (16) is concluded as a result of closing the last auxiliary nozzle inlet opening and also the main nozzle (31).
6. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that from the first closed position of the control disk (23), after a first rotational step of the same of 25°, its first control opening (25a) is in alignment with a first auxiliary nozzle inlet opening (26a) and a first auxiliary nozzle line opens, in that after a subsequent second rotational step of the same of 35°, the first auxiliary nozzle line is closed again and the second control opening (25b) of the control disk (23) is in alignment with a second auxiliary nozzle inlet opening (26b) and a second auxiliary nozzle line (30) opens, in that after a subsequent third rotational step of the same of 35°, the second auxiliary nozzle line is also closed again and the third control opening (25c) of the control disk (23) is in alignment with a third auxiliary nozzle inlet opening (26c) and a third auxiliary nozzle line opens, and in that after a subsequent fourth rotational step of the same of 25°, the second closed position is reached and all the auxiliary nozzle lines (30) are closed, whereby a first control cycle for distributing three portions of the additional component part in the main component part of the filling of a first cup (16) is concluded.
7. Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that in the case of a subsequent second control cycle for filling the next cup (16), the control disk (23) is returned from the second closed position by way of corresponding rotational steps into the first closed position, wherein the respective opening pairs (25c, 26c; 25b, 26b and 25c, 26c) open and close in the reverse sequence, and wherein an opening pair is formed from a control opening (25a, 25b, 25c) and an auxiliary nozzle inlet opening (26a, 26b, 26c).

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