WO2014063931A1

WO2014063931A1 - Powder feeder for container filling machines

Info

Publication number: WO2014063931A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/071261
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carlo Corniani
Original assignee: WEIGHTPACK SpA
Current assignee: WEIGHTPACK SpA
Priority date: 2012-10-25
Filing date: 2013-10-11
Publication date: 2014-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 2015-04-25
Also published as: ITVR20120211A1

Abstract

A powder feeder (2) for container filling machines, which comprises a powder supply duct (9) that extends in a substantially vertical direction and is connected in a downward region to a plurality of feed ducts (10), which are distributed around it and are connected, by means of their outlet, to the powder storage reservoir (6) of a filling machine (1); inside the supply duct (9), at least one powder distribution element being provided, which can rotate about a rotation axis and has at least one surface that is inclined with respect to its rotation axis; the distribution element can be actuated on command with a rotary motion about its rotation axis, in order to distribute the powders toward the feed ducts (10) substantially uniformly.

Description

POWDER FEEDER FOR CONTAINER FILLING MACHINES

The present invention relates to a powder feeder for container filling machines.

Filling machines are known which allow dosing a preset quantity of a product into preformed containers.

In these machines there is usually a product storage reservoir, from which adapted elements, typically constituted by dispensing heads, draw the necessary mass to be transferred into a respective underlying container.

Correct dosage in the containers very often depends on how the various devices of the machine can keep the quantity of product in the storage reservoir uniformly distributed and sufficiently constant.

In the case of products in powder form, such as for example infant formula or vitamin integrators or others, the product can be fed into the storage reservoir, in the background art, in two ways: by gravity from above or by conveyance from below.

In the first case, feeders are used which are located above the storage reservoir and have an adapted powder supply duct which extends substantially vertically from above and is connected in a downward region to a plurality of feed ducts, which are distributed around it and lead into the storage reservoir.

In a particular solution of this type, the supply duct reaches a chamber from which the feed ducts branch out laterally and inside which a rotor with recesses is accommodated which is constituted by a rotating disk provided in its peripheral region with a plurality of recesses, in which the powders are collected in order to be distributed toward the feed ducts by means of the rotation of the rotor.

In the case of feeding from below, instead, various conveyance devices, such as for example vane conveyors or continuous belt conveyors, are normally used.

One problem that is common to all these known solutions arises from the fact that products in powder form, due to their characteristic composition, tend to form clumps and produce what is commonly known as a "bridge", i.e., they tend to obstruct the passages through which they are conveyed to reach the storage reservoir of the filling machine.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a solution to the problem described above, providing a feeder that makes it possible to distribute in an extremely uniform manner the powders inside the storage reservoir of filling machines, avoiding clogging of the passages by said powders.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a feeder that is highly reliable in its operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feeder that is constructively simple to provide and has an extremely low cost.

This aim, as well as these and other objects that will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by the powder feeder for container filling machines, according to the invention, as defined in claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view, with parts shown in cross- section, of a filling machine provided with the feeder according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the feeder according to the invention; Figure 3 is a sectional view, along the plane IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a partially cutout lateral elevation view of the feeder according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a top perspective view, partially in phantom lines, of the feeder according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a different perspective view of the device according to the invention, with parts in phantom lines to show its interior; Figure 7 is a partially cutout perspective view of the feeder according to the invention.

With reference to Figure 1, a machine for filling containers with products in powder form is illustrated merely by way of example, is generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and provided with the feeder according to the invention, which in turn is generally designated by the reference numeral 2.

As usual, the filling machine 1 has, on a fixed frame, which is constituted for example by a footing la and a frame lb, a conveyor 3 of the containers 4, which in this specific case is constituted by a rotating carousel, and is surmounted by a dispensing assembly 5 which can rotate together with the rotating carousel and in which there is a storage reservoir 6 for the powders to be spilled into the underlying containers 4.

In particular, again with reference to the example of Figure 1 , above each container 4, the dispensing assembly 5 is provided with a respective dispensing head 7, which by adapted dosage means, constituted for example by a screw feeder 8 driven by a corresponding motor 8a, draws the powders from the storage reservoir 6 to introduce them into the corresponding container 4.

The feeder 2 is arranged above the storage reservoir 6, is advantageously coupled integrally with the fixed frame of the machine and conveniently mounted on the underlying dispensing assembly 5, as will become more apparent hereinafter.

In particular, the feeder 2 comprises a duct 9 for supplying powders intended to be transferred to the storage reservoir 6.

The supply duct 9 extends in a substantially vertical direction and is connected in a downward region to a plurality of feed ducts 10, which are distributed around said supply duct.

Each feed duct 10 in turn is connected, at its outlet, to the powder storage reservoir 6. Inside the supply duct 9, at least one powder distribution element is provided, which can rotate about a rotation axis that is substantially parallel to said supply duct and is provided with at least one surface inclined with respect to its rotation axis. More particularly, such distribution element is intended to be actuated on command, with a rotary motion, about its own rotation axis, in order to allow a substantially uniform distribution of the powders that originate from the supply duct 9 toward the feed ducts 10.

Advantageously, with reference to a preferred but not exclusive embodiment shown in the figures, the distribution element can be provided by means of a helical element 11 that extends substantially coaxially with the supply duct 9.

Conveniently, the helical element 11 is mounted around an actuation shaft 12, which is connected functionally to motor means 13.

In particular, the actuation shaft 12 is conveniently supported so that it can rotate, by means of bearings 12a, by a supporting block 13b of the motor means 13, which extends below the supply duct 9.

Advantageously, the motor means 13 are driven by a control unit, not shown, which is connected to a sensor 15 intended to detect the level reached by the powders inside the storage reservoir 6.

In particular, the motor means 13 are activated by the control unit when the sensor 15 detects that the level of the powders within the storage reservoir 6 is lower than a preset threshold value.

More precisely, as can be seen in Figures 5 and 6, the helical element 11 has an upper inlet edge 11a, from which the powders enter the helical element 11, and a lower outlet edge 1 lb, from which the powders exit from the helical element 11 to be transferred to the feed ducts 10.

In particular, the feed ducts 10 are advantageously arranged with their inlets laterally and in a lower region with respect to the lower outlet edge 1 la of the helical element 11, so as to ensure that the powders that exit from the helical element 1 1 can enter the various feed ducts 10 in an optimum manner.

Conveniently, as can be seen, in particular in Figure 4, between the supply duct 9 and the feed ducts 10 there is an interposed connecting portion 16, which expands progressively from the supply duct 9 toward the feed ducts 10.

More particularly, the connecting portion 16 is conveniently arranged below the helical element 11 and is provided advantageously with conveyance walls 16a, 16b, which extend progressively away from the axis of the supply duct 9, proceeding from the supply duct 9 toward the feed ducts 10.

In practice, the conveyance walls 16a, 16b of the connecting portion 16 are preferably contoured according to conical surfaces that are substantially concentric with respect to the axis of the supply duct 9.

Advantageously, the feed ducts 10 in turn have, substantially at their inlets, respective guiding portions 10a, which make it possible to facilitate the entry of the powders into the corresponding feed duct 10 and which are conveniently arranged below the connecting portion 16.

In particular, the guiding portions 10a are provided with walls that approach each other progressively as one proceeds along a path from the distribution element toward the feed ducts 10, so as to provide the guiding portions 10a with a substantially funnel-like shape.

As can be seen in particular in Figures 5 and 6, the guiding portions 10a of the various feed ducts 10 that are mutually adjacent are connected in an upward region to each other by means of separation crests 17 that are directed upward to avoid the accumulation of powders in the feeder 2.

With reference to the embodiment shown in the figures, it should be noted that the feed ducts 10 are provided with an intermediate extension portion 10b, which is inclined so as to diverge with respect to the axis of the supply duct 9, proceeding in the direction of the storage reservoir 6, and is connected with a final extension portion 10c, which is substantially vertical and engages a supporting plate 18, for example having an annular shape, which is arranged above the dispensing assembly 5 so as to close the storage reservoir 6.

In particular, the supporting plate 18 is coupled to the dispensing assembly 5 by the interposition of adapted brush- like gaskets 19, with the possibility, on the part of the dispensing assembly 5, of rotating with respect to the supporting plate 18, which instead remains fixed during the operation of the filling machine 1.

The operation of the feeder according to the invention is as follows. The powders to be fed to the storage reservoir 6 are made available inside the supply duct 9.

During the operation of the filling machine 1, the dispensing heads 7 draw from the storage reservoir 6 the powders to be introduced into the containers 4.

If the sensor 15 detects a lowering of the level of the powders inside the storage reservoir 6 below a preset threshold value, the sensor 15 sends to the control unit a command signal to activate the motor means 13 that drive the helical element 11.

During the rotation of the helical element 11, the powders in the supply duct 9 are entrained by the upper inlet edge 11a of the helical element 11 toward the inside of said helical element 11, which conveys them to its lower exit edge l ib, from which the powders move away laterally, distributing themselves in a practically uniform manner all around the axis of the screw feeder 11.

The powders in output from the helical element 11 therefore slide along the conveyance walls 16a, 16b of the connecting portion 16 until they reach the guiding portions 10a, where they are channeled into the feed ducts 10, so as to finally reach the storage reservoir 6.

It should be noted that any powders that might fall at the separation ridges 17 would be distributed between the feed ducts 10 that are adjacent to them, avoiding the forming of accumulations that might, over time, obstruct the passage of the powders toward the feed ducts 10.

It should also be noted that the powders in the supply duct 9 can also arrive in a compacted condition to the helical element 11, but the helical element 11 , by means of the progressively expanding connecting portion 16, is capable of transferring to the guiding portions 10a, arranged at an appropriate distance from the helical element, due to the presence of the connecting portion 16, the powders thus spaced apart so as to avoid any "bridges" in the feed ducts 10.

Furthermore, the rotary motion of the helical element 11 allows breaking any "bridges" that might form in the powders that are present in the supply duct 9, so as to prevent the obstruction of the feed ducts 10.

In practice it has been found that the device according to the invention achieves fully the intended aim, since thanks to the presence of the helical element it allows a uniform distribution of the powders among the various feed ducts and makes it possible to avoid the onset of clogging in the feed duct and in the supply ducts.

All the characteristics of the invention described above as advantageous, convenient or the like may also be omitted or be replaced with equivalents.

The individual characteristics described with reference to general teachings or to particular embodiments may all be present in other embodiments or may replace characteristics in these embodiments.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

Thus, for example, on the basis of the same inventive concept, the distribution element can be provided optionally not by a helical element but by a rotating assembly that has one or more vanes or blades arranged at an angle with respect to its rotation axis. These blades can be arranged conveniently so as to scrape the internal wall of the supply duct and can advantageously have a respective edge for the intake of the powders into the rotating assembly and an outlet edge from which the powders are distributed laterally to the various feed ducts arranged around the axis of the supply duct.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the dimensions and shapes, may be any according to the requirements.

All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. VR2012A00021 1 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A powder feeder (2) for container filling machines, comprising a powder supply duct (9) that extends in a substantially vertical direction and is connected in a downward region to a plurality of feed ducts (10), which are distributed around it and are connected, at their outlet, to the powder storage reservoir (6) of a filling machine (1), characterized in that it comprises, inside said supply duct (9), at least one powder distribution element, which can rotate about a rotation axis that is substantially parallel to said supply duct (9) and has at least one surface that is inclined with respect to said rotation axis, said distribution element being able to be actuated on command with a rotary motion about said rotation axis, in order to allow a substantially uniform distribution of the powders that arrive from said supply duct (9) toward said feed ducts (10).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one distribution element comprises at least one helical element (11) that extends coaxially with said supply duct (9).

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said helical element (1 1) has an upper edge (11a) for the inflow of the powders into said helical element (11) and a lower edge (l ib) for the outflow of the powders from said helical element (11), said feed ducts (10) being arranged, with their inlets, laterally and downward with respect to said lower output edge (1 lb) of said helical element (11).

4. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, between said supply duct (9) and said feed ducts (10), a connecting portion (16) that expands progressively from said supply duct (9) toward said feed ducts (10).

5. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said connecting portion (16) is arranged below said helical element (11).

6. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said connecting portion (16) has powder conveyance walls (16a, 16b) that taper progressively away from the axis of said supply duct (9), proceeding from said supply duct (9) toward said feed ducts (10).

7. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said feed ducts (10) each have, substantially at their inlet, respective guiding portions (10a) that have walls that move progressively mutually closer, proceeding from said helical element (1 1) toward said feed ducts (10).

8. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guiding portions (10a) of mutually adjacent feed ducts (10) are mutually connected by means of separation ridges (17) that are directed upward.

9. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said guiding portions (10a) are arranged below said connecting portion (16).

10. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said helical element (11) is mounted around an actuation shaft (12) that is functionally connected to motor means (13).

11. The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said motor means (13) are driven by a control unit that is connected to a sensor (15) adapted to detect the level of the powders inside the storage reservoir (6), said motor means (13) being able to be activated by said control unit upon detection, by said sensor (15), of a level of the powders inside said storage reservoir (6) that is lower than a preset threshold value.