TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a batcher.

In particular, the invention relates to a batcher for a filling machine and adapted to dose a pourable product of the type comprising suspended solid particles in a liquid phase, with which a container is filled.

BACKGROUND ART

In the food industry, in order to prevent the deterioration and the degradation by microbial contamination of the products and to prolong the maximum preservation times, it is often necessary to use filling stations which fill containers in aseptic or so-called ultra-clean conditions.

In general, such a filling station is fed with aseptic or ultra-clean containers (for example containers which have previously been sterilised) and is adapted to provide containers filled with a sterilised product in aseptic or ultra-clean conditions.

A filling station usually substantially comprises a carousel conveyor rotating about a rotation axis, a tank containing the product, and a plurality of batchers which are fluidically connected with the tank and are supported by the carousel conveyor in a radially external position with respect to the rotation axis of the carousel conveyor.

Each batcher substantially comprises a portion for fixing to the carousel defining a filling chamber fluidically connected with the tank, and a filling head arranged along a relative direction parallel to the rotation axis of the carousel.

In particular, the batcher must be designed so as to allow, in every moment in time, to maintain the environment, within which the pourable product is handled, free from contamination sources.

Furthermore, as the duct where the pourable product flows must be sterilised typically by a steam or hot water flow before the containers are filled, the batcher must typically be compatible with this kind of operation conditions.

The filling head of a flow rate doser generally comprises a shutter mobile, within the relative filling chamber, between a closed configuration, in which the shutter prevents the product from reaching the mouth of the relative container to be filled, and an open configuration, in which the chamber and the container mouth are fluidically connected, thus allowing the product to fill the container.

Batchers are known comprising shutters displaying different geometries (for example spherical, butterfly etc.) associated to relative actuating means which can be of different kinds. Whether these batchers are suitable for specific uses generally depends on the type of product and on the actual operation conditions.

There are in particular situations in which the batchers of the conventional type are not completely satisfactory from the operative point of view. This occurs for example when the container must be filled with a pourable product containing two phases, i.e. a product comprising a liquid phase in which solid particles are suspended.

This is the case, for example, of pourable products such as fruit juices containing fibres or fruit pieces, or milk based products with the addition of fruit. Typically, these products comprise an aqueous liquid phase and contain solid particles having an average size in the range between 0.1 and 10 mm, for example formed by pieces of fruits.

The solid particles suspended in the two-phase pourable products can easily obstruct the ducts defined internally by the batchers provided with shutters having a conventional geometry.

The obstruction of these ducts, which could even only occur partially, determines an undesired local increase of load losses and accordingly alters the precision of the adjustment of the flow of pourable product fed in the container to be filled. In general, therefore, in case of two-phase products, the operation of the conventional flow- rate adjusting members is complicated and the latter can have a reduced efficiency.

Furthermore, in view of the high probability of obstruction of the ducts and the relative undesirable consequences, it is necessary to often clean and maintain the batchers. This not only translates into added costs, but frequently is the cause for down times which reduce the overall productivity.

In the past, to fill the containers with a two-phase pourable product in aseptic conditions, the liquid phase and the solid phase (particles) were fed along respective separate ducts, for example arranged coaxially one inside the other.

Thereby, feeding each phase towards the container is easier, since each phase substantially flows through a dedicated duct and because, by independently adjusting the flows of the two phases, the frequency of the obstruction can be reduced.

On the other hand, the single flow-rates of the two distinct flows must be controlled with precision so as to ensure that the ratio between the two phases, within the filled containers, is at the desired nominal value. Furthermore, guaranteeing the aseptic conditions required by the process results more complex and expensive because it is necessary to maintain them along two hydraulic circuits which are for the most part independent of one another. Accordingly, the sterilising cycles are also substantially doubled.

There is therefore the need in the sector to provide a batcher which allows to effectively obtain the filling of the containers with a pourable product of the type comprising suspended solid particles in a liquid phase, in aseptic or ultra-clean conditions, thus limiting the obstruction of the ducts within which the product flows.

Furthermore, the need is felt in the sector to provide a batcher allowing to reduce maintenance costs and limit the frequency of the down times .

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

At least one of the above needs is satisfied in a simple and cost-effective manner by the present invention, as it relates to a batcher according to claim 1.

Furthermore, the invention provides a filling machine according to claim 7.

Finally, the invention provides a shutter for a batcher according to claim 8.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment is hereinafter disclosed for a better understanding of the present invention, by mere way of non-limitative example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a batcher according to the invention in a closed configuration;

- Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic sectional view of the batcher of Figure 1 in an open configuration; and

- Figure 3 shows a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the shutter body of the batcher of Figures 1 and 2.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In Figures 1 and 2, numeral 1 shows as a whole a batcher adapted to be incorporated in a filling station in aseptic or ultra-clean conditions (not shown) of a filling machine for filling containers with a pourable product.

In particular, batcher 1 disclosed herein is suitable for carrying out filling operations which imply a pourable product of the type comprising suspended solid particles in a liquid phase, as for example fruit juices containing fibres and pieces of fruit, or beverages containing milk which contain pieces of fruit or the like. Typically, these are products comprising an aqueous liquid phase, in which average size particles on the order of 0.1÷10 mm are suspended.

This filling station is typically fed with sterilised empty containers and fills these containers with the pourable product in aseptic conditions. For this purpose, the filling station typically comprises a tank containing the product; a carousel rotating about a vertical axis and protrudingly bearing a plurality of dosers 1 and support elements for respective containers.

Batcher 1 comprises:

- a main body 11 adapted to be fixed to the carousel of the filling station; and

- a shutter body 12 housed within main body 11 mobile between a relative closed position (see Figure 1) and a relative maximum open position (see Figure 2) .

Furthermore, batcher 1 comprises actuating means 50 of shutter body 12. Advantageously, these actuating means 50 are completely external to main body 11.

In greater detail, main- body 11 extends from a first end 13 connectable to the tank at a second end 14 defining a mouth 15 for filling a container. Between two ends 13 and 14, main body 11 comprises a tubular segment 16 having axis A and internal diameter Dl and defining therein a cavity 17 fluidically connected with tank 3.

Furthermore, body 11 comprises, downstream of tubular segment 16 with respect to a feeding direction of the product, a portion 18 having a narrowed section, having diameter D2 smaller than diameter Dl of cylindrical segment 16.

Thereby, main body 11 defines therein a seat 19 for shutter body 12 at which, as will be disclosed in greater detail hereinafter, the closed condition between main body 11 and shutter body 12 (see figure 1) of the duct, through which the product passes, occurs.

Advantageously, actuating means 50 and shutter body 12 are magnetically coupled.

In particular, shutter body 12 advantageously comprises a pair of permanent magnets 127 and 127', arranged adjacent to one another with identical magnetic poles facing axially.

Furthermore, actuating means 50 of shutter body 12 advantageously comprise at least one pair of permanent magnets 52 and 52' arranged adjacent to one another with identical magnetic poles facing axially, and oriented, with respect to permanent magnets 127, 127' of the pair of magnets of shutter body 12, with different magnetic poles reciprocally facing radially.

In other words, a pole S (N) of a permanent magnet

127, 127' radially faces a pole N (S) of permanent magnet 52, 52' .

In this context, by the expression "magnetic poles reciprocally facing radially" there is intended that the poles are, with respect to the axial direction, substantially aligned to one another, although they are materially separate, in the radial direction, at least from the wall of tubular segment 16 of main body 11.

In practice, permanent magnets 52, 52' result arranged in respective positions radially external with respect to main body 12. More in particular, permanent magnets 52 and 52 ¹ are arranged at a radial distance with respect to axis A such as to exert, through the walls of main body 11, a magnetic attraction on shutter body 12 such as to conveniently draw the latter in a translation motion parallel to axis A.

As is known, when different poles (N and S) of two magnets are brought in contact to one another, the magnetic poles at their facing surfaces cancel each other.

On the contrary, if different poles (N and S) of two magnets are brought near to each other, but not in direct contact, a magnetic flow from pole N of a magnet to pole S of the other magnet is generated. However, this magnetic flow is weak and, in these circumstances, the attraction force between pole N of this first magnet and pole S of a third magnet which faces it is weak.

If, instead, adjacent magnets face each other with the same polarity, stronger magnetic flows are generated.

From two identical facing poles in a first pair of magnets, for example the two poles N of pair 127, 127' of shutter body 12, magnetic flows which are considerably stronger are generated directed towards the poles having opposite sign of a second pair of magnets facing the first - for example of two poles S of the at least one pair of magnets 52, 52' external to main body 11.

Shutter module 12 advantageously comprises (also see Figure 2) :

- a stem 121 having a diameter D _s smaller than the internal diameter Dl of the cylindrical segment 16, coaxial with main body 11 and extending along axis A by a segment of length shorter than the longitudinal overall development of cavity 17 defined internally by main body 11; and

a plurality of guide fins 122, which radially project from stem 121 and which are adapted to slidingly guide shutter body 12 within main body 11.

Thereby, an annular duct 124 adapted to allow the flow of a pourable product comprising suspended solid particles is advantageously defined between stem 121 of shutter body 12 and the internal wall of main body 11.

In virtue of the above disclosed increased intensity magnetic coupling, the inventors have surprisingly found that pairs of magnets 127, 127'; 52, 52' can be spaced so as to easily allow the passage of a two-phase liquid containing particles of a given average size without the magnetic coupling between actuating means 50 and shutter body 12 loosing in efficacy.

In the case shown, shutter body 12 further comprises a projecting portion 123 having a diameter in the range between diameter D _s of stem 121 and internal diameter Dl of tubular segment 16, and adapted to sealingly cooperate with seat 19 in the closed position.

Each fin 122 extends radially by a length substantially equal to (Dl-D _s )/2.

Preferably, diameter D _s of stem 121 is in the range between 10 and 50 mm and the ratio (Dl-D _s )/2 is in the range between 1 and 20 mm.

More preferably, diameter D _s of stem 121 is in the range between 15 and 40 mm and the ratio (Dl-D _s )/2 is in the range between 3 and 15 mm. More preferably, diameter D _s of stem 121 is in the range between 20 and 30 mm and the ratio (Dl-D _s )/2 is in the range between 5 and 10 mm.

Preferably, guide fins 122 are arranged equally spaced angularly about axis A of stem 121. Preferably, shutter body 12 comprises at least two guide fins 122.

In the case shown, guide fins 122 extend in a longitudinal direction parallelly to axis A by an overall length shorter than the overall length of stem 121. Preferably, shutter body 12 comprises first and second fins 122, 122' arranged according to the same angular distribution about axis A. Thereby, the stability of shutter body 12 within main body 11 results advantageously increased.

Preferably, as shown in Figure 3, each fin 122, 122' has a substantially hexagonal right section elongated in an axial direction, so as to display two inclined faces to the flow of two-phase product which passes through duct 124, so that the two-phase product is conveniently deviated so as to flow around fins 122. Other geometries of fins 122 (for example an ogival section) can be similarly advantageous.

Advantageously, stem 121 of shutter body 12 comprises

(see Figures 1 and 2) a tubular portion 125 defining internally a cavity 126 having a substantially cylindrical development, in which the pair of permanent magnets 127 and 127' is housed, arranged adjacent to one another with identical magnet poles facing axially.

Advantageously, stem 121 further comprises an upstream end portion 121M, for example a conical or frustoconical portion, which may be fixed, preferably in a releasable manner (for example by means of an appropriate threading, not shown in detail) , to tubular portion 125 so as to stably contain in cavity 126 the pair of permanent magnets 127 and 127 ' .

Preferably, stem 121 also comprises a downstream end portion 121V adapted to cooperate, ^' in the closed position of Figure 1, with filling mouth 15 of main body 11. In the case shown in Figures 1 and 2 , downstream end portion 121V extends from projection portion 123 facing towards mouth 15 and comprises a substantially frustoconical portion 126 having an increasing diameter from projection portion 123 towards mouth 15 and a substantially conical portion 128 with the vertex facing mouth 15. In practice, in the case shown, ^' it is the conical portion 129 that cooperates to close mouth 15 (Figure 1) .

Shutter body 12 is slidingly housed within cavity 17 of main body 11 and is in particular mobile, within cavity 17, between a relative closed position (see Figure 1) , in which shutter body 12 cooperates, at least at relative projecting portion 12, with seat 19 defined by main body 11; and a relative maximum open position (see Figure 2) , in which shutter body 12 leaves the passage in main body 11 at seat 19 free at the maximum.

Preferably, in the closed position of Figure 1, shutter body 12 cooperates with main body 11 also at mouth 15 by means of downstream end portion 121V.

In greater detail, actuating means 50 of shutter body

12 comprise:

- an actuator (not shown for simplicity but of the type disclose, for example, in co-pending patent application in the name of the same Applicant, by the title "magnetically actuated flow-rate selector member, flow-rate regulator and filling machine"), for example of the pneumatic type and comprising a sliding piston within a cavity defined internally by a fixed body with respect to main body 11, the piston being mobile between relative upstream and downstream stop positions corresponding to the maximum closed and open positions of the aseptic batcher 1; and

- a tubular body 51 external to, coaxial with and sliding along main body 11.

External tubular body 51 is mobile integrally with the actuator and is therefore also mobile between relative upstream (see Figure 2) and downstream (see Figure 1) stop positions, which correspond to the maximum closed and open positions of aseptic batcher 1.

Furthermore, the at least one pair of permanent magnets 52 and 52' arranged adjacent to one another with identical magnetic poles facing axially, is advantageously housed within external tubular body 51, permanent magnets 52 and 52' being coupled magnetically with shutter body 12 (i.e. with permanent magnets 127 and 127') . More in particular, permanent magnets 52 and 52' of the at least one pair of magnets of external tubular body 52 are arranged with respect to permanent magnets 127, 127' of the pair of magnets internal to stem 121, with different magnetic poles reciprocally facing radially. In other words, a pole S (N) of a permanent magnet

127, 127' radially faces a pole N (S) of permanent magnet 52, 52' .

As previously stated, this specific reciprocal arrangement determines a considerably increased attraction force between shutter body 12 and external tubular body 51, such that a distance can be interposed between pair of magnets 127, 127' and the at least one pair of magnets 52, 52' , the distance being given, as well as by the wall of tubular segment 16, by the radial development of fins 122, without the magnetic coupling between actuating means 50 and shutter body 12 seizing.

According to a variant, as shown in particular in Figure 1 with specific reference to a pair of magnets 52, 52', the permanent magnets can be advantageously formed by sets of smaller magnets stacked so that in each set there is in any case an overall orientation of the polarities equivalent to that of a single larger magnet. It will be understood that this alternative solution can be advantageously extended to any pair of magnets in batcher 1, comprising that of magnets 127, 127' internal to stem 121 of shutter body 12.

Moreover, similarly to stem 121, in the case shown, also the external tubular element 51 defines therein at least one cavity 53 adapted to house a corresponding pair of magnets 52, 52', and comprises a main portion and a covering portion fixable to the main portion, preferably in a releasable manner, so as to stably contain, within the at least one cavity 53, the corresponding at least one pair of permanent magnets 52, 52' . Preferably, external tubular element 51 defines therein at least one plurality of cavities 53 within which a corresponding plurality of pairs of permanent magnets 52, 52' is housed, arranged preferably equally spaced angularly about axis A.

By the effect of magnetic coupling between actuating means 50 and shutter body 12, the actuation (for example pneumatic actuation) of actuating means - i.e., for example, the resulting translating motion of the above said piston within the relative cavity - conveniently determines a corresponding axially directed translating motion of shutter body 12 within main body 11.

For this purpose, batcher 1 can be conveniently inserted in a filling station advantageously also comprising control means (not shown) adapted to actuate batcher 1 according to the desired filling procedure.

Furthermore, batcher 1 can also be used to implement a filling procedure which provides the steps of fast and slow filling, at which the degree of opening of batcher 1 (i.e. the position of shutter body 12) can be appropriately adjusted providing a partial opening configuration, corresponding to slow filling, in which shutter body 12 is conveniently brought to an intermediate position between the closed position (Figure 1) and the maximum open position (Figure 2) which corresponds to the rapid filling.

In particular, by appropriately controlling actuating means 50 - for example in response to a predetermined signal which is a function of the degree of filling of the container - batcher 1 can be rapidly switched between the respective maximum open configuration (Figure 2) and totally closed configuration (Figure 1) and guarantee at every moment in time an aseptic environment in which the pourable product flows.

From an analysis of the characteristics of batcher 1 according to the present invention, the advantages it allows to obtain are apparent.

In particular, batcher 1 allows to carry out the filing of a container with a two-phase pourable product according to the typical needs of the sector of the filling machines for the food sector, ensuring the desired aseptic conditions and very short response times to switch between different degrees of opening/closing of the batcher.

In particular, at the preferred ranges of values determined for the diameter of stem D _s and for ratio ( Όχ - D _s )/2, especially satisfactory results have obtained as regards the response of batcher 1 to a relative actuation signal issued by the control unit, together with an optimum functionality in case of the dosage of fruit juices containing fibres and fruit pulp (for example orange juice) .

At the same time, batcher 1 allows to easily fill containers with a two-phase pourable product, providing for this purpose a duct having a size appropriately compatible with that of the particles contained in the pourable product that flows along the duct. Thereby, the batcher according to the invention allows to considerably reduce the occurrence of obstructions, even partial ones, thus limiting accordingly the need for maintenance intervention and, as a consequence, down times.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants not departing from the scope of protection of the independent claims can be made to the disclosed and shown batcher.