MACHINE FOR PACKAGING A FLUID OR THE LIKE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to packaging and in particular iefers to a machine for packaging a fluid or the like, such as a drink, a drug, a cosmetic in liquid or semi-fluid state or powders or granules, in sealed or stoppered containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are known machines for packaging fluid into bottles using bottle motion means including several turntables or linear or mixed devices, including a turntable and a linear motion mean Such machines include moreover means fit for filling and closing the containers. In particular a machine equipped with two vertical axis turntables is known, having clamps for holding and releasing the containers. Such type of known machine includes feeding means which supply hollow containers to the clamps of a first turntable associated with filling means which fill the containers with a dose of the fluid. The clamps of the first turntable release the full containers to a transfer wheel passing them to the clamps of the second turntable which is associated to closing means of the containers.

Such well-known closure means take plugs, for example screw or snap plugs, from a respective feeder screwing or clicking them onto the full bottles so closing them. The full and closed bottles are therefore realised by the clamp s of the second turntable to output means.

A disadvantage of these known machines consists in that they take up a lot of room because the turntables, the feeding and output means are coplanar. Operating and movement members of turntables of such machine are, largely, placed under the movement plane of containers so, for example, getting dirty by fluid outputs. Other disadvantage of these known machines consists in that they have very difficult zones to be reached and cleaned because of their shape. Moreover such known machines are very expensive and very complex.

If the fluids to be packaged into containers require an environment with a predetermined aseptic degree, such known machines are equipped with means fit to generate a laminar flow of filtered air that, running over turntables and licking containers, should maintain the latter and their content in aseptic conditions and required cleaning. Further disadvantage of these known machines consists in that the complex shape and the movements of the filling and closing means make perturbations and turbulences of the eventual laminar flow so making an environment with contaminant suspended particles. Another disadvantage of such type of known machines consists in the fact that they usually are not adaptable to containers and fluids of different type and it is difficult to obtain specific and precise dosages of different products.

They are also known machines equipped with a linear transport, with chain or tape, associated with filling means and followed by a second linear transport or, more often, by a turntable, associated with closing means. Such second type of known machines is, in general, with intermittent motion.

Also this type of machines has the disadvantage of being bulky and furthermore is not suitable to fill out unstable containers or having irregular shapes. Other disadvantage of the latter type of known machines consists in that they make an environment having a lot of particles coming from chains or transportation tapes which are very difficult to be cleaned from such particles and other contaminants, such as for example sketches or fluid spills, also due to the dirty containers of chain or transportation tape.

Other disadvantage consists in that the container is opened along a considerable long path and for a very long time so causing an increased contamination risk. Another disadvantage of these machines consists in that they are limited to a medium- low productivity.

They are also known machines equipped with a first linear transportation, associated with dynamic filling means, of linear closure station associated with static closure means and equipped with a second linear output transportation of the filled and closed containers.

A disadvantage of this third type of machines consists in the fact that it and any generating means of the laminar filtered air flow are very long, expensive and bulky due

to the fact that the two transports and the linear station are staggered and parallel. A further known quarter type of machine equipped with a path, in general with chains, ring closed with two rectilinear and parallel long sections and equipped with filling and static closing means. Also such type of machines has considerable encumbrance and serious cleaning and aseptic problems.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to propose a machine for packaging a fluid or the like both very compact and fast.

Further object is to propose a machine fit to ensure a high aseptic degree of the environment in which the containers are filled and closed and fit to minimize the time in which the containers remain open for minimizing the contamination risks. Another purpose is to eliminate, fully or almost, the particle formation made by the machine members and/or by the containers, to insulate the distance covered by the containers from outside and from the volume occupied by the operating members and to run against the containers with a laminated flow of filtered air that is not much or not at all perturbed. Further aim is to realize a very easy and fast machine to be cleaned and to be maintained operative.

Another purpose is to propose an extremely versatile modular machine, designed for dosing and packaging fluids, powders, granules, capsules or tablets into containers of any shape and type by means of simple replacements of modules of the machine and fit to carry out almost all kinds of close with every type of plug. Another purpose is to propose a machine fit to carry out, on the containers, further works such as controls, labelling or other.

The machine for packaging a fluid or the like in containers, object of the present invention, includes a turntable means, filling means, sealing means and control means. The turntable means, or rotating head, is equipped with respective supports and with motorization means for its continuous and uniform rotation around the own vertical axis. Such turntable means is equipped with perimetrical clamping means, for example of the clamp type, for picking up, from an input means, containers and for realising into

an output means after a circumferential sector path.

The filling means are placed downstream of the input means with respect to the movement of the turntable means and include a respective support means having a plurality of dispensing means displaced onto the turntable means as the clamping means. The dispensing means are fit for pouring into the containers the fluid, or a dust or granulous material, dosed by dosing means. The support means, connected to motion means, is moved with linear reciprocate motion, in parallel direction to rotation axis of the turntable means, and with rotation motion round such axis for the dynamic filling of containers. The sealing means are placed behind the filling means and include a respective operating means having a plurality of container closure means which are placed as the clamping means on the turntable means, to close the containers. The operating means is connected to movement means that move it at least of lnear reciprocate motion in parallel direction to the rotation axis of the turntable means and revolving around such axis for realizing a dynamic closure. When the closure occurs by means of plugs or other means to be applied to container, the movement means consist in a robotized arm also supplying radial movements or along chords of the turntable circumference. The sealing means are moreover equipped with adduction means for carrying plugs into a position in which they can be taken by clamps and application of closure means. The control means are connected to the motorization means of the turntable means, to the motion means of filling means and to the movement means of closure means for the synchronization and the control of the movements of the movable means of the machine. The machine can moreover include protection screens and a laminar flow generator for ensuring the required aseptic degree. An external screen, for example cylindrical shaped, separates the container path from the external environment and an internal screen separates almost completely the filling and closing means from the container path that is therefore inserted into the interspace between the two screens. Such interspace is ran along by a laminar flow, almost undisturbed, of filtered air produced by a flow generator including blow and air filtering means. The entrance of the flow generator sucks at least part of the air from the internal volume to the internal screen and blows it into the interspace between the two screens from which passes, through

slits, inside said internal volume. Such design assures that the volume containing the filling and closing means is in depressing with respect to the interspace containing the containers. The external screen can be provided with slits for coming out a flow portion The machine is equipped with collection means of possible fluid spills and/or cleaning liquids including a cleaning tray with outside perimeter of the same shape or slightly greater to that of the turntable means respect to which is in lower position. The tray can be shaped of annular sector of annulus with the concavity towards the turntable means and vertically is movable between a maximum proximity condition to the turntable means, in which collects possible fluid spills or the liquid used for washing the turntable means, and a maximum spacing condition in which the cleaning is extremely fast and easy.

The machine can be equipped with labelling means, moulding means, for other works or controls, for example placed behind the closure means where the general configuration can be reproduced. The machine can include different types of clamping means and/or input or output means, and/or dosing means and dispensers, and/or container closure means, interchangeable for allowing the easily adapting of the machine to fluids, powders, granules, capsules or tablets, containers and closure types of almost each type and nature.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention are in the followed evidenced with particular reference to the enclosed drawings in which: - figure 1 shows a schematic and elevation view of the machine for packaging a fluid or the like, object of the present invention, in which some parts have been removed to better evidence other; - figure 2 shows a side view and partially sectioned of the machine of figure 1 in which some parts have been removed to better evidence other; - figure 3 shows a side view and partially sectioned of the machine, in a different operative condition from which is in figure 2, and in which some parts have been removed to better evidence other.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figures 1-3, numeral 1 indicates the machine for packaging a fluid, object of the present invention. Such machine can be used also for filling containers, such as bottles and pots with semi-fluid materials and with powders or granular materials able to run along an inclined pipe and to fill up a container, by gravity. The machine 1 includes a supporting mean 20, for example of the frame type with support legs, for supporting the different members of the machine. The machine includes a turntable means 2, discoidal shaped defining a plane that, in operative condition, is horizontal. In such condition the turntable means is placed in rotation, around its vertical axis, by respective motorization means 21 supported by supporting mean 20.

The turntable means is equipped with a plurality of perimetrical clamping means 22, for example consisting of clamp s, each having two swinging arms with reciprocal approaching and sending away. Such perimetrical clamping means 22 are fit for picking up, from an input means 100, C containers and for releasing them into an output means 101 after a circumference sector path.

The machine 1 includes moreover filling means 3 and sealing means 4. The filling means 3 are placed downstream of the input means 100 and include a respective support means 30, having a circular sector shaped portion, connected to respective motion means 32 and having a plurality of dispensing means 31 everyone provided with a respective nozzle or delivering pipe. The dispensing means and in particular the fluid delivering nozzles or small pipes are placed like the clamping means 22 on the turntable means 2 in order to simultaneously reach the mouths of the same number of containers kept by the clamping means.

The sealing means 4 are placed downstream the filling means 3 and include a respective base means 40, having a circular sector shaped portion, which bears a plurality of closure means 41 of containers, placed as the clamping means 22 on the turntable means 2. The sealing means 4 include also movement means 42 that move the base means 40. The perimetrical clamping means 22 are interchangeable and modular, with suitable jaws for C containers to be filled and closed. The architecture of the machine object of the present invention allows to establish the

diameter of the turntable means, the number of perimetrical clamping means 22, the dispensing means 31 and the closure means 41 with large freedom and in relation to the provided operative parameters. The modular design of the machine allows the inter- changeability of perimetrical clamping means, of dispensing means 31 and of closure means 41 with others of various kinds for adapting the machine to containers, fluids or similar and to plugs or closures of different type or nature.

The motorization means 21 are of continuous and almost uniform rotation motion for having the same motion for the turntable means 2, around the respective vertical axis. The motion means 32 move the dispensing means 31 with linear reciprocate motion in parallel direction to the rotation axis of the turntable means and with rotation motion around such axis. The dispensing means 31, by means of the nozzles or small pipes, pour the fluid or the like into the containers.

The motion means 32 of the support means 30 include respective motorization means 33, of type suitable for the reciprocate rotation motion around the rotation axis of the turntable means 2, and include a linear actuator 34 with reciprocate motion and parallel to such axis.

The motorization means 21 of the turntable means 2 and the motorization means 33 of the motion means 32, of the filling means 3 are coaxial and below the turntable means. The machine portion under the turntable means substantially does not include other movement or operating members which, mostly, are higher than the turntable plane.

Each dispensing means 31 is fed, with fluid or similar, by a respective doser 35 through a corresponding flexible tube 36.

As seen, the dispensing means 31 are interchangeable and modular, suitable to fluid or similar type. The machine includes also adduction means 50 for plugs T closing the C containers. Such plugs T are suitable to the intake neck type of these C containers and are, for example, of snap or screw type. The machine embodiment of figure 2 is for screw plugs, but the interchangeability of closure means 41 allows their easily replacing with other suitable plugs of snap or various type. The movement means 42 move the base means 40, together with the assembly of closure means 41, with three degrees of freedom, in cyclic way, between the adduction means 50 and a corresponding assembly of filled containers and to be plugged.

The movement means 42 include respective motorization means 43 and a robotic arm

44 with two degrees of freedom and supporting the base means 40 with the plurality of closure means 41.

The motorization means 43, fixed in the upper portion of the machine, rotate the robotic arm 44 around to an axis parallel to rotation axis of the turntable means 2 or, as illustrated, coinciding with it.

The robotic arm 44 moves the base means 40 with the plurality of closure means 41 along radius or, as in the illustrated embodiment, along chords of the circumference of the turntable means 2 and parallel to the rotation axis of the turntable means. The robotic arm 44 includes, in cascade starting from the connection with the motorization means 43, a first linear actuator for movements parallel to the axis and a second linear actuator for the movements along the chords. Linear actuator can be of the type with screw threaded shaft engaged with the unique axial motion and engaged with nut screw actuated of axial rotation by a motor or by an electric gearmotor. Each of the closure means 41 includes a holding means 45 for keeping and releasing the plugs T and a screwing means 46 for the axial rotation of the respective holding means

45 and therefore for screwing the plug T of screw type.

Each screwing means includes a motor or electric epyciclic reduction gear having at exit a first pulley, with vertical axis, engaged by an annular belt for the rotation of a second keyed pulley on a rotation vertical shaft of the respective holding means. Such design of closure means allows to check the screwing and the correct clamping of each single plug so reducing the risk of incomplete closures or of plugs or mouths damage. Each holding means 45 includes three jaws 47 for catching the plug T mutually arranged at 120°. The adduction means 50 for plugs T are supplied, by means of a suitable shaped wheel, from a feeding plug path. The adduction means 50 include a conveyer maintaining the plugs at mutual distance defined by the shaped wheel and corresponding to that between the container mouths blocked by the turntable means. The end section 51 of the adduction means 50 is circumferential sector shaped, with the same radius of the circumference passing through the centres of container mouths, and is provided with means to maintain the reciprocal distance among the plugs T so that they are placed like the neck mouths of said C containers blocked by the clamping means 22 of the turntable

means 2.

Such end section 51 of the adduction means 50 for the plugs T is superimposed to the turntable means and is equipped with motorization means for movements with at least one degree of freedom The end section 51 of adduction means 50 is in fact connected with a output shaft of respective motorization means, suitable to the reciprocate rotation motion around the axis of the shaft parallel to the rotation axis of the turntable means 2, for the oscillation of the end section 51 around such shaft and on a plane perpendicular to said axis.

The machine 1 includes control means connected at least to: motorization means 21 and perimetrical clamping 22 of the turntable means 2; to the motion means 32 and dispensing 31 of the filling means 3 and to the movement means 42 and closing 41 of the sealing means 4 and to the adduction means 50 for their control and synchronized operation.

Said control means include at least one programmable digital controller, from example of type PLC and/or computerised.

The control means are connected to each doser 35 at least for synchronizing the activation with that of the support means 30, having the plurality of dispensing means

31, of the filling means 3.

The control means are connected to the motorization means 43 and to the robotic arm 44 of movement means 42 of the sealing means 4 for establishing the movement law of the base means 40 with the closure means 41 and for synchronizing such motion with that of the turntable means 2.

The control means are connected to the motorization means of the end section 51 adduction means 50 of plugs T for establishing the motion law and for synchronizing such motion to that of the base means 40.

The control means receive linear and/or angular position signals by encoder associated to each motor and movement actuator of the adduction means 50 for plugs T and of the respective end section 51, of sealing means 4, of filling means 3 and turntable means 2 for example for carrying out a feedback control. The machine 1 can understand an external screen 60, approximately shaped with vertical cylindrical wall which surrounds the turntable means and closed on the upper part by an upper bulkhead 61.

The machine 1 can moreover includes blowing means 70 for generating a filtered and laminar airflow directed at least towards the containers inside the machine 1. The blowing means 70 introduce the filtered airflow inside the external screen 60, for example through openings of the upper bulkhead 61. Such external screen 60 is equipped with lower openings for the flow output.

The machine can also include an internal screen 80, having reduced sizes and similar shape to those of the external screen, superiorly closed, inside with respect to C container path and surrounding at least the motion means 32 of the filling means 3 and the movement means 42 of the sealing means 4. Such internal screen 80 downwardly is provided with openings at least for external portions of dispensing means 31 of the fluid and of closure means 41 of C containers. The blowing means 70 introduce the airflow inside the interspace between the external screen 60 and the internal screen 80. The blowing means 70 can intake at least one part of air for the filtered airflow, from the volume inside the internal screen 80 for maintaining at a pressure lower than that of the interspace between the external screen 60 and the internal screen 80 housing the containers. In this case at least one part of lower openings of the external screen 60, for the airflow output, flows inside the internal screen 80. The machine can moreover includes collection means 90 below the perimetrical clamping means 22 of the turntable means 2 and for collecting at least possible fluid and/or wash liquid outputs.

Such collection means 90 are bull portion annular shaped with upwardly concavity and optionally can be equipped with lowering means for moving between an operative condition of minimum distance from the turntable means 2 and a cleaning condition at the maximum distance from the turntable means 2.

The collection means 90 are opposed to lower openings of the external screen 60 for conveying the airflow flowing out from the openings directed inwardly of the internal screen 80. The machine operation provides that the filling means carry out the contemporary filling of a number of consecutive containers corresponding to the number of dispensing means 31 while such group of containers is moved by the turntable means. The closure means take the plugs supplied by the adduction means and close the group of filled

containers and always moved by the turntable means.

A simple variant of the machine, whose understanding does not require any specific figures, particularly suitable for filling and closing the clutch bag container, bag and similar and closable by means of heat sealing is without adduction means 50 for plugs T and is provided with closure means 41 everyone with a couple of tangential jaws heated for clamping and seal the bag mouth In such change, the movement means 42 move the plurality of closure means 41 with at least two degrees of freedom that is of linear reciprocate motion in parallel direction to rotation axis of the turntable means and of rotating motion around such axis for allowing such closure means 41 to close the containers. Each of the clamping means 22 includes two side clamps for catching the bag container sides and movable between approaching conditions, in which the bag mouth is open for filling through dispensing means 31, and sending away conditions in which the mouth is occluded. An advantage of this invention is to supply a machine, for packaging a fluid or the like, both very compact and very fast.

Further advantage is to supply a machine fit to ensure a high aseptic degree of the environment in which the containers are filled and closed and designed to minimize the time in which the containers are open for minimizing the contaminating risks. Other advantage is to fully or almost eliminate the particle formation made by the members of the machine and/or by the containers, to insulate the distance covered by the containers movement from outside and from the volume occupied by the operating and moving members, and to crash the containers with a laminar filtered air flow which is perturbed not much or not at all. Additional advantage is to supply a very easy machine and fast to be cleaned and to be maintained operative.

Other advantage is to supply an extremely versatile modular machine, designed to dose and packaging fluids, powders, granules, capsules or table s into containers of any shape and type by means of simple replacements of modules of the machine and fit to carry out almost all kinds of closure with any plug type. Other advantage is to supply a machine eventually fit to carry out, on the containers, further works such as controls, labels or other.