POURABLE PRODUCT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method for filling containers with a pourable product, in particular a pourable food product.

The present invention also relates to a machine configured for filling containers with a pourable product, in particular a pourable product.

BACKGROUND ART

Machines for the movement and handling of containers adapted to contain a pourable product, preferably a pourable food product, are known.

Such machines typically comprise a number of handling and/or treatment units, each configured to perform a predetermined operation encompassed within a treating process of the above-mentioned containers.

For example, in case containers made of plastic material are to be handled and/or treated), the known machines usually comprise:

- a blowing unit, or blower, configured to obtain fully-formed containers, such as bottles, starting from known preforms made of plastic material;

- a filling unit configured to fill the containers with a predetermined amount of pourable product;

- a capping unit configured to apply a closure (i.e. a cap) to each container previously filled; and

- a labelling unit configured to apply labels onto containers.

Furthermore, the machines usually comprise a series of transfer units and/or conveying units, configured to transfer and/or advance the containers between each of, and within each of, the above handling units.

According to a first known layout, the above- mentioned handling units are arranged in succession with respect to one another along a curved processing path, along which the containers are advanced, from the first handling unit (typically the blowing unit) to the last handling unit (typically the labelling unit), and with respective transfer units arranged in between each couple of successive handling units.

In such layout, both the handling units and the transfer units are usually of the rotary type (carousel like wheels).

A second known type of layout is the so-called linear machine layout, in which the handling units are arranged in succession with respect to one another along a linear processing path. In such layout, the transfer unit is defined by a linear conveyor arranged beneath the succession of handling units, and comprising a plurality of receiving portions, each defining a seat configured to receive one single container to be treated. Therefore, the handling units are configured to handle and/or treat the succession of containers from above, while the containers are advanced by the linear conveyor.

The linear layout has the advantage of being simple, compact and devoid of rotary components.

Regardless of the layout, it is known in the field to control the filling of the containers in order to fill these latter with a predetermined amount of pourable product. This is particularly important to ensure the repeatability of the filling operation, i.e. to ensure that containers are filled with substantially the same amount of pourable product.

Typically, the known filling units comprise a number of flow measurement devices, such as flowmeters, configured to measure the flow of pourable product fed into each container.

Although being functionally valid, the machines for filling containers with a pourable product of the above- mentioned type are still open for further improvements.

In particular, the need is felt in the industry to improve the precision, the flexibility and the overall reliability of the known machines, in particular of the filling operation in the known machines, as well as improving the aseptic conditions thereof.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for filling containers with a pourable product which is designed to meet at least one of the above-mentioned needs in a straightforward and low-cost manner.

This object is achieved by a method for filling containers with a pourable product as claimed in claim 1.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine configured for filling containers with a pourable product which is designed to meet at least one of the above-mentioned needs in a straightforward and low- cost manner.

This object is achieved by a machine configured for filling containers with a pourable product as claimed in claim 8.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic top view, with parts removed for clarity, of a machine configured for filling containers according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic top view, with parts removed for clarity, of the machine of Figure 1 according to an alternative operative configuration;

Figure 3 is a larger-scale perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a component of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a larger-scale schematic lateral view, with parts removed for clarity, of a component of the machine of Figure 1; and

Figures 5a-5c show, in reduced scale and with parts removed for clarity, three schematic lateral views of the component of Figure 4 during three different successive operative conditions, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to Figure 1, number 1 indicates as a whole a machine for moving and handling containers 2 adapted to contain a pourable product, in particular a pourable food product.

In particular, machine 1 comprises a plurality of handling units 3, each configured to perform a respective handling and/or treating operation encompassed within a handling and/or treating process of containers 2.

It is stated that the expression handling encompasses hereby any suitable operation performable on containers 2, such as filling, capping, labelling, sanitizing, rinsing, blowing or the like.

In particular, containers 2 are defined by bottles adapted to be filled with a pourable product, to be labeled and to be capped.

According to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, machine 1 comprises:

- a filling unit 3a configured to fill, in a manner known and not described in detail, containers 2 with a predetermined amount of pourable product;

- a capping unit 3b configured to apply closures, i.e. caps, to containers 2 after filling, in a manner known and not described in detail; and

- a labelling unit 3c configured to apply labels (not shown) to containers 2, preferably after capping, in a manner known and not described in detail.

Hence, capping unit 3b is arranged operatively downstream of filling unit 3a and operatively upstream of labelling unit 3c.

According to an alternative embodiment not shown, machine 1 could comprise other types of handling and/or treatment units such as a sanitizing unit, a blowing unit, a rinsing unit, or the like, configured to perform respective handling and/or treatment operations.

Moreover, machine 1 could comprise any combination of the above handling units 3; for example, machine 1 could comprise only filling unit 3a.

In light of the above, machine 1 is configured for filling containers 2 with the pourable product.

Machine 1 further comprises:

- a support structure 4 having a working surface 5 along which containers 2 are moved, in use;

- an input station I at which containers 2 are fed, in particular sequentially fed, in use to support structure 4; and

- an output station 0 at which containers 2 exit table 4.

According to this embodiment shown, support structure is defined by a substantially flat working table 4, the working surface 5 defining an upper surface of table 4, substantially horizontal, preferably flat, and along which handling units 3 are arranged.

Alternatively, support structure may be defined by a track-like structure (not shown) having working surface 5 as an upper surface thereof and along which handling units 3 are arranged.

Preferably, machine 1 includes an input device, in particular an input star wheel 6, configured to feed containers 2 to be handled and/or treated to table 4, and an output device, in particular an output star wheel 7, configured to withdraw handled and/or treated (i.e. filled, capped and labelled) containers 2 from table 4.

Conveniently, filling unit 3a, capping unit 3b and labelling unit 3c are arranged in proximity to table 4. More specifically, filling unit 3a and capping unit 3b are arranged above table 4, and therefore above and along working surface 5, whereas labelling unit 3c is arranged peripherally to table 4.

As visible in Figure 1, machine 1 further comprises a plurality of conveying members 8 movable along working surface 5 and configured to receive at least one container 2 at a time at input station I, to convey such container 2 along working surface 5 and consecutively at filling unit 3a, capping unit 3b and labelling unit 3c, and to release the handled and/or treated container 2 at output station 0.

According to the non-shown embodiment in which machine 1 comprises only filling unit 3a, conveying members 8 are movable along working surface 5 to convey the respective containers 2 from input station I to filling unit 3a and from filling unit 3a to output station 0, at which they release the filled containers 2.

In light of the above, filling unit 3a defines a filling station for the containers 2; capping unit 3b defines a capping station for the containers 2; and labelling unit 3c defines a labelling station for the containers 2.

As visible in Figures 3 and 4, each conveying member 8 comprises:

- a base element 10, preferably defined by a substantially flat plate arranged parallel, in use, to working surface 5; and

- a receiving portion 11 carried by base element 10 on an upper surface 12 thereof, in particular mounted on upper surface 12, and delimiting a seat configured to receive and hold one container 2 at a time.

In greater detail, base plate 10 has a substantially square shape and has a lower surface 13, opposite to upper surface 12 and facing, in use, working surface 5.

According to an alternative embodiment not shown, each receiving portion 11 could receive more than one container 2 at a time, for example two containers 2 at a time or three containers 2 at a time.

Machine 1 further comprises a magnetic-inductive interaction device 14 between table 4 and each conveying member 8 for producing a magnetic-inductive interaction between conveying members 8 and table 4 and, consequently, a levitating movement of conveying members 8 along and above working surface 5.

More specifically, magnetic-inductive interaction device 14 comprises:

- at least one, preferably a plurality of individually-excitable solenoids 15 (only one shown in Figure 4) embedded in table 4 so as to be distributed along working surface 5, in particular embedded in an upper portion 4a of table 4 proximate to working surface 5; and

- a plurality of permanent magnets 16, each one carried by one respective conveying member 8, in particular embedded in the relative base plate 10.

Solenoids 15 and permanent magnets 16 are adapted to magnetically couple to one another so as to magnetically interact with one another to produce the movement and the levitation of conveying members 8 with respect to working surface 5.

In detail, each conveyor member 8 levitates, in use and due to the interaction produced between the relative permanent magnet 16 and solenoids 15, at a non-zero distance A from working surface 5, during its movement along working surface 5.

Therefore, conveying members 8 are movable in a levitating manner along working surface 5 at distance A from working surface 5.

In greater detail, solenoids 15 are biased, in use, with a given current, so as to produce (in a well-known manner) a magnetic field and cause the conveying members 8, carrying respective permanent magnets 16, to magnetically couple with solenoids 15 and, therefore, to move and levitate above working surface 5.

According to an alternative embodiment not shown, permanent magnets 16 could be embedded in table 4 and each solenoid 15 could be carried by one respective conveying member 8.

In light of the above, conveying members 8 and table 4 define together a linear motor for moving and levitating conveying members 8 respectively along and above working surface 5, thereby conveying containers 2 along and above working surface 5 from input station I to output station 0 and at filling unit 3a, capping unit 3b and labelling unit 3c.

In particular, each conveying member 8 is configured to translate along working surface 5 and to rotate about its own axis. More in particular, the rotation can be useful during certain handling/treatment operations, such as capping or labelling, in which a rotation of containers 2 is needed.

Conveniently, conveying members 8 are movable along working surface 5 according to a movement scheme selectable among a series of movement schemes each one of which is correlated to a given spatial arrangement of handling units 3 with respect to table 4.

As an example, given the spatial arrangement of filling unit 3a, capping unit 3b and labelling unit 3c shown in Figure 1, conveying members 8 are controlled to move according to a movement scheme M defining a substantially annular conveying path.

According to an alternative embodiment, machine 1 could comprise any suitable combination and spatial disposition of the above handling units 3.

For example, according to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, machine 1 comprises one filling unit 3a, two capping units 3b, arranged downstream of filling unit 3a and configured to cap containers 2 in a parallel fashion to one another, and a labelling unit 3c, arranged downstream of capping units 3b.

Given the spatial arrangement of filling unit 3a, capping units 3b and labelling unit 3c shown in Figure 2, conveying members 8 are controlled to move along working surface 5 according to a movement scheme N different from the movement scheme M of Figure 1.

In particular, according to movement scheme N, conveying members 8 are controlled to convey containers 2 first to filling unit 3a, then selectively to the two capping units 3b, so that these latter can operate in parallel, and then to labelling unit 3c. This is possible thanks to the high flexibility of conveying members 8, which are controllable to move freely and independently from one another along working surface 5 of table 4, by means of magnetic-inductive device 14.

If any alternative spatial arrangement of handling units 3 is necessary/desired, it is sufficient to set an appropriate alternative movement scheme which determines the passage of conveying members 8, and therefore of containers 2, from each handling unit 3 according to the appropriate manner and sequence.

Moreover, as shown in Figure 2, machine 1 according to the present invention allows to easily handle/treat containers 2 in parallel for a particular handling/treating process, without the need for complicated control of conveying members 8 and cumbersome modification to the machine 1 itself. This can allow to avoid or at least to mitigate the harsh effect of so- called "bottleneck" operations encompassed within the handling/treatment process.

Conveniently, regardless of the particular movement scheme, conveying members 8 follow, in use, a closed-loop path, i.e. each conveying member 8, after releasing the treated container 2 at output station 0, is controlled to move at input station I, at which it receives a new container 2 to be handled/treated. In the following, reference will be made to a single conveying member 8 carrying one respective container 2 at filling unit 3a, for the sake of brevity. However, the structural and functional features described hereinafter for such conveying member 8, are equally applicable to all conveying members 8 of machine 1 carrying the respective containers 2 at filling unit 3a.

As shown in the appended Figures, machine 1 further comprises a control unit 30 configured to detect a physical quantity between conveying member 8 and table 4 during the filling of the container 2 conveyed by conveying member 8 at filling station, i.e. at filling unit 3a.

Furthermore, control unit 30 is also configured to interrupt the filling of such container 2 when the detected physical quantity reaches a predetermined value, in particular a predetermined threshold value.

In practice, control unit 30 is configured to detect a physical quantity correlated with the amount of product fed to container 2 during filling thereof.

More specifically, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, control unit 30 is configured to:

- bias at least one solenoid 15, in particular the solenoid (or solenoids) 15 arranged underneath conveying member 8 when this latter is at the filling station, with a given current so as to maintain conveying member 8 at the above-mentioned non-zero distance A from working surface 5 during the filling operation;

- measure, in particular measure and record on a data storage medium, the value of the given current throughout the filling operation; and to

- correlate the given current, in particular the recorded value of the given current, with the amount of pourable product fed to container 2 during filling thereof.

Accordingly, according to this embodiment, control unit 20 is further configured to interrupt the filling of container 2 when the given current, in particular the recorded value of the given current, reaches a predetermined value, in particular a predetermined threshold value.

In other words, control unit 30 is configured to control, during filling of container 2, a variation of a magnetic-inductive parameter, i.e. the given current, so as to maintain conveying member 8 at distance A from working surface 5, notwithstanding the increasing weight of the container 2 caused by the pourable product entering into the container 2 itself.

Such a variation, in particular an increase, of the given current is necessary to counteract the increasing pulling action of gravity on the increasing mass of the system defined by the container 2 and its increasing content of pourable product during filling, thereby maintaining conveying member 8 at distance A from working surface 5.

Hence, in this case, control unit 30 is operatively connected to filling unit 3 and table 4, in particular solenoids 15, as schematically shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5a to 5c.

Moreover, in this case, the given current with which solenoids 15 are biased with defines the above-mentioned physical quantity between conveying members 8 and table 4 and correlated with the amount of pourable product fed to the containers 2 during filling thereof.

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, conveying member 8 comprises a load cell (known per se and not shown) arranged at receiving portion 11 and adapted to operatively interact with container 2, in particular with one container 2 after the other, so as to detect a load exerted thereon by container 2 during filling thereof.

In practice, container 2 is positioned, in use, onto load cell at input station I.

The load cell is subject to a varying load during filling of container 2, due to the increasing weight of container 2 fed with the pourable product.

Accordingly, control unit 30 is configured to measure, in particular measure and record on a data storage medium, the load exerted on the load cell by container 2 during filling thereof and to correlate the measured load with the amount of pourable product fed to container 2.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, control unit 30 is also configured to interrupt the filling of container 2 when the measured load reaches a predetermined value, in particular a predetermined threshold value.

Hence, in this case, control unit 30 is operatively connected to filling unit 3 and conveyor member 8, in particular to the load cell provided in the receiving portion 11 (such connection is not shown in the appended Figures).

Moreover, in this case, the load exerted on the load cell defines the above-mentioned physical quantity between conveying members 8 and table 4 and correlated with the amount of pourable product fed to the containers 2 during filling thereof.

According to a further alternative embodiment of the present invention, machine 1 further comprises a sensor device 31 configured to detect a position of conveying member 8 relative to working surface 5, to generate a signal correlated with the position detected, and to send the signal to control unit 30.

Accordingly, control unit 30 is configured to receive the generated signal, to measure, in particular record on a data storage medium, the value of the detected position, i.e. the non-zero distance between lower surface 13 and working surface 5, throughout the filling based on the signal received, and to interrupt the filling of container 2 when the measured, i.e. recorded, value of the distance reaches a predetermined value.

More specifically, as visible in Figures 5a, the distance between lower surface 13 and working surface 5 is at a value A at the beginning of the filling operation; accordingly, sensor device 31 detects the position of base plate 10 relative to working surface 5 and sends the correlated signal to control unit 31.

During filling, the distance B between lower surface 13 and working surface 5 decreases, due to the increasing weight of container 2 carried by conveying member 8 in a levitating manner (Figure 5b).

When sensor device 31 detects a position for which lower surface 13 is at a predetermined threshold distance C (i.e. a minimum distance) from working surface 5, control unit 30 controls an interruption of the filling operation (Figure 5c).

In light of the above, sensor device 31 is a position sensor, for example an optic position sensor.

Hence, in this case, control unit 30 is operatively connected to filling unit 3 and sensor device 31, as shown in Figures 5a-5c.

Moreover, in this case, the distance A, B or C between lower surface 13 and working surface 5 defines the above-mentioned physical quantity between conveying members 8 and table 4 and correlated with the amount of pourable product fed to the containers 2 during filling thereof.

The operation of machine 1 according to the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to a single conveying member 8 carrying a single container 2 and starting from a condition in which a container 2 is positioned on conveying member 8 at input station I.

In this condition, conveying member 8 moves and levitate along working surface 5 of table 4 by means of magnetic-inductive device 14, thereby conveying container 2 at filling unit 3a.

When container 2 reaches the filling station, filling unit 3a starts to feed pourable product into container 2, according to a manner known and not described in detail. At the same time, control unit 30 detects the above- mentioned physical quantity: in one embodiment the given current, in another embodiment the distance between lower surface 13 and working surface 5, in a further embodiment the load exerted by container 2 on the load cell arranged at receiving portion 11.

When the physical quantity reaches the predetermined threshold value, control unit 30 controls the interruption of the filling operation.

The above operations define a method for filling containers 2 with a pourable product according to the present invention.

Then, conveying member 8 conveys container 2 at the other handling units 3, if any (for example capping unit 3b and labelling unit 3c), and eventually at output station 0, at which container 2 is withdrawn from conveying member 8 by output device 7.

At this point, conveying member 8 is controlled to move again at input station I to receive the next container 2 to be handled/treated.

The operation is repeated for each container 2 to be handled/treated and for each conveying member 8 that may be present in machine 1.

The advantages of machine 1 and of the method for filling containers 2 according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description.

In particular, more precise, reliable and flexible machine 1 and method for filling containers 2 with a pourable product are provided. In fact, the above configuration of machine 1 eliminates the need for certain components during the filling operation, such as flowmeters, which are slow in response compared to the above configuration.

Furthermore, there is no need for a plurality of flowmeters, thereby increasing the overall reliability of machine 1 and of the method for filling.

In addition, the flexibility of machine 1 and of the method for filling is improved, since, regardless of the number and spatial disposition of handling units 3 of machine 1, the movement scheme according to which conveying members 8 move along working surface 5 of table 4 can be easily adapted.

Moreover, the modularity of machine 1 is also increased, since an appropriate number of conveying members 8 can be provided depending on the number of handling units 3 present in machine 1, or depending on the number and cadency of containers 2 to be treated.

Finally, the aseptic conditions of machine 1 and of the method for filling containers 2 are improved, since conveying members 8 and table 4 do not require any lubrication (due to the fact that there are no parts cooperating in contacts with respect to one another).

Clearly, changes may be made to machine 1 as described herein without, however, departing from the scope of protection as defined in the accompanying claims.