DE20312115U1 - Dosing assembly for powder product discharges vertically from hopper to dosing unit and vertically from dosing unit to container - Google Patents

Abstract

A dosing assembly discharges a pre-determined quantity of a powder (14) product into a container. The assembly has a dosing chamber (24) served by a hopper (16). The powder descends from the hopper vertically into the dosing chamber, followed by discharge esp. in the same direction (46) from the dosing chamber to the container. The transition from the dosing chamber to the discharge tube takes place over a ramp at an angle of between zero and 90[deg].

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Device for the metered filling of containers with free

flowable, powdery filling material 05

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a device by means of which freely flowing, powdery filling material can be dosed. The quantities of powdery filling material filled into containers must have a predetermined volume that is as constant as possible.

Such devices can have dosing chambers that are formed in so-called dosing tubes or dosing rollers. While a dosing tube is regularly inserted into a bed of filling material during filling, the dosing chambers, which are located individually or in groups on the outer circumference of a dosing roller, are positioned one after the other under the bottom opening of a filling material container during their respective filling process, and the powdery filling material is sucked into the respective dosing chamber from the powder bed or from the storage container. To empty the dosing chamber, the filling material in the respective dosing chamber is then blown out of the dosing chamber again by means of excess pressure into a container that is ready.

STATE OF THE ART

A filling device using a dosing tube is known from GB 1 42 0 3 64. The bottom of the dosing chamber formed at the front end of the dosing tube is sealed by a chamber which is impermeable to the powdery filling material and impermeable to gas.

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permeable filter. The powdery filling material is sucked into the dosing chamber by negative pressure and blown out of it again by positive pressure when the flow direction of the filling material is reversed. The alternating overpressure and negative pressure on the filling material and the changing flow direction of the same in the dosing chamber lead to a strong mechanical load on the individual powder particles of the filling material, which can lead to decomposition of the individual powder components.

The same problem also exists with filling devices that use metering rollers. This group of filling devices includes, for example, a device such as that known from DE 100 46 127 A1.

Here, too, the respective dosing chamber is flowed through in opposite, alternating flow directions as the powder particles of a filling material flow into and out of the dosing chamber.

The powdery components of the filling material are also subjected to stress by shut-off devices in the inflow and outflow devices that provide the filling material. Such shut-off devices exert crushing and shearing forces on the powdery components, which can also lead to mechanical destruction of the individual powder particles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

0 Based on this previously known state of the art, the invention is based on the object of specifying a device for the metered filling of containers with freely flowing, powdery filling material, in which such filling material is treated as gently as possible. In this case, 5 precisely large volumes of powdery filling material should be able to be filled into each individual container.

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The device according to the invention involves the flow through the dosing chamber in the same, i.e., a single flow direction during the filling and emptying process. The gentle treatment of the individual powdery components of the filling material that this brings about is significantly supported by the fact that the dosing chamber has an outflow opening for the filling material that is dosed into it, the opening cross-section of which is arranged at an angle of greater than zero and less than 90 degrees to the outflow direction. The outflow opening is therefore at an angle to the flow direction. The closure member that closes or releases this outflow opening is arranged at an angle in the same direction as this outflow opening. This means that by moving the closure member away, the contents of the dosing chamber can freely flow out of it at an angle. After the dosing chamber has been completely emptied, the closure member is moved back into its position that closes the outflow opening. When the dosing chamber is emptied, no crushing or shearing forces are exerted on the filling material in the dosing chamber.

The lateral flow away of the filling material present in the dosing chamber can be caused by the closure element itself or, more generally, by a correspondingly inclined flow ramp.

The closure member may have a correspondingly inclined outer wall; it is also possible to arrange a correspondingly shaped closure plate on the closure member, by means of which the outflow opening can be closed or opened.

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As shown in the drawing, with the oblique arrangement of the discharge opening of the dosing chamber, the closure member closing the discharge opening or its closure plate can be moved away from the discharge opening; conversely, it is also possible to move the dosing chamber and thus its discharge opening away from the closure member, for example by pulling it upwards. In addition, a combinatorial relative mutual movement of the dosing chamber and the closure member is also possible.

In order to achieve a targeted filling of volume-dosed filling material into the respective containers, according to the example shown in the drawing, a channel is provided to the side of the dosing chamber, which is arranged in such a way that the filling material flowing out of the dosing chamber via the flow ramp can flow into it. The filling material can then be filled from this channel into a container positioned below it.

In order to free this channel of any filling residues that may be present in it, a so-called residue channel can be arranged to flow transversely into it. This residue channel can be connected to a vacuum gas source and any filling residues can be sucked out of this channel. It is also possible to clean this channel using excess pressure. In the latter case, it could also be possible to blow these filling residues into the container.

In order to ensure that the same volume of filling material is always present in the dosing chamber or is filled from it into a container that is ready at any time, means can be provided for

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Ensuring a constant high level of filling material in the storage container to which the dosing chamber is connected and from which the dosing chamber is filled with filling material. This constant level of filling material must be ensured at least before each filling process.

In a cyclical mode of operation, the corresponding amount of filling material must be refilled into the storage container according to the volume of filling material being filled. This can be done using a filling material feed that is adjustable relative to the storage container. This filling material feed can, as shown in the embodiment shown in the drawing, have a slider at the front in the adjustment direction and at the back in the adjustment direction that equalizes the height of the filling material bed. The use of such a slider to level a powder surface is known from DE 100 46 127 A1. The slider at the front in the adjustment direction is moved away from the area of the filling material bed during the relative movement of the filling material feed and the storage container. When feeding the filling material, a filling material bed with a constant height that is the same for each work cycle can be created using the slider at the back. At the same time, the dosing chamber connected to the filling material bed is completely filled. The dosed volume of filling material that is filled into each container is determined by the volume of the dosing chamber and the volume of the cone of material that forms when the powdered bulk material flows out of the filling material bed in the storage container. The size of this cone of material depends on the height of the filling material bed and the type of filling material.

In order to change the volume of the filling material to be filled, the height of the filling material bed can be varied. It is also possible to equip the dosing chamber with two

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telescopically nested chamber areas like two telescopically nested tubes. In this way, the volume of the dosing chamber itself can be varied in size.

Further embodiments and advantages of the invention can be taken from the features further listed in the claims and the embodiments shown in the drawings.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention is described and explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawing. They show:

Fig. 1 to 4

an emptying cycle of the dosing chamber in the case of a dosing chamber that can be moved upwards away from the closure member of its outlet opening,

Fig. 5 to 8

a representation similar to that of Fig. 1 to 4, with a closure member movable downwards away from the dosing chamber,

Fig. 9 to 12

a representation similar to that of Fig. 5 to 8, with a closure member movable horizontally to the right from the dosing chamber,

Fig. 13 a representation of the dosing chamber

connected storage container with a filling material feed moving to the left, 35

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Fig. 14 is a view similar to that of Fig. 13, with an intermediate position of the filling material feed movable to the left,

Fig. 15 is a view similar to that of Fig. 13, with a filling material feed moving back to the right,

Fig. 16 is a view similar to that of Fig. 15, with the filling material feed in a different intermediate position,

Fig. 17 is an enlarged view of a

comparatively large volume dosing chamber,
15

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17, with a comparatively small dosing chamber.

WAYS TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION

In Figs. 1 to 4, a device 10 is shown with which containers 12 can be filled with a specific amount 14.2 of freely flowable, powdery filling material 14.

The filling device 10 has a storage container 16 into which filling material 14 is filled via a filling pipe 18 in such a way that this filling material 14 is present as a filling material bed 14.4 with a constantly large filling material height 20.

The storage container 16 has a bottom opening 22 which opens into a downwardly projecting tube 24. This tube 24 is inserted into another tube 26. The two tubes 24, 26 can be inserted into each other to different extents.

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Thus, by means of a handle 28 attached to the lower tube 26, the lower tube 26 can be lifted upwards 32 - in this case by a distance of 30. This increases the length 34 by which the two tubes 24, 26 fit into one another as shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the tubes 24, 26 that are fitted into one another have a larger distance 36 than the tubes 24, 26.

The lower tube 26 has an outflow opening 40 which is aligned at an angle 42 which is greater than zero and less than 90 degrees and in the present case is approximately 45 degrees, against the longitudinal axis 44 of the lower tube 26. The plane of the outflow opening 40 is therefore transverse to the outflow direction 46, with which the filling material 14 present in the two dosing tubes 24, 26 can flow downwards out of the two tubes 24, 26 when the outflow opening 40 is open.

The outflow opening 40 is opened or closed by a closure member 50. This closure member 50 has an upper wall 52 which is designed as an inclined ramp. This wall 52 is also at an angle 42 to the longitudinal axis 44 of the lower tube 26.

In relation to the longitudinal axis 44, a channel 56 is provided to the side next to the tube 26. This channel is provided relative to the tube 26 in such a way that when the outflow opening 40 is open, filling material from the tube 26 can flow into the channel 56 via the wall 52. A container is positioned below the lower end 58 of the channel 56, into which the filling material from the tube 26 or from the channel 56 can then flow.

To open the outlet opening 40, the lower tube 2 6 is lifted upwards 32 as shown in Fig. 1 to 4. When lifting, the lower tube 2 6 moves with its

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Outflow opening 40 away from the wall 52 of the closure member 50 (Fig. 2). The filling material 14.6 present in the two tubes 24, 26 and the amount of filling material 14.8 of the filling material cone 14.10 forming in the filling material bed 14.4 then flow through the open outflow opening 40. The size of the filling material cone 14.10 depends on the inclination of its cone walls and on the height 20 of the filling material bed 14.4. This cone always forms with a constant filling material height 20 and a certain filling material with a constant volume. When the outflow opening 40 is opened, i.e. when the lower tube 26 is raised by a distance of 30, a quantity of filling material 14.2 flows into the container 12, which is made up of the quantity of filling material 14.6 present in the two tubes 24, 26 and the quantity of filling material 14.8 of the filling material cone 14.10 in the filling material bed 14.4. After this quantity 14.2 of filling material 14 has flowed into the container 12 (Fig. 3), the lower tube 26 is, as Fig. 4 shows, moved back downwards 32.2 into its position shown in Fig. 1. A further comparable filling process can then be carried out into a new container 12, in which case, however, the two tubes 24, 26 must first be filled with filling material and the filling material bed 14.4 must again be produced in its filling material height 20 shown in Fig. 1, as will be described in more detail below.

A residue channel 60 connected to a vacuum gas source opens into the channel 56, through which residues of filling material remaining in the channel 56 after a container 12 has been filled with filling material 14.2 can be sucked out of the channel.

In the device 10.2 shown in Fig. 5 to 8, the filling of containers 12 takes place in a manner comparable to the filling device 10. The 35

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However, the outflow opening 40 of the lower tube 26 is not moved upwards by the closure member 50 in order to open the outflow opening 40, but rather, in the present case, a closure member 50.2 comparable to the closure member 50 is moved downwards 32.2. The lower tube 26.2 is not moved in the present case and therefore does not need to have a handle 28. In the open state, the same amount of filling material 14.6 is present in the two tubes 24, 26.2 as is the case with the filling device 10. After the filling material 14.6 has been emptied via the channel 56 into a waiting container 12, the amount of filling material 14.8 of the filling material cone 14.10 in the filling material bed 14.4 is simultaneously emptied into the container 12, as has already been described in the present case.

After the filling material 14.2 has completely flowed into the waiting container 12, the lower closure member 50.2 is raised upwards 32 again and the outflow opening 40 of the lower tube 26.2 is closed again. A further filling inflow can then follow.

In the filling device 10.4 shown in Fig. 9 to 12, the closure member 50.4 is moved to the right 32.4 (10) in this case to open the closure opening 40 of the lower tube 26.2. To close it, the closure member 50.4 is moved back in the opposite direction, to the left 32.6. The filling process then takes place in a similar manner to the devices 10 and 10.2.

In the present filling devices 10, 10.2 and 10.4, the lower channel 56 and the respective closure member 50, 50.2, 50.4 are each designed as a coherent component

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When the respective closure member 50.2, 50.4 is adjusted, the channel 56 also moves. However, embodiments would also be possible in which only the closure member, without the channel, is moved into its respective open or closed position.

Fig. 13 to 16 show how the filling material bed 14.4 with its constant filling material height 20 is produced in the storage container 16.

Not just one but several dosing chambers are connected to the reservoir 16. Each dosing chamber contains an upper and lower tube 24, 26, as described above.

After a filling process, i.e. after emptying the filling material in the corresponding tubes 24 and 26, corresponding filling material cones 14.10 have formed in the filling material bed 14.4. Filling material 14 is refilled into the storage container 16 via a filling pipe 70. The filling pipe 70 is moved back and forth parallel to the base 72 and thus also parallel to the filling material bed 14.4 to the left (arrow 74) or to the right (arrow 76). In the present example, the connected dosing chambers are filled with filling material during the movement to the left (74). In Fig. 14, the right-hand tube 24 and the other tube 26 (not shown in the drawing), into which this tube 24 dips telescopically, are filled with filling material 14.6. By further moving to the left 0 (arrow 74), the left tube 24 is then also filled in a comparable manner. In order to achieve the constant filling material height 20, a rear slide 80 is pulled over the filling material bed 14.4 in the direction of displacement 74 to the left (arrow). In the present case, this slide 80 is attached to the filling pipe 70. This slide 80 equalizes the filling material bed 14.4 and ensures a constant filling material height 20. _&ggr;&khgr;-

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If the filling pipe 70 together with the rear slide 80 is moved all the way to the left (arrow 74) and all tubes are filled, a corresponding filling process of containers 12 can take place. Then, by moving the filling pipe 70 back, as shown in Fig. 15 and 16, the tubes 24 are filled again with filling material 14 flowing out of the filling pipe 70. During this process to the right (arrow 76), a slide 82, which in this example is located to the left of the filling pipe 70, is pulled behind the filling pipe 70 over the filling material bed 14.4, as already described above in a comparable manner with the slide 80. During this movement to the right (arrow 76), the slide 80 is raised so as not to have any contact with the filling material bed 14.4. During the above-described movement of the filling pipe 70 to the left (arrow 74), the front slide 82 in the adjustment direction was raised in order to have no contact with the filling material bed 14.4 during this movement.

In Fig. 17 and 18, a possibility is shown for varying the quantity 14.2 of filling material 14 to be filled. In the possibility shown in Fig. 17 and 18, the storage container 16 is moved downwards by a dimension of 90 in the present example. In this way, the respective upper tube 24 no longer dips into the respective lower tube 26 by a dimension of 92 (Fig. 17), but by a larger dimension 94 (Fig. 18). The volume formed by the two tubes 24, 26 and the associated bulk material cone 14.10 is shown in Fig.

18 (height dimension 96) is therefore smaller than it is in Fig. 17 (height dimension 98). The filling height 20 of the powder bed 14.4 within the storage container 16 does not change with this vertical adjustment of the storage container 16.

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In addition, the amount of filling material 14 to be filled at any one time can also be achieved by changing the height 20 of the filling material bed 14.4. This can be achieved in a simple manner by arranging the rear slide 80 or 82 at different heights in the direction of travel of the filling pipe.

20 25

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Claims (13)

1. Device ( 10 , 10.2 , 10.4 ) for the metered filling of containers ( 12 ) with freely flowable, powdery filling material ( 14 ), - with at least one dosing chamber ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ) which is connected to a storage container ( 16 ) holding the filling material ( 14 ), characterized in that - the dosing chamber ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ) can be flowed through by the filling material ( 14 ) in the same flow direction ( 46 ) during its filling and emptying process, - the dosing chamber ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ) has an outflow opening ( 40 ) for the filling material, the opening cross-section of which is at an angle ( 42 ) greater than zero and less than 90 degrees to the outflow direction ( 46 ) of the filling material, - a closure member ( 50 , 50.2 , 50.4 ) for the outlet opening ( 40 ) is provided, which is located outside the dosing chamber ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ), - the closure member and the outflow opening are adjustable relative to each other so that the closure member ( 50 , 50.2 , 50.4 ) can be placed close to the outflow opening ( 40 ), - a flow ramp ( 52 ) for filling material ( 14 ) flowing through the outflow opening ( 40 ) is provided such that when the outflow opening ( 40 ) is not closed, the filling material ( 14 ) can flow away from the dosing chamber ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ) in a transverse direction relative to the outflow direction. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that - the closure member ( 50 , 50.2 , 50.4 ) has a closure plate (wall 52 ) which can be tightly placed against the outlet opening ( 40 ). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that - the closure plate is an outer wall ( 52 ) of the closure member ( 50 , 50.2 , 50.4 ). 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the closure member ( 50 , 50.2 , 50.4 ) or its closure plate is or are adjustable in a direction parallel ( 32 , 32.2 ) and/or transverse ( 32.4 , 32.6 ) to the outflow direction ( 46 ). 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a channel ( 56 ) is provided, in front of the front end ( 58 ) of which one of the containers ( 12 ) to be filled can be positioned, - the flow ramp ( 52 ) is provided in such a way that the filling material ( 14 ) flowing over it can flow into the channel ( 56 ). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - a residual channel ( 60 ) opens transversely into the channel ( 56 ) and can be connected to an overpressure or underpressure gas source. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - Means ( 80 , 82 ) are provided for ensuring a constantly high filling material level ( 20 ) in the storage container ( 16 ) at least temporally before each filling process. 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that - a filling material feed ( 70 ) is provided, by means of which filling material ( 14 ) can be filled into the storage container ( 16 ), - the filling material feed ( 70 ) is adjustable ( 74 , 76 ) relative to the storage container ( 16 ), - the filling material feed ( 70 ) has a slide ( 80 , 82 ) at the front in the adjustment direction and at the rear in the adjustment direction, which equalizes the height of the filling material bed ( 14.4 ), - the front slide ( 80 , 82 ) in the adjustment direction can be moved upwards away from the area of the filling material bed ( 14.4 ). 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - Means are provided for changing the volume of the dosing chamber (24, 26, 26. 2, 14. 10). 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that - the dosing chamber has at least two telescopic chamber areas ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ). 11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - the dosing chamber ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ) is tubular. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that - the dosing chamber has two telescopically interlocking tubes ( 24 , 26 , 26.2 ). 13. Device according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that - the slides ( 80 , 82 ) which equalize the height of the filling material bed ( 14.4 ) can be adjusted to any desired height.