Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Processes – Gas or variation of gaseous condition in receiver
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2001-01-30
Maust, Timothy L. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Processes
Gas or variation of gaseous condition in receiver
C141S005000, C141S008000, C141S062000, C141S065000, C141S067000, C141S059000, C141S094000, C053S403000, C053S510000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179015
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates, on the one hand, to a device for packaging a filler material, and particularly to such device including a vertical fill pipe, a funnel above the fill pipe, a format pipe concentrically surrounding the fill pipe, wherein between the fill pipe and the format pipe there is provided an annular gap, a blower for blowing air into the fill pipe and for influencing the falling product in the fill pipe, wherein the blower is connected to the fill pipe through a pipe for supplying the air, and a suction device for sucking the air out of the fill pipe. The invention relates, on the other hand, to a method for operating such a device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A blower is used in a conventional device or a conventional method of this type in order to produce a downwardly directed air stream in a fill pipe of a packaging machine in order to apply additional acceleration to a free falling, pourable product portion, and in this manner to shorten the falling time and to increase the packaging speed. The air stream is guided from the lower end of the fill pipe into the annular gap and from there upwardly out of the format pipe. The blower is used at its suction side as a suction device so that a circulating air stream is achieved. The air stream is continuous, namely a permanent air stream is provided.
The conventional device and the conventional method have the disadvantage that only a uniform influence can be applied to a falling cluster of particles. Thus, the cluster lead at the bottom experiences the same air stream as the upper cluster end, thus the cluster length cannot be influenced. The cluster length, however, is just as important for the filling time as the falling time. A short compact particle cluster can be filled more quickly than a longer one. In addition, a specific cluster length can be advantageous for a specific packaging sequence.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The basic purpose of the invention is to vary the length of the particle cluster of an additionally downwardly accelerated product portion.
In the device of the present invention, there is provided an air flap within the pipe for feeding of air into the fill pipe, the air flap can be operated by means of a drive, and the drive is connected to a control device. In the method of the present invention, a timed air stream is supplied to the fill pipe by operating the air flap, or the air flap is adjusted to an air passage position in order to supply a continuous air stream to the fill pipe.
The invention has the advantage that the length of the particle cluster can be varied through the timed supply of air. Thus, it is possible, on the one hand, to design the particle cluster either as compact as possible so that the filling time is as short as possible, or to change the particle cluster to a different desired length. An air stream impulse can run ahead of the falling product in the fill pipe, can superpose itself over the particle cluster, and can act behind the product. Also combinations thereof are possible and practical. When an air stream impulse runs ahead of a particle cluster, it can compress the lead portion of the particle cluster due to a pressure imbalance and can slightly lengthen its end portion. When it acts after a particle cluster, then it compresses first of all its end portion, and the entire particle cluster all together. The air flap can be operated through the control device in such a manner that depending on the type of product (for example potato chips or a granular product), the mass of a product portion, and the machine performance, a favorable filling operation takes place.
When the blower and the suction device can be operated separately from one another, then it is possible to operate the suction device differently than the blower in order to apply at specific times an additional action on a particle cluster. Or the suction device is continuously operated, which minimizes the technical control in the packaging device required for controlling the suction device.
When the pipe of the pressure air supply ends in an annular nozzle, which is provided between the funnel and the fill pipe, then it is possible to produce an air impulse way at the top in the fill pipe in order to act in this manner downwardly along as large a path as possible, and to accelerate the product well.
The air can be sucked off with a good performance through a suction chamber on the fill pipe, which is connected to the annular gap through openings in the fill pipe. This technique is also suited for vertical tubular bagging machines when its foil tube and its forming shoulder are provided below the openings. Thus, the foil transport is not influenced by the suction chamber.
When a sensor for recognizing the falling product is provided in the fill pipe, preferably directly below the annular nozzle, then it is possible to recognize the start and end of a particle cluster in the fill pipe. The device can in this manner be operated more exactly, or the function of a scale or a packaging machine drive can be adapted better to the device and product, through which improved filling performances can be achieved.
When the product is filled into a foil tube, and when the air flap and/or the suction device are operated dependent on the pressure desired in the lower end of the foil tube, it is possible to manufacture the tubular bag with a specific inside pressure, which protects easily breakable product filled in the tubular bag. The flap can in addition be opened at various widths in order to produce an exact pressure.
Varying effects on a particle cluster of a pourable product can be applied by suitably controlling the blower, the air flap, and/or the suction device. It is hereby sensible in some cases to supply stored empirical values to the control device in order to achieve an optimum operation of the device.
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Baur Walter
Kammler Roman
Koppenwallner Georg
Flynn ,Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Maust Timothy L.
Rovema Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
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