Weight-based, multiple filler filling machine

Details Weight-based, multiple filler filling machine Weight-based, multiple filler filling machine

2002-04-24

2003-12-02

Mancene, Gene (Department: 3751)

Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea

With testing or weighing receiver content

C141S145000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06655421

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to a multiple filler filling machine operating on a weight-base, to fill containers, such as bags, bottles and boxes, with a predetermined amount by weight of an article in the form of, for example, liquid, powder or particles, and, more particularly, to a weight measuring system which may be employed for such filling machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A multiple filler filling machine of the above-described type typically includes a plurality of fillers or filling devices for filling a plurality of containers with an article in parallel, in series or at random. An example of weight-based, multiple filler filling machine for filling containers with liquid is shown in
FIGS. 1A
,
1
B and
1
C. The multiple filler filling machine shown includes a reservoir
2
in an upper portion of the filling machine
1
, into which a liquid for filling containers with is externally fed through a rotary joint
4
, piping
6
, and such. The liquid is temporarily stored in the reservoir
2
. Around the reservoir
2
, a plurality of filling pipes
8
(
8
-
1
,
8
-
2
, . . . ,
8
-
n
) are mounted at locations angularly spaced from each other by a predetermined angle. Valves
10
(
10
-
1
through
10
-
n
) are mounted at the lower ends of the respective pipes
8
-
1
through
8
-
n
, for controlling the flow rate of the liquid to be supplied through nozzles associated with the respective ones of the valves
10
-
1
through
10
-
n
. A plurality of filling platforms
14
(
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
) are disposed beneath the respective ones of the valves
10
-
1
through
10
-
n
, around the lower portion of the filling machine
1
. Each of the platforms
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
is adapted for receiving a container
12
(
12
-
1
through
12
-
n
), e.g. a bottle, thereon. The respective platforms
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
are coupled to respective load cells
16
(
16
-
1
through
16
-
n
) used in association with the respective filling platforms
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
. The load cells
16
-
1
through
16
-
n
are mounted on a load cell table
18
in the lower portion of the filling machine
1
. The reservoir
2
, the load cell table
18
and the filling platforms
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
are adapted to rotate at a predetermined rate about a rotation shaft
24
extending vertically through the center of the filling machine
1
when driven by external driving means, e.g. an electrical motor
20
, through gears
21
and
22
.
Empty bottles are supplied one by one from an external container supplying machine (not shown) to a container entry section of the filling machine
1
. The container entry section is on the circle along which the filling platforms
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
rotate. The empty bottles are put on, one by one, the filling platforms
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
. The bottles
12
-
1
through
12
-
n
are weighed, while they are moving, and a predetermined amount of liquid is put in each of the bottles
12
-
1
through
12
-
n
. The filled bottles
12
-
1
through
12
-
n
are conveyed to a discharge section of the filling machine
1
, which is at a different location on the circle from the entry section, from where they are discharged from the filling machine
1
to a conveyor in the succeeding stage.
The valves
10
-
1
through
10
-
n
rotate with the bottles
12
-
1
through
12
-
n
and are opened when they arrive at a predetermined location on the circle along which the valves
10
-
1
through
10
-
n
are moving. Then, the liquid is poured into the bottles
12
-
1
through
12
-
n
at a predetermined flow rate, and, at the same time, the weight of the liquid which has been poured into each bottle
12
is measured by the load cell
16
for that bottle. The apertures of the valves
10
-
1
through
10
-
n
are so controlled that, when the weight of the liquid poured into each bottle
12
reaches a first value slightly smaller than a target or aimed value, the flow rate can be reduced. The valves
10
-
1
through
10
-
n
are closed when the weight of the liquid in the respective bottles
12
-
1
through
12
-
n
reaches a second value which is larger than the first value but is just below the target value. Even after the valves
10
are closed, the liquid portions remaining in the path between the valves
10
and the bottles
12
fall into the bottles
12
, and the target amount of the liquid is poured into each bottle
12
.
In order to know the weight of the liquid in each bottle
12
, an analog weight-representative signal from the associated load cell
16
must be subjected to analog-to-digital conversion to produce a digital weight-representative signal, and the resulting digital weight-representative signal must be subjected to weighing arithmetic operations. For that purpose, a plurality of weighing arithmetic operation means, e.g. arithmetic units
26
(
26
-
1
through
26
-
n
), are employed in association with the respective load cells
16
-
1
through
16
-
n
. The number of the arithmetic units
26
is equal to the number of the filling platforms
14
(
14
-
1
through
14
-
n
). The arithmetic units
26
-
1
through
26
-
n
are mounted on an arithmetic unit table
28
, which is disposed between the reservoir
2
and the load cells
16
-
1
through
16
-
n
. The arithmetic units
26
-
1
through
26
-
n
are connected to the associated load cells
16
-
1
through
16
-
n
with respective signal lines
28
.
The arithmetic operations performed in each arithmetic unit are as follows, for example. Description about one arithmetic unit to be given hereinafter is applicable to all and any arithmetic units, and, therefore, in the following description, the suffixes to the reference numerals are not used.
The weight of the object to be measured loaded on the load cell
16
, i.e. the weight of the article, e.g. liquid, and the weight of the filling platform
14
and the bottle
12
in case of the filling machine, are measured and developed in the form of an analog weight-representative signal, and the analog weight-representative signal is A/D (analog-to-digital) converted into a digital weight-representative signal Wa.
During adjustment of a weight measuring system employed in the filling machine, the digital weight-representative signal developed when nothing is placed on the platform
14
is stored as an initial value Wi in a memory in the arithmetic unit
26
. When the bottle
12
is placed on the filling platform
14
and the filling operation starts, the digital weight-representative signal Wa starts to increase. The sum weight Wn of the bottle
12
and the liquid which has been poured into the bottle
12
on the filling platform
14
is calculated in accordance with an expression:
Wn=K
(
Wa−Wi
)
where K is such a span factor determined, during the weight measuring system adjustment, by using a reference weight placed on the filling platform
14
, that the resultant Wn can be equal to the weight of the reference weight. The span factor K is determined based on the loaded load on the load cell
16
, a voltage conversion factor, and an analog weight-representative signal amplification factor employed in the arithmetic unit
26
. Thus, the span factor K is dependent on both the load cell
16
and the arithmetic unit
26
.
Even when the bottle
12
is not on the filling platform
14
, the value Wn is not zero if, for example, a drop of water is on the platform
14
. Then, the weight of an object on the platform
14
is expressed by
Wn=K
(
Wa−Wi
)−
Wz
where Wz is an amount of change on the zero point. If Wn is not equal to zero (0) when no bottle
12
is on the filling platform
14
, that Wn is stored as Wz. This procedure is called zero-point adjustment.
In the filling machine, first, only an empty bottle
12
is carried onto the filling platform
14
, and, therefore, the value of Wn in such a case is representative of the weight Wb of the bottle
12
itself. Immediately before the filling of the bottle
12
with a liquid is started, the weight of the bottle
12
is measured and stored in a taring memory. As the

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Weight-based, multiple filler filling machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Weight-based, multiple filler filling machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Weight-based, multiple filler filling machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3131644