An aseptic-bath filling system for palletized containers

Abstract

 The system is one whereby containers (4) already positioned on a pallet base (5) can be aligned with and filled aseptically by valve heads (1) capable of traversing at right angles across the direction followed by the containers through the batching station; the subsequent operation of palletizing full containers can thus be eliminated.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a filling system that allows of batching aseptically into containers positioned on pallet bases.

[0002] The prior art embraces container filling systems, and more especially aseptic-batching systems, in which containers consisting generally in sterilized plastic bags with a rigid plastic filler nozzle are supported internally of rigid containers, typically metal drums, and positioned by a conveyor beneath the filler head or batching unit.

[0003] Such bags are filled in an aseptic environment, for example with liquid foodstuffs such as fruit juices or purée, whereupon the nozzle is capped and the rigid container proceeds along the conveyor belt, running out beyond the filling system and into a palletization area.

[0004] Such bag-filling systems betray certain drawbacks: arrangement of the filled containers on the pallet bases requires a palletizer, of which the cost is considerable; moreover, a change in the size of production container dictates modification of the filler head to accommodate the new size.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above, and in particular to enable a more functional and economic exploitation of the system by batching directly into palletized containers, i.e. containers positioned previously on a pallet base, and by allowing for a changeover from one size of production container to another without having to effect alterations at the filler head, which is trolley-mounted and requires no more than to be traversed into the new position.

[0006] The stated object is fully realized, according to the present invention, in an aseptic-batch filling system suitable for containers positioned on pallet bases, which comprises a frame serving to support a filler head, in its entirety, and a roller table conveyor serving to direct the containers beneath the filler head, and is characterized in that the filler head is capable of rectilinear movement back and forth in a direction transverse to that of the passage of the containers through the system.

[0007] The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

-fig 1 is an elevation of the system viewed along the direction followed by the containers, showing the filler head in two operating positions, one of which in phantom line;

-fig 2 illustrates the filling system in plan from above, seen in its entirety;

-fig 3 is the plan of a detail of the system, seen from above and illustrating two different positions of the filler head.

[0008] Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the filler head of an aseptic-batch system, in its entirety, supported by two trolleys 3 of which the wheels 8 run on tracks 9 mounted to a frame denoted 2 in its entirety.

[0009] 10 denotes a hydraulic cylinder, mounted likewise to the frame 2, of which the rod 11 is fastened rigidly to the filler head 1 such that the head can be traversed through a rectilinear path back and forth along the tracks 9 beteen two given limit positions.

[0010] The system further comprises a roller table type conveyor 13 by which containers 4 already arranged on a pallet base 5 are directed beneath the filler head. The filler head 1 also comprises devices 7 by means of which its own height is adjusted, during the batching operation, through a vertical axis 6 coinciding with a filler valve denoted 12 in fig 1. The system may comprise a number of single batching lines, each served by a respective filler head 1 and conveyor 13.

[0011] On arrival of a pallet carrying four containers, at a given point beneath the head 1, the valve 12 will batch first into one of the two leading containers (right or left), then traverse across the path of movement followed by the pallet and station itself to fill the container alongside.

[0012] Thereafter, the pallet is moved forward, allowing the head to fill the two remaining containers in similar fashion.

[0013] Thus, it becomes possible to batch into containers already positioned on a pallet base, and eliminate the need for palletizing equipment further down the production line.

[0014] Moreover, by virtue of its freedom of movement in a direction transverse to the path of the pallets, the filler head 1 can batch, for instance, into a single container positioned centrally in relation to the conveyor 13 rather than into a group of four containers as mentioned above, without undergoing any adaptation.

[0015] The foregoing description implies no limitation; it would be equally within the scope of the invention, for example, if it were the pallet base that could be cross-traversed in such a way as to position the various containers in readiness for filling, or at all events if positioning were accomplished by keeping the filler head stationary and manoeuvring the palletized containers into alignment beneath.

Claims

1) An aseptic-batch filling system for containers positioned on pallet bases, comprising:
-a frame (2) serving to support a filler head (1) in its entirety;
-a roller table conveyor (13) serving to direct the containers (4) beneath the filler head (1),
characterized
in that the filler head is capable of rectilinear movement back and forth in a direction transverse to the passage of the containers through the system.

2) A container filling system as in claim 1, wherein the filler head (1) is associated with trolleys (3) mounted on wheels (8), and capable of traversing thus along tracks (9) rigidly associated with the frame (2).

3) A container filling system as in claim 1, wherein the filler head (1) is connected rigidly to the rod (11) of a hydraulic cylinder (10) mounted to the frame (2) and serving to produce the traversing movement.

4) An aseptic-batch filling system for containers positioned on pallet bases, comprising:
-a frame (2) serving to support a filler head (1) in its entirety;
-a roller table conveyor (13) serving to direct the containers (4) beneath the filler head (1),
characterized
in that it further comprises means by which to position a pallet base transversely in relation to the direction of movement of the conveyor (13) in such a way that containers supported by the base can be filled by a head (1) of which the filler axis remains stationary.

Drawing