Abstract:
An automatic positioning system is provided for a filling device of a filling machine, wherein the filling device has a plurality of filling head mounted on a support to fill a plurality of containers positioned on filling positions with a material. The automatic positioning system comprises a first automatic positioning system for controlling the support to shift along a vertical linear route to and fro and positioning the support at a desired position in the linear route. The first automatic positioning system further controls a rising speed of the support. The automatic positioning system also comprises a second automatic positioning system for controlling a container-supporting unit to provide the containers with a supporting force.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to filling machines for filling containers with liquid materials that includes liquid or pastes with variously high or low viscosities. The present invention improves a filling device of the filing machine by providing an automatic positioning solution thereto. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , plural filling heads  10  of a conventional machine are mounted on a support  11  and capable of shifting horizontally for aligning to openings of plural containers  13  positioned on predetermined filling locations, respectively. Each of the filling head  10  is communicated to a material source (no shown) by way of a material feeding pipe  14  so as to pour material into the container  13 . The support  11  is assembled to a moving unit  15 , which is controlled by a manual screw  16  so as to shift vertically. The support  11  may be defined at a null position (a) by a user where a feeding nozzle  101  of the filling head  10  is slightly upper than the opening of the container  13  so that a conveyer  12  can convey the container  13  to the filling location without clashing with the feeding nozzle  101 . The support  11  is further controlled by a power cylinder  17  so as to automatically descend to a filling lowstand (b) where the feeding nozzle  101  inserts into the container  13  and approaches the bottom of the container  13 . At the filling lowstand (b), the feeding nozzle  101  starts to pour the material to the container  13 , and meanwhile, the power cylinder  17  rises the support  11  in the manner that the support  11  returns to the null position (a) at the time that the filling operation is finished. 
         [0005]    During the filling operation, when the feeding nozzle  101  departs from the liquid surface for a particular distance, the risk that lather is generated in the material can be significantly increased. The foresaid conventional filling machine may have such problem because the stepping value of the power cylinder  17  (or the cam system) it implements is fixed. In other words, the displacement value of the support  11 , i.e. that distance between the point (a) and the point (b), is unadjustable. Thus, for making the conventional filling machine applicable to containers with various heights, the stepping value of the power cylinder  17  (or the cam system) is typically set for agreeing with the shortest commercially-available container. Therefore, when the filling machine is used to fill a relatively higher container, the support  11  at the lowstand (b) positions the feeding nozzle  101  excessively far away from the bottom of the container, resulting in lather generated at the initial stage of the filling operation. 
         [0006]    Besides, constant material-feeding speed may result in different rising speeds of the water level of the material in the container. Upon this principle, when the conventional devices is applied to a known contoured bottle, the rising speed of the water level of the material in the bottle may vary with the variation of the diameter of the bottle. However, the rise of the support  11  controlled by the power cylinder  17  is not flexible to meet the rising speeds. Therefore, at a place where the diameter of the bottle is grater, the rising speed of the water level is smaller than the rising speed of the support  11 . As a result, the feeding nozzle  101  departs from the liquid surface for a distance and lather is consequently generated in the material. 
         [0007]    Moreover, the conveyer  12  is equipped with a pair of short revetments for fixing a short wide-mouth container  13 . However, a tall narrow-mouth bottle, such as a mineral water bottle or a PET bottle, may have problem to be fixed by the short revetments  121  and be liable to tilt and shake during conveying or filling operation resulting in spill of materials. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present discloses an automatic positioning solution for a filling device in order to solve the problems of the prior arts. 
         [0009]    An automatic positioning system is provided for a filling device of a filling machine, wherein the filling device has a plurality of filling head mounted on a support to fill a plurality of containers positioned on filling positions with a material. The automatic positioning system comprises a first automatic positioning system controlling the support to shift along a vertical linear route to and fro and positioning the support at a desired position in the linear route. The first automatic positioning system further controls the rising speed of the support. The automatic positioning system also comprises a second automatic positioning system for controlling a container-supporting unit to provide containers with a supporting force. 
         [0010]    It is one objective of the present invention to provide the first automatic positioning system that allows the null position and the filling lowstand of the filling head to be adjusted according to the heights of various containers. As the filling lowstand is the position where the feeding nozzle of the filling head approaches the bottom of the container, the disclosed subject matter makes a filling machine substantially applicable to fill containers with various heights. During the filling operation, the first automatic positioning system further controls the rising speed of the filling head so that the filling head can rise corresponding to the rising speed of the water level of the material filled in the container. Thereby, a balance state is achieved that the feeding nozzle is kept from departing from the liquid surface of the material while the material is prevented from lather. The so-called rising speed of the filling head may be constant or phased-variational. Particularly, the phased-variational rising speed of the filling head is applicable to a contoured bottle while maintains the mentioned balanced state during the filling operation. Further, as the filling head of the first automatic positioning system can be digitally positioned, the disclosed subject mater is compatible to filling containers with various heights so that the disadvantage of the conventional filling machines that accessory replacement and complicated adjustment have to be conducted for the filling machine is applied to diverse bottles. 
         [0011]    It is another objective of the present invention to provide the second automatic positioning system to control the container-supporting unit so as to provide a narrow mouth bottle with a supporting force and keep the bottle standing still at the filling position without tilting or shaking. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a conventionally filling machine; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the conventionally filling machine showing the motion thereof; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the filling machine according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the filling machine according to the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the filling machine according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is one side view of the filling machine according to the present invention showing the motion thereof; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is another side view of the filling machine according to the present invention showing the motion thereof; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is another side view of the filling machine according to the present invention showing the motion thereof; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is further another side view of the filling machine according to the present invention showing the motion thereof; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is yet another side view of the filling machine according to the present invention showing the motion thereof; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is still another side view of the filling machine according to the present invention showing the motion thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0024]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , the disclosure of the present invention primarily includes a conveyer  20 , a support  25 , a first moving unit  30 , a first automatic positioning system  35 , a second moving unit  40 , a container-supporting unit  45  and a second automatic positioning system  47 . 
         [0025]    The conveyer  20  conveys a plurality of bottle containers  13  to filling positions. A plurality of slots  251  is provided to the support  25  for fixing a plurality of filling heads  26  therein. The filling heads  26  can shift along the slot  251  horizontally for aligning to openings of the containers  13  positioned at the filling positions. Each of the filling heads  26  is communicated to a material supply unit (not shown) by way of a material-feeding pipe  261  so as to pour a material into the container  13 . The support  25  is assembled to the first moving unit  30 . The first moving unit  30  is assembled to a first upright brace set  31  in a slidable way. The brace set  31  is fixed to a fixing component  90  of the filling machine. The container-supporting unit  45  is assembled to the second moving unit  40 . The second moving unit  40  is assembled to a second upright brace set  41  in a slidable way. The brace set  41  is fixed to the fixing component  90  of the filling machine. 
         [0026]    The first automatic positioning system  35  controls the first moving unit  30  to shift along the first upright brace set  31  and to position at a desired position. The desired position may be a null position (A) (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) where the feeding nozzle  262  of the filling head  26  is positioned upper than the opening of the container  13 , a filling lowstand (L) (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) where the feeding nozzle  262  inserts into the container  13  and approaches the bottom of the container  13 , and a filling highstand (H) (as shown in  FIG. 7 ). The null position (A) allows the conveyer  20  to convey the container  13  to the filling location without clashing with the feeding nozzle  262 . The filling lowstand (L) is an initial position of the filling operation. 
         [0027]    The second automatic positioning system  47  controls the second moving unit  40  to shift along the second brace set  41  and to position at a desired position. The desired position may be an initial position (C) (as shown in  FIG. 8 ) where the container-supporting unit  45  is positioned slightly upper than the opening of the container  13 , and a supporting position (D) (as shown in  FIG. 9 ) where the container-supporting unit  45  can provide a supporting force to the container  13 . The initial position (C) allows the conveyer  20  to convey the container  13  to the filling location without clashing with the container-supporting unit  45 . The supporting position (D) allows the container-supporting unit  45  to provide a supporting force to the container  13  so that the container  13  can be supported without tilting or shaking. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 3 through 5  illustrate a transmission  351  and a screw  352  rotated by the transmission  351  of the first automatic positioning system  35 . The first moving unit  30  is assembled to the screw  352  by a nut  32 . The transmission  351  is deposited at the top of the first brace set  31  and the screw  352  is fastened to the fixing component  90  of the filling machine in a pivotable way. Thereby, the screw  352  can be rotated to make the first moving unit  30  move along the first brace set  31  vertically. Also shown in the figures are a transmission  471  and a screw  472  rotated by the transmission  471  of the second automatic positioning system  47 . The second moving unit  40  is assembled to the screw  472  by a nut  42 . The transmission  471  is deposited at the top of the second set upright brace  41  and the screw  472  is fastened to the fixing component  90  of the filling machine in a pivotable way. Thereby, the screw  472  can be rotated to make the second moving unit  40  move along the second brace set  41  vertically. The first and second automatic positioning systems  35 ,  47  both involve a central digital control system (not shown), which implements an embedded program to control the first and second automatic positioning systems  35 ,  47  to operate according to commands thereof. 
         [0029]    The transmissions  351 ,  471  of the first and second automatic positioning systems  35 ,  47  are both motors. More particularly, the motor is one with its number of turns of rotation controllable, e.g. a stepping motor or a servo motor. Thereupon, the transmissions  351  can set the null position (A), filling lowstand (L) and filling highstand (H), so as to position the support  25  at these positions. However, a linear motor, a combination of a normal motor and an optical linear scale, magnetic scale, or a limit switch, or a combination of a motor and a decoder may be implemented to realize the first automatic positioning systems  35 . If a stepping motor, a servo motor or a speed-control motor is used, the rising speed where the support  25  rises to the filling highstand (H) from the filling lowstand (L) may be set as constant or with multiple-phased variation. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7  show the filling operation of the aforesaid device applied to a short wide-mouth container  18 . In  FIG. 5 , the container  18  is positioned at the filling position and the first automatic positioning system  35  positions the support  25  at the desired null position (A) so that the container  18  can be conveyed to the filling position without clashing with the feeding nozzle  261 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , to prepare for the filling operation, the first automatic positioning system  35  controls the support  25  to descend to the filling lowstand (L) and then the feeding nozzle  261  starts to pour the material into the container  18 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , during filling operation, the first automatic positioning system  35  controls the support  25  to rise to the filling highstand (H) with a constant rising speed. In the drawings, the container  18  is one with a consistent diameter, so the constant material-feeding speed makes the water level in the container rise with a correspondingly constant rising speed. Hence, when the rising speed where the support rises to the point H from the point L is constant, the feeding nozzle  262  can be kept from departing from the liquid surface of the material and material shall not have lather generated during the filling operation. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 8 through 11  depict the filling operation of the aforesaid device applied to a tall narrow-mouth container  19  with an inconsistent diameter. In  FIG. 8 , the container  19  is positioned at the filling position and the first automatic positioning system  35  positions the support  25  at the desired null position (A 1 ) so that the container  19  can be conveyed to the filling position without clashing with the feeding nozzle  261 . Referring to  FIG. 9 , to prepare for the filling operation, the first automatic positioning system  35  controls the support  25  to descend to the filling lowstand (L 1 ) and the feeding nozzle  261  starts to pour the material into the container  19 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , during the filling operation, the first automatic positioning system  35  controls the support  25  to rise to the filling highstand (H 1 ) (as shown in  FIG. 11 ) with a phased-variational speed varied with the variation of the diameter of the container  19 . For example, according to the variation of the diameter of the container  19 , a first stage St, a second stage S 2  and the third stage S 3  are defined. It is obvious that the diameter of the container  19  corresponding to the second stage S 2  is the smallest, so the first automatic positioning system  35  may control the support  25  to rise with a rising speed relatively higher than those of the first and third stages S 1 , S 3 . Thereupon, during the filling operation, the feeding nozzle  261  shall not depart from the liquid surface of the material and therefore, the material will not have lather generated during the filling operation. 
         [0032]    Moreover,  FIGS. 8 to 11  further provide the motions of the second automatic positioning system  47 , the second moving unit  40  and the container-supporting unit  45 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , the container  19  is positioned at the filling position and the second automatic positioning system  47  positions the container-supporting unit  45  at a desired initial position (C) so that the container  13  can be conveyed to the filling position without clashing with the feeding nozzle  45 . As shown in  FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11 , during the filling operation, the second automatic positioning system  47  controls the container-supporting unit  45  to descend to a position where the container-supporting unit  45  supports the container  19  to prevent the container  19  from tilting or shaking. 
         [0033]    The present invention implements the central digital control system to control the first automatic positioning system  35  so as to control the rising speed of the filling head  26  and the material-feeding speed. For instance, at an initial stage of the filling operation, when the feeding nozzle  262  of the filling head is adjacent to the bottom of the bottle, it feeds the material in a relatively slower material-feeding speed. Later, when the feeding nozzle  262  is immerged in the material, the material-feeding speed and the rising speed of the filling head  26  can be enlarged so as to ensure that no lather-occurs in the material. 
         [0034]    Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims.