Abstract:
Container filling systems include a container filling station which fills empty containers with a product, most preferably a frozen dessert. The container filling station will necessarily include a fill valve assembly which has a housing defining a inlet and discharge openings, and a cylindrical spool having a spool port defined therethrough. Preferably, the spool is mounted asymmetrically within said housing for rotation between an open and closed conditions. A container lid supply and transfer system is most preferably employed in the system of this invention and includes a lid supply assembly to provide an available stand-by supply of container lid stacks, a lid feeding assembly for sequentially feeding individual container lids onto an awaiting product-filled container, and a lid transfer assembly for transferring a lid stack from the lid supply assembly to the lid feeding assembly. Most preferably, the lid transfer assembly pivotally moves between a loading position (wherein a lid stack from the lid supply assembly may be loaded thereon), and an unloading position (wherein the lid stack supported by the lid transfer assembly is aligned with the lid stack supported by the lid feeding assembly).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of container filling systems. In preferred forms, the present invention is embodied in systems which serve to fill non-round containers with a flowable semi-solid dessert (e.g., ice cream, ice milk, yogurt or the like). 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Frozen desserts are preferred to be transported and introduced into product containers in a flowable, but relatively “stiff” (highly viscous), condition so that the product within the containers can withstand the centrifugal forces associated with the filling machine indexing system. Thus, if the frozen dessert is introduced into the container in a less viscous condition than is ideal (i.e., less “stiff” in art parlance), then the continual starting/stopping of the container filling machine may cause the relatively “loose” product in the container to spill over the container sides. 
     The stiffer the frozen dessert, however, the greater the tendency for it to form “tails” at the container filling valve. That is, the frozen dessert may form a bridge (called a “tail” in art parlance) between the filled container and the fill valve which sometimes will drape over the sides of the container as the filled container is indexed to the next station of the filling machine. In order to alleviate this tailing problem, fill valves have been provided with a scissors-type mechanism which cuts the tail physically and thereby prevents it from draping over the container side. However, in order to prevent a build-up of frozen-dessert residue (which would be unsanitary over time), it is typically necessary to heat the scissors-type mechanism and/or clean it at regular intervals. 
     Relatively stiff frozen desserts also pose the problem of incomplete container filling. That is, because the flowability of the frozen dessert decreases with an increase in viscosity (decrease in temperature), it may not flow into, and conform with, the corner of the container—e.g., the region where the container side wall merges with the container bottom wall. This incomplete filling problem has been solved in the past by physically spinning round containers during the filling process so that the centrifugal force created by the spinning container will ensure that its interior volume is completely occupied by the frozen dessert. However, spinning of non-round containers is not a practical solution to that problem. Thus, when using conventional fill valves to fill non-round containers, the frozen dessert must be less stiff (i.e., less viscous) which leads to the potential spillage problem noted above during container indexing. 
     What has been needed in this art, therefore, are improved systems and methods for filling non-round containers with frozen desserts in a flowable, but semi-solid state. It is towards fulfilling such a need that the present invention is directed. 
     Broadly, the present invention is embodied in container filling system comprising a container filling station which fills empty containers with a product, most preferably a frozen dessert. The container filling station will necessarily include a fill valve assembly in accordance with the present invention. More specifically, the fill valve assembly includes a housing defining a inlet and discharge openings, and a cylindrical spool having a spool port defined therethrough. Preferably, the spool is mounted asymmetrically within said housing for rotation between an open condition (wherein the spool port is aligned with the inlet and discharge openings of the housing to allow product to be pass therethrough and discharged into an awaiting container), and a closed condition (wherein the spool blocks said inlet and discharge openings to prevent product from being discharged into a container). In such a manner, product “tailing” is minimized (if not prevented entirely). 
     The container fill valve is most preferably employed in the system of this invention with a container lid supply and transfer system. The container lid supply and transfer system of this invention includes a lid supply assembly to provide an available stand-by supply of container lid stacks, a lid feeding assembly for sequentially feeding individual container lids onto an awaiting product-filled container, and a lid transfer assembly for transferring a lid stack from the lid supply assembly to the lid feeding assembly. Most preferably, the lid transfer assembly pivotally moves between a loading position (wherein a lid stack from the lid supply assembly may be loaded thereon), and an unloading position (wherein the lid stack supported by the lid transfer assembly is aligned with the lid stack supported by the lid feeding assembly). 
     Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
     Reference will hereinafter be made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals throughout the various FIGURES, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a non-round container-filling system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a section of conveyor plates which support the containers as they travel along the production path in the machine direction; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the fill valve assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view, partly sectioned, of the container fill valve assembly depicted in FIG. 3; 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B are latitudinal cross-sectional views of the preferred filling valve associated with the container filling station as taken along lines  5 A,B— 5 A,B of FIG.  4  and depicted in an open (filling) condition and a closed (shut-off) condition, respectively; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the valve spool employed in the container filling valve of this invention; and 
     FIGS. 7A-7E are side elevational views of the container lidding station which collectively depict a sequence of its operation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Accompanying FIG. 1 depicts a preferred container-filling system  10  in accordance with the present invention. As shown, system  10  includes a frame assembly  12  which supports the various structural components and stations to be described in greater detail below. Most preferably, the frame  12  is provided with castor wheels  12 - 1  which allow the frame  12 , and hence the entire system  10 , to be maneuvered along a production room floor. Stabilizer feet  12 - 2 , however, may be extended to ensure that the system  10  remains stationary once its location has been determined. The frame  12  also supports a cabinet  12 - 3  which houses the various motors, hydraulic lines and the like (not shown), the operation and timing of which are controlled by the programmable controller PC. 
     The frame support a number of production stations which serve to fill empty containers (a few of which are noted by the reference identifier C). Specifically, the frame supports a container dispensing station  20 , a container filling station  30 , a sanitary covering station  40 , a lidding station  50  and a product container discharge station  60 . 
     The container dispensing station  20  includes a support plate  22  through which individual ones of the empty containers C in the container stack CS pass in registry with a correspondingly configured receptacle aperture  24  in a conveyor plate  26  (see FIG.  2 ). The support plate  22  supports a number of upright posts  28  which stabilize the container stack CS. As is conventional, the support plate  22  includes finger members (not shown) which may be moved into and out of engagement with the rim of the container C by means of suitable pneumatic actuators  29 . Thus, by controllably actuating the actuators  29  (which control is exercised by the programmable controller and suitable solenoid valves in the frame  12 - 3 ), the last container C in the stack CS may be allowed to drop by gravity and into an aperture  24  of an awaiting conveyor plate  24 . 
     The conveyor plates  24  include lateral notches  26 - 1  which enable the plates  24  to be attached physically to a laterally separated pair of endless conveyor chains  26 - 2  engaged with sprocket wheels  26 - 3 ,  26 - 4 . The sprocket wheel  26 - 3  includes a drive pulley  26 - 5  which may be operatively connected to a motor (not shown) within the cabinet  12 - 3  by suitable drive belts. Thus, the sprocket wheel  26 - 3  may be driven which, in turn, moves the conveyor chains  26 - 2 , in the machine direction (noted by arrow A m  in FIG.  1 ). Indexed driven movement of the sprocket wheel  26 - 3  may thus allow the individual ones of the trays  26  to be indexed sequentially through the stations  30 ,  40 ,  50  and  60 . 
     The empty containers C in the support trays  26  are sequentially conveyed in the machine direction A m  to the container filling station  30 . As shown in FIG. 1, the container filling station  30  includes a container lift platform  31  which is operatively coupled to a pneumatic cylinder  31 - 1 . On operation of the cylinder  31 - 1 , therefore, the platform  31  is raised to push the empty container upwardly from the support tray  26  so that the open end of the container is positioned more closely to the fill valve assembly  32 . In such a manner, minimal so-called “tailing” of the frozen dessert discharged from the fill valve assembly  32  occurs. 
     The fill valve assembly  32  is depicted more clearly in accompanying FIGS. 3 and 4. In this regard, the fill valve assembly  32  includes a generally cylindrical valve body  34  (most preferably formed of stainless steel) which defines a cylindrical interior space  34 - 1  and inlet and discharge openings  34 - 2 ,  34 - 3 , respectively. A rotary valve spool  36  (most preferably formed of a rigid, wear-resistant plastics material such as, for example, nylon) is positioned within the interior space  34 - 1  so as to be moveable therewithin between an open condition (in which the spool port  36 - 1  is aligned with the inlet and discharge openings  34 - 2 ,  34 - 3 , respectively, of the valve body  34  as shown in FIG. 5A) and a closed or shut-off condition (in which the spool port  36 - 1  is not aligned with the inlet and discharge openings  34 - 2 ,  34 - 3 , respectively, of the valve body  34  as shown in FIG.  5 B). Thus, while in the open condition, the fill valve allows frozen dessert to flow through the spool port  36 - 1  and be discharged from the discharge opening and into the awaiting container C. When in its closed condition, however, such discharge flow into the container C is terminated (i.e., since the inlet opening  34 - 2  is blocked by the spool body  36 . 
     As will be noted, the cross-sectional geometry of the inlet and discharge openings  34 - 2 ,  34 - 3  as well as the spool port  36 - 1  conform closely to the geometry of the non-round containers C. Thus, as depicted, since the containers C are generally rectangular in cross-section, the geometry of the discharge openings  34 - 2 ,  34 - 3  and the spool port  36 - 1  are likewise rectangular. The frozen dessert is therefore supplied to the fill valve assembly  32  from a freezer facility by a supply conduit SC (which typically has a circular cross-sectional geometry) and then a transition conduit TC (which transitions between the circular cross section of the supply conduit and the rectangular cross-section of the inlet and discharge openings  34 - 2 ,  34 - 3  and the spool port  36 - 1 . The conduits SC and TC may be joined to one another by means of a removable tension band TB. The transition conduit TC most preferably includes a conduit flange CF which may be fixed to the valve body  36  by means of removable bolts B. 
     The spool includes a pair of female key bosses  36 - 4 ,  36 - 5  which extend through the end plates  34 - 4 ,  34 - 5 , respectively, of the valve body  34 . O-ring seals (only one seal  34 - 6  being visible in FIG. 4) serve to seal the valve body  34  against leakage around the end plates  34 - 4 ,  34 - 5  for which purpose tension clamps  34 - 8 ,  34 - 9  are provided to positionally retain the end caps  34 - 4 ,  34 - 5  in sealing contact with the valve body  34 . 
     The female key bosses  36 - 4 ,  36 - 5  are engaged by respective ones of the male keys  38 - 1  associated with actuator assemblies  38 . Specifically, the actuator assemblies  38  are provided with a pneumatic cylinder  38 - 2  which includes an actuator rod  38 - 3 . The terminal end of the actuator rod  38 - 3  is coupled (preferably via a quick disconnect pin  38 - 4 ) to an end of the actuator lever  38 - 5  received within a correspondingly configured slot  38 - 6  of the male key  38 - 1  (see FIG.  6 ). Bolts  38 - 7  serve to rigidly fix the actuator lever  38 - 5  to the male key  38 - 1 . Furthermore, a dowel pin  38 - 8  is provided as a means to ensure proper orientation of the actuator bar  38 - 3  within the slot  38 - 6  (i.e., so as to aid in the quick and efficient disassembly/assembly of the valve  32 ). 
     The actuator assemblies  38  are coupled to shoulder supports  39 - 1  associated with the upright support members  39 - 2  by means of bolts  39 - 1   a . A cross-support  39 - 3  is most preferably provided so as to stabilize and rigidify the upright supports members  39 - 2 . 
     As noted previously, the fill valve  32  of this invention significantly minimizes the “tailing” of frozen dessert between the discharge opening  34 - 3  and the container C when filled. In order to accomplish this minimal (if any) tailing, the valve spool  36  is eccentrically mounted for rotary movements relative to the valve body  34 . That is, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the central longitudinal axis A s  of the valve spool  36  is eccentrically positioned relative to the longitudinal axis A B  of the valve body  34 . 
     Furthermore, the valve body  34  at the discharge opening  34 - 3  is provided with a truncated recessed section  34 - 4  which minimizes the vertical dimension of the discharge opening  34 - 3  and allows the upper open end of a container C to be brought closely adjacent thereto (e.g., by means of the lift platform  31  described previously). As such, the amount of frozen dessert that “tails” between the discharge opening and the filled container C is significantly minimized as compared to conventional frozen dessert fill valves. Furthermore, since the spool  36 - 1  serves to reliably and cleanly sever the “tail” by virtue of its scissors-like rotary action relative to the valve body  34 , the tail remnant is allowed to fall by gravity under its own weight and into the awaiting container therebelow and, as such, does not drape over the sides of the container C when indexed downstream. 
     After being filled with the frozen dessert at the fill station  30 , the lift platform  31  is lowered and the sprockets  26 - 3 ,  26 - 4  indexed to the next sequential conveyor position. This subsequent indexing will thus sequentially bring the filled containers into the sanitary covering station  40  where a sanitary film covering is applied onto the open end of each filled container C. In this regard, a sanitary thermoplastics film F is supplied from a film supply roll FS 1  and is directed (e.g., via rollers, not shown) onto the upper edges of the containers C. A stand-by film supply roll FS 2  may also be provided to prevent machine down time when the roll FS s  has been exhausted. 
     A heat-sealing head  42  is provided in station  40  upstream of a cutting head  44 . Each of the heads  42 ,  44  is reciprocally movable into and out of contact with the upper end of the container positioned immediately therebelow. The heat-sealing head  42  will thus be operated so as to come into contact with the film-covered container C therebelow so as to heat seal a portion of the film F to the peripheral edge of the upper end of each container C. Thereafter, each container C with its heat-sealed film cover will be indexed sequentially into registry with the cutting head  44 . The cutting head  44  therefore will be reciprocally operated concurrently with the heat-sealing had  42  so as to cut the heat-sealed film section about the periphery of the upper edge of the container C. The heat-sealed film section will thus remain adhered onto the upper edge of the container C while the remaining waste web (now designated WW) is taken up by the waste web roller WR. 
     The containers proceed on to the lidding station  50  where a paperboard lid (a few of which are noted by the identifier L) is mated with each of the sanitary film-covered containers C. In this regard, the lidding station  50  includes a lid supply assembly  52 , a lid transfer assembly  54  and a lid feeding assembly  56 . The lid supply assembly  52  is mounted on a pedestal support  52 - 1  to the frame  12 . The pedestal support  52 - 1  thus supports a horizontally disposed feed conveyor  52 - 2  in vertically spaced relationship to the containers C. The feed conveyor  52 - 2  is most preferably driven by index motor M to deliver stacks of lids LS to the lid feeding assembly  56  via the lid transfer assembly  54 . A perforated screen  52 - 3  is mounted along an edge of the conveyor  52 - 2  so as to laterally stabilize the lid stacks LS during their indexed conveyance thereon. 
     The lid transfer assembly  54  serves to transfer the lid stacks LS sequentially from the conveyor  52 - 1  (where each stack is vertically disposed) to the lid feeding assembly  56  (where the lid stack LS is angularly disposed in a downstream direction). The lid transfer assembly  54  includes a transfer arm  54 - 1  having at its distal end a generally U-shaped support collar  54 - 2  and a number of upright support posts  54 - 3  fixed thereto. The proximal end of the transfer arm is pivotally connected to the conveyor  52 - 2  so that the support collar is movable between loading position (wherein an end-most one of the lid stacks LS on the conveyor  52 - 2  may be indexed onto the support collar  54 - 2 ) and an unloading position (wherein the stack of lids LS picked up by the support collar  54 - 2  is brought into alignment with the lid stack LS supported at the feeding assembly  56 ). 
     A pair of opposed, reciprocally movable support fingers  54 - 4  (only one such support finger  54 - 4  being visible in FIGS. 7A-7E) are provided in operative association with the support collar  54 - 2 . These support fingers  54 - 4  are moveable between an extended position (wherein they extended into the open interior of the support collar  54 - 2  so as to support the stack of lids LS thereon as the transfer arm moves between its loading and unloading positions), and a retracted position (wherein the support fingers  54 - 4  retract outwardly from the interior of the support collar  54 - 2  and thereby allow the lid stack LS to fall by gravity through the support collar  54 - 2  when the transfer arm is in its unloading position so as to join the lid stack LS supported by, and positioned in, the lid feeding assembly  56 ). 
     The lid feeding assembly  56 , includes a pair of laterally spaced guides (only one of the guides  56 - 1  being visible in FIGS. 7A-7E) which are downwardly slanted in the downstream direction from the guide platform  56 - 2 . Support posts  56 - 3  extend upwardly from the guide platform  56 - 2  and are aligned with the support posts  54 - 3  of the transfer assembly  54  when the transfer arm is moved into its unloading position. These support posts  56 - 3  serve to support the lid stack LS as the individual lids L thereof sequentially are fed by gravity to an awaiting filled container C as will be described in connection with FIGS. 7A-7E. 
     In this regard, accompanying FIG. 7A shows the state in which the last lid L L  (which is also shaded in FIGS. 7A-7E for ease of recognition) in the lid stack LS supported by the lid feeding assembly  56  has just cleared (i.e., passed below) the support collar  54 - 2 . At this stage of the cycle, the transfer assembly  54  is caused to operate which pivots the transfer arm  54 - 1  (arrow A p ) from its unloading position shown in solid line in FIG. 7A to its loading position shown in dashed line in FIG.  7 A. As depicted in FIG. 7B, the lids L continue to slide by gravity downwardly along the guides  56 - 1  and be deposited sequentially onto an awaiting sanitary film-covered container C. Indexed advancement of the now covered containers C will cause the lids L thereon to come into contact with rollers  56 - 4  and  56 - 5  which serve to seat the lids firmly onto their respective containers C. The now finished containers (designated C′) filled with frozen dessert are raised by means of a ramp (not shown) at the discharge station  60  where they may be transported to another location (e.g., via suitable conveyor) for packaging and distribution, for example. 
     With the support collar positioned in its loading position, and with the support fingers  54 - 2  being extended so as to support a stack of lids LS thereon, the motor M is caused to drive the conveyor  52 - 2  and thereby push the last stack of lids (i.e., relative to the machine direction A M ) from the conveyor  52 - 2  and onto the support fingers  54 - 4  of the support collar  54 - 2 . This state of the operation is shown in FIG.  7 C. 
     The transfer arm  54 - 1  is thereafter caused to pivot downwardly to move the support collar  54 - 2  and the stack of lids LS supported thereon by the extended fingers  54 - 4  into the unloading position as shown in FIG.  7 D. While in its unloading position, the stacks of lids LS supported on the support collar  54 - 2  and on the guide platform  56 - 2  are aligned with one another. Thus, retraction of the fingers  54 - 4  will allow the stack of lids LS to pass through the support collar  54 - 4  until the first lid in the stack LS is in contact with the last lid L L  in the stack LS supported by the guide platform  56 - 2 . Such a state is depicted in FIG.  7 E. While in such a state, the lids L will sequentially be depleted from the stack LS until the last lid in the new stack is positioned below the support collar  54 - 2 , at which time the cycle repeats itself beginning with the sequence depicted in FIG.  7 A. 
     Stacks of lids LS on the supply conveyor  52 - 2  may be replenished manually. However, it will be observed that the operation of the present invention will allow the operator some grace time between lid stack replenishments. Thus, the conveyor  52 - 2  provides a convenient available stand-by supply of lid stacks which are transferred automatically to the lid feeding assembly  56  as described above. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.