Patent Description:
The method above is described in <CIT>. A method according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is also known from <CIT>.

There is therefore a need to change the system's arrangement and method, so that big bags of varying heights can be used and such that robot-assisted filling of big bags is made possible using older systems with limited construction height.

It is proposed, according to the invention's method, that the distance between the lower rim of the feed pipe and the dosage unit is adjusted, when changing from a big bag with a specific height between the underlying surface and neck, to a big bag of another height. By changing this distance, it will be possible to adjust the filling height of the system above the bottom of the big bag, and then big bags of widely varying heights can be used in the same system, also even if the system has very limited distance between the dosage unit and the underlying surface.

The advantage of adjusting the distance of the lower rim of the feed pipe in relation to the dosage unit is greatly enhanced flexibility in both older and refurbished systems, as it will be easy to change a system from one big bag type to another, and the difference between the lowest and tallest useable big bag is increased significantly.

In a design for the invention as submitted in Requirement <NUM>, the distance can be adjusted by removing the feed pipe from a bracket on the underside of the dosage unit and attaching a feed pipe of a different length to the bracket. This adjustment ensures that the feed pipe is always uninterrupted along its entire length, and the outer pipe can always be fed unrestricted in the necessary length, up and down the feed pipe.

The underside of the dosage unit, located at a high level, and the significant weight and size of the feed pipe will immediately prevent proposing this type of replacement each time a new big bag is used; however, the invention provides several different solutions that in a surprising way overcome this problem.

The invention proposes that the feed pipe be detached from the bracket and has a carousel magazine added in an empty U-shaped clamp, and that the carousel magazine is turned, and a feed pipe of another length is attached from a second U-shaped clamp in the carousel magazine and is attached to the bracket. Here it is easy to set up this carousel magazine with a vertical turning axis, just below the bracket on the dosage unit, and with a U-shaped clamp on a sliding device or corresponding mobile device, such that the clamp can be slid to and from the bracket, when the carousel is turned so that the relevant U-shaped clamp is pointing towards the bracket. An empty U-shaped clamp can thereby be brought into position below a downward-pointing upper flange on a feed pipe, so that the pipe can be released and the weight of it is transferred to the U-shaped clamp on the sliding device. The sliding device is then pulled into the centre of the carousel and the carousel turns, so that a pipe of another length, held in the second U-shaped clamp, is brought into position near the bracket. This new pipe can be moved on the sliding device until it is in line with the bracket, and the clamps at the bracket can be activated, so that the pipe is pressed with its outward-facing flange towards the bracket. The system is now ready for production with the new feed pipe. The functions described can be carried out manually, e.g. by one person, who can stand on a suitably constructed platform at the side of the carousel. Alternatively, these operations can readily be automated using various types of actuators, sensors and some control technology, so that they are performed fully automatically by the system. The control system in this case is either integrated or connected to the robot unit's control unit.

In another design of the invention, the outer pipe is lifted all the way along the feed pipe to the outer pipe system to an upper flange on the feed pipe. Thereafter, the outer pipe is removed and the outer pipe is lowered all the way down until the lower rim of the feed pipe or outer pipe is on a level with the underlying surface, then the feed pipe is lifted out of the outer pipe and a feed pipe of another length is lifted up into the outer pipe, whereafter this is lifted up to the new feed pipe's system to the bracket and is attached here. This use of the movement of the outer pipe up and down to transport a free unattached feed pipe requires an apparatus that raises or lowers the outer pipe to be installed; however, this apparatus can be arranged in many different ways, and when it is first installed, it will be quite easy and convenient to replace the feed pipe, without requiring an installer or another member of personnel to climb to a height and handle heavy objects.

In an alternative design, the distance of the feed pipe from the underlying surface is increased or decreased by replacing a section of the feed pipe. Here, the feed pipe is fitted with a lower section and a possible intermediate section between the bracket and upper rim of the lower section. All intermediate sections can be separated by outward-facing common flanges at each end, so that they can be connected at the upper end, either attached automatically via clamps here or by a second intermediate section. At the bottom, they can be attached with either a second intermediate section or with a lower section of the feed pipe. The bottom section of the feed pipe can thus be connected either directly to the bracket or to an intermediate section. It is of course possible to bring together the number of intermediate sections that are required as extensions to each other and connect them to the bottom section of the feed pipe while this is resting with its upper rim on the upper rim of the outer pipe and thereafter transport the complete feed pipe to the system between the outward-facing flange and bracket of the topmost feed pipe and then activate the clamps, so that the bracket and flange are connected. From here, filling can be restarted, this time with one or several extra/fewer intermediate sections between the bottom feed pipe section and the bracket.

The invention also concerns a system for filling of big bags with more or less free flowing materials, where a big bag can be placed with the neck around a feed pipe, a telescopically fitted outer pipe, where at the same time the bottom of the big bag is supported on a surface, and the telescopic movement of the outer pipe, up and down, brings it's lower rim down into and alternatively up and free of a big bag, where the feed pipe is arranged such that it adds a measured amount of material in vertical stream from an overlying dosage unit and through the outer pipe and down into the big bag.

What is new and special with this invention is that the feed pipe includes as a minimum a radially continuous interface surface at its topmost connection arranged on a disconnectable attachment to a second downward-facing rim of a feed pipe and/or to the dosage unit underside. Note that the radially continuous interface surface must preferably not be within the pipe's inner diameter, as this can present an obstruction to the material flow within the pipe. Particularly during the transport of material vertically down into the big bag, there is a risk that the simultaneous upward flow of gases that need to be extracted from the big bag at the same time as filling can be disturbed by objects within the inner diameter of the pipe. Otherwise, the interface surface can be arranged in any imaginable way: it can be a screw or tension flange, where an exterior ring pushes two flange components together on two adjacent pipe sections, or it can be corresponding outward-facing flanges that have holes with bolts through so that two adjacent flange components can be connected together. It may also be possible to use threaded components with exterior threads on one end and corresponding interior threads on the opposite end. However, it should be noted that in such case the attachment under the dosage unit must be arranged such that it corresponds to a threaded part of an assembled feed pipe.

In one design of the invention the feed pipe is attached (but removeable) to a bracket on the underside of the dosage unit, in that on the bracket there is at least one moveable component for proper securing of the feed pipe to the bracket. Typically, the moveable component will be a clamp, that can clamp onto a flange at the upper end of the feed pipe, and push this flange to attach to the bracket. As stated, there are other possibilities for attaching the feed pipe to the bracket; however, a moveable clamp interfacing with a flange on the feed pipe is preferred, as this construction is quite easy to mechanise with one or several actuators, which move the clamps in a suitable direction, so that they push the feed pipe onto the bracket. Actuators, whether electrically powered or pneumatically driven, are easy to control from a central control unit, and they are mass-produced items that are correspondingly cheap to obtain.

In a further design, a carousel magazine has been developed for feed pipes at the dosage unit, such that a feed pipe is available in a vacant space in the carousel magazine, and such that the carousel magazine can revolve and another pipe is removeable from another space in the magazine and can be attached to the bracket. The carousel magazine has a vertically revolving axis and magazines are fitted along the peripheral circumference of the magazine. The Magazine can effectively be located with its turn axis forward of, but parallel with an attached feed pipe centre axis, such that a radial this placement in a horizontal plane in relation to the centre axis can bring a feed pipe located in a space in the carousel magazine to a position below the fastener, where the pipe can be connected to the attachment with one or several clamps. These types of operation are easy to automate, so that they can be performed by suitable moving devices controlled by a central control unit.

In a further design of the invention, the outer pipe's movement up and down is facilitated during the filling cycle by an elevator located along the feed pipe, where the elevator runs up to an attachment on the underside of the dosage unit. This type of elevator can be used for transport of the feed pipe up to the attachment, where the previously mentioned clamps are adjusted to clamp under an upper outward-facing flange on the feed pipe, so that this flange is held against a corresponding flange below the underside of the dosage unit. It is preferable that the elevator at the same time represents the movement mechanism that moves the outer pipe up and down during the filling cycle for big bags. It may be appropriate for the elevator to run all the way down to the underlying surface, such that an operator can pick up a feed pipe that is resting with its outward facing flange against the upper rim of the outer pipe, and replace it with the feed pipe of a different length. Doing so will avoid personnel having to manoeuvre and remove and attach a feed pipe on the underside of the dosage unit, which is typically located at a height. The outer pipe will then be permanently attached and follow the elevator's movement upwards and downwards.

In an alternative design, the feed pipe encompasses a lower section of a predetermined length, along with none, one or several sequential sections between the lower section and the dosage unit. The aforementioned elevator and the automatic clamps below the dosage unit can then be used, when the number of sections between the lower section of the feed pipe is to be changed. However, the use of a sectioned feed pipe also provides an opportunity, alongside other systems for the transport and replacement of parts of the feed pipe, when the distance between its lowest rim and the surface is to be changed in an easy and convenient manner.

The invention will be explained hereafter with references to drawings, as follows:.

In <FIG>, a system <NUM> is shown for filling of big bags <NUM> with more or less free-flowing material. Examples of materials can be powders such as flour, milk powder, cocoa powder, cement, chalk powder or fuel ash, but also other various types of animal feedstuffs, stone, ballast, sand or gravel or substances such as fully or partially dried sludge or filter mass can be relevant. The system <NUM> encompasses a feed pipe <NUM> and an associated telescopically attached outer pipe <NUM>. Big bag <NUM> has a neck at the top, herein called beck <NUM>, which is designed with an opening diameter such that it is just possible to feed the outer pipe <NUM> down into big bag <NUM> through the neck of the bag. Big bag <NUM> is attached and retained around the outer pipe <NUM> while at the same time the bottom of the big bag <NUM> rests on the surface <NUM>. The outer pipe's <NUM> telescopic movement upwards and downwards brings the mouth of the outer pipe <NUM> up and free of big bag <NUM> neck <NUM>, and when the outer pipe <NUM> is down in bag <NUM> prescribed amount of material is fed through feed pipe <NUM> in a vertical stream from an overlying dosage unit <NUM> through the outer pipe <NUM> and down into big bag <NUM>. After dosage of material into big bag <NUM> the neck <NUM> is released from the outer pipe <NUM>, and the outer pipe <NUM> is lifted upwards and three of big bag and the neck <NUM> is closed or sealed by welding and big bag <NUM> is now ready for further transport to for example a warehouse, for labelling or for delivery. In the example shown the underlying surface <NUM> is a pallet, which in turn is standing on a roller belt conveyor, so that the transport of the pallet <NUM> with the filled big bag <NUM> is made easy and uncomplicated by activating the roller belt conveyor. Pallet <NUM> will in many situations be replaced by a conveyor belt or rollers, on which the big bag can stand during filling, and allow the filled big bag to be moved easily to a suitable destination. The ongoing transport system, and for example pallet automation are not shown here, but may be a part of surrounding functions in relation to the system. If this type of system is manually controlled, the movement of the outer pipe <NUM> upwards and downwards can be replaced by manual removable of big bag <NUM> after filling is completed. As shown in <FIG>, the feed pipe <NUM>, at its top connection has a radially continuous interface surface <NUM>. The interface surface <NUM> can be made to attach to another feed pipe's downward facing rim <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, and/or made to attach to the underside of the dosage unit <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

In <FIG>, the dosage unit <NUM> is shown with a funnel formed pipe <NUM>, which at the lower end is connected on its underside to a radial flange <NUM> and the feed pipe is attached (yet removeable) to the flange <NUM>. The flange <NUM> is therefore an attachment for feed pipe <NUM>. On the underside <NUM> of the dosage unit <NUM> is attached a movable clamp <NUM>, which is moved by an actuator <NUM>, these are shown a number of times along the flange <NUM>. The actuator <NUM> is set to move the clamp <NUM>, so that it either pushes the feed pipe's radial continual interface surface <NUM> into the flange <NUM>, or releases the feed pipe <NUM>. Normally, <NUM> clamps will be fitted with associated actuators; however more or fewer can be fitted, and there may be a common actuator or an actuator associated with each clamp, as shown here.

<FIG> shows a feed pipe <NUM> to a relatively large big bag corresponding to <NUM> of material, and the pipe is then correspondingly short, namely <NUM>. The outer diameter of the pipe itself is <NUM> and the total diameter of the flange <NUM> is <NUM>. The flange <NUM> incorporates a conical piece, which connects the radially continue as part of the flange <NUM> with the appropriate section of pipe, such that there will be more space for the clamps. A corresponding pipe for use in a system for filling bags of smaller height, e.g. bags designed for <NUM> of material will have the same dimensions, but will just be longer, such that this type of pipe's total length will be <NUM>.

In <FIG>, a feed pipe <NUM> is shown comprised of several sections, where a bottom pipe <NUM> is always concluded with a simple downward facing rim <NUM> and where any sections between the bottom section <NUM> and the attachment <NUM> have a lower flange <NUM> at the bottom (see <FIG>), which fits to an upper radially continuous interface surface <NUM>, which all of the pipe sections have. Thus, the length of the feed pipe can be changed by changing the number of intermediate pipe sections between the underside <NUM> of the dosage unit and a lower section <NUM>. The interface surface <NUM> is here shown as a flange; however, this could also be arranged as a threaded section or another type of coupling, However, it must be noted that the interface surface on the flange <NUM> must not be within the pipe's inner diameter as this may interfere with the stream of gas passing up along the inside of the pipe at the same time that material is moving down into the bag in a central stream in the centre of the feed pipe <NUM>. As the automated filling cycle for big bags dictates, that the outer pipe <NUM> is moved upwards and downwards along the feed pipe, the bottom section <NUM> has the shortest length possible in order for the system to function. The introduced extension sections can however be of a random length.

The feed pipe must be very stable and is constructed from metal and has quite a weight, so that it is not easy to manoeuvre. Therefore, for replacement and/or extension of the pipe, several solutions are proposed.

The first solution includes as shown in <FIG>, a carousel magazine <NUM> for a feed pipe connected to the underside <NUM> of the dosage unit, such that a feed pipe <NUM> can fit to a space in the carousel magazine <NUM>, which can also be turned around a vertical axis <NUM>, such that another pipe can be allocated from another space in the magazine <NUM> and attached to the bracket <NUM>. The magazine may be constructed of any size with any number of spaces; however, in the illustrations in <FIG>, <NUM> spaces are allotted. Each pipe is attached to a slider <NUM>, that can be moved radially and horizontally in relation to the carousel's turn axis <NUM>. When a pipe is to be replaced, the carousel turns so that an empty slider is brought to the underside <NUM> of the dosage unit, and the slider <NUM> is move forward such that a U-shaped clamp <NUM> is placed underneath the feed pipe's radial interface surface <NUM>, thereafter the clamps <NUM> are released and the pipe is clamped on the outer flange <NUM> by the U-shaped clamp <NUM>. The pipe <NUM> can now be transported with the slider <NUM> away from its position below the dosage unit <NUM>. Thereafter, carousel <NUM> can be turned and a pipe of another length can be installed. The for-feed pipes as shown in <FIG> will ideally each have a different length and will thereby correspond to a big bag each with a specific height.

In another solution shown in <FIG>, the system incorporates an elevator <NUM>, that is designed to carry out two different tasks, were the first task is to remove the outer pipe <NUM> up and down the feed pipe <NUM> during an automated filling cycle, and the second task is to lift the feed pipe <NUM> down from its location below the dosage unit <NUM> and to bring another feed pipe up to the attachment <NUM>. In order to perform these two tasks, the elevator <NUM> is attached along the feed pipe <NUM> and runs all the way up to the attachment <NUM> on the underside of the dosage unit <NUM>. The elevator <NUM> can be fitted in many different ways, as is the case for elevators, and in the example shown this includes an elevator carriage <NUM> with wheels <NUM> that is designed to run along vertical rails <NUM> as the elevator carriage's weight is supported by a cable or a chain with an associated drive motor <NUM>. The chain is not shown in illustrations, but it is a fully conventional chain forming a closed ring around the indicated chain puller and around cog <NUM> below (best shown on <FIG>) and attached to the elevator carriage <NUM> in the conventional manner.

Via a fixture <NUM>, best shown in <FIG>, the elevator carriage <NUM> is permanently attached to the outer pipe <NUM> and as shown in <FIG> the outer pipe can be moved up and down on the outside of the inner pipe <NUM> to a position shown in <FIG>. Here the upper rim <NUM> of the outer pipe <NUM> goes to the underside of the outward facing coned part of the feed pipe <NUM>. In this position, the clamps <NUM> can release the feed pipe so that it is no longer attached to bracket <NUM>. When the elevator carriage is then moved downwards, the feed pipe will follow. The elevator <NUM> can be driven all the way down to floor level, and so the feed pipe <NUM> can be manually removed and another feed pipe attached, normally of a different length. Alternatively, intermediate sections can be attached removed as illustrated in <FIG>.

Thereafter the elevator is driven up to bracket <NUM> and the clamps <NUM> activated so that the new pipe is attached to the bracket - the elevator can now simply be driven down and operations continued in accordance with the outer pipe's different work positions during filling as previously explained.

<FIG> shows that the outward facing upper flange <NUM> on the bottom feed pipe <NUM> and the intermediate sections <NUM> has cutouts <NUM>. Corresponding to each cutout, there is a pin <NUM> attached to the underside of the bottom flange <NUM>, on the intermediate sections <NUM>. On the pin <NUM> and locking arm <NUM> is attached on the upper side of the flange <NUM>. The locking arm <NUM> allows the pin <NUM> to move downwards so that this can be fed into a cutout <NUM> and then attached and locked in one position where the pin <NUM> pulls the upper flange <NUM> into the underside of the lower flange <NUM>. The locking arm <NUM> is shown with a handle for adjustment between the release/ locking of the pin <NUM>. When two pipe sections are to be attached, the lower flange <NUM> is attached to the upper flange <NUM> on another pipe, in that each of the three pins <NUM> is placed outside of their own cutouts <NUM> as can be seen in the middle illustration in <FIG>, thereafter the two pipes are turned in relation to each other such that the pin is pushed into the bottom of the cutout <NUM> as shown in the illustration on the right in <FIG>. In this position the locking arm <NUM> is brought down so that there is permanent tension between the pin <NUM> and the locking and <NUM> and the two pipe sections are firmly locked to one another.

From the underside of the bottom feed pipe <NUM> up a flange <NUM> is signal pin <NUM> is fitted which can also be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>. Here the function is shown, as the pin connection to a signal sender <NUM> fitted to the upper rim of the upper pipe <NUM>. Only if the signal sender <NUM> is activated by the signal pin <NUM> is the actuator <NUM> permitted to release the clamps <NUM> to release the collective feed pipe from the bracket <NUM> on the underside of the dosage unit <NUM>. The activation of signal sender <NUM> can also be used to stop further movement upwards of the elevator <NUM>, so that this does not move further up than the interface between the outer pipe <NUM> upper rim <NUM> and the conical part on the bottom feed pipe.

To keep the different parts together and to bear the weight of the dosage unit, the system is supported by a regular machine frame <NUM>. The elevator <NUM> is attached to the machine frame <NUM>, and even on older systems the elevator <NUM> can be attached up to bracket <NUM> without major alterations to machine frame <NUM>. The advantage here is that with the invention it is possible to rebuild older systems without replacing the machine frame and the dosage unit. With the invention's easy method for changing the feed pipe length it is thereby possible to use big bags of varying heights, without compromising space requirements for e.g. robot assisted handling of big bags. This means that on newer or older systems, a robot unit <NUM> can easily be fitted as shown in <FIG>, and this will be able to be used for both shorter and taller big bags and the alterations required to the system to move from one sought to the other are easy to carry out, as personnel are able to do this task without having to lift or manoeuvre heavy feed pipes at a height.

Shown in several of the figures are the retaining arms <NUM>, that are used to retain the big bag's neck <NUM> on the outer pipe during filling. It is generally known how to synchronise robot movements, to pick up empty big bags from the magazine and to place them on the outer pipe to be held by the retaining arms <NUM> and other parts of the filling system, so that a fully automatic system is achieved, leading to significant savings compared to slower filling systems, where big bags are presently placed manually.

Naturally, there are alternative methods of adapting systems to different heights of big bag: It is possible to raise or lower the underlying surface <NUM> of the dosage unit in order to achieve the optimal distance between the underlying surface and the bottom rim of the feed pipe; however, these types of solution are expensive in relation to the solution provided by the invention, where practically all parts of older systems remain unaffected, and at the same time a significant increase in flexibility and productivity is achieved.

Claim 1:
Method for adjustment of a system (<NUM>) for filling of big bags (<NUM>) with
materials, wherein neck (<NUM>) of a big bag (<NUM>) is located and retained in an airtight seal around a feed pipe (<NUM>) having a telescopically attached outer pipe (<NUM>), wherein the outer pipe (<NUM>) is movable to a low position corresponding to the height of the big bag (<NUM>), wherein filling of material is carried out while the bottom of the big bag (<NUM>) is supported on an underlying surface (<NUM>), wherein the feed pipe (<NUM>) is adapted to fill materials in a vertical stream from overlying dosage unit (<NUM>) and wherein the outer pipe (<NUM>) after filling the big bag (<NUM>) is separated from the neck (<NUM>) of the big bag,
wherein the distance between the feed pipe's bottom rim (<NUM>) and the dosage unit (<NUM>) is changed, when moving from a big bag with a specific height between the underlying surface (<NUM>) and the neck (<NUM>), to a big bag (<NUM>) of a different height characterised in that the distance is changed by that the feed pipe (<NUM>) is detached from a bracket (<NUM>) on the underside (<NUM>) of the dosage unit (<NUM>) and that a feed pipe (<NUM>) of a different length is attached to the bracket (<NUM>) or by that the feed pipe's (<NUM>) distance to the underlying surface is increased or decreased by replacing a section (<NUM>) of the feed pipe with a shorter or longer section, or by that a section of feed pipe is added or a section of feed pipe is removed.