Machines used for packaging liquid or semi-solid products into containers.

Abstract

This invention relates to a machine for packaging liquid or semi-solid products in containers, specifically a machine for packaging liquids in containers such as bottles, and to a support system for such a machine. Specifically, the invention relates to a machine for packaging liquids in containers, comprising: - two or more operating units selected from a preform heating furnace, a blowing unit for blowing preforms to form containers, a rinsing unit for rinsing the blown containers, a container filling unit, a post-fill container capping unit, a container labeling unit, an empty or post-fill container sterilization unit, and a container lowering and orientation unit; - a delivery star wheel for conveying preforms or containers between the operating units; the machine is characterized by including a base comprising an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein all operating units and the delivery star wheel are disposed on the upper plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a machine for packaging liquid or semi-solid products in containers, specifically a machine for packaging liquids in containers such as bottles, and to a support system for such a machine. Background Technology

[0002] Packaging of liquid products, such as beverages or products used for cleaning and hygiene, is carried out in specialized equipment or continuous systems. These systems typically involve heating and blowing preforms to form containers, filling, capping, and labeling these containers. These operations are usually performed in separate machines dedicated to each operation, connected by appropriate motion systems, rather than in a single machine performing all the operations.

[0003] In any case, each operating unit is placed on a base or support that is typically composed of tubular elements or rods forming a frame, beneath which cables and pipes for various purposes of the machine extend.

[0004] Then, the various bases of the operating unit are usually connected by bolts and their heights are adjusted to form the operating unit of the machine.

[0005] This method of assembling machines for packaging liquid products is not always optimal and has many drawbacks, including the significant time required to get the machines up and running. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a machine for packaging liquids in containers.

[0007] One object of the present invention is to provide a machine for packaging liquid in a container, the machine comprising:

[0008] - Two or more operating units selected from a preform heating furnace, a blowing unit for blowing preforms to form containers, a rinsing unit for rinsing the blown containers, a container filling unit, a container capping unit after filling, a container labeling unit, an empty container or container sterilization unit after filling, and a container lowering and orientation unit.

[0009] - Delivery star wheel, used to transfer preforms or containers between operating units;

[0010] Its characteristic is that the machine includes a base, which includes an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein all operating units and the support for the delivery star wheel are mounted on the upper plate.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, an upper plate and a lower plate are assembled to form a box-like structure, the box-like structure including a side that separates the upper plate from the lower plate to enclose a space therein, the space being configured to accommodate cables and conduits for the operation of the machine.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the upper plate is larger than the lower plate, thereby causing the upper plate to protrude laterally relative to the side, wherein fins extend at the corners of the box-shaped structure, these fins serving as reinforcements for the ends of the upper plate and as adjacent surfaces for support rods for the base.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the box-like structure includes one or more compartments that are open on the side where the lower plate is located and closed at the top by an upper plate and on the sides by walls. These compartments are configured to accommodate and allow the passage of cables and conduits for the operation of the machine.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the sides and / or walls of the compartments of the box structure include openings configured to allow conduits and cables to pass between the outside and inside of the box structure.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the lower plate includes a plurality of maintenance openings arranged in predetermined positions and configured to allow the welding torch of a welding machine or other tools required to secure the operating unit to the upper plate to access from below the lower surface of the upper plate.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the upper plate includes:

[0017] - Mounting brackets for the operating unit and the delivery star wheel, these mounting brackets being arranged in predetermined positions determined by the geometry of the machine, and

[0018] - Multiple openings constructed to allow cables and conduits for the operation of the machine to pass through.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the maximum dimensions of the base are a width of 3 meters and / or a length of 10 meters.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the machine of the present invention includes the following operating units located on the base:

[0021] - A preform heating furnace, a blowing unit, and a delivery star wheel for moving preforms or containers between the operating units, or

[0022] - A preform heating furnace, a blowing unit, a filling unit, a labeling unit, and a system for transferring containers between the operating units.

[0023] The blowing unit comprises two to sixteen blowing modules. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of some examples of embodiments given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the following accompanying drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 A perspective view of the machine according to the present invention is shown;

[0026] Figure 2A It shows Figure 1 A top view of the machine;

[0027] Figure 2B It shows Figure 1 A top view of a variant of the machine;

[0028] Figure 3A It shows Figure 1 A bottom-view perspective of the machine's base;

[0029] Figure 3B It shows Figure 1 A top view of the machine's base;

[0030] Figure 4 A top view of the base in Figure 3 is shown in a transparent manner;

[0031] Figure 5 It shows along Figure 4 The view captured by line AA. Detailed Implementation

[0032] refer to Figure 1 Reference numeral 1 indicates, as a whole, a machine for packaging liquids in containers (e.g., packaging beverages in bottles). Specifically, machine 1 specifically includes a preform heating unit 2, commonly referred to as a preform heating furnace, and a blowing unit 3 for the heated preforms. Machine 1 also includes delivery stars 4, 4', which respectively transfer the heated preforms from furnace 2 to the blowing unit 3 and transfer bottles blown by the blowing unit 3 to subsequent downstream processing units (not shown), which typically include a rinsing unit, a liquid-filled bottle filling unit, a capping unit, and a labeling unit. In some embodiments, all or some of these operating units may be part of the same machine 1.

[0033] Furnace 2 is a conventional infrared heating furnace, the structure and function of which are well known to those skilled in the art, and includes a generally elliptical path along which a preform associated with a dedicated mandrel is brought to the infrared heating module.

[0034] The blow molding unit 3 is also of the conventional type and includes a conveyor belt 5 that rotatably supports multiple blow molding modules 6. Each blow molding module consists of two openable and reclosable half-molds in which a heated preform is housed and pressurized air is introduced into the neck of the heated preform until a bottle is formed. In some cases, these blow molding modules 6 may include rods that can move vertically within the preform to achieve stretch blowing of the bottle. As described, the machine and process are well known to those skilled in the art and therefore require no further description.

[0035] Figure 2A and 2B Two different versions of machine 1 are shown, their only difference being the number of blowing modules 6 present on conveyor belt 5. The number of blowing modules 6 will be determined based on production line requirements; therefore, the size of conveyor belt 5 will also be determined based on production line requirements.

[0036] Delivery Star Wheel 4, 4 ′ This is also a known type, and includes a rotary table 7 on which grippers 8 are arranged to grip and transfer preforms or bottles. Gripping is typically performed below the container neck of the finished element.

[0037] Machine 1 includes a base 9, which is in Figure 1 Only a portion of the base is visible, and the base houses all the operating units on a single plate (i.e., the upper plate 10).

[0038] exist Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The base 9, shown as a whole, includes an upper plate 10 and a lower plate 11, which are assembled to form a box-like structure 12. In addition to the upper plate 10 and the lower plate 11, the box-like structure 12 also includes four sides 13 arranged along a generally rectangular outline, which separate the upper plate 10 and the lower plate 11 to enclose a space 14 therein, which can accommodate service cables or pipes for the operation of the machine 1.

[0039] The upper plate 10 is larger than the lower plate 11, causing the upper plate to protrude laterally relative to the four sides 13. Fins 15 extend at the corners of the box-shaped structure 12 as a continuation of the sides 13, serving as reinforcements for the ends of the upper plate 10 and as adjacent surfaces for the support rods 16 of the base 9.

[0040] The box-like structure 12 includes a compartment 20 that is open on the side where the lower plate 11 is located and closed at the top by the upper plate 10 and on the sides by the wall 17. The compartment 20 accommodates and allows the passage of cables and conduits used for the operation of the machine.

[0041] The sides 13 of the box structure 12 and the walls 17 of the compartment 20 both include openings 18 that allow conduits and cables to pass from the outside of the box structure 12 to the inside.

[0042] In addition to the opening for accommodating the compartment 20, the lower plate 11 also includes a plurality of maintenance openings 19 arranged in predetermined positions and configured to allow the introduction of, for example, a welding torch of a welding machine or other tools required to secure the operating unit to the upper plate 10, so that it can be accessed from below the lower surface of the upper plate 10.

[0043] The upper plate 10 includes mounting bases 21 for various operating units. In a specific example of the accompanying drawings, these mounting bases are for the furnace 2, for the conveyor belt 3, and for the delivery star wheels 4, 4'. These mounting bases 21 are arranged in predetermined positions determined by the geometry of the machine 1.

[0044] The upper plate 10 further includes multiple openings 22 for cables and pipes used for the operation of the machine to pass through.

[0045] As described above, the machine 1 shown in the figure is merely an example. In practice, machines comprising only the filling, capping, and labeling steps can be obtained, or complete machines comprising individual processing units (i.e., an oven for heating the preforms, a blowing unit, optionally a device for washing the formed bottles, a filling unit, a capping unit, and a labeling unit). For example, a machine comprising a blowing unit, a filling unit, a labeling unit, and a system for transferring containers between said operating units can be obtained. A feature of the invention is that all operating units are placed on a single base, as described above. However, for structural reasons, it is preferable that the maximum dimensions of the base 9 are 3 meters wide and / or 10 meters long.

[0046] The main advantages of this invention are:

[0047] - It directly forms channels for cables and pipes inside the base, and creates outlet holes only where needed, which allows for a linear and neat machine layout.

[0048] - Extremely fast and practical in moving and installing machines.

[0049] -It has a very robust structure due to the absence of threaded parts.

[0050] - Once the components are in place, the individual bases can be machined using machine tools without any adjustments.

[0051] - It can accommodate 2 to 16 molds, which are capable of producing bottles from 0.05 liters to 12 liters.

[0052] It is obvious that only some specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, and those skilled in the art can make all the necessary changes to these embodiments to adapt them to a particular application without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A machine (1) for packaging liquid in a container, comprising: - Two or more operating units selected from a preform heating furnace (2), a blowing unit (3) for blowing preforms to form containers, a rinsing unit for rinsing the blown containers, a container filling unit, a container capping unit after filling, a container labeling unit, an empty container or container sterilization unit after filling, and a container lowering and orientation unit. - Delivery star wheels (4, 4') for transferring the preform or the container between the operating units; The machine (1) includes a base (9), which includes an upper plate (10) and a lower plate (11). All the operating units and the delivery star wheel are mounted on the upper plate (10). The upper plate (10) and the lower plate (11) are assembled to form a box-shaped structure (12), the box-shaped structure (12) including a side (13) that separates the upper plate (10) from the lower plate (11) to enclose a space (14) therein, the space being configured to accommodate cables and conduits for the operation of the machine, and wherein the upper plate (10) is larger than the lower plate (11), thereby causing the upper plate to project laterally relative to the side (13), wherein fins (15) extend at the corners of the box-shaped structure (12), the fins serving as reinforcements for the ends of the upper plate (10) and as abutting surfaces for support rods (16) of the base (9), and The box-shaped structure (12) includes one or more compartments (20) that are open on the side where the lower plate (11) is located and closed at the top by the upper plate (10) and closed on the sides by walls (17). The compartments (20) are configured to accommodate the cables and pipes for the operation of the machine and allow the cables and pipes to pass through.

2. The machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the side (13) of the box structure (12) and / or the wall (17) of the compartment (20) include an opening (18) configured to allow the conduit and the cable to pass between the outside and inside of the box structure (12).

3. The machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The lower plate (11) includes a plurality of maintenance openings (19) arranged in predetermined positions and configured to allow a welding torch of a welding machine or other tools required for securing the operating unit to the upper plate (10) to approach from below the lower surface of the upper plate (10).

4. The machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The upper plate (10) includes: - A mounting base (21) for the operating unit and the delivery star wheel (4, 4'), the mounting base (21) being arranged in a predetermined position determined by the geometry of the machine (1), and - Multiple openings (22) are constructed to allow cables and pipes for the operation of the machine to pass through.

5. The machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The maximum dimensions of the base (9) are 3 meters wide and / or 10 meters long.

6. The machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the following operating units located on the base (9): - The preform heating furnace (2), the blowing unit (3), and the delivery star wheel (4, 4') for moving the preform or the container between the operating units, or - The preform heating furnace (2), the blowing unit, the filling unit, the labeling unit, and the system for transferring the container between the operating units.

7. The machine (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The blowing unit (3) includes two to sixteen blowing modules (6).

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