Method to use and control a device for filling containers, and filling device

Abstract

Method to use and control a device for filling containers with predefined quantities of fluid (11) delivered discretely into each container by means of a peristaltic pump (10) selectively activated to perform a cycle of filling a container, wherein said peristaltic pump (10) comprises a flexible tube (14) having an adjacent segment (19) of at least part of the entrance extension (20) with the exit extension (21), and cooperating with a single rotating roller (22) to convey, in succession and precisely, predefined quantities of said fluid (11) into said containers, obviating the problems relating to the adjacent segment (19) and discrete deliveries.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]Embodiments of the present invention concern a method to define the precise and accurate delivery of predefined quantities of fluid into containers in relation to a filling device comprising a peristaltic pump.[0002]The present invention also concerns a filling device using said method to use and control the delivery in succession of precise and accurate quantities of fluid to fill containers.[0003]The filling device according to the present invention is applied particularly, but not restrictively, in the pharmaceutical or health sector, and in any case in any condition where defined and controlled quantities of fluid products are to be delivered, advantageously in succession, into suitable containers, even of minimum values.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]Some applications that adopt peristaltic pumps, in relation to the type of fluid that they treat and its precise destination, have the necessity to deliver, precisely and accurately, at times very accu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes how a peristaltic pump can deliver precise quantities of fluid into containers in a continuous and efficient manner. This is achieved by controlling the start position of the rotating roller and the volume of fluid in each sector. This allows for continuous management of the pump until the desired volume is delivered to each container. The technical effects of this patent text include precise and continuous control over the quantity of fluid delivery, which can improve the functioning of the peristaltic pump and ensure efficient management of the delivery process.

Problems solved by technology

However, in the production of pharmaceutical, chemical, health, or other products for which a high degree of precision is required in the successive filling of suitable containers with predefined quantities of fluid, even small quantities, this solution is not suitable to obtain precise deliveries in succession.

US'168 does not suggest any way of using the deliverer which can allow to obtain a plurality of precise deliveries in succession, considering the specific problems related to the adjacent segment and the drive and stop transients of the peristaltic pump.

The solution described in document US'168 is ineffective for small deliveries, or in any case during the roller start-up phase.

This means that this known solution is inadequate for filling containers with quantities delivered discretely with repeated starts and stops of the roller, especially if the roller is started in the adjacent segment.

Therefore, the solution of US'168 does not allow to fill in succession and in a precise manner containers with desired quantities of liquid, since it is affected both by the different volumes of liquid displaced in the adjacent segment, and also by the non-controllable deliveries of liquid when the roller is driven, that is, during the starting and stopping transient of the roller.

It is known that peristaltic pumps require frequent maintenance because, as the result of the multiple compressions exerted by the planetary rollers on the flexible tube, the latter tends on the one hand to wear, and on the other hand it tends to age before time on the pressing side, and can even deform and / or be irreversibly damaged.

This entails, however, the presence of a three-way valve, which not only makes the system more complex, but is also the source of other problems of maintenance and stagnation of liquid along the tubes connected to it.

Known peristaltic pumps, if used for functions of transferring fluids that have to be controlled at least in volume, create many difficulties with regard to an accurate control.

This behavior makes it difficult to have an accurate and desired control of the quantity of fluid delivered, when the quantity delivered requires that the pressing element transits wholly or partly along the adjacent segment.

In fact, in the case of repeated delivery, the pressing element temporarily stops at any angular position whatsoever, also randomly, where the peristaltic pump has to be able to deliver quantities of fluid in sequence, but not uniform.

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