A vacuum stoppering system and method

Abstract

The application discloses a high-speed vacuum stoppering system, which comprises a stoppering sleeve mounting seat, a stoppering rod and a stoppering sleeve mounted on the stoppering sleeve mounting seat, a vacuumizing cavity is arranged in the stoppering sleeve mounting seat, a stoppering channel is arranged in the stoppering sleeve, a vacuumizing channel is formed between the side wall of the stoppering channel and the inner wall of the stoppering sleeve, the vacuumizing channel is communicated with the vacuumizing cavity, a gas pipe is communicated with the vacuumizing cavity, a first pressure sensor, a diaphragm valve, a second pressure sensor, a proportional valve and a vacuumizing device are sequentially arranged on the gas pipe, and the stoppering rod can be lifted along the stoppering channel to stopper a container. The application further discloses a stoppering method, and has the advantages of fast response speed, reduced interference of environmental factors and improved stoppering stability and uniformity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food and pharmaceutical packaging technology, specifically to a vacuum stoppering system and method. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum sealing is superior to traditional mechanical sealing, resulting in smaller air bubbles in the product, less pressure on the rubber stopper during sealing, and less adverse effects on the stopper. It is particularly suitable for coated rubber stoppers and cartridge stoppers, which can only be sealed using vacuum sealing. However, existing vacuum sealing methods have the following drawbacks:

[0003] 1) Using a gauge pressure detector results in poor stability of pressure detection, which is easily affected by factors such as atmospheric environment, temperature and electromagnetic environment;

[0004] 2) Production efficiency is slow and cannot meet the demand for high-capacity production. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a vacuum filling system that has a fast response speed, reduces the interference of environmental factors, and improves the stability and uniformity of filling.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A vacuum stoppering system includes a stopper sleeve mounting base, a stopper rod, and a stopper sleeve mounted on the stopper sleeve mounting base. The stopper sleeve mounting base has a vacuum chamber, and the stopper sleeve has a stoppering channel. A vacuum channel is formed between the side wall of the stoppering channel and the inner wall of the stopper sleeve. The vacuum channel is connected to the vacuum chamber, and the vacuum chamber is connected to a gas pipe. A first pressure sensor, a diaphragm valve, a second pressure sensor, a proportional valve, and a vacuuming device are sequentially mounted on the gas pipe. The stopper rod can move up and down along the stoppering channel to stopper a container.

[0008] The air pipe includes an air extraction pipe and an air inlet pipe. One end of the air extraction pipe is connected to the vacuum chamber, and the other end is connected to the air extraction device. The first pressure sensor, the diaphragm valve, and the second pressure sensor are sequentially installed on the air extraction pipe. One end of the air inlet pipe is connected to the air extraction pipe, and the other end is connected to the air replenishment device. The proportional valve is installed on the air inlet pipe.

[0009] The suction pipe is equipped with a second pressure sensor at the front end of the air inlet pipe, and a third pressure sensor and a check valve for preventing vacuum backflow are provided at the end near the suction device.

[0010] The extraction pipe has a filter at the front end of the first pressure sensor.

[0011] The vacuum stoppering system also includes a filling device, which includes a distributor, an inlet pipe and a filling needle connected in sequence. The inlet pipe is equipped with a filling pump and the distributor is equipped with a temperature sensor.

[0012] A method for adding a stopper to the above-mentioned vacuum stopper system includes the following steps:

[0013] S1, Second Pressure Sensor: The first pressure sensor detects the ambient pressure and adjusts the opening of the proportional valve.

[0014] S2. Open the diaphragm valve and start vacuuming;

[0015] S3. When the first pressure sensor detects that the pressure inside the plug sleeve has reached the set value, the diaphragm valve is closed.

[0016] S4. The stopper rod descends to press the rubber stopper in the stopper channel of the stopper sleeve into the container.

[0017] Before opening the diaphragm valve in step S2, the stopper plate sends the rubber stopper to the top of the stopper sleeve. The stopper rod descends to press the rubber stopper into the stopper sleeve. Then, the stopper sleeve and the stopper rod move down simultaneously to align with the container. Then, the stopper rod continues to descend to press the rubber stopper into the sealing point in the stopper channel to form a seal.

[0018] It also includes step S5, where the stopper sleeve mounting seat first lifts the stopper sleeve, and the rubber stopper moves down into the container under atmospheric pressure, and then the stopper rod is lifted to complete the stoppering.

[0019] In step S3, when the stopper is missing or the rubber stopper is unqualified, there is no rubber stopper in the stopper sleeve or the rubber stopper is unqualified, which causes the stopper sleeve to leak air and the vacuum cannot reach the set pressure. Therefore, it is judged that the rubber stopper is abnormal and the rubber stopper rejection action is performed. At this time, the stopper rod and the stopper sleeve are raised synchronously and leave the container, and then the stopper rod is lowered to reject the stopper.

[0020] In step S1, the gas tube also needs to be leak checked, and the vacuum pressure setting value needs to be adjusted according to the temperature of the filling liquid.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0022] This invention discloses a vacuum stoppering system. The vacuum device evacuates a vacuum chamber via an air pipe, and the vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum channel. When the stopper sleeve is aligned with the container, and the stopper rod presses the rubber stopper into the stopper channel, a vacuum is created in the container, achieving vacuum stoppering. The vacuum chamber increases the airflow area, which is beneficial for improving the vacuum stoppering speed and balancing the vacuum pressure, preventing uneven pressure at both ends during vacuuming. A first pressure sensor, a diaphragm valve, a second pressure sensor, and a proportional valve are sequentially installed on the air pipe. Before vacuuming, the second pressure sensor measures the ambient pressure, and the proportional valve opening is adjusted accordingly. During vacuuming, the first pressure sensor measures the pressure inside the stopper sleeve, and the diaphragm valve is switched according to the set vacuum pressure. The response speed is fast, and the closer the stopper sleeve is to the first pressure sensor and the diaphragm valve, the faster the response, improving stoppering efficiency. Furthermore, the adjustment of the proportional valve opening based on the ambient pressure before vacuuming reduces interference from environmental factors, improving the stability and uniformity of stoppering.

[0023] The vacuum plugging method disclosed in this invention adjusts the opening of the proportional valve according to the ambient pressure before vacuuming, thereby reducing the influence of environmental factors, improving the stability and uniformity of plugging, and reducing the debugging process during plugging. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the vacuum stopper system of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the insert sleeve mounting base in the vacuum insert system of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the stoppering process in the vacuum stoppering method of the present invention. Figure 1 .

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the stoppering process in the vacuum stoppering method of the present invention. Figure 2 .

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the stoppering process in the vacuum stoppering method of the present invention. Figure 3 .

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the stoppering process in the vacuum stoppering method of the present invention. Figure 4 .

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the stoppering process in the vacuum stoppering method of the present invention. Figure 5 .

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the stoppering process in the vacuum stoppering method of the present invention. Figure 6 .

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing air leakage in the stopper sleeve during the vacuum stoppering method of the present invention.

[0033] The labels in the diagram represent: 1. Stopper sleeve mounting base; 2. Stopper rod; 3. Stopper sleeve; 31. Stopper channel; 32. Vacuum channel; 4. Gas pipe; 41. Vacuum pipe; 42. Inlet pipe; 5. First pressure sensor; 6. Diaphragm valve; 7. Proportional valve; 8. Vacuum device; 9. Gas replenishment device; 10. Second pressure sensor; 11. Vacuum chamber; 12. Third pressure sensor; 13. Check valve; 14. Filter; 15. Dispenser; 16. Inlet pipe; 17. Filling needle; 18. Filling pump; 19. Temperature sensor; 20. Container. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0035] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0036] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0037] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "assembly," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0038] Example 1

[0039] Figures 1 to 9An embodiment of the present invention is shown. The vacuum stoppering system of this embodiment includes a stoppering sleeve mounting base 1, a stoppering rod 2, and a stoppering sleeve 3 mounted on the stoppering sleeve mounting base 1. The stoppering sleeve mounting base 1 is provided with a vacuum chamber 11, and the stoppering sleeve 3 is provided with a stoppering channel 31. A vacuum channel 32 is formed between the side wall of the stoppering channel 31 and the inner wall of the stoppering sleeve 3. The vacuum channel 32 is connected to the vacuum chamber 11, and the vacuum chamber 11 is connected to a gas pipe 4. A first pressure sensor 5, a diaphragm valve 6, a second pressure sensor 10, a proportional valve 7, and a vacuuming device 8 are sequentially provided on the gas pipe 4. The stoppering rod 2 can move up and down along the stoppering channel 31 to stopper the container 20.

[0040] In this vacuum stoppering system, the evacuation device 8 can evacuate the vacuum chamber 11 through the air pipe 4. The vacuum chamber 11 is connected to the vacuum channel 32. When the stopper sleeve 3 is connected to the container 20 and the stopper rod 2 presses the rubber stopper 21 into the stoppering channel 31, the container 20 can be evacuated to achieve vacuum stoppering. The setting of the vacuum chamber 11 increases the vacuum airflow area, which is conducive to improving the vacuum stoppering speed and also helps to balance the vacuum pressure, avoiding uneven pressure at both ends during stoppering and vacuuming. A first pressure sensor 5, a diaphragm valve 6, a second pressure sensor 10, and a proportional valve 7 are sequentially installed on the air pipe 4. Before vacuuming, the ambient pressure at the site is measured by the second pressure sensor 10, and the opening of the proportional valve 7 is adjusted according to the ambient pressure. During vacuuming, the pressure inside the plug sleeve 3 is measured by the first pressure sensor 5. The diaphragm valve 6 can be switched according to the set vacuum pressure, resulting in a fast response. The closer the plug sleeve 3 is to the first pressure sensor 5 and the diaphragm valve 6, the faster the response, which improves the plugging efficiency. At the same time, the opening of the proportional valve 7 is corrected according to the ambient pressure before vacuuming, which reduces the interference of environmental factors and improves the stability and uniformity of plugging.

[0041] In this embodiment, the air pipe 4 includes a suction pipe 41 and an inlet pipe 42. One end of the suction pipe 41 is connected to the vacuum chamber 11, and the other end is connected to the suction device 8. A first pressure sensor 5 and a diaphragm valve 6 are sequentially disposed on the suction pipe 41. One end of the inlet pipe 42 is connected to the suction pipe 41, and the other end is connected to the gas supply device 9. A proportional valve 7 is disposed on the inlet pipe 42. The suction device 8 evacuates the vacuum chamber 11 through the suction pipe 41, and the gas supply device 9 supplies gas to the suction pipe 41 through the inlet pipe 42. The amount of gas supplied to the inlet pipe 42 is adjusted by regulating the opening of the proportional valve 7, thereby regulating the vacuum pressure and ensuring the stability of the vacuum plugging.

[0042] In this embodiment, the vacuum pipe 41 is equipped with a third pressure sensor 12 and a check valve 13 for preventing vacuum backflow at one end near the vacuum device 8. The second pressure sensor 10 measures the vacuum pressure inside the vacuum pipe 41 (after gas replenishment), the first pressure sensor 5 is located near the stopper sleeve 3, and the second pressure sensor 10 is located at the rear end of the diaphragm valve 6. The third pressure sensor 12 measures the vacuum pressure of the vacuum device 8 (before gas replenishment), and the check valve 13 prevents vacuum backflow from damaging the vacuum device 8.

[0043] In this embodiment, a filter 14 is provided at the front end of the suction pipe 41 for the first pressure sensor 5. The filter 14 filters the suction air, so the first pressure sensor 5, diaphragm valve 6, and proportional valve 7 at the rear end of the filter 14 do not require cleaning and sterilization, improving convenience. It should be noted that the pipeline and the plug sleeve mounting seat 1 at the front end of the filter 14 need to be cleaned and sterilized; therefore, the plug sleeve mounting seat 1, pipeline, and filter 14 are typically connected using quick-connect couplings for easy disassembly and cleaning.

[0044] In this embodiment, the vacuum stoppering system also includes a filling device, which comprises a distributor 15, an inlet pipe 16, and a filling needle 17 connected in sequence. A filling pump 18 is mounted on the inlet pipe 16, and a temperature sensor 19 is mounted on the distributor 15. The filling pump 18 pumps the liquid medicine in the distributor 15 to the filling needle 17 to fill the container 20, which is then stoppered. The temperature sensor 19 on the distributor 15 measures the temperature of the liquid medicine, allowing for adjustment of the stoppering pressure based on the liquid medicine temperature, further increasing the stability of the stoppering process.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first pressure sensor 5, the second pressure sensor 10, and the third pressure sensor 12 are all absolute pressure sensors, further reducing the influence of weather, altitude, temperature, and electromagnetic factors on the pressure of the gasket.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple stopper sleeves 3 are installed on the stopper sleeve mounting base 1. The middle dimension (stopper channel 31) of the stopper sleeve 3 is smaller than the dimensions of both ends. Therefore, a vacuum channel 32 is formed between the side wall of the stopper channel 31 and the bottom stopper sleeve 3. The middle stopper channel 31 with the smaller size of the stopper sleeve 3 passes through the vacuum chamber 11, and the two ends with the larger size are connected to the stopper sleeve mounting base 1. Therefore, the vacuum chamber 11 is connected to the vacuum channel 32, which facilitates vacuuming. Preferably, the volume of the vacuum chamber 11 is more than 3 times the volume of the cavity of the container 20, which further increases the vacuum airflow area, improves the vacuum stoppering speed, balances the vacuum pressure, and avoids uneven pressure at both ends when stoppering and vacuuming.

[0047] Example 2

[0048] The vacuum plugging method of this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0049] S1. The second pressure sensor 10 detects the ambient pressure and adjusts the opening of the proportional valve 7.

[0050] S2. Open diaphragm valve 6 to begin vacuuming;

[0051] S3. When the first pressure sensor 5 detects that the pressure inside the plug sleeve 3 has reached the set value, the diaphragm valve 6 is closed.

[0052] S4. The stopper rod 2 descends to press the rubber stopper 21 in the stopper channel 31 of the stopper sleeve 3 into the container 20.

[0053] This vacuum plugging method adjusts the opening of proportional valve 7 according to the ambient pressure before vacuuming, reducing the influence of environmental factors, improving the stability and uniformity of plugging, and reducing the debugging process during plugging.

[0054] In this embodiment, before opening the diaphragm valve 6 in step S2, the stopper plate sends the rubber stopper 21 above the stopper sleeve 3. The stopper rod 2 descends to press the rubber stopper 21 into the stopper sleeve 3. Then, the stopper sleeve 3 and the stopper rod 2 move down simultaneously to align with the container 20. Then, the stopper rod 2 continues to descend to press the rubber stopper 21 into the sealing point within the stoppering channel 31 to form a seal. At this time, a vacuum is drawn into the container 20 through the vacuum channel 31 inside the stopper sleeve 3.

[0055] In this embodiment, the vacuum stoppering system further includes step S5: the stopper sleeve mounting base 1 first lifts the stopper sleeve 3, and the rubber stopper 21 moves down into the container 20 under atmospheric pressure. Then, the stoppering rod 2 is lifted to complete the stoppering. The stopper sleeve 3 is lifted first, and the stoppering rod 2 is lifted later to avoid lifting the container 20 together when both are lifted at the same time, which would prevent the rubber stopper 21 from moving down under atmospheric pressure.

[0056] In this embodiment, in step S3, when the stopper is missing or the rubber stopper 21 is unqualified, the stopper sleeve 3 will be without a rubber stopper 21 or the rubber stopper 21 will be unqualified, causing the stopper sleeve 3 to leak air and the vacuum cannot reach the set pressure. Therefore, it is determined that the rubber stopper 21 is abnormal, and the rubber stopper 21 is rejected. At this time, the stopper rod 2 and the stopper sleeve 3 are raised synchronously away from the container 20, and then the stopper rod 2 is lowered to reject the stopper. This improves the success rate of stopper insertion.

[0057] In this embodiment, in step S1, the gas tube 4 also needs to be leak-checked, and the vacuum pressure setting value needs to be adjusted according to the filling liquid temperature. That is, there are three self-check procedures before vacuuming and plugging: adjusting the opening of the proportional valve 7 according to the ambient pressure, leak-checking the gas tube 4, and adjusting the vacuum pressure setting value according to the filling liquid temperature.

[0058] The following details the self-test procedure: The factory debugging is adjusted to the customer's requirements. The set reference values ​​for the stable vacuum plugging bubble setting are: temperature sensor 19 factory average temperature C1, first pressure sensor 5 factory set pressure B1, record first pressure sensor 5 factory atmospheric pressure A1, record second pressure sensor 10 factory pipeline vacuum pressure D1, record proportional valve 7 pressure stabilizing opening E1.

[0059] The adjustment process of proportional valve 7 is as follows: 1) Start the vacuum device 8, close the diaphragm valve 6, and set the opening of proportional valve 7 to E1; 2) Read the current pressure value D2 of the second pressure sensor 10; 3) Compare the vacuum pressure D1 and D2 of the factory pipeline; 4) Execute PLC PID control to adjust the opening of proportional valve 7 E2 and adjust the pressure to D1.

[0060] The leak detection process for air pipe 4 is as follows: 1) Start the air extraction device 8, close the diaphragm valve 6, and set the opening of the proportional valve 7 to 0; 2) The third pressure sensor 12 detects the vacuum degree of the air extraction device 8, and the second pressure sensor 10 detects the vacuum degree of the air pipe 4. Determine whether both are 0 at the same time. If so, pass; otherwise, an alarm will be triggered indicating that the air pipe 4 is leaking and manual inspection of the air pipe 4 is required.

[0061] The vacuum pressure setting is adjusted based on the temperature of the filling solution: 1) Empty the solution before production; 2) Detect the average temperature C2 of the solution and execute at fixed time intervals (4 hours) according to the solution temperature; 3) Compare the factory temperature C1 and C2 with the temperature sensor; 4) Adjust the factory set pressure B1 based on the temperature difference. This adapts to the different vacuum pressure requirements of different batches of solution with different temperatures, reducing the debugging process.

[0062] While the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention, or modify them into equivalent embodiments, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the scope of the present invention, should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vacuum stopper system, characterized in that: The device includes a stopper holder (1), a stopper rod (2), and a stopper sleeve (3) mounted on the stopper holder (1). The stopper holder (1) has a vacuum chamber (11), and the stopper sleeve (3) has a stopper channel (31). A vacuum channel (32) is formed between the side wall of the stopper channel (31) and the inner wall of the stopper sleeve (3). The vacuum channel (32) communicates with the vacuum chamber (11), which in turn communicates with a gas pipe (4). The gas pipe (4) includes a suction pipe (41) and a... The air inlet pipe (42) is connected to the vacuum chamber (11) at one end and to the air pumping device (8) at the other end. The air pumping pipe (41) is equipped with a first pressure sensor (5), a diaphragm valve (6) and a second pressure sensor (10) in sequence. The air inlet pipe (42) is connected to the air pumping pipe (41) at one end and to the air replenishment device (9) at the other end. The air inlet pipe (42) is equipped with a proportional valve (7). The stopper rod (2) can move up and down along the stoppering channel (31) to stopper the container (20).

2. The vacuum plugging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The suction pipe (41) is equipped with a third pressure sensor (12) and a check valve (13) for preventing vacuum backflow at one end near the suction device (8).

3. The vacuum plugging system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air extraction pipe (41) is equipped with a filter (14) at the front end of the first pressure sensor (5).

4. The vacuum plugging system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The vacuum stopper system also includes a filling device, which includes a liquid dispenser (15), an inlet pipe (16), and a filling needle (17) connected in sequence. The inlet pipe (16) is equipped with a filling pump (18), and the liquid dispenser (15) is equipped with a temperature sensor (19).

5. A method for adding a stopper to a vacuum stopper system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1. The second pressure sensor (10) detects the ambient pressure and adjusts the opening of the proportional valve (7); S2. Open the diaphragm valve (6) and start vacuuming; S3. When the first pressure sensor (5) detects that the pressure inside the plug sleeve (3) reaches the set value, the diaphragm valve (6) is closed. S4. The stopper rod (2) descends to press the rubber stopper (21) in the stopper channel (31) of the stopper sleeve (3) into the container (20).

6. The method for adding a stopper in the vacuum stopper system according to claim 5, characterized in that: Before opening the diaphragm valve (6) in step S2, the stopper plate sends the rubber stopper (21) to the top of the stopper sleeve (3), the stopper rod (2) descends to press the rubber stopper (21) into the stopper sleeve (3), then the stopper sleeve (3) and the stopper rod (2) move down at the same time to dock with the container (20), and then the stopper rod (2) continues to descend to press the rubber stopper (21) into the sealing point in the stopper channel (31) to form a seal.

7. The method for adding a stopper in the vacuum stopper system according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes step S5, where the stopper sleeve mounting seat (1) first drives the stopper sleeve (3) to rise, and the rubber stopper (21) moves down into the container (20) under atmospheric pressure, and the stopper rod (2) then rises to complete the stoppering.

8. The method for adding a stopper in the vacuum stopper system according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step S3, when the stopper is missing or the rubber stopper (21) is unqualified, there is no rubber stopper (21) in the stopper sleeve (3) or the rubber stopper (21) is unqualified, which causes the stopper sleeve (3) to leak air and the vacuum cannot reach the set pressure. Therefore, it is judged that the rubber stopper (21) is abnormal and the rubber stopper (21) is rejected. At this time, the stopper rod (2) and the stopper sleeve (3) are raised synchronously away from the container (20), and then the stopper rod (2) is lowered to reject the stopper.

9. The method for adding a stopper in a vacuum stopper system according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: In step S1, the gas tube (4) also needs to be leak checked, and the vacuum pressure setting value is adjusted according to the filling liquid temperature.

Images