DEVICE FOR RECOVERING FILLING MATERIAL FROM TUBULAR BAG PACKAGING

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for recovering contents from tubular bag packaging, particularly in the form of natural or artificial sausage casings according to the preamble of claim 1. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0002] During the automated filling of flow-pack packaging, such as in the production of sausages made from sausage meat pressed into a natural or artificial casing, it occasionally happens that the individual flow-pack packaging is not sealed properly.

[0003] Since resource-efficient production requires the recovery of the contents of defective packaging, devices are used to automatically empty the defective packaging. However, the use of such devices often leads to the unintentional mixing of packaging components with the recovered packaging contents. STATE OF THE ART

[0004] Typically, the incorrectly packaged, filled flow packs are fed into a gap between a rotating roller and a rotating perforated drum arranged parallel to the roller. The crushing pressure exerted on the flow pack causes the packages to rupture.

[0005] Typically, the flow pack bursts open, and the product inside it squirms through the resulting slit or tear into an area adjacent to the currently squeezed flow pack, from where it enters the drum through the holes in the drum. There, it collects and can then be transported away for reuse.

[0006] The then at least largely empty tubular bag initially remains attached to the perforated drum or roller and is thus conveyed out of the gap. Unfortunately, at best, some of the empty tubular bags subsequently detach themselves from the perforated drum or roller after leaving the gap in this way.

[0007] A common problem is that empty tubular bags stick to the roller and, above all, to the perforated drum. After the perforated drum has rotated 360°, they re-enter the gap, along with the other tubular bags that are now being opened. In unfortunate cases, the empty tubular bags that re-enter the gap block a significant portion of the holes in the perforated drum. If product squeezed out of the subsequently processed tubular bag spills onto a tubular bag that has been re-drawn into the gap, blocking the holes in the perforated drum, the product is locally pressed through the holes in the perforated drum with great pressure.In the process, in unfavourable cases, the product tends to punch out that part of the tubular bag which initially blocked its path and which has been drawn back into the gap, and to blow that small shred into the interior of the perforated drum which initially spanned a hole in the perforated drum and thus sealed it.

[0008] If the contents of defective flow packs recovered in this way are reused to fill new flow packs without further inspection, the packaging components contained therein will result in a quality defect in the final products. In contrast, inspecting the recovered packaging contents for packaging components would result in considerable additional effort.

[0009] This effect is particularly noticeable with pasty packaging contents, such as the sausage meat used in sausage production. Pasty contents increase the tendency of the tubular bag to stick to the perforated drum or roller. In addition, highly elastic tubular bags, such as those made of natural casing, exhibit a particularly strong tendency to stick to the perforated drum, making them difficult to remove.

[0010] To remove the packaging from the perforated drum, strippers are used. These strippers are currently designed as blades. They are applied tangentially or at a shallow angle to the tangent to the perforated drum's outer surface to be stripped, peeling off the empty tubular bag packaging adhering to the drum. This is not always successful. Furthermore, the problem often arises that the blade-like stripper unintentionally fragments the largely empty tubular bag packaging it is intended to remove from the perforated drum's outer surface, causing the resulting tubular bag packaging fragments to reach the filling material or sausage meat to be recovered.

[0011] This poses problems not only, but especially when the tubular bag packaging to be peeled off is made of highly elastic natural casings. Natural casings in particular often tend to snuggle even more tightly into the holes of the perforated drum under the influence of the known strippers, thus undermining and ultimately passing through the strippers without detaching themselves sufficiently from the outer surface of the perforated drum to eventually fall off.

[0012] From CH 553 097 a method is known for recovering contents from packaging, wherein the packaged product is inserted into a gap between a perforated belt and a pressing belt, the product is squeezed through the holes of the perforated belt and the casing is removed directly from the pressing belt by a blade-like scraper. THE PROBLEM UNDERLYING THE INVENTION

[0013] In view of this, the object of the invention is to provide a means that enables the problem-free and safe removal of tubular bag packages from the perforated drum, if possible without further fragmenting the tubular bag packages. AN INVENTIVE SOLUTION

[0014] The solution according to the invention is achieved with a device according to the main claim.

[0015] It is a device for recovering filling material from tubular bag packaging, featuring a rotating perforated drum and a rotating roller. These interact in such a way that filled tubular bag packages guided into the gap between the roller and the perforated drum are broken open, and the contents of the tubular bag packages are pressed by the roller through the holes in the perforated drum. A scraper with a scraping device for removing the pressed-out tubular bags from the drum is attached to the outer circumference of the perforated drum at a position located behind said gap in the direction of rotation.

[0016] According to the invention, the stripping element is advanced against the perforated drum shell along a feed line that does not intersect the perforated drum's rotational axis. The advance of the stripping element or the contact section of the stripping element is thus not purely radial, but asymmetrically or obliquely to the tangent or set of tangents to the contact zone, i.e., the zone in which the stripping element or the contact section of the stripper comes into contact with the perforated drum shell.

[0017] The term "flow pack packaging" refers to a flexible tube, ideally in the form of a casing, particularly a natural casing such as that used for sausages intended for consumption.

[0018] Observance of this inventive condition has proven to be surprisingly effective in practical tests.

[0019] It is significantly more effective than the precise or essentially purely radial delivery of the scraper element or the contact section of the scraper element.

[0020] Why this is the case has not yet been conclusively clarified. The decisive effect is presumably that an empty flow pack adhering to the perforated drum and turning towards the stripper, when positioned according to the invention, has a tendency to take the stripper or the contact section of the stripper with it a (small) distance in the circumferential direction and thus press it more closely against the casing of the perforated drum in the circumferential direction - regardless of the fact that in many cases the flow pack then succeeds in lifting the stripper from the perforated drum in the opposite direction to its feed direction. This type of influencing the gap geometry by the flow packs themselves to be stripped proves to be particularly effective. Even if the empty flow pack is initially able to pass the stripper without detaching from the perforated drum, the decisive stripping effect is achieved in this way.In all cases, or at least in the vast majority of cases, the following can be observed when using the gap adjustment according to the invention: The side of the tubular bag packaging facing the stripper is slowed down by the stripper, while the side of the tubular bag packaging still adhering to the perforated drum initially rotates quickly and unhindered with the perforated drum. This leads to internal tensions in the largely empty tubular bag packaging, which ultimately cause it to be pulled or popped off the perforated drum. In this way, in the vast majority of cases, an empty tubular bag packaging only falls off the perforated drum after the stripper (seen in the direction of rotation of the perforated drum) and can be conveniently disposed of there without any risk of clogging. OPTIONAL REFINEMENTS

[0021] In other words, it is particularly preferred if the feed line, more precisely the imaginary extension of the feed line along which the stripper or the contact section of the stripper is fed against the perforated drum, crosses the area that lies directly between the axis of rotation of the perforated drum and the narrowest area between the perforated drum and the roller.

[0022] If one imagines that the area of ​​the smallest gap or the maximum contact between the shell of the perforated drum and the shell of the roll is at three o'clock, then the scraper is preferably arranged in a position between 17:45 and 15:30, ideally it is even in a position between 17:00 and 17:30.

[0023] Ideally, the feed line, or more precisely, the imaginary extension of the feed line, intersects the line between the rotational axis of the perforated drum and the area of ​​the smallest gap or maximum contact between the perforated drum shell and the roll shell orthogonally, at least essentially. The latter is certainly the case with a deviation of + / - 5°, although such a configuration is not preferred. Ideally, the wiper has a contact section that touches the perforated drum as long as the wiper is in the standby position.

[0024] Ideally, the stripper or its contact section rests against the casing of the perforated drum under preload, preferably spring preload. This positively influences the gap conditions, which are also influenced by the fundamental possibility that the empty tubular bags could lift the stripper or its contact section from the perforated drum.

[0025] Preferably, the contact section of the stripper forms a tapered tip, ideally chisel-shaped or with a double, opposing wedge surface, with which it rests against the casing of the perforated drum. It is ideal if, at least on the side where the empty tubular bag packages first arrive, the wedge slope completely or essentially corresponds to the local radial line, more than the feed line, ideally at least + / - 7.5°, better at least + / - 5°.

[0026] It is particularly advantageous if the contact section of the scraper is formed by a beam with a triangular cross-section, the longitudinal axis of which usually runs parallel to the axis of rotation of the perforated drum.

[0027] Typically, the wiper or the contact section of the wiper is held in a translationally displaceable manner on at least two guide pins that run parallel to the feed line.

[0028] It is particularly advantageous if at least one guide pin passes through a spring element.

[0029] In all of this, the spring preload with which the contact section of the stripper is tensioned against the casing of the perforated drum is selected as follows: A tubular bag packaging running against the contact section of the stripper can lift the contact section of the stripper from the casing of the perforated drum and penetrate into the gap thus formed between the contact section of the stripper and the casing of the perforated drum - in such a way that it detaches or falls off the perforated drum after the stripper in the direction of rotation of the perforated drum.

[0030] Ideally, the roller has a soft-elastic coating on its peripheral surface, preferably made of a soft elastomer or rubber. This allows the roller to press so tightly against the perforated drum during operation that it rolls along the perforated drum with a pneumatic-like, i.e., more than just insignificant, reversibly elastic flattening. At the same time, it can be further compressed as necessary to transport a largely emptied tubular bag package through the contact zone to the other side of the perforated drum and roller pair.

[0031] It is particularly advantageous if the roller is driven exclusively by frictional engagement on the casing of the perforated drum. Why this is particularly advantageous for stripping fully or partially emptied tubular bags has not yet been conclusively clarified. It has been shown that fully or largely emptied tubular bags tend to adhere less firmly to the perforated drum with this type of non-positively controlled drive (unlike when using a gear drive). LIST OF FIGURES

[0032] Fig. 1 shows a device for recovering filling material in side view. Fig. 2 shows a device for recovering filling material in a sectional view with a vertical cutting plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the perforated drum and the roller. Fig. 3 shows a device for recovering filling material in a sectional view with a horizontal cutting plane parallel to the longitudinal axes of the perforated drum and the roller. Fig. 4shows the scraper in a schematic representation EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTATION

[0033] The functioning of the device according to the invention is explained by way of example with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4 The device described in this example is primarily used for recovering sausage meat from improperly sealed sausage casings / guts. However, it is also suitable for recovering other products—particularly pasty or free-flowing products—from improperly sealed tubular bag packages, which will not be discussed again below. The tubular bag packages or sausage casings do not necessarily have to be improperly packaged; rather, it could also be a matter of emptying the contents for intended use.

[0034] In Fig. 1The sausage meat recovery device is shown in a side view. The sausages are placed or guided into the filling hopper 27, from where they slide or fall into the interior of the device via the two-part feed tube 28.

[0035] Since the feed pipe 28 opens above the gap 3 between a rotating roller 2 and a rotating perforated drum 1 inside the device, as Fig. 2 The roller 2 in this embodiment can be equipped with a surface skin made of silicone or another soft elastomer, so that it deforms pneumatically upon contact with the perforated drum 1, in some cases up to more than 1 mm or at least more than 0.5 mm in the radial direction, see also the Fig. 2 .

[0036] If a sausage now rests against the gap 3 between the perforated drum 1 and the roller 2, it is conveyed into the gap due to the rotation of the perforated drum 1 and the roller 2. Due to the strong compression of the sausage in the gap 3 between the perforated drum 1 and the roller 2, the sausage skin bursts. The thus exposed sausage meat—i.e., the contents of the sausage—is now pressed by the roller 2 through the holes in the perforated drum 1 into its interior. There, the sausage meat falls into the guide element 14 forming a channel, from where it is transported towards a collecting container 26.

[0037] Since the empty sausage casings emerging from the gap 3 between the roller 2 and the perforated drum 1 often stick to the perforated drum 1 or the roller 2, both the perforated drum 1 and the roller 2 are preferably equipped with a stripper 4, 5 each, along which the roller 2 and the perforated drum 1 each slide with their outer diameters. The sausage casings adhering to the perforated drum 1 or the roller 2 are detached from the perforated drum 1 or the roller 2 by the strippers 4, 5.

[0038] In Fig. 3 the sectional view of section A is Fig. 1 shown.

[0039] Here it can be seen that the distance between roller 2 and perforated drum 1 can be changed using the helical gear 18. For this purpose, the threaded rod 21 is rotated via the crank 22, whereby the shaft 30 of roller 2, which is coupled to the threaded rod 21 via the spindle nut 19, is moved parallel to the shaft 29 of the perforated drum 1. Changing the position of roller 2 is useful in order to adapt the height of the gap 3 or the gap pressure between the perforated drum 1 and roller 2 to the thickness of the sausages to be emptied. This ensures that no unacceptably high forces are exerted on roller 2 and perforated drum 1, as well as their guide and bearing elements.

[0040] The perforated drum 1 is driven by the motor 15 via its shaft 29. Since a spur gear 16 is mounted on the shaft 29 of the perforated drum 1, which engages with a second spur gear 17 mounted on the shaft 30 of the roller 2, the roller 2 is also driven by the motor 15. Such a forced coupling via a gear or belt can be provided, but is not preferred. Instead, studies have shown that in most cases it is better to drive the roller in rotation solely by allowing it to roll under friction on the perforated drum. The sausage meat falling into the guide element 14 inside the perforated drum 1 is transported towards the collecting container 26. For this purpose, the guide element 14 opens into the outlet opening 25 in the housing 24.

[0041] Depending on the requirements for the purity of the sausage meat, an O-ring or a liquid seal (liquid seal to be applied) can be inserted between the housing 24 and the housing 23 in order to keep contamination, such as abrasion on the screw gear 18 or lubricating fluids, away from the sausage meat.

[0042] The one from Fig. 4 The stripper 4 shown, which ensures stripping of the perforated drum, is in accordance with the invention. This schematic drawing shows the perforated drum 1 and the roller 2.

[0043] The stripping element or contact section 31 of the stripper 4 is clearly visible. The contact section has a chisel-like shape, although not mandatory, with two wedge slopes inclined toward each other. These intersect at the outermost end and then form a ridge 35 there, which rests directly against the casing of the perforated drum. It is clearly visible that the wedge slope on the side (right in the image), where the empty tubular bag packages arrive first, essentially corresponds to the local radial line. In any case, this wedge surface forms a smaller angle with the local radial line than the feed line Z.

[0044] It is noteworthy that a sausage skin, which (in the image coming from the right), for example, strikes the lateral wedge surface of the contact section 31, tends to push the contact section 31 away in the direction of arrow P, utilizing the bearing play (if present) and the elasticity of the bearing, and thereby tends to bring the contact section closer to the drum shell in the direction of arrow P. This results in a special gap geometry that has proven so advantageous for the invention.

[0045] Irrespective of this, the contact section is translationally movable along the feed line Z at any time, i.e., it can also be displaced outwards (downwards in the drawing) by a sausage skin. For this purpose, the contact section 31 is guided translationally movable on at least one pair of guide pins 32. The guide pins 32 lie on the imaginary feed line Z. The guide pins 32 are anchored here in the stripper base 33. As can be seen, at least one spring element 34 can be provided, which preloads the stripping element or the contact section 31 of the stripper 4 against the casing of the perforated drum 1. Ideally, at least two guide pins each pass through a spring element 34, which ideally has the shape of a helical spring shown here.

[0046] It is clearly visible that the imaginary feed line Z along which the stripping element or contact section 31 of the stripper 4 is fed against the perforated drum does not pass through or intersect the rotational axis D of the perforated drum 1. Instead, it preferably passes the rotational axis D at a minimum distance KA that is greater than 1 / 3 of the outer diameter of the perforated drum 1.

[0047] As can be seen, the advance of the scraper element or the contact section of the scraper element does not occur in a purely radial direction. Instead, it occurs asymmetrically or obliquely to the tangent T or set of tangents to the contact zone, i.e., the zone where the scraper element or the contact section of the scraper comes into contact with the casing of the perforated drum.

[0048] As can be seen, the imaginary extension of the feed line, along which the stripper or the contact section 31 of the stripper 4 is fed against the perforated drum 1, crosses the area that lies directly between the rotational axis D of the perforated drum and the narrowest area between the perforated drum and the roller.

[0049] What is not illustrated in detail here is that the contact section 31 of the wiper 4 can also be constructed in several parts. For example, the strip intended for direct contact with the perforated drum can be a wear part that can be inserted into a complementary groove of the remaining contact section 31 with a dovetail or a piping-like extension. However, the contact section 31 or its strip is generally made of a substantially inelastic material that can deform by only fractions of a millimeter under normal operating forces, quite unlike rubber or soft elastomers.

[0050] Also not shown figuratively, but extremely practical, is that the scraper can be pivoted as a whole, for example in such a way that it Fig. 4 can be swiveled by more than 45° towards the roller in order to move the perforated drum, for example

[0051] to be able to be conveniently removed and removed for cleaning purposes without having to partially dismantle the stripper 4. It is not preferred, but possible to design the stripper 4 - instead of providing it with a rod bearing - as a spring- or weight-preloaded rocker with which it can be fed quasi-translatively against the perforated drum 1 over the last mm in the manner according to the invention, along a feed line that is then only essentially straight, e.g. MISCELLANEOUS

[0052] Another essential aspect of the claimed device is that the device is designed in such a way that it can be disassembled without tools for cleaning purposes.

[0053] In this way, it integrates seamlessly into production processes. As soon as the plant operator sees that, for example, a string of sausages has been inadequately sealed, he can remove it from the filling line and press it out without leaving the filling line, or possibly even without having to walk back and forth along the filling line, with the goal of reclaiming the sausage contents. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0054] 1Perforated drum 2Roller 3Gap between roller and perforated drum 4Scraper on perforated drum 5Scraper on roller 6Scraper lip 7Scraper lip with serrated profile 8Scraper lip with tire profile 9Base body of the scraper 10Groove for scraper lip 11Perforations in scraper 12Through hole for scraper shaft 13Not assigned 14Guide element in perforated drum 15Motor 16Spur gear on perforated drum 17Spur gear on roller 18Screw gear 19Spindle nut 20Support rods 21Threaded rod 22Crank 23Housing part 1 24Housing part 2 25Outlet opening in the housing 26Collecting container 27Filling hopper 28Feed pipe 29Shaft of the perforated drum 30Shaft of the Roller 31Contact section of the scraper orStripping element 32Guide pin 33Stripper base 34Spring element ZFeed line DDistance of rotation of the perforated drum KAsmallest distance between the feed line Z and the axis of rotation D of the perforated drum TTangent of the contact zone ENarrowest area between perforated drum and roller Potential pivoting of the contact section due to incoming sausage skins.

Claims

1. A device for recovering filling contents from tubular sachet-packaging bags, comprising a rotating perforated drum (1) and a rotating roller (2) that are in functional connection with each other such that filled tubular sachet-packaging bags, which are guided into the gap (3) between the roller (2) and the perforated drum (1), are ruptured and the filling contents of the tubular sachet-packaging bags are pushed out by the roller (2) through the holes of the perforated drum (1), where a scraper (4) with a scraping element for removing the pressed tubular sachet bags from the perforated drum (1) is assigned to the outer circumference of the perforated drum (1) at a position that is behind the gap (3) in the direction of rotation, characterized in that the scraping element is delivered in direction along a delivery line (Z) against the cylindrical surface of the perforated drum (1), which does not intersect the axis of rotation (D) of the perforated drum (1), and that the scraping element is delivered in direction of a delivery line (Z) against the cylindrical surface of the perforated drum (1) in such a way that the side of the tubular sachet-packaging bag facing the scraper (4) is slowed down, while the side of the tubular sachet-packaging bag that still adheres to the perforated drum (1) initially continues to rotate quickly without hindrance with the perforated drum (1), causing the tubular sachet-packaging bag to fall off from the perforated drum (1) after the scraper (4).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the delivery line (Z) crosses the area that is directly between the axis of rotation (D) of the perforated drum (1) and the narrowest area between the perforated drum (1) and the roller (2).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the delivery line (Z) intersects the line between the axis of rotation (D) of the perforated drum (1) and the narrowest area between the perforated drum (1) and the roller (2) orthogonally.

4. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the scraper (4) has a contact section (31) which touches the perforated drum (1) while the scraper (4) is in a standby position.

5. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the scraper (4) or the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) rests on the surface of the perforated drum (1) under preload, preferably spring tension.

6. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) forms a tapering tip with which it rests on the surface of the perforated drum (1).

7. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) is formed by a bar with a triangular cross-section, whose longitudinal axis typically runs parallel to the axis of rotation (D) of the perforated drum (1).

8. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the scraper (4) or the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) is held in a shiftable manner by at least two guide pins running parallel to the delivery line (Z).

9. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one guide pin passes through a spring element (34).

10. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring tension with which the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) is pressed against the cylindrical surface of the perforated drum (1) is chosen such that a tubular sachet-packaging bag coming into contact with the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) will lift the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) away from the cylindrical surface of the perforated drum (1), allowing the tubular sachet-packaging bag to enter the gap formed between the contact section (31) of the scraper (4) and the surface of the perforated drum (1), thus separating from the perforated drum (1) and falling off after the scraper (4).

11. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller (2) carries a soft-elastic coating, preferably made of a soft elastomer or rubber, on its circumfering cylindrical surface.

12. Device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roller (2) is driven solely by rolling under friction contact with the cylindrical surface of the perforated drum (1).

13. Device for recovering filling contents from tubular sachet-packaging bags according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance between the perforated drum (1) and the roller (2) can be varied.

14. Device for recovering filling contents from tubular sachet-packaging bags according to claim 13, characterized in that the distance between the longitudinal axis of the roller (2) and the longitudinal axis of the perforated drum (1) can be adjusted via a screw mechanism, which is activated from outside the device using a crank (22).