Filling device and method for manufacturing container-packed viscous material

Abstract

To provide a filling device capable of easily cutting a viscous material filling a container from a filling nozzle with excellent hygiene and suppressing inferior quality such as a sealing failure or product staining caused by drooping of the viscous material to the edge of the container, and a method for manufacturing a bottled viscous material using the same.SOLUTION: The filling device for filling a container 5 with a viscous material comprises: a filling unit 3 provided with a filling nozzle 34 for discharging the viscous material into and filling the container 5; and two or more gas injection nozzles 35 installed around the filling nozzle 34 to inject a gas from the filling nozzle 34 to the discharged viscous material. The viscous material is discharged from the filling nozzle 34 to fill the container 5 by using the filling device, and then the gas is injected from a gas injection nozzle 35 to the viscous material connected from the container 5 to the filling nozzle 34.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filling device and a method for manufacturing a viscous material filled in a container.

Background Art

[0002] As a filling device for filling viscous materials such as frozen confections like ice cream, for example, there is known a filling device in which containers are placed on each of a plurality of retainers provided on a conveyor and intermittently conveyed, and the viscous material is sequentially discharged from a filling nozzle to fill the containers (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). In such a filling device, when the filling nozzle is pulled up after filling the viscous material, the viscous material does not break, and the viscous material is connected from the container to the discharge port of the filling nozzle. In this state, when the retainer moves and the next container is conveyed, the portion connected to the discharge port of the filling nozzle of the viscous material may break and drip onto the edge of the container, causing quality defects such as sealing failure and product contamination.

[0003] Patent Document 4 discloses that an air ejection mechanism is provided in the filling nozzle, and air is ejected radially inward from an air ejection port formed on the inner peripheral surface near the discharge port in the nozzle to cut the viscous material and suppress the tailing phenomenon of the viscous material.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in a conventional filling nozzle such as that of Patent Document 4, viscous substances may enter and remain from the air ejection port, making it difficult to ensure sufficient hygiene.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a filling device that can easily cut the viscous substance filled into a container from a filling nozzle, suppress quality defects such as sealing defects and product contamination caused by the viscous substance dripping on the edge of the container, and is excellent in the hygiene of the filling nozzle, and a method for manufacturing a viscous substance-filled container using the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention has the following aspects. [1] A filling device for filling a viscous substance into a container, comprising: a filling unit having a filling nozzle for discharging and filling the viscous substance into the container; two or more gas injection nozzles provided around the filling nozzle of the filling unit and injecting gas toward the viscous substance discharged from the filling nozzle. [2] The filling device according to [1], wherein the gas injection nozzles are provided at a distance from the filling nozzle. [3] The filling device according to [1] or [2], wherein the injection direction of the gas of the gas injection nozzle is obliquely downward. [4] The filling device according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the combined vector of the injection directions of the gas of the two or more gas injection nozzles is vertically downward. [5] A method for manufacturing a viscous substance-filled container, comprising: a filling step of discharging a viscous substance from the filling nozzle and filling it into a container; and a gas injection step of injecting gas from a gas injection nozzle into the viscous substance connecting from the container to the filling nozzle.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a filling device that can easily cut the viscous material filled from the filling nozzle into the container, suppress quality defects such as sealing failure and product contamination caused by the viscous material dripping on the edge of the container, and has excellent hygiene of the filling nozzle, and a method for manufacturing a viscous material-filled container using the same.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, a filling device according to an aspect of the present invention will be shown and described. In the following description, the dimensions and the like of the figures exemplified are merely examples, and the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and it can be appropriately changed and implemented without changing the gist thereof. The numerical range represented by "~" means a numerical range having the numerical values before and after ~ as the lower limit value and the upper limit value, unless otherwise specified.

[0011] [Filling Device] As shown in Fig. 1, the filling device 100 of this embodiment includes a container conveying unit 1 that conveys a container 5 filled with a viscous material, a container supply unit 2 that supplies the container 5 to the container conveying unit 1, a filling unit 3 that fills the container 5 with the viscous material, and a container sealing unit 4 that seals the container 5 filled with the viscous material.

[0012] The container conveying unit 1 may be any device that can convey the container, and a known conveying device can be used. In this example, the container conveying unit 1 is a retainer conveyor formed in a belt shape, in which a plurality of retainers 12 capable of holding the container 5 are adjacently arranged so as to straddle two circulating conveyor chains 11 installed in parallel.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 4, an example of the retainer 12 is a plate-shaped member having a container holding hole 13 penetrating in the thickness direction. The container 5 can be held by the retainer 12 by fitting the container 5 into the container holding hole 13 of the retainer 12 from above. Note that the container conveying unit 1 is not limited to the retainer conveyor, and for example, a belt conveyor may be used.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the container supply unit 2 is disposed above the container conveying unit 1 on the upstream side in the conveying direction A of the container conveying unit 1. The container supply unit 2 may be any device that can supply the container 5 to the retainer 12 of the container conveying unit 1, and for example, a known container supply device can be adopted.

[0015] The container sealing unit 4 is disposed above the container conveying unit 1 on the downstream side in the conveying direction A of the container conveying unit 1. The container sealing unit 4 may be any device that can seal the opening of the container 5 filled with the viscous material, and for example, a known container sealing device can be adopted.

[0016] The filling unit 3 is disposed above the container conveying unit 1 between the container supply unit 2 and the container sealing unit 4 in the conveying direction A of the container conveying unit 1. The filling unit 3 can be raised and lowered by a lifting device (not shown).

[0017] The filling part 3 of this example includes a block 31, a storage part (hopper) 32, a metering part 33, a filling nozzle 34, and a gas injection nozzle 35. The storage part 32 is provided above the block 31. The metering part 33 is provided on the side of the block 31. The filling nozzle 34 is provided below the block 31. Two or more gas injection nozzles 35 are provided around the filling nozzle 34.

[0018] The storage part 32 is a part for storing viscous material. The shape and dimensions of the storage part 32 are not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, inside the block 31, there are formed a first flow path 31a for drawing the viscous material from the upper storage part 32 into the block 31, a second flow path 31b for supplying the viscous material to the lower filling nozzle 34, and a third flow path 31c for drawing the viscous material into the side metering part 33. Also, at the center inside the block 31, a switching rotor 36 having a switching flow path 36a bent at 90° is provided. By rotating the switching rotor 36, it is possible to switch between a state where the first flow path 31a and the third flow path 31c are connected by the switching flow path 36a and a state where the third flow path 31c and the second flow path 31b are connected by the switching flow path 36a.

[0020] The metering part 33 includes a cylinder 37 connected to the third flow path 31c and a piston rod 38 that moves back and forth inside the cylinder 37. As shown in FIG. 2, by rotating the switching rotor 36 and pulling the piston rod 38 in the direction of arrow B with the first flow path 31a, the switching flow path 36a, and the third flow path 31c connected, the viscous material in the storage part 32 can be sucked into the cylinder 37. As shown in FIG. 3, by rotating the switching rotor 36 and pushing the piston rod 38 in the direction of arrow C with the third flow path 31c, the switching flow path 36a, and the second flow path 31b connected, the viscous material can be supplied to the filling nozzle 34 and discharged. Thereby, the viscous material can be discharged from the filling nozzle 34 while being metered.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, the filling nozzle 34 is positioned above the container 5 being conveyed by the container conveyance unit 1. The discharge direction of the viscous material from the filling nozzle 34 is vertically downward. The viscous material is discharged downward from the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34, and the discharged viscous material is filled into the container 5. Note that the discharge direction of the viscous material from the filling nozzle 34 is the direction of the central axis O1 of the filling nozzle 34, that is, the direction passing through the center of the discharge port 34a and perpendicular to the opening surface of the discharge port 34a.

[0022] The shape of the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34 is not particularly limited, and for example, it can be circular. The diameter of the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34 can be appropriately set according to the type of the viscous material. For example, as the lower limit value, 12 mm or more is preferable, 18 mm or more is more preferable, as the upper limit value, 40 mm or less is preferable, and 30 mm or less is more preferable. Also, as a suitable range, it can be 12 to 30 mm, 18 to 30 mm. Note that when the shape of the discharge port 34a is not a perfect circle, the diameter of the inscribed circle with respect to the front view shape of the discharge port 34a is defined as the diameter of the discharge port 34a.

[0023] Around the filling nozzle 34, two or more gas injection nozzles 35 for injecting gas toward the viscous material discharged from the filling nozzle 34 are provided. Thereby, by injecting gas toward the viscous material from each of the gas injection nozzles 35, the viscous material discharged from the filling nozzle 34 can be easily cut by the momentum of the gas.

[0024] The gas injection nozzle 35 is provided separately from the filling nozzle 34 as a different nozzle and is spaced apart from the filling nozzle 34. "The gas injection nozzle 35 is spaced apart from the filling nozzle 34" means that the injection port 35a of the gas injection nozzle 35 is located at a position that does not overlap with the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34 and the columnar discharge region obtained by extending the opening surface of the discharge port 34a in the discharge direction (the direction of the central axis O1). The shortest distance between the injection port 35a of the gas injection nozzle 35 and the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34 is preferably 5 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more, and the upper limit is preferably 30 mm or less, more preferably 20 mm or less. The injection port 35a of the gas injection nozzle 35 illustrated in FIG. 4 is located outside the filling nozzle 34 in the radial direction and above the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34. By setting the gas injection nozzle 35 in such a manner, it is possible to suppress the viscous material discharged from the filling nozzle 34 from entering the gas injection nozzle 35, and thus the hygiene is excellent. The gas injection nozzle 35 is preferably arranged such that the injection port 35a is at a position higher than the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34. Thereby, it becomes more difficult for the viscous material to further enter the gas injection nozzle 35, and the hygiene is further improved.

[0025] The number of gas injection nozzles 35 arranged around the filling nozzle 34 is two or more. If there is only one gas injection nozzle 35, when the gas injected from the gas injection nozzle 35 hits the viscous material, the viscous material is likely to scatter to the edge or outside of the container 5. On the other hand, if there are two or more gas injection nozzles 35, when the gas injected from each gas injection nozzle 35 hits the viscous material, they can be arranged so as to cancel out the horizontal momentum of the viscous material due to the collision of the gases. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the viscous material from scattering to the edge or outside of the container 5. In addition, since the viscous material can be sandwiched between the gases injected from each gas injection nozzle 35 and cut, or the portion where the gas of the viscous material comes into contact can be deformed into a shape that is more easily cut thinner, it becomes easier to cut the viscous material filled in the container 5. From these facts, it is possible to easily cut the viscous material filled in the container 5 while suppressing the scattering of the viscous material.

[0026] It is preferable that the injection directions of all the gas injection nozzles 35 among the gas injection nozzles 35 or more intersect on the extension line of the central axis O1 of the filling nozzle 34. That is, it is preferable to arrange each gas injection nozzle 35 such that the gas injected from all the gas injection nozzles 35 hits one location of the viscous material discharged from the filling nozzle 34 in a concentrated manner. Thereby, the viscous material discharged from the filling nozzle 34 and filled in the container 5 is easily cut.

[0027] In order to cancel out the horizontal momentum of the gas injected from the plurality of gas injection nozzles 35 when the gas collides with the viscous material, it is preferable to arrange each gas injection nozzle 35 with the gas ejection direction directed toward the central axis O1 of the filling nozzle 34 at equal angular intervals around the central axis O1. In this case, when the number of the gas injection nozzles 35 is 2n (even number, n is a natural number), when viewed from the central axis O1 of the filling nozzle 34, the horizontal components of the gas ejection directions (central axis O2 directions) of the two gas injection nozzles 35 facing each other across the central axis O1 are in the same straight line and in opposite directions. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when two gas injection nozzles 35 face each other across the central axis O1 in the conveyance direction A of the container conveyance unit 1, the horizontal component a of the gas ejection direction a of one gas injection nozzle 35 1 and the horizontal component b of the gas ejection direction b of the other gas injection nozzle 35 1They are in opposite directions on the same straight line. Thus, when the number of the gas injection nozzles 35 is even, taking two opposing gas injection nozzles 35 as a set, the horizontal momentum when the gases injected from each other collide with the viscous material is offset. On the other hand, when the number of the gas injection nozzles 35 is 2n + 1 (odd, n is a natural number), when viewed from the central axis O1 of the filling nozzle 34, the horizontal components of the gas ejection directions (central axis O2 directions) of the respective gas injection nozzles 35 do not all exist on the same straight line. Thus, when the number of the gas injection nozzles 35 is odd, the horizontal momentum when the gases injected from all the gas injection nozzles 35 collide with the viscous material is offset among all the gas injection nozzles 35. From these facts, when the number of the gas injection nozzles 35 is odd, compared with the case where the number is even, the scattering of the viscous material can be more efficiently suppressed from the viewpoints of air usage amount and stability. Also, since the cross-linking manner of the ice is not always constant each time and the cross-linking manner shifts slightly each time, an effect of stably facilitating cutting against the shift can be obtained.

[0028] In terms of the small influence of the deviation of the injection direction of the gas injection nozzle 35 on the horizontal scattering of the viscous material, the number of the gas injection nozzles 35 arranged around the filling nozzle 34 is preferably an odd number of 3 or more. The larger the number of the gas injection nozzles 35, the easier it is to cut the viscous material filled in the container 5, and the easier it is to suppress the scattering of the viscous material. On the other hand, the smaller the number of the gas injection nozzles 35, the lower the gas injection amount can be reduced, which is advantageous in terms of cost. Also, it becomes easier to adjust so that the gases injected from all the gas injection nozzles 35 concentrate and hit one location of the viscous material discharged from the filling nozzle 34. The preferable number of the gas injection nozzles 35 arranged around the filling nozzle 34 is preferably 3, 5, or 7.

[0029] Regarding the arrangement of two or more gas injection nozzles 35 around the filling nozzle 34, from the perspective of easily suppressing the splashing of viscous substances, it is preferable to arrange them so that the horizontal momentum of the gas ejected from each gas injection nozzle 35 cancels each other out. That is, it is preferable that two or more gas injection nozzles 35 are arranged at equal angular intervals around the filling nozzle 34 in a plan view. Specifically, for example, when the number of gas injection nozzles 35 is two, it is preferable that two gas injection nozzles 35 are arranged on the opposite sides at 180° around the filling nozzle 34 in a plan view. Also, when the number of gas injection nozzles 35 is three, it is preferable that three gas injection nozzles 35 are arranged at intervals of 120° around the filling nozzle 34 in a plan view.

[0030] The gas injection direction of the gas injection nozzle 35 is preferably obliquely downward. However, "the gas injection direction of the gas injection nozzle 35 is obliquely downward" means that the gas injection direction (central axis O2 direction) of the gas injection nozzle 35 is downward from the horizontal and intersects with the vertically downward direction rather than being parallel to the vertically downward direction. That is, "the gas injection direction of the gas injection nozzle 35 is obliquely downward" means that the angle θ formed by the gas injection direction (central axis O2 direction) of the gas injection nozzle 35 with respect to the vertical direction is greater than 0° and less than 90°. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, it is more preferable to adjust the gas injection direction of the gas injection nozzle 35 so that the extension line of the injection direction enters the container 5 at the timing of injecting gas from the gas injection nozzle 35. Thereby, it becomes easier to suppress the viscous substance from splashing to the edge or outside of the container 5 by the gas ejected from the gas injection nozzle 35.

[0031] The angle θ formed by the gas injection direction of the gas injection nozzle 35 with respect to the vertical direction is preferably greater than 0° as the lower limit value, more preferably 10° or more, still more preferably 15° or more, and particularly preferably 20° or more. As the upper limit value, it is preferably less than 90°, more preferably 45° or less, still more preferably 40° or less, and particularly preferably 35° or less. Further, as a preferable range, 0 to 90° is preferable, and 0 to 45° is more preferable. The smaller the angle θ, the easier it is to suppress the sticky material from splashing onto the edge or outside of the container 5. The angles θ of the injection directions of two or more gas injection nozzles 35 may be the same or different, and it is preferable that they are the same. Note that the gas injection direction of the gas injection nozzle 35 is the direction of the central axis O2 of the gas injection nozzle 35, that is, the direction passing through the center of the injection port 35a and perpendicular to the opening surface of the injection port 35a.

[0032] Furthermore, it is preferable that the combined vector of the injection directions of these two or more gas injection nozzles 35 is in the vertically downward direction. However, "the combined vector of the gas injection directions is in the vertically downward direction" means the following. As shown in FIG. 4, the moving direction of the container 5 (the same direction as the conveyance direction A of the container conveyance unit 1) is the X-axis direction, the direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction on the horizontal plane is the Y-axis direction (the black dot indicated by the symbol Y in FIG. 4 indicates an arrow pointing upward on the paper surface), and the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction. In this XYZ space, the central axes O2 of the respective gas injection nozzles 35 intersect at one point, and when the unit vectors of the gas injection directions (the directions along the central axes O2) of the respective gas injection nozzles 35 are combined at the intersection point, the magnitude of the vector on the XY plane (horizontal plane) of the combined vector is substantially 0, and the magnitude of the combined vector in the Z-axis direction is greater than 0 and downward. For example, when the number of gas injection nozzles 35 is 2, in the XYZ space shown in FIG. 5, the combined vector u1 (the sum of the unit vector e1 and the unit vector e2) obtained by combining the unit vectors e1 and e2 of the gas injection directions (the directions along the central axes O2) of the respective gas injection nozzles 35 at the intersection point P of the central axes O2 of the respective gas injection nozzles 35 has a magnitude of the component (horizontal component) on the XY plane that is substantially 0, and the magnitude of the component in the Z-axis direction is greater than 0 and downward. As a result, a force is applied to the portion connecting from the container 5 to the discharge port 34a of the filling nozzle 34 to push it back downward by the gas injected from each gas injection nozzle 35, so that the viscous material is easily cut. Further, the scattering of the cut viscous material to the edge or outside of the container 5 is further suppressed.

[0033] The angle formed by the combined vector of the gas injection directions of two or more gas injection nozzles 35 and the vertical direction is preferably 0° or more and 15° or less, more preferably 0° or more and 10° or less, still more preferably 0° or more and 5° or less, and particularly preferably 0°. The smaller the angle formed by the combined vector and the vertical direction, the easier it is to cut the viscous material, and the higher the effect of suppressing the scattering of the viscous material.

[0034] It is preferable to provide a filter in the gas injection nozzle 35 so that the gas passing through the filter is injected from the gas injection nozzle 35. The filter may be a single filter or a plurality of filters. Thereby, the hygiene is further improved. The filter is not particularly limited, and for example, known filters such as a filter for coarse dust, a medium performance filter, a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) filter, and a ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air Filter) filter can be adopted.

[0035] The shape of the injection port 35a of the gas injection nozzle 35 is not particularly limited, and for example, it can be circular or polygonal, and a circular shape is preferable. The diameter of the injection port 35a of the gas injection nozzle 35 can be set as appropriate. For example, as the lower limit value, 0.5 mm or more is preferable, 1 mm or more is more preferable, and as the upper limit value, 3 mm or less is preferable, 2 mm or less is more preferable. Also, a preferable range is 1 to 2 mm. When the shape of the injection port 35a is not a perfect circle, the diameter of the inscribed circle with respect to the front view shape of the injection port 35a is defined as the diameter of the injection port 35a.

[0036] [Method for manufacturing a container-packed viscous substance] The method for manufacturing a container-packed viscous substance of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a container-packed viscous substance by filling a viscous substance into a container. The viscous substance is not particularly limited, but a food viscous substance is preferable. Examples of the food viscous substance include mayonnaise, ketchups, honey, candies, yogurt, frozen yogurt, and frozen desserts such as ice cream, and frozen desserts are particularly preferable. The container used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include resin containers, glass containers, paper containers, and edible containers (such as corns).

[0037] The manufacturing method of the viscous material packed in a container of the present invention includes a filling step of discharging the viscous material from a filling nozzle and filling it into the container, and a gas injection step of injecting gas from a gas injection nozzle into the viscous material connected from the container to the filling nozzle. Hereinafter, as an example of the manufacturing method of the viscous material packed in a container according to one aspect of the present invention, the manufacturing method of the viscous material packed in a container using the filling device 100 will be described.

[0038] (Filling step) As shown in FIG. 1, when using the filling device 100, first, the containers 5 are supplied from the container supply unit 2 to each of the plurality of retainers 12, and the plurality of containers 5 are intermittently conveyed below the filling unit 3 by the container conveyance unit 1. Then, each of the intermittently conveyed containers 5 is filled with the viscous material from the filling unit 3.

[0039] The filling of the viscous material into the container 5 by the filling unit 3 is carried out as follows. As shown in FIG. 2, the switching rotor 36 is rotated to connect the first flow path 31a, the switching flow path 36a, and the third flow path 31c, and the piston rod 38 is pulled to suck the viscous material in the storage unit 32 into the cylinder 37. As shown in FIG. 6, at the timing when the container 5 is conveyed below the filling unit 3, the filling unit 3 is lowered by the lifting device. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the switching rotor 36 is rotated to connect the third flow path 31c, the switching flow path 36a, and the second flow path 31b, and the piston rod 38 is pushed in to discharge the viscous material from the filling nozzle 34 and fill it into the container 5.

[0040] (Gas injection step) Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the filling unit 3 is raised by a lifting device, and gas is injected from each gas injection nozzle 35 into the viscous material connecting from the container 5 to the filling nozzle 34. At this time, gas may be injected from each gas injection nozzle 35 while the filling unit 3 is being raised, or gas may be injected from each gas injection nozzle 35 when the filling unit 3 reaches the highest point. In the gas injection process, after the viscous material connecting from the container 5 to the filling nozzle 34 is cut by the momentum of the gas injected from the gas injection nozzle 35, the filling unit 3 reaches the highest point, and the retainer 12 is moved in the state where the viscous material is cut, and the next container 5 may be supplied below the filling unit 3. Also, a part of the viscous material connecting from the container 5 to the filling nozzle 34 may be deformed so as to be more easily cut thinner by the momentum of the gas injected from the gas injection nozzle 35, and the viscous material may be cut by moving the retainer 12, and the next container 5 may be supplied below the filling unit 3. By repeating these operations, the containers 5 that are intermittently conveyed are sequentially filled with the viscous material. The containers 5 filled with the viscous material are supplied to the container sealing portion 4 and sealed, for example, by covering with a lid material and sealing. Thereby, a viscous material-filled container is obtained.

[0041] The gas injected from the gas injection nozzle 35 is not particularly limited, and for example, compressed air can be used. The supply pressure of the gas to each gas injection nozzle 35 may be appropriately adjusted according to the distance between the injection port 35a of the gas injection nozzle 35 and the viscous material so that the viscous material can be easily cut. For example, it can be set to 0.10 to 0.40 MPa. The higher the supply pressure of the air to each gas injection nozzle 35, the easier it is to cut the viscous material. The lower the supply pressure of the air to each gas injection nozzle 35, the less likely the viscous material is to scatter, and the gas consumption can be reduced.

[0042] The injection time of the gas for each gas injection nozzle 35 can be appropriately adjusted within a range that facilitates the cutting of the viscous material, preferably 30 milliseconds or more, more preferably 40 milliseconds or more. Also, as a suitable range, 30 to 60 milliseconds is preferable, and 40 to 60 milliseconds is more preferable. If the gas injection time is within the above range, it becomes easy to cut the viscous material while reducing the gas consumption and suppressing the scattering of the viscous material, and at the same time, it is possible to suppress the influence of the upward movement of dust and the like due to the air flow, and it can work advantageously in terms of hygiene during filling.

[0043] As described above, in the present invention, during filling, gas is injected from a gas injection nozzle into the viscous material connected from the container to the filling nozzle. As a result, the cutting of the viscous material becomes easy, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of quality defects such as seal failure and product contamination caused by the viscous material adhering to the edge of the container. Further, since the cutting of the viscous material is facilitated by the injected gas, there are no restrictions on the physical properties of the viscous material, and furthermore, it is excellent in hygiene due to non-contact cutting.

[0044] Note that the filling device and the method for manufacturing a viscous material filled in a container of the present invention are not limited to the above-described filling device 100 and the method for manufacturing a viscous material filled in a container. Within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately replace the components in the above-described embodiment with well-known components, and the above-described modification examples may also be appropriately combined.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0045] 100... filling device, 1... container conveyance unit, 2... container supply unit, 3... filling unit, 4... container sealing unit, 5... container, 11... conveyor chain, 12... retainer, 13... container holding hole, 31... block, 32... storage unit, 33... metering unit, 34... filling nozzle, 34a... discharge port, 35... gas injection nozzle, 35a... injection port, 36... switching rotor, 37... cylinder, 38... piston rod.

Claims

1. A filling device for filling a container with a viscous material, comprising: a filling unit having a filling nozzle that dispenses the viscous material into the container; and two or more gas injection nozzles provided around the filling nozzle of the filling section and configured to inject gas toward the viscous material discharged from the filling nozzle; the gas injection nozzle is a gas injection nozzle in which a gas injection direction is adjusted so that an extension line of the gas injection direction enters the container at a timing when the gas is injected, A filling device in which the viscous material is filled into the container from the filling nozzle, and from a state in which the viscous material is connected from the container to the filling nozzle, the force of the gas sprayed from the two or more gas injection nozzles cuts or deforms the portion of the viscous material that is connected from the container to the filling nozzle and comes into contact with the gas.

2. 2. The filling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas injection nozzle is spaced apart from the filling nozzle.

3. 3. The filling device according to claim 1, wherein the gas injection direction of the gas injection nozzle is obliquely downward.

4. The filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a resultant vector of the gas injection directions of the two or more gas injection nozzles is a vertically downward direction.

5. a filling step of discharging a viscous material from a filling nozzle into a container; a gas injection step of injecting gas from a gas injection nozzle onto the viscous material connected from the container to the filling nozzle; having the gas injection nozzle is a gas injection nozzle in which a gas injection direction is adjusted so that an extension line of the gas injection direction enters the container at a timing when the gas is injected, In the gas injection process, the force of the gas injected from the gas injection nozzle cuts or deforms the portion of the viscous material that connects from the container to the filling nozzle and comes into contact with the gas, thereby producing a method for manufacturing a container-filled viscous material.

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