Filling apparatus and method for automatically filling containers

Abstract

A filling machine (10) and method for automatically filling containers (100) for smoking articles with smokable loose material (M), the machine (10) comprising a delivery device (22) including metering means (40, 41) configured to deliver a predetermined amount of the loose material to each container (100), each delivery device (22) comprising a funnel-shaped conveying member (52) configured to vibrate during delivery of the loose material (M) to prevent the loose material (M) delivered by the metering means (40, 41) from accidentally remaining within the conveying member (52).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filling device and method for automatically filling an empty container that can be used as a casing or capsule for a smoking article. Each of the above containers has an open end, and from this open end, it is possible to put in a fibrous, incoherent material that may have properties rich in oil and / or resin. The device and method of the present invention can automatically perform accurate filling of each container under control with a very high working cycle, thereby achieving high productivity.

Background Art

[0002] In the automatic manufacture of smoking articles such as cigarettes, using a machine with particularly high productivity, one of the important aspects to consider and one of the technical problems to be solved is inserting smoking materials such as shredded materials, for example, cigarettes, other smokable substances, or combinations thereof, into a container such as a casing at a filling station. This filling station can be associated with a station arranged upstream for supplying the containers, a packaging station and a distribution station arranged downstream, and optionally, a station for packing the completed smoking articles.

[0003] Regarding the insertion of smoking materials, it is usually known to prepare a piece of paper that wraps the shredded material consisting of tobacco. Next, the piece of paper is wound to form a single cylindrical casing that surrounds the shredded material, and then this cylindrical casing is cut to the size of individual smoking articles in the desired form.

[0004] [[ID=Z0]]It is also known to use a system for putting the above shredded material into a container. Such a system uses a pneumatic transfer system to move the shredded material from a storage hopper into each container made of, for example, a casing for a smoking article. Such a known device has the disadvantage of deteriorating the chemical-physical properties of the shredded material processed by the device.

[0005] Known apparatuses for filling containers with regulated amounts of smokeable material are also described in German Patent Application Publication No. 3226654 and U.S. Patent No. 3404742. The solution typically provides a system in which a predetermined amount of the material less than the desired regulated amount is prepared, and one or more remaining amounts can be selectively added after the weight of the amounts involved is checked.

[0006] However, the known techniques described above cannot automatically fill containers with finished products containing leaf materials other than tobacco, for example, which have various special properties related to the chemical and physical characteristics of the materials, or other special properties, or finished products that may contain resins or oils, for example. In particular, the above-mentioned substances tend to adhere to the surface they come into contact with, making it very difficult to move the loose material and reducing the efficiency of the apparatus. This is especially problematic when it is necessary to achieve high time productivity, for example, of 7,000 finished products.

[0007] The technical problem that this invention seeks to solve through a novel and original method is to provide an apparatus for automatically filling containers and to complete such a method, and to achieve the provision of such apparatus and completion of the method with loose material containing substances that are difficult to supply into very small dimensions and very narrow spaces, such as casings or capsules for cylindrical smoking articles having a diameter on the order of several millimeters, while also considering that metering must be performed with very high precision on the order of 0.1 to 0.9 grams, and also to achieve the above-mentioned high time productivity. Such high time productivity implies an average production time of approximately 0.5 seconds per finished product.

[0008] Currently, there are no conventional filling devices or filling methods that can actually solve the above technical problems and achieve the above objectives.

[0009] Therefore, one objective of the present invention is to provide a filling apparatus and filling method for automatically filling containers such as casings or capsules for smoking articles, which are simple and highly reliable, and at the same time solve the above technical problems and achieve the above high productivity.

[0010] Another objective of the present invention is to complete a filling apparatus and filling method for automatically filling containers, which prevents loose material from adhering to or sticking to the surface of a supply element and allows for easy transport of loose material to each container.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a filling apparatus and method for automatically filling containers, which can achieve highly accurate and reliable metering of loose material to each and all containers to be filled, thereby ensuring that all containers contain exactly the same desired amount of loose material.

[0012] Another objective of the present invention is to complete an automatic filling apparatus and filling method for filling containers, which can sequentially fill containers and can also perform parallel filling to fill multiple containers simultaneously.

[0013] The applicant has conceived, tested, and embodied the present invention in order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and achieve the above and other objectives and advantages. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0014] The present invention is described in the independent claims, which describe its features. Other features of the present invention or variations of the main concept of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0015] In view of the above objectives, and in order to provide a novel and original solution to the above technical problems and to bring about surprisingly advantageous results, the present invention relates to a filling apparatus for automatically filling a container with fibrous loose material.

[0016] In one aspect of the present invention, the filling apparatus comprises means for supplying the loose material and one or more delivery devices configured to receive the loose material from the supply means.

[0017] Each of the aforementioned delivery devices comprises a first rotating member and a second rotating member that constitute means for measuring loose material, and the first rotating member and the second rotating member are configured to cooperate with each other to deliver a desired measured amount of the loose material to each of the aforementioned containers.

[0018] In one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a weight measuring means for measuring the weight of the amount of the loose material placed in each of the containers, and a control means configured to control the first rotating member and the second rotating member of the one or more delivery devices depending on the weight measurement performed by the weight measuring means.

[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, the first rotating member is configured to rotate in a first rotational direction and at a first angular velocity, and the second rotating member is configured to rotate in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction and at a second angular velocity different from the first angular velocity, together with the first rotating member to transport the loose material downward.

[0020] In another aspect of the present invention, each of the one or more delivery devices comprises a substantially funnel-shaped conveying member located downstream of the supply means, the conveying member having a wide section at the top and a narrow section at the bottom, located below the first and second rotating members, the narrow section being configured and sized to be selectively inserted into any one of the containers.

[0021] The conveying member is of the vibrating type and is configured to vibrate when the loose material is delivered, thereby preventing the loose material delivered by the first rotating member and the second rotating member from accidentally remaining inside the conveying member.

[0022] In another aspect of the present invention, the transport member is connected to a corresponding actuator that can move the transport member to vibrate.

[0023] In one aspect of the present invention, the conveying member corresponds to the narrowest part at the bottom, and is measured in a horizontal section of 150 mm. 2 It occupies a surface area of ​​less than 1.

[0024] In another aspect of the present invention, the first rotating member is mounted in a transport cavity associated with the supply means so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis substantially horizontally, and the second rotating member is mounted in the transport cavity so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis, and the first rotating member is configured to transfer the loose material arriving from the supply means to the second rotating member, and the second rotating member is configured to push the loose material supplied from the first rotating member to the second rotating member toward an outlet opening below it.

[0025] In another aspect of the present invention, the transport cavity is formed inside a closing plate, the closing plate is removably attached to a movable structure on the opposite side, the movable structure is configured as a base plate to which the first rotating member and the second rotating member are attached, the movable structure on the opposite side is mounted to slide vertically.

[0026] In another aspect of the present invention, the first rotating member has a plurality of sharpened portions on its circumferential surface, the sharpened portions are distributed at regular intervals in the angular direction and aligned in a plurality of rows parallel to each other and parallel to the first axis of rotation, and further, the second rotating member has a diameter smaller than that of the first rotating member, and the second rotating member has a plurality of teeth on its circumferential surface, the teeth are distributed at regular intervals in the angular direction and aligned in a plurality of rows parallel to each other and parallel to the second axis of rotation, and the teeth are offset in the axial direction with respect to the sharpened portions.

[0027] In another aspect of the present invention, the weight measuring means includes one or more weight measuring members, and the one or more weight measuring members are disposed below the one or more delivery devices and are positioned at a location where the container can be sandwiched between the delivery device and the weight measuring means during use.

[0028] In another aspect of the present invention, the funnel-shaped wide portion is disposed directly below the outlet opening of the bar-shaped material, and the opening is arranged to be aligned along a vertical axis passing between the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis at the center of the conveying member. Further, one of the corresponding one or more weight measuring members is coaxial with the vertical axis.

[0029] In another aspect of the present invention, the second angular velocity is at least one order of magnitude higher than the first angular velocity.

[0030] In another aspect of the present invention, the filling device further includes shaping means disposed upstream of the one or more delivery devices, and the shaping means is selectively inserted into the empty container and configured to eliminate wrinkles or folds that may occur in the container.

[0031] In another aspect of the present invention, the filling device further includes pressing means disposed downstream of the one or more delivery devices, and the pressing means is selectively inserted into the container at least partially filled with the bar-shaped material and configured to lightly press the bar-shaped material.

[0032] In another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a first filling station and at least a second filling station, each comprising at least one of the delivery devices, the first and second filling stations being arranged side by side along a work line with the pressing means in between, the first filling station being configured to deliver a first amount of the loose material, and the second filling station being configured to deliver a second amount of the loose material, the pressing means being configured to press the loose material contained in the container before and / or after the second filling station delivers the second amount of the loose material.

[0033] In another aspect of the present invention, the pressing means comprises a first pressing member located in a first pressing station located downstream of the first filling station and upstream of the second filling station, for pressing a first amount of the loose material before the second filling station delivers a second amount of the loose material.

[0034] In another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a third filling station located downstream of the second filling station along the work line.

[0035] In another aspect of the present invention, the pressing means further comprises a second pressing member located downstream of the second filling station and upstream of the third filling station for pressing a second amount of the loose material before the third filling station delivers a complementary amount of the loose material to the first and second amounts, in view of the desired metered amount of the loose material.

[0036] In another aspect of the present invention, a filling method of the present invention for automatically filling containers with fibrous loose material comprises the steps of supplying the loose material and delivering the loose material arriving from the supply means to each container in a desired measured amount using one or more delivery devices with a first rotating member and a second rotating member, wherein the filling method further comprises the step of vibrating the funnel-shaped transport member during the delivery step of the loose material to prevent the loose material from accidentally remaining in the transport member.

[0037] In another aspect of the present invention, the filling method further comprises a weight measurement step in which a weight measuring means measures the weight of the amount of loose material to be placed in each container, and a control step in which a control means controls the first rotating member and the second rotating member of the one or more delivery devices depending on the weight measurement performed by the weight measuring means.

[0038] In another aspect of the present invention, the weight measurement step and the control step are preferably performed continuously during the delivery step or at programmed time intervals.

[0039] In another aspect of the present invention, the filling method further comprises a shaping step performed prior to the delivery step by a shaping means positioned upstream of the one or more delivery devices, which is selectively inserted into the empty container to eliminate any wrinkles or folds that may occur in the container.

[0040] In another aspect of the present invention, the present invention further comprises at least one pressing step performed after the delivery step by a pressing means located downstream of the one or more delivery devices, the pressing means selectively inserting into the container, which is at least partially filled with the loose material, to lightly press the loose material contained in the container.

[0041] In another aspect of the present invention, the delivery step comprises a first partial step of filling the container with a first amount of the loose material, which is performed at the first filling station, and at least a second partial step of filling the container with a second amount of the loose material, which is performed at the second filling station.

[0042] In another aspect of the present invention, the delivery step further comprises a third filling step performed at a third filling station located downstream of the second filling station and downstream of the second press member along the work line.

[0043] In another aspect of the present invention, the method is carried out in this order: the shaping step; a first filling step of delivering a first amount of the loose material at a first filling station; a first step of pressing the first amount at a first pressing station located downstream of the first filling station and upstream of the second filling station; a second filling step of delivering a second amount of the loose material at a second filling station; a second step of pressing the second amount at a second pressing station located downstream of the second filling station and upstream of the third filling station; and finally, a third filling step of delivering an amount of loose material complementary to the first and second amounts in view of the desired metered amount.

[0044] In another aspect of the present invention, the first filling step delivers 25% to 35% of the desired metered amount of loose material, the second filling step delivers 45% to 55% of the desired metered amount of loose material, and the third filling step delivers 15% to 25% of the desired metered amount of loose material.

[0045] In another aspect of the present invention, in a preferred embodiment of the method, about 30% of the desired metered amount of loose material is delivered in the first filling step, about 50% of the desired metered amount of loose material is delivered in the second filling step, and about 20% of the desired metered amount of loose material is delivered in the third filling step.

[0046] In any case, a final filling step is provided to deliver a complementary amount of loose material to the amount already in the container, in view of the desired measured amount to be filled into the container, and this final filling step is a third filling step in the above embodiment.

[0047] As described above, by distributing the amount to be delivered across multiple filling stations, it becomes possible to place a weight measuring element with high sensitivity, high reliability, and high measurement speed only at the last filling station, i.e., the third filling station. This makes it possible to install lower-performance and, consequently, lower-cost weight measuring elements at the earlier filling stations, i.e., the first and second filling stations.

[0048] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments of the invention as non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0049] [Figure 1] This is a schematic front view showing a filling apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram of a machine that may be equipped with or associated with the device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a schematic side view of a container suitable for processing by the apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a simplified schematic three-dimensional diagram showing a magnified portion of the apparatus in Figure 1. [Figure 5]Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional front view of the device shown. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is an enlarged front view of the first detail section. [Figure 7] Figure 5 is a magnified front view of other details. [Figure 8] Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the device shown, and in this figure, the device is shown in the idle position. [Figure 9] This diagram is similar to Figure 8, in which the device is shown in the operating position. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged front view of another part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 11] This is a partial cross-sectional side view of a portion of Figure 10. [Figure 12] Figure 1 is a magnified partial cross-sectional side view showing other details of the apparatus. [Figure 13] This is an example of a block diagram showing the operation of the electronic control unit of the device shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0050] It should be noted that the wording and terminology used in this specification and claims, such as "horizontal," "vertical," "front," "back," "high," "low," "inside," and "outside," including their ranges of deviation, are merely intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention by referring to the drawings, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention or the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

[0051] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain dimensions or characteristics in the drawings may be enlarged, distorted, or illustrated in a non-conventional or proportional manner different from the actual proportion in order to provide an easily understandable version of the invention. Where dimensions and / or values ​​are specified in the following description, these dimensions and / or values ​​are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the invention unless such dimensions and / or values ​​are described in the appended claims.

[0052] For ease of understanding, the same reference numerals are used for identical common elements in the drawings where possible. It is understood that elements and features of one embodiment can be easily combined or incorporated into other embodiments without requiring detailed explanation.

[0053] Referring to Figure 1, the filling device 10 of the present invention, for example, for automatically filling a container 100 (Figure 3) such as a casing or capsule for smoking articles, is configured to be associated with, or part of, a machine 200 (Figure 2) for manufacturing smoking articles such as cigarettes or capsules.

[0054] The apparatus 10 is configured to fill the container 100 with fibrous materials such as loose material M, which is rich in oil and / or resin, derived from chopped or crushed leaf material from tobacco or other plants, or other materials such as a smokeable substance, or a combination thereof.

[0055] The block diagram of Figure 2 schematically shows the machine 200, which includes, for example, a supply station 201 configured to supply containers 100, followed by a device 10 constituting a filling station, followed by a packaging station 202 configured to package the filled containers 100 to properly seal them and produce finished products such as smoking articles or capsules, and followed by a distribution station 203 that sends the finished products, for example, to a packing station 205 located outside the machine 200, in this order, but the machine 200 is not limited thereto. The machine 200 also includes, for example, a suitable transport device 206 capable of transporting the containers 100 along the entire work line from the supply station 201 (left side in Figure 2) to the packing station 205 (right side in Figure 2), for example along the work direction X, preferably in a linear and horizontal direction, but the machine 200 is not limited thereto.

[0056] The supply station 201, packaging station 202, distribution station 203, packing station 205, and transport device 206 may be of any type, or of a type to be developed in the future. The transport device 206 may be replaced with, for example, one of the types described in a related patent application relating to an industrial invention filed by the same applicant as this patent application.

[0057] For example, the transport device 205 includes a transport member 207 having the shape and function of a shuttle configured to slide in the working direction X on a fixed guide 209. In this example, the transport member 207 has four hollow and through-shaped seating portions 210, each seating portion 210 being, for example, frustoconical and having dimensions that fit with the dimensions of the container 100 or at least the dimensions of the bottom of the container 100. In this example, the dimensions of each seating portion 210 are such that when each container 100 is inserted into the seating portion 210, the container 100 not only protrudes a few millimeters from the top surface of the transport member 207, but also a few millimeters from the bottom surface of the transport member 207 (Figures 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10).

[0058] It is clear that the number of receiving sections 210 can be other than 4, and that the number of receiving sections 210 affects the time productivity of the machine 200. In fact, if a predetermined cycle time TC in units of seconds is required to carry out a work cycle in each of the various stations 201, 202, 203, and 205 and the device 10, or in the slower ones, the time productivity of the machine 200 is equal to 3,600 divided by the cycle time TC and multiplied by the number of receiving sections 210 of each transport member 207. In practice, work is carried out in parallel at the four receiving sections 210.

[0059] Each receiving portion 210 is substantially symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis Y and is configured to accommodate a container 100 inserted vertically from top to bottom (Figures 4, 5, 9, 10).

[0060] The distance D between two adjacent receiving portions 210 is determined during the design phase of the apparatus 10 and / or machine 200, and is suitable for processing multiple containers 100, as will be described in detail below.

[0061] As a non-limiting example, machine 200 can produce each product, such as smoking articles or capsules, in a very short time, i.e., with a cycle time TC of approximately 2 seconds, resulting in a time productivity of exactly approximately 7,000 smoking articles for machine 200. This is because, at each station 201, 202, 203, and 205 of machine 200 and at apparatus 10, four containers 100 are processed simultaneously and in parallel to form, for example, filled smoking articles or capsules.

[0062] Before describing the apparatus 10 and its operation in detail, an example of the container 100 is described here (Figure 3). In particular, in the following description, the container 100 will be described as a casing for manufacturing smoking articles, but it can also be a capsule or any other type of container suitable for holding loose material M.

[0063] Each container 100 is made from, for example, a sheet material such as very thin paper, or other material suitable for making tobacco or other smokeable products, and is usually equipped with a filter 101 of a known type.

[0064] The container 100 has a length L that can vary depending on the smoking article obtained, for example, from about 60 mm to about 150 mm.

[0065] Furthermore, each container 100 can be frustoconical in shape and may have a first end 102 relative to the filter 101 and a second open end 103 having a larger diameter than the first end, and the container 100 is configured to hold loose material M. On average, the diameter of each container 100 is on the order of a few millimeters, similar to the diameter of a traditional cigarette, for example, 6 to 8 mm.

[0066] If the container 100 is a capsule, for example, the container 100 will be frustoconical or hemispherical in shape, having a closed first end and an open second end opposite to the first end, and will contain the loose material M.

[0067] The apparatus 10 (Figure 1) is equipped with a series of work units attached to a fixed structure 11, each of which is located at its own work station. The work units and work stations are arranged sequentially along a work line parallel to the work direction X and are continuous with one another. The arrangement of the work units and work stations on the work line is such that, as seen in Figure 1, they intervene in a sequence from left to right, as will be evident from the description of the apparatus's operation later.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, the work unit comprises at least a first filling assembly 12, which is configured to fill a container 100 with loose material M (Figure 3), and this will be described in detail below.

[0069] In another embodiment of the present invention, a shaping assembly 13 (Figure 1) is provided upstream of the first filling assembly 12.

[0070] In other embodiments of the present invention, the work unit comprises a second filling assembly 14 and, optionally, a third filling assembly 15, which are similar to the first filling assembly 12 described above.

[0071] In other embodiments of the present invention, the work unit comprises a first pressing means or first pressing assembly 16 located downstream of the first filling assembly 12, and optionally a second pressing means or second pressing assembly 17 located downstream of the second filling assembly 15.

[0072] The first filling assembly 12 (Figure 8) includes a movable structure 19 that slides vertically on a vertical guide 20 of the fixed structure 11.

[0073] A hopper 21 suitable for holding loose material M used to fill container 100 is attached to the upper part of the movable structure 19, and below it are four delivery devices 22 (Figures 4 and 5), each delivery device 22 configured to fill container 100 which is placed in the receiving part 210 of transport member 207.

[0074] The first filling assembly 12 also includes a weight measuring means, for example, configured as a weight measuring unit 23 (Figures 5, 6, 8 and 9), which is located below the four delivery devices 22 and is suitable for weighing each container 100 during the first filling step, which is provided in the step of delivering loose material M into the containers 100, as will be described in detail below.

[0075] The hopper 21 comprises at least a vertical front wall 24, a rear wall 25, and a bottom 26, the bottom 26 being inclined downward at an angle α of, for example, about 30° to about 45° (Figure 8).

[0076] Four supply members 27 are arranged inside the hopper 21, and each supply member 27 is positioned along its respective supply axis S, which is parallel to the bottom 26. The hopper 21 and the four supply members 27 constitute a means for supplying loose material M.

[0077] The lower part of the front wall 24 of the hopper 21 is provided with four through-holes 29 (Figure 5), which are substantially centered with respect to the supply axis S and are configured to allow loose material M, which is being moved by the supply member 27 toward the corresponding delivery device 22, to flow out.

[0078] Each supply member 27 is equipped with a moving element 30 attached to the rotating shaft of a first actuator 31 (Figure 8) mounted on the rear wall 25 of the hopper 21 (Figures 4 and 5), which is, for example, helical, and the first actuator 31 rotates the moving element 30 to move the loose material M forward toward the corresponding hole 29 without causing substantially any compression of the material itself.

[0079] In one variant not shown in the drawings, a single first actuator 31 can simultaneously rotate four moving elements 30.

[0080] Grooves are formed on the inner surface of the bottom 26, i.e., inside the hopper 21 and below each moving element 30 (Figures 4 and 5), and these grooves are configured to facilitate the outflow of loose material M toward the corresponding holes 29.

[0081] In one embodiment of the present invention, four delivery devices 22 are configured to share the same plate 32, which is substantially vertical and mounted on a movable structure 19 (Figure 8), and is formed to have four substantially vertical transport cavities 33 (Figures 4 and 5), one for each delivery device 22, with four holes 29 opening at the top of the transport cavities 33. Each transport cavity 33 is configured to guide the loose material M arriving from the hopper 21 in a vertical direction and is formed so as not to obstruct the downward fall of the loose material M.

[0082] The front of the four transport cavities 33 is closed by a closing plate 35 (Figure 8), which can be made of a transparent material, such as plastic or glass, to allow visibility of the flow of the loose material M inside.

[0083] Each conveying cavity 33 is formed to have an outlet opening 36 (Figures 5 and 7) at its lower part, aligned along the vertical axis V. Two receiving parts 37 and 38, a first receiving part and a second receiving part, are formed near the outlet opening 36, and these receiving parts 37 and 38 are located on opposite sides of the vertical axis V. In particular, these two receiving parts 37 and 38 are defined by a partially cylindrical surface and share a common zone. Two metering rollers 40 and 41 are rotatably mounted on the two receiving parts 37 and 38, and these metering rollers 40 and 41 rotate in opposite directions around two rotation axes T and U in a substantially horizontal direction. These rotation axes T and U are located on opposite sides of the vertical axis V. Each rotation axis T is aligned substantially vertically with the corresponding hole 29. In this example, each first metering roller 40 is configured to rotate clockwise to convey the loose material M arriving from the hopper 21 toward the corresponding outlet opening 36.

[0084] The four vertical axes V are separated from each other by a distance D equal to the distance between the receiving portions 210 of the same transport member 207.

[0085] In this embodiment, the rotation axes T and U of each delivery device 22 lie on the same horizontal plane P1 or P2. Furthermore, in order to optimize the overall dimensions and in consideration of the distance D between the vertical axes V, the horizontal planes P1 or P2 of each delivery device 22 are offset from each other in the vertical direction. For example, referring to Figure 5, the horizontal plane P1 associated with the first delivery device 22 and the third delivery device 22 from the left is lower than the horizontal plane P2 associated with the second delivery device 22 and the fourth delivery device 22.

[0086] The circumferential surface of the first metering roller 40 of each delivery device 22 is provided with a plurality of sharpened portions 42 (Figure 7), which are distributed at regular intervals in the angular direction, for example, at approximately 12° intervals, and are aligned in multiple rows parallel to the rotation axis T. The outer diameter of the sharpened portions 42 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the corresponding first receiving portion 37.

[0087] Each delivery device 22 has a second metering roller 41 with a smaller diameter than the first metering roller 40, and the circumferential surface of the second metering roller 41 is provided with a plurality of teeth 43, which are distributed at regular intervals in the angular direction, for example, at approximately 60° intervals, and are aligned in multiple rows that are parallel to the rotation axis U and offset axially with respect to the pointed portion 42. The outer diameter of the teeth 43 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the corresponding second receiving portion 38.

[0088] Furthermore, in each delivery device 22, the center distance between the rotating shafts T and U, the diameters of the metering rollers 40 and 41, and the outer diameters of the pointed portion 42 and teeth 43 are set so that they intersect each other along the vertical axis V without the pointed portion 42 and teeth 43 coming into contact.

[0089] The first metering roller 40 is configured to rotate at a relatively low first angular velocity ω1 on the order of approximately 25 rpm, and has the function of transporting the loose material M arriving from the hole 29 together with the pointed part 42 and sending it toward the second metering roller 41. Unlike the first metering roller 40, the second metering roller 41 is configured to rotate in the opposite direction, that is, counterclockwise, at a relatively high second angular velocity ω2 on the order of approximately 750 rpm.

[0090] Furthermore, within each transport cavity 33, a sector 45 adjacent to the second receiving portion 38 in the first receiving portion 37 defines a calibrated passage for the loose material M, in order to easily control the amount of loose material M supplied from the first metering roller 40 to the second metering roller 41 depending on the magnitude of rotation of the first metering roller 40, thereby enabling accurate metering of the loose material M.

[0091] The second metering roller 41, which rotates at a relatively high second angular velocity ω2, has the function of completely removing the loose material M that is in contact with the first metering roller 40 and pushing the loose material M downward in the direction of the vertical axis V into the outlet opening 36.

[0092] The four first metering rollers 40 are selectively rotated by four second actuators 46, each connected to the first metering rollers 40 by four corresponding shafts 44 (Figure 8). The four second metering rollers 41 are selectively rotated by four third actuators 47, each connected to the second metering rollers 41 by four corresponding shafts 48. For simplicity, only two second actuators 46 and two third actuators 47 are schematically shown in Figure 8.

[0093] Alternatively, two or more metering rollers 40 and / or 41 can be controlled by one actuator or another number of actuators.

[0094] Each of the four transport cavities 33 is provided with a stirring member 49 (Figures 4 and 5) configured to facilitate the descent of loose material M toward the corresponding first metering roller 40, the stirring member 49 including or consisting of, for example, a vertical rod, and in some cases being curved.

[0095] The four stirring members 49 (Figure 5) are attached, for example, to a horizontal bar 50 positioned above the plate 32. A fourth actuator 51 is connected to the horizontal bar 50 so that the horizontal bar 50 can be moved, causing the four stirring members 49 to vibrate and / or move within the corresponding four transport cavities 33.

[0096] Each delivery device 22 also includes a substantially funnel-shaped conveying member 52 (Figures 5, 7, 8, and 9), which is positioned below and near the outlet opening 36 and is coaxial with the corresponding vertical axis V.

[0097] Each conveying member 52 is configured to receive the loose material M arriving from the outlet opening 36 and convey it into the container 100. In particular, each conveying member 52 has a cylindrical lower section 53, the outer diameter of which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the second end 103 (Figures 3 and 7) of the container 100. As a non-limiting example, the surface area measured in the horizontal section corresponding to the lower section 53 is approximately 75 to 115 mm². 2 And in any case, approximately 150mm 2 It is less than [value missing]. The end of the lower part 53 is cut diagonally in the opposite direction to the working direction X so as to form a tip 54 (Figure 5). In fact, when the device 10 is in operation, a portion of each lower part 53 is selectively introduced into the second end 103 of the container 100, as will be explained in detail below, and this configuration of the lower part 53 makes it easier for the lower part 53 to be introduced into the container 100.

[0098] The four transport members 52 are connected to one or more fifth actuators 55 (Figures 8 and 9), which vibrate the transport members 52 to promote the outflow of loose material M downwards, thereby promoting its outflow into the corresponding container 100.

[0099] The selective vertical movement of the movable structure 19 relative to the vertical guide 20, which displaces the lower part 53 of the four transport members 52 bidirectionally between an idle position PR1 (Figure 8) of the transport member 52 where the lower part 53 of the four transport members 52 is raised several millimeters above the container 100 below, and a lower operating position PO1 (Figure 9) where the lower part 53 is inserted into the second end 103 of the container 100, is controlled by a sixth actuator 56 (Figure 8) connected to a first slider 57 that slides on the vertical guide 20. Thus, the first slider 57 is part of the movable structure 19. The range of movement C of the first slider 57 is equal to the distance between the two positions PR1 and PO1 and depends on the length L of the container 100.

[0100] The weight measuring unit 23 (Figures 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9) is positioned below the transport member 207 and is partially housed in the lower cavity 211 of the fixed guide 209.

[0101] The weight measuring unit 23 includes a support plate 59 attached to the fixed structure 11, and four weight measuring members 60 are mounted on the support plate 59 coaxially with four vertical axes V, each weight measuring member 60 including or consisting of, for example, an obvious type of load cell.

[0102] Each weight measuring member 60 (Figure 6) is equipped with an inclined wall 61, which is configured to follow the second end 102 of the container 100 on the inclined wall 61 while the container 100 on the inclined wall 61 is moved in the working direction X by the transport member 207. The container 100 is weighed both when empty and when filled with at least partially loose material M, and stops at a substantially central position relative to the weight measuring member 60.

[0103] In another embodiment not shown in the drawings, each weight measuring member 60 is configured to be axially displaced by a corresponding actuator between an idle position slightly away from the corresponding first end 102 of the container 100 and an elevated position in which it rises and contacts the first end 102 to measure the weight of the container 100 both when empty and when filled with at least partially loose material M.

[0104] The shaping assembly 13 (Figures 1, 10 and 11) is located next to the supply station 201 (Figure 2) and has the function of eliminating any wrinkles or folds that may have occurred in the container 100, which is performed in particular before the filling process of the casing, as will be described in detail below, in the case of a casing for a smoking article as described with reference to Figure 3.

[0105] The shaping assembly 13 (Figures 10 and 11) includes a substantially horizontal support element 62 attached to a second slider 63 that slides vertically on a vertical guide 65 of the fixed structure 11. Four identical conical elements 66 are attached to the support element 62, each conical element 66 having a shape and dimensions that substantially fit with the shape and dimensions of the inner portion of the container 100. The four conical elements 66 are positioned on their respective corresponding vertical axes R, separated from each other by a distance D equal to the distance between the receiving portions 210 of the same transport member 207.

[0106] A seventh actuator 67 of an obvious type (Figure 11) is connected to the second slider 63 to control the selective descent of the second slider 63 from an idle position PR2 where the conical element 66 is separated from the container 100 below, to a descent position PO2 where the conical element 66 is inserted into the container 100, for example, up to the filter 101 of the container 100, or to move in the reverse direction.

[0107] One or more control devices 69 suitable for inspecting the shape of the container 100 can be associated upstream and / or downstream of the shaping assembly 13, only one of which is schematically shown in Figure 11.

[0108] Each press assembly 16 and 17 (Figures 1 and 12) is substantially the same as the shaping assembly 13 except for the four conical elements 66 described above. In press assemblies 16 and 17, four vertical bars 70 are provided instead of the conical elements 66. These vertical bars 70 are, for example, cylindrical in shape and have the function of selectively entering the container 100 containing the loose material M and lightly pressing the loose material M.

[0109] Each of the four vertical bars 70 is positioned along its corresponding vertical axis W. The four vertical axes W are separated from each other by a distance D equal to the distance between the receiving portions 210 of the same transport member 207.

[0110] Each press assembly 16 and 17 is equipped with a substantially horizontal support element 71, which is mounted on a third slider 72 that slides on a vertical guide 73 of the fixed structure 11 and is controlled by an eighth actuator 75.

[0111] The four vertical bars 70 are attached to the support element 71 and are bidirectionally movable along the corresponding vertical axis W between an upward idle position PR3 that moves vertically away from the container 100 below and a downward operating position PO3 in which a portion of the ends of the vertical bars 70 are inserted into the container 100 and lightly press the loose material M.

[0112] The progress of each of the four vertical bars 70 depends on the amount of loose material M contained in the corresponding container 100.

[0113] The device 10 also includes means for controlling the operation of the device, which is configured, for example, as an electronic control unit 76 (Figure 13), in particular as a programmable type of electronic control unit 76, which controls one or more of the actuators 31, 46, 47, 51, 55, 56, 67 and 75, or controls all of the actuators, and is configured to receive signals from each control device 69 and / or from other sensors or control devices (not shown in the drawings) associated with various assemblies of the device 10. The electronic control unit 76 and other control members (not shown) connected to the electronic control unit 76, such as other control units of the machine 200, can also control the transport device 205.

[0114] In general, all movements performed using any of the above actuators can be achieved by electronic motors or other operating mechanisms, such as pneumatic or hydrodynamic ones.

[0115] Furthermore, all movements of the various components of the above-mentioned work unit can be controlled by one or more control devices of known types (not shown), which can transmit one or more feedback signals to the electronic control unit 76, thereby enabling the electronic control unit 76 to control the multiple different actuators to optimize the method for filling the multiple containers 100.

[0116] The operation of the apparatus 10 described herein corresponds to the method of the present invention and has the following steps.

[0117] Starting from an initial state where all the above work units are in idle position, the electronic control unit 76 (Figure 2) directly or indirectly commands the transport device 205 to move the first transport member 207 (Figure 1), which is loaded with four containers 100 placed in each receiving section 210, to the first shaping station A1, positioned just below the shaping assembly 13, so that the axes Y of the four receiving sections 210 align with the four vertical axes R of the conical element 66.

[0118] The control device 69 (Figure 11) inspects the shape of each empty container 100, and if any defective container 100 is found, it sends a signal to the electronic control unit 76 to that effect, preventing the container 100 from being filled and thus preventing any disposal of the loose material M.

[0119] Subsequently, the electronic control unit 76 commands the shaping assembly 13 (Figures 1, 10, and 11) to perform a shaping step in which the seventh actuator 67 (Figure 11) lowers the second slider 63, along with the four conical elements 66 attached to the second slider 63, from the idle position PR2 to the operating position PO2. In this way, the first conical elements 66 enter the container 100 without any wrinkles or folds, and then the first conical elements 66 return to the idle position PR2.

[0120] The above shaping steps are performed with a cycle time TC of approximately 2 seconds.

[0121] Once the shaping step described above is complete, the first transport member 207 (Figure 1) is displaced by 1 pitch PT toward the first filling assembly 12, that is, toward the right in the working direction X. In this example, the pitch PT is equal to four times the distance D between two adjacent receiving portions 210 of the transport member 207. In this way, the first transport member 207 reaches the first filling station A2, positioned just below the four delivery devices 22 and above the weight measuring unit 23. At the same time, the second transport member 207 is transported to the first shaping station A1, and the first shaping assembly 13 performs a shaping step similar to the one described above on the other four corresponding containers 100 positioned on the receiving portions 210 of the second transport member 207.

[0122] In the first filling station A2, the four axes Y of the four receiving portions 210 of the first transport member 207 coincide with the four vertical axes V (Figure 5).

[0123] As it displaces toward the first filling station A2, the container 100, which is in the receiving section 210, slides along the inclined wall 61 at its second end 102 (Figures 5 and 6), comes to rest above the weight measuring member 60, and rises until it stops substantially in the center of the weight measuring member 60.

[0124] Subsequently, the electronic control unit 76 commands a first weighing step to weigh the still empty containers 100, detects the weight, or tare, of each container 100, and substantially simultaneously commands a first delivery step while controlling the shaping step at the first shaping station A1.

[0125] In another embodiment, the electronic control unit 76 acts on corresponding actuators, which cause the actuators to raise the four weight measuring members 60 toward the corresponding first ends 102 of the container 100, and then raise the container 100 appropriately to detect the weight of each container 100.

[0126] Simultaneously, the electronic control unit 76 commands the start of the delivery step, and in particular the start of the first filling step. In this first filling step, the sixth actuator 56 first lowers the movable structure 19 to place the lower part 53 of the transport member 52 into the second end 103 of the container 100 (operating position PO1 in Figure 9). Advantageously, while the first transport member 207 is still moving toward the first filling station A2, the electronic control unit 76 commands the sixth actuator 56 to lower the movable structure 19, first inserting the tip 54 of the lower part 53 (Figures 5 and 7) into the second end 103 of the container 100 from substantially the center of the container 100. The relative movement between the lowering of the tip 54 and the forward movement of the container 100 allows the lower part to make possible corrections to the second end 103 of the container 100, thereby preventing wrinkles or folds from forming in the container.

[0127] It should be noted that the first filling step is performed while the electronic control unit 76 keeps the weight measurement step running so that the weight of each container 100 associated with each corresponding weight measurement unit 60 is continuously detected.

[0128] Immediately thereafter, or simultaneously thereafter, the electronic control unit 76 commands the operation of actuators 31, 46, 47, 51, and 55 that drive the moving element 30 in the hopper 21, the stirring member 49 in the conveying cavity 33, the metering rollers 40 and 41, and the conveying member 52, respectively, to perform the first metering and filling of a desired amount of loose material M into the container 100.

[0129] In some embodiments of the present invention, the electronic control unit 76 can selectively operate each first actuator 31 so that a predetermined amount of loose material M is always present on the corresponding first metering roller 40 in the corresponding transport cavity 33.

[0130] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the electronic control unit 76 can selectively operate the fourth actuator 51 to drive the stirring member 49 at periodic timings, and this driving can also be performed at a period longer than the cycle time TC.

[0131] In one embodiment of the present invention, in which only the first filling assembly 12 is provided, the total amount of loose material M contained in each smoking article, for example about 1 gram, is delivered to each container 100 at the end of the method.

[0132] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the complete filling of the container 100 is carried out using three filling assemblies 12, 14, and 15, so that in the first filling step, about one-third of the total amount of loose material M, specifically, for example, about 0.30 to 0.33 grams, is placed in each container 100.

[0133] In particular, in each delivery device 22, the downward sliding of the loose material M into the transport cavity 33 is maximized by the stirring member 49. Each first metering roller 40 uses its pointed portion 42 to collect the loose material M present in the transport cavity 33 and transport it toward the second metering roller 41, which pushes the loose material M toward the outlet opening 36. The vibration of the lower transport member 52 promotes the sliding of all the loose material M toward the corresponding container 100.

[0134] The actual amount of loose material M delivered to each container 100 is directly proportional to the magnitude of rotation of the first metering roller 40, regardless of the amount of loose material M delivered to the corresponding transport cavity 33 by each supply member 27 per unit time, and is constantly measured by the corresponding weight measuring member 60.

[0135] In fact, the electronic control unit 76 continues to perform the weight measurement step between each filling step, and when the container 100 reaches the desired weight, the electronic control unit 76 stops the delivery of the loose material M and deactivates the corresponding actuators 31, 46, 47, 51 and 55. Immediately thereafter, the electronic control unit 76 commands the sixth actuator 56 to move the movable structure 19 upward and return it to the idle position PR1 (Figure 8).

[0136] The completion of each filling step in each delivery device 22 is commanded by the electronic control unit 76 based on both the data supplied by the weight measuring member 60 during the weight measuring step and statistical data that predict the amount of loose material M actually conveyed to the container 100 after the stop command for the first metering roller 40 and the second metering roller 41, thereby enabling very accurate metering of the loose material M in each container 100. In practice, depending on the vertical distance between the metering rollers 40 and 41, which are located in different horizontal planes (P1 and P2), and the container 100, there may be a heterogeneous amount of loose material M remaining in the container 100 after the metering rollers 40 and 41 are stopped.

[0137] The first filling step and weight measurement step described above are also performed with a cycle time TC of approximately 2 seconds overall.

[0138] Once these steps are complete, the first transport member 207 (Figure 1) is further displaced by 1 pitch PT toward the first press assembly 16, i.e., to the right in the working direction X. In this way, the first transport member 207 reaches the first filling station A3 and is positioned just below the four vertical bars 70. At the same time, the third transport member 207 is transported to the first shaping station A1, which performs a shaping step similar to the above shaping step in four other corresponding containers 100 positioned in the receiving portion 210 of the third transport member 207, while the second transport member 207 is transported to the first filling station A2, which performs a first filling portion step similar to the above first filling portion step in four other corresponding containers 100 positioned in the receiving portion 210 of the second transport member 207, and simultaneously performs a weight measurement step similar to the above weight measurement step.

[0139] In the first press station A3, the four axes Y of the four receiving portions 210 of the first transport member 207 coincide with the four vertical axes W of the vertical bar 70 of the first press assembly 16.

[0140] While the electronic control unit 76 commands the shaping step, the weight measurement step, and the first delivery step at the two stations A1 and A2 as described above, it also commands the first press step at the first press station A3 via the first press assembly 16. In particular, the electronic control unit 76 commands the eighth actuator 75 (Figures 1 and 12) to lower the four vertical bars 70 from idle position PR3 to operating position PO3 and place a portion of them into the corresponding container 100, so as to lightly press the loose material M in the container 100 to make it more uniform without excessive crushing.

[0141] Next, the electronic control unit 76 commands the eighth actuator 75 to return the four vertical bars 70 to the idle position PR3. This first press step also takes place over a cycle time TC of approximately 2 seconds.

[0142] In one embodiment of the present invention, a second filling step is performed after a first pressing step, along with a corresponding weight measurement step, and optionally, a third filling step is further performed along with a corresponding weight measurement step.

[0143] In this example, in the second filling step, the electronic control unit 76 instructs the second filling assembly 14 to put about half of the total amount of loose material M, specifically, for example, about 0.5 grams, into each container 100. In the third filling step, the electronic control unit 76 instructs the third filling assembly 15 to put a complementary amount of loose material into each container 100 to reach the set total amount of loose material M, in addition to the material already in each container 100. In this example, the complementary amount can be equal to about 0.2 grams.

[0144] Furthermore, if there are three filling steps and the same number of weight measurement steps, a second pressing step is performed between the second and third steps using a second press assembly 17 (Figure 1).

[0145] In this case, the process proceeds as described above, with all support members 207 being displaced at once from left to right by a pitch PT, and the first support member 207 being transported first to the second filling station A4 corresponding to the second filling assembly 14, followed by all other support members 207 being transported there, where a second weight measurement step and a second filling step substantially similar to the first weight measurement step and first filling step described above may be performed, then the support members 207 being transported to the second press station A5 corresponding to the second press assembly 17, where a second press step substantially similar to the first press step described above may be performed, and finally the support members 207 being transported to the third filling station A6 corresponding to the third filling assembly 15, where a third weight measurement step and a third filling step substantially similar to the first weight measurement step and first filling step described above may be performed.

[0146] Upon completion of all the above steps, the container 100 will be filled with the desired amount of loose material M, and the support member 207 can be transferred from the device 10 to the packaging station 202 (Figure 2) of the adjacent machine 200, for example, using the transport device 206.

[0147] A properly programmed electronic control unit 76 can coordinate with the forward movement of the transport member 207 along the fixed guide 209 to simultaneously manage all of the shaping, folding, and delivery steps, including the various partial steps of sequential filling and pressing described above.

[0148] Therefore, all of the above objectives, including the precise filling of loose material M into each container 100 and high time productivity of approximately 7,000 filled containers 100, which correspond to a similar amount of the finished product, are achieved by the filling device 10 and the filling method.

[0149] It is evident that improvements and / or additions of parts or steps can be made to the above-described filling apparatus 10 and filling method for automatically filling containers without departing from the field and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

[0150] For example, in a simplified embodiment of the present invention, the number of delivery devices 22 provided in each filling assembly 12, 14, and 15 can be other than 4, specifically, one or more than 4, and the same applies to the shaping assembly and the press assembly.

[0151] Furthermore, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that many other equivalent embodiments of filling devices and filling methods for automatically filling containers can be reliably realized. The use of parenthetical reference numerals in the appended claims is solely for readability and should not be considered to limit the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A filling device (10) for automatically filling a container (100) with loose fiber material (M), A supply means (21, 27) configured to supply the loose fibrous material (M) from a source, One or more delivery devices (22) operably connected to the supply means (21, 27), each configured to receive the loose fiber material (M), It is equipped with, Each of the aforementioned delivery devices (22) is equipped with a first rotating member (40) and a second rotating member (41), The first rotating member (40) and the second rotating member (41) are arranged in a cooperative relationship to measure and deliver a predetermined amount of the loose fiber material (M), For each of the aforementioned delivery devices (22), a transport member (52) independent of each of the aforementioned delivery devices (22) and having a funnel shape is arranged downstream of the supply means (21, 27). The transport member (52) is A wide inlet section is located next to each of the aforementioned delivery devices (22), A narrow outlet section (53) is configured and sized to be selectively inserted into one of the openings of the container (100), A vibrating body assembly operably connected to each of the aforementioned transport members (52), It is equipped with, The vibrating assembly is selectively operable to generate vibrations in each of the transport members (52) so as the loose fibrous material (M) passes through the vibrating assembly, thereby promoting an uninterrupted material flow and reducing the retention of material within the transport members (52). A filling apparatus (10) characterized by the following.

2. The first rotating member (40) is configured to rotate in a first direction and with a first angular velocity (ω1), The second rotating member (41) is configured to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction and with a second angular velocity (ω2) different from the first angular velocity (ω1), so that the first rotating member (40) and the second rotating member (41) cooperate to transport the loose fiber material (M) toward each of the transport members (52). The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

3. The horizontal cross-sectional area of ​​the conveying member (52) in the outlet section is 150 mm² ２ Less than, The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

4. The first rotating member (40) is mounted in a transport cavity (33) associated with the supply means (21, 27) so as to be rotatable about a substantially horizontal first axis of rotation (T), and the second rotating member (41) is mounted in the same transport cavity (33) so as to be rotatable about a second axis of rotation (U) parallel to the first axis of rotation (T). The transport cavity (33) is formed between a vertical support plate (32) that supports the first rotating member (40) and the second rotating member (41), and a closing plate (35) that is removablely attached to the vertical support plate (32). The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned vertical support plate (32) is mounted so as to slide in the vertical direction. The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 4.

6. The outlet opening (36) of the transport cavity (33) is positioned to be aligned along a vertical axis (V) passing between the first rotation axis (T) and the second rotation axis (U), and is substantially centered with respect to the transport member (52). The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 4.

7. Multiple pointed portions (42) are provided on the circumferential surface of the first rotating member (40), The pointed portions (42) are distributed at regular intervals in the angular direction and are aligned in multiple parallel rows. The second rotating member (41) has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the first rotating member (40). Multiple teeth (43) are provided on the circumferential surface of the second rotating member (41), The teeth (43) are distributed in the angular direction, aligned in multiple parallel rows, and offset axially from the pointed portion (42). The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

8. A weight measuring means (23) configured to measure the weight of the loose fiber material (M) placed in each of the containers (100), A control means (76) is configured to control the first rotating member (40) and the second rotating member (41) of one or more delivery devices (22) based on the measurement results from the weight measuring means (23), It also has, The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

9. The system further comprises shaping means (13, 66) located upstream of the one or more delivery devices (22), The shaping means (13, 66) is sized and shaped to be inserted into the empty container (100) before filling in order to smooth out any wrinkles or folds in the empty container (100). The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

10. The system further comprises pressing means (16, 17) located downstream of the one or more delivery devices (22), The pressing means (16, 17) are configured to be selectively inserted into the container (100) which is at least partially filled with the loose fiber material (M) to compact the loose fiber material (M) inside the container (100). The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 1.

11. The system comprises a first filling station (A2) and at least one second filling station (A4), each equipped with at least one of the delivery devices (22). The first filling station (A2) and the second filling station (A4) are arranged side by side along the work line with the pressing means (16) in between them. The first filling station is configured to deliver a first amount of the loose fiber material (M), and the second filling station is configured to deliver a second amount of the loose fiber material (M). The pressing means (16, 17) are operable to press the first amount of loose fiber material (M) in the container (100) before the second filling station (A4) delivers the second amount of loose fiber material (M). The filling apparatus (10) according to claim 10.

12. A filling method for automatically filling a container (100) with loose fibrous material (M), The steps include supplying the loose fiber material (M) using supply means (21, 27), The delivery is regulated via one or more delivery devices (22) each equipped with a first rotating member (40) and a second rotating member (41), and a predetermined amount of the loose fiber material (M) arrives in each of the containers (100) from the supply means (21, 27), It has, For each of the one or more delivery devices (22), the step of transporting the loose fiber material via a transport member (52) that is independent of each delivery device (22), is located downstream of each delivery device (22), and has a substantially funnel shape; The transport member (52) has a wide inlet portion located next to the delivery device (22) and a narrow outlet portion (53) that is inserted into the container (100). The filling method further includes a step of preventing the loose fiber material (M) from becoming trapped inside the conveying member (52) by vibrating only the conveying member (52) during the delivery step of the loose fiber material (M). A filling method characterized by the following:

13. A step of measuring the weight of a predetermined amount of the loose fiber material (M) placed in each of the containers (100) using a weight measuring means (23), Based on the weight measured by the weight measuring means (23), the first rotating member (40) and the second rotating member (41) of the one or more delivery devices (22) are controlled by the control means (76). It further possesses, The filling method according to claim 12.

14. A shaping means (13, 66) is positioned upstream of the one or more delivery devices (22) and selectively inserted into each of the containers (100) to smooth out any wrinkles or folds in each of the containers (100), further comprising a shaping step performed before the metering and delivery step, The filling method according to claim 12.

15. The press step further comprises at least one press step performed after the metering and delivery step, wherein a press means (16, 17) is positioned downstream of the one or more delivery devices (22), and the press means (16, 17) is selectively inserted into each of the containers (100) which are at least partially filled with the loose fiber material (M), thereby compacting the loose fiber material (M) contained in each of the containers (100). The filling method according to claim 12.

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