Filling machine with a cleaning device and method for cleaning a filling machine

Abstract

A filling machine (1) for filling pourable food products into package sleeves (2) or packages (P) according to claim 1 is described. Moreover, a method for cleaning filling machine (1) for filling pourable food products into package sleeves (2) or packages (P) according to claim 13 is described.

Description

[0001]December 6, 2024 Filling machine with a cleaning device and method for cleaning a filling machine The invention relates to a filling machine for filling pourable food products into package sleeves or packages, comprising: a transport device for conveying package sleeves or packages along a transport direction, a filling station with filling nozzles for filling pourable food products into package sleeves or packages, and a cleaning device for cleaning the filling machine, in particular for cleaning the filling station and its filling nozzles, wherein the cleaning devices comprises: a rotatable pipe for conveying a cleaning medium, a drive unit for rotating the pipe, and spraying nozzles for spraying the cleaning medium. The invention also relates to a method for cleaning a filling machine for filling pourable food products into package sleeves or packages, comprising the following steps: a) providing a filling machine with a cleaning devices that comprises: a rotatable pipe for conveying a cleaning medium, a drive unit for rotating the pipe, and spraying nozzles for spraying the cleaning medium, b) rotating the pipe from a parking position into a cleaning position, c) cleaning the filling machine by spraying a cleaning medium through the spraying nozzles, and d) rotating the pipe back from a cleaning position into a parking position. Packages can be manufactured in different ways and from an extremely wide range of materials. A widely used possibility for their manufacture consists of manufacturing a blank from a sheet-like composite material by cutting from which, through folding and further steps, first a package sleeve and finally a package is created. Alternatively, it is also possible to manufacture a package directly from the sheet-like composite material, i.e. without the intermediate step of the package sleeve. This type of manufacture has the advantage, among others, that the sheet-like composite material and package sleeves are very flat and can thus be stacked, saving space. In this way, the composite material and the package sleeves can be manufactured in a different location than the folding and filling of the package. Composite materials are frequently used as material; for example, a flat sheet-like composite consisting of a plurality of thin layers of paper, cardboard, plastic and / or metal, in particular aluminium. Such packages are widely used in the foodstuffs industry in particular. The packages are filled with contents in a filling machine. As an example, the packages can be filled with beverages such as milk or juice or with pourable food such as soups, sauces. The packages are usually conveyed by a transport device (such as a conveyor belt or a cell chain) below a filling device with filling nozzles so that the nozzles can fill the contents into the packages. The packages are usually conveyed and filled intermittently (e.g. in cycles), so that the movement of the packages is stopped for filling and resumed after the filling is completed. The fulfilment of high hygienic standards is a particular challenge in the food industry. High hygienic requirements can only be met if the filling machine can be cleaned quickly and thoroughly. Filling machines must be cleaned frequently either at specific intervals or when the product which is filled into the packages is changed. It is well-known to clean filling machines by means of “pressure washing” which means using a high-pressure water jet. Pressure washing is, however, only effective if the water jet can directly hit the object which has to be cleaned. This is because the speed of the water (and the resulting cleaning impact) is very high in the center or focus of the water jet but much lower in the surrounding area. It is therefore necessary to reach the whole surface of the machine parts that have to be cleaned. This has proven to be difficult as some parts are hardly accessible and difficult to reach. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 EP 2421622 B1 discloses a filling machine with a cleaning device. The cleaning device comprises long spray pipes (for a cleaning medium) which are arranged coaxially inside long gas pipes (for sterile air). The spray pipes and the gas pipes are located above the packages and extend along their transport direction. The spray pipes and the gas pipes can be rotated around their longitudinal axes independently. The inner spray pipes have spraying nozzles and the outer gas pipes have several openings. The cleaning medium can clean the inside of the gas pipes; in this case the spraying nozzles should not be aligned with the openings in the gas pipes. The cleaning medium can also clean other parts of the filling machine; in this case the spraying nozzles should be aligned with the openings in the gas pipes and both pipes must rotate synchronously so that the cleaning medium can exit the gas pipe. While the cleaning device known from EP 2421622 B1 may be suitable for cleaning some parts of the filling machine, in particular the gas pipe, it can hardly clean the filling nozzles of the filling machine because the long pipes are located above the packages and above the filling nozzles in order to avoid a collision between the packages and the cleaning device. As the filling nozzles are in direct contact with the product which is filled into the packages, the filling nozzles need to be cleaned particularly thorough. Another disadvantage of the cleaning device known from EP 2421622 B1 is its complexity as the inner pipes and the outer pipes are driven by (separate) motors which need to be able to drive them synchronously and asynchronously and which need to be able to align the spraying nozzles of the inner spraying pipes with the openings of the outer gas pipes. A relative movement between a water jet and a part to be cleaned can also be achieved without any motors by using “self-driven” rotating cleaning nozzles instead of stationary cleaning nozzles. Rotating cleaning nozzles can create a circular spray pattern and can therefore cover a larger area. The rotary motion of the nozzles is usually caused by re-directing the water that passes through the nozzle (“self-driven AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 nozzle”). While using the water for creating the rotary movement of the nozzle may be a simple and reliable drive concept, it reduces the water pressure and therefore slows down the water jet quite significantly. As a result, rotating water jets can cover a larger cleaning area but have a significantly reduced cleaning impact, if they are created by a “self-driven” nozzle. Moreover, as a result of the more complex geometry of “self-driven” rotating nozzles, these nozzles are harder to clean compared to regular nozzles. Against this background, the object underlying the invention is to design and further develop the filling machine and the method described at the outset and explained in more detail above in such manner that a quick and thorough cleaning can be achieved in a reliable and cost-efficient manner. This object is achieved in the case of a filling machine according to the preamble of claim 1 in that the drive unit is configured to rotate in small angular steps. The invention relates to a filling machine for filling pourable food products into package sleeves or packages. Pourable food products can be beverages such as milk or juice or foods such as soups or sauces. The filling machine can fill products into package sleeves (bottom closed, top open) or even into packages (through the open pouring spout). The package sleeves and packages are preferably made from a composite material, for example, a flat sheet-like composite material consisting of a plurality of thin layers of paper, cardboard, plastic and / or metal, in particular aluminium. The filling machine comprises a transport device for conveying package sleeves or packages along a transport direction. The transport device can comprise one or more conveyor belts and / or one or more cell chains or other suitable means for transporting package sleeves or packages. The transport device can have a holding element such as a frame or a cell for each package sleeve or package. As the name suggests, the filling machine also comprises a filling station with filling nozzles for filling pourable food products into package sleeves or packages. The filling nozzles make sure that the products can be filled quickly and without splashing into the AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 package sleeves or packages; moreover, the filling nozzles are able to hold the product back without dripping when the package sleeves or packages are transported. The filling machine also comprises a cleaning device for cleaning the filling machine, in particular for cleaning the filling station and its filling nozzles. The cleaning device comprises: rotatable pipe for conveying a cleaning medium, a drive unit for rotating the pipe, and spraying nozzles for spraying the cleaning medium. By having its own, integrated cleaning device, the filling machine can be cleaned automatically without much manual labor. The cleaning device can convey a cleaning medium from a supply unit through the rotating pipe to the spraying nozzles. The pipe can be rotated by a drive unit and, as a result, the spaying nozzles also rotate. The spraying nozzles are therefore moved / rotated by a separate external drive unit. This has the advantage that the water jet can remain its undiminished speed and cleaning impact. According to the invention, the drive unit is configured to rotate in small angular steps. In other words, the drive unit must be able to rotate stepwise or incrementally. In contrast to a regular drive unit which rotates 360° with a constant angular velocity, the drive unit according to the invention is able to divide a full rotation into a number of equal steps (such as 15°-steps). The drive unit is not only configured to rotate in small angular steps but also configured to hold its position in these steps without any break or mechanical stop. This makes it possible to move / rotate the spraying nozzles into one or more preferred cleaning positions and hold them in these positions as long as necessary during cleaning. This has proven to be much more effective compared to a regular drive unit which constantly rotates / drives the pipe of the cleaning device over full revolutions (360°) and thus cannot focus on certain areas which need to be cleaned more intensively than other areas. According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the drive unit is an electrical stepper motor. A stepper motor (also known as step motor or stepping motor) is an electrical motor which can rotate in a series of small angular steps, instead of continuously. A stepper motor is for example a brushless DC electric motor (=synchronous motor using a direct current electric power supply) that divides a full AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 rotation into a number of (preferably equal) steps. The position of the motor can be commanded to move and hold at one of these steps without any additional devices (such as position sensors, brakes, mechanical stops, etc.). A stepper motor can therefore be regarded as a type of motion-control positioning system which – in this case – can control the position of the rotating pipe and its spraying nozzles. The stepper motor shall be sized to the application in respect to torque and speed. A stepper motor does not only have a “running torque” (when it is driven) but also a “holding torque” (amount of torque needed in order to move the motor one step when the windings are energized but the rotor is stationary). A stepper motor according to the invention shall have a holding torque that is high enough to hold / withstand the thrust of the water jets that are sprayed out of the spraying nozzles so that the pipe does not rotate during the cleaning process. The “holding torque” should be at least 15 Nm, preferably at least 20 Nm. According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the drive unit is an electrical servo motor. A servo motor is a rotary actuator that can precisely control its angular position, velocity and acceleration. It consists of a motor that is coupled to a sensor for position feedback and also requires a controller. In other words: A servomotor is a closed-loop servomechanism that uses position feedback to control its motion and final position. The input to its control is a signal (either analog or digital) representing the position commanded for the output shaft. In contrast to a stepper motor, a servo motor has no “built-in” steps but can control its angular position anywhere and therefore define its own steps. A servo motor can therefore rotate in small angular steps that can be defined and changed as desired. According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the rotatable pipe extends across the transport device transversely to the transport direction. A lateral extension of the pipe has (in compared to a longitudinal extension along the transport direction) the advantage that the cleaning device can reach the filling nozzles of all rows of package sleeves even if there are several rows (e.g. six rows). This has the advantage that the whole cleaning device can share one single drive unit and one single supply unit. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the spraying nozzles are located on the rotatable pipe. Placing some or all of the spraying nozzles directly on the rotatable pipe has proven to be a compact, easy and reliable way of designing a cleaning device. Another advantage of this location of the spraying nozzles is that the cleaning medium has a short and direct path from the supply unit to the spraying nozzles. The spraying nozzles that are placed on the rotatable pipe can be stationary nozzles or (self-driven) rotating nozzles. Self-driven rotating nozzles have certain disadvantages such as a reduced cleaning impact. However, if self-driven rotating nozzles should be used, nozzles which re-direct (and therefore weaken) the water jet to a lesser extent (but still rotate 360°) can be used because the pipe already rotates. According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the rotatable pipe has at least one arm for conveying the cleaning medium. One or more hollow arms can act as pipes and convey the cleaning medium from a supply unit through the rotating pipe into the arms. While the rotating pipe can convey the cleaning medium in an axial direction, the arms can convey the cleaning medium in a radial direction and bring the cleaning medium to hardly accessible areas (e.g. below the filling nozzles). According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the arm can be moved from a parking position, in which the arm is located completely above a horizontal plane which is defined by the upper ends of the package sleeves, into one or more cleaning positions, in which the arm is at least partly located below this plane. While stationary cleaning devices with no movable parts must be located so that they keep a distance to the package sleeves or packages at all times, the movable arms make it possible to even reach into the area of the transport route of the package sleeves or packages as the package sleeves or packages are removed from the filling machine during cleaning. This makes it possible to convey the cleaning medium to hardly accessible areas (e.g. below the filling nozzles). AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the arm is inclined about at least 45°, preferably about at least 60° or about at least 90°. The inclination of the arms results in a curved shape of the arms which makes it possible to convey the cleaning medium which flows through the arms along a correspondingly curved path. High inclination angles in combination with the moveability of the arms makes it possible to create a water jet that is directed upwards. This makes it possible to move some of the spraying nozzles of the cleaning device below the filling nozzles and spray the cleaning medium upwards into the filling nozzles for a very effective cleaning. According to an embodiment of the filling machine, at least one spraying nozzle is located on the arm, in particular on the end of the arm. Placing some or all of the spraying nozzles directly on the arms improves the movability of the nozzles and therefore increases the area that can be reached by the cleaning medium. The cleaning medium can be easily conveyed to the spraying nozzles if a hollow (pipe-like) arms are used. The spraying nozzles that are placed on the arms can be stationary nozzles or (self-driven) rotating nozzles. Self-driven rotating nozzles have certain disadvantages such as a reduced cleaning impact. However, if self-driven rotating nozzles should be used, nozzles which re-direct (and therefore weaken) the water jet to a lesser extent (but still rotate 360°) can be used because the pipe already rotates and the arms already swivel around the pipe. According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the rotatable pipe can be rotated within an angular range of at least 90°, preferably at least 120°. A large angular range of the rotary motion of the pipe makes it possible that the cleaning medium can cover a larger area. This applies to both locations of spraying nozzles, to spraying nozzles that are located directly on the rotating pipe and even more to spraying nozzles that are located on the arms. Moreover, a large angular range makes it possible to move the arms between a cleaning position and a parking position in which the arms cannot collide the package sleeves or packages. This makes it possible to move some of the spraying nozzles of the cleaning device close to the filling nozzles for a very effective cleaning. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the spraying nozzles are rotatable spraying nozzles, in particular self-driven rotatable spraying nozzles. Rotatable nozzles can have an external drive (e.g. electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic). An external drive has the advantage that the water jet is not weakened but is much more complex and less robust. Rotatable nozzles can also be self-driven which means that the rotary motion of the nozzles is caused by re-directing the water that passes through the nozzle (“self-driven nozzle”). If a self-driven rotating nozzle is used, a nozzle can be used which re-directs (and therefore weakens) the water jet to a lesser extent (but still rotate 360°) because the pipe already rotates. According to an embodiment of the filling machine, the spraying nozzles are non- rotatable spraying nozzles, in particular flat fan spraying nozzles, full cone spraying nozzles and / or hollow cone spraying nozzles. Non-rotatable (stationary) nozzles have the advantage that can create a very high impact because no energy is necessary to rotate the nozzle. Another advantage of non-rotatable nozzles is their simple and robust design, often without moving parts. The nozzles can create water jets with different shapes. A full cone spraying nozzle creates a water jet which is shaped like a full cone which has the advantage that a large area is covered by the water jet. The impact of the water jet can be increased if the impact area is reduced. This can be achieved by nozzles that concentrate the water jet on certain areas. For example, flat fan spraying nozzles can concentrate the water jet so that it has a thin. linear shape. For example, hollow cone spraying nozzles can concentrate the water jet so that it has the shape of a thin, circular line. The object mentioned above also achieved by a method for cleaning filling machine for filling pourable food products into package sleeves or packages, comprising the following steps: providing a filling machine with a cleaning devices that comprises: a rotatable pipe for conveying a cleaning medium, a drive unit for rotating the pipe, and spraying nozzles for spraying the cleaning medium, rotating the pipe from a parking position into a cleaning position, cleaning the filling machine by spraying a cleaning AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 medium through the spraying nozzles, and rotating the pipe back from a cleaning position into a parking position, wherein in step b) and / or in step d), the pipe is rotated in at least one small angular step. According to an embodiment of the method, in step a), a filling machine according to one of claim 1 to 12 is provided. A filling machine in accordance with one or more of claims 1 to 12 has the above-mentioned properties and advantages. According to an embodiment of the method, the rotatable pipe has at least one arm for conveying the cleaning medium, and that the arm is moved from a parking position, in which the arm is located completely above a horizontal plane which is defined by the upper ends of the package sleeves, into one or more cleaning positions, in which the arm is at least partly located below this plane. The arms can be hollow and act as pipes and convey the cleaning medium from a supply unit through the rotating pipe into the arms. While stationary cleaning devices with no movable parts must be located so that they keep a distance to the package sleeves or packages at all times, the movable arms make it possible to even reach into the area of the transport route of the package sleeves or packages as the package sleeves or packages are removed from the filling machine during cleaning. This makes it possible to convey the cleaning medium to hardly accessible areas (e.g. below the filling nozzles). According to an embodiment of the method, the rotatable pipe is rotated over an angular range of at least 90°, preferably at least 120° in step b) and / or step d). A large angular range of the rotary motion of the pipe makes it possible that the cleaning medium can cover a larger area. This applies to both locations of spraying nozzles, to spraying nozzles that are located directly on the rotating pipe and even more to spraying nozzles that are located on the arms. Moreover, a large angular range makes it possible to move the arms between a cleaning position and a parking position in which the arms cannot collide the package sleeves or packages. This makes it possible to move some of the spraying nozzles of the cleaning device close to the filling nozzles for a very effective cleaning. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 According to an embodiment of the method, in step c), the pipe is rotated in at least one small angular step. This means that the pipe (and possibly its arms) can not only be rotated before cleaning (e.g. step b) and after cleaning (e.g. step d) in order to move between a parking position and a cleaning position. Instead, the pipe (and possibly its arms) can also rotate during step c), namely during the cleaning of the filling machine. This makes it possible to use certain cleaning patterns instead of a (static) cleaning position. The rotatable pipe can, for example, be rotated back and forth over an angular range 5° to 15° during step c). It is also possible that the pressure changes during step c), namely during the cleaning of the filling machine. This makes it possible to use a higher pressure (e.g.9 bar) for intensive cleaning and a lower pressure (e.g.3 bar) for rinsing off. The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which simply represents a preferred exemplary embodiment, in which: Fig.1: a filling machine according to the invention in a side view; Fig.2: an enlarged view of a part of the filling machine of Fig.1; Fig.3: a first embodiment of a filling machine according to the invention in a plan view, Fig.4: a second embodiment of a filling machine according to the invention in a plan view, Fig.5A: a first embodiment of a cleaning device according to the invention in a side view, Fig.5B: the cleaning device of Fig.5A in isometric view, AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 Fig.6A: a second embodiment of a cleaning device according to the invention in a side view, and Fig.6B: the cleaning device of Fig.6A in isometric view. Fig.1 shows a filling machine 1 according to the invention in a side view. The filling machine 1 can be supplied with flat / folded package sleeves 2 which are stacked and aligned and then transferred into an unfolding station 3 where they are unfolded. Alternatively, the package sleeves 2 could have been unfolded beforehand, in which case there would be no need for the unfolding station 3. The package sleeves 2 are raised in an application unit 4, provided with a pouring element 5 by means of an ultrasonic sealing unit and lowered again. In the next, optional, position, an optical sensor 6 checks the package sleeves 2, which is provided with the pouring element 5, for possible errors. The package sleeves 2 are then taken over in a transfer station 7 by a transport device 8 between a pair of conveyor belts 9. The transport device 8 extends along a transport direction T. If necessary, a removal station 10 can also be provided for removing package sleeves that have not been handed over correctly. Behind the removal station 10 is a pre-folding station 11, in which both the gable and the bottom of the packaging casings 10 are pre-folded. The packaging sleeves jackets 10 are then sterilized in the sterilization station 12. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sterilization station 12 has three stations, a hot air station 12A for preheating the packaging sleeves that are still open at the bottom, a sterilizing agent station 12B for sterilizing by injecting a sterilizing agent and a drying station 12C for drying the sterilized packaging sleeves. The bottom seam sealing then takes place in a bottom forming station 13 and a bottom sealing station 14. After filling the package sleeves 2 in a subsequent filling station 15 with filling nozzles 16, which in the present case can be done in two steps, the now filled package sleeves 2 pass through the head closing station 17. The head closing station 17 comprises a head sealing station 17A and a head folding station 17B closing and forming the gable of the packages. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 The filling machine 1 in Fig.1 also has a cleaning device 18 for cleaning the filling machine 1, in particular for cleaning the filling nozzles 16. The cleaning device 18 is located above the transport device 8 so that the package sleeves 2 does not collide with the cleaning device 18. The cleaning device 18 is located next to the filling station 15 so that the cleaning device 18 can clean the filling nozzles 16 of the filling station 15. Fig.2 shows an enlarged view of a part of the filling machine 1 of Fig.1. Features that have already been described in connection with Fig.1 are provided with corresponding reference signs in Fig.2. Fig.2 shows in particular the area of the filling machine 1 in which the filling station 15 with its filling nozzles 16 and the cleaning device 18 is arranged. The transport device 8 and its conveyor belts 9 have holding elements 19 which hold the package sleeves 2 in order to convey them into the transport direction T. The cleaning device 18 which is shown in Fig.2 comprises a rotatable pipe 20 for conveying a cleaning medium. The pipe 20 can be rotated in two directions: clockwise and counterclockwise (illustrated by a double arrow). The cleaning device 18 also comprises a drive unit 21 for rotating the pipe 20. The drive unit 21 can be implemented by an electrical motor, in particular by a stepper motor. The cleaning device 18 also comprises spraying nozzles 22 for spraying the cleaning medium. Some of the spraying nozzles 22 are located directly on the pipe 20 and some of the spraying nozzles 22 are located on the end of an arm 23 that is connected with the pipe 20 and able to convey cleaning medium from the pipe 20 through the arm 23 to the nozzle 22. Fig.2 also shows that the upper ends of the package sleeves 2 define a horizontal plane H. The cleaning device 18 has movable parts (such as the arms 23) which can be moved between a park position in which all parts are located above the horizontal plane H in order to avoid a collision between the package sleeves 2 and the cleaning device 18 and a cleaning position. When the filling machine 1 is to be cleaned, all package sleeves 2 are removed from the filling machine 1. This makes it possible that AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 some of the movable parts (such as the arms 23) of the cleaning device 18 can be moved below the horizontal plane H into the cleaning position so that some parts of the filling machine 1 – in particular the filling nozzles 16 – can be cleaned more effectively. Fig.3 shows first embodiment of a filling machine 1 according to the invention in a plan view and Fig.4 shows a second embodiment of a filling machine 1 according to the invention in a plan view. Features that have already been described in connection with Fig.1 or Fig.2 are provided with corresponding reference signs in Fig.3 and Fig. 4. The view from above (plan view) helps to illustrate that the package sleeves 2 are arranged in several rows R1, R2, etc. when they are transported by the transport device 8 along the transport direction T. The package sleeves 2 are held by holding elements 19 which are attached to the conveyor belts 9. Each row R1, R2, etc. of packages sleeves 2 has two conveyor belts 9 which are supported and driven by rotating pulleys 24. The view from above (plan view) also helps to illustrate that the rotatable pipe 20 of the cleaning device 18 is arranged perpendicular to the transport direction T so that it can extend over all rows R1, R2, etc. of package sleeves 2. The cleaning device as a drive unit 21 and a supply unit 25 for supplying the cleaning medium. Both embodiments (Fig.3 and Fig.4) of the cleaning device 18 have spraying nozzles 22 that are located directly on the pipe 20. If the drive unit 21 rotates the pipe 20, these spraying nozzles 22 rotate with the pipe 20 and therefore cover a larger spraying area. In addition, the second embodiment (Fig.4) of the cleaning device 18 also has arms 23 that are connected to the pipe 20 and that are able to (further) conveying the cleaning medium (the arms 23 are preferably hollow as the pipe 20). Each arm 23 has a spraying nozzle 22 located at the end of the arm 23. As the arms 23 are connected to the pipe 20, they move / rotate when the pipe 20 rotates. This makes it possible to reach areas which would be difficult to reach by a rigid, non-movable cleaning device. In particular, it is possible to move the arms 23 from a “parking position” (above the horizontal plane H) into one or more “cleaning positions” (below the horizontal plane H) and back. This movement should, of course, only be made AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 when there are no package sleeves 2 in the filling machine 1 in order to avoid a collision between the package sleeves 2 and the arms 23 of the cleaning device 18. Fig.5A shows a first embodiment of a cleaning device 18 according to the invention in a side view, Fig.5B shows the cleaning device of Fig.5A in isometric view. Features that have already been described in connection with Fig.1 to Fig.4 are provided with corresponding reference signs in Fig.5A and Fig.5B. The first embodiment of the cleaning device 18 has arms 23 that form an angle α which is about 90°. Fig.5A and Fig.5B also show that the cleaning device 18 has nozzles 22 on the rotatable pipe 20 and on the ends of the (in this example: six) arms 23. The drive unit 21 and the supply unit 25 is also illustrated. Fig.6A shows a second embodiment of a cleaning device 18 according to the invention in a side view, Fig.6B shows the cleaning device of Fig.6A in isometric view. Features that have already been described in connection with Fig.1 to Fig.5B are provided with corresponding reference signs in Fig.6A and Fig.6B. The second embodiment of the cleaning device 18 has arms 23’ that form an angle β which is about 115°. Fig.5A and Fig.5B also show that the cleaning device 18 has no nozzles on the rotatable pipe 20 but a rotating (self-driven) spraying nozzle 22’ on the end of each of the (in this example: six) arms 23’. The drive unit 21 and the supply unit 25 is also illustrated. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 List of reference signs: 1: filling machine 2: package sleeve 3: unfolding station 4: application unit 5: pouring element 6: optical sensor 7: transfer station 8: transport device 9: conveyor belt 10: removal station 11: pre-folding station 12: sterilization station 12A: hot air station 12B: sterilizing agent station 12C: drying station 13: bottom forming station 14: bottom sealing station 15: filling station 16: filling nozzle 17: head closing station 17A: head sealing station 17B: head folding station 18: cleaning device 19: holding element 20: rotatable pipe 21: drive unit 22, 22’: spraying nozzle 23, 23’: arm 24: pulley AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024 25: supply unit H: horizontal plane P: package R1, R2: row T: transport direction α: angle (of arm 23) β: angle (of arm 23’) AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024

Claims

December 6, 2024 Cl a i m s1. Filling machine (1) for filling pourable food products into package sleeves (2) or packages (P), comprising: ^a transport device (8) for conveying package sleeves (2) or packages (P) alonga transport direction (T), ^a filling station (15) with filling nozzles (16) for filling pourable food productsinto package sleeves (2) or packages (P), and ^a cleaning device (18) for cleaning the filling machine (1), in particular forcleaning the filling station (15) and its filling nozzles (16), ^wherein the cleaning devices (18) comprises:^ a rotatable pipe (20) for conveying a cleaning medium,^ a drive unit (21) for rotating the pipe (20), and^ spraying nozzles (22, 22’) for spraying the cleaning medium,c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe drive unit (21) is configured to rotate in small angular steps.

2. Filling machine (1) according to claim 1, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe drive unit (21) is an electrical stepper motor.

3. Filling machine (1) according to claim 1, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe drive unit (21) is an electrical servo motor.

4. Filling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t- 2 - the rotatable pipe (20) extends across the transport device (8) transversely to the transport direction (T).

5. Filling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe spraying nozzles (22, 22’) are located on the rotatable pipe (20).

6. Filling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe rotatable pipe (20) has at least one arm (23, 23’) for conveying the cleaning medium.

7. Filling machine (1) according to claim 6, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe arm (23, 23’) can be moved from a parking position, in which the arm (23, 23’) is located completely above a horizontal plane (H) which is defined by the upper ends of the package sleeves (2), into one or more cleaning positions, in which the arm (23, 23’) is at least partly located below this plane (H).

8. Filling machine (1) according to claim 6 or claim 7, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe arm (23, 23’) is inclined about at least 45°, preferably about at least 60° or about at least 90°.

9. Filling machine (1) according to any one of claim 6 to claim 8, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tat least one spraying nozzle (22, 22’) is located on the arm (23, 23’), in particular on the end of the arm (23, 23’).

10. Filling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tAC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024- 3 - the rotatable pipe (20) can be rotated within an angular range of at least 90°, preferably at least 120°.

11. Filling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe spraying nozzles are rotatable spraying nozzles (22’), in particular self-driven rotatable spraying nozzles (22’).

12. Filling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe spraying nozzles are non-rotatable spraying nozzles (22), in particular flat fan spraying nozzles, full cone spraying nozzles and / or hollow cone spraying nozzles.

13. Method for cleaning a filling machine (1) for filling pourable food products into package sleeves (2) or packages (P), comprising the following steps: a) providing a filling machine (1) with a cleaning devices (18) that comprises:^ a rotatable pipe (20) for conveying a cleaning medium,^ a drive unit (21) for rotating the pipe (20), and^ spraying nozzles (22, 22’) for spraying the cleaning medium,b) rotating the pipe (20) from a parking position into a cleaning position,c) cleaning the filling machine (1) by spraying a cleaning medium through thespraying nozzles (22, 22’), and d) rotating the pipe (20) back from a cleaning position into a parking position,c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tin step b) and / or in step d), the pipe (20) is rotated in at least one small angular step.

14. Method according to claim 11, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tin step a), a filling machine (1) according to one of claim 1 to 12 is provided. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024- 4 - 15. Method according to claim 13 or claim 14, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe rotatable pipe (20) has at least one arm (23, 23’) for conveying the cleaning medium, and that the arm (23, 23’) is moved from a parking position, in which the arm (23, 23’) is located completely above a horizontal plane (H) which is defined by the upper ends of the package sleeves (2), into one or more cleaning positions, in which the arm (23, 23’) is at least partly located below this plane (H).

16. Method according to any one of claim 12 to claim 15, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tthe rotatable pipe (20) is rotated over an angular range of at least 90°, preferably at least 120° in step b) and / or step d).

17. Method according to any one of claim 12 to claim 16, ch a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a tin step c), the pipe (20) is rotated in at least one small angular step. AC / AC 231273WO 06 December 2024

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