Device for continuously filling and closing composite cardboard/plastic packagings opened on one side and cell cage for transporting said packagings in the device

Abstract

A device for continuously filling and closing composite cardboard/plastic packagings opened on one side comprises a filling area for filling the open packagings and a closing area for closing the open end of the packagings. The individual areas are configured as peripheral functional wheels having recesses arranged on the outside, including a filling wheel and a closing wheel. The individual packagings are arranged in cell cages, which are delivered one after the other to the individual wheels. The cell cages are held in a non-positive fitting manner in the recesses of the wheels by magnets. The invention also relates to a cell cage for transporting said packagings in the device. In order to ensure a gentle transfer of the cell cages by the transfer wheels, transfer wheels having recesses on the outside are provided between the individual wheels for transferring the cell cages and the other wheels.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . A device for continuous filling and closing of cardboard/plastic composite packages which are open on one side, the device including a filling zone for filling the open packages and a closing zone for closing an open package end, wherein individual zones comprise rotating functional wheels with recesses arranged on the outside, including a filling wheel and a closing wheel, wherein individual packages are arranged in cell cages which are successively transferred to the filling wheel and the closing wheel, wherein the cell cages between the filling wheel and the closing wheel are held in the recesses of the wheels in a non-positive manner by means of magnets, wherein transfer wheels with recesses arranged on the outside are provided for transferring the cell cages, the transfer wheels comprise means for rotating the cell cages in their recesses, the means for rotating comprising: 
 a rotatably held control element provided for each recess, which by way of a drive is rotated allowing the cell cage to adjoin magnets of a prefolding wheel, a sterilising wheel, the filling wheel, the closing wheel and a package form wheel for inward transfer or to detach the prefolding, sterilising, filling, closing and package form wheel from magnets for outward transfer.    
   
   
       19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the sterilising wheel is provided upstream of the filling wheel, and an entire transport zone from the sterilising wheel, to the filling wheel to and including the closing wheel is a closed sterile channel for the purpose of sterilising the packages thereby allowing filling to occur in an aseptic manner.  
   
   
       20 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the prefolding wheel for prefolding the still open end of the package is provided upstream of the sterilising wheel.  
   
   
       21 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the package form wheel forms a cuboid package and folds back the still protruding ears of the package and is provided downstream of the closing wheel.  
   
   
       22 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the control element comprises a form which interacts in a positive-locking manner with the cell cage.  
   
   
       23 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the control system is a cam control with a fixed control slide for guiding a sliding block arranged on the control element.  
   
   
       24 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein guide rails for constrained guidance of the cell cages are arranged in the region of the transfer wheels, at a distance from the transfer wheels.  
   
   
       25 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the prefolding, sterilising, filling, closing and package form wheels are arranged in one plane, and further wherein the empty packages are fed from above into the cell cages, and the full and closed packages are removed upward from the cell cages.  
   
   
       26 . The device according to  claim 25 , wherein inserting the packages into the cell cages and removing the packages from the cell cages takes place along a helical path.  
   
   
       27 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the number of cell cages used is finite, and corresponds to a number of maximum occupiable accommodation stations of the prefolding, sterilising, filling, closing and package form wheels and the transfer wheels.  
   
   
       28 . A cell cage for the transport of cardboard/plastic composite packages open on one side, for use with the device according to  claim 18 , the cell cage comprising an open-top cell body for accommodating a package to be filled; and at least one collar, connected to the cell body, wherein the at least one collar comprises at least one upward or downward protruding driver element.  
   
   
       29 . The cell cage according to  claim 28 , wherein the cell cage comprises an upper collar and a lower collar.  
   
   
       30 . The cell cage according to  claim 29 , wherein the upper collar and the lower collar each comprise at least one bearing pin.  
   
   
       31 . The cell cage according to  claim 30 , wherein the at least one bearing pin is made from a ferromagnetic material.  
   
   
       32 . The cell cage according to  claim 28 , wherein each cell body comprises four wall plates and a cell floor.  
   
   
       33 . The cell cage according to  claim 32 , wherein the cell floor is adapted to be height-adjustable within the cell body.  
   
   
       34 . The cell cage according to  claim 28 , wherein the driver element serves as an index pin to determine an orientation of the cell cage.