Filling Unit

Abstract

A unit for filling first containers ( 6 ), fed discontinuously, with a predetermined number of objects ( 3 ) of smaller dimensions than the first containers, said second objects ( 3 ) being fed to said unit ( 1 ) continuously by a feeder ( 2 ), said unit comprising conveyor means ( 12, 13, 30, 31, 50 ) for conveying said objects ( 3 ) into said container ( 6 ), interceptor means ( 31, 32 ) for said objects ( 3 ) to enable or prevent entry of said objects into said container, and means ( 40, 41 ) for counting the number of said objects ( 3 ) inserted into said first container ( 6 ), said interceptor means ( 31, 32 ) being associated with said conveyor means.

1 . A unit for filling first containers ( 6 ), fed discontinuously, with a predetermined number of objects ( 3 ) of smaller dimensions than the first containers, said second objects ( 3 ) being fed to said unit ( 1 ) continuously by a feeder ( 2 ), said unit comprising conveyor means ( 12 ,  13 ,  30 ,  31 ,  50 ) for conveying said objects ( 3 ) into said container ( 6 ), interceptor means ( 31 ,  32 ) for said objects ( 3 ) to enable or prevent entry of said objects into said container, and means ( 40 ,  41 ) for counting the number of said objects ( 3 ) inserted into said first container ( 6 ), said interceptor means ( 31 ,  32 ) being associated with said conveyor means. 
   
   
       2 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterised in that the counting means ( 40 ,  41 ) are associated with said interceptor means ( 31 ,  32 ). 
   
   
       3 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterised in that the conveyor means comprise first conveyor elements ( 12 ,  13 ,  30 ,  31 ) positioned upstream of said interceptor means to create a train of said objects ( 3 ) when said interceptor means are activated. 
   
   
       4 . A unit as claimed in  claim 3 , characterised in that said conveyor elements present at least one selector ( 18 ) to switch the objects arriving from the feeder ( 2 ) between at least two transport lines ( 73 ,  74 ). 
   
   
       5 . A unit as claimed in  claim 4 , characterised in that each of said at least two transport lines comprises at least one conveyor element ( 12 ,  13 ) opening onto an inclined surface ( 30 ,  29 ), said interceptor means ( 31 ) being associated with said inclined surface. 
   
   
       6 . A unit as claimed in  claim 5 , characterised in that said inclined surface ( 30 ,  29 ) and said conveyor element ( 12 ,  13 ) define a first (I), a second (II) and a third waiting position (III) which, when said interceptor means are activated, each house a object ( 3 ) to create a train, each position being associated with a relative first ( 27 ,  26 ), second ( 25 ) and third sensor ( 20 ,  21 ,  20 A,  20 B,  21 A,  21 B) which senses the presence or absence of a object in the respective position. 
   
   
       7 . A unit as claimed in  claim 2 , characterised in that said conveyor means ( 12 ,  13 ,  29 ,  30 ) comprise second conveyor elements ( 30 ,  29 ,  50 ) positioned downstream of said interceptor means ( 31 ,  32 ), to distribute the object ( 3 ) into at least two separate positions in the mouth of the container ( 6 ). 
   
   
       8 . A unit as claimed in  claim 7 , characterised in that said second conveyor elements comprise at least one portion of said inclined surfaces ( 30 ,  29 ). 
   
   
       9 . A unit as claimed in  claim 8 , characterised in that said inclined surfaces are separated by a baffle ( 14 ). 
   
   
       10 . A unit as claimed in  claim 7 , characterised in that said second conveyor elements comprise a separator ( 50 ) which can be accommodated inside a container ( 6 ) to be filled, such as to define two columns ( 71 ,  72 ) in its interior. 
   
   
       11 . A unit as claimed in  claim 10 , characterised in that said separator ( 50 ) extends through a large part of the height of said container ( 6 ). 
   
   
       12 . A unit as claimed in  claim 10 , characterised in that said separator ( 50 ) is associated with means ( 51 ) for its vertical movement to enable it to be inserted into and extracted from said container ( 6 ). 
   
   
       13 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterised in that said interceptor means ( 31 ,  32 ) comprise at least one shutter ( 33 ) hinged along an axis (a) of rotation, and means ( 37 ) to controlledly prevent or allow the rotation of said shutter about said axis (A). 
   
   
       14 . A unit as claimed in  claim 13 , characterised in that said means ( 37 ) for preventing or allowing said rotation comprise a pneumatic cylinder ( 36 ,  37 ) cooperating with a portion of said shutter ( 33 ,  34 ). 
   
   
       15 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterised in that during their filling, said containers ( 6 ) rest on a vibrating support ( 8 ), said vibrating support facilitating distribution of said objects ( 3 ) within said containers ( 6 ). 
   
   
       16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterised in that said inclined surface presents elastic inserts arranged to damp the impact of said shutter on said inclined surface. 
   
   
       20 . A unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterised in that said transport lines ( 73 ,  74 ) comprise at least one slowdown element ( 60 ) for facilitating the positioning of objects ( 3 ) positioned on said conveyor element ( 12 ,  13 ) in said second region (II), when said conveyor elements are halted. 
   
   
       21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . (canceled) 
   
   
       24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       25 . (canceled) 
   
   
       26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . (canceled) 
   
   
       29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . A method for automatically filling containers ( 6 ), fed discontinuously, with a predetermined number of objects ( 3 ) fed to said unit ( 1 ) continuously by a feeder ( 2 ), comprising the steps of conveying said objects ( 3 ) towards said open containers ( 6 ), counting the number of objects ( 3 ) inserted into said container ( 6 ) and, when the number of objects inserted into said container ( 6 ) is equal to a predetermined number, blocking the flow of said objects into said container ( 6 ) to hence create a train of products ready for insertion into the next container, replacing the first container ( 6 ) with a new container and freeing the flow of said training objects ( 3 ) into said new empty container ( 6 ). 
   
   
       32 . A method as claimed in  claim 31 , characterised by switching the objects originating from said feeder ( 2 ) between at least two transport lines ( 73 ,  74 ), each arranged to receive a part of the train. 
   
   
       33 . A method as claimed in  claim 31 , characterised by dividing the container ( 6 ) into at least a number of columns equal to the number of transport lines present, and by feeding each of said columns by a dedicated transport line. 
   
   
       34 . (canceled) 
   
   
       35 . (canceled) 
   
   
       36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . (canceled) 
   
   
       38 . (canceled)