Clipping machine and control method for loosely filled products

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clipping machine and a method for controlling a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products of a constant length loosely filled, containing a flowable filling material in a tubular casing material. The clipping machine comprises a filling tube having a central axis, for feeding a filling material into a tubular casing provided on the filling tube, a displacer arrangement having a first and a second displacer unit for gathering the filled tubular casing and for providing a plait-like portion which is approximately free from filling material, a clipping device for applying at least one closure means to the plait-like portion, a sensing device for sensing the actually filled casing section in order to detect the length of said just filled tubular casing, and a control unit for controlling the clipping machine.

1 . A clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products containing a flowable filling material in a tubular casing material, comprising:
 a filling tube having a central axis for feeding a filling material into a tubular casing provided on the filling tube;   a displacer arrangement having a first and a second displacer unit for gathering the filled tubular casing and for providing a plait-like portion, which is approximately free from filling material, wherein at least the first displacer unit is reversibly movable relative to the second displacer unit along the central axis of the filling tube in order to form an elongated plait-like portion;   a clipping device for applying at least one closure means to the plait-like portion, in order to close at least the just filled tubular casing;   a sensing device for sensing the filled casing section in order to detect the length of the just filled tubular casing; and   a control unit for controlling the clipping machine, wherein the control unit controls at least the movement of at least the first displacer unit in a direction along the central axis of the filling tube relative to the second displacer unit on the basis of a signal provided by the sensing device and corresponding to the length of the just filled tubular casing.   
     
     
         2 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit varies the length of the moving path of at least the first displacer unit along the central axis of the filling tube which is dependent upon the signal provided by the sensing device. 
     
     
         3 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the first displacer unit includes a drive and, dependent on the signal provided by the sensing device, the control unit acts on the drive for controlling the movement of at least the first displacer unit. 
     
     
         4 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a transportation device is provided downstream the displacer arrangement for discharging the sausage-shaped product out of the clipping machine. 
     
     
         5 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second displacer units comprise first and second pairs of displacer elements. 
     
     
         6 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensing device comprises a sensing element for detecting a front end of the just filled tubular casing positioned at a predetermined distance relative to the closure means. 
     
     
         7 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit receives a signal corresponding to the volume of filling material filled in the sausage-shaped product and stops the filling process if a predetermined value for the volume of the filling material has been reached. 
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products containing a flowable filling material in a tubular casing material comprising the steps of:
 feeding the filling material into the tubular casing material stored on a filling tube having a central axis, and being closed at a front end by closure means, thereby forming a filled tubular casing section;   gathering the just filled tubular casing after a predetermined portion of filling material has been fed into the tubular casing by first and second displacer units of a displacer arrangement;   forming an elongated plait-like portion to the just filled tubular casing by moving at least the first displacer unit relative to the second displacer unit in a direction along the central axis of the filling tube;   sensing the just filled tubular casing by a sensing device in order to detect the length of the just filled tubular casing;   controlling at least the movement of at least the first displacer unit along the central axis of the filling tube by a control unit, on the basis of a signal provided to the control unit by the sensing device;   placing and closing at least one closure clip on a rear end of the just filled tubular casing by a clipping device; and   discharging the filled sausage-shaped product out of the clipping machine.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit varies the length of the moving path of at least the first displacer unit along the central axis of the filling tube based upon the signal received from the sensing device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the moving path of the first displacer unit along the central axis of the filling tube is shortened, extended or maintained constant according to the signal of the sensing device. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the length of the moving path of the at least first displacer unit along the central axis of the filling tube may be varied each time after a loose filled sausage-shaped product has been produced. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein threshold values for at least the maximum and/or minimum length of the moving path of the at least first displacer unit along the central axis of the filling tube are provided according to the kind of sausage-shaped product to be produced. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit of the clipping machine receives a signal corresponding to the volume of filling material filled in the tubular casing and interrupts the filling process if a predetermined value for the volume of the filling material has been reached. 
     
     
         14 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the filling material is sausage meat. 
     
     
         15 . The clipping machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one closure means is a closure clip. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the filling material is sausage meat. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one closure means is a closure clip.