Method to use and control a device for filling containers, and filling device

Abstract

Method to use and control a device for filling containers with predefined quantities of fluid (11) delivered discretely into each container by means of a peristaltic pump (10) selectively activated to perform a cycle of filling a container, wherein said peristaltic pump (10) comprises a flexible tube (14) having an adjacent segment (19) of at least part of the entrance extension (20) with the exit extension (21), and cooperating with a single rotating roller (22) to convey, in succession and precisely, predefined quantities of said fluid (11) into said containers, obviating the problems relating to the adjacent segment (19) and discrete deliveries.

1 . Method to fill containers with predefined quantities of fluid ( 11 ) delivered discretely into each container by means of a peristaltic pump ( 10 ) selectively activated to perform a cycle of filling a container, said peristaltic pump ( 10 ) comprising a containing structure ( 12 ) with a cylindrical chamber ( 13 ) in which a flexible tube ( 14 ) is circumferentially disposed, provided with an entrance extension ( 20 ) connectable to a power source ( 15 ) and with an exit extension ( 21 ) with an exit for the delivery of said fluid ( 11 ), wherein said flexible tube ( 14 ) has a circumferential segment ( 29 ) closed in a ring that defines an adjacent segment ( 19 ) of at least part of said entrance extension ( 20 ) with said exit extension ( 21 ), wherein said peristaltic pump ( 10 ) comprises a single rotating roller ( 22 ) rotating around the axis of rotation ( 30 ) of the cylindrical chamber ( 13 ) of the containing structure ( 12 ) and able to progressively compress said flexible tube ( 14 ) for a desired angle value, along a circumferential path, in order to convey discretely predefined quantities of said fluid ( 11 ), characterized in that said method provides:
 to define angular sectors (Si) of said flexible tube ( 14 ), including said adjacent segment ( 19 ), explored by said rotating roller ( 22 ) with respect to said axis of rotation ( 30 ), relating to said circumferential path and depending on their circumferential position, said sectors (Si) being identified sequentially by angular segments;   to determine the initial angular position of said rotating roller ( 22 );   to determine the volume (Vi) of said fluid ( 11 ) contained in each of said individual sectors (Si) defined between the initial contact of each rotating roller ( 22 ) and said exit of said exit extension ( 21 ), including volumes (Vi) of fluid ( 11 ) in the individual sectors (Si) of the adjacent segment ( 19 );   to record, for every predefined quantity of said fluid ( 11 ) to be delivered, the circumferential starting and stopping position of said rotating roller ( 22 ), wherein said predefined quantity to be delivered into each container corresponds to the sum of the volumes (Vi) contained in a number of sectors (Si) and/or in angular portions of the latter, affected by said rotating roller ( 22 );   to process the volumes (Vi) of fluid ( 11 ) with the position of rotating roller ( 22 ) on each occasion by means of a control and command unit ( 27 ) in order to command the rotating roller ( 22 ) in a controlled and precise manner by means of a movement member ( 25 ) subjected to said control and command unit ( 27 ) to define on each occasion the specific angular position and therefore the circumferential path of the rotating roller ( 22 ), so as to deliver the desired quantity of fluid ( 11 );   to selectively activate said rotating roller ( 22 ) to deliver in succession said predefined quantity of fluid ( 11 ) into said containers in relation to the circumferential starting position of said rotating roller ( 22 );   to detect, by a sensor ( 34 ), the instantaneous quantity of said fluid ( 11 ) progressively delivered by the action of said rotating roller ( 22 );   to control the quantity of fluid ( 11 ) delivered into each container, comparing said instantaneous quantity detected by said sensor ( 34 ) with said predefined quantity to be delivered in order to deactivate said rotating roller ( 22 ) when said predefined quantity to be delivered is reached;   
       wherein said method comprises compensating for the variation in the flow rate of the fluid ( 11 ) at exit determined in the transient in which the rotating roller ( 22 ) operates in the adjacent segment ( 19 ) on the basis of the determined volumes (Vi) of fluid ( 11 ) in the individual sectors (Si) of the adjacent segment ( 19 ) by commanding the rotating roller ( 22 ) by means of the movement member ( 25 ) so that said rotating roller ( 22 ) varies its angular speed according to said processing performed by said control and command unit ( 27 ) determining and quantifying the variation in the flow rate of the fluid ( 11 ). 
     
     
         2 . Method as in  claim 1 , characterized in that the angular speed of said rotating roller ( 22 ) is constant. 
     
     
         3 . Method as in  claim 1 , characterized in that the angular speed of said rotating roller ( 22 ) is variable continuously or between one delivery and the next. 
     
     
         4 . Method as in any of the claims from  1  to  3 , characterized in that said determination of said volumes (Vi) is obtained by applying a functional relation that combines one or more chemical-physical characteristics of said fluid ( 11 ) chosen from a group comprising viscosity, the response to compression, the properties of adhesion to a surface and the sliding properties inside said flexible tube ( 14 ), with one or more structural characteristics of said peristaltic pump ( 10 ) chosen from a group comprising the response to the compression of said flexible tube ( 14 ), its disposition in said cylindrical chamber ( 13 ), the thickness of its walls, and the diameter of the channel ( 26 ) where said fluid ( 11 ) passes. 
     
     
         5 . Device to fill containers with predefined quantities of fluid ( 11 ) delivered discretely into each container, said device comprising a peristaltic pump ( 10 ) selectively activated to perform a cycle of filling a container, said peristaltic pump ( 10 ) comprising a containing structure ( 12 ) with a cylindrical chamber ( 13 ) in which a flexible tube ( 14 ) is circumferentially disposed, provided with an entrance extension ( 20 ) connectable to a power source ( 15 ), and with an exit extension ( 21 ) with an exit for the delivery of said fluid ( 11 ), wherein said flexible tube ( 14 ) has a circumferential segment ( 29 ) closed in a ring that defines an adjacent segment ( 19 ) of at least part of said entrance extension ( 20 ) with said exit extension ( 21 ), wherein said peristaltic pump ( 10 ) comprises a single rotating roller ( 22 ) rotating around the axis of rotation ( 30 ) of the cylindrical chamber ( 13 ) of the containing structure ( 12 ) and able to progressively compress said flexible tube ( 14 ) for a desired angle value, along a circumferential path, in order to convey discretely predefined quantities of said fluid ( 11 ), characterized in that said device comprises:
 a detection element ( 31 ) to determine the angular position of said rotating roller ( 22 );   a processing unit ( 32 ) configured to determine the volumes (Vi) of said fluid ( 11 ) contained in angular sectors (Si) defined sequentially by angular segments of said flexible tube ( 14 ), including said adjacent segment ( 19 ), explored by said rotating roller ( 22 ) with respect to said axis of rotation ( 30 ), between the initial contact of said rotating roller ( 22 ) and said exit of said exit extension ( 21 ), including volumes (Vi) of fluid ( 11 ) in the individual sectors (Si) of the adjacent segment ( 19 );   a memorization unit ( 33 ) configured to record, for every predefined quantity of said fluid ( 11 ) to be delivered, the circumferential starting and stopping position of said rotating roller ( 22 ), wherein said predefined quantity to be delivered into each container corresponds to the sum of the volumes (Vi) contained in a number of sectors (Si) and/or in angular portions of the latter, affected by said rotating roller ( 22 );   at least one sensor ( 34 ) to detect the instantaneous quantity of said fluid ( 11 ) delivered;   a control and command unit ( 27 ) configured to process the volumes (Vi) of fluid ( 11 ) with the position of rotating roller ( 22 ) on each occasion in order to command the rotating roller ( 22 ) in a controlled and precise manner by means of a movement member ( 25 ) subjected to said control and command unit ( 27 ) to define on each occasion the specific angular position and therefore the circumferential path of the rotating roller ( 22 ), so as to deliver the desired quantity of fluid ( 11 ) and to selectively activate said rotating roller ( 22 ) to deliver in succession said predefined quantity of fluid ( 11 ) into said containers in relation to the circumferential starting position of said rotating roller ( 22 ); said control and command unit ( 27 ) being configured to control the quantity of fluid ( 11 ) delivered into each container, comparing said instantaneous quantity detected by said sensor ( 34 ) with said predefined quantity to be delivered in order to deactivate said rotating roller ( 22 ) when said predefined quantity to be delivered is reached, said control and command unit ( 27 ) being further configured to compensate for the variation in the flow rate of the fluid ( 11 ) at exit determined in the transient in which the rotating roller ( 22 ) operates in the adjacent segment ( 19 ) on the basis of the determined volumes (Vi) of fluid ( 11 ) in the individual sectors (Si) of the adjacent segment ( 19 ) by commanding the rotating roller ( 22 ) by means of the movement member ( 25 ) so that said rotating roller ( 22 ) varies its angular speed according to said processing performed by the control and command unit ( 27 ) determining and quantifying the variation in the flow rate of the fluid ( 11 ).   
     
     
         6 . Device as in  claim 5 , characterized in that said sensor ( 34 ) is a weight sensor. 
     
     
         7 . Device as in  claim 5  or  6 , characterized in that said rotating roller ( 22 ) is configured to proceed at a constant angular speed. 
     
     
         8 . Device as in  claim 5  or  6 , characterized in that said rotating roller ( 22 ) is configured to proceed at an angular speed that is variable continuously or between one delivery and the next.