Cooling tunnel for flexible packages filled with hot liquid products
AssigneeVolpak, S.A.
InventorRamon Pellicer Thoma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The cooling tunnel is applicable to automatic packaging installations and comprises a main conveyor belt (1) adapted for the transport of packages (2) filled with hot liquid products through a cooling device (3), loading means (4) of packages (2) onto the main conveyor belt (1), unloading means (5) of packages (2) from the conveyor belt (1) and emptying means (6) of the packages (2). The loading means (4) are adapted for loading the packages (2) onto the main conveyor belt (1) forming successive sets (15), in which the packages (2) form an arrangement of orthogonal rows and columns, whereas the unloading means (5) are adapted for the simultaneous unloading of the packages (2) from each row of the sets (15) of packages (2).
Claims7
- Cooling tunnel for packages filled with hot liquid products, applicable to automatic packaging installations of the type comprising a main conveyor belt (1) for conveying the filled packages (2) through a cooling device (3) which extends throughout the tunnel;
- loading means (4) of the filled packages (2) onto the main conveyor belt (1);
- and unloading means (5) of the filled packages (2) from the main conveyor belt (1), which is characterised in that the loading means (4) of the packages (2) are adapted for loading the packages (2) onto the main conveyor belt (1) at its starting end portion (16), forming sets (15) that succeed one another, the packages (2) of each set (15) forming an arrangement in orthogonal rows and columns, in which the rows are arranged transversally with regard to the main conveyor belt (1);
- and in that the unloading means (5) are adapted for simultaneously unloading the packages (2) of each row that reaches the end point (20) of the main conveyor belt (1).
- Cooling tunnel according to claim 1, which is characterised in that the loading means (4) comprise:
- a first conveyor belt (7) for packages (2), adapted for receiving at its starting end (11), groups (14) of packages (2) arranged parallel to it and with their bottom positioned in the advancing direction of the conveyor belt (7), equal in number to the rows in each set (15) of packages (2) to be loaded onto the main conveyor belt (1);
- a package (2) alignment device (8), arranged at the end point (12) of the first conveyor belt (7), adapted for aligning the packages (2) of each set (14) of packages (2) by their bottoms;
- a second conveyor belt (9) of packages (2) arranged coplanar, adjoining and in longitudinal alignment with respect to the first conveyor belt (7), and also arranged coplanar, adjoining and transversal with regard to the main conveyor belt (1), adapted for receiving at its starting end (13) the groups (14) of packages (2) aligned by the alignment device (8) and for forming the sets (15) of packages (2) to be loaded onto the main conveyor belt (1);
- and
- a transfer device (10), adapted for transferring the sets (15) of packages (2) from the second conveyor belt (9) to the main conveyor belt (1).
- Cooling tunnel according to claim 2, which is characterised in that the first conveyor belt (7) has a transport speed V, whereas the second conveyor belt (9) has a first transport speed V1 equal to the transport speed V of the first conveyor belt (7), and a second transport speed V2, greater then V1, adapted so that the speeds V and V1 of the first conveyor belt (7) and of the second conveyor belt (9), respectively, permit the formation on the second conveyor belt (9) of a set (15) of packages (2) to be transferred to the main conveyor belt (1), whereas the speed V2 of the second conveyor belt (9) makes it possible to create an interval between successive sets (15) of packages (2) to be transferred.
- Cooling tunnel according to claim 2, which is characterised in that the alignment device (8) is arranged transversally with regard to the first conveyor belt (7) and is capable of moving between two positions, a package (2) alignment position, in which the packages (2) from each group (14) successively reach the device, and a passing position, in which the aligned packages (2) from each group (14) reach the starting end (13) of the second conveyor belt (9).
- Cooling tunnel according to claim 2, which is characterised in that the transfer device (10) comprises a transfer body (17) provided with independent slots (18), adapted for receiving corresponding rows of packages (2) from each set (15) of packages (2) to be loaded onto the main conveyor belt (1), each slot (18) being provided with an inlet, adapted for allowing the packages (2) from the row to pass through, and with an open bottom.
- Cooling tunnel according to claim 5, which is characterised in that the transfer body (17) is capable of sequential movement from among four positions, a first position in which the transfer body (17) is superimposed onto the second conveyor belt (9), a second position, coplanar to the previous transfer one of the set (15) of packages (2) to the main conveyor belt (1), a third position, superimposed onto the second position and a fourth position, coplanar to the third position and superimposed onto the first position.
- Cooling tunnel according to claim 1, which is characterised in that the unloading means (5) comprise a shaft (21) arranged transversally with regard to the main conveyor belt (1) and capable of rotating in both directions, provided with a plurality of radial blades (22), adapted for receiving a row of packages (2) and, by the rotation of the shaft (21), deposit it into the package (2) emptying means (6).