Powder filling apparatus and a method for filling a container with powder

A cleaner for cleaning a nozzle portion, wherein the cleaner is adapted to be attachable to the nozzle portion, disposed in a powder filling apparatus for filling a container with powder by equally evacuating the inside and the outside of said container, and dropping powder through said nozzle portion into said container simultaneously with raising the pressure outside the container, said cleaner comprising:

• a cleaner head having a cleaning chamber therein for enclosing the nozzle portion airtightly when the cleaning head is fitted to said nozzle portion;
• a gas passage disposed in said cleaner head for allowing compressed air to flow therethrough so as to spurt the compressed air to said nozzle portion;
• and
• an exhaust passage for allowing powder flowing down in said cleaning chamber together with the compressed air spurted to said nozzle portion to be discharged together with the compressed air, wherein said cleaning chamber includes an opening for communicating said exhaust passage with said cleaning chamber and a slidable cover which moves between a first position and a second position of said cleaning chamber, said first position being located below said opening, and wherein said cleaning chamber is communicated with said exhaust passage when said slidable cover is located at said second position.

A cleaner for cleaning a nozzle portion, wherein the cleaner is adapted to be attachable to the nozzle portion, disposed in a powder filling apparatus for filling a container with powder by equally evacuating the inside and the outside of said container, and dropping powder through said nozzle portion into said container simultaneously with raising the pressure outside the container, said cleaner comprising:

• a cleaner head having a cleaning chamber therein for enclosing the nozzle portion airtightly when the cleaning head is fitted to said nozzle portion;
• a gas passage disposed in said cleaner head for allowing compressed air to flow therethrough so as to spurt the compressed air to said nozzle portion;
• and
• an exhaust passage for allowing powder flowing down in said cleaning chamber together with the compressed air spurted to said nozzle portion to be discharged together with the compressed air, wherein said nozzle portion includes a bottom opening for allowing said powder to drop therethrough and a valve element for closing said bottom opening when said valve element is lifted, wherein said gas passage allows said compressed air to flow downwardly along a lower portion of said valve element.