US 12,129,058 B2
Flow regulation system for the filling of a sack with a granular product, and corresponding machine and method
Josep Sas Freixenet, Lleida (ES); and Juan Jose Gonzalez Toledano, Lleida (ES)
Assigned to TECNICAS MECANICAS ILERDENSES, S.L., Lleida (ES)
Appl. No. 17/436,413
Filed by TECNICAS MECANICAS ILERDENSES, S.L., Lleida (ES)
PCT Filed Mar. 7, 2019, PCT No. PCT/ES2019/000018
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 3, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/178461, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0127025 A1, Apr. 28, 2022
Int. Cl. B65B 1/06 (2006.01); B65B 1/32 (2006.01); B65B 39/00 (2006.01); B65B 57/14 (2006.01); G01F 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 1/06 (2013.01) [B65B 1/32 (2013.01); B65B 39/002 (2013.01); B65B 57/145 (2013.01); G01F 11/003 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flow control method for filling a bag with a granular product through an acceleration conduit, said acceleration conduit having a metering side and a filling side for filling said bag where an initial bag is located, wherein the flow control method comprises the following steps:
[a] discharging a metered amount of granular material through said metering side from a metering point,
[b] detecting, using a first sensor, the passage of said metered amount, which has been previously discharged through said metering side from said metering point, through an intermediate point located between said metering and filling sides and having a modifiable passage section,
[c] determining a first arrival time and a first passage time (tp1) of said metered amount, the passage of which has been detected in step [b], said first arrival time being the time elapsed between the instant of discharging said metered amount from said metering side and the instant of detecting a head of said metered amount at said intermediate point, and said first passage time being the time elapsed between the instant of detecting said head and the instant of detecting a tail of said metered amount at said intermediate point,
[d] detecting, using a second sensor, the passage of said metered amount, which has been previously discharged through said metering side from said metering point, through a filling point located on said filling side,
[e] determining a second arrival time (ta2) and a second passage time (tp2) of said metered amount, the passage of which has been detected in step [d], said second arrival time being the time elapsed between the instant of discharging said metered amount from said metering side and the instant of detecting the head of said metered amount at said filling point, and said second passage time being the time elapsed between the instant of detecting said head and the instant of detecting the tail of said metered amount at said filling point, and
[ei] in response to determining that a predetermined bag placement time (tc)+tp2<ta2, discharging a subsequent metered amount of granular material, or
[eii] in response to determining that tp1<tp2, reducing said passage section of said intermediate point until at least the condition of tp1≥tp2 is complied with.