Equipment for Processing Containers Filled with Liquid or Powder Products

Abstract

Equipment ( 1 ) for processing containers filled with liquid or powder products comprises a carousel ( 5 ) conveying containers ( 2 ) for processing, a drive system ( 6 ) by which the carousel is set in rotation about a vertical axis (X); a containing element ( 14 ) placed around the carousel ( 5 ), and a covering element ( 18 ) associated with the top of the carousel ( 5 ), combining with the containing element ( 14 ) to create a fluid-tight chamber ( 19 ) internally of which the carousel ( 5 ) is housed in its entirety. The covering element ( 18 ) is in vertical direction slidably engaged with the side wall for height adjustment of an upper frame ( 11 ) according to the size of the container ( 2 ).

1 . Equipment for processing containers filled with liquid or powder products, comprising:
 a carousel ( 5 ) designed to accommodate respective containers ( 2 ) for processing;   motion-inducing means ( 6 ) by which the carousel is set in rotation about a respective vertical axis (X); and,   a containing element ( 14 ) placed around the carousel ( 5 ),   characterized in that it further comprises a covering element ( 18 ) associated with the top of the carousel ( 5 ), combining with the containing element ( 14 ) to create a chamber ( 19 ) internally of which the carousel ( 5 ) is housed.   
   
   
       2 . Equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the containing element ( 14 ) comprises a side wall ( 16 ) presenting a substantially vertical planar inner surface ( 17 ) directed toward the carousel ( 5 ), and the covering element ( 18 ) is slidably engaged with the side wall ( 16 ). 
   
   
       3 . Equipment as in  claim 2 , wherein the containing element ( 14 ) further comprises a bottom wall ( 15 ) extending around the carousel ( 5 ) and presenting a peripheral rim ( 15   a ) compassing the transverse dimension of the carousel ( 5 ), the side wall ( 16 ) issuing from the peripheral rim ( 15   a ) and presenting a top edge ( 16   a ) remote from the selfsame peripheral rim ( 15   a ). 
   
   
       4 . Equipment as in  claim 3 , wherein the carousel ( 5 ) further comprises a platform ( 7 ) presenting a plurality of peripheral stations ( 8 ) serving to accommodate respective containers ( 2 ) for processing, and an upper frame ( 11 ) positioned above and associated with the platform ( 7 ), presenting a plurality of filling and/or capping devices ( 12 ) each positioned in alignment with a respective peripheral station ( 8 ) of the platform ( 7 ) and serving to fill the respective container ( 2 ) for processing with a product and/or to close the selfsame container ( 2 ) with a cap, the covering element ( 18 ) presenting a first extremity ( 18   a ) associated with the upper frame ( 11 ) and a second extremity ( 18   b ) opposite to the first extremity ( 18   a ), associated with the side wall ( 16 ). 
   
   
       5 . Equipment as in  claim 4 , wherein the carousel ( 5 ) further comprises means ( 5   a ) of inducing vertical motion, associated with the platform ( 7 ) and with the frame ( 11 ), by which the frame ( 11 ) is traversed along the vertical axis (X) toward or away from the platform ( 7 ). 
   
   
       6 . Equipment as in  claim 5 , wherein the covering element ( 18 ) comprises a panel ( 20 ) of substantially annular geometry, presenting a flat bottom face ( 21 ) positioned internally of the chamber ( 19 ), and a peripheral portion ( 22 ) coinciding with the first extremity ( 18   a ) of the selfsame element ( 18 ) and resting on a rim ( 11   a ) of the frame ( 11 ). 
   
   
       7 . Equipment as in  claim 6 , further comprising first sealing means ( 23 ) interposed between the peripheral portion ( 22 ) of the bottom face ( 21 ) and the rim ( 11   a ) of the frame ( 11 ). 
   
   
       8 . Equipment as in  claim 7 , wherein first sealing means ( 23 ) comprise a flexible element ( 23   a ) anchored permanently to the peripheral portion ( 22 ) of the bottom face ( 21 ), against which the rim ( 11   a ) of the frame ( 11 ) slides during the rotation of the carousel ( 5 ) about the vertical axis (X). 
   
   
       9 . Equipment as in  claim 8 , comprising slide means ( 24 ) associated with the side wall ( 16 ) and with the panel ( 20 ), at the second extremity ( 18   b ) of the covering element ( 18 ), enabling movement of the panel ( 20 ) relative to the side wall ( 16 ) along the vertical axis (X), toward and away from the bottom wall ( 15 ). 
   
   
       10 . Equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein slide means ( 24 ) comprise a plurality of guide rods ( 25 ) spaced apart one from the next and projecting from the top edge ( 16   a ) of the side wall ( 16 ), each extending longitudinally parallel to the vertical axis (X) and occupying a respective through hole ( 26 ) afforded by the panel ( 20 ). 
   
   
       11 . Equipment as in  claim 10 , wherein the covering element ( 18 ) further comprises a lateral baffle ( 27 ) positioned internally of the chamber ( 19 ), projecting from the bottom face ( 21 ) of the panel ( 20 ) between the holes ( 26 ) and the peripheral portion ( 22 ), of which a cylindrical outer surface ( 27   a ) is directed toward the inner surface ( 17 ) of the side wall ( 16 ) and toward the guide rods ( 25 ), and a cylindrical inner surface ( 27   b ) is directed toward the carousel ( 5 ). 
   
   
       12 . Equipment as in  claim 11 , wherein the lateral baffle ( 27 ) presents a top edge ( 28 ) anchored to the bottom face ( 21 ) of the panel ( 20 ), and a bottom edge ( 29 ), remote from the top edge ( 28 ), furnished with second sealing means ( 30 ) offered to the inner surface ( 17 ) of the side wall ( 16 ). 
   
   
       13 . Equipment as in  claim 12 , wherein second sealing means ( 30 ) comprise an annular support ( 31 ) attached to the bottom edge ( 29 ) of the baffle ( 27 ), also a flexible sealing element ( 33 ) seated in a groove ( 32 ) afforded by the annular support ( 31 ), offered to the inner surface ( 17 ) of the side wall ( 16 ) and slidable against this same surface in a direction parallel to the vertical axis (X). 
   
   
       14 . Equipment as in  claim 9 , wherein slide means ( 24 ) comprise an annular projection ( 34 ) associated rigidly with the side wall ( 16 ) and extending from the inner surface ( 17 ) of the selfsame wall ( 16 ), also a plurality of guide rods ( 25 ) spaced apart one from the next and projecting from a top surface ( 34   a ) of the annular projection ( 34 ) directed toward the bottom face ( 21 ) of the panel ( 20 ), each extending longitudinally parallel to the vertical axis (X) and occupying a respective through hole ( 26 ) afforded by the panel ( 20 ). 
   
   
       15 . Equipment as in  claim 14 , wherein the covering element ( 18 ) further comprises a lateral baffle ( 27 ) positioned internally of the chamber ( 19 ), projecting from the bottom face ( 21 ) of the panel ( 20 ) between the holes ( 26 ) and the peripheral portion ( 22 ), of which a cylindrical outer surface ( 27   a ) is directed toward the inner surface ( 17 ) of the side wall ( 16 ) and toward the guide rods ( 25 ), and a cylindrical inner surface ( 27   b ) is directed toward the carousel ( 5 ). 
   
   
       16 . Equipment as in  claim 15 , wherein the lateral baffle ( 27 ) presents a top edge ( 28 ) anchored to the bottom face ( 21 ) of the panel ( 20 ), and a bottom edge ( 29 ), remote from the top edge ( 28 ), slidable internally of an annular slot ( 35 ) afforded by the top surface ( 34   a ) of the annular projection ( 34 ) when the panel ( 20 ) is traversed along the vertical axis (X). 
   
   
       17 . Equipment as in  claim 16 , wherein the lateral baffle ( 27 ) is furnished with second sealing means ( 30 ) located between the selfsame baffle ( 27 ) and the annular projection ( 34 ). 
   
   
       18 . Equipment as in  claim 17 , wherein second sealing means ( 30 ) comprise a primary flexible element ( 36 ) associated with the top surface ( 34   a ) of the annular projection ( 34 ) and offered to the cylindrical inner surface ( 27   b ) of the baffle ( 27 ), also a secondary flexible element ( 37 ) secured to the bottom edge ( 29 ) of the lateral baffle ( 27 ) and offered to an inside wall ( 35   a ) of the annular slot ( 35 ). 
   
   
       19 . Equipment as in  claim 8 , wherein the covering element ( 18 ) presents a tubular housing ( 38 ) of substantially annular shape encompassing an internal void ( 39 ) delimited by the panel ( 20 ) in combination with two cylindrical flanks ( 41   a ,  41   b ) issuing from relative opposite lateral extremities of the panel ( 20 ), and a top ( 40 ) positioned above the panel ( 20 ) and associated with the flanks ( 41   a ,  41   b ). 
   
   
       20 . Equipment as in  claim 19 , wherein one of the two flanks ( 41   a ,  41   b ) is breasted with the inner surface ( 17 ) of the side wall ( 16 ) and slidable thus against the selfsame inner surface ( 17 ) when the covering element ( 18 ) is traversed along the vertical axis (X), relative to the side wall ( 16 ), toward or away from the bottom wall ( 15 ). 
   
   
       21 . Equipment as in  claim 20 , further comprising second sealing means ( 30 ) interposed between the panel ( 20 ) and the inner surface ( 17 ) of the side wall ( 16 ). 
   
   
       22 . Equipment as in  claim 21 , wherein second sealing means ( 30 ) comprise a flexible element ( 43 ) anchored to the bottom face ( 21 ) of the panel ( 20 ) at the second extremity ( 18   b ) of the covering element ( 18 ) and offered to the inner surface ( 17 ) of the side wall ( 16 ), in such a way as to slide against the selfsame inner surface ( 17 ) when the covering element ( 18 ) is traversed along the vertical axis (X).