Method and device for contamination-free transport of pourable bulk product

Abstract

A method for substantially contamination-free transport of pourable bulk product from a dosing unit having a lidded dosing outlet into a container having a lidded receiving inlet is proposed, wherein the dosing outlet of the dosing unit is connected in a detachable manner with the receiving inlet of the container, the dosing outlet and the receiving inlet are opened, and the bulk product is transported into the container from the dosing unit via its dosing outlet and via the receiving inlet of the container. The invention envisions that the dosing outlet of the dosing unit and/or the receiving inlet of the container is/are disposed at the dosing unit and/or the container by means of an elastic joining element to prevent transfer of forces between the dosing outlet and the dosing unit and/or between the receiving inlet and the container, wherein the dosing outlet/receiving inlet, which are connected with each other, are disposed relative to the dosing unit and/or the container at least during the dosing process in such a way that a transfer of forces between the dosing unit and the container is prevented by the elastic joining element. The invention further concerns a device for carrying out such a method.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . A method for substantially contamination-Free transport of pourable bulk product from a dosing unit having a lidded dosing outlet into a container having a lidded receiving inlet, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) connecting, in a detachable manner, the dosing outlet of the dosing unit to the receiving inlet of the container;   b) opening the dosing outlet and the receiving inlet; and   c) transporting the bulk product from the dosing unit through the dosing outlet and through the receiving inlet into the container, wherein the dosing outlet of the dosing unit is disposed at the dosing unit by means of a first elastic joining element to prevent transfer of forces between the dosing outlet and the dosing unit and/or the receiving inlet of the container is disposed at the container by means of a second elastic joining element to prevent transfer of forces between the receiving inlet and the container, wherein, during transport of the bulk product from the dosing unit to the container, the dosing outlet and the receiving inlet are disposed relative to the dosing unit and/or the container such that the first and/or second elastic joining element prevents a transfer of forces between the dosing unit and the container.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the dosing outlet is disposed on a first carrier which can be shifted substantially perpendicular relative to the dosing outlet and the first carrier is connected to the dosing unit via the first elastic joining element and/or the receiving inlet is disposed on a second carrier which can be shifted substantially perpendicular to the receiving inlet and the second carrier is connected to the container via the second elastic joining element, wherein the first and/or second carriers are brought into a position relative to the dosing unit and/or the container, at least during a dosing process, in which the first and/or second carrier is in contact with the dosing unit and/or the container exclusively via the first and/or second elastic joining element. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the dosing outlet and the receiving inlet are opened together. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a first closing mechanism of the dosing outlet is coupled with a second closing mechanism of the receiving inlet and the first and second closing mechanisms are brought in an opened position together. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein pressure compensation is created between an Interior of the dosing unit and/or the container and surroundings, at least during a dosing process. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the pressure compensation is created by means of a filter element. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first and/or second elastic joining element is at least partly of made of filter material. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the container is weighed during the dosing process and the dosing outlet and/or the receiving inlet are closed after dosing a desired, gravimetrically measured amount of bulk product. 
   
   
       30 . A device for substantially contamination-free transport of pourable bulk product, the device comprising:
 a dosing unit having a lidded dosing outlet;   a container having a lidded receiving inlet;   means for connecting, in a detachable manner, said dosing outlet of said dosing unit to said receiving inlet of said container;   means for opening said dosing outlet and said receiving inlet;   means for transporting the bulk product from said dosing unit through said dosing outlet and through said receiving inlet into said container; and   at least one of a first elastic joining element and a second elastic joining element, said first elastic joining element cooperating with said dosing outlet and said dosing unit to prevent transfer of forces between said dosing outlet and said dosing unit, said second elastic joining element cooperating with said receiving inlet and said container to prevent transfer of forces between said receiving inlet and said container, wherein, during transport of the bulk product from said dosing unit to said container, said dosing outlet and said receiving inlet are disposed relative to said dosing unit and/or said container such that said first and/or said second elastic joining elements prevent transfer of forces between said dosing unit and said container.   
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein said dosing outlet is disposed on a first carrier which can be shifted substantially perpendicular to said dosing outlet, said first carrier being connected to said first dosing unit via said first elastic joining element and/or said receiving inlet is disposed on a second carrier which can be shifted substantially perpendicular to said receiving inlet, said carrier being connected to said container via said second elastic joining element, wherein said first and/or said second carrier can be brought into a position relative to said dosing unit and/or said container in which said first and/or second carrier is exclusively in contact with said dosing unit and/or said container via said first and/or said second elastic joining element. 
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein either only said receiving inlet of said container or only said dosing outlet of said dosing unit is disposed at said container or at said dosing unit by means of said first or said second elastic joining element, while said dosing outlet or said receiving inlet is disposed at said dosing unit or at said container in a rigid manner. 
   
   
       33 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein said receiving inlet of said container is disposed at said container via said second elastic joining element. 
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein said second carrier rests on said container with said receiving inlet connected to said container via said second elastic joining element and can be lifted as needed to a level where said second carrier is exclusively in contact with said container via said second elastic joining element. 
   
   
       35 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein a first closing mechanism of said dosing outlet can be coupled to a second closing mechanism of said receiving inlet and said first and said second closing mechanisms can be brought together into an opened position. 
   
   
       36 . The device of  claim 35 , wherein said first and said second closing mechanisms are substantially formed by stamps which can be shifted perpendicular to said receiving inlet and said dosing outlet. 
   
   
       37 . The device of  claim 30 , further comprising a pressure compensation element configured to compensate pressure between an interior of said dosing unit and/or said container and a surroundings. 
   
   
       38 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein said pressure compensation element comprises a filter element. 
   
   
       39 . The device of  claim 38 , wherein at least part of said first and/or said second elastic joining element is made of filter material. 
   
   
       40 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein said container has an associated weighing device. 
   
   
       41 . The device of  claim 40 , further comprising a control system structured and disposed to close said dosing outlet and/or said receiving inlet after transporting an amount of presettable dosed bulk product which has been gravimetrically measured by means of said weighing device. 
   
   
       42 . Facility for substantially contamination-free, gravimetric combining of individual bulk product components from several reservoirs into a container using the device of  claim 30 , each reservoir having a dosing unit with a lidded dosing outlet, the container having a lidded receiving inlet, wherein each of the reservoirs has an associated weighing device which cooperates with the container at least while bulk product is being dosed from a respective reservoir, wherein the container travels below the dosing units of the reservoirs and can be sequentially connected, in a detachable manner, to the dosing unit of the respective reservoir according to a desired mixture ratio.