Dosing device and method for a dosing of liquid or paste-like products, in particular food products, and filling installation with such a dosing device

Abstract

A dosing device for dosing liquid or pasty products includes at least one dosing unit (12) having at least one movably supported dosing nozzle (16) for filling containers (18). The dosing device further includes at least one cleaning unit (20) at least for cleaning and/or sterilizing the dosing nozzle (16), and also includes at least one sterile chamber (22) which section-wise surrounds a packaging carrier (24). The device also includes at least one dosing chamber (26) which is arranged above the sterile chamber (22) and in which at least the cleaning unit (20) is arranged. The dosing chamber (26) has a bottom (28) which faces the sterile chamber (22) and which has at least one dosing opening (30) which faces the sterile chamber (22) and through which the containers (18) arranged in the sterile chamber (22) can be filled by the dosing nozzle (16) in at least one operating state.

1 . A dosing device for dosing liquid or pasty products, comprising at least one dosing unit ( 12 ) which comprises at least one movably supported dosing nozzle ( 16 ) for filling containers ( 18 ), at least one cleaning unit ( 20 ) at least for cleaning and/or sterilizing the dosing nozzle ( 16 ), at least one sterile chamber ( 22 ) which section-wise surrounds a packaging carrier ( 24 ), and at least one dosing chamber ( 26 ) in which at least the cleaning unit ( 20 ) is arranged, wherein the dosing chamber ( 26 ) has a bottom ( 28 ) which faces the sterile chamber ( 22 ) and which has at least one dosing opening ( 30 ) which faces the sterile chamber ( 22 ) and through which the containers ( 18 ) arranged in the sterile chamber ( 22 ) can be filled by the dosing nozzle ( 16 ) in at least one operating state. 
     
     
         2 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dosing nozzle ( 16 ) extends into the dosing opening ( 30 ) or through the dosing opening ( 30 ) in at least one operating state. 
     
     
         3 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one lifting unit ( 32 ) which is configured to move at least the dosing nozzle ( 16 ) relative to the dosing opening ( 30 ). 
     
     
         4 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit ( 20 ) comprises at least one movably supported closure element ( 34 ), for closing the dosing opening ( 30 ) of the dosing chamber ( 26 ) in at least one operating state. 
     
     
         5 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit ( 20 ) comprises at least one closure element ( 34 ) which is movably supported on a cleaning element ( 36 ) of the cleaning unit ( 20 ), for closing or for opening the dosing opening ( 30 ). 
     
     
         6 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit ( 20 ) has at least one cleaning element ( 36 ), which is movably supported inside the dosing chamber ( 26 ) and which in at least one operating state covers the dosing opening ( 30 ). 
     
     
         7 . A method for operating a dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in at least one method step ( 40 ,  42 ) at least one dosing nozzle ( 16 ) of a dosing unit ( 12 ) of the dosing device is moved out of or into a dosing opening ( 30 ) of a dosing chamber ( 26 ) of the dosing device. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein in at least one method step ( 44 ) the dosing opening ( 30 ) of the dosing chamber ( 26 ) is closed by a closure element ( 34 ) of a cleaning unit ( 20 ) of the dosing device. 
     
     
         9 . A filling system for liquid, pasty or solid products, comprising at least one dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The filling system as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising at least one packaging carrier ( 24 ), and at least one packaging guide unit ( 48 ) for guiding the packaging carrier ( 24 ), wherein the dosing chamber ( 26 ) is arranged in a direction running transversely to a guide axis ( 50 ) of the packaging guide unit ( 48 ) spatially above the packaging carrier ( 24 ). 
     
     
         11 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dosing nozzle ( 16 ) is movably supported in a vertical direction ( 14 ). 
     
     
         12 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dosing chamber ( 26 ), viewed in a vertical direction ( 14 ), is arranged above the sterile chamber ( 22 ). 
     
     
         13 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dosing nozzle ( 16 ) extends into the dosing opening ( 30 ) or through the dosing opening ( 30 ) in at least one operating state in order to fill the containers ( 18 ) arranged in the sterile chamber ( 22 ). 
     
     
         14 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the closure element ( 34 ) is translationally movably supported. 
     
     
         15 . The dosing device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning element ( 36 ) is embodied as a flushing plate or flushing bar. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein in at least one method step ( 40 ,  42 ) the dosing nozzle ( 16 ) is moved by means of a lifting unit ( 32 ) of the dosing device in a vertical direction ( 14 ).