초록 ▼

An automated, fully programmable, and adaptable device fills straws or straw-like packages with any type of flowing, or flowable, liquid. A straw is dropped from a hopper down chutes into a capture area where it is held and filled with liquid, after which it is sealed. The straw dropping, capture, f

An automated, fully programmable, and adaptable device fills straws or straw-like packages with any type of flowing, or flowable, liquid. A straw is dropped from a hopper down chutes into a capture area where it is held and filled with liquid, after which it is sealed. The straw dropping, capture, filling, and sealing actions are preferably automatically controlled by a preprogrammed electronic controller. The major elements of a typical embodiment of the invention include means for dropping a straw or other receptacle into a fixed mounting position consistently, optional means for heating fluids throughout the fill process, means for filling the receptacle, and means for sealing the receptacle. The straw hopper has a retractable slide plate at its base that slides back to allow only one straw at a time to fall through the chutes into the capture area. In the preferred embodiment, the slide plate at the bottom of the hopper moves back and forth in a predefined fully programmable sequence. In one embodiment, when the straw comes to rest in the capture area, it is pinched and sealed at the bottom in preparation for filling. A filling nozzle moves into a predefined position over the straw to be filled and the straw is filled with a preset amount of liquid. After filling, the top of the straw is pinched and then sealed, completing packaging of the liquid. Preferably, the sequence of actions may be easily adapted or changed by reprogramming the automatic controller. After sealing, the straw is dropped into the collection area. Preferably, steps are monitored by one or more sensor monitors, preferably with one sensor monitoring each of the three phases of operation.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A receptacle-filling device comprising, in combination: receptacle supply container; at least one contiguously connected receptacle guide; receptacle dispenser connected between the receptacle supply container and the top of the contiguously connected receptacle guide; recep

What is claimed is: 1. A receptacle-filling device comprising, in combination: receptacle supply container; at least one contiguously connected receptacle guide; receptacle dispenser connected between the receptacle supply container and the top of the contiguously connected receptacle guide; receptacle capture and positioning device adapted for holding a single receptacle at a time, the receptacle capture and positioning device being positioned at the bottom of the contiguously connected receptacle guide, the receptacle capture and positioning device remaining in a stationary position with respect to the receptacle guide and the receptacle dispenser when the device is operating, the receptacle capture and positioning device retaining the single receptacle in a stationary position with respect to the receptacle guide and the receptacle dispenser from the time the receptacle is captured until the time the receptacle has been filled; liquid supply container; liquid dispenser for filling the receptacle being held in the receptacle capture and positioning device, the liquid dispenser being connected to the liquid supply container and moveably positionable over the opening of the receptacle being held in the receptacle capture and positioning device; and at least one receptacle sealer for sealing the receptacle after filling. 2. The device of claim 1, further including at least one electronic controller for controlling at least one of the receptacle dispenser, the receptacle capture and positioning device, the liquid dispenser, and the receptacle sealer. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the electronic controller is programmable. 4. The device of claim 2, further including at least one sensor. 5. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one sensor detects the presence of receptacles in the receptacle supply container. 6. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one sensor detects the presence of liquid in the liquid supply container. 7. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one sensor detects the presence of a receptacle in the receptacle capture and posistioning device. 8. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one liquid heater. 9. The device of claim 1, further including at least one receptacle pincher. 10. The device of claim 1, further including a receptacle collector. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle supply container is a hopper. 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle sealer employs heat. 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle dispenser is a sliding plate over an opening to the top of the contiguously connected receptacle guide. 14. A device for filling straws with liquid comprising, in combination: straw hopper; straw chute; straw dispenser connected between the straw hopper and the top of the straw chute; at least one contiguously connected straw guide connected to the bottom of the straw chute; straw capture device for holding a single straw at a time in a fixed position, the straw capture device being positioned at the bottom of the contiguously connected straw guide, the straw capture device remaining in a stationary position with respect to the straw guide and the straw dispenser when the device is operating, the straw capture device retaining the single straw in a single, stationary position with respect to the straw guide and the straw dispenser from the time the straw is captured until the time the straw has been filled; liquid supply container; liquid dispenser connected to the liquid supply container, the liquid dispenser being moveably positionable over the opening of a straw being held in the straw capture device; at least one straw pincher; at least one straw sealer for sealing the straw after filling; electronic controller; sensor for detecting the presence of straws in the hopper; sensor for detecting the presence of liquid in the liquid supply container; and sensor for detecting the presence of a straw in the straw capture device. 15. The device of claim 14, wherein the electronic controller is programmable. 16. The device of claim 14, further comprising at least one liquid heater. 17. The device of claim 14, wherein the straw dispenser comprises a sliding plate over an opening to the top of the straw chute. 18. A method of making liquid-filled receptacles comprising, in combination, the steps of: dropping a receptacle from a supply container into a receptacle capture device; capturing the receptacle in a fixed mounting position in the receptacle capture device; filling the receptacle with liquid while the receptacle is held in the fixed mounting position in the receptacle capture device; sealing the filled receptacle while the receptacle is held in the fixed mounting position in the receptacle capture device; maintaining the receptacle in a single, stationary position with respect to the supply container throughout the steps of capturing, filling, and sealing; maintaining the receptacle capture device in a single stationary position with respect to the supply container throughout the steps of dropping, capturing, filling, and sealing; and releasing the filled and sealed receptacle from the fixed mounting position. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of sealing the bottom of the receptacle before filling. 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of heating the liquid before filling. 21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of pinching the receptacle before sealing. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of sealing employs heat. 23. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of collecting the released filled receptacles. 24. The method of claim 18, wherein the steps are controlled by a preprogrammed sequence. 25. The method of claim 24, further including the step of sensing the presence of receptacles in the supply container. 26. The method of claim 24, further including the step of sensing the presence of liquid in a liquid supply container. 27. The method of claim 24, further including the step of sensing the presence of a receptacle in the fixed mounting position in the receptacle capture device. 28. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of dropping relies on gravity for correctly positioning the receptacle in the fixed mounting position of the receptacle capture device. 29. A method of making liquid-filled straws comprising, in combination, the steps of: sensing the presence of at least one straw in a straw hopper; sensing the presence of at least a minimum level of liquid in a liquid supply container; sensing the absence of a straw in a mounting device; dropping a straw from the straw hopper through at least one chute into the mounting device; capturing the straw in the fixed mounting device; filling the straw with liquid from the liquid supply container while the receptacle is held in the fixed mounting device; sealing the filled straw while the receptacle is held in the fixed mounting device; maintaining the straw in a single, stationary position with respect to the straw hopper and the liquid supply container throughout the steps of capturing, filling, and sealing; maintaining the fixed mounting device in a stationary position with respect to the straw hopper and the liquid supply container throughout the steps of dropping, capturing, filling, and sealing; and releasing the filled straw from the mounting device. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the steps are controlled by a programmable electronic controller. 31. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of sealing the bottom of the straw before filling. 32. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of heating the liquid before filling.