Apparatus for equipping a filling tube and related equipping method

1. An equipping apparatus for equipping a filling tube with a gathered tubular case, comprising:

a feed device for feeding a gathered tubular case to a case gripping device;

a case gripping device having gripping elements for gripping and orienting a gathered tubular case;

a pushing-on member that is moveable axially relative to a filling tube longitudinal axis for pushing the case on to a filling tube; and

a detecting device associated with the gripping elements for sensing a position of at least one of the gripping elements.

2. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detecting device has at least one rotary encoder for sensing the position of at least one of the gripping elements.

3. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gripping elements have a drive having a rotor, wherein the drive is adapted to communicate the position of the rotor to the detecting device.

4. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detecting device has an optical sensor for sensing the position of the gripping elements.

5. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detecting device is a force sensor adapted for ascertaining the forces occurring at the gripping elements.

6. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a control device which is coupled to the detecting device and which is adapted to determine a case diameter of the case.

7. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the gripping elements are adapted to portion-wise encircle the filling tube.

8. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gripping elements have a recess along their longitudinal axes for centering and orienting a case.

9. The equipping apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the recess is of a V-shaped configuration with respect to a transverse axis of the gripping elements.

10. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pushing-on member is adapted by movement of the pushing-on member when pushing a case onto the filling tube to remove impurities from the gripping elements.

11. The equipping apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the detecting device has at least one rotary encoder for sensing the position of at least one of the gripping elements;

the gripping elements have a drive having a rotor, wherein the drive is adapted to communicate the position of the rotor to the detecting device;

the detecting device has an optical sensor for sensing the position of the gripping elements;

the detecting device is a force sensor adapted for ascertaining the forces occurring at the gripping elements;

the equipping apparatus further comprises a control device which is coupled to the detecting device and which is adapted to determine a case diameter of the case;

one or more of the gripping elements are adapted to portion-wise encircle the filling tube;

the gripping elements have a recess along their longitudinal axes for centering and orienting a case;

the recess is of a V-shaped configuration with respect to a transverse axis of the gripping elements; and

the pushing-on member is adapted by movement of the pushing-on member when pushing a case on to the filling tube to remove impurities from the gripping elements.

12. A method of equipping a filling tube with a gathered tubular case, comprising the steps:

opening an upper gripping element and/or a lower gripping element of a case gripping device;

feeding a gathered tubular case to the lower gripping element;

closing the upper and lower gripping elements until the upper gripping element contacts the case;

sensing a position of at least one of the gripping elements; and

ascertaining a diameter of the case based on the sensed position of the at least one of the gripping elements.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

orienting and centering the case relative to an axial direction of a filling tube, wherein the gripping elements encircle the filling tube in a portion-wise manner;

partially opening the gripping elements; and

pushing the case in a guided manner onto the filling tube by a pushing-on member.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

closing the gripping elements until they come into at least portion-wise contact with the filling tube;

sensing a position of at least one of the gripping elements; and

ascertaining a diameter of the filling tube based on the sensed position of the at least one of the gripping elements.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

detecting defective loading of a case gripping device, when one of the following occurs:

no case is put into the case gripping device,

a plurality of cases has been engaged by the case gripping device,

a case is defectively put into the case gripping, and

the case diameter differs from a predefined case diameter.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

detecting defective loading of a case gripping device, when one of the following occurs:

no case is put into the case gripping device,

a plurality of cases has been engaged by the case gripping device,

a case is defectively put into the case gripping, and

the case diameter differs from a predefined case diameter.