This application is the national stage under 35 USC 371 of PCT/EP2014/000124, filed on Jan. 17, 2014, which claims the benefit of the Feb. 25, 2013 priority dates of German applications 102013101812.2 and 102013101813.0 the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to container processing, and in particular, to filling containers with liquid.
It is known to have a filling system that has a plurality of filling points. Each filling point has a filling element and a container holder. The container-holder holds the container so that it is sealed against the filling element during filling. These systems implement many different filling methods, such as open jet filling, vacuum filling, and pressurized filling. It is also known to provide controlled gas paths in the filling elements or in their filling-element housings. Especially with pressure filling, it is essential to hold the containers in a sealed position on the filling element, i.e. pressed against the container carrier by a lifting device. This occurs not only during a filling phase, in which the liquid contents flow to the relevant container, but also in at least one process phase preceding this filling phase, for example to pretension the container interior with pressure.
In one aspect, the invention features an apparatus for processing containers. Such an apparatus includes a filling system for filling containers with liquid filling-material. The filling system has filling-point pairs, each of which includes filling points. Each filling point includes a filling element, and each filling element includes a filling-element housing, a liquid valve, and a liquid channel formed within the housing. The liquid channel has a dispensing opening at an end thereof for dispensing the liquid filling-material into a container. The liquid valve controls the dispensing by the dispensing opening. The filling system also includes, for each filling pair, a gas path, a gas-path control-valve, and a stand-alone control module that includes both part of the external gas-path and the gas-path control valve. The gas path has comprises two sections: an internal gas-path and an external gas-path. The internal gas-path is internal to a filling element, and the external gas-path is external to any filling element, and common to both filling elements in a filling-point pair. The gas-path control-valve is disposed along the external gas-path. The internal gas-path is connected to the gas-path control-valve.
Some embodiments include a transport element on which the filling elements and the control modules are mounted. The transport element conveys the filling elements along a first path having a first radius, and the control modules along a second path concentric to the first but having a second radius that is less than the first.
In other embodiments, the control module comprises a module housing. At least a section of the external gas-path is formed within the module housing. The gas-path control-valve is along the at least a section of the external gas-path.
Other embodiments include a transport element having an outer surface on which the filling elements are disposed and in which a section of the external gas-path with uncontrolled gas flow is formed. Among these are embodiments in which the section of the external gas-path that is formed on the transport element opens into internal gas-paths of multiple filling elements, and those in which the section of the external gas-path that is formed on the transport element opens into channels provided in the transport element, the channels being common to multiple filling elements.
Yet other embodiments include a transport element on which the control modules are arranged on an annular surface thereof.
Additional embodiments include those in which the external gas-path opens directly into the internal gas-path.
Still other embodiments include an external gas-path opening, an internal gas-path opening, and a seal having a cross-sectional area that is greater than either opening. In these embodiments, the external gas-path opening and the internal gas-path opening define an interface for fluid communication between the external gas-path and the internal gas-path. The seal then seals the interface.
Another embodiment includes a transport element that forms a partition that defines first and second regions, the second one being an aseptic space for sterile filling of liquid filling material into containers passing therethrough. Each of the filling elements comprises a first portion and a second portion, with the latter including the dispensing opening. Only the second portion extends into the aseptic space. The control module and gas-path control-valves are both disposed on the partition in the first region.
In other embodiments, the filling elements are spaced apart by a fixed distance, and both the control module and the filling elements are configured to be mounted on either a first rotor or a second rotor, with the two rotors having different pitch circles with radii that differ by no more than a specified non-zero value.
In another aspect, the invention features an apparatus for processing containers. The apparatus includes a container-filling system having filling-point pairs in which each filling point has a filling element. Each filling element has a channel formed in a housing, and a liquid valve in the channel that controls flow through a dispensing opening. The filling system also has internal and external gas-paths that are internal and external relative to the filling elements. These gas paths connect to each other. A gas-path control-valve controls the external path. Nothing controls the internal path. A stand-along control module contains part of the external gas-path and the gas-path control-valve.
In another aspect, the invention includes an apparatus in which the filling points of a filling system form filling-point pairs with common gas-path control-valves for the filling elements of each filling-point pair in gas paths that route process gas and/or a vacuum. In addition, they also form a common gas-path control-valve for the two filling points of each filling-point pair that is part of a stand-alone module that is connected to a gas path made in each filling element of the filling-point pair. The stand-alone module is a control module with an outer controlled gas path for each filling-point pair. One control module is provided for each filling-point pair.
These filling elements have internal gas-paths that are not controlled. This means that the filling elements themselves do not have any gas-path control-valves. The outer gas paths can also be made in partial sections in a common rotor element or ring for all the filling points. The common rotor element or ring has the same axis as the machine axis of a filling machine having the filling system.
This modular structure has considerable advantages. With it, the connection required between the filling points and an annular channel common to all the filling elements or a group of filling elements of a filling system is more easily established.
Furthermore, the modular structure allows control and/or actuation modules, and in particular the gas-path control-valves and/or the actuation elements, to be arranged outside an aseptic region so that only a partial length of each filling element, namely the partial length comprising the delivery opening, protrudes into the aseptic region.
The modular structure also allows different filler sizes or filler divisions to be made, i.e. a different number of filling-point pairs on rotors with the same filling elements and the same gas-path control-valves and/or pneumatic actuation elements. The adaptation to the particular filler division or to the division spacing then occurs solely by means of the rotor element in which the outer gas paths of all the filling-point pairs are in part formed.
The filling elements and the control module are preferably made so that the connection between the inner and the outer gas channels occurs at the same time that the filling elements are mechanically secured.
As used herein, “pressure filling” means a filling method in which the container to be filled lies in a sealed position against the filling element and generally is pre-tensioned before an actual filling phase, i.e. before a liquid valve is opened, by a controlled gas path formed in the filling element with a pressurization gas under pressure, such as an inert gas or carbon dioxide gas, which then, during filling, is increasingly forced out of the container interior by the liquid contents flowing into the container as a return gas, this being likewise through a controlled gas path formed in the filling element. Further treatment phases can precede this pre-tensioning phase, examples of which include evacuating and/or the purging the inside of the container with an inert gas, such as carbon dioxide gas, this being likewise carried out by using gas paths formed in the filling element.
As used herein, “free-jet filling” means a process in which the liquid contents flow into the container to be filled in a free filling jet, wherein the container mouth or opening of the container does not lie against the filling element, but is at a distance from the filling element or from a contents outlet there. A salient feature of free-jet filling is that the air forced out of the container during the filling process by the liquid contents does not return to the filling element or to an area or channel formed therein that conveys gas. Instead, it flows freely out into the environment.
As used herein, “pitch circle” means a circle enclosing a vertical machine axis on which the filling elements of the filling system or of the filling machine are arranged.
As used herein, the expressions “substantially” or “approximately” mean variations from an exact value by ±10%, preferably by ±5% and/or variations that are insignificant for the function.
Further developments, benefits and application possibilities of the invention also arise from the following description of examples of embodiments and from the figures. In this regard, all characteristics described and/or illustrated individually or in any combination are categorically the subject of the invention, regardless of their inclusion in the claims or reference to them. The content of the claims is also an integral part of the description.
The invention is explained in more detail below by means of the figures using examples of embodiments. The following are shown:
The first and second filling points 4.1, 4.2 are formed in such a way that, in the direction of rotation A of the rotor 3, every second filling point 4.2 is adjacent to and between two first filling points 4.1. Empty bottles 2 arrive at the filling machine 1 through a container inlet 5 and leave as filled bottles 2 through a container outlet 6.
The filling points 4.1, 4.2 are configured for different filling methods. One method is pressurized filling of bottles 2. Pressurized bottle filling includes pre-tensioning a bottle's interior with a pressurized process gas or inert gas, such as CO2 gas. It can also include purging the bottle's interior one or more times with a process gas or an inert gas. Pressurized bottle filling can also include evacuating the bottle's interior, rapid or slow filling of the bottle, and pressure-relief of the bottle's interior after filling. These process steps are controlled in part by gas-path control-valves in gas paths of the filling points 4.1, 4.2.
As shown in
As shown in
On the underside of each filling-element housing 9, the liquid channel 10 forms an annular dispensing opening 13 for dispensing liquid filling-material into a bottle. Inside the liquid channel 10 is a liquid valve 14 with a valve body. Moving the valve body axially along the vertical filling element axis FA opens and closes the liquid valve 14 and controls the dispensing of the liquid-filling material through the dispensing opening 13 and into a bottle 2. A pneumatic actuation device 15 causes this movement.
The filling machine 1 defines an aseptic space 16 through which the open mouths of bottles 2 move during the filling process. This aseptic space 16 is separated from by walls, among which is a top wall formed by a disc-type pipe element 3.2 bearing the annual rotor element 3.1. The filling elements 7 are fitted on an outer surface of the rotor element 3.1. Each filling element 7 has an upper portion and a lower portion. Only the lower portion of the filling element 7 extends into the aseptic space 16.
Above the rotor element 3.2, and hence outside the aseptic space 16, are common annular chambers or channels 17 that provide fluid communication to all the filling points 4.1, 4.2. These channels 17 route process gases and/or provide a vacuum to all filling points 4.1, 4.2 during the filling process. As shown in
Referring back to
The external gas-paths 20 are outside the filling-element housings 9. There are also internal gas-paths 19 inside the filling-element housings 9. However, these internal gas-paths 19 are uncontrolled because there are no gas-path control-valves inside the filling-element housing 7. At least one external gas-path 20 connects to the associated internal gas-paths 19 of the two filling elements 7 of each filling-point pair 4. The gas-path control-valve 18 is arranged in an external gas-path 20. As a result, controlling the gas-path control-valve 18 provides simultaneous control over both filling elements 7 of a particular filling-point pair 4.
In the illustrated embodiment, the gas-path control-valves 18 for a filling-point pair 4 are preferably pneumatically actuated valves that are part of a valve block 21 comprising multiple electrically controlled pneumatic valves. A central machine-controller 22 controls these valves.
The valve block 21 also provides control for opening and closing the liquid valves 14 in each of the filling elements 7. It does so based at least in part on how much liquid filling-material has flowed into the bottles 2 during the filling phase. A flow meter 23 shown in
The gas-path control-valves 18 and first gas-path section 20.1 of each external gas-path 20 of the particular filling-point pair are part of a control module 24, which is shown with a dashed line surrounding it in
As shown in
Meanwhile, the second gas-path section 20.2 of the external gas-path 20 is formed in the rotor element 3.1. This second gas-path section 20.2 is what opens into the annular chambers 17 and also into an internal gas-path 19 of the filling elements 7. In the illustrated embodiment, the second gas-path section 20.2 of the external gas-path 20 is not controlled. This means that there are no gas-path control-valves in the second gas path section 20.2.
As can be seen in
The foregoing design results in a modular architecture in which filling-point pairs 4 and control modules 24 can be readily interchanged. This modular structure allows simple replacement of defective components. For example, if a filling element 7 or control module 24 goes bad, all one has to do is swap it out for a new one. Moreover, the modular structure also allows specially-made filling elements 7 for special filling processes to be assembled with a standard control module 24, or conversely, to use non-standard control modules 24 with standard filling elements 7. As a result, it becomes possible for the first time to have a filling machine 1 in which one can mix and match control modules 24 and filling-point pairs 4 with abandon.
The filling elements 7a are arranged with their filling element axes FA spaced apart by a division spacing TA on a pitch circle TK. The difference between
In the filling machine 1a, the openings in the control modules 24a must be made to mate with corresponding openings in a filling element 7a. Referring to
When the mating surface of a filling element 7a contacts the level underside of the housing 25, a mouth opening 20.1.1 of the first gas-path section 20.1 of the external gas-path 20 connects to a corresponding mouth opening 19.1 of an internal gas-path 19 of the filling element 7a. A seal 26 completes the connection so that gas can flow without loss between the control module 24a and the filling element 7a.
The seal 26 has a seal opening 26.1 that is somewhat larger than necessary. As shown in
Referring to
For different division spacing TA of the filling points 4.1 and 4.2, i.e. for different axial distances between the filling elements 7a forming these filling points 4.1, 4.2 on the circumference of the rotor 3, it is necessary to provide control modules 24a for which the axial distance of the connection openings 20.1.1 has been adapted to the particular division spacing TA.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2013 101 812 | Feb 2013 | DE | national |
10 2013 101 813 | Feb 2013 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2014/000124 | 1/17/2014 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2014/127880 | 8/28/2014 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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20050284731 | Hartness | Dec 2005 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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487 827 | Dec 1929 | DE |
20 2005 007 446 | Dec 2005 | DE |
10 2006 017 706 | Oct 2007 | DE |
10 2008 008 945 | Aug 2009 | DE |
10 2010 032 573 | Feb 2012 | DE |
10 2010 032573 | Feb 2012 | DE |
10 2011 111 483 | Feb 2013 | DE |
0 810 180 | Dec 1997 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160009535 A1 | Jan 2016 | US |