DE3927491A1 - Automatic bottle filling machine - fills bottles with liq. under pressure and fits screw caps to filled bottles - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine for filling bottles with a liq. under pressure has a turntable which brings each bottle (2) in turn under the filler head (6). The turntable supports each bottle on a separate rotatable platform which can be pushed upwards to press the neck of the bottle (2) against a sealing ring (24) in the filler head. After the bottle has been filled a rotating disc brings a screw cap over the mouth of the bottle. The platform is then rotated to screw the bottle into the cap so that the bottle is sealed whilst still under pressure. USE/ADVANTAGE - Aseptic method of fitting the caps.

Description

The invention relates to a device for filling and Ver include containers positioned on container carriers a liquid, especially one under increased pressure standing liquid, each with one to be filled Container assigned and by means of a centering body on the Filling element sealing the container.

Filling devices of the type mentioned above are part of container filling machines of different, common designs, the characteristics of which are determined, for example, by the arrangement or stringing together of the individual filling members and, in particular, by their movement path. This means, for example, clocked linear fillers (row fillers) or continuously working rotary fillers, in which the containers are guided one after the other on a circular path through the machine and filled by moving filling elements. The container filling machine can also work in the usual way as an open filler, vacuum or counterpressure or overpressure filler. The containers or vessels to be filled with a wide variety of liquids, in particular with CO ₂ -containing beverages, can have a wide variety of shapes and sizes and can also consist of a wide variety of materials, such as, for. B. in a relatively stable version made of glass or metal.

Vessels in shape will be of particular importance in the future of relatively large-volume, thin-walled or flexible bottles made of plastic, so-called PET bottles.

The invention has for its object a device continue to improve at the beginning.

This object is achieved in that Ver closing means for placing a cap on the container ter are integrated into the filling element. With this arrangement there is no need for independent, separate closing means as additional station within a filling line.

To ensure the accessibility of the container filling opening within the Filling device for attaching a wide variety of caps to ensure it is still advantageous to fill it to grasp the container in its peripheral area and to center. A particularly advantageous in this sense design is that the centering with a Shoulder area on the container designed as a bottle fitting seal is provided so that the bottle neck overall remains free and caps of the different most design can be put on.

To the gentleman during the filling under atmospheric conditions insulation state even during closing  right and ultimately an aseptic filling To ensure, it is also proposed that the Ver Closing means from the filling designed as a counter pressure filler organ using a higher than the atmosphere Sealing elements maintaining the filling pressure are included. The fitting of the cap is still easier tert that according to training, the locking means a Cap in a mounting position centered on the container Have the opening positioning cap holder. In particular, also to put on rotary locks facilitate, it is also proposed that the closure cap holder with rotating locks locking the cap is provided.

According to a preferred development, which is the grippy Design of the sealing cap in the form of toothed grooves on If the scope is used, the anti-rotation means are included in the corrugated circumferential surface of the teeth engaging the closure cap Mistake.

A further development, which ensures that the container immediately be closed directly from its filling position can, is that the cap holder as part one from a loading position to accommodate a ver end cap outside the filler in the fitting position swiveled in, sealed guided inside the filling element Turntable is formed.  

One he loaded the turntable with caps lightening and at the same time a secure locking of the ver end caps ensuring design provides that the Cap holder a through the turntable and limited by spring-loaded, toothed sliding blocks Has receiving hole.

To make it easier to put on a screw cap, this is Cap holder by a controllable filler element Filler organ formed counter holder for the closure cap orders, which ensures that the cap thread and the bottle neck thread one before the rotation begins of the two elements.

An alternative embodiment, largely based on ver wear-prone seals between moving relative to each other Device elements can be dispensed with is that the closure cap by means of a slide through one breakthrough of the centering body into one stationary cap holder above the container opening is feasible.

To ensure a fully automatic process of filling directly ensure the following closing process according to an additional embodiment provided that in Be rich in the side loading position outside the Füllor goose a closure cap feed is provided, consisting from a with a sprung stop pin and  Place sealing on the front of the housing of the filling element the transfer stamp.

The transfer stamp is expediently part of one pressurized piston / cylinder unit formed, wel cher the caps by a lateral cross slide are fed.

To keep the container in the effective range of filling and closing Bringing organs is the container carrier with a linear actuator Mistake.

In addition, the container carrier has a rotary drive, to the locked Ver by rotating the container screw on the end cap.

Further developments of the invention with inventive significance are contained in subclaims 15 to 18. You increase that Versatility and flexibility of the device and we a constructive and functional due to the high degree of integration nell very rational solution.

The advantage achieved by the invention is that closing the vessels directly from the filling element aseptic filling is possible. The maintenance the filling pressure during the closing in particular stretch-sensitive PET bottles, which in the meantime are not may be relieved again, in a stable state, so that this is also subjected to aseptic back pressure filling can be.  

The invention is illustrated below with reference to the drawing presented embodiments explained in more detail. Here shows

Fig. 1 designed as a rotary filling machine, with filling and closing members according to the invention equipped bottle filling machine in plan view,

Fig. 2 shows a single bottle filler with integrated closing device for placing screw caps on average and

Fig. 3 integrated in a filling element, alternatively designed closing means.

The basic concept embodied in a known way rotary filler 1 according to Fig. 1, container, for example in the form of so-called PET bottles 2, at equal intervals is supplied on a feed conveyor 3. The bottles 2 are taken over by a so-called inlet star 4 and placed below filling organs 6 , which circulate continuously in a circular path in the direction of arrow 7 and are each equipped with sealing means for placing screw caps on the bottles 2 . Different conveying sections of the transport path of the rotary filler 1 are marked by different, successive or simultaneous operations carried out on the bottles 2 . On a first conveyor section AB, the bottles 2 to be filled under increased pressure are prestressed with a gas in a manner described later. On a subsequent conveying section BC, the bottles are filled and labeled or printed at the same time, for which purpose this conveying section BC is assigned two labeling devices 9 and 11 on the circumference of the rotary filler 1 . On the subsequent conveying section CD of the transport path, the filled and labeled bottles 2 are sealed under an atmosphere by the closure means 8 integrated in the conveying members 6 with a closure cap, in the present case, for example, with a screw closure. The bottles 2 filled, labeled or printed and closed in this way arrive at a so-called outlet star 12 , which passes them on to a discharge conveyor 13 at regular intervals.

The structure and the effect of a single conveyor 6 with integrated sealing means 8 is explained below with reference to FIG. 2.

Designed for volumetric filling quantity metering an individual filling element 6 of the rotary filler 1 is equipped with a valve body 16 which can be controlled in the sense of the double arrow 14 , consisting of a liquid valve 18 provided with a seal 17 and a central gas pipe 19 . The liquid valve 18 is used to shut off a measuring chamber 21 from the atmosphere, the measuring chamber 21 is in a known, not Darge way for product delivery with a central boiler in connection.

A vertically displaceable and rotatably mounted centering member in the form of a so-called centering bell 22 of the filling member 6 serves for the central and sealed positioning of a bottle 2 within the filling member 6 and is for this purpose provided with an annular seal 23 between the mutually facing walls of the centering bell 22 and the filling member 6 and provided with an annular seal 24 placed on the bottle shoulder.

For feeding and positioning a bottle 2 , each filling organ 6 is assigned a bottle 2 receiving container support 26 on the underside, which can be raised and lowered in the direction of the double arrow 28 by means of, for example, a piston / cylinder unit 27 and the lifting rod 29 above it also carries a turntable 32 which can be driven in rotation by a rotary drive 31 .

The closing means 8 integrated in the filling element 6 have a turntable 36 which is pivotably mounted by means of pins 33 in the housing of the filling element 6 by means of a rotary drive 34 . The turntable 36 is sealed off from the filling element 6 by means of seals 37 and is provided with a bore 38 for the inlet of the product to be filled into the bottles 2 . In addition, the turntable 36 is equipped with a cap holder 39 for feed and positioning caps 41 in the form of screw caps. For this purpose, the closure cap holder 39 is provided with a receiving bore 43, which has a rotation-securing means 42, for receiving and rotationally secured positioning of the screw closure 41 , the rotation-locking means 42 as toothing which engages in the corrugated circumferential surface of the screw closure 41 in the form of toothed sliding blocks guided resiliently in the turntable 36 44 is formed.

In order to introduce the screw caps 41 into the cap holder 39 , a cap feeder 46 is provided, consisting of a vertical supply shaft 47 with a lifting device 48 for the screw caps 41 , a horizontal transfer path 49 with a slide 51 and a vertically operating transfer stamp 52 , which is part of a is pressurized piston / cylinder unit 53 . The screw cap 41 detecting the transfer stroke of the transfer stamp 52 is done by pressurizing the piston / cylinder unit 53 via a pressure connection 54 , while the return stroke of the transfer stamp 52 in a manner not shown, for. B. can be done by a control element engaging the piston rod 56 . The transfer ram 52 is provided with an axially parallel bore 57 for receiving a spring-loaded stop pin 58 , the end of which protrudes from the transfer ram 52 at the end for the exact positioning of the screw closure 41 supplied by the slider 51 centrally above the receiving bore 43 . In addition, the transfer stamp 52 has a ring seal 59 on the end of the rotary plate 36 accommodating housing of the filling element 6 .

The mode of operation of the filling and closing element 6 is as follows:

For filling the zoom out on the turntable 32 of the container carrier 26 bottle 2 is lifted and, by activating the lifting drive 27 placed in its shoulder portion in sealing engagement with the annular seal 24 of the centering bell 22, wherein the centering bell is lifted slightly and thus a preliminary seal between the bottle 2 and the filling element 6 is produced.

The stroke of the linear actuator 27 is such that the Zen trier tulip 22 rests freely on the sealing shoulder of the bottle 2 in order to maintain a defined holding force on the lifting device of the container carrier 26 during the entire filling and closing process. Before the start of the filling phase, the liquid valve 18 is closed and the bore 38 of the turntable 36 is located centrally above the bottle opening, a screw cap 41 being located in the receiving bore 43 of the turntable 36 , the toothed sliding blocks 44 engaging in the corrugated or toothed peripheral surface thereof. The receiving bore 43 is sealed by the ring seal 59 of the guide stamp 52 against the environment.

To fill the bottle 2 on the in Fig. 1-designated with AB conveying section of the transport path of the rotary filling machine 1 in known manner not shown from a boiler gas chamber via the gas pipe 19 biased with simultaneous Druckbe aufschlagung a gas space 61 of the centering bell 22nd The gas chamber 61 is dimensioned so that with the build-up of pressure, a growing sealing force at the sealing point between the ring seal 24 and the bottle shoulder of the bottle 2 is applied according to the principle of differential force sealing. With the use of thin-walled PET bottles described here, this prevents the container wall from denting, since this is only loaded when a stabilizing effect due to the internal pressure occurs at the same time. After the pressure equalization between the boiler and the bottle, the entire space between the seals 24, 23, 37 and 59 is under the preload pressure. The bottles are then filled with the opening of the liquid valve 18 , the measuring chamber 21 emptying its precisely metered amount of liquid into the bottle 2 and the bottle air escaping through the gas pipe 19 .

Due to the stabilizing the bottle wall pressure ratios can be made while filling the bottle 2 at the same time the labeling described with reference to FIG. 1 section BC on the Förderab.

After the bottle 2 has been filled, the conveying section labeled CD according to FIG. 1, the screw cap 41 held ready in the receiving bore 43 is to be placed on the bottle opening. For this purpose the turntable 36 is rotated by means of the bes Drehantrie 34 about the pin 33 in the raised liquid valve 18 so far that the receiving bore 43 communicates with the fitting bolt circuit 41 through the bottle opening and the liquid valve is then closed 18th During the closing stroke, the gas pipe 19 pushes the screw cap 41 out of the receiving bore 43 so far that the thread of the screw cap 41 can engage in the thread of the bottle neck, the sliding blocks 44 with their toothing 42 still locking the screw cap 41 against rotation. By activating the rotary drive 31 , the rotational movement of the bottle 2 carrying the turntable 32 and thus the capping process is triggered.

As a result of the pressure in the gas space 61 , the bottle 2 is firmly clamped between the centering bell 22 and the turntable 32 . The rotary movement of the turntable 32 is transmitted to the bottle 2 and the centering tulip 22 . The screw connection 41 , which is prevented by the teeth 42 of the sliding blocks 44 from rotating, is screwed onto the bottle opening and at the same time pulled downwards. At the end of this closing process, the screw cap still partially protrudes into the receiving bore 43 .

In order to prepare a new filling, the system must be returned to the starting position, ie the bore 38 must again be above the bottle opening in the position shown in FIG. 2 and a new screw cap 41 must be positioned in the receiving bore 43 of the turntable 36 . In order to switch the bore 38 back into the filling position, the liquid valve 18 with the gas pipe 19 is to be reopened in order to pull the gas pipe 19 out of the receiving bore 43 of the closing means 8 in this way and to enable the rotary plate 36 to rotate . At the same time, the bottle 2 is lowered so far that the screw cap 41 no longer projects into the receiving bore 43 . Both have to be done still under pressure, that is without breaking the sealing action between the ring seal 24 of the centering tulip 22 and the bottle 2, as with open valve 18 of the boiler gas space organ when volumetrically metered filling 6 with the gas space 61 in connection.

Over a short stroke, the bottle 2 is therefore first lowered so that its screw cap 41 comes free from the turntable 36 , the centering bell 22 maintaining the sealing effect between the ring seal 24 and the bottle 2 following the stroke. After positioning the bore 38 by activating the rotary drive 34 into the filling position with the gas pipe 19 raised, the valve 18 is then to be closed and the bottle 2 is completely removed from the filling element 6 by the lifting drive 27 . When the sealing effect between the bottle 2 and the centering tulip 22 is canceled, the gas space 61 is relaxed to atmospheric pressure.

In the phase of the depressurized state of the gas space 61 , the receiving bore 43 can now be loaded with a new screw closure 41 . For this purpose, the transfer ram 52 is raised, for example, via a cam control, not shown, and a screw closure 41 is pushed under its end face by means of the slide 51 . The spring-loaded stop pin 58 remains in the position shown in FIG. 2 and positions the screw cap 41 above the receiving bore 43 in the turntable 36th By pressurizing the piston / cylinder unit 53 via the pressure connection 54 , the transfer ram 52 is lowered, the end face of which pushes the screw closure 41 into the receiving bore 43 , the toothed sliding blocks 44 latching into the toothing grooves of the screw closure 41 and the receiving bore 43 through the ring seal 59 the transfer stamp 52 is closed sen. The sealing force is generated via the permanent pressurization of the transfer ram 52 via the pressure connection 54 . The system is now prepared for a next filling process.

In the variant of the filling element shown in FIG. 3, elements which correspond to those of the embodiment described above are provided with reference numbers increased by 100 and are not explained again in particular.

In this embodiment, the closure cap feed 146 inside the filling element 106 consists of a slide 162 which positively detects the closure cap 141 , the piston rod 163 of which is sealed by an annular seal 163 a from which the closure means 108 accommodating housing of the filling element 106 is led out. The centering tulip 122 is also rotatable and slidably mounted in the filling member 106 . The cap holder 139 of the closure means 108 is arranged stationary and central in the filling area of the filling member 106 in this case. In order to be able to transfer the screw closure 141 into the closure cap holder 139 , the centering tulip 122 is provided with a through opening 164 . In order to bring this through opening 164 in alignment with the path of the slide 162 , the centering tulip 122 together with the filled bottle 102 is to be lowered into the left-hand position along the dividing lines 166 according to FIG. 3. In this position, the slide 162 can move the screw cap 141 through the passage opening 164 up to a stop 167 of the cap holder 139 over the bottle opening. The subsequent raising of the centering bell 122 to the bottle 102 in the right side of the parting line 166 position indicated by the screw 141 is pushed so far up that the toothing of the rotary securing means engages in the teeth grooves of the screw cap 141 142 and these therefore also turn at the same closure prevents the closing process described above.

Claims (18)

1. Device for filling and closing containers positioned on container carriers with a liquid, in particular with a liquid under increased pressure, each with a container to be filled and sealingly placed on the container by means of a centering body on the container, characterized in that that closure means ( 8; 108 ) for placing a closure cap ( 41; 141 ) on the container ( 2; 102 ) in the filling member ( 6; 106 ) are integrated. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the centering body ( 22; 122 ) is provided with a seal ( 24; 124 ) in the shoulder region on the container ( 2; 102 ) designed as a bottle. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the closing means ( 8; 108 ) by the filling element designed as a counterpressure filler ( 6; 106 ) using a sealing element ( 24, 23, 37, maintaining the filling pressure above the atmosphere) 59; 124, 123, 159, 163 ). 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the closure means ( 8; 108 ) have a closure cap ( 41; 141 ) in a mounting position centrally to the container opening positioning closure cap holder ( 39; 139 ). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the closure cap holder ( 39; 139 ) with the closure cap ( 41; 141 ) locking anti-rotation means ( 42; 142 ) is provided. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the anti-rotation means ( 42; 142 ) are provided with a gripping teeth in the corrugated peripheral surface of the closure cap ( 41; 141 ). 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the closure cap holder ( 39 ) as part of a from a loading position for receiving a United closure cap ( 41 ) outside the filling member ( 6 ) in the mounting position swiveling inside the filling member, sealed guided turntable ( 36 ) is formed. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closure cap holder ( 39 ) has a through the turntable ( 36 ) and through resiliently supported, toothed sliding blocks ( 44 ) limited receiving bore ( 43 ). 9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the closure cap holder ( 39 ) by a controllable filling element ( 16 ) of the filling member ( 6 ) formed counter-holder ( 19 ) for the closure cap ( 41 ) is assigned. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the closure cap ( 141 ) by means of a slide ( 162 ) through a lateral opening ( 164 ) of the centering body ( 122 ) into a stationary closure cap holder ( 139 ) above the container opening is transferable. 11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that in the region of the lateral loading position outside the filling member ( 6; 106 ) a closure cap guide ( 46; 146 ) is provided, consisting of a with a spring-loaded stop pin ( 58; 158 ) provided and sealingly placed on the face of the housing of the filling member ( 6; 106 ) transfer stamp ( 52; 152 ). 12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the transfer stamp ( 52; 152 ) is designed as part of a pressurized piston / cylinder unit ( 53; 153 ), which the sealing caps ( 41; 141 ) by a lateral cross slide ( 51; 151 ) can be supplied. 13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the container carrier ( 26 ) with a Huban drive ( 27 ) is provided. 14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the container carrier ( 26 ) has a rotary drive ( 31 ). 15. The device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that further container processing devices ( 9, 11 ) are arranged along the container web passing through the containers ( 2; 102 ) in the filling device. 16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that each filling element means for prestressing the one to be filled Container by applying increased pressure before filling has and that the further processing facilities one Container path section are assigned, which the container after go through the tempering. 17. The apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in  that as a further processing device at least one Labeling device for applying labels to the Container is provided. 18. Device according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized characterized in that as a further processing device at least one printing device for printing on the containers is provided.