EP2598429B1 - Filling machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling machine according to the preamble of patent claim 1, and as shown in US 2,813,555 known.

Filling machines for filling bottles or similar containers, in particular for pressure filling and / or for pressureless filling of bottles or similar containers when arranged in sealing position with the respective filling element containers are known in various designs.

For the purposes of the invention, "pressure filling" is generally to be understood as meaning a filling process in which the container to be filled in each case rests in a sealing position against the filling element and, as a rule, before the actual filling phase, i. is biased before opening the liquid valve via at least one controlled, formed in the filling gas path with a pressurized gas clamping gas (inert gas or CO2 gas), which is then displaced during filling of the inflowing the container contents increasingly as return gas from the container interior , also via at least one controlled gas path formed in the filling element. This biasing phase may be preceded by further treatment phases, for example, evacuation and / or flushing of the container interior with an inert gas, e.g. CO2 gas, etc., also via the gas paths formed in the filling element.

For the purposes of the invention, "non-pressurized filling" is generally to be understood as meaning a filling process in which the container to be filled is preferably in sealing position against the respective filling element with its container mouth and the container interior is controlled before the actual filling phase, ie before the liquid valve is opened , formed in the filling element gas paths is pretreated, for example evacuated and / or with an inert gas, For example, CO2 gas is purged, in which case the gas which is increasingly displaced during the filling of the product flowing into the container is removed as a return gas via at least one controlled gas path formed in the filling element from the container interior.

"In sealing position with the filling element befindlicher container" means in the context of the invention that each container to be filled in the manner known to the expert with its container mouth tightly against the filling element or to a local there, the at least one discharge opening of the filling element surrounding gasket pressed ,

"Container" 'are in the context of the invention, in particular cans and bottles made of metal, glass and / or plastic, but also other packaging, which are suitable for filling of liquid or viscous products for pressure filling or for pressureless filling.

The term "essentially" in the context of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5%, and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

In known filling machines, in particular also in such a revolving design, in which the filling points are provided on a transport element in the form of a rotor axis rotatably driven about a vertical axis, the filling elements each have a plurality of controllable gas paths, each with at least one control valve per gas path, for example, three Such control valves in order to achieve high flexibility for the filling machine, ie in particular to the respective product optimally adapted different filling methods, such as pressure filling, pressureless filling, etc. with different treatment phases, especially with different pre- and post-treatment phases to allow, such as Evacuating and / or purging the respective container interior prior to opening the liquid valve and / or calming the contents and / or relieving the container interior after closing the liquid valve, etc. The plurality the control valves means a significant design, assembly and control engineering effort. From the US 2,813,555 already a simple twin or double valve is known, by means of which synchronously two containers can be filled at the same time.

The object of the invention is to show a filling machine which, without sacrificing its flexibility with respect to different filling methods and without any losses in terms the quality of the filling process allows a significant reduction of the design, assembly and control technical effort. To solve this problem, a filling machine according to claim 1 is formed

The filling machine according to the invention comprises in each case at least two filler points having a filling element, which are combined to form a functional or processing unit, wherein the at least one controlled gas path or the at least one control valve of this gas path are provided together for the filling elements of each functional and processing unit and through the machine control of the filling machine are controlled together. However, each filling station or each filling element is equipped with an independent measuring system, in particular for detecting the filling level in the respective container and / or introduced into the respective container contents and / or the weight of the respective container and for controlling the filling element or its Liquid valve as a function of the measuring signal of the measuring system. The measuring system is, for example, a probe or a return gas pipe for detecting and adjusting the filling level, a volume or flow measuring device for detecting the contents of the product and / or a weighing cell for detecting the weight.

The filling machine according to the invention is characterized by the characterizing features of claim 1.

The inventive construction not only reduces the number of necessary control valves compared to conventional filling machines by at least 50%, but it is also a significant reduction of the control engineering effort and the installation and maintenance effort is achieved, especially taking into account the fact that at has the today usual filling machines each filling element at least three controlled gas paths with three control valves.

At the individual filling points, a container carrier and, for example, cam-controlled lifting device are provided, with a controlled relative movement between the container carrier and the filling element, preferably a movement of the container carrier is generated relative to the filling element, namely for pressing the respective container in sealing position against the Filling elements and for releasing the filled container from the respective filling element. The Lifting devices are provided separately, for example, for all filling elements or filling points of the filling machine or preferably together for the filling elements or filling points of each functional and processing unit, which is also the case for container carriers for a suspended support of the container (eg PET bottles) at one below the container opening provided container flange (neck ring) leads to a further simplification of the filling machine especially in terms of design and control technology.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures.

Fig. 1

in sehr schematischer Darstellung und in Draufsicht eine Füllmaschine umlaufener Bauart mit einer Vielzahl von am Umfang eines um eine vertikale Maschinenachse umlaufend antreibbaren Rotors angeordneten Füllstellen;

Fig. 2

zwei in Drehrichtung des Rotors aufeinander folgende und eine Funktions- und Verfahrenseinheit bildende Füllstellen;

Fig. 3

in schematischer perspektivischer Darstellung eine Füllmaschine umlaufener Bauart entsprechend einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung;

Fig. 4

zwei in unterschiedlichen Füllebene angeordnete Füllstellen der Füllmaschine der Figur 3.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a very schematic representation and in plan view of a filling machine of rotating design with a plurality of circumferentially arranged around a vertical machine axis rotatably driven rotor filling points;

Fig. 2

two in the direction of rotation of the rotor successive and a functional and process unit forming filling points;

Fig. 3

in a schematic perspective view of a filling machine of circulating design according to another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4

two arranged in different filling level filling points of the filling machine of FIG. 3 ,

The in the FIGS. 1 and 2 Generally designated 1 filling machine is used to fill containers in the form of bottles 2 with a liquid product and is designed as a filling machine of rotating design with a about a vertical machine axis in the direction of arrow A rotatably driven rotor 3. This has at its peripheral region a plurality of filling points 4 and 4a, which are provided there distributed at equal angular and pitch intervals around the machine axis, in such a way that in the rotor rotational direction A in each case to a filling station 4, a filling station 4a and each filling station 4a again a filling station 4 follows. In each case one filling station 4 and one filling station 4a form a functional and processing unit 5 in the manner described in more detail below. In the illustrated embodiment, the filling station 4 is in front of the filling station 4a in each functional and processing unit 5 in relation to the rotor rotation direction A.

The empty bottles to be filled are the filling points 4 and 4a respectively individually on a container inlet formed for example by a transport star 3.1 fed. The filled bottles 2 are taken from the filling stations 4 and 4b via a container outlet formed, for example, by a transport star, as indicated by the arrows B and C in FIG FIG. 1 is indicated.

In the FIG. 2 two filling stations 4 and 4a forming such a functional and process unit 5 are shown, of which the filling station 4 consists essentially of a filling element 6 and a container carrier 7 and the filling station 4a consists essentially of a filling element 6a and a container carrier 7a. The container carrier 7 and 7a are designed in the illustrated embodiment so that the respective bottle 2 is held with a bottle or mouth flange hanging on the container carrier 7 and 7a, with its axis of the bottle coaxially with a vertical Füllelementachse FA. The two container carriers 7 and 7a are each cam-controlled in the illustrated embodiment in the direction of Füllelementachse FA up and down, between a lowered state at the container inlet 3.1 for receiving the respective bottle to be filled 2 and the container outlet 3.2 for dispensing each filled Bottle 2 and a raised state movable, in which the respective bottle 2 is raised during the filling process with its bottle mouth in sealing position against the filling element 6 and 6a.

In the illustrated embodiment, the lifting movement of all container carrier 7 and 7a and thus the container carrier 7 and 7a each functional and process unit 5 is controlled individually by cam rollers 8, which cooperate with a non-rotating, not shown, with the rotor 3 control cam.

The filling elements 6 and 6a are identical except for differences described below. In detail, the filling element 6 has a formed in a Füllelementgehäuse 9 liquid channel 10, which at its upper Region is connected via a product line 11 with a common for all filling elements 6 and 6a of the filling machine 1 boiler 12. During the filling operation of the boiler 12 is partially filled with the liquid contents, so that a gas chamber 12.1 and below a liquid chamber 12.2 are formed in the boiler 12 on the local Füllgutspiegel, in which the product line 11 opens.

In the product line 11 of each filling element 6 and 6a, an independent flow meter 13 is arranged, the signal controls the volume or volume exact filling of the bottle 2. At the bottom of Füllelementgehäuses 9, the liquid channel 10 forms a discharge opening 14 for dispensing the liquid filling material in the respective bottle 2, which is arranged via a not shown, the discharge opening 14 annularly enclosing seal with its bottle opening in sealing position on the filling element 6.

In the liquid channel 10, a liquid valve 15 is provided in the flow direction of the contents before the discharge opening with a cooperating with a valve surface on the inner surface of the liquid channel 10 valve body 16 which is provided on a valve stem acting as a return gas pipe 17 and with this return gas pipe 17 by an actuator 18 for Opening and closing of the liquid valve 15 in the direction of the Füllelementachse FA controlled up and down is movable.

The with its lower, open end on the annular discharge opening 14 downwardly projecting downgas tube 17 is a common component of several trained in Füllelementgehäuse 9, controllable gas paths with which the upper, also open and in a closed chamber 19 reaching back gas tube 17 through this chamber in Connection stands.

In the illustrated embodiment, each filling element 6 three controlled gas paths, each with a respective gas path controlling and preferably pneumatically actuated control valve (gas cylinder) 20, 21 and 22. Via the gas valve containing the control valve 20, the return gas pipe 17 is connected with open control valve 20 with a rotor 3 for all filling elements 6 and 6a common annular channel 23 which is connected via at least one line 24 to the gas chamber 12.1 of the boiler 12. By way of the gas path having the control valve 22, the return gas pipe 17 is connected with the control valve 22 open to a ring channel 25 common to the rotor 3 for all the filling elements 6 and 6a, e.g. when filling as a relief channel (when pressure filling) for relieving after filling or as a vacuum channel for evacuating the bottles 2 before filling, etc. is used. With the control valve 21 containing gas path is open control valve 21, the return gas pipe 17, for example, for a slow unloading the filled bottle 2 or for a slow residual filling or brake filling the respective bottle 2 throttled connected to the annular channel 25. Of course, the number of controlled gas paths and thus the number of control valves 20 - 22 may be greater than three.

The filling elements 6a are identical to the filling elements 6, but in such a way that the controllable gas paths formed in the filling element housing 9 of the filling elements 6a are part of the controllable gas paths of the respective associated filling element 6 of the functional and processing unit 5, ie the control valves 20-22 are for the two filling elements 6 and 6a of each functional and processing unit 5 are provided only once, in the illustrated embodiment on the respective filling element 6. Accordingly, the gas paths of both filling elements 6 and 6a of each functional and processing unit 5 are controlled together. However, each filling element 6a is connected to the boiler 12 via its own product line 11 with its own flow meter 13.

The opening of the liquid valves 15 of the two filling elements 6 and 6a for each functional and process unit 5, for example, at the same time, for example, by appropriate control of the actuators 18. Without much tax, but the opening of the liquid valve 15 of the filling element 6a relative to the opening of the liquid valve 15 of the filling element 6 occur in each functional and processing unit 5 with a time delay, for example with a time delay of 100 milliseconds. The closing of the liquid valve 15 takes place on both filling elements 6 and 6a of each functional and process unit 5, individually controlled by the flow meter 13 or by another measuring or sensor element detecting the filling level in the bottles 2 and / or the quantity of product introduced into the bottles 2. for example, by a filling height determining probe, by an extended return gas pipe, by a weighing device, etc.

By common to the controlled gas paths of the filling elements 6 and 6a each functional and process unit 5 control valves 20 - 22 results in a significant reduction in design effort, manufacturing costs and control effort by reducing the number of required control valves 20 - 22 of the filling machine to at least 50%. The inventive construction also makes it possible to reduce the angular or pitch between the filling points 4 and 4a and thus increase the number of filling stations at the same rotor diameter. For example, in a filling machine for filling products containing CO2, e.g. for bottling beer, at the usual diameter of the rotor, the number of filling points are increased by at least 10%.

The filling elements 6 and 6a are suitable for different filling methods, for example for a pressure filling of the bottles 2 with the liquid product under biasing the bottles 2 before opening the liquid valve 15 with a lower Pressurized clamping gas from the annular channel 23 and from the gas space 12.1 of the boiler 12, but also for pressureless filling, in which then also filled with an inert gas chamber 12 is subjected to ambient pressure or a pressure slightly above the ambient pressure.

Depending on the particular filling method, the common control is effected, for example, by means of the controlled gas paths having the control valves 20, 21 and 22. the evacuation, tempering, calming and relieving phase of the filling process at the two filling elements 6 and 6a of each functional and processing unit 5, with process times stored in the machine control or in the local computer, for all filling elements 6 and 6a of all functions - And process units 5 apply.

It was assumed above that the Hubbewegurig all container carriers 7 and 7a is controlled individually. To further simplify and reduce in particular the design effort and to further reduce the pitch of the filling stations, it is also possible to raise the container carrier 7 and 7a of each functional and process unit 5 each by a common lifting device and lower.
The Figures 3 and 4 show a schematic representation of a filling machine 1a, which differs from the filling machine 1 essentially only in that the filling points 4 and 4a are provided on the rotor 3a in two in the vertical machine axis offset from each other Füllebenen FE1 and FE2, in each Füllebene FE1 and FE2 again the filling points 4 and 4a, for example, such that under each filling element 6 of the upper filling level FE1 a filling element 6 of the lower filling level FE2 and under each filling element 6a of the upper filling level FE1 a filling element 6a of the lower filling level FE2 is provided.

The bottles 2 to be filled are fed to the filling machine 1a or the filling stations 4 and 4a in two planes via local container inlets 3a.1. The filled bottles 2 are also taken in two levels at the Behälterausläufen 3a.2 the filling points 4 and 4a. As in the case of the filling machine 1, the respective filling stations 4 and 4a in each filling level FE1 and FE2 are provided successively in the direction of rotation A of the rotor 3a, at least the liquid valves of the filling elements 6 and 6a of each functional and processing unit being individual are controllable, while the control valves 20, 21 and 22 are provided together again for the filling elements of each functional and processing unit. The container carriers 7 and 7a of each functional and processing unit are movable either individually or together relative to the associated filling element 6 or 6a.

In each case a filling element 6 or 6a of the filling level FE1 and a filling element 6 or 6a of the filling level FE2 are connected via their product line 11 to a common, leading to the liquid space 12.2 of the boiler 12 product line 26, in which in this embodiment for the filling elements 6 and 6a of both filling levels FE1 and FE2 a common flow meter 13 is provided. By arranged in the product line 11 of the lower filling level, preferably adjustable throttle 27 is achieved that despite the difference in level of the filling levels FE1 and FE2 per unit time the lower filling element 6 or 6a with open liquid valve 15 inflowing amount of product is equal to the amount of product that the upper filling element 6 and 6a with open liquid valve 15 flows. By using the common flow meter 13 is not only the opening, but also the closing of the liquid valves 15 of the two superimposed each filling elements 6 and 6a at the same time, and that caused by the measurement signal generated by the flow meter 13, when the of the Flow meter 13 detected amount of filling material is equal to twice, to be introduced into each bottle 2 contents. Basically, however, there is the possibility in each product line 11 for each filling element 6 or 6a to provide its own flow meter 13 or to detect with other measuring or sensor means reached in the respective bottle level and / or introduced in the respective bottle contents individually and thus the liquid valves of each other arranged filling elements 6 and 6a individually to control, ie to close individually upon reaching the desired Füllguthöhe or Füllgutmenge.

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Thus, for example, it is possible to provide the control valves which control the gas paths of the filling elements 6, 6a of the respective functional and process unit 5 or 5a not on one of the filling elements or on the local filling element housing 9, but on a separate control block.

It has been assumed above that the filling elements 6, 6a assigned to each other or each forming a functional and process unit 5 also in the case of the filling elements 6, 6a Figures 3 and 4 illustrated embodiment are each arranged in a common filling plane FE1 and FE2. In principle, however, it is possible to provide the filling elements 6, 6a assigned to one another in different filling planes, for example the filling elements 6 in the upper filling plane FE1 and the filling elements 6a in the lower filling plane FE2 and, for example, such that under each filling element 6 the associated one Filling element 6a is provided, in which case again the upper filling elements 6 and the lower filling element 6a form a functional and process unit 5, in which the control valves 20-22 are jointly provided for the gas paths.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1a

filling Machine

2

bottle

3,3a

rotor

4, 4a

filling station

5

Function and process unit

6,6a

filler

7, 7a

container carrier

8th

follower

9

filling element

10

liquid channel

11

product line

12

boiler

13

Flowmeter

14

discharge opening

15

liquid valve

16

valve body

17

Return gas pipe

18

actuator

19

chamber

20-22

control valve

23

annular channel

24

management

25

annular channel

26

product line

27

throttle

A

Direction of rotation of the rotor

B

bottle feeding

C

bottle transfer

FA

filling element

Claims (8)

1. Filling machine for filling containers (2) with a liquid filling material, comprising in each case a plurality of filling elements (6, 6a), which each form a filling point (4, 4a), and which fill the containers (2) arranged at the filling points (4, 4a), wherein the filling elements (6, 6a), which are provided on a transport element, for example on a rotor (3, 3a), each have at least one liquid channel (10), which is connected to a product line for supplying the filling material and is designed in a filling element housing (9), and which forms at least one dispensing opening for the filling material and is arranged in the at least one liquid valve (15), and at least one measuring system (13), which determines the filling height and/or filling material amount and/or the filling material volume in the particular container (2) and which is provided separately for each filling element (6, 6a), as well as with at least one gas path, formed in or at each filling element (6, 6a) and provided with at least one control valve (20, 21, 22), wherein in each case at least two filling points (4, 4a) and their filling elements (6, 6a) form a function and process unit (5), wherein the at least one control valve (20, 21, 22) for the at least one gas path of all the filling elements (6, 6a) of the respective function and process unit (5) is provided in common,
   characterised in that
   the filling elements (6, 6a) comprise at least three gas paths controlled in each case by a control valve (20, 21, 22), wherein the control valves (20, 21, 22) are provided in common for all the filling elements (6, 6a) of each function and process unit (5), wherein the control valves (20, 21, 22) or their gas paths, for example for an evacuation of the particular container, and/or for pretensioning of the particular container (2) with a pretension gas and/or for calming the container arranged in the sealed position with the filling element (6, 6a) after the filling and/or for depressurizing the filled container to ambient pressure.
2. Filling machine according to claim 1, characterised in that in each case at least two filling elements (6, 6a) adjacent to one another at the transport element (3, 3a), preferably following one another in the transport direction (A) of the transport element (3), form the respective function and process unit (5).
3. Filling machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each filling point (4, 4a) comprises a container carrier (7, 7a), that lifting means (8) for creating a controlled relative movement between the respective filling element (6, 6a) and the container carrier (7, 7a) relating to it, preferably for creating a controlled lifting movement of the container carrier (7, 7a) relative to the filling element (6, 6a) relating to it, and that the lifting means (8) for all the filling points (4, 4a) are provided separately or jointly for the container carriers (7, 7a) of each function and process unit (5).
4. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least three gas paths, controlled in each case by at least one control valve (20, 21, 22), connect a return gas pipe (17), which opens into the interior of the respective container (2) located in the sealing position with the filling element (6, 6a), with a gas path (23, 25) which is common to all the filling elements of the filling machine or to a group of filling elements (6, 6a) of the filling machine, and which in turn is connected, for example, to a gas chamber of a boiler (12) providing the filling material, or to a vacuum source, or is vented to the atmosphere.
5. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is designed for a pressure filling and/or for pressureless filling of the containers (2) arranged in the sealing position at the filling elements (6, 6a).
6. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the function and process units (5), formed in each case by at least two filling elements (6, 6a), are provided in one single filling plane or in at least two filling planes (FE1, FE2) offset in the vertical direction against one another at the transport element (3, 3a).
7. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the filling elements (6, 6a) forming the respective function and process unit (5) are provided in at least two different filling planes.
8. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by control means for the simultaneous opening of the liquid valves (15) of the filling elements (6, 6a) of each function and process unit (5) and/or for opening the liquid valves (15) in such a way that, in each function and process unit (5), the liquid valve (15) of at least one filling element (6, 6a), which follows on, in a transport direction (A) of the transport element (3, 3a), a filling element (6) of the same function and process unit (5), is opened with a time delay, for example, with a time delay of 60 to 140 milliseconds, and preferably with a time delay of 100 milliseconds.

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