DE29807610U1 - Single-chamber filling system - Google Patents

Description

Single chamber filling system

The invention relates to a single-chamber filling system. Filling systems of this type are known in a wide variety of designs.

The object of the invention is to demonstrate a filling system which, with a simplified structural design, enables a filling level adjustment via Trinox in a particularly reliable manner.

To solve this problem, a filling system according to patent claim 1 is designed.

In the invention, the clamping gas valve or its valve body simultaneously forms the Trinox valve. This results in a simplified and particularly reliable design.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an element that reduces the gas flow, for example in the form of a throttle or nozzle, is provided in the first gas path, via which the interior of the container is subjected to the Trinox pressure after filling has ended and after the filling or liquid valve has been closed, in order to adjust the filling level and to push excess filling material back into the liquid space or vessel through the return gas pipe. In conjunction with the special design of the pressure gas valve, this ensures that the Trinox pressure in the filled container (bottle) is largely independent of fluctuations in the gas pressure in the Trinox channel.

Further developments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims. The invention is explained in more detail below using the figures and exemplary embodiments. They show:

Fig. 1 in a simplified representation and in vertical section of one of the filling elements of a filling machine of rotating design in a first embodiment of the

Invention;
Fig. 2 is a representation like Figure 1, but with another possible

Embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 3 shows an enlarged partial view of the clamping gas and Trinox valve.

In the figures, 1 is a ring bowl of a mechanical single-chamber filling system or a mechanical single-chamber filling machine of rotating design. The ring bowl 1 is, in a known manner, a component of the rotor of the filling machine, which rotates around the vertical machine axis. When the filling machine is in operation, the interior 2 of the filling bowl 1 is filled with the liquid filling material up to a predetermined level N, so that in the ring bowl 1 or in the bowl interior 2 there is a liquid space 2' occupied by the liquid filling material and above the level N there is a gas space 2" which holds an inert gas, for example a CO2 gas with a predetermined filling pressure.

On the underside of the ring bowl 2, filling elements 3 are provided distributed at equal angular intervals around the machine axis, each of which forms a filling point with a bottle carrier (not shown), specifically for filling the bottles 4, which are pressed with their bottle mouth 5 by the respective bottle carrier in a sealing position against the filling element 3 or against an annular seal 8 formed on the underside of the housing 6 of the filling element 3 in the area of a centering device 7.

A liquid channel 9 is formed in the housing 6, which is connected to the liquid chamber 2' at the top via a passage 10 and forms a circular discharge opening 12 for the liquid filling material on the underside of the housing 6, which concentrically surrounds a return gas pipe 11. When the bottle 4 is in a sealed position with the filling element 3, its interior is thus sealed to the outside and connected to the lower end of the liquid channel 9 via the discharge opening 12. In the liquid channel 9 there is a valve body 14 forming the filling or liquid valve 13.

arranged, which is shown in Figure 1 in its lower position blocking the liquid valve 13, moves upwards in the direction of the valve axis VA to open the liquid valve 13 and is moved downwards to close it again, in a known manner controlled by a mechanical control element 15, the pinion 15' of which interacts with control knobs (not shown) of a control cam that does not rotate with the rotor and which acts on the shaft 14' via a control cam 15".

The interior of the gas pipe 11, which protrudes over the underside of the filling element 3 with a predetermined length and is open at the lower end 11', continues in a channel formed in the shaft 14' of the valve body 14, so that a gas channel 16 is formed, which extends partly in the gas pipe 11 and partly in the shaft 14' and reaches from the lower gas pipe end 11' into the gas chamber 2", with an orifice 17 there, which lies clearly above the level N in the gas chamber 2". In the area of the mouth 17, a clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 is provided in the gas channel 16, which in the embodiment shown is essentially formed by a valve needle 19 that extends through the mouth 17 into the interior of the gas channel 16 and interacts with its lower, free end with a valve seat 16' formed there. The valve needle 19 can be raised in the direction of the axis VA and thus in the axial direction of the gas channel 16 from the position blocking the gas channel 16 to open the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18, controlled by the mechanical control element 15. The valve needle 19 is also pre-tensioned by its own weight, possibly also supported by a spring (not shown), as will be explained in more detail below.

In the filling element 3 and partly in the housing 6, the channels 20 and 21 are formed, among other things, of which the channel 20 is connected at one end to a vacuum channel 22 provided on the underside of the ring bowl 1 and common to all filling elements 3, which in turn is connected to a vacuum or negative pressure source (not shown). The other end of the channel 20 is connected to an input of a mechanical control valve device 23, which is for

each filling element 3 is provided separately on its housing 6. In the embodiment shown, the control valve device 23 is formed by a rotary slide valve, which can be controlled by means of a control lever 23' through a stationary control curve (not shown). A throttle 24 and a valve 25 are arranged in series in the channel 20. The latter acts as a check valve in such a way that it only opens for a gas flow in the direction of the vacuum channel 22 and closes in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the valve 25 also acts as a pressure relief valve, which closes when the pressure in the channel 20 on the side of the valve 25 facing away from the vacuum channel 22 falls below a lower pressure threshold (relief pressure). The pressure threshold is adjustable.

The channel 21 is connected at one end to a Trinox channel 26, which is designed on the underside of the ring vessel 1 as a ring channel common to all filling elements 3. The other end of the channel 21 is connected to a second inlet of the control valve 23. A second throttle 27 is also connected in the channel 21. The Trinox channel 26 contains, in a manner known per se, an inert gas, for example 002-CaS, with a gas pressure that is above the filling pressure in the gas space 2", i.e. a pressure is regulated in the Trinox channel 26, for example, which is approximately 1.0-2.0 bar above the filling pressure in the gas space 2".

Furthermore, a third channel 28 is provided, which is connected at one end to the liquid channel 9 in the flow direction after the liquid valve 13 and at its other end to a third connection of the control valve 23. A relief channel 29 leading to the atmosphere is also provided in the control valve 23.

The control valve 23 has, for example, at least four switching positions, namely a first switching position in which all channels 20, 21 and 28 on the control valve 23 are closed, a second switching position in which the channel 20 is connected to the channel 28 and the channel 21 is closed, and a third switching position in which the channel 20 on the control valve 23 is closed and the channel 21 is connected to the channel 28. In

In a fourth switching position of the control valve, channels 20 and 21 are closed, but channel 28 is connected to channel 29 via the control valve.

Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of a filling system which differs from the filling system of Figure 1 essentially only in that instead of the vacuum channel a return gas channel 31 is provided, which in turn is formed on the underside of the ring vessel 1 as a ring channel common to all filling elements 3. Furthermore, in the embodiment of Figure 2 the valve 25 in the channel is omitted.

With the system in Figure 1, a filling process is possible, for example, with the following process steps:

Evacuate bottle 4

When the filling valve 13 is closed, the bottle 4, which is in a sealed position with the filling element 3, is evacuated to a vacuum of approximately 90% by connecting the channel 28 to the channel 20 via the control valve 23.

Bottle 4 with CQ2 intermediate rinse

When the filling valve 13 is closed and the control valve 23 is blocking the channels 20, 21 and 28, the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 is opened mechanically, controlled by the pinion 15'. CO2 is thereby introduced into the bottle 4 from the gas chamber 2" via the gas channel 16.

Re-evacuation of bottle 4

When the filling valve 13 and the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 are closed, the channel 28 is reconnected to the channel 20 via the control valve 23, which causes the bottle to be evacuated again to a vacuum of approx. 90%.

Pre-tensioning the bottle 4

When the filling valve 13 is closed and the channels 20, 21 and 28 are closed by the control valve 23, the clamping gas and Trinox valves are mechanically opened again.

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Valve 18, controlled by the pinion 15', whereby the interior of the bottle is pre-tensioned to the filling pressure.

Filling the bottle 4

As soon as pressure equalization has occurred between the interior of the bottle 4 and the ring bowl or the gas chamber 2" there, the liquid valve 13 opens automatically due to the spring preload of the valve body 14. The clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 remains mechanically open. The channels 20, 21 and 28 are blocked by the control valve 23.

Filling

As soon as the filling material level in the bottle 4 exceeds the lower end 11' of the return gas pipe 11, the outflow of the gas displaced by the filling material from the interior of the bottle 4 via the gas channel 16 into the gas chamber 2" is interrupted. This prevents the further inflow of the filling material from the liquid chamber 2'. The clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 remains in the open position. The channels 20, 21 and 28 are blocked at the control valve 23.

Close filling valve mechanically and open Trinox

The filling valve 13 is closed mechanically.

As stated above, a pressure is regulated in the Trinox channel 26 which is approximately 1.0 - 2.0 bar above the filling pressure in the gas chamber 2".

The clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 is now in its open position due to the pressure in channel 16. Channels 21 and 28 are connected via control valve 23, so that a gas flow limited by nozzle 27 can flow from Trinox channel 26 into bottle 4 or bottle neck 1. In bottle 4, an overpressure is created above the filling level there, which is derived from the filling pressure in ring bowl 1, from the weight or closing force of valve needle 19 (pressure threshold value of the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18) and from the gas flow flowing in via nozzle 27. This Trinox pressure in bottle 4 is determined by appropriate dimensioning of the cross-section of nozzle 27 and the closing force.

the valve needle 19 is set so that the filling material in the bottle 4 above the end IT is pushed back into the interior 2 of the ring bowl 1 via the gas channel 16 gently and without any significant disturbance, in particular without any significant foam or splash formation. Due to the gas flow limited by the nozzle 27, a constant and reproducible gas gap is created between the end 11' and the filling material level in the bottle 4. This makes it possible to achieve filling level accuracies that are far higher than those of known filling systems.

If the Trinox channel 26 is fed with CO2 as described above, the atmosphere in the gas space 2" is constantly enriched with CO2 by the gas flow flowing into the interior space 2 via the gas channel 16.

Pressure-controlled discharge

When the filling valve 13 is closed, when the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 are closed and when channels 20 and 28 are connected via the control valve 23, a pressure-controlled pre-relief takes place. For this purpose, the desired pre-relief pressure in the bottle neck is set on the valve 25 (by selecting the appropriate spring force). The gases escaping from the bottle 4 during the pre-relief are discharged via the vacuum channel 22. The pressure reduction from the filling pressure to the pre-relief pressure takes place gently, namely by throttling the gas flow via the nozzle or throttle 24.

The gas expanding in the gas channel 16 can flow out through the mentioned gas gap between the end 11' and the level of the filling material in the bottle 4 via the bottle neck and the channels 28 and 20 without significantly disturbing the surface of the filling material. The filling material in the bottle 4 is therefore not disturbed by this gas expanding in the gas channel 16, in contrast to known filling systems in which the end 11' of the gas pipe 11 is immersed in the filling material at the filling end. Depending on the filling material to be filled in each case, the pre-relief pressure is set so that gas bubbles from the beverage rise to the surface quickly and without foam formation that disrupts the filling process.

Residual pressure at atmospheric pressure

When the filling valve 13 and the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 are closed, channel 28 is connected to channel 29 via the control valve 23. Channels 20 and 21 are closed at the control valve 23. The residual pressure is then released to atmospheric pressure via a nozzle 30 provided in channel 29. Due to the previous pre-relief, no significant spray losses occur during these residual pressures.

For certain types of filling material, for example beer, the pre-relief pressure on valve 25 can be set so that it is only slightly above atmospheric pressure (e.g. about 0.5 bar). In this case, the residual relief can be dispensed with.

A further modification of the method described above consists in that, for example, only a one-time evacuation of the bottle 4 takes place, i.e. the first evacuation and the intermediate rinsing of the bottle are omitted.

The filling process described above (single-chamber filling principle with or without pre-evacuation, with pressure-controlled pre-relief into the vacuum channel 22, with height correction by Trinox and residual relief into the atmosphere) possible with the embodiment of Figure 1 is particularly suitable for filling wine, cooler drinks, sparkling wine, sparkling wine and sparkling wine as well as mixed spirit drinks containing CO2.

In the version with double pre-evacuation (low-oxygen filling), the system is particularly suitable for filling bottom- and top-fermented beers up to 6.0 g CO2/liter, wheat beers up to 9.0 g CO2/liter and oxygen-sensitive soft drinks.

With the system shown in Figure 2, for example, a process is possible which differs from the process described above in that the process steps "evacuate bottle 4" and "rinse bottle 4 with CO2" are omitted. Furthermore, with the system shown in Figure 2

possible processes, the following process step precedes the process step “prestressing the bottle 4”:

TpJlvnrspannpn Acr bottle 4 from the pre -relief channel 31 With the filling valve 13 closed and with channels 20 and 28 connected via the control valve 23, before the final pre-tensioning of the bottle 4 from the gas space 2" , a partial pre-tensioning takes place from the return gas or pre-relief channel 31, which contains a predetermined or regulated CO2 pressure, which corresponds, for example, to half the filling pressure. This partial pre-tensioning creates an atmosphere with a high CO2 content in the respective bottle 4. This CO2 atmosphere improves when CO2 is also used in the Trinox step which follows later, whereby the proportion of CO2 in the atmosphere in the gas space 2" and thus ultimately also the proportion of CO2 in the pre-relief channel 31 are improved.

By partially pre-stressing to a medium pressure level, excessive atomization of liquid particles during the subsequent pre-stressing from the ring vessel is avoided. These atomized particles may form release nuclei for the CO2 bound in the filling material, which could lead to uncontrolled foam formation during subsequent relief.

The process steps of pre-pressurizing the bottle from the gas space 2", filling, end of filling, mechanically closing the filling valve and opening the Trinox correspond to the process described above.

The controlled pressure relief in the process with the system of Figure 2 is not carried out via the valve 25 in the vacuum channel 22, but via the nozzle 24 provided in the channel 20 into the return gas or pre-relief channel 31, in which, as explained above, the specified pre-relief pressure is set or regulated, namely with the filling valve 13 closed and with channels 28 and 20 connected via the control valve 23. Even with this pressure-controlled pre-relief, the pre-relief pressure and the pressure change (by appropriately dimensioning the nozzle 24) are optimally adjusted to the filling material to be filled, so that

there are no disturbances caused by the filling material (foam formation, release of CO2 etc.).

Figure 3 shows again in an enlarged view the upper end of the shaft 14' and the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 formed there with the valve needle 19. As shown, the valve needle 19 is provided to float freely in the disk 32 provided at the upper end of the shaft 14', i.e. to be displaceable in the direction of the vertical axis VA. The disk 32 serves in a known manner in cooperation with the control element 15 or its control curve 15" to close the liquid valve 13. When the liquid valve 13 is closed, the valve needle 19 can thus be lifted by the pressure inside the bottle 4 attached to the filling element 3, whereby the lower end of the valve needle 19 releases the valve seat 16' formed in the gas channel 16 and thereby opens the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18. The pressure or pressure threshold value required for opening is determined by the mass weight of the valve needle 19. This opening pressure can also be additionally increased or adjusted by a spring (not shown), if this is necessary.

The special feature is the dual function of the valve needle 19 as both a clamping gas and a Tronix valve needle.

When flushing and/or pre-tensioning from the gas chamber 2", the needle 19 is mechanically raised by the control element 15 or by the control cam 15" formed on this control element to open the tensioning gas and Trinox valve 18.

With the described design of the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18, in conjunction with the nozzle 27 provided in the channel 21, a control of the Trinox pressure in the bottle neck of the bottle 4 attached to the filling element 3 is also achieved, in particular in such a way that pressure fluctuations in the Trinox channel 26 hardly affect the Trinox pressure in the bottle neck, ie the pressure in the bottle 4 after opening the Trinox channel in the manner described above is essentially dependent on the closing force or the pressure threshold of the clamping gas and Trinox valve 18 and on the dimensioning of the nozzle 27 or on the pressure supplied via this

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Nozzle gas flow into the bottle neck. The nozzle 27 and the closing force of the clamping gas or Trinox valve 18, i.e. the weight of the closing needle 19 are adjusted so that the Trinox pressure formed in the bottle is just sufficient to gently push excess product back into the interior 2.

The pre-relief and possibly also the residual relief in the vacuum channel 22 also avoid microbiological problems that can arise when the pressure is released into the atmosphere in the immediate vicinity of the respective filling element 3 due to atomized filling material. Especially when filling beer, the pressure of the pre-relief in the vacuum channel 22 can be set so low that subsequent residual relief is no longer necessary.

List of reference symbols Ring boiler 1 Boiler in &eegr;&eegr; room 2 Fluid space 2' Gas room 2" Filling element 3 Bottle 4 Bottle mouth 5 Housing 6 Centering element 7 Ring seal 8th Fluid channel 9 Passage 10 Return gas pipe 11 End 11' Delivery opening 12 Filling or liquid valve 13 Venti !body 14 Venti Corporation 14' Control 15 pinion 15' Control curve 15" Gas channel 16 Valve seat 16' mouth 17 Spangas and Trinox valve 18 Venti I needle 19 channel 20,21 Vacuum channel 22 Control valve 23 throttle 24

Check and pressure control valve Trinox channel Throttle channel Throttle Return gas or pre-relief channel Disc

Claims (14)

1. Single-chamber filling system for filling bottles or similar containers (4) with a liquid filling material, with at least one filling element (3) in its housing (6) a liquid channel (9) is formed which contains a liquid taken up by the filling material, which has a gas space above the filling material, gas pressure (filling pressure) which is closed again in a filling phase for filling the container (4) attached to the filling element (3), with a return open end (11') protrudes beyond the underside of the filling element (3) and at least partially from the discharge opening (12) of the F a gas channel (16) extending from the lower end (11') of the back, with a gas valve (18) with a valve body; forms a discharge opening and with a tsraum of a boiler (2) in connection 2") with a first one, with a liquid valve (13) ewe, with a container mouth (5) opens and at the end of the filling phase pipe (14) which with its lower, Gas channel to the gas chamber (2) is blocked and in an open position opens the gas channel (16) to the gas chamber (2"), as well as at least partially in the housing (6) of the filling element (3) formed gas paths are controllable, characterized by a Gas, preferably an inert gas, with a second gas pressure which is greater than the first gas pressure, wherein the Trinox channel
first gas path (21, 28) with the inner space
container (4) and wherein the Valve (18) is designed such that its valve body (19) opens automatically, if the gas pressure in the gas channel (16) exceeds one that is greater than the first gas 2. Filling system according to claim 1, characterized in that in a region of the liquid channel (9) liquid channel (9) is enclosed, with gas pipe (11) up to the gas chamber (2") this gas channel provided, controlled (19), which in a closed position the (20, 21, 28) which, via a control valve (23), Trinox channel (26) for receiving a (26) via the control valve (23) and one of the tension gas valves attached to the filling element (3) as tension gas and Trinox specified pressure threshold uck, but less than the second gas pressure. :, that the first gas path (21, 28) opens, which is in the flow direction of the The filling material is below the liquid valve (13). 3. Filling system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that (20, 28) at least one
a nozzle or throttle (27) is provided. 4. Filling system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping gas and Trinox valve (18) or its valve body (19) is mechanical control element (15) actuated by fixed control cam or fixed control 5. Filling system according to one of the Designed as a filling machine rotating rotor or ring bowl (1) provided for filling preceding claims, characterized by the type with a plurality of on one element (3). 6. Filling system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control valve (23) is a mechanically coupled valve, for example, it interacts with a stationary control cam. Claims, characterized in that »an operable valve which or with fixed control cams 7. Filling system according to one of the preceding that the valve body of the clamping gas and Tr axially displaceable valve needle (19) which cooperates with the valve seat (16'). 8. Filling system according to one of the previous! that the pressure threshold is set by the property or. 9. Filling system according to one of the preceding that the pressure threshold is determined by spring mi characterized in that in the first gas path pressure reducing element, for example at least which, for example, interacts with a cam. Claims, characterized in that the nox valve (18) has a gas channel (16) with a gas channel (16) formed Claims, characterized in that the weight of the valve body (19) is determined Claims, characterized in that the valve body (19) is Preload the closed position, at least in part. lO.Filling system according to a
at least one second gas path (21), iibejr control valve (23) the interior of the to the via the container mouth (5) with a 11.Filling system according to claim 10, characterized in that (20) at least one second throttle or nozzle 12. Filling system according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that in the second gas path (20) a pressure control valve of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that a further channel (22, 31) can be connected to the container (4) placed in a second position of the filling element (3). nncharacterized in that the second gas path (24) is provided. (25) which is provided for in If the pressure falls below a second value (e.g. pre-relief pressure), the second gas path (20) is blocked. 13.Filling system according to one of claims 10, further channel (22) is a vacuum channel. 12, characterized in that the vacuum source connected or connectable 14. Filling system according to one of claims 10 at least one further channel (31) is a return for receiving the gas displaced during filling of the B with a predetermined third gas pressure, 13, characterized in that the kgas or pre-relief channel, and holder (4) from these which is lower than the first gas pressure.