EP0110189A1 - Method of controlling a filling machine, especially for a bottle filler, and arrangement for performing the method - Google Patents

Abstract

At the end of a filling phase and when a predetermined container filling state is reached on the basis of a first control signal derived from a signal transmitter (41, 50), the filling valve (24) is closed. With the aid of the signal transmitter designed as a flow meter, the quantity of filling material flowing to the container is continuously measured in the filling phase and a pulse signal corresponding to this quantity, in which a certain number of successive pulses corresponds in each case to a specific quantity of filling material. The number of pulses is counted and the result obtained in this way is compared as an actual value signal with a first, preselected setpoint signal. In the case of a state “actual value signal = first setpoint signal”, the first control signal for closing the filling valve is emitted.

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling a filling machine which serves for filling containers, in particular for filling bottles with a liquid filling material and for controlling the quantity of filling material dispensed has at least one filling valve which at the end of the filling phase and when a predetermined container filling state has been reached is closed on the basis of a first control signal derived from a _J signal transmitter.

In a further development, the invention relates to an arrangement for performing this method, with at least one filling element, which one, in an outlet opening, e.g. Filling tube, for the delivery of the filling material opening to the container and communicating with a chamber for the filling material liquid channel, in which a controllable by a signal, preferably by an electrical or pneumatic signal, is arranged a filling valve.

In filling machines for filling containers, in particular bottles with a liquid filling material, a precisely dosed preparation is still unaffected today and, above all, is not influenced by external influences (such as liquid pressure, temperature, viscosity, different volumes of the containers or bottles, etc. due to manufacturing tolerances) exact delivery even today considerable difficulties. Attempts have already been made to solve these problems by appropriately designing a filling machine or its filling elements and control parts or by special methods of controlling such a machine. As far as these Losungsvorschlä ^g en purely mechanical and constructive measures, these are quite expensive and prone to failure, and particularly not suitable, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned external influences.

All known measures, and in particular also those that use electrical methods for control and regulation, are based on the principle that the signal generator generating the first control signal for closing the filling valve in the container to be filled detects the amount of the filling material present there, what after one of the findings on which the invention is based has far-reaching disadvantages. The fill level in the container is only an approximate measure of the fill quantity. Influences such as temperature fluctuations or, above all, different volumes of the containers or bottles to be filled, which are caused by manufacturing tolerances, can also not be taken into account. Furthermore, a relatively complex changeover is required if bottles of different sizes are to be filled with the same bottle filling machine with a different amount of filling material.

In particular in those bottle filling machines in which the liquid filling material is dispensed via filling tubes immersed in the bottles, and these filling tubes are formed, for example, by attaching electrodes made of electrically conductive material as signal transmitters, a change from one bottle size to another bottle size is only possible by exchanging the then relatively expensive filling pipes possible. In addition, these filling tubes are not only expensive, but also very sensitive, i.e. they have to be handled carefully in practical operation and stored gently when not in use, which is rarely guaranteed in practice.

Furthermore, it has been found that especially when filling carbonated liquids, such as beer, lemonade, etc., the filling process can be optimized by filling a bottle or a container initially, i.e. For example, up to a partial filling quantity of, for example, 10% of the total filling quantity, at a low speed and then subsequently up to a larger partial filling quantity of, for example, 85% of the total filling quantity at a much higher speed, whereupon the filling speed then follows until the desired total filling quantity is reached is reduced again. This division of the actual filling phase into three or more sub-phases, which is advantageous for an optimal filling process, is difficult to achieve with the known methods, at least in all known methods and arrangements these sub-phases or their beginning and end are more due to the constructive design of the signal transmitter or less firmly specified and are not based in particular on the partial filling state of the container or bottle actually achieved.

The invention has for its object to provide a method and an arrangement for controlling a filling machine of the type described in such a way that, regardless of external influences, the filling process is ended when the quantity of product flowing into a container actually corresponds to the desired total quantity, whereby external influences on the metered delivery of the liquid contents to a container as far as possible and, above all, there is also the possibility of changing the desired total filling quantity if necessary without complex conversion or retrofitting work.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and an arrangement which, in the case of a filling phase running at different speeds, make it possible to change the individual sub-phases or their start and / or end as desired, in order to achieve optimal results to get. To achieve this object a method of the kind mentioned above is formed according to the invention so that with the formed as a continuous diameter signal Help ebers ^g in the filling phase constantly the influent container to be filled filling material measured and this amount corresponding pulse signal is generated, in which a particular Number of successive pulses in each case corresponds to a certain quantity of product to be filled, that the number of pulses is counted and the result obtained in this way is compared as an actual value signal with a first preselected setpoint signal, and that in a state "actual value signal = first setpoint signal" the first control signal for closing the Filling valve is released.

Since, in the method according to the invention, the quantity of filling material to be filled into the container to be filled is measured with the aid of the signal transmitter designed as a flow meter, the desired total filling quantity is always located in the filled container, i.e. this filling quantity is e.g. in particular not dependent on changes in the volume of the containers, which (change in volume) are due to manufacturing tolerances.

The first setpoint signal, which is set, for example, with the aid of one or more switches or in another suitable manner and is preferably in the form of a digital signal, can be changed without difficulty and, above all, without mechanical changes to the filling machine, so that filling of bottles of different sizes is possible with one and the same machine without difficulty.

Furthermore, the method of the invention offers the possibility, in addition to the first target value signal, which corresponds to the angstrebten total filling amount or the desired Endfüllzustand to provide another set point signal corresponding to a pre ^g plane part-filled state of the container, wherein when the actual value of this further Setpoint signal reached has, a further control signal is generated, which switches from the partial or measuring phase with slow filling speed to a partial or measuring phase with high speed or vice versa.

The method according to the invention is also particularly suitable for controlling counterpressure filling machines in which, during the filling process, the actual filling phase is preceded by a pretensioning phase in which the containers or bottles to be filled are pressurized with a pressurized gas.

An arrangement of the type described at the outset is particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention, which is characterized in that a signal transmitter designed as a flow meter is arranged in the liquid channel formed by the filling element and emits a number of successive pulses corresponding to the flow rate that the output of Si ^g nalgebers connected to the input of a device that counts the pulses, compares the result thus obtained as an actual value with a predetermined first setpoint signal at an output a signal to an actuator for closing the filling valve discharges when the actual value is equal to the first setpoint signal.

The device to which the signal from the signal generator is fed is preferably designed such that the actual value signal is there at least compared with another predetermined setpoint signal and that a further control signal is present at a further output of the device when the state "actual value signal = further setpoint signal "is reached. The output of the device having this further control signal is connected to an element which, with appropriate control, changes the filling speed, ie the speed at which the liquid filling material flows into a container. In a filling machine, in which a gas volume displaced from the filling material flowing into the container is vented ventilation channel is vented, this element for changing the filling speed is, for example, an electrically actuated valve which changes the effective cross section of the ventilation channel in at least a portion of this channel when opening or closing.

If the arrangement or filling machine is one in which a plurality of filling elements are provided on a rotating rotor, the arrangement is preferably designed in such a way that a control signal for initiating each time when the individual element is in a predetermined position Filling process is then given when at least two further signals are present in this position, one of which is inevitably generated when this position is reached, and the other, further signal is present when a container is in the prescribed filling position in this position.

The arrangement is also preferably designed such that whenever a filling element has reached a certain position when the rotor rotates, in which the filling phase is normally already completed, a further control signal is generated which is fed to the actuating device for the filling valve of this filling element and the filling valve inevitably closes.

Developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

• Fig. l in Draufsicht und in schematischer Darstellung den Rotor einer Flaschenfüllmaschine zusammen mit den am Umfang dieses Rotors angeordneten einzelnen Füllelementen (Füllventilen) sowie zusammen mit dem Einlauf- und Auslaufstern der Maschine:
• Fig. 2 und 3 im Axialschnitt einen Teil des Rotors der Maschine gemäß Fig. 1 sowie ein Füllelement dieser Maschine, wobei das Füllelement in der Fig. 2 ohne eine zu füllende Flasche und in der Fig. 3 zusammen mit einer zu füllenden Flasche in einer Position dargestellt ist, die die Flasche bzw. das Füllelement in der Vorspann- und Füllphase aufweisen;
• Fig. 4 in schematischer Darstellung und im Schnitt einen Meß-bzw. Signalgeber zur Verwendung bei der Erfindung;
• Fig. 5 ein Diagramm zur Erläuterung des zeitlichen Ablaufs des rüllvorganges, bestehend aus Vorspannphase, Füllphase sowie Abzugsphase;
• Fig. 6 das Blockschaltbild einer Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Steuereinrichtung;
• Fig. 7 das Blockschaltbild eines erweiterten Steuersystems nach der Erfindung, mit einer mehreren Füllelementen zugeordneten gemeinsamen Zentraleinheit;
• Fig. 8 eine ähnliche Darstellung wie Fig. 2, jedoch bei einer abgewandelten Ausführungsform.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures using exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• 1 shows a top view and a schematic representation of the rotor of a bottle filling machine together with the individual filling elements (filling valves) arranged on the circumference of this rotor and together with the inlet and outlet star of the machine:
• 2 and 3 in axial section a part of the rotor of the machine according to FIG. 1 and a filling element of this machine, the filling element in FIG. 2 without a bottle to be filled and in FIG. 3 together with a bottle to be filled in one Position is shown that the bottle or the filling element in the biasing and filling phase;
• Fig. 4 in a schematic representation and in section a measuring or. Signalers for use in the invention;
• 5 shows a diagram for explaining the chronological sequence of the filling process, consisting of the pretensioning phase, filling phase and draw-off phase;
• 6 shows the block diagram of an embodiment of the control device according to the invention;
• 7 shows the block diagram of an expanded control system according to the invention, with a common central unit assigned to a plurality of filling elements;
• Fig. 8 is a similar representation as Fig. 2, but in a modified embodiment.

In the figures, 1 is the rotor of a bottle filling machine in a multi-chamber design, which is driven in rotation about a vertical axis 2. On the circumference of the rotor 1, a plurality of filling elements are fastened at an equal, predetermined distance, in a known manner via lifting devices, not shown in more detail and also known, which can be moved up and down in the vertical direction and counter the bottles 4 to be filled for the filling process Raise the filling elements 3 to the filling position and lower them again.

The bottles 4 to be filled are fed to the filling machine or to the standing surfaces formed by the lifting elements on the rotor 1 via a transport element 5 and via the inlet star 7 which is driven to rotate about the vertical axis 6. The filled bottles 4 are removed from the machine via the outlet star 9, which is driven to rotate about the vertical axis 8, and a transport element 10 adjoining this. In the illustration chosen for FIG. 1, the rotor 1 rotates in the direction of arrow A.

In the area of the filling elements, the rotor 1 has an annular liquid chamber 11 for the liquid filling material to be filled into the bottles 4, e.g. Beer. Furthermore, the rotor 1 has an annular chamber 12 for the prestressing gas used to pretension the bottles 4 and an annular chamber 13 which serves to receive the air or gas volume displaced when the bottles 4 are filled and via a suitable opening (not shown in more detail) communicates with the surrounding atmosphere.

Each filling element 3 is connected to the aforementioned chambers via three channels, specifically via a liquid channel 14 to the chamber 11, via a clamping gas channel 15 to the chamber 12 and via a ventilation channel 16 to the chamber 13.

Each filler element 3 consists essentially of a valve housing 17, the cylindrical interior 18 of which, with its axis lying in the vertical direction, is delimited by the circumferential wall 19 and by the upper bottom wall 20 in FIGS. 2 and 3. On the underside, the interior 18 is closed by a housing part 21 which has a bore 22 which widens in a funnel shape toward the interior 18 and in which the upper end of a filler tube 23 which is open at both ends and which projects beyond the underside of the housing part 21 is fastened.

On its side facing the interior 18, the bore 22 forms a valve seat for the valve body 24, which can be moved up and down in the vertical direction in the interior 18 and thereby, as the actual filling valve, the dispensing of the liquid coming out of the chamber 11 via the channel 15 flows into the interior 18, controls the filling tube 23. The valve body 24 is biased into the open, upper position by a spring 25. However, the force of the spring 25 is selected so that the valve body 24 is held in its position against the valve seat and thus closed position in the absence of back pressure in the bore 22 by the pressure of the liquid in the chamber 11 or in the interior 18. To actuate the valve body 25, a plunger 26 is fastened to the upper end of the valve body, which is guided in a sealed manner through the bottom wall 20 and is connected to an electrical actuating element 27, for example to the armature of an electromagnet. The electrical actuating element 27, which is attached to the outside of the bottom wall 20, is designed so that it holds the valve body 24 against the action of the compression spring 25 in the closed position when an electrical signal is present even when in the bore 22 Back pressure prevails, which together with the spring 25 would cause the valve body 24 or the filling valve to open.

As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing part 21 forms on its underside an annular channel 28 which is open at the bottom and surrounds the filling tube 23 and into which the clamping gas channel 15 and the ventilation channel 16 open, the latter, however, also via a channel section 16 ' Reduced cross-section, which is parallel to a channel section 16 "with a larger cross section. An electrically actuable control valve 29 is provided in the channel section 16", the channel section 16 "being interrupted in one position of this valve and the channel section 16" in the other position of the control valve 29 is open. Another control valve 30 is provided in the clamping gas duct 15. Channels 15 and 16 extend partly through the circumferential wall 19 of the valve housing 17 and through the housing part 21, in which a compensating channel 31 is also provided, which the bore 22 and (via the ventilation channel 16 or its sections 16 'or 16 ") the annular channel 28 with one another A third, electrically actuable control valve 32 is arranged in the equalizing channel 31, which is normally closed and is only opened at the end of the filling process and after the valve body 24 has been closed, so that when the filled bottle 4 is pulled off, the liquid residue present in the filling tube 23 is also poured into the dispense the bottle in question.

On the filling tube 23 there is a centering bell 33, which is guided so that it can move up and down relative to the filling tube 23 in the vertical direction. To guide the centering bell 33 serve two parallel and spaced-apart vertical guide rods 34, which are provided on both sides of the filler tube 23 (in the illustration chosen for FIGS. 2 and 3 in front of and behind the filler tube 23) and in corresponding sliding guides on the valve housing 17 are displaceable. The lower ends of the guide rods 34 are fastened to the centering bell 33, while the upper ends of these rods are connected to one another via a connecting block 35, to which an actuating roller 36 is also fastened.

The centering bell 33 forms a downwardly tapering through bore or opening 37, which also has a diameter in its cylindrical portion which is larger than the outer diameter of the filler tube 23, so that between the outer wall of the filler tube 23 and the wall an annular channel 38 is formed in the opening 37. On its upper side facing the housing part 21, the centering bell 33 has a ring seal 39. A similar ring seal 40 is provided at the transition region between the cylindrical and the conical part of the opening 37, so that when the filler element 3 in question is raised or pressed down ter bottle 4 and with the centering bell 33 thus raised, this rests firmly with the ring seal 39 and sealed against the outside against the underside of the housing part 21 or against the surface 21 'surrounding the channel 28', while at the same time the opening edge 4 'of the bottle in question is firmly and tightly pressed against the outside against the ring seal 40, as shown in FIG. 3. This state shown in FIG. 3 is reached in the normal case, ie when no faults occur, for each bottle 4 or for each filler element 3 when the filler element in question rotates with the rotor 1 in FIG. 1 when I rotates has reached the designated position in which the so-called "preload phase" begins. The state shown in FIG. 3 is maintained until the filling element 3 in question and the associated bottle have reached the position designated III in FIG. 1. This position corresponds to the beginning of the withdrawal of the relevant bottle, ie, ^g using the Hubor- ane the bottle is lowered again.

In the liquid channel 14 between the chamber 11 and the interior 18, a signal generator 41 is arranged in the form of a flow meter, which is shown only schematically as a block in FIGS. 2 and 3. This signal transmitter can basically have a wide variety of forms. For example, flow meters working according to the impeller principle or arrangements which use nozzles and orifice bodies arranged one after the other in a pipeline and which determine the flow rate on the basis of the pressure differences occurring are suitable as signal transmitters.

If the filling material to be filled in the bottles 4 is an electrically conductive liquid, as is the case with beverages, a flow meter can be used as the signal transmitter 41, which is shown schematically in FIG. 4 and according to the known one Farady's law of induction works. This flow meter consists of a pipe section 42 which is passed through by the liquid to be measured flows and accordingly forms part of the liquid channel 14. The pipe section 42 is formed from a material with a low magnetic conductivity, for example from plastic, copper, brass, etc. and is provided on its inner surface with at least one layer of electrically insulating material. The pipe section 42 is surrounded by a core 43 made of ferromagnetic material, on which (core) at least one coil 44 is provided. The coil 44 is controlled by a generator 45, which delivers an impressed, switched direct current of low frequency in the range below 50 Hz, so that a time-changing magnetic field B results in the interior of the pipe section 42.

Inside the pipe section 42, two electrodes 46 and 47 are provided, which are connected to the inputs of an electrical circuit 48. With current flowing through coil 44, i.e. in the presence of the magnetic field B and when the liquid filling material flows through the pipe section 42, a voltage U is applied to the electrodes 46 and 47 which is proportional to the product B x v x D.

• B = Stärke des Magnetfeldes
• v = mittlere Fließgechwindigkeit des flüssigen Füllgutes durch das Rohrstück 42
• D = Innendurchmesser des Rohrstückes 42

In it are:

• B = strength of the magnetic field
• v = average flow rate of the liquid filling material through the pipe section 42
• D = inner diameter of the pipe section 42

By turning the magnetic field B on and off, the voltage U is a pulse or square wave voltage. In circuit 48, the difference between the voltage U in the switched-on state of the magnetic field B and the voltage U in the switched-off state of this magnetic field is formed. The signal present at the output 49 of the circuit 48 is then a measure of the average flow rate of the liquid filling material through the Pipe section 42 and thus a measure of the quantity of filling material flowing through the pipe section 42 per unit of time. The output 49 forms the output of the signal generator 41.

If a device is used as the signal transmitter 41, which supplies an analog signal proportional to the quantity of product, the signal transmitter 41 is connected in accordance with the embodiment of the control device according to the invention shown in FIG. 6 to an analog-digital converter 50 which has a pulse at its output Signal delivers, a certain number of pulses each corresponding to a certain quantity of product. The converter 50 can of course be omitted if the signal generator 41 already delivers a corresponding digital signal.

The output of the converter 50 or the output of the signal generator 41 is connected to the input of a counter 51 which counts the incoming pulses and at whose output a digital signal corresponding to the number of pulses is present.

At the in the. 6 embodiment, the output of the counter 51 is connected to the inputs of a total of three comparison circuits 52, 53 and 54, wherein - if this is desired or required for a particular type of control of the filling machine - fewer than three comparison circuits or more can be provided as three comparison circuits, as is indicated in FIG. 6 for the comparison circuit 55 with broken lines.

Each comparison circuit 52, 53 and 54 or 55 has a second input which is connected to an electrical element or circuit 56, 57, 58 or 59, at the output of which a preferably freely preselectable digital setpoint signal is present.

Each comparator circuit 52 to 55 delivers a signal at its output when the signal (actual value signal) present at the output of the counter 51 is equal to the setpoint signal set at the associated element 56 to 59.

In the illustrated embodiment, the output of the comparison circuit 52 is connected to one input of a control element 60 and the output of the comparison circuit 53 is connected to the other input of the control element 60. The output signal of the control element 60 is used to control the control valve 29, the arrangement being such that the control valve 29 is opened when a signal is present at the output of the comparison circuit 52 and is closed when a signal is present at the output of the comparison circuit 53.

The output of the comparison circuit 54 is connected to the one input of a control element 61, which is used to control the control valve 32. The second input of the control element 61 is connected to a signal line 62. The arrangement is such that the control valve 32 is closed when a signal is present on the signal line 62 and is opened when a signal is present at the output of the comparison circuit 54.

The output of the comparison circuit 54 is simultaneously connected via a signal line 63 to the one input of an OR gate 64, the output of which is connected to the one input of a control element 65. A signal line 66 is connected to the other input of the control element 65, which is used to control the filling valve of the associated filling element 3 or to control the actuating element 27, the arrangement here being such that the filling valve (24) of the associated filling element 3 then opens when a signal is present on the signal line 66 and then closes when a signal is present at the output of the OR gate 64.

The second input of the OR gate 64 is connected via a signal line 67 to a signal transmitter 68, which in the simplest case is formed by a pressure switch assigned to each filler element 3 and provided on the rotor 1, the contacts of which close when the associated filler element 3 rotates of the rotor 1 has reached the position indicated by III in FIG. 1. This means that there is always a signal at the control element 65 which causes the filling valve or the valve body 24 to close when the signal transmitter 68 delivers a signal or when the associated filling element 3 has reached position III in FIG. 1.

The output of the signal transmitter 68 is simultaneously connected to one input of the AND gate 69, the other input of which is connected to the signal line 63 via an inverter 70.

The output of the AND gate 69 is connected to the input of a delay element 70, which is preferably formed by a shift register, to which a clock signal 71 is applied at a second input, the latter being derived from the rotational speed of the rotor 1 and accordingly also can be described as a "machine cycle". The output of the delay element 70 is connected to the input of a control element 72, which is used to control an ejector 73, which is arranged in the region of the rotor 1 in the illustration selected for FIG. 1 and which is present when a signal is present at the output of the AND Member 69 is actuated with a delay due to the delay member 70 and passes the bottle standing on this ejector to a receptacle 74 'for defective or not or insufficiently filled bottles. Since the signal generator 68 in the position III emits a signal, the time delay of the Verzögerun ^g sgliedes 70 equal to the time needed for the rotor 1 to move from the position 3 to the position 4 of Fig. 1. It is understood that the Ejector 73 can also be provided outside the rotor 1, for example in the area of the transport element 10. In this case, a correspondingly greater delay by the delay element 70 is then required.

The signal line 66 is connected to the output of a delay element 74, the input of which is connected to the signal line 62, which in turn is connected to the output of an AND gate 75. An input of a control element 76, which serves to control the control valve 30, is also connected to the signal line 62. The second input of the control element 76 is connected to the signal line 66 or to the output of the delay element 74, the arrangement being such that, when there is a signal on the signal line 62 or at the output of the AND gate 75, the control valve 30 is opened and with a signal on the signal line 66 or at the output of the delay element 74 is closed. The characteristic of the delay element 74 is chosen so that the delayed signal occurs on the line 66 when the filling element 3 in question has reached position II of FIG. 1 when the rotor 1 rotates. Since in the illustrated embodiment the delay element 74 has a fixed predetermined delay time, i.e. the time delay of the signal caused by the delay element 74 is independent of the machine cycle, the position II can change as the rotational speed of the rotor 1 changes.

The two inputs of the AND gate 75 are each connected to a signal transmitter 77 and 73, both of which can then supply a signal to the AND gate 75 when the associated filling element 3 is in position 1 in FIG. 1, specifically the signal generator 77 inevitably always delivers a signal when the associated filling element 3 has reached the position I, while the signal generator 78 only delivers a signal when the position I has reached under the filling element 3, while the signal transmitter 78 only turns on Provides signal when there is also a bottle 4 under the filling element 3. As a criterion for this, for example, the position of the centering bell 33 or the connecting block 35 or the actuating roller 36 can be used, ie if a bottle 4 is present under the filling element 3 in question, these elements are in the raised position, with the actuating roller then lifting 36 of the signal transmitter 78, which is designed, for example, as an electrical pressure switch.

With the in the fig. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6, each filler element 3 is assigned its own control circuit, as shown in this figure, wherein only the elements 56 to 59 can be used together for all filler elements 3 provided on the rotor 1 or for specific groups of these filler elements, as indicated by the busbar 79, 80, 81 and 82 of FIG. 6. The ejector 73 and the associated control element 72 are also provided together for the control devices of all the filling elements 3, i.e. the input of the control element 72 is connected to a busbar 83 to which the outputs of the delay elements 70 of all control devices are connected.

A significant design simplification is possible in that the subcircuit formed by the AND gate 75 and the two signal transmitters 77 and 78 is only provided once for all the filling elements 3. 2 and 3, this is possible in that in the control circuit or in the control device for each filling element 3 instead of the AND element 75 on the rotor 1, a contactor, for example a reed contact 84, is provided, which is in the closed state delivers a signal to the signal line 62. On the circumference of the rotor 1, an electromagnet 85 is provided in position I, which is then switched on and then actuates the reed contact 84 when an actuating roller 36 is raised from this roller also in the position I fixed switch 26 is operated. The switch 86 is again a reed contact, for example, which is actuated when the centering bell 33 is raised by a permanent magnet 87 which is provided in the region of the actuating roller 36 or at another, suitable location of each filling element 3.

• Es wird davon ausgegangen, daß eine Flasche 4 am Übergabebereich zwischen dem Einlaufstern 7 und dem Rotor 1 ordnungsgemäß auf die von einer Hubvorrichtung gebildete Standfläche unter einem Füllelement 3 gelangt ist, und daß die Flasche 4 bei Erreichen der Position I von unten her gegen das Füllelement 3 angedrückt wurde, so daß die Flasche 4 und die Teile des Füllelementes 3 die in der Fig. 3 dargestellte Position aufweisen. Das Füllventil des Füllelementes 3 ist geschlossen, da der Ventilkörper 24 durch den Druck des flüssigen Füllgutes in der Kammer 11 bzw. im Innenraum 18 in der geschlossenen Stellung gehalten wird.

The mode of operation of the control device or the filling process can be described as follows:

• It is assumed that a bottle 4 at the transfer area between the inlet star 7 and the rotor 1 has properly reached the standing area formed by a lifting device under a filling element 3, and that the bottle 4 has reached position I from below against the filling element 3 was pressed so that the bottle 4 and the parts of the filling element 3 have the position shown in FIG. 3. The filling valve of the filling element 3 is closed because the valve body 24 is held in the closed position by the pressure of the liquid filling material in the chamber 11 or in the interior 18.

As soon as the filling element 3 has reached the position 1, the signal transmitter 78 or the Ried contact 86 has determined the presence of a bottle 4 and the signal transmitter 78 or the Ried contact 84 has reported the reaching of the position I and thus at the exit of the AND element 75 or at the Ried contact 84 and thus also at the signal line 62, a signal is present, the control valve 30 is opened. After opening the control valve 30, span gas flows through the span gas channel 15, the channel 28 and the channel 38 into the interior of the bottle 4, which is thus biased. The control valve 32 is inevitably closed by the signal on the signal line 62.

The bias phase is ended when the signal present on signal line 62 delays at the output of time delay element 74 and thus on signal line 66 appears. This delayed signal closes the valve 30 via the control element 76 and opens the filling valve via the control element 65, ie the actuating element 27, which until then has kept the valve body 24 in its closed position until it is switched off, is switched off, so that the valve body 24 due to Bias by the spring 25 and due to the approximately equal pressure between the pressure in the interior 18 and the clamping gas pressure in the bore 22 can open.

After opening the valve body 24, the filling phase begins, i.e. the liquid filling material (e.g. beer) flows through signal transmitter 41 into the interior 18 and from there through the filling pipe 23 into the bottle 4, with the span gas volume displaced by the inflowing filling material flowing simultaneously via the channel 38, the channel 28 and the narrowed area 16 'and can escape into the chamber 13 via the ventilation channel 16. The control valve 29 is still closed at this time.

The signal generator. 41 or the downstream analog-digital converter 50 supplies to the input of the counter 51 counting pulses, the number of which is proportional to the quantity of filling material flowing in. These counting pulses are counted in the counter 51 and the output signal of this counter is first compared in the comparison circuit 52 with a setpoint signal which was previously set on the element 56. Due to the narrowed area 16 ', the clamping gas can only escape slowly from the bottle 4, so that the filling speed is also relatively slow.

As soon as the signal transmitter 41 has determined a certain partial filling quantity and there is a signal at the output of the counter 51 which is equal to the setpoint signal of the element 56, the comparison circuit 52 supplies a signal at its output which leads to the control valve 29 being opened.

This opening of the control valve 29 takes place, for example, when approximately 10% of the total filling quantity has reached the bottle 4.

5, the beginning of the pretensioning phase described above is denoted by I and the end of the pretensioning phase by II. The time at which the control valve 29 opens in the manner described is indicated by II / I in FIG. 5.

After opening the control valve 29, the clamping gas displaced by the inflowing filling material can escape faster over the section 16 "with a larger cross-section, so that the filling speed increases noticeably.

The pulses supplied by the signal generator 41 or by the analog-digital converter 50 are further counted and the output of the counter 51 is compared in the comparison circuit 53 with the setpoint signal set on the element 57. As soon as the signal at the output of the counter 51 is equal to this second setpoint signal, the comparison circuit 53 delivers a control signal at its output, which leads to a closing of the control valve 29. This point in time, which is designated 11/2 in FIG. 5, is reached when approximately 85% of the total filling quantity of filling material has reached the bottle 4.

After the control valve 29 has been closed, the clamping gas volume displaced by the inflowing filling material can in turn only escape via the narrowed area 16 ′, as a result of which the filling speed is noticeably reduced.

The counting pulses supplied by the signal generator 41 or by the analog-digital converter 50 are counted further in the counter 51 and the output signal of this counter is compared with the third setpoint set on the element 58, which corresponds exactly to the desired total filling quantity of the bottle 4. As soon as the output of the counter 51 is equal to the set value set on the element 58, the comparison circuit 54 delivers on it Output and thus on the signal line 63 a signal which actuates the actuating element 27 via the OR gate 64 and the control element 65 in such a way that the valve body 24 is returned to its closed position, while at the same time through the signal on the signal line 63 via the control element 61 the control valve 32 is opened. After opening the control valve 32, there is a connection between the interior of the filling tube 23 and the channels 38 and 28, so that even after the valve body 24 is closed, a liquid balance between the interior of the filling tube 23 and the interior of the bottle 4 is possible and thereby when the bottle 4 is subsequently pulled off or moved downward, the amount of filling material present in the filling tube 23 can still flow into the bottle 4.

The time at which the valve body 24 closes and the control valve 32 opens is indicated by 11/3 in FIG. 5. This point in time does not necessarily coincide with the point in time at which the filling element 3 in question has reached position III of FIG. the time II / 3 lies between positions II and III.

The previous explanations have shown that the actual filling phase is completed when, based on the signal from the signal generator 41, the total filling quantity actually desired and set on the element 58 has been reached, while at the same time the time transition between the slow priming and the quick filling (position II / 1) as well as the time transition between the quick filling and the slow final filling (position 11/2) are determined by concrete, actual partial filling quantities preselected on the elements 56 and 57.

This has the advantage that the course and the end of the filling process are independent of external influences, such as temperature, pressure, viscosity of the filling material and independent of any blockages, particularly in the areas 16 '. and 16 "or different container volume can be optimally controlled according to the actual fill level or according to the actually desired fill quantity.

As soon as the filling element in question has reached position III in FIG. 1, the signal transmitter 68 supplies a signal to the OR gate 64, the output signal of which in any case leads to the valve body 24 being closed, even if a corresponding closing Signal at the output of the comparison circuit 54 should not yet be present.

In order to ensure correct counting of the counting pulses, it is necessary that the level of the counter 51 is reset to zero before the start of each new filling phase. This can be achieved, for example, by supplying a reset signal, preferably with a time delay, to the counter 51 for a signal at the output of the OR gate 64. The signal applied to signal line 62, for example, with which the entire filling process (consisting of pretensioning phase and filling phase) is initiated can also be used to reset counter 51.

The entire process described is not initiated if there is no bottle 4 in the filling position (raised centering bell 33) in position I under the filling element 3 in question, i.e. in this case, the signal generator 58 or the reed contact 86 does not provide a signal, so that no signal is present at the output of the AND gate 75 or at the output of the reed contact 84. For this reason, there is neither an opening of the control valve 30 nor an opening of the valve body 24.

If the pressure in the bore 22 or in the filling tube 23 suddenly drops during the filling process, ie already in the latter case, and the valve body 24 is pressed into the closed position by the pressure of the liquid filling material in the interior 18. This also has the consequence that the output signal of the counter 51 cannot reach a value that is equal to the setpoint at element 50. Thus, even when position III is reached, there is no signal on the signal line 63, with the result that a signal is present at the output of the inverter 70 and thus at one input of the AND gate 69. If at the same time position III is reached by the signal generator 68 to the second input of the AND gate 69, an ejection signal is delivered from the output of this gate to the delay element 70, which then actuates the ejector 73 with a time delay via the control element 72 when the defective bottle in question has reached the area of the ejector 73.

It has already been stated above that the control device shown in FIG. 6 is basically present separately for each filling element 3 on the rotor 1. However, it has already been pointed out that certain parts of this control device can be used together for several filling elements 3 or groups thereof.

In addition, a simplification is conceivable in such a way that the elements necessary for measuring the quantity of product and for generating the counting pulses and the control valves and the associated control elements are provided separately for each filler element 3, but for all filler elements 3 or for groups of these filler elements The measurement signals are evaluated in succession by a common central unit, this central unit would then also include at least the comparison circuits 52-55. The possibility of combining individual functions in a common central unit naturally finds its limits mainly in that, in particular with a rapidly rotating rotor 1, i.e. in a filling machine with high performance, there is only little time available for acquiring and evaluating the measurement data.

7 shows a further development of the control device according to FIG. 6 in such a way that a common central unit 88 is provided on the rotor 1 for several filling elements 3 or for groups of these filling elements. This central unit is connected via lines 89 to control devices 90, each of which is assigned to a filling element 3 and which, for example, correspond in its basic design to the control device according to FIG. 6. The central unit 88 has an output which is connected to a transmitter 91 and an input which is connected to a receiver 92. An operating device 93 is provided on a stationary part of the filling machine, the input of which is connected to a receiver 94 and the output of which is connected to a transmitter 95. The operating device 93 also has an input device 96 and an output device 97. The central unit 88 and the operating device 93 work together via the transmitter 95 and the receiver 92 or via the transmitter 91 and the receiver 94, the data transmission here being able to take place in a wide variety of ways , for example by electromagnetic waves, by infrared light, etc.

Various data or commands can be transmitted to the central unit 88 via the input device 96, for example the input of the desired values as described in connection with FIG. 6 and in connection with the elements 56, 57, 58 and 59. In the event of errors which are determined during operation of the bottle filling machine, individual valves of individual filling elements 3 or groups thereof can also be addressed or controlled via the input device 96. Setpoints, filling success messages, counter status of the individual filling valves or the associated counters can also be queried via the input device, these data then being output on the output device 97. The output device 97 can also serve to display errors, in particular to display defective filling elements 3, or else to display the quantity of filling material actually filled in bottles

The invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments. It goes without saying that changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive idea on which the invention is based.

8 shows an embodiment similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, although a liquid channel 14 'is provided instead of the horizontal liquid channel 14, which also extends through the signal transmitter 41, but in the flow direction of the filling material (arrow F of FIG. 8 ) is inclined downwards by an angle a with respect to the horizontal, so that the outlet end of the channel 14 'connected to the filling element 3 is lower than the inlet end connected to the chamber 1. The angle a is, for example, 5 °. The signal generator 41 has the same design as that shown in FIG. 4.

In addition, the embodiment of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is designed such that an area of the liquid channel or a flow path for the filling material, in which none of these are connected, to the signal transmitter 41 or to its measuring sections formed between the electrons 46 and 47 Filling-reflecting surfaces are provided, which are formed, for example, by narrowing the cross-section and / or by elements extending into the flow path. The length L of this flow path is approximately equal to 5 D, where D is the diameter that the liquid channel 14 'has in the area of the electrodes 46 and 47 or the pipe section 42 in this area. The flow path free of reflection surfaces preferably has a constant cross section equal to cross section D.

The inclined design of the liquid channel 14 'and the flow paths free of reflection surfaces ensure that there is a flow in the area of the signal transmitter 41 only in the direction of the arrow F, that is to say there is no partial reverse flow direction which could lead to an incorrect measurement . Furthermore, due to the inclined design of the liquid channel 14 ', air or gas bubbles can escape from the channel 14' or from the interior 18.

Claims (21)

1. A method for controlling a filling machine, which serves for filling containers, in particular for filling bottles, with a liquid filling material and for controlling the quantity of filling material dispensed has at least one filling valve which, at the end of a filling phase and when a predetermined container filling state is reached on account of a a first control signal derived from a signal transmitter is closed,
characterized,
that with the aid of the signal transmitter designed as a flow meter, the quantity of filling material flowing to the container is measured in the filling phase and a pulse signal corresponding to this quantity is generated in which a certain number of successive pulses corresponds to a certain quantity of filling material,
that the number of pulses is counted and the result obtained in this way is compared as an actual value signal with a first, preselected setpoint signal,
and that in a state "actual value signal = first setpoint signal", the first control signal for closing the filling valve is emitted. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the number of successive pulses corresponds to a measured by the Signaloeber and flowing to the container amount of filling, which is equal to the desired final filling state of the container. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that during the filling phase, the filling speed, ie the speed of the filling material flowing to the container is changed at least once when a first, predetermined partial filling state of the container is reached, so that the total Filling phase is divided into at least two sub-phases or heating phases with different filling speeds, and that when the actual value signal is a preselected second setpoint signal corresponding to the first partial filling state, a second control signal is emitted, which causes a change in the filling speed, preferably after the first partial filling state and when a second partial filling state of the container is reached, the filling speed is changed at least one more time, and that when the actual value signal is equal to a preselected third setpoint signal corresponding to the second partial filling state, a third control signal is emitted, with which the filling speed changes after reaching the second partial filling state, and that the actual value signal in each measuring phase preferably corresponds to the number of pulses counted from the beginning of the filling phase. 4. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that in a filling machine, in which a, from the filling material flowing into the container, displacing ^g tes gas volume is vented via at least one vent channel, the second control signal and / or the third control signal a change in effective cross section in at least a portion of this vent channel. 5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the actual value signal in each measurement phase corresponds to the number of pulses counted in this measurement phase. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in a filling machine for filling containers under counterpressure, the filling process is initiated by a fourth control signal, which initially causes the container to be pre-stressed within a predetermined period of time (pre-stress phase), and that after the end of this biasing phase, the filling valve is opened by a fifth control signal derived from the fourth control signal, the fifth control signal preferably being obtained by delaying the fourth control signal, and / or the fifth control signal or a signal derived therefrom preferably being used to end the biasing phase. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a sixth control signal is generated at a predetermined time after the start of the filling ^p hase, which causes the filling valve to close regardless of the actual value signal present at this time. 8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that in a filling machine with several arranged on the circumference of a rotating rotor and each having a filling valve filling elements, the filling process initiating fourth control region according to a logical AND combination of at least a seventh and an eighth control signal is derived from which the seventh control signal is emitted when a filler element has reached the position assigned to the start of the filling process, and from which the eighth control signal is emitted when in this position corresponding to the start of the filler process under the filler element concerned Container or bottle is in the filling position. 9. Arrangement for performing the method according to one of claims 1 to 12, with at least one filling element, which weniostens one, opening into an outlet opening, for example into a filling tube, for dispensing the filling material to a container and having a chamber for the filling material in has connecting stationary liquid passage, in which a preferably controllable by a signal through an electric or ^p neuma- signal diagram filling valve is arranged, characterized in that that a signal transmitter (41, 50) designed as a flow meter is provided in the liquid channel, which emits a number of electrical pulses which follow one another in accordance with the flow rate of the filling material, and that the output of the signal generator (41, 50) is connected to a device (51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58) which counts the pulses delivered by the signal generator (41, 50), the result thus obtained as Compares the actual value signal with at least a first, preselected setpoint signal and, in the case of a "actual value signal = first setpoint signal" state, outputs a signal at an output (63) which is fed to an actuating element (27) of this valve to close the filling valve (24). 10. The arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the device (51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58) connected to the output of the signal transmitter (41, 50) has a second output, at which a second control signal for changing the filling speed is present when the actual value signal is equal to a second, preselected setpoint signal, the second control signal preferably increasing the filling speed. 11. The arrangement according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the device (51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58) connected to the output of the signal transmitter (41, 50) has a third output, at which a third Control signal for changing the filling speed is present when the actual value signal is equal to a third, preselected setpoint signal, the third control signal preferably reducing the filling speed. 12. Arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the filling element (3) weniostens has a ventilation channel (16) through which the gas volume displaced when filling a container (4) can escape, and that in this ventilation channel a control valve (29) is arranged, which is controlled by the second and / or third control signal and which in a first position at least in a partial area of the ventilation duct (16) brings about a reduction in the effective cross section of this duct and in a second position cancels this reduction. 13. Arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the filling element (3) has a clamping gas channel (15) in which a control valve (30) is arranged, which is opened by a fourth control region, preferably that by the fourth control signal open control valve (30) in the span gas duct (15) closes again with a time delay. 14. Arrangement according to Ansoruch 12 or 13, characterized by a delay element or member (75), the input of which is supplied with the fourth control signal and which provides at its output a fifth, time-delayed control signal which is used to control the actuating element (27) of the filling valve ( 24) serves to open this valve. 15. Arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the filling valve has a valve body (24) biased by a spring (25) in the sense of opening, which in the absence of back pressure in a container (4) to be filled by the pressure of the liquid filling material is held in the closed position, and that the actuating element (27) inevitably holds this valve body (24) in the closed position even when the back pressure in the container (4) to be filled exceeds the pressure of the filling material until the fifth control signal on the actuating element ( 27) is present. 16. The arrangement according to claims 13 to 15, characterized in that in the case of a plurality of filling elements (3) arranged on the circumference of a rotating rotor (1), a further signal transmitter (68) is provided, which then generates a sixth control signal when a filling valve (3 ) has reached a predetermined position when the rotor (1) rotates, and that this sixth control signal causes the filling valve (24) of the filling element (3) in question to be closed, preferably the output of the further signal generator (68) generating the sixth control signal is connected to an input of an OR gate (64), the other input of which is connected to the first output (63) of the device (51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 58) which emits the first control signal, and preferably the output signal of the OR element (64) is used to control the actuating element (27) in the sense of closing the filling valve (24). 17. Arrangement according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that in the case of several filling elements (3) arranged on the circumference of a rotating rotor (1), two further signal transmitters (77, 78: 86, 84) are provided, the output signals of which are of the type Logical AND operation deliver the fourth control signal when a filler element (3) has reached a certain position when the rotor (1) rotates and one of these two further signal transmitters indicates the presence of a container (4) to be filled under the filler element (3) in question Filling position has been determined, preferably in the case of a centering bell (33) assigned to each filling element (3) and displaceable from a rest position into a working position, the one of the two additional signal transmitters of one with the centering bell (33) of all filling elements (3) or with parts thereof cooperating contactor (86) is formed, which is fixed in the region of the path of movement of the filling elements (3) and at A second contactor (86) is activated, which delivers the fourth control signal. 18. Arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 17, characterized in that the device connected to the output of the signal transmitter (41, 50) has at least one counter (51), the output of which has an input of at least one comparison circuit (52, 53, 54, 55) that a second input of this comparison circuit is connected to a device (56, 57, 58, 59) for emitting the actual value signal. 19. An arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 18, characterized in that with several to a rotor (1) in front of ^g e-down filling elements (3) each filling element, a separate signal transmitter (40, 50) and means connected to these signal generators means ( 51, 52, 53, 54, 55) is assigned to generate the control signal or signals. 20. Arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 19, characterized in that in the case of a plurality of filling elements (3) arranged on a rotor (1), each filling element is assigned a separate signal transmitter (41, 50), and in that the device (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59) for generating the control signal (s) is at least partially provided for all filling elements (3) or for groups of these filling elements (3), preferably one for all filling elements (3) or for groups of which there is a common central unit (88) on the rotor and a fixed operating device (93), preferably having an input device (96) and / or an output device (97), and the central unit (88) and the operating device (93) for a data exchange via transmitter (91, 95) and receiver (92, 94) are connected. 21. Arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 20, characterized in that the signal transmitter (41) is a flow meter which has at least one liquid channel (14 ') through which the filling material flows and at least one coil (44) generating a magnetic field in this liquid channel, and that the liquid channel (14 ') is inclined downwards in the flow direction of the filling material with respect to the horizontal, a section of the liquid channel (14) free of reflection surfaces preferably adjoins the signal transmitter (41) or its measuring section (46, 47) in the flow direction, and this section preferably has a length (L) which is approximately equal to the 5- times the diameter (D) of the approximately circular liquid channel (14 ') in the area of the signal transmitter (41) or its measuring section (46, 47).

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