EP1457457A2 - Füllkopf - Google Patents

Füllkopf Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1457457A2
EP1457457A2 EP04005259A EP04005259A EP1457457A2 EP 1457457 A2 EP1457457 A2 EP 1457457A2 EP 04005259 A EP04005259 A EP 04005259A EP 04005259 A EP04005259 A EP 04005259A EP 1457457 A2 EP1457457 A2 EP 1457457A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tube
bottle
filling
liquid
head
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP04005259A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1457457A3 (de
EP1457457B1 (de
Inventor
Marco / c/o Filling Systems srl Botti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Filling Systems Srl
Original Assignee
Filling Systems Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Filling Systems Srl filed Critical Filling Systems Srl
Publication of EP1457457A2 publication Critical patent/EP1457457A2/de
Publication of EP1457457A3 publication Critical patent/EP1457457A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1457457B1 publication Critical patent/EP1457457B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C3/2614—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks specially adapted for counter-pressure filling
    • B67C3/2617—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks specially adapted for counter-pressure filling the liquid valve being opened by mechanical or electrical actuation
    • B67C3/262—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks specially adapted for counter-pressure filling the liquid valve being opened by mechanical or electrical actuation and the filling operation stopping when the liquid rises to a level at which it closes a vent opening
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
    • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
    • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
    • B67C3/22—Details
    • B67C3/26—Filling-heads; Means for engaging filling-heads with bottle necks
    • B67C2003/2645—Means to avoid overfilling by preventing gas returning from the container into the filling tank via the liquid valve, e.g. mesh screens

Definitions

  • the invention refers to vertical axis carousel machines for filling bottles or other containers with liquid products.
  • the peripheries of the carousels of these machines are fitted with equidistant heads, connected to the reservoir of liquid product with the interposition of a valve means the opening and closing of which is actuated by controls governed by a cam and which is oriented downwards with its own discharge mouth fitted with an annular gasket against which the mouth of the bottle to be filled is brought by command to cooperate coaxially and tight.
  • a tube protrudes from the lower discharge mouth of the head and extends coaxially downwards and engages the bottle for a section of predetermined length, as the bottom end of this same tube itself determines the filling level of the liquid in the bottle.
  • the tube makes the gas escape from the bottle while this is progressively filled with liquid and even before filling the same tube is often also used for putting gas under pressure, usually carbon dioxide, into the bottle, and is also useful for washing the inside of the bottle itself and for other purposes.
  • the tube can be fixed with respect to the filling head, so that in order to make the said adjustments of the filling level of the bottles, even with variations in their capacity, it is necessary to replace the various tubes or carry out complex adjustment operations on every tube on the carousel.
  • the known technology also includes solutions in which the tube is provided with an axial movement in the filling head, for example as described in the document EP 337.913 A2 published on 18-10-1989.
  • the tube protrudes at the top of the body of the valve and is connected to a roller which reads the profile of a cam structured in such a way as to initially lower the tube itself into the bottle which is abutted against the filling head and then to raise the tube itself outside the bottle and into the head after the bottle itself has been filled.
  • a lining is fitted tight on the body of the valve of the head and incorporates the length of tube which protrudes from the top part of said body, and said lining is connected at the top to the chamber feeding carbon dioxide under pressure and is provided internally at the top with a coaxial and fixed sleeve, with a length greater than the maximum axial stroke executable by the tube, in which the tube itself moves laterally tight and the top end of which is intercepted by a valve means commandable from the outside, in such a way that the tube may or may not be connected at the top with the chamber of gas under pressure.
  • the tube Under said guide sleeve, the tube is connected kinematically to any suitable axial displacement mechanism, fixed laterally tight on the lining which contains the tube and which has an external component cooperating with an annular cam, the upward position of which can be modified automatically by means of servo controls which can be remotely and precisely piloted from the machine's control board, in such a way that it can adjust the downward position of the tubes of all the carousel filling heads simply and rapidly, depending on the different requirements dictated, for example, by the different forms and/or capacities of the containers to fill and/or characteristics of the product to bottle.
  • said tube axial displacement mechanism consists of a rack and pinion unit, the rack being arranged vertically and maintained in cooperation with the annular cam by elastic means and with its position in height remotely adjustable, while the pinion bears a fork lever arm, keyed on its axis, with end rollers which cooperate with guides integral with the tube.
  • the head T in question comprises a body 1 that is fixed to the body of the carousel 2 and that is provided with a horizontal inlet channel 3 for the liquid product to be put into the bottles and a discharge mouth 4 open downwards, intercepted by an obturator 5 with associated sealing gasket 105, which, by appropriate means, can be lowered by command to the low closed position of the mouth 4, as in figure 1, or can be raised to permit the outlet of the liquid through the mouth 4 which terminates with a tapered and downward divergent form 104 and is fitted with an annular gasket 6 for tight cooperation with the mouth of the bottle to fill (see below) which is raised by command by known means for filling and is then lowered when filling is complete.
  • the obturator 5 is fixed to the bottom end of a composite barrel 205 which moves axially, guided through a bushing 7 fixed with its own bottom flange on the body 1, said barrel being pushed upwards by a helical spring 8 which strikes it and which works by reaction between the top of said bushing 7 and a ring 9 fixed on the barrel 205 itself.
  • the obturator 5 is pushed open upwards by the action of the spring 8, its stroke being controlled by the flange 305 of the barrel 205, which comes to rest against the base of the bushing 7 (see below).
  • a head 405 is fixed axially moveably on the top end of the barrel 205, with the interposition of a damper spring 10 which is harder than the counter-spring 8, and the head 405 itself cooperates with an eccentric 11 keyed on the horizontal axis 112 of a control device 12 of the ON-OFF type, for controlling the ascent or descent of said eccentric, in order to realize the opening or closing of the obturator 5.
  • the barrel 205 is circumscribed coaxially by a composite lining 13, fixed with the bottom end tight to the body 1 of the head, which has such a height as to surpass the head 405 of the mobile assembly of the valve by an appropriate length, and which is set up to revolvably support the shaft 112 of said means 12 which comprises, keyed to the outside end of the shaft itself, a butterfly 212 provided with a slot with a circular sector 312, with an angular amplitude of about 90°, traversed by a pin 412 fixed to the lining 13.
  • the butterfly 212 cooperates with strikers which make it rotate in one direction or the other to give rise to the ascent or descent of the eccentric 11 and, with it, the opening or closing of the obturator 5.
  • the tube 14 which protrudes by an appropriate amount from the head 405 of the barrel itself and which, with a lower tapered section, passes axially and with lateral tightness through the obturator 5 and possibly a spout 15 axially integral at the bottom of the obturator itself and on which an annular deflector 16 can be fitted, diverging downwards, to oblige the liquid discharged from the mouth 4 to lap the bottle walls during the filling stage (see below).
  • the barrel 205 can be provided with a lateral opening 17 through which the liquid fed by the conduit 3 also interests the chamber 18 present between the parts 14 and 205.
  • the bushing 7 can also be provided, on the base flange, with at least one through hole 17' through which the liquid fed by the conduit 3 can partly also engage the chamber 18' present between the lining 13 and the barrel 205.
  • the lining 13 has an enlarged top section 113, for example with a prismatic section, provided with opposing openings and in correspondence with which a pair of parallel and horizontal discs 19 is fixed on the tube 14 (also see fig. 2) these discs being engaged by opposing rollers 20 mounted on the ends of a fork lever 21 keyed on the axis of rotation 122 of a motion transmission and conversion unit 22, of the rack and pinion type, which is fixed with its own body on a lateral window of said top section 113 of the lining, with a sealing gasket 23 interposed.
  • a possible lateral opening in the lining 113, opposed to the unit 22 and useful, for example, for completing the lever 21 at the end turned towards this opening, is closed tight by a cover 24.
  • the unit 22 has a rack 222 parallel to the lining 13, pushed downwards by suitable elastic means, for example by a gas under pressure as indicated schematically by the arrow 322 while, by means of a bottom extension in prod form 422, the rack itself cooperates with an annular cam 25 which, if the tubes 14 have fixed positioning during the bottle filling cycle, can usefully be mounted on the carousel and rotate integrally with it and with the heads T in question.
  • the cam 25 is mounted on the carousel with means for guided axial displacement and is connected to means of precise axial displacement 26, for example of the screw and nut screw type, actuated by at least one electric motor with electronic speed and timing control, which is connected by means of an interface 27 to an arithmetic unit 28 connected in turn to an inquiry/programming unit 29, through which it is possible, at the start of every work cycle, to set the cam 25 in such a height position that the tube 14 connected to it by the servo control 22, has or has not the desired degree of protrusion from the spout 15.
  • the prods 322 cooperate, through interposed rollers, with the cam 25 which will be mounted on the fixed frame of the carousel with the interposition of said adjustment means 26-29, for the remote adjustment of the height position of the bottom end of the tube 14.
  • a bell 30 Flanged laterally tight on the top chamber 113 of the lining 13 is a bell 30, with the interposition of the spoked base flange 131 of a vertical sleeve 31 in which the top and tapered part of the tube 14 moves laterally tight.
  • the bell 30 passes laterally tight through a toroidal manifold 32 for feeding carbon dioxide under pressure, with which the bell itself communicates with lateral openings 33, the bell itself being closed at the top by the body of a cylinder and piston unit 34 the rod 134 of which is pressed upwards by elastic means and equipped at the bottom to act as an obturator for closing or opening the top end of the sleeve 31.
  • the cylinder 34 is connected through a closed hydraulic circuit 35 to a rectilinear unit 36 which has pump and chest functions at the same time, and which is fixed, for example, on one side of the manifold 32 and the rod 136 of which is oriented vertically and arranged with its own opposite ends to cooperate with countering means, not shown, which cause the obturator 134 to close or open during the bottle filling stage, as better specified below.
  • a rectilinear unit 36 which has pump and chest functions at the same time, and which is fixed, for example, on one side of the manifold 32 and the rod 136 of which is oriented vertically and arranged with its own opposite ends to cooperate with countering means, not shown, which cause the obturator 134 to close or open during the bottle filling stage, as better specified below.
  • the lining 13 is also used, by preference, as a guide for a carriage 37 which, with its own roller 38, reads the profile of an annular cam, not shown, which determines the ascent and descent of said carriage maintained in a fixed angular position by special vertical guide means 39 which extend downwards and which, at the bottom, bear the pincer 40 for gripping and lifting the neck of the bottle B, to arrange it initially with its mouth tight against the gasket 6 of the discharge mouth 4 of the head T in question, as illustrated in figure 3.
  • Open laterally on the discharge mouth 4 is a conduit of a known type 41 which can discharge into the outside environment through a valve 42 arranged for mechanical actuation by external means, not shown, reached by the valve itself to cooperate during rotation of the carousel.
  • the filling head as described works in the following manner.
  • the top obturator 134 (fig. 1) is raised and the gas under pressure enters the bottle itself through the tube 14, a predetermined length of which has entered the bottle itself.
  • the gas also engages the vent conduit 41.
  • the ascent of the obturator 5 is controlled in such a way that the liquid enters the bottle lapping the inside wall, also thanks to the deflector 16. This stage is shown in figure 4 where it can be seen that while the bottle fills with liquid, the gas contained in it escapes through the tube 14.
  • valve 5 is closed mechanically by means of the control 12 in figure 1, the obturator 134 is also commanded by the unit 36 to close the top end of the sleeve 31 and of the tube 14, and special means indicated schematically by the arrow 43 open the vent valve 42, depressurizing the top empty part of the bottle, with the consequence that the volume of liquid which had earlier entered the tube 14 descends into the bottle and completes filling it to the desired level.
  • the full bottle is lowered and moved away from the head T of the carousel to permit the repetition of a new work cycle.
  • Figure 7 illustrates the head T in the washing or sanitization condition.
  • the tubes 14 of the operating heads of the carousel are raised inside the spout 15 and a cup 44 which is associated with the bottle lifting pincers 40, is brought into alignment with the heads and is raised against the gasket 6 to simulate a small container which permits washing of all the internal surfaces of the head, by means of a sanitizing liquid fed, for example, through all the circuits then interested by the product, if the machine is empty, or through specific conduits not shown in the drawings if, contrary to what is shown in figure 7, the machine is full of product and the obturators 5 are closed.

Landscapes

  • Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Electric Cables (AREA)
  • Glass Compositions (AREA)
  • Vehicle Step Arrangements And Article Storage (AREA)
EP04005259A 2003-03-11 2004-03-05 Füllkopf Expired - Lifetime EP1457457B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000024U ITBO20030024U1 (it) 2003-03-11 2003-03-11 Testa per le giostre di riempimento di bottiglie od altri contenitori, con cannula di sfiato igienicamente isolata dall'ambiente esterno di lavoro e regolabile a distanza nel posizionamento verticale.
ITBO20030024U 2003-03-11

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1457457A2 true EP1457457A2 (de) 2004-09-15
EP1457457A3 EP1457457A3 (de) 2004-12-01
EP1457457B1 EP1457457B1 (de) 2006-11-29

Family

ID=32750457

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04005259A Expired - Lifetime EP1457457B1 (de) 2003-03-11 2004-03-05 Füllkopf

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1457457B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE346821T1 (de)
DE (1) DE602004003406D1 (de)
IT (1) ITBO20030024U1 (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2263940A1 (de) * 2005-05-02 2010-12-22 Elopak Systems Ag Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Füllen eines teilweise hergestellten Behälters
ITMO20100238A1 (it) * 2010-08-12 2012-02-13 Filling & Packaging S R L Testa per le giostre di riempimento delle bottiglie o altri contenitori
EP1995208B2 (de) † 2007-04-03 2015-11-18 Gruppo Bertolaso S.p.A. Rotationsfüllmaschine zur Füllung von Behältern mit Flüssigkeiten
CN109941946A (zh) * 2019-04-28 2019-06-28 北京瀚铭科技发展有限公司 一种精确调量的量筒伺服灌装机
CN111348229A (zh) * 2018-12-23 2020-06-30 邯郸市复兴区宏昌科技有限公司 一种能消除水锤效应的液体分装装置
CN113292028A (zh) * 2021-05-19 2021-08-24 万玉 一种化妆品无菌生产设备及化妆品生产工艺

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT201700101252A1 (it) 2017-09-11 2019-03-11 Mbf Spa Macchina riempitrice di contenitori con liquidi dotata di un sistema di correzione del livello di riempimento

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2634021B1 (de) * 1976-07-29 1977-06-23 Seitz Werke Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Abfuellen von insbesondere stillen Fluessigkeiten in Flaschen o.dgl. Behaelter
NL7904187A (nl) * 1979-05-28 1980-12-02 Stork Bepak Bv Flessenvulinrichting.
FR2496627A1 (fr) * 1980-12-20 1982-06-25 Seitz Werke Gmbh Reglage de la hauteur de remplissage de bouteilles dans des machines de remplissage a hauteur de remplissage controlee, et dispositif de mise en oeuvre de ce procede
DE4322002A1 (de) * 1993-07-02 1995-01-12 Mette Manfred Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Beeinflussung der Füllmenge beim Abfüllen von Flüssigkeiten in Flaschen
EP0826626A1 (de) * 1996-08-01 1998-03-04 ORTMANN + HERBST Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH Füllorgan mit höhenverstellbarem Rückgasrohr
DE19728057A1 (de) * 1997-07-01 1999-01-14 Max Kettner Gmbh & Co Kg I K Getränkefüllorgan mit Schaumsteuerung

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2634021B1 (de) * 1976-07-29 1977-06-23 Seitz Werke Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Abfuellen von insbesondere stillen Fluessigkeiten in Flaschen o.dgl. Behaelter
NL7904187A (nl) * 1979-05-28 1980-12-02 Stork Bepak Bv Flessenvulinrichting.
FR2496627A1 (fr) * 1980-12-20 1982-06-25 Seitz Werke Gmbh Reglage de la hauteur de remplissage de bouteilles dans des machines de remplissage a hauteur de remplissage controlee, et dispositif de mise en oeuvre de ce procede
DE4322002A1 (de) * 1993-07-02 1995-01-12 Mette Manfred Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Beeinflussung der Füllmenge beim Abfüllen von Flüssigkeiten in Flaschen
EP0826626A1 (de) * 1996-08-01 1998-03-04 ORTMANN + HERBST Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH Füllorgan mit höhenverstellbarem Rückgasrohr
DE19728057A1 (de) * 1997-07-01 1999-01-14 Max Kettner Gmbh & Co Kg I K Getränkefüllorgan mit Schaumsteuerung

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2263940A1 (de) * 2005-05-02 2010-12-22 Elopak Systems Ag Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Füllen eines teilweise hergestellten Behälters
EP1995208B2 (de) † 2007-04-03 2015-11-18 Gruppo Bertolaso S.p.A. Rotationsfüllmaschine zur Füllung von Behältern mit Flüssigkeiten
ITMO20100238A1 (it) * 2010-08-12 2012-02-13 Filling & Packaging S R L Testa per le giostre di riempimento delle bottiglie o altri contenitori
CN111348229A (zh) * 2018-12-23 2020-06-30 邯郸市复兴区宏昌科技有限公司 一种能消除水锤效应的液体分装装置
CN109941946A (zh) * 2019-04-28 2019-06-28 北京瀚铭科技发展有限公司 一种精确调量的量筒伺服灌装机
CN113292028A (zh) * 2021-05-19 2021-08-24 万玉 一种化妆品无菌生产设备及化妆品生产工艺

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ATE346821T1 (de) 2006-12-15
EP1457457A3 (de) 2004-12-01
EP1457457B1 (de) 2006-11-29
ITBO20030024U1 (it) 2004-09-12
DE602004003406D1 (de) 2007-01-11

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP1995208B2 (de) Rotationsfüllmaschine zur Füllung von Behältern mit Flüssigkeiten
US5413153A (en) Container filling machine for filling open-top containers, and a filler valve therefor
EP2236454B1 (de) Ventilanordnung für eine isobare Füllmaschine
EP0337913B1 (de) Gegendruck-Füllelemente
JP4990368B2 (ja) 充填バルブユニット
EP2903929B1 (de) Füllvorrichtung für isobare füllmaschinen zum füllen von flaschen mit flüssigen nahrungsmitteln
EP3453673B1 (de) Maschine mit einem füllstandskorrektursystem zum befüllen von behältern mit flüssigkeiten
CN102190263B (zh) 一种含汽饮料、啤酒易拉罐灌装阀
US10040678B2 (en) Filling devices for filling machines for level filling of bottles and filling machines containing such devices
JP2012522691A (ja) 液状の充填製品を容器へ充填するための充填要素、充填機及び充填方法
US20170057801A1 (en) Method and filling system for filling containers
US20060283518A1 (en) Counter-pressure filling device and method of counter-pressure filling
EP1457457B1 (de) Füllkopf
WO2007094049A1 (ja) 充填バルブ
EP0775635B1 (de) Flüssigkeitsdosier und -füllvorrichtung
US4270585A (en) Filling device having an air return pipe for filling containers with gas-containing liquid
US4319613A (en) Valve arrangement for filling containers with gas-containing liquid
US9969603B2 (en) Filling system
US20220153566A1 (en) Container fill station
EP2444364B1 (de) Isobare Füllmaschine zum Füllen von Behältern
JP4350224B2 (ja) 液体充填装置および方法
US20120216906A1 (en) Method and filling system for filling containers in a pressurized manner
JP3519442B2 (ja) 容器充填装置
US691997A (en) Apparatus for racking carbonated beverages.
US647298A (en) Apparatus for racking beer.

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL LT LV MK

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL LT LV MK

RIC1 Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant

Ipc: 7B 67C 3/26 A

Ipc: 7B 67C 3/00 B

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20050523

AKX Designation fees paid

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

GRAS Grant fee paid

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: PL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: AT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: NL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: LI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: RO

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: SI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: CZ

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: SK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: BE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: CH

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: EP

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 602004003406

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 20070111

Kind code of ref document: P

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070228

Ref country code: DK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070228

Ref country code: BG

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070228

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070301

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070312

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: PT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070430

NLV1 Nl: lapsed or annulled due to failure to fulfill the requirements of art. 29p and 29m of the patents act
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

EN Fr: translation not filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed

Effective date: 20070830

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20070305

Ref country code: MC

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20070331

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070301

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070720

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20080305

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: EE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20080305

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CY

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

Ref country code: LU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20070305

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Payment date: 20090430

Year of fee payment: 6

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: HU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20070530

Ref country code: TR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20061129

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20100305