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
  • B67C9/00—Devices for emptying bottles, not otherwise provided for

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method of processing incorrectly filled containers containing a beverage; and an apparatus for carrying out the method.
• Containers may be incorrectly filled, e.g. the amount of beverage in the container may not be sufficient to meet requirements, the container itself may not comply with some requirement ("may not be properly adjusted or equipped"), any of a broad range of other deficiencies may be discovered, or the container containing a beverage may be returned to the manufacturer from the distribution channels; etc.
• the term "incorrectly filled container” should be understood to refer to any circumstance of this or a similar nature, and for the purposes of the present Specification and Claims the term will be employed interchangeably with the term "defective container”.
• a beverage product is beset with a problem which may be deemed in the same class as an incorrectly filled container.
• containers In a manufacturing or bottling plant, frequently such containers are manually opened and the contents are disposed of as waste, or they may be poured [manually] through funnels or channel devices or the like, into a collecting tank, prior to reprocessing.
• Such a method has a number of drawbacks, among which is the fact that it is very tedious; further that the reuse of a beverage [so recovered] is accompanied by an elevated risk of contamination; and, further, pouring out of the beverage results in losses. Consequently, overall, the solution of the problem according to the state of the art is uneconomical.
• the insertable implement is inserted into the container, and the container is placed in fluid communication with the pressurized gas supply line;
• the inventive apparatus for processing of "incorrectly filled containers" containing a beverage is comprised of:
• processing head which processing head has, for each container [of a plurality of containers to be processed generally simultaneously],
• a supply line for pressurized gas which supply line is intended to be placed in fluid communication with the container, whereby pressurized gas can be supplied to said container;
• a withdrawing tube or the like intended to withdraw the beverage from the container which container has been acted upon through or via the insertable implement
• sealing means intended to create a sealed system of fluid communication between, on one hand, the insertable implement and the supply line, and on the other hand, the interior of the container, after the insertable implement has been inserted into the container; and intended to connect the supply line with the container [(also in said sealed system)], such that, during the supplying of pressurized gas to the container via the supply line, the contents of the container are withdrawn via the withdrawing tube.
• the insertable implement is a needle
• the operating head bears at least one pressing head unit which bears (or is comprised of):
• each combination of a pressing head and the corresponding container which container is held in place under said pressing head is subjected to relative movement between:
• the pressurized gas supply line influences the interior space of the container [e.g. exposes said interior space to the pressurized gas], through the [said] mouth of the container.
• the operating head is controllably movable between:
• the mouth of the container may be provided with a closure (plug or the like), so that the upper surface of the container at the location of the mouth of said container is in [i.e. comes to be in] an engaged status in hermetically tight contact with the engaging surface of the pressing head; and, in order to remove the beverage from the container, the needle is passed through the mouth of the container wherewith said needle penetrates through the closure, and the pressurized gas line influences said interior space of the container [e.g. exposes said interior space to the pressurized gas], through said mouth.
• a closure plug or the like
• the apparatus is comprised of: ⁇ an apparatus frame;
• the apparatus may further be comprised of: -- a device for
• the incorrectly filled container(s) (which may be present as a group of containers, in a carrier), which container(s) may also be defective, are disposed in a holding device, the containers are raised and the pressing heads are pressed against the raised containers, wherewith each head has a needle the length of which is chosen such that the needle [when inserted] will extend almost to the bottom of the corresponding container, and then the supply line supplying sterile compressed gas is opened, which [gas] expels the beverage from the container through the needle and the pressing head and the [withdrawing] tube, wherewith the beverage is passed into a collecting tank, prior to reprocessing.
• the inventive apparatus enables repressurization [sic] of the beverage from a single container or from a plurality of containers simultaneously. After all of the containers have been emptied, the lifting mechanism causes the [pressing] head(s) to disengage, and the carrier with the now emptied containers is moved away (or if no such carrier then the individual now emptied containers are moved away).
• a defective container (or a plurality of or group of defective containers (e.g. on a carrier)) is placed in the apparatus, and after the containers are emptied it is removed automatically or manually, with the use of an exiting conveyor belt.
• a pressurized sterile gas is employed, which gas may be, e.g., a sterile form of: air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen, or a mixture of these.
• the lifting mechanism employed may be a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, a crank-operated [generally reciprocally moving] shaft, or another [suitable] powered or manual mechanism.
• the pressing head with a needle implement may have a seal means (e.g. packing) or a plurality of (possibly cooperating) seal means.
• means of cleaning of the inventive apparatus may be provided.
• one or more cleaning and/or sanitizing devices are provided.
• a sanitizing solution may be applied, with the aid of the pressurized gas supply line, wherewith the needle and the withdrawing tube for withdrawing the beverage are connected so as to deliver [the spent sanitizing solution] to a sanitizing station and thence to disposal (outflow of effluent).
• the needle and the withdrawing tube for withdrawing the beverage are connected so as to deliver [the spent sanitizing solution] to a sanitizing station and thence to disposal (outflow of effluent).
• the sanitization of the inventive apparatus may also be accomplished by applying a sanitizing agent to the apparatus in a reverse manner (back-flush), wherewith the sanitizing material fed is introduced at the beverage withdrawing tube and passes through the needle, the [other passageways in the] head [(pressing head)], and further backward through the pressurized air supply line.
• a sanitizing agent to the apparatus in a reverse manner (back-flush)
• Fig. 1 is a schematic depiction of an exemplary embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a pressing head of an apparatus with two plates;
• Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a pressing head of an apparatus with a single plate.
• Fig. 1 illustrates an illustrative exemplary embodiment of the inventive apparatus.
• the automatically operating apparatus according to Fig. 1 enables simultaneous emptying of a plurality of defective containers which have been set aside while being conveyed on a conveyor belt.
• the apparatus is comprised of a frame 1, an incoming conveyor belt 2 for carriers 3 which contain "defective" containers (e.g. bottles) 4 which have beverages in them, a holding device 5, an exiting conveyor belt 6, and a lifting mechanism 7 which serves to move the operating head 40.
• the operating head 40 is comprised of an upper plate 9, a lower plate 8, a pressing head 10 attached to said lower plate, a plurality of implements which are insertable [into the beverage containers] and which in the present example are needles (or narrow hollow tubes) 11. Said needles have supply tubes 12' for supplying a propelling gas [i.e.
• the sealing means are in the form of: ⁇ lower seals 19, [disposed at] the internal surface of the respective throughgoing opening
• the lifting mechanism 7 serves to move the operating head 40, and thereby to move the lower plate 8 and upper plate 9, between a lower position and an upper position.
• each combination of a pressing head 10 and a corresponding container 4 which is held in place under said pressing head 10 is in a communicating state in which the engaging surface 50 of each pressing head 10 is engaged against the top end surface 60 of the corresponding container 4 at the location of the mouth of said container, such engagement being in hermetically tight contact.
• the apparatus can also be operated with the containers 4 sealed by closures (plugs or bottle caps or the like).
• closures prlugs or bottle caps or the like.
• the upper surface 60 [of the container] will constitute a part of the upper surface of the closure, against which the engaging surface 50 is engaged; by a suitable choice of materials and possibly a suitable choice of the shape of the [end] region of the needles 11 (both tasks routinely accomplished by a person skilled in the art), and suitable adaptation of the strength of the structure of the apparatus, one can readily achieve penetration of the needles 11 through the closures.
• the [lower] plate 8 serves to hold the pressing heads 10 and to guide the needles 11.
• the apparatus is further comprised of a [main] supply tube 12 for the propelling gas which tube has suitable flexibility, a valve 13 effective on said supply tube, a [main] withdrawing tube 14 which also has suitable flexibility, and a control unit 15 which (simultaneously) controls the lifting mechanism 7, the lower plate 8 and upper plate 9, and the valve 13 which opens or closes [i.e. controls the communicating opening in] the [main] pressurized gas supply tube 12.
• the exiting conveyor belt 6 is employed to remove emptied containers.
• the carrier 3 bearing the defective containers is conveyed in [(into the work station)] by the incoming conveyor belt 2, and is conveyed to the holding device 5, [whereupon] the control unit 15 lowers the lower plate 8 and upper plate 9, from the [abovementioned] upper position to the [abovementioned] lower position, which lower position is the operating position, in which operating position the pressing heads 10 are pressed against the upper rims of the mouths of the [respective] "defective" containers 4 containing the beverage, and the needles 11 are inserted into the containers 4, preferably to [an elevation] close to the bottom of each respective container 4, wherewith, by appropriate choice of the configuration of the end part of the respective needles 11, and appropriate choice of the force exerted on the needles, it is possible to adjust the apparatus such that the needles 11 are inserted [effectively] as far as the bottom of the containers 4.
• control unit 15 opens the valve 13 of the [main] pressurized gas tube 12, whereby the beverage is forced out of the defective containers 4 and into the [main] withdrawing tube 14, from which [point] said beverage is sent to further processing.
• the control unit 15 shuts off the pressurized gas tubes 12', and then causes the lower plate 8 and upper plate 9 to be raised to the upper position, wherewith the pressing head 10 with the needles 11 is raised up and away from the emptied containers 4, and the exiting conveyor belt 6 conveys the carrier 3 bearing the emptied containers 4 away from the inventive apparatus, for further handling.
• Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of one of the possible embodiments of a head 10.
• the pressing head 10 is mounted on its (head 10's) exterior to the lower plate 8, which plate is acted upon [axially] by a lower spring 17 which is detained by a lower collar 18.
• the lower seals 19 are disposed, and a conical opening 20 is provided [(which conical opening is erroneously shown in Fig. 2 as a feature of the container 4 rather than as a feature of the pressing head 10)], to accommodate the defective container 4 when the pressing head 10 is applied against said container.
• flexible tubes are mounted, which comprise (or connect to) the pressurized gas supply line 12'; and a central seal (packing) 27 is provided.
• a hollow bushing structure 21 is mounted on its exterior to the upper plate 9, which bushing structure 21 is urged against the upper plate 9 by an upper spring 22 which is detained by an upper collar 23.
• the central seal 27 [lit., "24"] is mounted which is pressed against the needle 11 through the intermediary of an intermediate washer 25 and an extension ring [sic] 26 on the upper bushing nut 28.
• a flexible tube, the beverage withdrawal tube 14' is connected [to the needle].
• the upper spring 22 urges the hollow bushing structure 21 against a middle seal 24 [(not same as the "central seal” 27)].
• Pressurized gas from the pressurized gas supply tube 12' flows in the [annular] space between the needle 11 and the [cylindrical] inner surface of the pressing head 10, and into the defective container 4 containing the beverage, and forces the beverage into the needle 11 and from there into the flexible withdrawing tube 14' for the beverage.
• Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the pressing head 10, which operates with only one movable plate, the plate 8, acted on by a lifting mechanism 7.
• the pressing head 10 also has [(similarly to the pressing head of Fig. 2)] a lower seal 19 and a conically shaped opening 20 [(labeled correctly here in Fig. 3)] to allow the pressing head 10 to be applied over a defective container 4 containing a beverage [of interest], hi the middle region of the pressing head 10, a flexible tube is provided, in the form of the flexible supply tube 12' for supplying pressurized gas, and [(which tube 12' has)] a valve 13.
• an insertable implement is provided, which in this embodiment is in the form of a hollow needle 11 which is mounted on its upper region in (and with the aid of) a seal (packing) 29.
• the seal 29 is acted upon by a conically shaped [sic] end member 30 with [(via)] the bushing nut 31.
• the conical [sic] end member 30 undergoes a transition to a tubular segment 32 which terminates at a screw joint 33 which [in turn] connects to a flexible tube, which in this embodiment is in the form of a flexible withdrawing tube 14' for withdrawing the beverage.
• the overall subassembly comprised of the conical [sic] end member 30, the tube 32, and the joint 33 is surrounded by a threaded bushing 35 which is threadedly engaged by a fixed insert piece 36 which is fixed to the plate 8.
• the subassembly is acted upon [axially] by a lower spring 17 [(sic ⁇ no upper spring appears, hence no need for the designation "lower")] [which presses] against the bushing nut 31.
• the lower spring 17 is detained from above by the threaded bushing 35 which is screwed into the fixed insert piece 36 which piece 36 is in turn fixed to the plate 8.
• the bushing nut 31 is loosened, whereby the seal (packing) 29 is released (relaxed), and the used needle 11 can be slid out from the seal 29.
• the new needle.11 can then be slid into the seal 29 and fixed by tightening (to some extent) the threaded bushing 31.
• the supply line 12' for supplying pressurized gas is opened, and the gas is forced into the internal enclosed space bordered [above] by the seal 29, [externally laterally] by the internal surface of the pressing head 10 and the seal 19, [internally laterally] by the outer surface of the needle 11, and [externally laterally] by the interior of the wall of the container 4, [and said gas is further forced] into the container, where the pressure acts on the surface of the beverage, whereby the beverage is expelled through the needle 11 and into the beverage withdrawing tube 14'.
• the pressurized gas supply line 12' is closed off by [closing of] the valve 13, and the plate 8 is raised [back] to its upper position by the lifting mechanism 7, the emptied container 4 is removed, and the apparatus is [now] ready for further operation.
• the inventive apparatus and inventive method are not constrained to the processing of a plurality of containers 4 simultaneously, but in general may be used for processing one or more containers; in particular, the apparatus is comprised of at least one insertable element, e.g. a needle 11, at least one supply line 12' for pressurized gas, and at least one withdrawing tube 14' for withdrawing the beverage which has been removed from [(forced out of)] the container 4 into which the insertable element has been inserted [lit., "the container 4 acted on by the insertable element"]. If the apparatus is employed to process only one container 4 at a time, then the apparatus will be comprised of only one insertable element, one supply line 12', and one withdrawing tube 14'.
• the apparatus will be comprised of only one insertable element, one supply line 12', and one withdrawing tube 14'.
• the insertable element is not necessarily a needle 11 , but in general may be an [(any suitable)] implement which can be inserted into the container and which in cooperation with the supply line 12' can operate in a sealed system which includes the interior of the container, such that, when pressurized gas is delivered into the container via the supply line 12', an overpressure develops in the container, whereby the beverage is expelled out of the container, through the said implement, and into the withdrawing tube 14'.
• an insertable implement [(an insertable implement of the type envisioned by the invention)] may comprise a hollow tube or the like.
• the scope of the invention is not limited to the hereinabove described preferred embodiments. Numerous modifications may be deemed to be within said scope. E.g., instead of the described movable pressing head which is movable between an upper position and a lower position, the pressing head may be fixed (rather than movable), and the desired relative movement between the pressing head and the container may be achieved by movement of the container in the opposite direction [(upward)] against the pressing head; or a combination of the two movements may be employed.
• the apparatus may be used with capped or otherwise sealed (rather than open) containers, wherewith the needle will be caused to penetrate through the cap, and the pressing head will be applied against the end surface of the cap.
• a hermetic seal between the pressing head [and the container] may be achieved by numerous other possible configurations.
• the needle may have a conical shape [(viz. frustoconical)] at a certain location, whereby when the needle is inserted into the container a hermetic joint is created between the exterior conical surface of the needle and the interior surface of the mouth of the container [(or of the cap on the container)].
• the pressurized gas might be introduced, e.g., through a part of the internal space of the needle, while the beverage is withdrawn from the container through a different part of the internal space of said needle.

Landscapes

• Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
• Filling Of Jars Or Cans And Processes For Cleaning And Sealing Jars (AREA)
• Vacuum Packaging (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 2004
  • 2004-09-27 CZ CZ2004999A patent/CZ295908B6/cs not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2005
  • 2005-09-27 EP EP05798887A patent/EP1828046A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-09-27 WO PCT/IB2005/002857 patent/WO2006035290A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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