Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
  • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
  • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
  • G01N1/2226—Sampling from a closed space, e.g. food package, head space
• • G01N33/0081—

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and also to a measuring station according to the preamble of claim 19.
• Inspection or inspection lines for bottles or similar containers are known and are used in particular in production lines for filling liquid products into containers to check the containers for contamination before filling so that contaminated containers then even before filling or even can be discharged from the production line before cleaning.
• an inspection and / or control liquid is metered into the containers, i. each with a defined or fixed volume, so that any existing contamination in a container (eg dirt or other foreign matter, germs, etc.) are dissolved in the inspection and / or control liquid.
• This is followed by the removal and subsequent analysis of a sample from the respective container, wherein this sample can be part of the inspection or control liquid present in the container or else a part of the gas contained in the container.
• the prerequisite for a proper inspection of the containers is not only that the inspection and / or control liquid is introduced precisely metered, i. the amount of the inspection and / or control liquid in all containers is constant within narrow limits, but also that the removal of the samples is reproducible, i. in particular in such a way that the proportion or quantity of the inspection and / or control liquid and / or of the respective gas in the respective sample is constant within narrow limits for all containers.
• the object of the invention is to provide a method for inspecting bottles or similar containers, which provides accurate measurement and analysis results even at high power (high number of treated containers per unit time).
• a method according to claim 1 is formed.
• CONFIRMATION COPY of bottles or similar containers on a possible contamination is the subject of claim.
• Fig. 1 in a schematic representation of an inspection or control line for
• FIG. 2 in a simplified representation a section through the measuring head of
• Measuring head of Figure 4 together with a bottle mouth; 7 shows a simplified illustration of a measuring head of the measuring station, together with a line leading to an analysis unit; Fig. 8 in individual representations different drive means for the
• the measuring or inspection section for bottles 2 or similar containers consists i.a. from a feed dog 3, on which the bottles 2 stand upright, i. oriented with its bottle axis in the vertical direction as a single-lane bottle stream in a transport direction A, in the illustrated embodiment such that the bottles 2 abut each other in this bottle stream, so these are supplied to the device in shock.
• a station 4 for the metered introduction of a control and / or inspection liquid is provided in the bottles 2.
• This control and / or inspection liquid is, for example, sterile water or another, compatible with the later to be filled into the bottles 2 product compatible or compatible neutral liquid or the later to be filled product itself.
• an inspection liquid can also be used which reacts chemically with the usual expected contamination, preferably forms readily detectable, liquid or gaseous reaction products, and is removed from the bottles 2 again after the control has been carried out.
• the station 4 has a nozzle tube 5, via which the control and / or inspection liquid in a precisely predetermined or metered amount in each Bottle 2 is introduced and which for this purpose by a drive 6 whenever a bottle 2 has reached the station 4, introduced by lowering through the bottle mouth 2.1 in the bottle in question, then carried along with the bottle 2 and then moved out of this again.
• the drive 6 is in this case designed so that the nozzle tube 5 performs a lifting movement with a vertical and / or horizontal component.
• the inspection and / or control liquid is provided by a supply 7.
• a measuring station 8 is provided, in which at least one sample is taken from each bottle 2.
• these samples may be a part of the inspection and / or control liquid introduced into the bottles 2, these contaminants possibly taken up or dissolved therein (in particular contaminants, germs, etc.) or else reaction products of each Bottle 2 contains.
• the samples taken from the bottles 2 may also be a gas sample containing, for example, gaseous reaction products of possible contaminants with the inspection or control liquid. In any case, the sample taken is subsequently analyzed.
• the measuring station 8 is spaced from the station 4 in the transport direction A in such a way that even with measuring power operated at maximum power. and / or inspection line 1 a sufficient exposure time or duration for the inspection and / or control liquid is achieved.
• a measuring probe 9 of a measuring head 10 of the measuring station 8 arranged in its starting position above the movement path of the bottle mouths 2.1 is introduced through the bottle mouth 2.1 into the respective bottle and the bottle mouth 2.1 closed by the measuring head 10.
• a precisely dimensioned volume of a measuring gas is introduced under pressure into the interior of the bottle via the measuring probe 9, which is arranged with its free end into the relevant bottle 2 and is arranged clearly below the edge of the bottle mouth 2.1., Preferably as a pressure pulse. controlled by way of a control valve device 11.1 from a source 11 providing this measurement gas, for example in the form of sterile air.
• a gas or air / gas mixture to be analyzed which is referred to below as analysis gas and at least a portion of the inspection and / or control liquid in a finely distributed or atomized by the pressure pulse form or else a Contains part of the gaseous reaction products, sucked from the bottle 2 with the measuring head 10 and fed via a line 12 to an analysis unit 13.
• the pulse duration, and / or the pressure and / or the temperature of the pressure or Meßgasimpulses are the same for each sampling or measurement phase, which includes the introduction of the sample gas into a bottle 2 and the suction of the analysis gas from the bottle 2, so that in each measurement phase, the same amount of sample gas is introduced into the bottles 2 and the samples taken of the analysis gas each contain equal amounts of nebulized inspection and / or control liquid and / or the gaseous reaction products.
• the aspiration of the analysis gas is e.g. during the duration of the respective sample gas pulse, but can also be delayed with respect to this.
• the pulse duration of the sample gas pulse is constant at all system outputs (container / hour), e.g. 30 ms.
• the analysis unit 13 at least one, but preferably a multiple, for example two or three times, analysis of the analysis gas sucked in via the measuring line 12 takes place.
• the measuring probe 9 and the measuring head 10 are not only designed so that they separate channels for the introduction of the sample gas and form the suction of the analysis gas, but preferably designed so that the serving for introducing the Meßgasimpulses opening of the measuring probe 9 is enclosed by at least one serving for sucking the analysis gas opening or opening arrangement, ie e.g. from an annular opening or a plurality of individual openings.
• a drive 14 is provided for the measuring head 10, which generates a lifting movement for the measuring head 10, which is both a horizontal component, namely for lowering of the measuring head 10 on or for lifting the measuring head 10 of the respective bottle 2, and a horizontal component contains, for carrying the measuring head 10 with the respective bottle 2 during the measuring phase and for returning the measuring head 10 in a starting point after the respective measurement phase.
• a control device 15 the drive 14 and thus the
• the described measuring and / or inspection section 1 is particularly suitable for installations for cold aseptic filling of liquid products, for example for the cold aseptic filling of beverages.
• the bottles 2 are for example plastic bottles, z. B. PET returnable bottles.
• FIG. 2 shows the measuring head 10 in more detail.
• This consists inter alia of a arranged in a measuring head housing 17 sealing member 18, which is also designed as a centering cone for the bottles 2.
• the sealing member 18 is tight against the bottle mouth 2.1, in the region of a conical extension of a channel 19 in the sealing member 18.
• only for introducing the sample gas or Sample gas pulse serving in the respective bottle probe tube 9 extends in the measuring phase with its free end into the bottle 2 and is hereby arranged with this end slightly below the edge of the bottle mouth 2.1.
• the probe tube 9 and the enclosing channel 19 form an annular channel 19.1, via which the analysis gas is sucked off and passed to the analysis unit 13. It is understood that this annular channel opens 19.1 sealed to the outside in the line 12.
• the measuring head 10 With the housing 17, the measuring head 10 is fastened to a measuring head carrier 20 moved by the drive 14 in the manner described above.
• this sealing element for example, formed rubber-elastic and / or axially displaceable and biased by spring means arranged in the housing 17.
• FIG. 3 shows, in a very simplified illustration as a further embodiment, a measuring head 10a which only differs from the measuring head 10 in that the cone angle of the recess 19a which widens on the underside of the sealing or centering element 18a is substantially greater than the cone angle of the recess 19 so that even with a very short vertical stroke of the measuring head 10a, the sealing position between the bottle mouth 2.1 and the sealing element 18a is reached.
• FIG. 4 shows, in a very simplified representation as a further embodiment, a measuring head 10b which essentially consists only of a measuring or probe tube 9b and of a flat cover or closure element 21, for example formed as a flat disc, which seals the bottle mouth during the respective measuring phase 2.1 of the relevant bottle 2 closes.
• the measuring tube 9b protrudes with its free end over the underside of the closure element 21 and thus protrudes into the respective bottle 2 during the measuring phase with this free end.
• the measuring or probe tube 9b consists of an inner tube piece 22 and an outer tube piece 23 which concentrically surrounds the inner tube piece at a distance. Both tube pieces are open at the free end of the measuring tube 9b.
• the pipe section 22 forms the channel for supplying the sample gas pulse. About the formed between the pipe sections 22 and 23 annular channel 24, the analysis gas is sucked off.
• the arrangement of the annular channel 24 to the pipe section 22 and to the channel for introducing the Meßgasimpulses optimal conditions in relation to the nebulization of the inspection and / or control liquid and in relation to the suction of the analysis gas are achieved in this embodiment.
• the closing element 21 rests flat on the edge of the bottle mouth 2.1 during the measurement, in this embodiment it is also possible to use the smaller outer diameter of the measuring tube 9b compared to the diameter of the bottle mouth 2.1 to extend the measuring time, ie to extend the time the measuring tube 9b is inserted into the respective bottle 2. This is illustrated in FIG. 5 in positions a - c.
• the position a shows the situation in which the measuring tube 9b is inserted into the bottle mouth 2.1 at the beginning of the measuring process.
• the axis of the measuring tube 9b is offset from the axis of the bottle mouth 2.1 in the transport direction A.
• the position b shows the situation approximately in the middle of the measuring phase, in which the measuring tube 9b is arranged coaxially with the axis of the bottle mouth 2.1.
• the position c shows the situation approximately at the end of the measuring phase, in which the axis of the measuring tube 9b opposite to the axis of the bottle mouth 2.1 is offset against the transport direction A.
• each measurement phase is preferably carried out a rinsing of the measuring head 10, 10a and 10b and the connections between the measuring head and the analysis unit 13, for example, with the sample gas (eg sterile air), so that the analysis of a measurement not in the measuring head 10, 10a, 10b and / or residues remaining in these compounds are falsified from a previous measurement.
• the sample gas eg sterile air
• the figure 7 shows in more detail an embodiment of the drive 14.
• This consists essentially of a circuit board 25 which is fixed to a frame, not shown, of the measuring and / or inspection line 1 and to the about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the transport direction A.
• Crank wheel 26 is rotatably mounted.
• the measuring head carrier 20 is fastened to the measuring head 10, 10a or 10b on a crank pin 27 of the crank wheel 26 which can be driven by a drive 28.
• the probe carrier 20 is guided so that it performs the vertical and horizontal stroke movement with rotating crank wheel 26, but without the orientation of the axis of the respective measuring head 10, 10a and 10b changes.
• FIG. 8 shows a drive 14a which can be used in place of the drive 14 and which, among other things, can be used.
• the closed belt forming a toothed belt 35 is guided.
• Each timing belt pulley 33 and 34 has a crankpin 36 and 37, respectively, supported in the probe carrier 20a, such that the spacing of the crankpins 36 and 37 is equal to the center distance of the timing pulleys 33 and 34 and the line of connection between the axes of the crankpins 36 and 37 is always parallel to the line connecting the axes of the toothed belt wheels 33 and 34 extends.
• the drive motor 28 is activated or switched on, the measuring head carrier 20a and the measuring head 10, 10a or 10b fastened there are again moved with the required vertical and horizontal component stroke, without a change in the orientation of the respective measuring head axis.

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• 2006
  • 2006-11-13 DE DE102006053673A patent/DE102006053673A1/de not_active Ceased
• 2007
  • 2007-11-07 CN CN200780030398.1A patent/CN101611303B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-11-07 WO PCT/EP2007/009634 patent/WO2008058659A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2007-11-07 EP EP07846538A patent/EP2092291A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-11-07 MX MX2009002318A patent/MX2009002318A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2007-11-07 BR BRPI0716688-5A2A patent/BRPI0716688A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-11-07 JP JP2009535618A patent/JP2010509142A/ja active Pending
• 2009
  • 2009-05-13 US US12/465,387 patent/US8210059B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

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