EP2146922B1 - Filling system and method for controlling a filling system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling system according to the preamble of claim 1 and as from EP 1 544 155 and a method for controlling such a filling system according to claim 19 or 21.

Filling systems for use in filling machines for filling bottles or the like containers with a liquid product are known in different designs. It is also known to close the respective filling element at its discharge opening for cleaning and / or sterilization (CIP cleaning and / or sterilization) by a closing element, for example by a rinsing cap or rinsing plate, to form one of the in the Usually liquid cleaning and / or sterilization medium permeable flushing chamber. It is also known to provide in the filling element a controllable with a fluid pressure control chamber into which opens an open in the region of the discharge port fluid channel and is part of a controllable by pressure control element, with the u.a. the closing element can be pressed tightly against the filling element by the pressure of the rinsing and / or sterilizing medium in the control chamber. This very advantageous procedure is not applicable to free-jet filling systems.

Free-jet filling systems in the context of the invention are filling systems with which a filling of bottles or similar containers takes place in such a way that the liquid filling material flows into the respective container in a free jet.

The object of the invention is to provide a free-jet filling system in which during the cleaning and / or sterilization operation (CIP cleaning and / or sterilization) a sealed pressing of the closing element against the filling element by the pressure prevailing in the control chamber of the cleaning or Sterilization medium is possible. To solve this problem, a filling system according to the patent claim 1 is formed. A method for controlling the filling system is the subject of claims 19 or 21.

In the filling system according to the invention, during the normal filling process, ie during the free-jet filling, the gas or flow path formed by the fluid channel, the control chamber and the "first" flow channel is closed, so that neither liquid filling material can penetrate into this gas or flow path, nor air can be sucked and carried along by this gas or flow path from the liquid filling material emerging from the discharge opening. During the cleaning and / or sterilization operation (CIP cleaning and / or sterilization), the aforementioned gas or flow path is opened so that, inter alia, the control chamber also flows through the cleaning and / or sterilization medium and at the same time through the building in the control room Pressure of the cleaning and / or sterilization medium and the required contact force for the closing element (eg, rinse cap or dish) is generated.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures.

Fig. 1 und 2

ein Freistrahl-Füllsystem gemäß der Erfindung in einem einer Schnellfüllphase bzw. einer Langsamfüllphase entsprechenden Betriebszustand;

Fig. 3

in einer Darstellung wie Figur 1, jedoch in einem Betriebszustand für eine CIP-Reinigung und/oder -Sterilisation;

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung ähnlich Figur 2 bei einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1 and 2

a free jet filling system according to the invention in an operating state corresponding to a fast filling phase or a slow filling phase, respectively;

Fig. 3

in a presentation like FIG. 1 but in an operating condition for CIP cleaning and / or sterilization;

Fig. 4

a representation similar FIG. 2 in a further embodiment of the invention.

That in the FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrated free-jet filling system is part of a filling machine, such as a filling machine rotating design for free jet filling of bottles 1 or other containers with a liquid product. The filling system consists inter alia of a filling element 2, which with a plurality of similar filling elements 2 and associated with this bottle or container carriers 3, where the bottles to be filled 1 during filling at a mouth flange 1.1 are held suspended, is provided on the circumference of a circumferentially about a vertical axis of the machine drivable rotor 4.

In the housing 5 of each filling element 2 u.a. a liquid channel 6 is formed, which is connected at its upper end via a line 7 with a flow meter 8 to a common boiler 4 for all filling elements 2 provided on the rotor. The boiler 9 is filled level controlled for the operation of the filling machine up to a level N with the liquid product, so that in the boiler 9 above the Füllgutspiegels a gas chamber 9.1 and lying below a liquid chamber 9.2 are formed, in which the lines 7 open.

The liquid channel 6 forms at the bottom a provided with a gas barrier 10 discharge opening 11, via which the liquid product flows during the free jet filling of the respective bottle 1 as a free jet 12, and at 1.2 spaced from the discharge opening 11 bottle mouth.

In the liquid channel 6, a liquid valve 13 is provided in the flow direction of the filling in front of the gas barrier 10, which is formed in the illustrated embodiment by a valve stem in the form of a pipe section 14 with valve body 15 which cooperates with a valve seat in the liquid channel 6. About the with its axis coaxial with the vertical Füllelementachse FA arranged and open at both ends pipe section 14, the liquid valve 13 is opened and closed by an actuator 16 for a volume-controlled filling taking into account the signal of the flow meter 8.

The channel formed in the interior of the pipe section 14 14.1 is open at the discharge opening 11 and surrounded by the gas barrier 10, which is formed in the illustrated embodiment of an annular insert with a plurality of parallel to each other and parallel to the axis FA oriented and open at both ends individual channels , Furthermore, the channel opens into a 14.1 formed in the housing 5 and outwardly closed control chamber 17 which is bounded at the top by a piston 18 and laterally by a pleated ball 19. The piston 18 is provided on the upper side of the housing 5 by means of a piston rod 20 in the direction of the axis FA by a predetermined maximum stroke axially displaceable. The led out of the housing 5 and with a cam roller 21st provided end 20.1 of the piston rod 20 is connected via a linkage with the container carrier 3. About the cam roller 21 and a control cam, not shown, the container carrier 3 controlled against the action of a compression spring 22 can be lowered. The gas barrier 10 is provided, for example, on the pipe section 14 and movable with this opening and closing of the liquid valve 13 in the direction of the axis FA, or at the Füllelementgehäuse 5 firmly provided gas barrier 10, the pipe section 14 is arranged axially displaceable in the gas barrier 10 with its lower end or led.

In the illustrated embodiment, two flow channels 23 and 24 are formed inside the housing 5 of the filling element 2, of which the flow channel 23 has an electrically controllable valve 25 and thus a controlled connection between the control chamber 17 and one on the rotor 4 for all filling elements 2 Filling machine or a group of filling elements common annular channel 26 forms.

The flow channel 24 is provided with a check valve 27 and connects the liquid channel 6 in the flow direction immediately before the liquid valve 19 and the valve seat of this liquid valve with a rotor 4 for all filling elements 2 or a group of filling elements 2 jointly provided annular channel 28. The check valve 27th is designed so that it opens for a flow from the liquid channel 6 into the annular channel 28, but blocks for a flow in the opposite direction. Via an electrically actuated valve 29, the two annular channels 26 and 28 can be controlled connected to each other or separated from each other. At the annular channel 28, a line 30 is connected to a control valve 31.

Above the piston 18 is in the interior of the housing 5, a piston or cylinder chamber 32 ( FIG. 2 ), which is controlled via an electrically actuated control valve 33 with the pressure of a compressed air source 34 acted upon.

With the filling system or filling element 2 a variety of procedures are possible.

First, in the in the FIG. 1 shown operating state free jet filling the bottles 1 with the liquid product in a fast filling possible. Therefor the liquid valve 13 is opened with closed valves 25, 29 and 31 and preferably pressurized annular channel 28, so that the liquid product of the hanging on the container carrier 3 bottle 1 can flow in the free jet 12 until the filling process is terminated by closing the liquid valve 13 ,

By actuating the control valve 33, the cylinder chamber 32 can be pressurized, whereby the piston 18 is moved down into a lower stroke position, which is defined by the stop of the end 20.1 against the top of the housing 5. In this position, the piston 18 forms a stop for the upper end of the pipe section 14. This stop is adjusted so that the liquid valve 13 can be opened via the actuator 16 only with a reduced valve gap for a slower filling, ie for a slow filling this in the FIG. 2 is shown. The size of the valve gap of the liquid valve 13 and thus the volume flow of the liquid filling material in the slow filling phase can be adjusted by the positions of the piston 18 at pressurized cylinder chamber 32, for example by appropriate adjustment of the upper end 20.1 of the piston rod 20 and / or a housing-side stop for this end.

Characterized in that the flow channel 23 is closed by the control valve 25, during the filling no liquid product can penetrate into the channel 14.1 and / or sucked from the channel 14.1 air from the liquid product and be carried. As a result, u.a. excessive foaming and also prevents excessive inclusion of air and thus oxygen in the filled product.

Due to the described configuration, it is furthermore possible to keep the filling elements 2 in pauses for filling, in particular also during the period between the completion of a filling phase and the start of a new filling phase, by circulating a hot, liquid filling material (hot circulation). For this purpose, the boiler 9 as well as the annular channel 28 and the line 30 with the open valve 31 is provided with a circulating and heating device for the liquid product cycle, in which the liquid, hot contents even with the liquid valve 13 closed each filling element 2 and the local fluid channel 6 via the line 7 flows and is returned from the liquid channel 6 via the flow channel 24, the annular channel 28 and the line 30 with the open valve 31 to the boiler 9.

With the described training, but in particular also a cleaning and sterilization of all channels of all filling elements of the filling machine including the annular channels 26 and 28 and the line 30 is possible ( FIG. 3 ), using simple flushing plates 32, which are manually or automatically inserted for the CIP cleaning and / or sterilization such that in each case a flushing plate 35 is below each filling element 2 or below the local discharge opening 11 and each filling element. 2 with a the delivery opening 11 annularly enclosing lower edge 11.1 pressed against a provided on the upper side of the flushing plate 35 ring seal 36 and sealingly abuts. Hereby, within each annular seal 36, a flushing chamber 36 sealed to the outside is formed, into which the discharge opening 11 or the gas barrier 10, but also the lower, open end of the channel 14.1 open. For the CIP-cleaning and / or - sterilization the control valve 25 and the valves 29 and 31 and the liquid valve 13 are open at zero pressure cylinder chamber, so that the supplied from the boiler 9 via the lines 7 cleaning and sterilization medium according to the arrows A of FIG. 3 all channels of each filling element 2 as well as the annular channels 26 and 29, the line 30 and the control valves 25, 29 and 31 flows through. The cleaning and sterilization medium passes through the channel 14.1 in particular also into the control chamber 17, so that the respective, held on the container carrier 3 flushing plate 35 in addition to the pressure of the compression spring 22 and by the force exerted on the piston 18 pressure of the cleaning or sterilization medium the sealing opening 11 surrounding the edge 11.1 is pressed sealed.

The FIG. 4 shows as a further embodiment a filling element 2a, which differs from the filling element 2 essentially only in that in the flow channel 23 instead of the electrically controllable valve 25, a check valve 38 is provided, which opens for a flow from the control chamber 17 into the annular channel 26, for a flow in opposite direction but locks. By the check valve 38 is also prevented during filling via the pipe section 14 or via the formed in this piece of pipe duct air is sucked with the leaking from the discharge opening 11 liquid product and it can thereby cause excessive foaming and / or excessive inclusion of air and thus oxygen in the bottled filling , About the check valve 38 but required for the CIP cleaning and / or sterilization flow of the cleaning or sterilization medium in the flow channel 23 is possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 bottle 1.1 Mündungsflansch 1.2 bottle mouth 2, 2a filler 3 container carrier 4 rotor 5 filling element 6 Liquid channel in the filling element 2 or 2a 7 management 8th Flowmeter 9 boiler 9.1 headspace 9.2 liquid space 10 gas barrier 11 discharge opening 11.1 annular, the discharge opening enclosing edge 12 beam 13 liquid valve 14 pipe section 14.1 channel 15 valve body 16 actuator 17 control room 18 piston 19 bellow 20 piston rod 20.1 upper end of the piston rod 20 21 follower 22 compression spring 23, 24 flow channel 25 control valve 26 annular channel 27 check valve 28 annular channel 29 controllable valve 30 management 31 controllable valve 32 cylinder space 33 control valve 34 Compressed air source 35 Flushing plate 36 ring seal 37 Flushing chamber or washing compartment 38 check valve A Flow of cleaning or sterilizing medium during CIP cleaning FA filling element N level

Claims (24)

1. A free-jet filling system for filling machines for filling bottles or similar containers (1) with a liquid bulk product, having a filling element (2), in the housing (5) of which a fluid channel is provided controlled by at least one fluid valve (13) and forming at least one dispensing opening (11), with a bracket (3) to which a closing element (35) closing the dispensing opening (11) for a cleaning and / or sterilisation operation is fixed or can be fixed, and with means to press the closing element (35) against the filling element (2), characterised in that in the fluid channel in the direction of flow of the liquid bulk product, during filling, after the at least one fluid valve (13) at least one gas trap (10) through which liquid bulk product flows during filling is arranged, and in that the means to press the closing element (35) are formed by a control element (18) with a control chamber (17) which can be exposed to the application of fluid pressure, whereby a fluid channel (14.1) open in the area of the dispensing opening (11) opens into said control chamber, and in that in the filling element housing (5) at least a first controlled flow path including the fluid channel (14.1) and the control chamber (17) is formed, wherein said flow path leads to a first collector channel (26) jointly for the filling elements (2) or plurality of filling elements (2) of the filling machine and can be locked during the filling operation and opened during the cleaning and / or sterilisation operation.
2. Filling system according to claim 1 characterised in that the control chamber (17) is limited by at least one piston (18) mounted moveably in the housing (5), able to be exposed to application of the pressure in the control chamber, and connected to the bracket (3).
3. Filling system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that in the first flow path or in a flow channel (23), connecting the control chamber (17) to the first collector channel (26), of this flow path a controlling valve (25, 38) is provided.
4. Filling system according to claim 3, characterised in that the valve provided in the first flow path or flow channel (23), is a controllable control valve (25) or a check valve (38), which opens for a flow into the first collector channel (26) and locks for a flow in the other direction.
5. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fluid channel (14.1) is formed in a valve plunger of the at least one fluid valve (13).
6. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fluid channel (14.1) is formed in a pipe section (14) preferably forming the valve plunger of the at least one filling element (13).
7. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fluid channel (14.1) is open in the area of the gas trap (10).
8. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised by at least a second controlled flow path (24) in the filling element (5), which connects the fluid channel (6) in the direction of flow of the liquid bulk product before the closed fluid valve (13) to a second collector channel (28) jointly for the filling elements (2) or for a plurality of filling elements (2) of the filling machine.
9. Filling system according to claim 8, characterised in that the second flow path (24) is controlled in such a way that, during the cleaning and / or sterilisation operation and / or where the filling element (2) is heated with the hot bulk product, it opens for a flow from the fluid channel (6) into the second collector channel (28).
10. Filling system according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that in the second flow channel (24), a check valve (27) is provided which opens for a flow from the fluid channel (5) into the second collector channel (28), but stops a flow in the opposite direction.
11. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims characterised by a valve plunger end-stop (18), which can be controllably moved between an inactive position and an active position, and which, in the active position, limits the stroke of the valve plunger for a reduced opening of the fluid valve (13).
12. Filling system according to claim 11 characterised in that the valve plunger end-stop (18) is pressure-controlled, i.e. is pneumatically moveable between its active and inactive position.
13. Filling system according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that in the valve plunger end-stop for the valve plunger extending into the control chamber (17) or for the pipe section (14) forming this valve plunger is formed by the piston (18) limiting the control chamber.
14. Filling system according to claim 13, characterised in that the piston (18), on its side turned away from the control chamber (17), forms a control or cylinder chamber (32) to which a control pressure, preferably an air pressure, can be applied.
15. Filling system according to claim 8 characterised by at least one controllable valve (29) connecting the first and second collector channel (26, 28).
16. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the closing element (35) is provided moveably to the bracket (3), for example it can be shifted between a usage position and a non-usage position.
17. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the closing element (3) is provided on a container bracket (3).
18. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the closing element is a rinsing plate (35), preferably a rinsing plate (35) with at least one annular seal (36) which can press against the filling element (2) and which limits the rinsing chamber (37) at the side.
19. Method for controlling a free-jet filling system according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that, for the filling operation, the first flow path (14.1, 17, 23) is closed at least for a flow from the first collector channel (26).
20. Method according to claim 19, characterised in that, for the filling operation, the first flow path (14.1, 17, 23) is closed at least for a flow from the first collector channel (26) into the control chamber (17).
21. Method for controlling a filling system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterised in that, for a cleaning and / or sterilisation operation, with the filling element (2) closed by the closing element (35) on the dispensing opening (11) and with the fluid valve (13) open, the first flow path (14.1, 17, 23) is open at least for a flow of a cleaning and / or sterilisation medium through the control chamber (17) into the first collector channel (26), so that the closing element (35) is pressed against the filling element (2) by the pressure of the cleaning or sterilisation medium in the control chamber (17).
22. Method according to claim 21 characterised in that, for the cleaning and / or sterilisation operation, the first collector channel (26) is connected to a second collector channel (28) for a flow of the cleaning and / or sterilisation medium.
23. Method according to any one of preceding claims 21, 22, characterised in that during the cleaning and / or sterilisation operation, the cleaning or sterilisation medium supplied to the fluid channel (6) flows through at least this fluid channel, the gas trap (10), the rinsing chamber (37) limited by the closing element (35), the fluid channel (14.1), the control chamber (17) and the first flow channel (23) and is removed through the first or second collector channel (26, 28).
24. Method according to claim 23 characterised in that, during the cleaning and / or sterilisation operation, the cleaning and / or sterilisation medium supplied to the fluid channel (6) also flows through the second flow path (24) and is removed by means of the second collector channel (28).

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