EP2417051B1 - Filling system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling system for filling containers with a liquid product.

From the publication DE 43 24 592 C1 is a method for filling a liquid in a gas-tight connected to a filling device vessel known, in which the displaced during the running of the liquid from the vessel gas is at least temporarily directed via a duct provided with a throttle in a chamber. The method according to the invention is characterized in that in the chamber a negative pressure is maintained, which is dimensioned such that the pressure difference between the liquid pressure and the negative pressure is greater than the critical pressure difference of the throttle.

From the publication DE 38 25 093 C2 is a method for filling bottles or the like. In counter-pressure filling with a collecting space for the liquid to be filled and a clamping gas has become known, is connected to the at least one Füllrohrloses filling member, wherein after completion of the liquid inlet into the pressed-on the filling member bottle with closed liquid and preload valve, a filling height correction is performed by the standing above the gate of the return gas tube liquid is displaced by the clamping gas pressure on the return gas pipe in a space of lower pressure. The method according to the invention is characterized in that, during the filling height correction, tension gas is introduced into the bottle from the collecting space with the clamping gas pressure prevailing therein, at a gas channel opening located above the gate of the return gas pipe, bypassing the return gas pipe.

A filling system having the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE 203 19 619 U1 known.

Another known filling system is particularly suitable for filling bottles or other containers in a normal pressure filling, in which the respective container is pressed against the respective filling element before introducing the actual filling (filling phase) with its container mouth in sealing position and Subsequently, when the container is still in sealing position on the filling element, the actual filling phase is initiated by opening the liquid valve. In the filling phase, the gas and / or vapor medium displaced from the interior of the container by the filling material flowing in it, for example air or inert gas originating from a preceding flushing, for example CO2 gas, flows via the return gas tube extending into the container into a gas space a boiler, which provided all filling elements of the filling system together and partially filled with the liquid contents. The inflow of the liquid contents in the respective container is then terminated after immersion of the lower, the filling height determining end of the return gas tube in the rising in the container Füllgutspiegel when a state of equilibrium between the determined by the level of Füllgutspiegels in the vessel geodetic Füllgutdruck and the contents - or liquid column is reached, which forms in the return gas pipe and / or in the filling element-internal fluid channel at the end of the filling. In a subsequent, so-called Trinox process, by charging the filling element-internal fluid channel with a pressurized gaseous and / or vaporous fluid, for example with a pressurized inert gas, for example CO2 gas, the liquid product is discharged from the filling element -Internal fluid channel, from a headspace formed above the lower end of the filling tube in the container as well as from the return gas pipe returned to the boiler, so at the end of this Trinox process, the level of contents in the respective container slightly (for example, about 2-5 mm) below the
lower end or the lower opening of the return gas pipe is located. This filling system is characterized by a simplified and reliable construction.

The object of the invention is to improve the filling system of the generic type so that while maintaining the basic advantages of the known filling system, a pressure or positive pressure filling of containers is possible. To solve this problem, a filling system according to claim 1 is formed accordingly.

The filling system according to the invention is suitable i.a. also for overpressure filling, in particular also for overpressure filling, in which the respective container is not only prestressed with an inert gas, but also purged with the inert gas before prestressing and in which the exact setting of the filling level with the Trinox Procedure is done. For this purpose, the filling system according to the invention requires only one additional control valve per filling element, in the fluid connection of the return gas pipe with the gas space, in which also in the pressure filling the displaced from the interior of the respective container return gas is taken. This gas space is preferably that gas space which is formed in the boiler providing the filling material above the filling material level.

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

The invention will be described below with reference to the Figures 1 - 5 , each showing a filling element of a filling system of a filling machine of rotating design in a simplified representation and in section together with a bottle in different phases of a filling process, explained in more detail.

The generally designated 1 in the figures filling system is used to fill containers in the form of bottles 2 with a liquid product and includes u.a. a filling element 3, which is provided with a plurality of similar filling elements 3 on the circumference of a rotatable about a vertical axis of the machine rotor 4. Each filling element 3 is associated with a container carrier 5, which is designed in the illustrated embodiment as a bottle plate and on which the respective bottle 2 during the filling process with its bottle axis in the horizontal direction, i. in the Füllelementachse FA oriented with the bottle bottom 2.1 stands up. The filling element 3, which together with its container carrier 5 forms a filling position 6, has a liquid channel 8 in a filling element housing 7, which is connected via a product line 9 with a boiler common to all filling elements 3 of the filling system 1 or the filling machine and provided on the rotor 4 10 is connected and forms a discharge opening 11 at the bottom of the filling element, and that for dispensing the liquid filling material to the respective located at the filling position 6 bottle. 2

During the filling process, the boiler is 10 level-controlled partially filled with the liquid contents, in such a way that in the boiler 10 occupied by the contents liquid space 10.1 and lying above a gas space 10.2 result, which pressure-controlled pressure-controlled with the pressure of an inert gas , For example, a CO2 gas is filled.

In the liquid channel 8, the controllable by an actuator 12 liquid valve 13 is provided, which consists essentially of a formed on a pipe 14 valve body 13.1. The both ends open and coaxially arranged with a vertical Füllelementachse FA pipe 14 is through the discharge opening 11 on the underside of the filling element 3 and a there provided in a centering 15 annular seal 15.1 and opens with its upper open end into a chamber 16, the Part of a formed in the Füllelementgehäuse 7 system of gas paths, which are generally denoted by 17 in the figures and on the chamber 16 and thus also in the interior of the Tube 14 formed filling element-internal fluid channel in the manner described in more detail below via a control valve 18 is connected to an annular channel 19 which is provided for all filling elements 3 together on the rotor 4 and during the filling process, an inert gas, such as a CO2 Gas under a pressure that is slightly greater than the pressure in the gas space 10.2.

Each filling element 3 furthermore comprises a return gas tube 20 which determines the filling height and is arranged coaxially with the filling element axis FA and sealed from above by the filling element housing 7, through the chamber 16, through the tube 14 and at its lower end or with the latter Opening over the lower end of the tube 14 protrudes. The upper end of the return gas pipe 20 is connected via a control valve 21 and a flexible conduit 22 to the gas space 10.2 of the boiler 10.

With the return gas tube 20, the filling level reached in the respective bottle at the end of the filling process is determined, with the Trinox process described in more detail below. To adjust the filling level, the return gas tubes 20 of all filling elements 3 are adjustable, for example, by a central adjusting device in the respective filling element axis FA, as indicated by the double arrow A.

The peculiarity of the filling system 1 is in the additional control valve 21 in the connection between the return gas pipe 20 and the gas space 10.2. With the filling elements 3 having filling system or with the corresponding filling machine a variety of filling methods are possible, such as a pressure filling or overpressure filling with in the Figures 1 - 5 illustrated and described below, wherein in these steps, the liquid valve 13 and the control valves 18 and 21 are each in its closed position, unless the open position is specified.

1. rinsing the respective bottle 2 with inert gas (FIG. 1 )

After the transfer of a bottle 2 to a filling position 6, this bottle is raised against the respective filling element 3, for example, only so far that between the bottle mouth 2.2 and the seal 15.1 still remains a gap. By opening the control valve 21, inert gas is then introduced from the gas space 10.2 via the return gas pipe 20 for rinsing into the bottle 2. In the bottle 2 existing air and then increasingly also inert gas turn over the gap between the bottle mouth 2.2 and the seal 15.1 derived.

In a variant not according to the invention, the discharge of air and inert gas during rinsing can also take place via a gas channel formed in the respective filling element housing 7 so that the bottle 2 already rinsing with its bottle mouth 2.2 in sealing position against the filling element 3 or against the Gasket 15.1 pressed on.

2. Preloading the bottle 2 (FIG. 2)

When located in sealing position with the filling element 3 bottle 2 is biased by opening the control valve 21, the interior of the bottle 2 via this control valve and the return gas pipe 20 with the pressurized inert gas from the gas space 10.2.

3. filling the bottle 2 (Figure 3)

In still in sealing position with the filling element 3 befindlicher bottle 2, the liquid valve 13 is opened when the control valve 21 is open, so that the liquid product can flow through the discharge opening 11 into the bottle 2. The inert gas displaced by the liquid filling material from the interior of the bottle is displaced into the gas space 10.2, at least in the final phase of filling, solely via the return gas pipe 20 and the open control valve 21.

The inflow of the liquid filling material in the bottle 2 is automatically terminated when still open liquid valve 13, when after immersing the lower end or the local opening of the return gas pipe 20 in the mirror of Filled in the bottle 2 of this product has risen so far in both the return gas pipe 20 and the pipe 14 that there is an equilibrium state between the respective Füllgutsäule in the return gas pipe 20 and in the tube 14 and the geodetic pressure of the filling in the boiler 10.

4. Completion of the filling and setting of the exact filling level (FIG. 4)

To set the exact filling level and to return the contents of the tube 14 and return gas pipe 20 and from the head space 2.3 of the bottle 2 above the lower end of the return gas pipe 20, the control valve 18 is opened with closed liquid valve 13 and open control valve 21 so that with the pressurized inert gas from the TRINOX or annular channel 19, the contents of the tube 14 and the filling element-internal fluid channel and the head space 2.3 of the bottle 2 and from the return gas pipe 20 is returned to the boiler 10, until the Mirror of the liquid filling material within the bottle about 2 to 5 mm below the lower end of the return gas pipe 20 is located. The connection of the chamber 16 and thus also of the tube 14 and provided in this filling element-internal fluid channel with the annular channel 19 via the open control valve 18 via a provided in the gas path throttle 17.1.

5. Lowering and Relieving Bottle 2 (FIG. 5)

After the exact setting of the filling level and the emptying of the return gas tube 20, the lowering and relieving of the bottle with closed control valves 18 and 21 and closed liquid valve 13, by controlled lowering of the container carrier 5. After completion of the Trinox process is the lower End of the return gas pipe 20 about 2 - 5 mm above the level of the contents in the bottle. 2

Not only the above-described overpressure filling of the bottle 2 is possible with the filling system 1, but also a normal pressure filling and in particular a normal pressure filling under adjustment of the exact filling level according to the Trinox process. For this normal pressure filling, the gas space 10.2 of the partially filled boiler 10, although in turn filled with inert gas, but with inert gas under Normal or atmospheric pressure. The filling of the respective bottle 2 is then carried out at constantly open control valve 21 in the form that the bottle 2 is first pressed against the respective filling element 3 in sealing position, then opened to initiate the filling phase, the liquid valve 13 and then after closing the liquid valve 13 for setting the exact filling level with the Trinox process, the control valve 18 is opened.

• Das Füllsystem bietet die Möglichkeit sowohl für ein Normaldruckfüllen, als auch für eine Überdruckfüllen.

Due to the additional control valve 21, the filling system 1 is also suitable for the above-described positive pressure without much effort. The special advantages of the filling system 1 are:

• The filling system offers the possibility for both normal pressure filling and overpressure filling.

Despite the ability to adjust the filling height for all filling elements together, for example, automatically, and despite the integrated Trinox filling height correction or adjustment for precise fill levels, the filling system comes with only two, for example, pneumatically controlled control valves 18 and 21 per filling element 3, so with a simplified principle both in terms of design and in terms of control with high Füllkomfort.

In addition to the boiler 10, only one further gas channel, namely the annular channel 19 on the rotor is required for all filling elements 3 in the simplest case. The annular channel 19 can be used at the same time for the CIP cleaning of the filling machine. For this purpose, a check valve 17.2 is provided in the respective gas path 17 parallel to the throttle 17.1.

Furthermore, the present invention also extends to a method in which the container, or the bottle without an upstream discharge phase, that is subtracted under pressure from the filling member.

This filling method according to the invention is made possible on the one hand by the fact that, due to the prior accurate setting of the filling level by the Trinox process, between the level of the contents and the lower end of the return gas tube 20, a distance of about 2 to 5 mm is obtained. On the other hand, the filling process is made possible by the fact that in the flexible conduit 22 between the return gas pipe 20 and 10.2 gas chamber of the boiler 10, a control valve 21 is provided with which the connection can be interrupted.

The distance between the lower end of the return gas tube 20 and the product level represents an open gas connection between the head space of the bottle and the return gas pipe.

Before lowering the bottle, the control valve 21 is closed, whereby a subsequent flow of pressurized gas from the boiler 10 is reliably avoided. Now, if the bottle is withdrawn from the seal of the filling valve, of course, the gas volume located within the return gas pipe expands, with a directed toward the end of the return gas tube 20 gas or pressure surge forms.

However, since the lower end of the return gas tube 20 is arranged at a distance above the level of Füllgutspiegels, emerging from the return gas tube 20, directed gas or pressure shock on the contents only a limited, minimal effect unfold, since it at its exit from the return gas pipe considerable expansion or diffuser losses.

Ultimately, the per se undesirable foaming of the filling material can be significantly reduced by the procedure described above. At the same time can be dispensed with the usual relief valve.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

filling system

2

bottle

2.1

bottle bottom

2.2

bottle mouth

2.3

headspace

3

filler

4

rotor

5

container carrier

6

filling position

7

filling element

8th

Fluid channel 9

9

product line

10

boiler

10.1

liquid space

10.2

headspace

11

discharge opening

12

actuator

13

liquid valve

13.1

valve body

14

gas pipe

15

centering bell

15.1

poetry

16

chamber

17

gas channel

17.1

throttle

17.2

check valve

18

control valve

19

annular channel

20

Return gas pipe

21

control valve

22

flexible line

FA

filling element

A

Füllhöheneinstellung

Claims (9)

1. Filling system for filling bottles or similar containers (2) with a liquid filling material, with at least one filling element (3), with a liquid channel (8) formed in a housing (7) of the filling element (3), which is connected to a tank (10) for providing the liquid filling material, and at least one outlet (11) for dispensing the liquid filling material into the respective container (2) attached to the filling element (3), wherein the filling element comprises a contact surface in the region of the at least one outlet, surrounding this outlet and formed by a seal (15.1), with a liquid valve (13) in the liquid channel (8), with a gas return tube (20) that projects past the at least one outlet (11) on one end, for controlling the filling level of the filling material in the filled container (2), and is connected by means of a fluid connection (22) to a gas chamber (10.2) formed, for example, in the tank (10), as well as with a fluid channel (14, 16, 17) inside the filling element open in the region of the outlet (11), which can be connected, in a manner controlled by a first control valve (18), to a ring channel (19) guiding a gaseous and/or vaporous fluid under pressure, preferably an inert gas under pressure, wherein a second control valve (21) is provided in the fluid connection of the gas return tube (20) for the controlled opening and closing of this fluid connection (22), and wherein the filling element (3) is configured for an adjustment of the filling level in the respective container (2) located in sealing connection with the filling element (3) by the opening of the first control valve (18), and specifically for forcing the liquid filling material at least out of a head space (2.3) which is formed in the container (2) above the end of the gas return tube (20) which determines the filling level, as well as out of the gas return tube, via the opened second control valve (21) and via the fluid connection (22), into the tank (10), characterised in that the filling system is configured for an overpressure filling of containers (2) in such a way that the interior of the respective container (2), before the initiating of a filling phase, is flushed by opening the liquid valve (13), via the gas return tube (20), by opening the second control valve (21), and via the fluid connection (22) connected to the gas return tube (20) out of the gas chamber (10.2), with an inert gas under pressure, due to the fact that a gap still remains between the mouth (2.2) of the bottle (2) and the seal (15.1),
   and/or the interior of the respective which container (2) is in sealing contact with the filling element (3), before the initiation of a filling phase, is subjected to preliminary pressure by opening the liquid valve (13), via the gas return tube (20), by opening the second control valve (21), and via the fluid connection (22) connected to the gas return tube (20), out of the gas chamber (10.2) with an inert gas under pressure, and that not only is overpressure filling possible with the filling system but also a normal pressure filling, for which purpose only one liquid valve (13), one first control valve (18), and one second control valve (21) are required per filling element.
2. Filling system according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one first and/or second control valve (18, 21) are pneumatically-actuatable valves.
3. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fluid channel inside the filling element is formed at least over a part length by a ring channel surrounding the gas return tube (20), in a tube (14) arranged preferable coaxially with the gas return tube (20).
4. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, at least in part phases of a filling process, the respective container (2) is in contact with its container mouth (2.2) in sealing contact against the contact surface.
5. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gas return tube (20) projects with one end through the at least one dispensing outlet (11) and over the contact surface (15.1) out of the filling element (3) or filling element housing (7).
6. Filling system according to claim 3, characterised in that the tube (14) forming the fluid channel inside the filling element projects with one open end through the at least one dispensing outlet (11) out of the filling element (3) or filling element housing (7).
7. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the gas return tube (20) is movable axially in order to adjust the filling level, and, specifically with a filling system with a plurality of filling elements (3), preferably by means of an adjustment device which is common to all filling elements (3) or a group of several filling elements (3).
8. Filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is a constituent part of a filling machine of circulating design, which comprises a plurality of filling elements (3) on a rotor (4) which can be driven such as to rotate about a vertical machine axis.
9. Filling method for operating a filling system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control valve (21) is closed after the ending of the filling phase and the adjustment of the filling level by the Trinox method, wherein the bottle (2) is drawn from the filling device under overpressure, without an upstream pressure relief phase.

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