EP2582613B1 - Filling element for filling containers with a liquid filling material under pressure - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a filling element according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a filling element is from the EP 0 554 690 A1 known.

Methods and filling elements or filling systems or filling machines for filling containers are known in different designs. For pressure-filling of containers, methods using a filling system, for example a single-chamber filling system, are particularly known, in which the respective container, which is arranged in sealing position on the filling element and is biased with an inert gas (CO2 gas) under a filling pressure, during the filling phase the filling process, the liquid medium flows with the liquid valve open and thereby displaced from the container inert gas is returned as a return gas in a pressurized gas space of a partially filled boiler or in a inert gas under filling pressure leading channel, via a filling in the Container extending into the return gas tube. The inflow of the liquid filling material in the container is terminated by the return gas tube finally immersed in the rising in the container level and the contents rise in the return gas pipe so far that an equilibrium state between the level of Füllgutspiegels in the boiler and an equilibrium level of Füllgutspiegels Adjusting return gas pipe. The closing of the liquid valve occurs only at a given time after reaching this state of equilibrium, i. in filling machines of rotating design only when the relevant filling element has reached a predetermined angular position of the rotational movement of the rotor. The timing or the angular position of the rotor, at which the closing of the liquid valve finally takes place, are chosen such that, even with the "slowest" of these filling elements, the desired filling height is reliably achieved in the case of a multiplicity of filling elements, even though the closing of the liquid valves of the filling elements actually done much earlier and thus the total duration of the respective filling process could be reduced or the performance of the filling system or the filling machine could be increased.

A pressure filling system is known ( DE 1607996 ), in which the respective filling element is designed with a filling level determining the bottle in the bottle during filling through the bottle mouth in the bottle or in the neck or trunk area extends. The probe forms a probe contact at its lower end and is at the same time designed as a gas tube with a gas channel which is open above the probe contact via radial openings.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for pressure filling of bottles or similar containers, which u.a. With high reliability a reduction of the total duration of the respective filling process allows. To solve this problem, a filling element according to the patent claim 1 is formed.

A disclosed method is carried out as a pressure filling method, in which also the inert gas or CO2 gas, which is displaced during filling or during the filling phase by the inflowing medium from the respective container, is discharged via a projecting into the container return gas pipe, wherein At the end of the filling phase, the product in the return gas pipe rises while the liquid valve is still open. As a result of the probe provided or formed in the return gas tube, the liquid valve is closed immediately or with a preselected time delay as soon as the filling material rising in the return gas tube has reached the probe or its response level of the probe. This level is, for example, equal to the equilibrium level. Preferably, however, the level of response of the probe is lower than the equilibrium level, so that closing of the liquid valve already takes place or is initiated before the product rising in the return gas pipe reaches the equilibrium level.

The term "essentially" in the context of the invention means deviations from the respective exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5%.

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

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter Darstellung ein Füllelement eines Füllsystems bzw. einer Füllmaschine zum Druckfüllen von Flaschen mit einem flüssigen Füllgut, zusammen mit einer in Dichtlage an das Füllelement angehobenen bzw. angepressten Flasche;

Fig. 2 und 3

jeweils in vergrößerter Darstellung Details des Füllelementes.

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

Fig. 1

in a simplified representation, a filling element of a filling system or a filling machine for pressure filling of bottles with a liquid product, together with a raised in sealing position to the filling element or pressed bottle;

FIGS. 2 and 3

in each case on an enlarged scale Details of the filling element.

In the figures, 1 is a filling element of a filling system or a filling machine, which is provided with a plurality of similar filling elements on the circumference of a rotatable about a vertical machine axis rotor 2.

The filling element 1 is used for pressure filling of bottles 3 or other containers with a liquid product and is for this purpose at least during a Vorspannphase and a filling phase of the filling process with a container carrier 4, which is located below the filling element 1 and on the respective bottle 3 in the illustrated Embodiment stands up with their bottom of the bottle, pressed in the manner described in more detail below with its bottle mouth 3.1 against the filling element 1 in sealing position.

The filling element 1 comprises a in the illustrated embodiment, a Füllelementgehäuse 5, in which inter alia, a liquid channel 6 is formed, which is connected at its upper end via a line 7 with a ring vessel 8, which is common to all filling elements 1 of the filling system or the filling machine provided and level controlled during the filling operation with the liquid product, so that in the ring vessel 8, an upper gas space 8.1, which is occupied by the inert gas (CO2 gas) with the filling pressure well above the normal or ambient pressure, and a lower liquid space 8.2 are formed, to which the filling elements 1 are connected via the respective line 7. The level of contents in the boiler 8 is at the level N1. In the illustrated embodiment, the filling elements 1 are provided with respect to the vertical axis of the machine on the radially outer side of the ring vessel 8, whereby, inter alia, an optimal positioning of the filling elements 1 as well as a simplified maintenance and cleaning are possible.

The liquid channel 6 forms on the underside of the housing 5 an annular discharge opening 9 for the contents. Furthermore, a dispensing opening 9 enclosing ring seal 10 is provided on the underside of the Füllelementgehäuses 5, which is part of a in the direction of the vertical Füllelementachse FA by a small stroke liftable and lowerable centering tulip 11 for centering the respective bottle 3 and against which the respective bottle 3 at least pressed pressed against its bottle mouth 3.1 during a preload phase and a filling phase, with its axis of the bottle arranged coaxially with the Füllelementachse FA.

Provided in the liquid channel 6 is a liquid valve 12 which can be opened and closed in a controlled manner and essentially formed by a valve body 13 which cooperates with an annular valve seat 14 concentrically enclosing the filling element axis FA and formed on the inner surface of the liquid channel 6.

The valve body 13 is provided in the illustrated embodiment to a return gas pipe 15 which also acts as a valve stem and controlled by an actuator 16 for opening and closing the liquid valve 12 together with the valve body 13 in the Füllelementachse FA controlled by a predetermined stroke up and down is. In the figures, the liquid valve 12 is shown in its closed state. By a corresponding shaping of the valve body 13 as well as the inner surface of the liquid channel 6 in the region of the valve seat 14, it is achieved that, when the liquid valve 12 is open, a siphon-like gas barrier is formed there.

The return gas pipe 15, which is also arranged coaxially with the Füllelementachse FA, projects with its lower return gas pipe end 15.1 on the underside of the filling element 1 and thereby extends with this end with a length at least during the biasing phase and the filling phase in the respective, in sealing position the filling element 1 located bottle 3 inside. The return gas pipe 15 forms a return gas channel 17 which is open at the lower return gas pipe end 15.1 and at the upper end into a gas space 18 formed in the filler element housing 5 (in particular FIG. 3 ) opens. The level of the Rückgasrohrendes 15.1 and the local opening of the return gas channel 17 is denoted by N2 and is below the level N1.

In the gas tube 15, a coaxially arranged with the Füllelementachse FA probe 19 is provided, which responds to the liquid product and wetting, for example, in a. of the lower probe end 19.1 emits or induces an electrical signal causing the closing of the liquid valve 12, for example by changing the electrical properties of the probe 19 or at least one measuring section formed between electrodes of the probe 19. The level of this measurement path (response level of the probe 19) is denoted by N3, which is below the level N1. In the region of the probe 19, the return gas channel 17 is formed as an annular channel between the inner surface of the return gas tube 15 and the outer surface of the probe 19. As the figures further show, the lower probe end 19.1 is disposed within the return gas pipe 15 at a distance from the lower return gas pipe end 15.1, so that the Nsp3 not only above the level N2, but in the illustrated embodiment, above the liquid valve 12 and the valve seat 14 lies. In Füllelementgehäuse 5 more controlled gas paths are further formed, in the illustrated embodiment, a control valve 20 having Direction gas path through which the gas chamber 18 is connected with open control valve 20 with a rotor 2 for all filling elements 1 of the filling system common annular channel 21, which in turn, via a line 22 with the gas space 8.1 of the boiler 8 is in communication and thus the inert gas with the biasing and filling pressure leads.

In the illustrated embodiment, the gas path enclosing the control valve 20 comprises in detail two gas channels 20.1 and 20.2, of which the channel 20.1 connects the control valve 20 to the gas space 18 and the gas channel 20.2 connects the control valve 20 to the annular channel 21. In the gas passage 20.2, a throttle check valve 23 is provided, i. a throttle-check valve combination, which is designed so that when the control valve 20 is open, a non-throttled gas flow from the annular channel 21 via the gas channels 20.2 and 20.1 in the gas space 18 is possible, i. the throttle of the throttle check valve 23 is not effective, while at a gas flow in the opposite direction of flow, the throttle of the throttle check valve 23 is fully effective.

In an illustrated embodiment, the filler element housing 5 two further, the common control valve 24 having controllable gas paths are provided with the open control valve 24, the liquid channel 6 in the region of the discharge opening 9 and in the flow direction of the liquid product after the liquid valve 12 with the gas space 18 as well as throttled with another, on the rotor 2 for all filling elements 1 of the filling system and the filling machine jointly provided annular channel 25 connects, which serves as a return gas ring channel during operation of the filling machine and return gas with normal or ambient pressure or with a slight over the normal and ambient pressure overpressure, for example in the range between 0 to 1.5 bar leads.

The controllable gas path formed by the control valve 24 comprises in detail three gas channels formed in the filler element housing 5, namely the gas channel 24.1 which connects the fluid channel 6 in the region of the discharge opening 9 with the control valve 24, the gas channel 24.2 which connects the control valve 24 with the gas space 8 connects and the gas channel 24.3, which connects the control valve 24 with the annular channel 25. In the gas channel 24.3, a throttle 26 and a check valve 27 are provided, which opens the latter for a gas flow from the gas channel 24.3 in the annular channel 25, blocks for a gas flow in the opposite direction and thus u.a. with open control valve 24, a return flow of return gas from the annular channel 25 in the gas channels 24.1 - 24.3 prevented. The control valves 20 and 24 are shown in their closed, non-activated state.

The actuator 16 and the control valves 20 and 24 are pneumatically confirmed in the illustrated embodiment, via not shown electrical control valves of a likewise not shown electronic control device of the filling system or the filling machine, the (control device) and the signal of the probe 19 is supplied ,

• Die zu füllende, mit ihrem Boden auf dem Behälterträger 4 aufstehende und mit ihrer Flaschenachse in Richtung der Füllelementachse FA orientierte Flasche 3 wird mit dem Behälterträger 4 angehoben, sodass die Flasche dann mit ihrer Flaschenmündung 3.1 gegen die Ringdichtung anliegt, im Bereich der Flaschenmündung 3.1 aber ein Ringspalt zur Umgebung verbleibt und das Rückgasrohr 15 mit seinem unteren Rückgasrohrende 15.1 in die Flasche 3 hineinreicht.

With the filling element 1, for example, a pressure filling of the bottles 3 with the liquid product from the ring bowl 8 in the following manner is possible:

• The bottle 3 to be filled with its bottom resting on the container carrier 4 and oriented with its bottle axis in the direction of the filling element axis FA is lifted with the container carrier 4, so that the bottle rests against the ring seal with its bottle mouth 3.1, but in the area of the bottle mouth 3.1 an annular gap to the environment remains and the return gas pipe 15 extends with its lower return gas pipe end 15.1 in the bottle 3.

In this state, in a first process step (rinsing phase) of the filling process, a rinsing of the interior of the bottle 3 with CO2 gas takes place in order to completely remove the air present in the bottle. For this purpose, when the liquid valve 12 is closed and the control valve 20 is open, CO 2 gas is introduced or blown from the annular channel 21 into the interior of the bottle 3 via the gas space 18 and the return gas channel 17, so that the air originally present in the bottle 3 exits from the bottle interior via the so-called Annular gap is displaced.

In a further method step (prestressing phase) of the filling process, the bottle 3 is raised in sealing position against the filling element 1, so that via the ring seal 10 there is a tight connection between the discharge opening 9 and in the interior of the bottle 3. For biasing the control valve 20 is opened when the liquid valve 12 is still closed, so that CO2 gas can flow under pressure through the open control valve 20, the gas chamber 18 and the gas channel 17 into the interior of the bottle 3 and the bottle interior to the biasing and filling pressure is biased. Both in the purge phase and in the bias phase, the throttle of the throttle check valve 23 is not effective, so that in each case an unthrottled gas flow from the annular channel 21 into the bottle 3 is possible and thereby u.a. the cycle times for the rinsing phase and the prestressing phase are reduced, for an increase in the performance of the filling system or the filling machine (number of filled bottles 3 per unit of time).

During the subsequent filling phase, which is initiated by opening the liquid valve 12, the respective bottle 3 is still in sealing position on the filling element 1. At least one quick filling of the bottle 3 takes place during the filling phase at also open control valve 20, whereby the CO2 gas, which is displaced from the filling material flowing into the bottle 3 via the discharge opening 9 from the bottle interior, can flow back into the annular channel 21 via the return gas channel 17, the gas chamber 18 and the open control valve 20. The speed at which the liquid product flows into the bottle 3 is determined inter alia by the level N1. In order to achieve a defined filling speed, during the filling phase the gas path for the CO2 gas displaced out of the bottle 3 into the annular channel 21 is throttled by the throttle of the throttle check valve 23 which is effective in this flow direction. Through the throttle check valve 23 is thus without an additional control valve and without it connected constructive and / or control engineering effort the different requirements when flushing and tempering, on the one hand and pressure filling, on the other hand taken into account.

If the level of contents 3 reaches level N2, then the lower return gas pipe end 15.1 dips into the contents, so that the volume in the head space of the bottle 3, i. in the area between the level of contents in the bottle 3 and the opened liquid valve 12 or the gas barrier formed there, CO2 gas can no longer flow into the return gas channel 17, but rather the liquid product rises in this return gas channel 17. If the probe 19 were not present, the level of contents in the return gas channel would reach the equilibrium level, which is below the level N1 but above the level N3 of the probe 19 due to the gas barrier of the opened liquid valve and the CO2 gas trapped in the head space of the bottle 3. By the probe 19 is now achieved that a closing of the liquid valve 12 is then triggered by probe when the rising in the return gas channel 17 contents has already reached the Ansprechniveau N3, closing the liquid valve 12 so not only after a fixed period of time or only at Reaching a predetermined angular position of the rotor 2 of the filling machine takes place, as is the case with previously known filling systems of the type in question for pressure filling of containers.

With the closing of the liquid valve 12 causing the signal of the probe 19 is preferably also the closing of the control valve 20 and the opening of the control valve 24 causes, so via the open control valve 24, a discharge of the head space of the still in sealing position with the filling element 1 bottle 3 in the annular channel 25 as well as an emptying of the return gas channel 17 and a return flow of the filling material from the return gas channel 17 into the bottle, due to the connection between the gas space 18 and the region of the discharge opening 9 via the gas channels 24.1 and 24.2. A return flow of return gas from the annular channel 25 in the headspace of the bottle 3 is effectively prevented by the check valve 27.

The filling process is terminated so that the filled bottle 3 is lowered with the container carrier 4 so far that the return gas pipe 15 is completely led out of the bottle 3. The filled bottle 3 can then be removed from the container carrier 4 and fed, for example, a machine for closing.

During operation of the filling system or the filling machine CO2 gas is constantly removed from the annular channel 21 in particular for purging and this replaced via the line 22 from the gas space 8.1 of the ring boiler 8, so that despite the return of the CO2 gas in the annular channel 21st during the filling phase, no CO2 gas and in particular no CO2 gas contaminated with air passes from the annular channel 21 into the gas space 8.1 of the boiler 8. In the boiler 8 is thus always at the phase boundary to the medium always pure CO2 gas.

• Unabhängig von der Sonde 19 werden durch das im Gaskanal 20.2 vorgesehen Drosselrückschlagventil 23 ein beschleunigtes Spülen und Vorspannen der jeweiligen Flasche 3 mit einem ungedrosselten CO2-Gasstrom und zugleich während der Füllphase ein gedrosselter Rückgasstrom für eine optimale und reproduzierbare Füllgeschwindigkeit erreicht.

The described filling element 1 has considerable advantages:

• Independently of the probe 19, an accelerated flushing and prestressing of the respective bottle 3 with an unthrottled CO 2 gas stream and at the same time during the filling phase a throttled return gas stream for an optimum and reproducible filling speed are achieved by the throttle check valve 23 provided in the gas channel 20.

By arranged in the return gas pipe 5 probe 19, a closing of the liquid valve 12 is reached before the normal state of equilibrium occurred or the mirror of the liquid filling material in the return gas channel 17 has risen to the level corresponding to this equilibrium state. With the probe 19 so the Füllgutanstieg is limited in the return gas pipe 15.

This makes it possible to reduce the overall duration of the filling process or to increase the performance of a filling machine (number of filled bottles 3 per time unit), for example by virtue of the fact that a central control unit or a central computer of the filling machine keeps the respective time period until Response of the probe 19 for each filling elements 1 separately detected and then controls the speed of the filling machine such that the filling process is completed reliably on the "slowest" filling element 1 of the filling machine before the respective bottle 3 lowered from this filling element with the container carrier 4 becomes.

Furthermore, by appropriate choice of the level N3, ie by appropriate approximation of the level N3 to the level N2, the amount of rising in the return gas channel 17 filling material and thus the amount of recycled into the respective bottle 3 contents are kept small.

In addition, by closing the liquid valve 12 after the response of the probe 19 also avoided that due to vibrations of the filling system or the filling material from the liquid channel 6 nachfließt from the liquid channel 6 in the bottle 3, as is the case with known filling systems for pressure filling of containers or bottles is that (filling systems) the probe 19 does not have.

By controlling the control valves 20 and 24 and thereby in particular by the opening of the control valve 24 due to the signal of the probe 19 takes place after closing the liquid valve 12 early a common relieving the headspace of the bottle 3 and the return gas channel 17 via the throttle 26 as well as a Emptying of the return gas channel 17, so that when removing or lowering the bottle 3 from the filling element 1 not to a jerky emptying (expansion shock) of the return gas channel 17 in the level of the filled bottle 3 and also not associated foaming of the contents in the bottle. 3 comes. Furthermore, by the early emptying of the return gas pipe 15 and a retention of Füllgutresten in the gas pipe 15 is avoided during or after lowering the bottle 3 from the filling element 1, which contributes to a total reduction of the total duration of the filling process and thus to an increase in the performance of the filling machine , Especially with a CO2-containing and prone to foaming contents.

Due to the use of the probe 19, it is also basically possible to dispense with the gas barrier in the area of the liquid valve 12.

Another advantage is that with the response of the probe 19 and thus caused closing of the liquid valve 12, the connection between the ring vessel 8 and the respective bottle 3 is immediately interrupted upon reaching the desired level, so also by pressure fluctuations in the gas space and 8.1 Fluctuations in the level N1 conditional Füllhöhenschwankungen in the bottles 3 are effectively avoided.

Since the head space of the respective bottle 3 is also connected via the control valve 24 to the gas space 18 or to the upper end of the return gas pipe 17 after closing the liquid valve 12, it is basically also possible to fill the respectively filled bottle 3 even with slight overpressure in the bottle of that Pull off the filling element 1, without there being a jerky emergence of present in the return gas pipe 17 contents and foaming in the bottle 3, namely, inter alia, to shorten the overall duration of the filling process and to increase the performance of the filling system or the filling machine.

Another significant advantage is that for the filling element 1, despite the large number of advantages without fundamental structural changes, for example, a construction already reinforced in filling systems or single-chamber filling systems for pressure-filling of containers can be used.

The invention has been described above by means of an embodiment. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible.

Thus, in principle, there is also the possibility that the closing of the liquid valve 12 takes place after the response of the probe 19 with a certain time delay, thereby achieving a filling height correction.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

filler

2

rotor

3

bottle

3.1

bottle mouth

4

Container carrier or bottle plate

5

filling element

6

liquid channel

7

Product or product line

8th

ring bowl

8.1

Gas space of the ring boiler 8

8.2

Fluid space of the ring boiler 8

9

annular discharge opening

10

ring seal

11

centering bell

12

liquid valve

13

valve body

14

valve surface

15

Return gas pipe

15.1

lower return gas pipe end

16

Actuation device for liquid valve 12

17

Return gas channel

18

headspace

19

probe

19.1

lower end of probe

20

control valve

20.1,20.2

gas channel

21

annular channel

22

management

23

Speed Controller

24

control valve

24.1, 24.2, 24.3

gas channel

25

Ring channel on the rotor 2

26

throttle

27

check valve

N1

Level of the product level in the ring bowl 8

N2

Level of lower end of return pipe 15.1

N3

Claim level of the probe 19

FA

filling element

Claims (3)

1. Filling element for filling bottles or similar containers (3) with a filling material under pressure, with at least one liquid channel (6) formed in a filling element housing (5), with at least one liquid valve (12) in the liquid channel (6), said channel being connected, upstream of the liquid valve (12) in the flow direction of the filling material, to a liquid chamber (8.2) of a filling material vessel (8), which is partially filled with the filling material and is under pre-stress or filling pressure, and forms at least one discharge opening (9) downstream of the liquid valve (12) in the flow direction of the filling material, at which discharge opening the particular container (3) is arranged with a container opening (3.1) in a sealed position at least during the filling, as well as with a return gas pipe (15) that projects into the container (3) during the filling, so that an inert gas, such as CO₂ gas, with which the container is prestressed, is forced out of the container (3) during the filling and is transported back into a collection channel (21), which transports the gas under pre-stress or filling pressure, or into a gas chamber (8.1) of the vessel (8), and wherein, after the immersion of a lower return gas pipe end (15.1) of the return gas pipe (15) into the filling material level that is rising in the container (3), the filling material rises up to a level (N3), at which the further filling of the container (3) with the filling material is ceased, wherein a probe (19) is arranged or formed in a return gas channel (17) formed from a return gas pipe, said probe generating a probe signal that causes the closing of the liquid valve (12) as soon as the rising filling material reaches a response level (N3) of the probe in the return gas channel (17), characterised in that, in a controlled gas path (20, 20.1, 20.2) formed in the filling element, via which path at least one pre-stressing of the respective container (3) located in the sealing position with the filling element (1) takes place, as well as the transporting back of the inert gas forced out of the container (3) during the filling, a choke non-return valve unit (23) is provided to deliver a non-choked inert gas flow via this gas path for the pre-stressing and a choked inert gas flow during the filling.
2. Filling element according to claim 1, characterised in that the probe (19) is a rod-shaped probe, inserted into the return gas pipe (15) or, respectively, into the return gas channel (17) formed by this pipe, with at least one probe contact or at least one electrical measuring segment which responds to the liquid filling material, preferably in the region of a lower probe end (19.1).
3. Filling element according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, at least with the liquid valve (12) opened, a gas block, such as a siphon-type gas block, is provided or formed in the liquid channel (6), preferably in the region of the liquid valve (12).

Images