EP2607297B1 - Method and device for filling containers - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a method and a device for filling containers by means of a filling member, preferably for filling beverage bottles by means arranged in a ring filler fillers.

State of the art

The filling of containers by means of filling organs, in particular by means of a ring filler, is well known.

When filling beverage bottles, such as glass bottles with oxygen-sensitive drinks such as beer or sparkling wine, it is known to evacuate the beverage bottles before the actual filling with the drink. Then, the interior of the beverage bottle is purged with a gas, for example CO ₂ , to reduce the oxygen content in the bottle. This is followed by a biasing of the beverage bottle to the filling pressure with CO ₂ , whereupon the actual filling of the beverage bottle with the product then takes place at the desired filling level, at the desired filling volume or the desired filling weight.

In such a filling method, a controlled pressure relief of the beverage bottle is also typically carried out after the completion of filling and calming the liquid level to reduce foaming, wherein the gas located in the headspace above the filling level is slowly released to atmospheric pressure.

Such a vacuum filling machine is for example in the DE 299 17 605 U1 described.

Another device for filling vessels, which are flushed with a gas before the actual filling with a product and then biased, is for example from WO 2006/119893 A1 known.

The DE 28 45 646 A1 relates to a circulating vessel treatment plant.

The DE 42 03 786 A1 relates to a device for removing fragments of broken bottles in a filling machine.

The US 3,073,444 relates to a bottle inspection and detection method and apparatus.

In carrying out the above-mentioned known method, it often happens that damaged glass bottles break during pretensioning. After passing the filler round with an empty filling member due to the broken bottle, a new bottle is then added to the corresponding filling member in the next round of filling. This bottle located at the position of the previously broken bottle is then filled with the same filling mode as the regular bottles. However, the bottle now located at the position of the previously burst bottle is not completely filled in this filling mode, but only partially filled. This partially filled in this way bottle is then later rejected as faulty automatically from the bottle stream. In this way, an attempt is made to bring possibly left over from the broken bottle impurities, splinters and glass dust in a defined incorrectly filled bottle and then eject this bottle. This method according to the preamble of claim 1 is described in the EP 0 043 617 A1 described.

In the only partial filling of the bottle, which is also referred to as "semi-filling", the same filling mode is used as when filling a regular bottle. In particular, in this filling mode, the new bottle is at least initially evacuated even when partially filled, then rinsed with gas, then biased and then only partially filled with the product. After only partial product filling also takes place a controlled discharge to atmospheric pressure.

This disadvantageous appears that glass splinters, glass dust and other impurities, which originate from the previously burst bottle, can be drawn by the evacuation and the controlled discharge in the corresponding evacuation channel and / or the discharge channel. As a result, the glass splinters, the glass dust and the other impurities can, for example, get to the valve seat of the evacuation valve or relief valve and cause damage there. Furthermore, these glass fragments, glass dust and other contaminants can not then be safely removed from the system and possibly contaminate a subsequent bottle uncontrollably.

Presentation of the invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to further improve the reliability of a method for filling containers.

This object is achieved by means of a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments are specified in the subclaims.

Accordingly, in the method for filling containers by means of a filling member, the filling member is operated in a first filling mode for the regular filling of the container with liquid. According to the invention, the filling element is operated after a container defect for at least one machine cycle in a second filling mode.

By switching the operation of the filling element from a first filling mode, in which the container is regularly filled, into a second filling mode, in which the filling element is operated after a preceding container defect for at least one machine cycle in the second filling mode, it can be achieved that the respective filling modes for filling or for the partial filling of a container after a container defect can be optimally adjusted.

To prevent glass fragments, glass dust or other contaminants from being drawn into the filling device after a preceding container defect, the second filling mode comprises only volume flows into the container. Accordingly, in the regular filling in the first process mode, evacuation and controlled unloading can be performed. In the second process mode, however, at least an evacuation and a controlled unloading is dispensed with.

The first filling mode preferably comprises at least the steps of evacuating and completely filling the container. Complete filling here means a filling of the container in such a way that either the desired filling level or the desired filling volume or filling weight of product is introduced into the container.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first filling mode additionally comprises the step of pre-loading the container before filling. It is further preferred if, in the first filling mode, a step of controlled unloading of the container after filling is also included. In addition, the first filling mode may also include the step of purging the Container with purge gas after evacuation, preferably at least a double cycle of evacuation and purging include.

Accordingly, the first filling mode is the filling mode which according to the prior art was used both for the regular filling of the containers and for the semi-filling of the following containers on a filling device after a container defect. This filling mode is used according to the present invention only for regular filling.

The second filling mode preferably comprises the partial filling of the container and / or the biasing of the container. By partially filling the container is understood here that the container is not filled to its regular volume, weight or level, but the filling with the liquid is terminated much earlier. For example, the container can be filled only half. This partial filling on the one hand ensures that impurities from the previous machine cycle in which a container defect has occurred are flushed out. The correspondingly only partially filled container can then be easily removed in a subsequent process step in the filling, as it is detected as underfilled. In this way it is ensured that the flushed impurities do not reach the end customer. Furthermore, by the partial filling and liquid, especially beverage, saved, whereby the process is more economical to operate.

The second filling mode preferably comprises the flushing of flushing gas into the container. Also in this way a positive volume flow into the container can be achieved.

In order to provide a particularly safe method of avoiding the entrainment of contaminants, the second filling mode may include only the steps of biasing and partially filling the container. Accordingly, the second filling mode preferably does not include a process step of evacuation and also no process step of the controlled unloading of the container.

In this way, it is achieved that the filling process in the second filling mode, which fundamentally differs from the first filling mode in that evacuation and controlled unloading of the container does not take place, is carried out so that splinters, glass dust and other contaminants through the in Container directed in volume flows can be washed and rinsed into the container interior, but that these splinters, dust and other impurities can not get caught in individual components of the filling organ.

Accordingly, a transport of the undesired substances into the vacuum channel and / or in the discharge channel and increased wear on the corresponding valve seats can be counteracted. Therefore, incorrect fillings or the failure of the corresponding filling member can be reduced in this way.

The term "filling mode" is understood here as the sequence of the different steps in the filling device. In the filling devices of the conventional type, work is done only in a single filling mode, namely evacuation, rinsing, pre-loading and then filling of the respective container, followed by a controlled unloading of the container. Even with the function of half-filling, which is used to only partially fill the subsequent containers on a filling member on which a container was burst in the previous machine cycle, this filling mode is used.

By contrast, the two filling modes of the present invention are fundamentally different sequences of the individual process steps, namely in the first filling mode to the conventional filling, ie evacuation, rinsing, biasing, filling, relieving the container, in the second Befüllmodus, however, completely refrained from evacuating. Furthermore, the controlled unloading is dispensed with. Thus, the first filling mode and the second filling mode are two completely different sequences of steps when filling the containers with product.

The above object is further achieved by a device having the features of claim 9. Advantageous developments emerge from the dependent claim.

Brief description of the figures

• Figur 1 einen senkrechten Schnitt durch eine Vorrichtung zum Befüllen von Behältern;
• Figur 2 einen senkrechten Schnitt durch einen Ventilblock; und
• Figur 3 einen schematischen Ablauf des Verfahrens.

Preferred further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Showing:

• FIG. 1 a vertical section through a device for filling containers;
• FIG. 2 a vertical section through a valve block; and
• FIG. 3 a schematic sequence of the method.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. In this case, the same, similar or equivalent elements are denoted by identical reference numerals and a repeated description of these elements will be omitted in the following description in part to avoid redundancy in the description.

The device, which in the FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown, for example, for filling a liquid F, such as beer or sparkling wine, formed in the container G. The liquid F is provided up to a liquid level P in a storage container, which may be formed in a round filler, for example in the form of the annular container 1. The FIG. 1 shows here a section through the filling member 10, which is connected to the annular container 1 and which is designed to fill the container G.

To fill the container G with an oxygen-sensitive liquid, for example beer or sparkling wine, the container G is evacuated to reduce or remove the atmospheric oxygen and flushed with a purge gas, here with CO ₂ . This process of evacuation and rinsing can also be performed several times in order to achieve the best possible removal of atmospheric oxygen from the interior of the container G. By reducing the atmospheric oxygen inside the container G, the shelf life of the bottled beverage can be significantly increased.

In CO ₂ -containing beverages, such as beer or sparkling wine, there is an increased foaming during filling, which is caused by the release of CO ₂ from the beverage. For this reason, before filling the container G, it is biased to a predetermined pressure to avoid excessive release of CO ₂ from the liquid. The bias is sensibly also applied with CO ₂ . The Aufschäumneigung can be significantly reduced by the bias, so that a faster filling process can be achieved.

The space S above the liquid F is under pressure and, for example, filled with CO ₂ and biased accordingly. To evacuate the container G now, for example, is a Gas line 5 is provided which communicates with the container G in an orifice area. Via a corresponding valve position of a connected to the gas line 5 valve block 6, the gas line 5 is connected to a vacuum source, not shown here.

For rinsing and for biasing the gas line 5 is now connected via a corresponding valve position of the valve block 6 via a biasing line 7 with the pressurized space S above the liquid F in the annular container 1, so that corresponding to the gas line 5, the container G with CO ₂ be rinsed and biased. By appropriate switching of the valve positions in the valve block 6, the evacuating, rinsing and biasing of the container G can be achieved in this way, in the valve block, the gas line 5 is switched only between the vacuum source and the space S above the liquid F back and forth.

These shifts are in the in FIG. 2 schematically shown valve block 6 via the valves 23, 24 controlled.

For evacuation, a return gas pipe 4 can furthermore be closed by means of a plunger 12, and only then is the gas pipe 5 connected via a corresponding valve position of the valve block 6 to the vacuum line. When a sufficiently good vacuum is achieved in the container G, the valve position of, for example, the vacuum valve 23 and the clamping gas valve 24 for introducing the pressurized purge gas is changed. After the purge gas has flowed in, in a preferred process, in turn, the bias gas valve 24 may be closed, and the reservoir G reconnected to the vacuum channel via the vacuum valve 23 to again draw a vacuum in the reservoir G. This is followed by a filling of the container G via the clamping gas valve 24 completely with clamping gas to provide a bias of the container G to the corresponding filling pressure. When this filling pressure is reached, the clamping gas valve 24 is closed and the liquid F can flow into the container G by opening the height-adjustable valve body 25. The clamping gas contained in the container G escapes via the return gas pipe 4 back into the space S of the annular container. 1

After completion of the filling process, the pressure, which is located in the headspace of the container G, can be controlled via the vacuum valve 23 drained until the headspace of the container G is at ambient pressure.

In this first filling mode container G are regularly filled with the liquid F, wherein after each machine cycle, a new empty container G is connected to the respective Befüllorgan for filling and is accordingly separated after unloading again from the Befüllorgan.

Should the container G be destroyed during toughening (or during any other subsequent process step), for example, because it already has pre-damage and bursting during pre-stressing, correspondingly glass fragments, glass dust or other contaminants can be deposited on a centering bell 13 or on another, with the container G stick in direct contact areas of the device.

At the next machine cycle, so if that in FIG. 1 Filling member shown is then connected to a new container G, the splitter and glass dust, for example, when evacuating or relieving via the gas line 5 or during filling via the return gas pipe 4 in the device running in the above filling mode. In a subsequent process step in the regular filling of other containers then these splinters or dusts could either at the respective valve seats, such as the valve seat of the valve 23, deposit or be entered undesirable in subsequent filling again in a container.

The destruction of the container in the previous machine cycle is detected in a conventional manner, for example via pressure sensors during pretensioning, by visual inspection or by other suitable measures.

If such a container defect occurs, the relevant filling member is operated at least in the next machine cycle in a second filling mode.

Accordingly, in the second filling mode, after the detection of a container defect, the valve block is actuated such that no volume flows from the container G into the device take place, but only volume flows into the container G take place. Accordingly, the container G is then neither evacuated, nor is a controlled discharge made after filling. In this way, sucking the glass splinters, glass dust or other impurities in the gas line 5, or-depending on the valve circuit - in the return gas pipe 4, are avoided.

Accordingly, in the second filling mode, only a bias voltage is applied to the container G and the liquid F is filled to a smaller extent. This is also called "semi-stuffing". A complete filling of the container G does not take place, however, in order to simplify a subsequent discharge of the container G, since this is then eliminated as underfilled.

The return gas pipe 4 preferably remains closed in this second filling mode also via the plunger 12 in order to avoid a volume backflow here as well. Due to the only partial filling of the container G can be filled here against the increasing pressure in the container G, without a discharge would have to take place.

In the FIG. 3 For example, the process controlled and coordinated by a controller (not shown) is again schematically illustrated. In a first method step S100 it is checked whether the container had a container defect at the respective filling member in the preceding machine cycle, or whether the container was correspondingly intact.

If the container was intact, the process continues in the first fill mode M1. Here, the steps of evacuating the container S102, purging the container S104, biasing the container S106, completely filling the container S108, and relieving the headspace volume of the filled container S110 are performed. This results in a regularly filled container.

If the container was defective in the previous machine cycle, the method continues after step S100 in the second filling mode M2. Here, only steps are carried out which have a volume flow into the container, namely the steps of biasing the container S206 and partially filling the container S208. For example, in the partial filling of the container in step S208, the container may be half-filled.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

ring container

10

Filling head

4

Return gas pipe

5

gas pipe

6

manifold

7

bias line

12

tappet

13

centering

23

vacuum valve

24

Span gas valve

25

valve body

F

liquid

G

container

P

liquid level

S

Space over liquid

Claims (9)

1. Method for filling containers (G) by means of a filling member (10), the filling member being operated, in a first filling mode (M1), for a regular filling of the container (G) with liquid (F), after a container defect, the filling member (10) being operated for at least one machine cycle in a second filling mode (M2), the first filling mode (M1) comprising at least one volume flow out of the container (G), characterized in that the second filling mode (M2) comprises solely volume flows into the container (G).
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first filling mode (M1) comprises at least the steps of the evacuation (S102) and of the complete filling (S108) of the container (G) and preferably additionally comprises the step of the pressurization (S106) of the container (G) before filling.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first filling mode (M1) comprises a step of the controlled load relief (S110) of the container (G) after filling.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first filling mode (M1) comprises the step of the scavenging (S104) of the container (G) with scavenging gas after evacuation, preferably at least one two-fold cycle of evacuation and scavenging.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second filling mode (M2) comprises the partial filling (S208) of the container (G) and/or the pressurization (S206) of the container (G).
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second filling mode (M2) comprises the flushing of scavenging gas into the container.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second filling mode (M2) comprises solely the steps of the pressurization and of the partial filling of the container.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second filling mode (M2) comprises no process step of evacuation and no process step of load relief of the container.
9. Device for filling containers (G) by means of a method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a filling member (10), the filling member (10) being operable in a first filling mode (M1) for the regular filling of the container (G) with liquid, characterized in that a control device is provided, which is set up to operate the filling member (10) in a second filling mode (M2) for at least one machine cycle after a container defect, the first filling mode (M1) comprising at least one volume flow out of the container (G), and the second filling mode (M2) comprising solely volume flows into the container (G), and a valve block (6) with a pressurizing gas valve (24) for applying pressurization to the container (G) and a vacuum valve (23) for evacuating the container (G) being provided, the control device being set up to keep the vacuum valve (23) closed in the second filling mode (M2).

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