EP2768762B1 - Method and filling machine for filling bottles with a liquid filling material - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and to a filling machine according to the preamble of patent claim 7.

Such a method and such a filling machine are from the WO 2010/000435 A1 known.

To set a precise desired filling level within a container during filling u.a. the so-called Trinox method and a vacuum filling known. Both methods have in common that the filling element as a filling height-determining element is a tubular, designed as a return gas tube and reaching into the container reaching into the probe with at least one lower probe opening is used and that the respective container is initially overfilled when filling in a filling phase, i. is filled so far that the level of contents in the container is above the desired target filling level and the lower the target filling height determining probe opening is below the Füllgutspiegels. The overfilled product will be filled after completion of the filling phase, i. removed after closing the liquid valve of the filling element in a filling height correction phase on the probe from the container and returned to the product vessel.

In the known Trinox method, a sterile inert gas, for example CO2, at a pressure which is above the filling pressure or the pressure prevailing in the filling material, is introduced into a headspace of the container to remove the overfilled filling material in the filling level correction phase, so that Due to the overpressure of this inert gas, the filling material is forced back into the product vessel through the probe or its probe channel until the probe opening is outside the contents and thus the desired filling level is reached. A disadvantage of the Trinox process u.a. additional costs due to the inert gas used in setting the nominal filling level.

In the case of vacuum filling, which predominantly applies to the filling of still products, ie to the filling of products that do not contain CO2, a vacuum prevails in the product vessel. After closing the liquid valve of the container from its sealing seat or its sealing position on Filling valve removed, so that the contents in the filling height correction phase through the Pressure difference between the pressure in the Füllgutkessel and the pressure of the ambient air via the probe or its probe channel is returned by suction into the Füllgutkessel until the probe opening is outside the contents and thus the desired filling level is reached. In this case, however, inevitably ambient air and with this also possibly dirt, microorganisms and germs, such as fungi, bacteria, etc. in the headspace of the container and in the local contents.

The object of the invention is to provide a method with which a high degree of operational reliability, an exact filling of containers without Füllgutverluste or substantially without Füllgutverluste and with optimum quality and / or reduced costs is possible. To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed. A filling machine is the subject of claim 7.

"Container" are in the context of the invention in particular cans and bottles, each made of metal, glass and / or plastic.

"In sealing position with the filling element befindlicher container" means in the context of the invention that each container to be filled in the manner known to the expert with its container mouth tightly against the filling element or to a local there, the at least one discharge opening of the filling element surrounding gasket pressed ,

"Headspace" in the sense of the invention means that subspace of the container interior in the region of the container opening which (subspace) is not occupied by the contents.

The expression "essentially" or "approximately" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

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

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter schematischer Darstellung und in Draufsicht eine Füllmaschine gemäß der Erfindung;

Fig. 2

in vereinfachter Darstellung eine der Füllpositionen der Füllmaschine der Figur 1;

Fig. 3

eine vergrößerte Detaildarstellung der Figur 2.

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

Fig. 1

in simplified schematic representation and in plan view of a filling machine according to the invention;

Fig. 2

in a simplified representation of the filling positions of the filling machine of FIG. 1 ;

Fig. 3

an enlarged detail of the FIG. 2 ,

The generally designated 1 in the figures filling machine is used to fill containers in the form of bottles 2 with a liquid product or product. The filling machine 1 comprises a rotor 3 which can be driven in rotation around a vertical machine axis MA and on whose circumference a plurality of filling positions 4 are formed. The bottles 2 to be filled are fed to the rotor 3 or the filling positions 4 individually via a container inlet 5. The filled bottles 2 are removed from the rotor 3 or the filling positions 4 via a container outlet 6.

The FIG. 2 shows in more detail in detail one of the filling positions 4 together with an annular, the machine axis MA concentrically surrounding upper rotor element 7, on which a common for all filling positions 4, the machine axis MA also concentrically enclosing ring boiler 8 is provided, at least during the filling operation with the liquid filling material is partially filled, so that there is a gas space 8.1 and below this level of filling material occupied by the liquid contents liquid space 8.2 on the local Füllgutspiegel.

Each filling position 4 includes i.a. a filling element 9 and arranged below the filling element 9 container carrier 10, which in the illustrated embodiment designed as a bottle plate, arranged with its axis coaxially with a vertical Füllelementachse FA and in the direction of the Füllelementachse FA for raising and lowering the respective bottle 2 to or from the filling element 9 controlled up and down is movable.

In a housing 11 of the filling element 9 u.a. a liquid channel 12 is formed, which is connected at an upper end via a product line 13 with the liquid space 8.2 of the ring vessel 8 and at the bottom of the filling element in the region of a local centering element 14 (eg centering tulip) forms a discharge opening 15 through which the liquid product of the respective bottle 2 flows during filling. Between the connection of the product line 13 and the discharge opening 15, there is provided a liquid valve 16 which is provided to control the filling of the respective bottle 2 by an actuator 17, e.g. a pneumatic cylinder, controlled open and can be closed again.

The liquid valve 16 comprises a valve body 18 which is provided on a return gas tube 19 acting as a valve tappet, which cooperates with the actuating device 17 and opens with its upper, open end into a gas space 20. The gas space 20 is part of a controlled first gas path which is formed in the housing 11 and connects the return gas pipe 19 via a control valve 21 with an annular channel 22. This is provided for all filling positions 4 or filling elements 9 of the filling machine 1 together on the rotor element 7. The coaxially arranged with the axis FA return gas pipe 19 projects with its lower, also open end on the underside of the filling element 9, so that it extends slightly into the head space of the bottle 2, for filling with the edge 2.1 of its opening with the container carrier 10 in Sealing against the filling element 9 or pressed against the dispensing opening enclosing annular seal is applied.

Each filling element 9 comprises a height-adjustable, ie adjustable in the direction of the axis FA probe 23, which is arranged of a coaxially arranged with the axis FA and open at both ends tube piece and by the return gas pipe 19 and the gas space 20 and sealed through the top of the housing 11 passes through. The probe 23 is enclosed by the return gas pipe 19 at a distance, so that between the inner surface of the exhaust pipe and the outer surface of the probe 23 forms an annular, open at both ends and opening into the gas space 20 return gas channel. The probe 23 forms a probe channel open at both ends with a lower probe opening 23.1 and protrudes with its lower end having the probe opening 23.1 via the discharge opening 15 and the lower end of the return gas pipe 19. With the height-adjustable probe 23, the respective desired desired filling level in the bottles 2 is adjustable.

The over the top of the housing 11 projecting end of the probe 23 is connected to a control valve 24, which in turn communicates via a flexible conduit 25 with the gas space 8.1 of the annular boiler 8 in connection.

At the for the FIG. 2 selected representation, the filling machine 1 is designed for a vacuum or vacuum filling. For this purpose, the gas space 8.1 of the ring boiler 8 is connected to a vacuum pump 26, so that in the gas space 8.1, at least during the filling operation, a negative pressure relative to the ambient pressure prevails. The common for all filling positions 4 annular channel 22 is connected via a filter unit 27 (eg air filter) with the environment in connection. The filter unit 27 is designed so that reliably contaminants, microorganisms and germs, such as fungi, bacteria, etc. are retained from the environment.

• Am Beginn des jeweiligen Füllprozesses wird die an eine Füllposition 4 übergebene Flasche 2 mit Hilfe des Behälterträgers 10 angehoben, sodass die Flasche 2 mit ihrem Mündungsrand 2.1 in Dichtlage gegen das Füllelement 9 anliegt und die Sonde 23 mit einer der Soll-Füllhöhe entsprechenden Länge in die Flasche hineinreicht. Durch Öffnen des Steuerventils 24 wird die Flasche 2 evakuiert und ein Druckausgleich zwischen dem Innenraum der Flasche 2 und dem Gasraum 8.1 des Ringkessels 8 erreicht. Im Anschluss daran erfolgt bei weiterhin geöffnetem Steuerventil 24 die Füllphase durch das Öffnen des Flüssigkeitsventils 12, sodass das flüssige Füllgut aufgrund der Höhendifferenz zwischen der Flasche 2 und dem Füllgutspiegel im Ringkessel 8 über die Abgabeöffnung 15 in den Innenraum der Flasche 2 fließt. Die Abgabeöffnung 15 ist dabei bevorzugt so gestaltet, dass das Füllgut von der Abgabeöffnung 15 schirmartig an die Flascheninnenwand geleitet wird. Das von dem Füllgut aus dem Innenraum der Flasche verdrängte Gas entweicht über die Sonde 23 bzw. deren Sondenkanal und über das geöffnete Steuerventil 24 in den Gasraum 8.1 des Ringkessels 8. Die Füllphase wird durch das Schließen des Flüssigkeitsventils 16 beendet. Dieses Schließen erfolgt durch eine entsprechende Ansteuerung der Betätigungseinrichtung 17 beispielsweise zeitgesteuert. Auch andere Kriterien, beispielsweise Messsignale eines Durchflussmessers, der die der jeweiligen Flasche 2 zufließende Füllgutmenge erfasst, können für das Schließen des Flüssigkeitsventils 16 verwendet werden. Auf jeden Fall erfolgt das Schließen des Flüssigkeitsventils 16 dann, wenn der Spiegel des flüssigen Füllgutes in der Flasche 2 über dem unteren Ende der Sonde 23 und über der dortigen Sondenöffnung 23.1 steht.

With the filling machine 1 or with the filling system of this filling machine, a vacuum filling method with the following steps is possible:

• At the beginning of the respective filling process, the transferred to a filling position 4 bottle 2 is raised by means of the container support 10, so that the bottle 2 with its mouth edge 2.1 in sealing position against the filling element 9 abuts and the probe 23 with a desired filling level corresponding length in the Bottle reaches in. By opening the control valve 24, the bottle 2 is evacuated and a pressure equalization between the interior of the bottle 2 and the gas space 8.1 of the ring vessel 8 is achieved. After that, continue with Control valve 24, the filling phase by opening the liquid valve 12, so that the liquid product flows due to the difference in height between the bottle 2 and the product level in the ring vessel 8 via the discharge opening 15 into the interior of the bottle 2. The discharge opening 15 is preferably designed so that the contents of the discharge opening 15 is umbrella-like directed to the bottle inner wall. The displaced from the contents of the interior of the bottle gas escapes through the probe 23 and its probe channel and the open control valve 24 in the gas space 8.1 of the annular boiler 8. The filling phase is terminated by the closing of the liquid valve 16. This closing is done by a corresponding control of the actuator 17, for example, time-controlled. Other criteria, for example, measuring signals of a flow meter, which detects the amount of product flowing to the respective bottle 2, can be used for closing the liquid valve 16. In any case, the closing of the liquid valve 16 takes place when the level of the liquid filling material in the bottle 2 is above the lower end of the probe 23 and above the probe opening 23.1 there.

After the completion of the filling phase or after the closing of the liquid valve 16, the previously closed control valve 21 is opened to initiate the filling level correction phase while the control valve 24 is still open, so that the head space of the further located in sealing position with the filling element 9 bottles 2 via the return gas pipe 19, the gas space 20, the open control valve 21, the annular channel 22 and the filter unit 27 is connected to the environment. Excess filling material is then sucked out of the headspace of the bottle 2 via the probe 23, namely until the probe opening 23.1 emerges from the liquid filling material. In the bottle 2, the desired desired filling level is then reached.

Subsequently, the control valve 24 is closed and relieved when the control valve 21 is still open, the head space of the filled bottle 2 to atmospheric or ambient pressure. After this relief and after closing the control valve 21, the lowering of the filled bottle 2 with the container carrier 10 and the discharge of this bottle 2 from the filling machine 1 via the container outlet 6 takes place.

The above-described Vakuumfüllverfahren is particularly suitable for bottling still drinks, such as wine and spirits, but also for bottling slightly carbonated drinks or wines. In contrast to conventional Vakuumfüllsystemen or Vakuumfüllverfahren takes place in the invention, the suction or return of the overfilled contents from the bottle 2, while this is in sealing position on the filling element 9, so that during the filling height correction phase no unfiltered room or ambient air in the headspace of Bottle 2 arrives.

• Am Beginn des jeweiligen Füllprozesses wird die an eine Füllposition 4 übergebene Flasche 2 mit Hilfe des Behälterträgers 10 angehoben, sodass die Flasche 2 mit ihrem Mündungsrand 2.1 in Dichtlage gegen das Füllelement 9 anliegt und die Sonde 23 mit einer der Soll-Füllhöhe entsprechenden Länge in die Flasche hineinreicht. Durch Öffnen des Steuerventils 24 wird die Flasche 2 ein Druckausgleich zwischen dem Innenraum der Flasche 2 und dem Gasraum 8.1 des Ringkessels 8 erreicht, soweit dies notwendig ist. Im Anschluss daran erfolgt bei weiterhin geöffnetem Steuerventil 24 die Füllphase durch das Öffnen des Flüssigkeitsventils 12, sodass das flüssige Füllgut aufgrund der Höhendifferenz zwischen der Flasche 2 und dem Füllgutspiegel im Ringkessel 8 über die Abgabeöffnung 15 in den Innenraum der Flasche 2 fließt. Die Abgabeöffnung 15 ist dabei bevorzugt so gestaltet, dass das Füllgut von der Abgabeöffnung 15 schirmartig an die Flascheninnenwand geleitet wird. Das von dem Füllgut aus dem Innenraum der Flasche verdrängte Gas entweicht über die Sonde 23 bzw. deren Sondenkanal und über das geöffnete Steuerventil 24 in den Gasraum 8.1 des Ringkessels 8. Die Füllphase wird durch das Schließen des Flüssigkeitsventils 16 beendet. Dieses Schließen erfolgt durch eine entsprechende Ansteuerung der Betätigungseinrichtung 17 beispielsweise zeitgesteuert. Auch andere Kriterien, beispielsweise Messsignale eines Durchflussmessers, der die der jeweiligen Flasche 2 zufließende Füllgutmenge erfasst, können wiederum für das Schließen des Flüssigkeitsventils 16 verwendet werden. Auf jeden Fall erfolgt das Schließen des Flüssigkeitsventils 16 dann, wenn der Spiegel des flüssigen Füllgutes in der Flasche 2 über dem unteren Ende der Sonde 23 und über der dortigen Sondenöffnung 23.1 steht.

With the filling machine 1 or with the filling system, a filling method similar to the Trinox method is furthermore possible, in which, in turn, at the end of the filling phase, ie after closing of the liquid valve 16 in the filling level correction phase, the sealing layer abuts against the filling element overfilled bottle 2 contents on the probe 23 and the open control valve 24 is displaced or returned to the ring vessel 8, again until the probe opening 23.1 is located above the Füllgutspiegels in the bottle 2. This recycling takes place by acting on the head space of the bottle 2 with a pressurized and filtered gas and / or vapor pressure medium from the annular channel 22, to which the pressurized gaseous and / or vaporous pressure medium is supplied via the filter unit 27. The pressure in the annular channel 22 is greater than the pressure in the gas space 8.1. The pressure medium is filtered ambient air. The ambient air is preferably sucked in by a pump, not shown, compressed to a higher pressure and filtered on the way to the annular channel 22 by at least one filter unit 27. The corresponding filling method then has, for example, the following method steps:

• At the beginning of the respective filling process, the transferred to a filling position 4 bottle 2 is raised by means of the container support 10, so that the bottle 2 with its mouth edge 2.1 in sealing position against the filling element 9 abuts and the probe 23 with a desired filling level corresponding length in the Bottle reaches in. By opening the control valve 24, the bottle 2 is a pressure equalization between the interior of the bottle 2 and the gas space 8.1 of Ring boiler 8 achieved, if necessary. Thereafter, when the control valve 24 is still open, the filling phase takes place by opening the liquid valve 12, so that the liquid contents flow through the discharge opening 15 into the interior of the bottle 2 due to the height difference between the bottle 2 and the product level in the ring bowl 8. The discharge opening 15 is preferably designed so that the contents of the discharge opening 15 is umbrella-like directed to the bottle inner wall. The displaced from the contents of the interior of the bottle gas escapes through the probe 23 and its probe channel and the open control valve 24 in the gas space 8.1 of the annular boiler 8. The filling phase is terminated by the closing of the liquid valve 16. This closing is done by a corresponding control of the actuator 17, for example, time-controlled. Other criteria, such as measurement signals of a flow meter, which detects the amount of product flowing to the respective bottle 2, can in turn be used for closing the liquid valve 16. In any case, the closing of the liquid valve 16 takes place when the level of the liquid filling material in the bottle 2 is above the lower end of the probe 23 and above the probe opening 23.1 there.

In the then filling level correction phase, the head space of the bottle 2 is acted upon by opening the control valve 21 with the pressure of the filtered gaseous and / or vaporous pressure medium from the annular channel 22, preferably the pressure of the filtered ambient air, so that the liquid product from the overfilled Bottle 2 is returned by the probe 23 and the open control valve 24 in the ring vessel 8 until the desired nominal filling level is reached and the probe opening 23.1 is above the Füllgutspiegels in the bottle 2.

Subsequently, after closing the control valve 21, the unloading of the filled bottle 2, for example via the probe 23 and the open control valve 24 to the prevailing in the gas chamber 8.1 ambient pressure. After relieving the filled bottle 2 is lowered with the container carrier 10 from the filling element 9 and discharged via the container outlet 6 from the filling machine 1.
It is understood that the vacuum pump 26 is not required in this filling process based on the Trinox method.

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the scope of the invention defined by the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

filling Machine

2

bottle

2.1

mouth edge

3

rotor

4

filling position

5

container inlet

6

container outlet

7

rotor member

8th

ring bowl

8.1

headspace

8.2

liquid space

9

filler

10

container carrier

11

casing

12

liquid channel

13

product line

14

Centering element or centering tulip

15

discharge opening

16

liquid valve

17

actuation valve

18

valve body

19

Return gas pipe

20

headspace

21

control valve

22

annular channel

23

probe

23.1

probe opening

24

control valve

25

flexible line

26

vacuum pump

27

Gas or air filter

FA

filling element

MA

filling element

Claims (10)

1. Method for filling bottles or similar containers (2) with a liquid filling material from a filling material tank (8), making use of a filling system with at least one filling element (9), on which the respective container (2) is arranged in a sealed position during the filling process, and which has at least one liquid valve (16) for introducing the filling material into the respective container (2) in a controlled manner, and which has a probe (23) that extends into the container (2) during the filling process, with at least one probe opening (23.1) that determines the fill level, wherein the filling system comprises a first controlled gas path (19, 20, 21, 22), which is in connection with the interior of the container arranged in a sealed position at the filling element (9), wherein, in a filling phase, by controlled opening and closing of the liquid valve (16) first an overfilling of the container (2) takes place, with a filling material level above the probe opening (23.1), and then, following this, in a level-correcting phase, for adjusting a desired target fill level, overfilled filling material is conducted back via the probe opening (23.1) and a probe channel to the filling material tank (8), until the probe opening (23.1) is outside the filling material (2), wherein the conducting back of the overfilled filling material takes place by aspiration via the probe (23), with the simultaneous venting of the head space of the container (2) by the introduction of a gaseous and/or vaporous medium and/or by subjecting the head space of the container (2) to an overpressure of a gaseous and/or vaporous medium, characterised in that, for the level-correcting phase, a filtered gaseous and/or vaporous medium is used, wherein the gaseous and/or vaporous medium is ambient air, and wherein the first gas path (19, 20, 21, 22) comprises at least one filter unit (27), specifically for retaining contamination, micro-organisms, germs, e.g. fungi, bacteria, etc. from the ambient air conducted to the first gas path.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the adjustment of the target level takes place by aspiration and conducting back of the overfilled filling material into the filling material tank (8) with the container (2) arranged on the filling element (9) in a sealed position, and with the venting of the head space via a controlled gas path comprising at least one filter unit (27).
3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, before the initiation of the filling phase, the interior of the container (2) arranged in a sealed position at the filling element (9) is connected for the purpose of pressure compensation to a gas chamber (8.1), which is formed above the level of the filling material in the filling material tank (8), and preferably via the probe channel of the probe (23).
4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the venting of the head space of the container (2) with the filtered gaseous and/or vaporous medium takes place via a return gas channel of a return gas pipe (19), provided in addition to the probe channel of the probe (23), wherein the return gas channel is a part of a first controlled gas path of the filling element (9).
5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the probe channel of the probe (23) is a component part of a second gas path, which is controlled and connects the probe opening (23.1) to the filling material tank (8) or the gas chamber (8.1) located there, and that, before the initiation of the filling phase, this second gas path is opened for the purpose of pressure compensation between the interior of the container (2) and the filling material tank (8), as well as also during the filling phase.
6. Method according to claims 5 and 4, characterised in that, for the adjustment of the target level in the level-correcting phase, both the first and the second gas paths are opened.
7. Filling machine for the filling of bottles or similar containers with a liquid filling material, with at least one filling position (4) with a filling element (9) and container carrier (10), wherein, in the filling element (9) or its housing (11), a liquid channel (12) is formed, in connection with a filling material tank (8) and with at least one liquid valve (16), by means of which, by controlled opening and closing during a filling phase, the filling material is introduced into the respective container (2), arranged in a sealed position on the filling element (9), with at least one first controlled gas path (19, 20, 21, 22) which is in connection with the interior of the container, arranged in a sealed position on the filling element (9), and with a probe (23) which detects the level in the container (2), said probe comprising a probe channel with at least one probe opening (23.1) which determines the level, and of which the probe channel is a component part of a second controlled gas path (23, 24, 25) connecting the probe opening with a gas chamber (8.1) of the filling material tank (8), characterised in that the first gas path (19, 20, 21, 22) comprises at least one filter unit (27), and specifically for the retention of contamination, micro-organisms, germs, e.g. fungi, bacteria, etc. from a gaseous and/or vaporous medium being conveyed to the first gas path, wherein the gaseous and/or vaporous medium is ambient air.
8. Filling machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the gas chamber (8.1) of the filling material tank (8) is connected to a device for creating an underpressure, for example with at least one vacuum pump (26).
9. Filling machine according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the first controlled gas path (19, 20, 21, 22) is connected, by way of the at least one filter device (27), to a source for the gaseous and/or vaporous medium which under ambient pressure or an overpressure, for example to the surrounding environment.
10. Filling machine according to any one of the preceding claims 7 to 9, characterised in that a plurality of filling positions (4), in each case with a filling element (9), are formed on a transport element which can be driven such as to circulate, preferably on a rotor (3) which can be driven such as to rotate about a vertical machine axis (MA), that the first and second gas paths (19, 20, 21, 22; 23, 24, 25) can be controlled separately, and that the first gas path (19, 20, 21, 22) comprises a channel (22) which is common to all the filling elements (9), or in each case to a group of filling elements (9), which is connected to the filter unit (27) for the delivery of filtered gaseous and/or vaporous medium.

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